tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46827616034050733182024-03-26T03:03:45.282-06:00Theater ColoradoNews, views, and reviews for Colorado theaters.Bill Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094423709404416194noreply@blogger.comBlogger301125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682761603405073318.post-67937137212505639142020-09-21T10:11:00.004-06:002020-09-21T10:18:44.144-06:00Challenger-The Final Flight<p><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH8U8MjwKP6z_MX9OHBLug5jCFEo3nbSldVdSykRcXLM7Ti_yn7dULRN99qjjRf-SKo6NwrnS_tS2hWx_oN7sN5hA1H_BkMHkEsI0HeA6ipIB39udTKb8Uv71FPMrDGOTHaPHopnrEA_vK/s284/Challenger+3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="177" data-original-width="284" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH8U8MjwKP6z_MX9OHBLug5jCFEo3nbSldVdSykRcXLM7Ti_yn7dULRN99qjjRf-SKo6NwrnS_tS2hWx_oN7sN5hA1H_BkMHkEsI0HeA6ipIB39udTKb8Uv71FPMrDGOTHaPHopnrEA_vK/w400-h249/Challenger+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">If you're bored playing the "safer at home" game (and who isn't), here's a 4 hour, 4 part Netflix series that will rock you even if you're too young to remember the "Teacher" flight that went tragically awry.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm old enough to remember. I may have forgotten the details, but<a href="https://www.netflix.com/search?q=challenger&jbv=81012137"> "Challenger-The Final Flight" </a>brought it all back. My vaguest memories are of the bureaucratic fight over the fault for the failure of the O rings that brought the Challenger down. That fight is covered without comment by the producers; you have to make up your own mind about who bears the ultimate responsibility for the gruesome deaths of 7 of our best and brightest.</span></p></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">NASA, always in budget and operational crises, spiced up this flight by including a "regular person" aboard the doomed shuttle. It was mostly a marketing campaign to keep Congress writing checks for NASA. That turned out to be a sort of Russian Roulette, and NASA knew that from the outset.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Christa McCauliff, a teacher from Concord NH, was chosen for the role of NASA spokeswoman. She was to do several lessons from space, beaming those lessons back to earth and to the students eagerly watching every second of McCauliff's presentations. Because McCauliff was the first teacher in space, classrooms all over the country were tuned in to the launch. The result was traumatizing hundreds of thousands of children.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">The power of "Challenger-The Final Flight" is the family, friends, and NASA employees who were assembled for the production. They provide a personal and poignant inside view of NASA and the Challenger tragedy. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="317" data-original-width="214" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8SUvCzRjkejyeAHW8497vNtqQxTvEgQYRU6JDBU5paUkYB6NilLjMBUgiDe9zA8Isl-e9ActzRxsgIFMHXk9KZxJOPAhH8kTDvdiMKfUi4Fyqc8JcWBaQ3-jQQaoDL-lPQm0XnGxxJb4/w216-h320/Challenger+4.jpg" width="216" /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">The case is compelling..all with personal stories to tell. By far the most compelling, though is the personal story of William Lucas, Director, NASA, 1974-1986, Marshall Space Center (left). Lucas made the final decision to launch the Challenger on January 28, 1986. He knew the risks, but dismissed them as negligible. He overruled engineers and specialists who pleaded to scrub the launch. His decision was a huge blunder that anyone can clearly see, unless your name is William Lucas.</span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Most of us can recognize our mistakes. Lucas cannot. He made a very bad decision. Seven fine people paid with their lives. Even so, Lucas looks straight into the camera and says under the same conditions as he had in 1986, he would make the same decision today. He has learned nothing and takes no responsibility whatsoever for his actions on January 28,1986. Whether that sounds like the current President I'll leave to you readers.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">For the fans of current American history, "Challenger-The Final Flight" is Must See TV. For the rest of us, it's a great quarantine choice. But beware. Your understanding of NASA may be permanently altered...and not for the better.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Netflix is such a successful content platform, if you don't have it on your TV, you probably know someone who does. While I would never recommend illegal sharing of passwords, "Challenger-The Final Flight," is well worth the $10 or so for a month even if you cancel next month.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQOQRqLmwEFYpc269kalKNLu4q7Qgm-vUdszYNWFUOlqB_DagcRlPwq5-DHX9pYFA5QJD-jhfIGIhE3zs6urCj5y3obJqvN9wlS-DPS3TCGoAKJdsw-i4j2Q_w4hG0dgABe8md7LXg8crW/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img alt="" data-original-height="201" data-original-width="251" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQOQRqLmwEFYpc269kalKNLu4q7Qgm-vUdszYNWFUOlqB_DagcRlPwq5-DHX9pYFA5QJD-jhfIGIhE3zs6urCj5y3obJqvN9wlS-DPS3TCGoAKJdsw-i4j2Q_w4hG0dgABe8md7LXg8crW/w400-h320/image.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Directed by Daniel Junge & Steven Leckart, Executive Producer: JJ Abrams</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table class="simpleTable simpleCreditsTable" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><tbody style="box-sizing: border-box;"><tr style="box-sizing: border-box;"><td class="name" style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 1px 0px 1px 12px; vertical-align: top;"></td><td style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 1px 0px 1px 12px; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></td><td class="credit" style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 1px 0px 1px 12px; vertical-align: top;"></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><u>NOTES</u></b>:</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">While "Challenger-The Final Flight" is basically a G rated film, younger school children may be disturbed by the death of a school teacher.<br /></span><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p></div>Bill Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094423709404416194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682761603405073318.post-88753038731082331522020-03-29T16:04:00.000-06:002020-03-29T17:11:30.334-06:00Full Body Burden<br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>View of the Rocky Flats plant looking west in 1995. After 38 years, weapons production ceased in 1989. In 1992, the plant mission changed from weapons production to environmental cleanup and restoration. By 1995, the site had begun to be dismantled.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Photo credit: </i><span style="color: #2f3440; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><a href="https://www.lm.doe.gov/land/sites/co/rocky_flats/haer/base/overview.htm">https://www.lm.doe.gov/land/sites/co/rocky_flats/haer/base/overview.htm</a></i></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue;">“<i>Body burden</i> was used to describe the amount of radioactive material present in a human body, which acts as an internal and ongoing source of radiation. The Department of Energy established a ‘permissible full body burden’ for lifetime accumulation of radiation within the body on the assumption that a worker whose exposure did not exceed this level would not suffer ill effects.”</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Iversen, Kristen, <i>Full Body Burden</i>, New York, Broadway Books, 2013. At page 177.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/06/us/hiroshima-anniversary-explainer-trnd/index.html">Hiroshima</a></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">. <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2016/06/01/commentary/japan-commentary/why-was-nagasaki-nuked/#.Xnqp8i2ZOYU"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">Nagasaki</span></a>. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Mile_Island_accident"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">Three Mile Island</span></a>. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_disaster"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">Chernobyl</span></a>. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_Daiichi_nuclear_disaster"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">Fukashima</span></a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Any student of recent history knows these names and these places. Each one has been the site of a devastating nuclear disaster. Today I’m adding another site to the list: Rocky Flats, Colorado.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The plant at Rocky Flats produced parts for nuclear bombs between 1952 and 1992. Operated by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Atomic Energy Commision (AEC), the primary product at Rocky Flats was nuclear triggers. These radioactive triggers initiate nuclear fission in an atomic bomb. The trigger was called a “pit;” a small disk about the size of a softball. The pit was made of plutonium.. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">While browsing at <a href="https://www.hearthfirebooksandtreats.com/" target="_blank">Hearth Fire bookstore</a> (just prior to social distancing) I stumbled on Kristen Iversen’s 2013 book <i>Full Body Burden</i>. It took me about 10 seconds of flipping through pages to make an impulse purchase.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Full Body Burden</i> is both a historical account of Rocky Flats and an autobiography of a girl growing up in the shadow of a nuclear munitions plant. Iversen successfully weaves these two threads through <i>Full Body Burden</i>, making the all too true story both historical and personal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Although Rocky Flats was a creature of the federal government, the actual daily operations were contracted to large defense contractors, including Dow Chemical and Rockwell International. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The thrust of the historical narrative is Rocky Flats’ extreme pollution of the ground, the water, and the air only 15 miles from the entire population of Denver. For those who are unfamiliar with the geography, Highway 93 between Golden and Boulder passes by the site; the east side of the road near the wind turbines is close to the plant boundary. It’s literally in the backyard of the entire Denver metro area.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Plutonium is a highly radioactive element that is dangerous even in extremely tiny amounts. It has a half life of 24,000 years. Since 1949, scientists have set the maximum body burden for plutonium at 0.1 microgram. A microgram is 1 millionth of a gram. For reference, there are 28.35 grams to an ounce. The amount of plutonium in a full body burden is microscopic.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">For one who has spent many years in Colorado, I confess to an embarrassing lack of knowledge about Rocky Flats. The operations there always worked to keep secrets, and in my case, succeeded wildly. Iversen’s book retells the stories I missed over the years. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a;">She tells those stories matter of factly, despite the shocking and disarming (pun intended) nature of the beast. </span><span style="color: blue;"><b>"Official estimates of how much plutonium was burned or released in the 1957 fire varied widely, from 500 grams (approximately 1.1 pounds) to as much as 92 pounds. By comparison, Fat Man, the bomb dropped on Nagasaki, used fewer than 14 pounds...The plume exposed countless people in and around Denver to plutomium."</b></span><span style="color: #1a1a1a;"> </span><i style="color: #1a1a1a;">Full Body Burden</i><span style="color: #1a1a1a;"> at pages 30-31.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Theoretically, I can’t do a spoiler here; the details of the Rocky Flats operations are now part of a public record. That said, though, I do want to mention several focal points in<i> Full Body Burden</i> that came as a surprise…no…as a shock to me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>1. Major Fires (multiple minor fires omitted): </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Rocky Flats had two major industrial fires at the plant, both of which released substantial amounts of plutonium into the environment. The first was in 1957, the second on Mother’s Day, May 11,1963.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> The 1957 fire spewed plutonium over a large part of the northwest corner of the Denver metro area. An estimated 200,000 to 300,000 residents downwind were not notified of the fire until 1970.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Plutonium plume from the 1957 fire at Rocky Flats.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo credit: Wikipedia, public domain, Colorado Department of Public Health.<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> The 1963 fire resulted in damages of $70.7 million; including the loss of about $20 million worth of plutonium. A subsequent study found that soil samples in some places is 1,500 times higher than normal. This reading is higher than in Nagasaki Japan. There was no emergency response plan to protect the public in the event of major disaster at Rocky Flats.</span></div>
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<b>2. Toxic Waste</b></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The manufacturing process at Rocky Flats created more waste than it created nuclear triggers. A plutonium lining has settled in the sediment of Standley Lake (a source of water for the cities of Westminster, Northglenn, and Thornton) and the <a href="https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/sites/default/files/HM_sf-rocky-flats-contamination-released-to-surface-water.pdf"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">Great Western Reservoir</span></a> (a source of water for the city of Broomfield). </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxj1WJBzghhOvh5a-M8vG1xUAnPtBSZDU4uNAo-wqExQq5EdYYTGGMcDr1NEt8jYMLzUX5azWkTWcDHC2Y94YhnMUCFNJ4EaCFoNeVcxGnhAE1LcaGQfljNYY21PegAr6sIRNs4vdvngV1/s1600/Rocky+flats+barrels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxj1WJBzghhOvh5a-M8vG1xUAnPtBSZDU4uNAo-wqExQq5EdYYTGGMcDr1NEt8jYMLzUX5azWkTWcDHC2Y94YhnMUCFNJ4EaCFoNeVcxGnhAE1LcaGQfljNYY21PegAr6sIRNs4vdvngV1/s400/Rocky+flats+barrels.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Photo credit: <a href="https://www.change.org/p/the-united-states-department-of-energy-keep-the-protective-terminal-ponds-at-rocky-flats">Change.org</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Some 5,000 barrels of waste oil contaminated by plutonium and uranium were stored at Rocky Flats. They were stored outdoors, subject to Colorado weather conditions for years. Many barrels leaked their toxic sludge into the soil, and eventually, the ground waters of Woman Creek and Walnut creek.</span></div>
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<b>3. MUF (Material Unaccounted For):</b></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Rocky Flats cannot account for </span>2,640 pounds of plutonium. <i>Full Body Burden</i> at page 225. According to authorities, some loss may be due to accounting errors or residue in pipes and other manufacturing infrastructure. Translation from bureacratic speak: losses are due to negligence, ignorance and indifference. An unknown portion of that 2,640 pounds was released into soil, water, and the air over the years.</div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Given that 0.1 micrograms is a full body burden, the MUF from Rocky Flats represents a significant health hazard. Despite the $7B clean up of Rocky Flats, 600 acres will be unusable to humans for an undetermined number of centuries.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH1IbYYgFw3Ye_SgFhqz0aDneHhQS6nSpmacN_lMPOFnVvJ_Jl4YiC5iOpJBLxVMSLo5-mdATSd6ROcyz3CfiAhFjEmnazTjX4CXeaZL4lhV9hwNPYecSgzILI1QYDt0xNGTxtF2jHGeZK/s1600/0681A93E-0415-4801-9B10-22AB17829906.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH1IbYYgFw3Ye_SgFhqz0aDneHhQS6nSpmacN_lMPOFnVvJ_Jl4YiC5iOpJBLxVMSLo5-mdATSd6ROcyz3CfiAhFjEmnazTjX4CXeaZL4lhV9hwNPYecSgzILI1QYDt0xNGTxtF2jHGeZK/s640/0681A93E-0415-4801-9B10-22AB17829906.heic" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">These three slow motion disasters exposed the metro Denver area to substantial if unknown health risks. The details mentioned above are from Iversen’s carefully annotated text. You can listen to an interview with Iversen <a href="http://Kristen%20Iverson,%202012.%20Interview%20audio%20here."><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">here</span></a>. </span><br />
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Rocky Flats is now a park; <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_Flats_National_Wildlife_Refuge">Rocky Flats Wild Life Refuge</a>, with approximately 1,300 acres, opened in 2018 after the clean up operation was completed. It does not include the 600 acres that were the actual site of plutonium production. Those 600 acres, known as the "legacy" plot, will be a plutonium graveyard for tens of thousands of years. "Legacy" indeed.</div>
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<i>Full Body Burden</i> opened my eyes to a much ignored part of our local history. For that alone, I recommend Iversen’s book to anyone who has even a passing interest in knowing more about a dark and important part of the Cold War. <i>Full Body Burden</i> is highly readable; by telling her personal story along with the details of an environmental disaster, one cannot dismiss a single detail in the book. <br />
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Bottom line: if you're looking for an informative and productive use of your time while under the Colorado "stay at home" order, <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Full-Body-Burden-Growing-2013-06-04/dp/B01K3FVSCU/ref=sr_1_2?crid=38K9OLHHOSRT&keywords=full+body+burden+by+kristen+iversen&qid=1585505612&sprefix=full+body+burden%2Caps%2C177&sr=8-2">READ THIS BOOK</a></b>.</div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>NOTES</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">1. You may wonder why I’m doing a book report. Just like everyone else, I’m on lockdown waiting out the Covid-19 pandemic. I picked up a few books to read just before the solid waste hit the proverbial fan.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Reading is a great distraction when the stress level is high and one has abundant time on his or her hands. The live theaters are closed, as are the movie theaters. Restaurants and bars are closed or reduced to a drive through menu. Doing a book review is similar to reviewing a play. Both require careful attention and critical thinking. Both require storytelling, character development, plots, and a worthwhile message. The only significant difference is that one experience is over in 2-3 hours, while the other takes days or weeks. Until I can get back in a theater, I'll be doing plenty of reading, and possibly more writing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">2. In the mid 1950’s, my father worked at Rocky Flats; we lived in Arvada (905 Reno Drive, which is no longer a valid address). He hated it. He worked underground, and couldn’t tell us what he did there. He wore a dosimeter every day. We left Arvada and Rocky Flats in 1955, and he rarely mentioned it after that. The US Department of Energy would contact him from time to time, checking on his health. He died of natural causes in 2018 at the age of 94. </span></div>
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3. In an unusual coincidence, it turns out that my current wife Roxie worked in the nuclear industry from 1982-87. Based in Kansas City, MO, she was part of an operation that developed non-nuclear parts and mechanisms for nuclear weapons. The Bannister Federal Complex also left a legacy of thousands of toxins that leaked into soil and groundwater. Roxie has been contacted by DOE after leaving Bannister for follow up. <br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">4. We dropped atomic bombs on Japan near the end of World War II. Those bombs were and still are the only war time use of these weapons. Whether that was justified is not the topic here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">However, it is my considered opinion that the United States has a very compromised position in our current nuclear disputes with Iran and North Korea. Our insistence that it is just for the US to develop, retain, and deliver nuclear weapons on civilian targets while denying the same option elsewhere rings hollow. When one adds the environmental disaster that is Rocky Flats, the United States can hardly claim the moral high ground for nuclear weapons.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6fvkm997rNtbEWuD8QGhv_ZKx4TbqWBFp5zB7DgYXg_mzHC27MkbEc4xMqLsU9g7THeRU1AiLF7cnuA-eF72btPX_PIWOkorG1UblOYkd9GoSHGaIYD37S_xQFU7f3hwyc2PZgFFbefWE/s1600/Ground+zero.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="427" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6fvkm997rNtbEWuD8QGhv_ZKx4TbqWBFp5zB7DgYXg_mzHC27MkbEc4xMqLsU9g7THeRU1AiLF7cnuA-eF72btPX_PIWOkorG1UblOYkd9GoSHGaIYD37S_xQFU7f3hwyc2PZgFFbefWE/s400/Ground+zero.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ground Zero, Nagasaki.<br />Photo credit: Bill Wheeler</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">5. In 2010 my late wife Linda and I stood at Ground Zero in Nagasaki Japan. It is a soul searing experience to stand where<a href="https://www.thejournal.ie/years-killed-individuals-tragedy-hiroshima-nagasaki-2238080-Aug2015/" target="_blank"> tens of thousands of people died in an instant.</a> Today Nagasaki is the home to the <a href="https://www.peace-nagasaki.go.jp/en/" target="_blank">Nagasaki Peace Memorial</a>. The city has been rebuilt; one could hardly tell it was devastated in 1945. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">According to Japanese tradition, folding </span><b style="background-color: transparent; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">1,000 </b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">paper cranes</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> gives </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">you</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> a chance to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">make</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> one special wish come true. Before making a field trip to the Memorial, Japanese school children will often make 1,000 paper cranes, with a wish for world peace. The Memorial displays the paper cranes year round.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ffSfthZtPlxKyLn4XRyJf7zkR2P2P0cC4EGDSFP0ve4uidPA6-cltofLzcJSxOgR9A6wifnN0SOI0HYMQXqxcbBvKbpQXJ8OZ6bl25T_gI9zWjA3vwNojzTlx2cLq0PLnFYyywNcU3CC/s1600/Paper+cranes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ffSfthZtPlxKyLn4XRyJf7zkR2P2P0cC4EGDSFP0ve4uidPA6-cltofLzcJSxOgR9A6wifnN0SOI0HYMQXqxcbBvKbpQXJ8OZ6bl25T_gI9zWjA3vwNojzTlx2cLq0PLnFYyywNcU3CC/s640/Paper+cranes.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Paper crane display, Nagasaki. <br />Photo credit: Bill Wheeler</span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">6. Notable local coverage of Rocky Flats (Denver Post coverage omitted due to pay wall):</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>A. <a href="https://www.csindy.com/coloradosprings/how-colorados-nuclear-past-is-affecting-its-future/Content?oid=21526239"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">https://www.csindy.com/coloradosprings/how-colorados-nuclear-past-is-affecting-its-future/Content?oid=21526239</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>B. <a href="https://www.hcn.org/issues/41.3/the-half-life-of-memory"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">https://www.hcn.org/issues/41.3/the-half-life-of-memory</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>C. <a href="https://www.hcn.org/wotr/rocky-flats-and-the-power-of-forgetting"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">https://www.hcn.org/wotr/rocky-flats-and-the-power-of-forgetting</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>D. <a href="https://www.hcn.org/issues/50.6/latest-toxic-tinged-wildlife-refuge-rocky-flats-determined-safe-for-visitors"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">https://www.hcn.org/issues/50.6/latest-toxic-tinged-wildlife-refuge-rocky-flats-determined-safe-for-visitors</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>E. <a href="https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/potential-plutonium-hot-spot-found-on-eastern-edge-of-rocky-flats"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/potential-plutonium-hot-spot-found-on-eastern-edge-of-rocky-flats</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> F. <a href="https://denver.cbslocal.com/2019/03/31/jefferson-parkway-plutonium-contamination/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">https://denver.cbslocal.com/2019/03/31/jefferson-parkway-plutonium-contamination/</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> G. <a href="https://www.rockyflatsrighttoknow.org/our-blog"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">https://www.rockyflatsrighttoknow.org/our-blog</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> H. <a href="https://kdvr.com/news/local/plutonium-found-in-rocky-flats-soil-second-test-shows-lower-level/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">https://kdvr.com/news/local/plutonium-found-in-rocky-flats-soil-second-test-shows-lower-level/</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> I. <a href="https://www.westword.com/news/rocky-flats-nuclear-plant-shut-down-thirty-years-ago-but-is-still-a-hot-topic-11437949"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">https://www.westword.com/news/rocky-flats-nuclear-plant-shut-down-thirty-years-ago-but-is-still-a-hot-topic-11437949</span></a></span></div>
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Bill Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094423709404416194noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682761603405073318.post-74491372465009514812020-03-15T10:02:00.000-06:002020-03-15T10:02:30.864-06:00Sometimes We All Need A Little Help From Our Friends...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKM9KI_oe0jaKpv9ZQxfM5Dg8gW-m08umqjrJKZ-tSAAlx7EbFz_TDcWjNi0OzWv7rNm25whMcpcM81RiRPTGO33mJaVVOwG71jz76-Uw0BuprBonishyphenhyphenQssCHqRbCRjvNb4gA0wEmMj3M/s1600/D175DDDE-4A30-4779-B3BD-1C3559EA83BA.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKM9KI_oe0jaKpv9ZQxfM5Dg8gW-m08umqjrJKZ-tSAAlx7EbFz_TDcWjNi0OzWv7rNm25whMcpcM81RiRPTGO33mJaVVOwG71jz76-Uw0BuprBonishyphenhyphenQssCHqRbCRjvNb4gA0wEmMj3M/s640/D175DDDE-4A30-4779-B3BD-1C3559EA83BA.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Colorado Rising...</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is a difficult time for all of us. A pandemic is not just a public health threat. It is also an economic threat to virtually every business in the country. That threat has become a stark reality for the Denver theater community.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nearly every live theater company in Denver, Boulder and beyond has taken a hiatus. Despite the economic losses from closing their doors, company after company has put the safety of their audiences ahead of their now busted budgets. Shutting off the box office for even a short period can mean the difference between survival and disaster for many theaters.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">During this hiatus, those impacted by the shutdown may experience financial or medical emergencies. For those who qualify,<i> <a href="https://www.colorado.gov/cdle/unemployment"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">Colorado unemployment benefits</span></a></i> may help bridge the gap. If you contract Covid-19, the <i><a href="https://www.denveractorsfund.org/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">Denver Actor’s Fund</span></a> </i>may be able to help with your medical expenses. For emergency housing and other assistance,<i> <a href="https://www.needhelppayingbills.com/html/denver_short_term_housing_and_.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">check these resources</span></a></i>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some of us will get sick; many more will lose income. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help for your medical and/or financial needs. We are all in this together.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Break a leg. The show WILL go on.</span></span></div>
Bill Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094423709404416194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682761603405073318.post-43856115629006235312020-02-18T13:21:00.001-07:002020-02-19T15:59:15.395-07:001917<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5hoZ3g9cPFGVj-q5iGijy5Nri6f9-cVQyYOYd2A0ZKpNg0LqWVWHrvbMRultfyxaG7oSGaFibkfcM8BkSe-uc-cPd3iHzb25OzkYbcYFt1TFYYmsa2mmziEsC8YKqRCRwyUVeVwrKiA2A/s1600/1917+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="666" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5hoZ3g9cPFGVj-q5iGijy5Nri6f9-cVQyYOYd2A0ZKpNg0LqWVWHrvbMRultfyxaG7oSGaFibkfcM8BkSe-uc-cPd3iHzb25OzkYbcYFt1TFYYmsa2mmziEsC8YKqRCRwyUVeVwrKiA2A/s640/1917+1.jpg" width="425" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-kerning: none;"><b><i>1917</i></b> (Film, <a href="https://www.dreamworks.com/about#movies"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: #0f80ff;"><i>Dreamworks</i></span></a>, <a href="https://www.relianceentertainment.com/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: #0f80ff;"><i>Reliance Entertainment</i></span></a>)</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Released: December 25, 2019.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-kerning: none;">Trailer: <a href="https://www.imdb.com/video/vi478723865?ref_=ttvi_vi_imdb_14"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: #0f80ff;"><i>2 minutes 30 seconds</i></span></a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Running Time: 1 hour, 59 minutes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Rated</b>: R for violence, disturbing images, and language</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">And now for something completely different.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">For the first time, Theater Colorado is reviewing a film, namely <b><i>1917</i></b><i>, </i>the World War I story nominated for 10 Academy Awards, and the winner of 3 Oscars (Best Cinematography, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects);</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I’m adding <b><i>1917</i></b> to the mix here because my theater reviews will be sporadic. Movies are much more accessible to a large audience, and I’d like to reach more readers with relevant content on Theater Colorado.</span></div>
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*****</div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I grew up in an era of World War II movies, featuring mostly patriotic themes and glamorizing war. John Wayne was in most of the ones I remember;<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037522/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: #0f80ff;"><i> Back to Bataan</i></span></a>, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043547/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: #0f80ff;"><i>Flying Leathernecks</i></span></a>, and the like. The Americans were the brave heroes; the Germans and Japanese were the bad guys. Violence was more implicit than explicit. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">World War I films have been fairly rare in my experience, with the possible exception of</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0f80ff; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.apple.com/"><i>Warhorse</i></a></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"> (2011). <b><i>1917</i></b> is not just one of those rare films about the “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_war_to_end_war"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: #0f80ff;"><i>war to end all wars</i></span></a>”, but, in my view, the most realistic and important war film since <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120815/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0" target="_blank">Saving Private Ryan</a></i>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The first 30 minutes of Steven Spielberg’s 1998 <span style="caret-color: rgb(15, 128, 255);"><i>Saving Private Ryan</i></span> may still be the most disturbing combat footage ever. It is a graphic demonstration of the chaos of war and random, instantaneous death in battle. Until seeing <i>Saving Private Ryan</i>, I had harbored a glorified vision of combat. Spielberg showed us an ugly reality that I will never forget. <b><i>1917</i></b> is not just 30 minutes, but nearly two hours of intense, disturbing, edge of your seat combat. It will haunt me just as<i> Saving Private Ryan</i> has.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">As the film opens, we get a long shot of a peaceful meadow. The camera zooms back from the meadow, and we meet two Lance Corporals, known best by their last names, Blake (played by Dean-Charles Chapman) and Schofield (George Mackay). They are ordered to report to their commander for orders, where they are tasked with a suicide mission. They are to cross enemy lines through “no man’s land” to warn other British units to call off an attack planned for the next day. British intelligence has learned that the German army laid a trap for the1,600 attacking soldiers. The attack will be a massacre. No one really thinks Blake and Schofield will survive the first 10 yards, much less complete the mission, but they somewhat reluctantly follow their orders. Blake, we learn, has been picked for the mission because his brother will be among the 1,600 victims of the German trap.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-fGbAEncTEIBuPIvp1nX8Mk3cNzLUPRRXP3o8HP4Dvawkllj0VYisQ4e0zjxfOdEpQ_0nn8QEgHiZEkG38hxIvVAxbkk_1pPzyHmEKz8LrrRX9PXQfsu1-zvkTeeCJKm7f9nr10mnbvjj/s1600/1917+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="1600" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-fGbAEncTEIBuPIvp1nX8Mk3cNzLUPRRXP3o8HP4Dvawkllj0VYisQ4e0zjxfOdEpQ_0nn8QEgHiZEkG38hxIvVAxbkk_1pPzyHmEKz8LrrRX9PXQfsu1-zvkTeeCJKm7f9nr10mnbvjj/s400/1917+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(R) George Mackay (Schofield) and (L) Dean-Charles Chapman</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The trek through the combat zone is indeed a nightmare; the courage of Blake and Schofield is utterly overwhelming. Faced with certain death at literally every step, the Lance Corporals resist, persist, and dare to move on against the longest of odds. As to whether they are successful, you’ll have to see for yourself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Director Sam Mendes has done Spielberg one better. He shot <b><i>1917</i></b> <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-1917-was-filmed-like-one-continuous-shot-wwi-2020-1"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: #0f80ff;"><i>in one continuous take</i></span></a>…or at least mostly in one take, with some editing magic. The effect is to give the film a “first person” perspective. You follow the the story as if you’re there in real time, seeing what the actors see, hearing what the actors hear, and walking miles in their shoes. Needless to say, it’s damn scary to be walking in those shoes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Some movies are entertaining. Others teach us life lessons. <b><i>1917</i></b> is the latter. We too often take for granted the suffering and sacrifice of the young men and women who volunteer to put their lives on the line. <b><i>1917</i></b> won’t let you take that sacrifice for granted. Victory is not won by the generals in the large battles. It’s won by the foot soldiers, the sailors, and the airmen who achieve small victories at great personal cost in their own personal war. Those small victories won by individual men and women are what wins the larger battle.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Without being preachy, <b><i>1917</i></b> will give you pause about the purpose and value of war. The film doesn't take sides, but it's difficult to justify the carnage even on the small scale of a couple of days in the lives of two Lance Corporals. Regardless of the outcome of any war, the losses far outweigh the political gains that may be won. It is axiomatic that some wars are inevitable and necessary, but that does not diminish the cost in lives lost and lives forever changed.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">American Cemetery, May, 2015. <br />Photo Credit: Bill Wheeler</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I stood in the American Cemetery in Normandy, and I stood at ground zero in both Nagasaki and New York City. These are places where the cost of war is undeniable. <b><i>1917</i></b> took me back to those moments when I was forced to acknowledge the state sanctioned mass murder we call war. I don’t know if <b><i>1917</i></b> should have won the Oscar for Best Picture of 2019. I didn’t see very many of the other nominees. But I do know it’s the best film I've seen in a very long time. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ground Zero, Nagasaki. February, 2010.<br />Photo credit: Bill Wheeler</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>NOTES</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Some movies look great on a large television. Other movies, however, look best when seen on a huge screen in a darkened theater permeated with the scent of popcorn. <b><i>1917</i></b> is one of those movies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">There are <a href="https://www.military.com/veterans-day/8-ways-to-express-appreciation-on-veterans-day.html" target="_blank">many ways to recognize the sacrifice and service </a>our veterans. Don't hesitate to do so if you can.</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.afsc.org/get-involved" target="_blank">Working for peace is a noble</a> if lost cause. The effort is worthwhile even if the results are meager.</div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Photo Credit: </b><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8579674/mediaindex?ref_=tt_ql_pv_1" style="color: #0f80ff;">IMDB.com</a><span style="color: #0f80ff;">, </span>Bill Wheeler</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Director: </b>Sam Mendes </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Written by</b>: Sam Mendes, Krysty Wilson-Cairns</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>PARTIAL LIST OF CAST (see full list </b><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8579674/fullcredits?ref_=ttco_ql_1"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: #0f80ff;"><b><i>here</i></b></span></a><b>)</b>:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Lance Corporal Blake</b>: Dean-Charles Chapman</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Lance Corporal Schofield</b>: George MacKay</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Sergeant Sanders</b>: Daniel May</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><b>General Erinmore</b>: Colin Firth</span></div>
Bill Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094423709404416194noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682761603405073318.post-24929849895853718772020-02-09T14:08:00.000-07:002020-02-09T16:39:23.514-07:00A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWBxic2CmK5WH5zv5Br99UfhQIjQwi1gHTn5b8jf05Sxf1FzBNyi_1i62DCC6Mk3VSCCqo8fEPbae_m51XEe69ubVg_d2oCAVice9CqTizf7cV2__4Tkf9EyeFXshIPlyFAhuLzD1vOQPn/s1600/A1F556A1-F281-4E1A-B7F2-7092FDE76FD0_1_105_c.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWBxic2CmK5WH5zv5Br99UfhQIjQwi1gHTn5b8jf05Sxf1FzBNyi_1i62DCC6Mk3VSCCqo8fEPbae_m51XEe69ubVg_d2oCAVice9CqTizf7cV2__4Tkf9EyeFXshIPlyFAhuLzD1vOQPn/s640/A1F556A1-F281-4E1A-B7F2-7092FDE76FD0_1_105_c.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder</i></b></span></div>
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<b>Company: </b>Stagedoor Theatre Adult Company</div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "helvetica";"><b>Venue: <i> </i></b>Stagedoor Theatre, </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/25797+Conifer+Rd,+Conifer,+CO+80433/@39.5433805,-105.2963743,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x876b76b6de4057a9:0xdcb0a9d401a9d088!8m2!3d39.5433805!4d-105.2941856" target="_blank">25797 Conifer Road, </a></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/25797+Conifer+Rd,+Conifer,+CO+80433/@39.5433805,-105.2963743,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x876b76b6de4057a9:0xdcb0a9d401a9d088!8m2!3d39.5433805!4d-105.2941856" target="_blank">Conifer, CO</a> 80433</span></div>
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<span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="color_16" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-position: 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Based on a novel by: </b>Roy Horniman</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Running time: </b>2 hours, 40 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission)</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Date of Performance</b>: Saturday, February 8, 2020, 2:00 PM performance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">You can’t judge a book by its cover, and you certainly can’t judge a play by its title. Any title using the words “Gentleman,” “Love” and “Murder” is bound to conjure up images of romance, tragedy, drama, and mayhem. Stage Door Theatre’s “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” (hereafter “Love and Murder”) is not a romance, nor a tragedy or a drama. Surprisingly, it’s a highly entertaining musical comedy triumph.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">“Love and Murder” opens with a warning for the faint hearted: <b>“LEAVE NOW.”</b> Ignore it. It’s bad advice. This is a high energy comedy that won four Tony awards (including Best Musical) in the 2014 Broadway season.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Since I don’t do spoilers, I’ll limit my comments on the plot to saying that palace intrigue can be a dangerous game, but the results can sometimes bring about righteous justice. The plot doesn’t dwell on the morality of “gentlemen,” “love,” or “murder,” except to squeeze every possible laugh out of each.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Stage Door Theatre is a small company in small venue. “Love and Murder” is a huge production for any company. That Stage Door attempted “Love and Murder” isn’t a big surprise though; the company has been overachieving for some time. That they nailed this production demonstrates that Stage Door is punching far above its weight.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The cast is uniformly excellent. Chris Burroughs brings his “A” game in every scene, whether he’s dabbling in love or crime. He’s an accomplished and talented singer who seems to glide through the show effortlessly. Burroughs plays off his female leads with a wink and a smile, charming everyone in the room.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd2FCfYr0jRk_KANh9DMUYWJdrmLZLk7nqi_LeIy1wKEodjg657F0HmMv6qrwPWNgGQn53MbjCGEKHNvc1XMdZwxEYETBLBajkTGWcW2LHrj_018H6PNqsJCwgFbeoTbqs5PnsZxPcVOJe/s1600/F0C2AF04-C54F-45BE-97D4-72FCA97E793A.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="864" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd2FCfYr0jRk_KANh9DMUYWJdrmLZLk7nqi_LeIy1wKEodjg657F0HmMv6qrwPWNgGQn53MbjCGEKHNvc1XMdZwxEYETBLBajkTGWcW2LHrj_018H6PNqsJCwgFbeoTbqs5PnsZxPcVOJe/s400/F0C2AF04-C54F-45BE-97D4-72FCA97E793A.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chris Burroughs (Monty) and Jennasea Pearce (Sibella).</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Those female leads, by the way, are a joy to watch…and to hear. Both Maria Giovanetti and Jennasea Pearce are songbirds of the first order. It’s easy to imagine both in a talent pipeline straight to Broadway.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Clyde Sacks has the dubious honor of playing (by my count) ten characters in “Love and Murder.” Two of those characters are women. I doubt many actors would take on such a challenge. Sacks makes it look like the most natural thing to do. He skillfully draws bold lines around each of the nine characters, making them distinctly different. He’s got a gift for comedic timing. His scene with Burroughs for “Better with a Man” is hilarious. In fact, if one adds up the laughs in “Love and Murder,” the lion’s share belongs to Sacks. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The technical gears that drive the performance were well done. Dean Arniotes’ set is versatile and functional. Susie Couch’s costumes are gorgeous. The small orchestra is invisible while putting out a professional sound track for the cast. Lights and sound were effective without being intrusive. Every detail, right down to Chris Burrough’s marvelous wigs, was spot on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">If one is to pick any nits here, a stage hand made a brief unschedule appearance onstage, and a camera prop got misplaced. That’s it. From start to finish, “Love and Murder” is a polished, professional and highly entertaining production. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Stage Door marshaled a small army of actors, musicians, technicians, and assorted volunteers to make this show happen. The list below is long, but still partial. It’s clear that each and every person involved in “Love and Murder” gave 100% to guarantee the success of the show. This is a personal hat tip to those involved, whether listed below or not. Well done.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>NOTES</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This show gets a PG rating for some vulgar gestures. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The performance scheduled for Friday, February 7 was cancelled due to the 15-20 inches of snow that fell during that day. Due to the cancellation, tickets for the remaining performances may be scarce.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This show closes on February 16, 2020. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://tickets.vendini.com/ticket-software.html?t=tix&e=75dc1d62517650970b5c3531a01d1179&vqitq=b8139f18-686e-4d74-a725-c06e7bf61c27&vqitp=76698b99-9197-484d-9989-2a9d14980473&vqitts=1581266782&vqitc=vendini&vqite=itl&vqitrt=Safetynet&vqith=8586ac544105b8d6d78611af7916d5b9"><b>TICKETS HERE</b><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: #0f80ff;"><b></b></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Photo Credit: </b>Stage Door Theatre, Rachel McCombs-Graham.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Director/Choreographer:</b> Gerry Hansen</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Music Director:</b> Caitlin Conklin</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Production Manager</b>: Susie Couch</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Assistant Choreographer</b>: Meg Chilton</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Dance Captain</b>: Jennasea Pearce</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Technical Director/Set Designer</b>: Dean Arniotes</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Set Construction</b>: Dean Ariotes, Biz Schaugaard </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Painter</b>: Cat Harris</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Lighting Design</b>: Steve Tangedal</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Sound Design</b>: Dean Arniotes</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Orchestra</b>: Caitlin Conklin, keyboards, Alec Michael Powell, woodwinds, Danny Barsetti-Nerland, percussion, Lisa Kriss, violin</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Costume Design</b>: Susie Couch</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Costume Manager</b>: Maren Wood</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>D’Ysquith Costumes</b>: Colleen Hughes</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>D’Ysquith dressers</b>: Susie Couch, Denise Taylor</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Costume Crew</b>: Karen Maurer, Colleen Kirkpatrick Hughes, Jennasea Pearce, Lina Ramirez</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Wigs</b>: Chris Burroughs</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Props</b>: Tracie Paschall, Ella Spoor, Gavin Maurer, Gerry Hansen, Clyde Sacks, Robin Booth </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Light Board Operator</b>: Jon Weeks</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Stage Manager</b>: Ella Spoor</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Stage Hands</b>: Julia Harrison, Leilani Battersby</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Monty Navarro</b>: Chris Burroughs</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Asquith D’Ysquith, Jr., Lord Adlabert D’Ysquith, Reverend Lord Ezekiel D’Ysquith, Lord Adlabert D’Ysquith, Sr., Henry D’Ysquith, Lady Hyacinth D’Ysquith, Major Lord Bartholomew D’Ysquith, Lady Salome D’Ysquith, Pumphrey, Chanucey D’Ysquith: </b> Clyde Sacks.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Sibella Hallward/Ensemble</b>: Jennesea Pearce</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Miss Barley/Ensemble</b>: Ashley Devine</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Lady Eugenia D’ysquith/Ensemble</b>: Marcelina Ramirez</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Tom Copley/Ensemble</b>: Jeremy Carr</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Inspector/Ensemble</b>: Gavin Maurer</span></div>
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<br />Bill Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094423709404416194noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682761603405073318.post-14334028284923614502020-02-09T14:07:00.001-07:002020-02-09T14:07:50.092-07:00Glad to be back.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">I ran into one of my theater friends recently. He told me that he thought I had “dropped off the face of the earth.” As Mark Twain once said, “reports of my demise are greatly exaggerated.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">That said, though, this is my first post to Theater Colorado in nearly 2 years. I dropped out of the theater hobby because it was time for a break. My hobby had turned into a job, and it was not the kind with tangible rewards (no paydays). I was spending weekends seeing shows, and weekdays writing up my thoughts. Each post is a 4-6 hour task, not including the travel time and seeing the actual show. At the end of each year, I did a "Bill's Best" post. It was eating up ALL of my free time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Beyond the time commitment, I was having some issues in the darkness of the theaters. My vision (especially in theatrical fog) was noticeably reduced. My somewhat diminished hearing made it difficult to hear lines, especially when sung. And since I do not take notes during a performance, it became more difficult to remember the details of the performance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">So I’m going to try again. I’ve gotten better at compensating for the issues in the darkness. But I won’t go back to wall to wall posts. It’s a quality versus quantity problem. Updates will be sporadic but ongoing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Although I took a break from writing, I never took a break from seeing some amazing productions. If you weren’t aware, most theaters comped my ticket(s) in the past. From now on, I’ll see the shows I want to see and I’ll pay for them. Whether I write up a review will be a case by case decision. My first post will be Stage Door Theater’s “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Thanks for all the support you have given to Theater Colorado since it started in 2012. Much appreciated. Not a day goes by that I don’t get hits on <a href="https://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Theater Colorado</a>. It’s nice to know that people still occasionally stop by to check it out.</span></div>
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Bill</div>
<br />Bill Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094423709404416194noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682761603405073318.post-70473127848519449212018-07-03T11:18:00.000-06:002018-07-03T11:18:52.964-06:00Thespiana 2018 Short Play Festival<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieuS_E03BYNYOPLsILDyXidqqgr9PHb3lk36RJSYpnNhV07RnJqUiHW3EuWhgfJrOQiyoaHHC7LFnLYgvrD-H4FCgpjeR3vy0yqKwrqjIntYxfRL5zcwnmCYgPbeChWnEjb41vtAyJrpON/s1600/IMG_0520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieuS_E03BYNYOPLsILDyXidqqgr9PHb3lk36RJSYpnNhV07RnJqUiHW3EuWhgfJrOQiyoaHHC7LFnLYgvrD-H4FCgpjeR3vy0yqKwrqjIntYxfRL5zcwnmCYgPbeChWnEjb41vtAyJrpON/s640/IMG_0520.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>2018 Thespiana Short Play Festival</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Venue: <i> </i></b>Cottonwood Center for the Arts, <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/427+E+Colorado+Ave,+Colorado+Springs,+CO+80903/@38.8319657,-104.818974,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x871345195b81cd1f:0x2897f3e9039eccda!8m2!3d38.8319657!4d-104.81678"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(54, 125, 162); color: #367da2;"><i>427 E. Colorado Avenue</i></span></a>, Colorado Springs CO.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Running time</b>: 2 hours, 30 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission).</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Date of Performance</b>: Sunday, July 1, 2018.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">If all the world Is a stage, then Thespiana is the Colorado Springs realization of Shakespeare’s concept. An incubator for new work, Thespiana is in its third year as a launching pad for aspiring writers. The good news is that Thespiana is tapping a mother lode of local talent. The not so good news is that you won’t get a chance to see it again until 2019. It’s an annual event, one weekend, two performances. Keep an eye on <a href="http://www.thespiana.com/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(73, 155, 201); color: #499bc9;"><i>this page</i></span></a></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(73, 155, 201); color: #499bc9;"><i> </i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">for next year’s lineup.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The 2018 version was a profound melange of comedy, drama, and music. These are all works in progress, so part of the plan is to get feedback from a real audience, and in my case, from one who sees a LOT of theater. I’ve never written a script myself, so my comments may well miss the mark at times. But still they should be taken as sincere thoughts about what works, and at times, what could work better in these short but provocative readings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: blue;">Story Time</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">There’s a reason why actors are wary of working with dogs and children. They’re both potent scene stealers. In Chuck Cabell’s <i>Story Time</i>, Winter Haverkorn (a first grader) and Bryce Haverkorn (a third grader) are in complete control of their scenes. They are at once sassy and eloquent, with a full display of childhood innocence set against a background of adult issues. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Story Time</i> is packed with a number of profound issues, from alcoholism to mental health, with excursions into grief and the stigma of mental health care. That’s a lot of issues for a 20 minute performance, any one of which would be ample material for a full length play.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The destination here is a recognition that sometimes we all need help to get through our crises. This could be a stronger script if it dealt with just the children’s struggles or just with the adult’s challenges. Together they seem to overload the message. (I was somewhat disturbed that the children were not the first priority for getting help.) A sharper focus on fewer issues would help <i>Story Time</i> get to the point.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: blue;">And The Winner is…</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Reality TV is a fat target for comedy, and writer director Jeff Schmoyer has a lot of fun roasting the genre. He makes a an unspoken but important point. We all too often live our lives vicariously through others, and it’s an empty life. Schmoyer sends an eloquent, pointed message about the silliness of obsessing about “reality” TV.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Ken McKay (Husband) reads his lines with a straight face even though Schmoyer’s script makes him a helpless, hopeless caricature. McKay skillfully connects with our frustration for the endless teases Reality TV uses to hook their audience. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>And The Winner Is</i>… is engaging, entertaining, and very creative. However, I don’t see how it could be expanded into full length script. The strength of the script is its frustrating tease that never delivers. Two hours of that tease would be difficult to endure.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I’m not a fan of “reality” TV, so I may be a bit biased. But Schmoyer’s script confirmed my judgement that the genre is not a “reality” I am familiar with. My TV has an on/off switch, and I use it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: blue;">Iron and Gold</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Mark (music) and Lauren Arnest (music/lyrics) are working on a massive project: a musical about robber barons, railroads, and labor in 19th century America. <i>Iron and Gold</i> is not a finished product yet, but the abbreviated Thesepiana version makes me anxious to see the full length production.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">For their contribution to the 2018 Thespiana, the Arnest team assembled some of the finest voices in Southern Colorado: Neika Rosenberger, Erik Brevik, Peter Tuff, Meg Prymus and Todd Teske took the operatic score to places I never expected. I was at the edge of my seat, leaning forward to get a better look at these accomplished and very talented voices. When they finished, the full house at the Cottonwood gave them a thunderous round of applause.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Mark and Lauren Arnest gave us some of the musical bits of Iron and Gold, but none of the book that tells the story. That makes it difficult to evaluate. But if the book is as compelling as the music, <i>Iron and Gold</i> could be a very big deal when it’s finished.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: blue;">Borscht Belted</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Warren Epstein is a talented guy. <i>Borscht Belted</i> is ample proof. His abbreviated version at Thespiana 2018 is a preview of the full length production in January 2019 at the <a href="http://www.themat.org/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(54, 125, 162); color: #367da2;"><i>Millibo Art Theater</i></span></a></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(54, 125, 162); color: #367da2;">. </span><span style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Borsch Belted</i> is a solo performance, with all tasks done by Epstein himself. He is the playwright, director, and performer (as well as serving as the Thespiana M.C.). Epstein revisits an interview with the comedian known as “</span><span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;">The King of the Borscht Belt</span><span style="font-kerning: none;">.” The New York <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borscht_Belt"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(54, 125, 162); color: #367da2;"><i>Borscht Belt</i></span></a></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(54, 125, 162); color: #367da2;"> </span><span style="font-kerning: none;">produced a huge number of stand up comics in the 1950s-1990s, many of whom went on to bigger and better venues (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_King"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(54, 125, 162); color: #367da2;"><i>Alan King</i></span></a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sid_Caesar"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(54, 125, 162); color: #367da2;"><i>Sid Caesar</i></span></a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mel_Brooks"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(54, 125, 162); color: #367da2;"><i>Mel Brooks</i></span></a>, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddy_Hackett"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(54, 125, 162); color: #367da2;"><i>Buddy Hackett</i></span></a>, to name just a few).</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Epstein incorporates the the traditional Jewish humor style in his presentation, sprinkling some witty one liners throughout the performance. True to the tradition, Epstein uses self deprecating humor (“I get no respect”), and insulting zingers (‘I took my mother-in-law on a pleasure trip…I drove her to the airport”). </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Epstein’s reading was smooth, giving an impromptu appearance to a detailed script. As he finishes his work for the January, 2019 premier of <i>Borsch Belted</i>, it might be useful to diverge somewhat from “The King of the Borscht Belt.” Throw in some Buddy Hackett, Peter Sellers, Groucho Marx or Jerry Lewis. While “The King” didn’t go on to the same success as many of the Borsch Belters, he did something just as important. He carved out a niche and made it into a successful career in the Borsch Belt. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: blue;">Elevated</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Elevators…2 minutes in close contact with complete strangers. It’s awkward; the protocol requires limited eye contact with your fellow vertical travelers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Sue Bachman’s <i>Elevated</i> puts us in an elevator…one where eye contact is not the worst problem the passengers encounter. Bachman puts us in a creepy elevator where apparently anything can happen…and does.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The story arc involves some serious self reflection; if you’re in a creepy elevator, perhaps your life has taken a turn for the worst. The introspection is interesting; elevators only go up and down. Sometimes we need veer off in a new direction. Bachman’s “Elevator Woman” makes that change in direction. That’s where the otherwise serious <i>Elevated</i> veers into silliness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I won’t spoil <i>Elevated</i> with too much detail. That said, though, the climax is entirely unexpected, jarring, and ultimately unsatisfying. Perhaps in the next version the climax will be foreshadowed, making it more meaningful for the audience.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: blue;">Temptations of a Playwright</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Judith McKay’s <i>Temptation of a Playwright</i> is an interesting take on the creative process. Picture Gwen (Mary Sprunger-Froese), a mature woman who would like to do something meaningful with her life. She wants to write a play, even though she’s never done anything of the sort. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">How does one write his or her first play? McKay skips past the basics; <i>Temptations of a Playwright</i> is not about inspiration, qualifications, or experience. It’s about exposing oneself before a reader, an audience, and potentially the world at large. Playwrights usually draw from his or her personal experience. That takes courage.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Given the changing nature of privacy, questioning the reduced privacy for a writer is legitimate. Gwen is not sure she’s ready to bare her soul.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The subject matter here is interesting, at least to me. However, I’m not sure a wide audience would relate to the personal privacy struggles of becoming a writer. Artists whose personal struggles are much more substantial often have a wide influence (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Hemingway"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(54, 125, 162); color: #367da2;"><i>Ernest Hemingway</i></span></a> committed suicide, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_van_Gogh"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(54, 125, 162); color: #367da2;"><i>Vincent Van Gogh</i></span></a> mutilated his ear AND committed suicide).</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">McKay’s subject (the creative process) has been done before. A quick read of some other works might be helpful in fleshing out the travails of the creative process. I recommend <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2013/10/seminar.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(54, 125, 162); color: #367da2;"><i>Seminar</i></span></a> by Teresa Rebeck, and <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4682761603405073318#editor/target=post;postID=3290306699294272830;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=284;src=postname"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(54, 125, 162); color: #367da2;"><i>Ghost-Writer</i></span></a> by Michael Hollinger.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: blue;">10 Minutes</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Phil Ginsburg entered his work <i>Flush</i> in the 2017 Thespiana Festival. It wasn’t the last performance. <i>Flush</i> was later produced by the Manhattan Repertory Theatre in New York City. That’s a significant accomplishment for both Ginsburg and for Thespiana.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Ginsberg is back in 2018 with <i>10 Minutes, </i>a somewhat satirical take on the end of the world. His characters live out the last 10 minutes of their lives onstage, waiting for the nuclear bomb blasts that will destroy all life on Earth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Ginsburg’s characters get their last chance wrong. Rather than using their last 10 minutes productively, say to connect with loved ones, Man (Tom Paradise) and Woman (Kathy Paradise) immerse themselves in banality. In this case, one dies as one lives; empty, meaningless lives end in emptiness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Ask yourself the question: what would you do with the last 10 minutes of your life? Nuclear bombs aside, we will all eventually face those 10 minutes. Your answer matters; there are no “do overs” for that last chance at getting things right. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Ginsburg’s<i>10 Minutes</i> is a depressing take on the value of these lives…and the inevitable deaths of the characters. We may not all live inspiring successful lives, but we are hopefully not as lost and pathetic as Man and Woman. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>10 minutes</i> is both thought provoking and entertaining, but expanding it into a full length play will be challenging. 10 minutes is nearly all we can take of Man and Woman. Retitled as <i>2 Hours, </i>Ginsburg’s Armageddon would be as difficult to watch as it would be to write.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: blue;"><b><i>Thespiana</i></b>…</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">“All the world is a stage.” Colorado Springs included. Thespiana is a vital effort to put emerging work on display. Catch it next year if you can. You’ll be entertained, challenged, and inspired by your talented neighbors and friends. And someday you can say you saw one or more of them before they became famous.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>NOTES</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">“All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts…(from <i>As You Like It</i> by William Shakespeare).</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Photo Credit: </b>Bill Wheeler</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>CREATIVE TEAMS</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><i>2018 Thespiana Short Play Festival</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Producer: Chuck Cabell</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">M.C./Narrator: Warren Epstein</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Stage Manager: Jessi Hampton</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Video/Recording: Chris Lewis</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Lights/Sound: J.D. Morgan</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: blue;">Story Time</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Playwright: Chuck Cabell</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Director: Sue Bachman</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Brad: Jacob Hacker</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Cal: Bryce Haverkorn</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Clover: Winter Haverkorn</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Nana: Joan Valentine</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: blue;">And The Winner is…</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Playwright/Director: Jeff Schmoyer</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Husband: Ken McKay</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Wife: Mary Sprunger-Froese</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">TV Host: Mike Miller</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">TV Man 1: Sam Suksiri</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">TV Man 2: Charlie Ammen</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">TV Woman/Mom/Lawyer/Camille: Joan Valantine</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: blue;">Iron and Gold</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Playwrights/Directors: Mark Arnest, Lauren Arnest</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Bad Girls</i>: Neika Rosenberger, Meg Prymus</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>One-Second Thoughts</i>: Erik Brevik</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Love Duet</i>: Peter Tuff, Neika Rosenberger</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Brothers</i>: Todd Teske, Peter Tuff</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Song for the Knights of Labor</i>: Peter Tuff, ensemble.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: blue;">Borscht Belted</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Playwright/Director/Actor: Warren Epstein</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: blue;">Elevated</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Playwright/Director: Sue Bachman</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Elevator Woman: Joan Valentine</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Stairwell Man: Mike Miller</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Susan: Mary Sprunger-Froese</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Rough Man: Charlie Ammen</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Man in Suit: Sam Suksiri</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Skate Boarder 1: Jacob Haker</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Skate Boarder 2: Anthony Cramer</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: blue;">Temptations of a Playwright</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Playwright: Judith McKay</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Director: Robert Tiffany</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Roger: Robert Tiffany</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Gwen: Mary Spunger-Froese</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: blue;">10 Minutes</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Playwright/Director: Phil Ginsburg</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Man: Tom Paradise</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Woman: Kathy Paradise.</span></div>
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Bill Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094423709404416194noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682761603405073318.post-55644948688376670162017-11-26T14:31:00.000-07:002017-11-26T14:31:49.354-07:00A Christmas Carol<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbyU_Qb-2ztO7eOqGNbQbG5Ek6gqgTugP8yYuVr1FWdz62ZxU4OhkqqRpKxaVLgAROk5Yib9a0OYpULIQABbQIVoA0Ca3vtrXIMfH7FLVgh2WDKaZq8g-CYwmOIeGKg3PtauSOmrs1AdTJ/s1600/MAP+CC+banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="840" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbyU_Qb-2ztO7eOqGNbQbG5Ek6gqgTugP8yYuVr1FWdz62ZxU4OhkqqRpKxaVLgAROk5Yib9a0OYpULIQABbQIVoA0Ca3vtrXIMfH7FLVgh2WDKaZq8g-CYwmOIeGKg3PtauSOmrs1AdTJ/s640/MAP+CC+banner.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>A Christmas Carol</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i></i></b></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Adaption:</b> Josh Hartwell (based on the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Dickens"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Charles Dickens</i></span></a> novella).</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Company</b>: <a href="https://www.minersalley.com/" target="_blank"><i>Miner’s Alley Playhouse</i></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Venue: <i> </i></b>Miner’s Alley Playhouse, 1224 Washington Avenue, Golden CO.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Running time</b>: 1 hour, 45 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission).</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Date of Performance</b>: Friday, November 24, 2017.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">If there’s a classic Christmas script for Colorado stages, Dicken’s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Christmas_Carol"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>A Christmas Carol</i></span></a> is the hands down heavyweight champion. There are a lot of good reasons for that, not the least of which is Scrooge’s transition from a miserly curmudgeon to a generous, charitable model citizen. Dicken’s tale perfectly captures the seasonal tension between <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitalism"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>capitalism</i></span></a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altruism"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>altrusim</i></span></a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Dicken’s tone is somewhat creepy and scary, but then it is, at it’s core, a ghost story. His central character’s name, Scrooge, has become a derogatory term for misers. As many times as we see <i>A Christmas Carol</i>, it is the rude, crude, cheapskate Scrooge we remember. He is seldom remembered for his transformation to a generous patron to the poor. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I’ve seen many productions of <i>A Christmas Carol</i>. Miner’s Alley Playhouse’s version is unique in my experience. Josh Hartwell’s adaption is a full fledged embrace of the Dickens story, but enhanced with a clever "play within a play twist." Hartwell and director Len Matheo inject humor into the characters, giving Dicken’s message a much warmer delivery. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrugXr1fbAUMZQCV_DKn_jNlqC0zdjNbt-uNiMSEsU6irvX0bmzBcwmQ_5ufYo88FokrNg0IiFv5vuUv5madwnzeem-sG9hiE1aD2w8JY3i8Arft54IlwxZIOWu99ginlhypO6SdUOifyQ/s1600/Christmas+Carol-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrugXr1fbAUMZQCV_DKn_jNlqC0zdjNbt-uNiMSEsU6irvX0bmzBcwmQ_5ufYo88FokrNg0IiFv5vuUv5madwnzeem-sG9hiE1aD2w8JY3i8Arft54IlwxZIOWu99ginlhypO6SdUOifyQ/s400/Christmas+Carol-7.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">L-R: Jason Maxwell (Martha), Meredith Young (Emily), Josh Hartwell<br />(Bob Cratchit), Ella Matheo (Tiny Tim), Jim Hunt (Scrooge), and<br />Lisa DeCaro (Ghost of Christmas Present).</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Hartwell opens his story with a spirited discussion of which story is more “Christmassy:” <i>A Christmas Carol</i> or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dylan_Thomas"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Dylan Thomas</i></span></a>’ <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Child's_Christmas_in_Wales"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>A Child’s Christmas in Wales</i></span></a>? With the family gathered around him, Jim Hunt has just finished reading the Thomas work. Despite his unwavering support of Thomas’ prose, Hunt is reluctantly convinced to follow the Thomas reading with a dickens of <i>A Christmas Carol</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The effect is important. We first see Hunt as a gentle, thoughtful patriarch…before we see him as Scrooge. Our first impression of Hunt tempers our later impression of Scrooge. We see him not so much as a villain, but as a misguided soul hiding a gentle heart. Hunt doesn’t hold back as Scrooge, but we are always aware that he’s just playing a role in the play within the play. We know he’s not really a scrooge.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Even when he’s sticking closely to Dicken’s script, director Len Matheo manages to take much of the creepiness out of the ghost story. Matheo uses physical comedy (it’s a REALLY big turkey), eye popping costumes and appropriate overacting to make the story more accessible and entertaining. This is <i>A Christmas Carol</i> that the whole family will enjoy.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHu52ojU4f1e70Sytr5K-E39QEif289DYDCxibAHE8gY2TG-OMQNif8rSZ1Vi9gdEiBlD5ezX0tdWuBrSzS559-6aIw16KlPUOyAeXHW4TE3hCqL2iwskISWZtypzIVuIkuSPqylPo1hO/s1600/Christmas+Carol-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHu52ojU4f1e70Sytr5K-E39QEif289DYDCxibAHE8gY2TG-OMQNif8rSZ1Vi9gdEiBlD5ezX0tdWuBrSzS559-6aIw16KlPUOyAeXHW4TE3hCqL2iwskISWZtypzIVuIkuSPqylPo1hO/s400/Christmas+Carol-6.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Josh Hartwell (Young Scrooge), Lisa DeCaro (Belle).</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">If you've seen <i>A Christmas Carol</i>, you may remember the dance scene. It’s the one where the young Scrooge waltzes with Belle. He’s not yet the cynical, mean miser he will eventually become. Matheo’s touch is as tender as I’ve seen in any production of <i>A Christmas Carol</i>. Josh Hartwell and Lisa DeCaro float across the stages, eyes locked. They convey the blossoming of their love for each other with every step, every glance, and every touch. The scene is beautifully staged by two gifted actors and a laser focused director.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhTvKNYc_W1qe9QmnJDq2HxuhsfF1Qn1y1vnLPd_668BZxTggPj3axlPD-UeqFTX2yEn6UUJX1hU2vNCrE1TQfqoeRmg6xnW5BUyCAtjiL4EyTjalVraQoadYmw0kTaiKo_15UVc2XllpM/s1600/Christmas+Carol-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhTvKNYc_W1qe9QmnJDq2HxuhsfF1Qn1y1vnLPd_668BZxTggPj3axlPD-UeqFTX2yEn6UUJX1hU2vNCrE1TQfqoeRmg6xnW5BUyCAtjiL4EyTjalVraQoadYmw0kTaiKo_15UVc2XllpM/s320/Christmas+Carol-5.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meredith Young (Ghost of Christmas Past).</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The entire cast plays multiple roles, sliding seamlessly between their various characters. Meredith Young is resplendent as Christmas Past in a glitter encrusted costume. Lisa DeCaro’s Christmas Present could well be mistaken for a Christmas “present.” She glides across the stage like a legless ghost. Jason Maxwell is a show stopper in drag as Martha. Ella Matheo’s debut as Tiny Tim was flawless and promising. She’s ready for bigger roles.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPmhmzedO1ENAQm3zH-XpxQeOV7oBKQtyO-UTEtrk1lFZlm8B8fbVtlkpAIDvujnhRLsXjPio5OJbeRJXEue2WDuHI4xmbO5-JMQGrWBDo7yiCiEKsSW4_7RJnZxhn64UvrDP5pj333zdt/s1600/Christmas+Carol-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPmhmzedO1ENAQm3zH-XpxQeOV7oBKQtyO-UTEtrk1lFZlm8B8fbVtlkpAIDvujnhRLsXjPio5OJbeRJXEue2WDuHI4xmbO5-JMQGrWBDo7yiCiEKsSW4_7RJnZxhn64UvrDP5pj333zdt/s320/Christmas+Carol-4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jason Maxwell (Fred) & Jim Hunt (Scrooge).</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Jonathan Scott-McKean’s set is detailed and functional. Except for a somewhat awkward bed/table piece, it all works. Elizabeth Scott-McKean’s costumes are all imaginative, but the ghost costumes are especially splendid. In addition to the above mentioned waltz, Angie Simmons choreographs the cast through a toe tapping Irish jig. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>A Christmas Carol</i> at Miner’s Alley Playhouse is a fresh take on a timeless classic. It respects Dickens' message but updates it with a new and entertaining tone. You may leave the theater remembering the generous Scrooge instead of his anti-social alter ego. </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">If this show doesn’t put you in the Christmas spirit, well, “Bah.” “Humbug.” You probably won’t be getting much under your Christmas tree this year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>NOTES</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">For those interested in the Charles Dickens backstory on A Christmas Carol, check out a new film on the subject: <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt6225520/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>The Man Who Invented Christmas</i></span></a>. I can’t vouch for the historical accuracy of the film, but accuracy aside, it looks entertaining.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">When asked for a Christmas donation for the poor, Scrooge has a predictably cold reply:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>'Are there no prisons?' asked Scrooge.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>'Plenty of prisons,' said the gentleman, laying down the pen again.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>'And the Union workhouses?' demanded Scrooge. 'Are they still in operation?'</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>'They are. Still,' returned the gentleman, 'I wish I could say they were not.'</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Still today, misers who value only the wealth they can accumulate <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/five-insults-donald-trump-has-fired-at-mexicans-in-the-presidential-race-10559438"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>disparage and demonize the less fortunate</i></span></a> . The comparison, though, is perhaps apples and oranges. Scrooge had the capacity for redemption.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This is not the first time I’ve seen an exquisite dance scene involving Josh Hartwell. <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2013/02/ghost-writer.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>He knows what he’s doing on the dance floor</i></span></a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This show closes on December 23, 2017. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Photo Credit: </b><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/minersalley/" target="_blank">Miner’s Alley Playhouse</a></i></span> and <a href="https://sarahroshan.com/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Sarah Roshan Photography.</i></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Tickets <a href="https://www.minersalley.com/box-officecurrentseason"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b><i>HERE</i></b></span></a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>CREATIVE TEAM</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Director: </b>Len Matheo</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Scenic Design</b>: Jonathan Scott-McKean</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Scenic Carpentry</b>: Jonathan Scott-McKean, Alaina Beth Reel, Kenzie Kilroy</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Scenic Dressing/Prop Master</b>: Elizabeth Scott-McKean</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Lighting Design</b>: Jonathan Scott-McKean</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Sound Design</b>: Len Matheo</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Choreography</b>: Angie Simmons</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Costume Design</b>: Elizabeth Scott-McKean</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Production Assistants</b>: Brandon Brown, Kenzie Kilroy</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Stage Manager: </b>Bryanna Scott</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>CAST</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Scrooge: </b>Jim Hunt</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Fundraiser/Belle/Christmas Present/Gertrude: </b>Lisa DeCaro</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Christmas Past/Emily/Clara/Want/Riggs</b>: Meredith Young</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Fred/Marley/Fezzwig/Martha/Dilber/Christmas Future</b>: Jason Maxwell</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Marley/Marley Body/Young Scrooge/Bob Cratchit/Topper/Turkey Boy:</b> Josh Hartwell</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Tiny Tim/Ignorance</b>: Ella Matheo</span></div>
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Bill Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094423709404416194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682761603405073318.post-40837963929036179062017-07-15T10:57:00.003-06:002017-07-15T10:57:50.294-06:00[spectrum] lgbt short play festival<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSgdHrLnv67JYeuIo3cgJ_t0uLoPCVn7gBnKVLSyW24u300_LgezazqH90Gxa7rZZhxEXxDObS_z4mJfHDcz7x37prKxErKwIg1VL9iHS5ty3VueOxI8Ixx20w9KmoRnPJnWqpSxWJfpXU/s1600/spectrum+banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="637" data-original-width="1200" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSgdHrLnv67JYeuIo3cgJ_t0uLoPCVn7gBnKVLSyW24u300_LgezazqH90Gxa7rZZhxEXxDObS_z4mJfHDcz7x37prKxErKwIg1VL9iHS5ty3VueOxI8Ixx20w9KmoRnPJnWqpSxWJfpXU/s640/spectrum+banner.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Playwrights: </b>David-Matthew Barnes (CO), John Bavoso (DC), Will Driscol/Billie Allor (CO), Donna Hoke (NY), Lezlie Revelle (KS), George Smart (MA), Jeffrey Strausser (TX), Jonathon Ward (NY), Nico Wilkinson (CO).</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Company</b>: <a href="https://www.funkylittletheater.org/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Funky Little Theater Company</i></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Venue: <i> </i></b>Funky Little Theater, <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/2109+Templeton+Gap+Rd,+Colorado+Springs,+CO+80907/@38.8634598,-104.8124434,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x8713457cb39fed17:0xc8492cee41ca90a5!8m2!3d38.8634598!4d-104.8102547"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>2109 Templeton Gap</i></span></a>, Colorado Springs, Colorado.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Running time</b>: 2 hours, 30 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission).</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Date of Performance</b>: Friday, July 14, 2017.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">It’s like catching lightning in a bottle. Funky Little Theater did its first <i>[spectrum] short play festival (</i>hereafter<i> [spectrum]) </i>in <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2016/03/spectrum-lgbt-new-play-festival.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>March 2016</i></span></a>, and was inundated with scripts. The second annual version is running through July 29, bringing the total number of scripts submitted in two years to more than 400. Funky is now bringing the thunder with the lightning to its stage with the best of the latest <i>[spectrum]</i> submissions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Scripts are limited to (approximately)10 minutes. Funky provides directors, actors, and set pieces for (in their considered judgment) the best of the submissions. This year, <i>[spectrum]</i> delivers nine thought provoking and entertaining bursts of new theater:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">1. <i>Chaos Magic</i>, by Nico Wilkinson (directed by Idris Goodwin/Lucy Houlihan, with Erica Erickson, Sophie Javna, Conner McCaslin & Sasha Nader). </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Wilkinson’s piece pits witches against parents who have secrets, with disturbing results for the newborn baby.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">2. <i>Boxcar</i>, by David-Matthew Barnes (directed by Chris Medina, featuring Alex Abundis & Pedro G. Leos). </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Boxcar</i> is a dark (“Do you think we’ll be dead by morning?” “No. By midnight.”) story of forbidden young love. Spending a night in a boxcar with the love of your life is one way to avoid confronting your peers at a homecoming dance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">3. <i>What If Cliff</i>, by Jonathon Ward (directed by Sallie Walker, with Megan Edwards and Josh Boehnke). </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Ward’s focus is a sexual sibling rivalry; a brother and a sister both love the same woman. Can this complicated dilemma end well, or is it doomed from the start?</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">4. <i>My True Self</i>, by Will Driscoll and Billie Allor (directed by Chris Medina, with Driscoll playing himself).</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Driscoll’s story is his own. <i>My True Self</i> is far and away the most personal and intimate entry in this year’s [spectrum]. Driscoll’s <i>True Self</i> is a compelling transgender story of truth and courage.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">5. <i>Shel & Luce</i> by Jeffrey Strausser (directed by Chris Medina, with Sophie Javna and Ambrosia Feess-Armstrong). </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Strausser’s love story doesn’t have a happy ending. Not everyone has the courage to be true to his or her own feelings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">6. <i>Brokendown</i>, by Lezlie Revelle (directed by Billie Allor, with Teri McClintock, Joanne Koehler, and Ambrosia Feess-Armstrong).</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Revelle’s entry uses comedy to tell the touching story of a sensitive mother and her closeted daughter. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">7. <i>It Doesn’t</i>, by George Smart (directed by Chris Medina, featuring Will Sobolik & Chris Medina).</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">If you’re familiar with the “<a href="http://www.itgetsbetter.org/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>It Gets Better</i></span></a>” project, you need to also consider that maybe “It Doesn’t.” If you’re 15 years old and your dick pic just went viral at school, it’s difficult to see how it will ever “get better.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">8. <i>Write This Way</i>, by Donna Hoke (directed by Chris Medina, with Helena Hyde, Meghan Lastrella & Pedro G. Leos).</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Hoke plays with gender roles as her “writer” tries to concoct a story about a female construction worker. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">9. <i>Kylie & Janet & Robyn & Cher</i>, by John Bavoso (directed by Chris Medina, featuring Medina, Josh Boehnke & Nolan Lydolph).</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Bavoso puts sexual stereotypes to the test; Medina is a straight guy reaching out for gay friends. It’s all very funny, but also poignant. Sometimes we need to escape from our straight and gay tribes and mingle with each other.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">[spectrum] is a full plate, teasing with appetizers (<i>What If Cliff, Write This Way</i>), followed by hearty main courses (<i>Brokendown, Shel & Luce, It Doesn’t</i>), and a delicious dessert (<i>Kylie & Janet & Robyn & Cher</i>). Throw in a personal story of gender transition (<i>My True Self</i>) and you literally have something for everyone at the second annual [spectrum] fest.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Funky includes a ballot with each program; the audience is encouraged to identify their favorite 10 minute entry as well as the best actor and actress. Since I’ve already done the exercise, here are my favorites:</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><b><u>Best play(s)</u>:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i><u>Brokendown</u></i>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The ensemble has chemistry, the script is funny, and the message is hopeful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><u><i>Kylie & Janet & Robyn & Cher</i>. </u></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Chris Medina is spot on as the straight guy with a queer eye. He also follows direction well (directing himself).</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><u><i>Boxcar</i>.</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Alex Abundis and Pedro G. Leos shine as lost lovers in a well written script.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>Best Actor(s)</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Chris Medina in <i>Kylie & Janet & Robyn & Cher</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Alex Abundis in <i>Boxcar</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>Best Actress(es):</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Ambrosia Feess-Armstrong in <i>Brokendown</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Joanne Koehler in <i>Brokendown</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Meg Edwards in <i>What If Cliff</i> (her Funky debut).</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>NOTES</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>[spectrum] lgbt short play festival</i> is a striking success story. Funky Little Theater is a chronic overachiever in bringing new works to Colorado Springs. Chris Medina is the head overachiever, directing 6 of the 9 episodes. If that’s not enough, he also appears onstage in two shows. Medina’s commitment to Funky, to theater, and to the Colorado Springs arts community is remarkable. With relatively few resources, he has put Funky and Colorado Springs on the theater map. <i>[spectrum] </i>is ample proof that Medina/Funky have become a creative force for southern Colorado.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>[spectrum] lgbt short play festival</i> deals with mature subject matter. Recommended for older<i> </i>teens and open minded adults. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">While most of the works submitted for <i>[spectrum]</i> are new, some (including <i>Boxcar) </i>have been performed elsewhere or have been published in some form. If not already the case, Funky may want to make sure that new, unpublished playwrights are aware that they will compete with published and produced writers when submitting work to [<i>spectrum</i>].</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Funky has partnered with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pridefest/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Colorado Springs Pride</i></span></a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClubQOnline/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Club Q </i></span></a>for the [<i>spectrum</i>] production.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This show closes on July 29, 2017. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Photo Credit: </b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/FunkyLittleTheaterCompany/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Funky Little Theater</i></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Tickets <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/o/funky-little-theater-company-3916663059?s=68701302"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><b><i>HERE</i></b></span></a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>CREATIVE TEAM</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Artistic Director: </b>Chris Medina</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Sound Design</b>: Will Sobolik</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Stage Management</b>: Sophie Javna & Casey Petty</span></div>
Bill Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094423709404416194noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682761603405073318.post-13404653592841685142017-06-26T14:38:00.001-06:002017-11-10T16:47:47.457-07:00She Loves Me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibK3Ft65qTo1-OATZMAJ6f5BPLPyzJMHHMiBfFiUk_5QkIhM_flZqPxeIkTBdc6mXmunZpSjG3Rm1UsgX6iijpDVvKgdmfphxTRpE2cWBTP8n9ndTUJ3cfGm7UoRTmTS8OGUwqmIbA1-bY/s1600/She+Loves+Me+banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibK3Ft65qTo1-OATZMAJ6f5BPLPyzJMHHMiBfFiUk_5QkIhM_flZqPxeIkTBdc6mXmunZpSjG3Rm1UsgX6iijpDVvKgdmfphxTRpE2cWBTP8n9ndTUJ3cfGm7UoRTmTS8OGUwqmIbA1-bY/s640/She+Loves+Me+banner.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Book by: </b><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Joe Masteroff</span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Music by: </b>Jerry Bock</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Lyrics by: </b>Sheldon Harnick</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Based on a play by: </b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikl%C3%B3s_L%C3%A1szl%C3%B3" target="_blank"><i>Miklos Laszlo</i></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Company</b>: <a href="http://creederep.org/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Creede Repertory Theatre</i></span></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Venue: <i> </i></b>Main Stage, 124 S. Main,<b><i> </i></b>Creede Colorado.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Running time</b>: 2 hours, 30 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Date of Performance</b>: Friday, June 23, 2017.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At one time or another, we’ve all been looking for love. For some of us, we’ve been looking in all the wrong places. The quest to find a soul mate has morphed over the last century from pen pals in a <i>“<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_advertisement" target="_blank">lonely hearts club</a></i>” or classified newspaper ads to email and finally to <i>“<a href="https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/best-dating-apps/" target="_blank">there’s an app for that</a></i>.” It won’t be long before there will be a “<a href="http://digitalmediawire.com/2017/05/08/facebook-may-unveil-vr-dating-show-other-originals-at-cannes-lions/" target="_blank"><i>virtual reality</i></a>” version of matchmaking.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>She Loves Me</i> is a musical romance based on Miklos Lazlo’s 1937 play <i><a href="https://www.parfumerietheplay.com/" target="_blank">The Parfumerie</a></i>. The story is based in a perfume shop where the aging owner’s marriage is failing and his staff is rattled by the hiring of a new sales clerk, fresh from their competitor. The basic plot reappeared in 1940 in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Stewart" target="_blank"><i>Jimmy Stewart</i></a> film <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shop_Around_the_Corner" target="_blank">The Shop Around the Corner</a></i>, and again in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judy_Garland" target="_blank"><i>Judy Garland</i></a> film <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Good_Old_Summertime" target="_blank">In the Good Old Summertime</a></i> (1949). The most recent (1998) film adaption, <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0128853/" target="_blank">You’ve Got Mail</a></i>, starred <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000212/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm" target="_blank"><i>Meg Ryan</i></a> and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000158/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm" target="_blank"><i>Tom Hanks</i></a>. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Donovan Woods (Georg) and Emily Van Fleet (Amalia). <br /> "Where's My Shoe?</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Creede Repertory Theatre’s (CRT) musical version sparkles with wit, charm, humor and the excellent vocal chops of Emily Van Fleet (Amalia Balash) and Donovan Woods (Georg Nowack). The pair does a delicate dance, balancing their hostile veneer with a deeper and undeniable attraction. Their chemistry is special. Van Fleet’s Amalia works hard at disliking her co-worker Georg, only slowly realizing that her “dear friend” and Georg have much in common. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Woods, for his part, is a master at conveying meaning without words. His facial expressions are priceless, revealing the his true feelings despite his words.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The real magic here is the music. Van Fleet and Woods both have strong singing voices, and when they sing together, the chemistry is powerful. Their duet <i>Where’s My Shoe?</i>,” sung in Amalia’s bedroom, is my favorite moment in the show. It’s the point where their mutual attraction becomes obvious, and the hostility starts to dissipate. Woods and Van Fleet carry off the shoe caper with a modesty that we know will bloom into passion.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhalth2eH7DjNMAdfObzxoAv6dumu1xMO_05A_vQyIj7ggTz-P3S6mNR2cRUXmD9ek8Js4L1X6UUImUIpH3nfiJK0LEI2I_0zNw8JQKpVuvBtY92Fxe1zVTEH1-VnR1xptmnMEX-SJoCyNS/s1600/She+Loves+me+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1115" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhalth2eH7DjNMAdfObzxoAv6dumu1xMO_05A_vQyIj7ggTz-P3S6mNR2cRUXmD9ek8Js4L1X6UUImUIpH3nfiJK0LEI2I_0zNw8JQKpVuvBtY92Fxe1zVTEH1-VnR1xptmnMEX-SJoCyNS/s400/She+Loves+me+2.jpg" width="278" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Pat Moran (Kodaly) & Kate Berry (Ilona).</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The entire <i>She Loves Me</i> cast is strong. Kate Berry (Ilona Ritter) delivers a beautiful duet with Van Fleet. When Berry and Van Fleet team up for <i>I Don’t Know His Name,</i> they shoot an arrow into the heart of every woman in the room. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Spencer D. Christensen is a hoot as the shop suck up (Ladislav Sipos). If you’ve ever held a job with more than three coworkers, you know a Sipos. There’s one in every office, and Christensen nails his character. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Pat Moran (as Steve Kodaly) is equal parts charm and cad. As with Sipos, you may know a Kodaly. Moran’s version is an amoral hedonist seeking lust but not love. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Scenic Designer Rick Reeves created a highly flexible eye popping set with rolling pieces that do double and even triple duty. Asa Benally’s costumes are period perfect, from Maraczek’s (Logan Ernsthall) pin stripe suit to Arpad’s (CJ Salvani) short pants and delivery boy hat. Benally puts the ladies in some stunning outfits; her blue dress for Ilona and Amalia’s pink ensemble to meet her “dear friend” are outstanding.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHPge3PelHqeriCL9gBecwvZfWr2hWPdZemrLWtHmvZEnM0LC-Kom1wOimFBQd0v1pEVcdyEeIV3BIiBAuSHwkBUTVBw-PsQm8GgLm30b88euakGPGn1YMnvclTdlHcp7aNDHIS5edm2wF/s1600/She+Loves+Me+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1085" data-original-width="1600" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHPge3PelHqeriCL9gBecwvZfWr2hWPdZemrLWtHmvZEnM0LC-Kom1wOimFBQd0v1pEVcdyEeIV3BIiBAuSHwkBUTVBw-PsQm8GgLm30b88euakGPGn1YMnvclTdlHcp7aNDHIS5edm2wF/s400/She+Loves+Me+4.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Spencer D. Christensen (Ladislav Sipos).</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ian Leroy provided the music, turning his own pages at the piano while delivering nothing but perfect notes for the soundtrack. Eaton Sayler’s sound design flawlessly mixed Stuart’s piano with the actor’s microphones. All the technical parts of <i>She Loves Me</i> mesh seamlessly with the high caliber talent on the stage. Director Michael Perlman combines behind the scenes technical experts with his onstage artistic talent for a compelling rendition of <i>She Loves Me</i>. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Perlman reaches for a contemporary message, and hits the target: </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Sometimes, as these characters find, we have to be willing to sit across from someone we think we hate— with whom we think we share nothing in common, with whom we think there could not possibly be anything on which we agree or even ways in which we see the same world— and discover that there may be plenty to love after all.”</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Perlman’s casting of Woods and Van Fleet makes his point perfectly. When something seems as obvious as <b>black</b> and <b>white</b> at first glance, look again. You may see a million shades of grey on closer inspection. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There’s plenty to love about CRT’s <i>She Loves Me</i>. Looking past our differences to find the qualities in each other is a message we need today. Whether we’re looking for love or looking for peace, or just looking for something to give our lives meaning, we need each other to succeed. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguvydLg2zFr8669bgsOLIJlA-ZxYBGFnnXCHvmcw87mpn8ZLBCMnTdZC5Vsy7nHcsg613kJRFY7_GfFY6a1aaMRYjFtxEhXLaigegi_y3AHTB0vWXrbg3R7hRLnTcywrvFEWRbx0wPNFW7/s1600/She+Loves+me+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguvydLg2zFr8669bgsOLIJlA-ZxYBGFnnXCHvmcw87mpn8ZLBCMnTdZC5Vsy7nHcsg613kJRFY7_GfFY6a1aaMRYjFtxEhXLaigegi_y3AHTB0vWXrbg3R7hRLnTcywrvFEWRbx0wPNFW7/s640/She+Loves+me+5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>NOTES</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>She Loves Me </i>is rated PG by the Creede company. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This show closes on August 10, 2017. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Photo Credit: </b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/creederepertorytheatre/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Creede Repertory Theatre</i></span></a> and John Gary Brown, photographer.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Tickets <a href="http://creederep.org/calendar/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><b><i>HERE</i></b></span></a>. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>CREATIVE TEAM</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Director: </b>Michael Perlman+</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Music Director: </b>Ian LeRoy</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Choreographer: </b>Maddy Apple</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Scenic Design: </b>Rick Reeves</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Costume Design: </b>Asa Benally</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Lighting Design: </b>Jacob Welch</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Sound Engineer: </b>Eaton Saylor</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Stage Manager: </b>Devon Muko*</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Asst. Stage Managers: </b>Nia Sciarretta*, Aaron McEachran, Alexandria Skaar</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Dance Captain: </b>Emily Van Fleet*</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">PIANISTS</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ian LeRoy</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Amalia Balash</b>: Emily Van Fleet*</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Georg Nowack</b>: Donovan Woods*</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Ilona Ritter</b>: Kate Berry*</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Steven Kodaly</b>: Pat Moran</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Zoltan Maraczek</b>: Logan Ernstthal*</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Ladislav Sipos</b>: Spencer D. Christensen</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Arpad Laszlo:</b> CJ Salvani</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Headwaiter & U/S Georg</b>: Josh Zwick</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Butterfingers:</b> Brian Kusic</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Pianist</b>: Ian LeRoy</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Ensemble</b>: Christy Brandt*, Annie F. Butler, Claudio Venancio</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Ensemble & U/S Ilona</b>: Bettina Lobo</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Ensemble & U/S Amalia</b>: Gina Velez</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">+ The Director is a member of the STAGE DIRECTORS AND CHOREOGRAPHERS SOCIETY, a national theatrical labor union.</span></span></div>
Bill Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094423709404416194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682761603405073318.post-72244358067569439252017-06-26T14:06:00.002-06:002017-11-10T17:01:29.526-07:00The Syringa Tree<br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Playwright: </b><a href="http://americanrepertorytheater.org/person/pamela-gien"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Pamela Gien</i></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Company</b>: <a href="http://creederep.org/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Creede Repertory Theatre</i></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Venue: <i> </i></b>Ruth Humphreys Brown Theatre, 120 South Main Street, Creede, Colorado.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Running time</b>: 2 hours, 25 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission).</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Date of Performance</b>: Saturday, June 24, 2017.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Syringa Tree:</b> <i>A genus of woody shrubs and trees, commonly known as lilacs. Native to southeastern Europe and Eastern Asia but widely and commonly cultivated in temperate areas elsewhere. </i>(From the program glossary.)</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKdr9Us5UuaqO0JTiDx1M1xbbdCt79pzOsUFplHtfhxqBj7PcV0o6K3lbefJzOFgIe1hZpmW9sv4AyIrjDODTeKnJ7bBz8ovUNoqQH3giKhAPuNX_HviMjfzjUsjT2mvfQ1ooqxNlkTBR/s1600/S+Tree+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="894" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKdr9Us5UuaqO0JTiDx1M1xbbdCt79pzOsUFplHtfhxqBj7PcV0o6K3lbefJzOFgIe1hZpmW9sv4AyIrjDODTeKnJ7bBz8ovUNoqQH3giKhAPuNX_HviMjfzjUsjT2mvfQ1ooqxNlkTBR/s400/S+Tree+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Segregation in South Africa under apartheid.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Playwright Pamela Gien’s syringa tree is a childhood memory, part of the natural beauty of her native South Africa. More importantly, though, is the syringa tree’s power to connect Elizabeth, or "Lizzie," (</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Caitlin Green) to the people in her life. It is under the syringa tree that Gien tells Lizzie’s story of growing up white in the last years of </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apartheid" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" target="_blank"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>apartheid</i></span></a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> in South Africa. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Make no mistake. <i>The Syringa Tree</i> is a </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">challenging</span><span style="font-kerning: none;"> script for any audience. It’s non-linear, spoken with a heavy South African accent, and the two actors play multiple roles. That challenge is a foreseeable result of telling a story through the eyes of a child. Like all challenges, however, there are substantial rewards for accepting it. It may not be your cup of tea, but if it is, it may be the sweetest tea you’ll ever taste.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I couldn’t help but think, as I watched Lizzie’s story unfold, what a difficult script <i>The Syringa Tree</i> must be for the actors. Caitlin Green and Portland Thomas (Salamina) carry the entire weight of the production on their shoulders for nearly 2.5 hours. With a few props and a couple of swings attached to the syringa tree, they have to transport the audience to a foreign land in a troubled time to tell a fractured story. Green and Thomas are professionals, and they make their difficult task appear effortless.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caitlin Green (Elizabeth and others)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Early in the first act, I was searching for words to describe Caitlin Green’s young Lizzie. I settled on childish, innocent, and in particular, exuberant. I needn’t have bothered. Lizzie could have saved me the trouble; after I pondered a description, she announced that she’s “<b>HYPERACTIVE</b>!” </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Hyperactive is unquestionably the correct term. Green’s Lizzie bounces around the stage, narrating in a stream of consciousness that could only come from a child. She learns Scottish dancing. She loves ballet. She loses her underpants. She swings on the syringa tree. She blurts out whatever she’s thinking (<i>“South Africa has no fucking water!”</i>). Green’s polished South African accent, her exaggerated facial expressions, and her charming childish demeanor are irresistible. Even when the story becomes difficult to follow, you cannot look away from her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Green becomes an adult in the second act, and despite the years, she still has a lot of “little girl” left in her character. Elizabeth the adult is married, a mother, and living in the United States. “Free.” “Brave.” But she's still full of the fire of her childhood. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Caitlin Green’s performance as Lizzie/Elizabeth is a rare theater experience. It was just a few minutes after the curtain went up that it dawned on me. I was in the presence of excellence. Not just talent. Not just skill. I was witnessing theater at the level of "<b>art</b>." Sometimes theater entertains, but at its best, it surpasses entertainment and becomes a profound artistic experience. Green surpasses entertainment. She is an artist. I can offer no higher praise.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">None of which is meant to diminish Portland Thomas’ performance. Her Salamina is a nuanced, complicated delicate woman. She’s a victim of apartheid, but not vengeful. Thomas’ grief at losing her daughter to the revolution is one of the best moments in the production.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Thomas provides an understated dignity to the story, creating a sharp contrast to Lizzie’s exuberance. There’s an enduring bond between the two women who couldn’t be more culturally different. Thomas transcends those differences with a basic humanity that we all share.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Director Tosin Morohunfola pushes his actors to their limits, and they respond with unforgettable performances. His staging of the final scene is stunning. It’s a wordless, dreamy aerial ballet; the actors float by, synchronized souls under the syringa tree. It is one of the most powerful and memorable scenes I have seen on any stage. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYmMTMMSD6md4_oGgCh9asjCm2sdL40jWqCC6YxfsPRFm7mIcpfmC92NY_xFtglp7NZi6HsiyfpoWJjoZGGUdKjn9cIYeOoxA1J9QFgDSAW9qky9bGgivoPvLrttF6LAauei8DDyXsE1gS/s1600/Syringa+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1077" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYmMTMMSD6md4_oGgCh9asjCm2sdL40jWqCC6YxfsPRFm7mIcpfmC92NY_xFtglp7NZi6HsiyfpoWJjoZGGUdKjn9cIYeOoxA1J9QFgDSAW9qky9bGgivoPvLrttF6LAauei8DDyXsE1gS/s400/Syringa+4.jpg" width="268" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L-R: Portland Thomas, Caitlin Green.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>The Syringa Tree</i> reminds us that revolutions always have innocent victims. Good people on both sides are always caught up in the chaos of social and cultural change. It’s a message we need to remember. Today's "<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/12/07/donald-trump-calls-for-banning-muslims-from-entering-u-s/">Muslim ban</a>" is yesterday's "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pass_laws">Pass Law</a>." <a href="http://blacklivesmatter.com/about/" target="_blank">Black Lives Matte</a>r is the new <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defiance_Campaign" target="_blank">Defiance Campaign</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Don’t expect to just sit back and be entertained at <i>The Syringa Tree</i>. You need to engage with the story, the actors, and the script to find the beauty and wisdom of the experience. I can guarantee that you will be richly rewarded for the effort. Just as I did, you will find yourself in that rarest of events: undeniable</span> artistic excellence. </div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>The Syringa Tree</i> is not just a show I’ll remember for a long time. Rather, it’s a show I will never forget.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>NOTES</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>The Syringa Tree </i>is suitable for teens and older. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">For more information on apartheid in South Africa, see these links:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">1. <a href="https://theafricanfile.com/politicshistory/impact-of-economic-and-political-sanctions-on-apartheid/">Impact of Economic and Political Sanctions on Apartheid</a>.</span></div>
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2. <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/negativeeffectsofapartheid/"> Negative Effects of Apartheid</a>.</div>
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3. <a href="http://thealternativehypothesis.org/index.php/2016/07/29/south-african-apartheid-a-case-study-in-the-effect-of-european-colonialism-in-africa/">South African Apartheid: a case study on the effects of European colonialism in Africa.</a></div>
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4. <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nelson-Mandela">Nelson Mandela</a>.</div>
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5. <a href="https://www.biography.com/people/desmond-tutu-9512516">Desmond Tutu</a>.</div>
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6. <a href="http://overcomingapartheid.msu.edu/unit.php?id=65-24E-6">End of Apartheid</a>. </div>
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7. <a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2014/05/06/310095463/20-years-after-apartheid-south-africa-asks-how-are-we-doing">South Africa After Apartheid</a>. </div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This show closes on August 26, 2017. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Photo Credit: </b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/creederepertorytheatre/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Creede Repertory Theatre</i></span></a> and John Gary Brown, photographer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Tickets <a href="http://creederep.org/calendar/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><b><i>HERE</i></b></span></a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>CREATIVE TEAM</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Director: </b>Tosin Morohunfola</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Scenic/Lighting Design: </b>Matthew Schlief</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Costume Design: </b>Asa Benally</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Sound Design: </b>Becca Pearce</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Dialect Coach: </b>Rebecca Bossen</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Trapeze Choreographer: </b>John DiAntonio</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Dance Choreographer: </b>Bethany Eilean Talley</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Stage Manager: </b> Aaron McEachran</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Dance Captain: </b>Nia Sciarretta*</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Asst. Stage Manager: </b>Lucas Bareis-Golumb</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>CAST</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Elizabeth and others</b>: Caitlin Wise*</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Salamina and others</b>: Portland Thomas*</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.</span></div>
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Bill Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094423709404416194noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682761603405073318.post-20178769753912119882017-06-26T13:59:00.000-06:002017-11-10T17:02:35.748-07:00Pants On Fire: A Totally Made Up Musical for Kids<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3XINQ_kUoTKJ2KsRbRNF5sa_aqDIgUrYk92q3qpD5zkvKTlndYCUsWI0h5t7s7CSXnD8g5VDqyZOeo-5i_-LOOJ7aIQt99dwtR-Yi1O95ltwUdxn5mnW8VAW6-ri2uILHBW8bWeb3Szse/s1600/Pants+Banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="814" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3XINQ_kUoTKJ2KsRbRNF5sa_aqDIgUrYk92q3qpD5zkvKTlndYCUsWI0h5t7s7CSXnD8g5VDqyZOeo-5i_-LOOJ7aIQt99dwtR-Yi1O95ltwUdxn5mnW8VAW6-ri2uILHBW8bWeb3Szse/s640/Pants+Banner.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Created by:</b> John DiAntonio, Jessica Jackson, Brian Kusic, Graham Ward, Caitlin Wise, Renee Prince, and Joe Montelione</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Company</b>: <a href="http://creederep.org/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Creede Repertory Theatre</i></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Venue: <i> </i></b>Ruth Humphreys BrownTheatre, 120 S. Main Street,<b><i> </i></b>Creede Colorado.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Running time</b>: 60 minutes (no intermission).</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Date of Performance</b>: Friday, June 23, 2017.</span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHKHHQ2hEwt_2E7Ts2KzK57ofx9S2GuQuFwR9qJ_Z2qv6ZyuziYUAMLXL3gxCzCDDrOmGL1F_mIGp4Ypf0fzjFhCmtbtu8iP2PxnnWWGpYEMovMryAtoBL9GhGwlZY9B6VOB9Q_-NRmPhb/s1600/Pants+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1110" data-original-width="1600" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHKHHQ2hEwt_2E7Ts2KzK57ofx9S2GuQuFwR9qJ_Z2qv6ZyuziYUAMLXL3gxCzCDDrOmGL1F_mIGp4Ypf0fzjFhCmtbtu8iP2PxnnWWGpYEMovMryAtoBL9GhGwlZY9B6VOB9Q_-NRmPhb/s400/Pants+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pants</i> cast, L-R: John DiAntonio, Graham Ward, Caitlin Wise,<br />
Brian Kusic, Jessica Jackson.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">They say we all have an <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inner_child" target="_blank"><i>inner child</i></a>, no matter our chronological age. <i>Pants on Fire: A Totally Made Up Musical for Kids</i> (hereafter <i>Pants</i>), is, well, definitely for kids. Assuming, however, that we adults actually do have an inner child, this show gives our inner kids a chance to come out and play too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I’m too old and cynical to give much thought to MY inner child, but the artists at Creede Repertory Theatre took him (and me) to the playground today. I’m here to tell you we both had a delightful time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Pants</i> has no detailed script; the lines are largely improvised by the cast. The show starts with the actors collecting ideas from the audience for names, objects, jobs, and monsters. The submissions were sprinkled randomly into the story of “<b><i>Splatty</i></b>,” one of the entries in the “<i>Names</i>” bucket. The kids were immediately engaged; there are probably few times when adults take their imaginary input seriously.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">No two performances are the same due to the improvisation, but the variable story lines contain some consistently important messages for kids. </span></div>
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<b>1. Use your imagination.</b></div>
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<b>2. Make friends.</b></div>
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<b>3. Share what you have.</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRyWsjjyICFiqXylC5WPjzw5Fp9S1egeYKQUh2SqU3DYvesIxLqBons4sgwMTaVqIfUbseWfVLRxj1JgDb-KNtK-ixlVv2pKCfK0F4Asia3nNNbFk-Z1rg4T5GaehcJDcEIVaWDEiOT26s/s1600/Pants+on+Fire+post+show.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRyWsjjyICFiqXylC5WPjzw5Fp9S1egeYKQUh2SqU3DYvesIxLqBons4sgwMTaVqIfUbseWfVLRxj1JgDb-KNtK-ixlVv2pKCfK0F4Asia3nNNbFk-Z1rg4T5GaehcJDcEIVaWDEiOT26s/s320/Pants+on+Fire+post+show.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Kids take the stage after the show to sign <br />the chalkboard floor. Photo credit: Bill Wheeler.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This cast definitely knows how to engage an audience, from leading them in a <b><i>“START THE SHOW!”</i></b> chant to encouraging them to swarm the stage at the final curtain. You’ll rarely see an audience as appreciative as those at <i>Pants</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">As we left the theater, I ran into a gaggle of children who were in the audience. I asked several if they liked the show. The verdict was unanimous. They loved it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I could go on about the wit, charm, and the poignance of <i>Pants</i>, but that would be much too adult of me. This is a show for kids. They don’t need me to overanalyze <i>Pants</i>. They just need someone to recognize that it beautifully captures the joys of childhood. I’ll volunteer for that task…with pleasure.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIj1nL3URelhiSQGYfVySdcnwuiLMYYK8yGtevDVeWWWOqdmoQNSSOoT3NCmkIIp7BtfpPooaNwpXJQDuFuPYvsKLfBr3vLEaxclNUB1elu5SAWIZyqJsppjEvCrlgWFOzh_auCJSoz6j8/s1600/Pants+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1133" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIj1nL3URelhiSQGYfVySdcnwuiLMYYK8yGtevDVeWWWOqdmoQNSSOoT3NCmkIIp7BtfpPooaNwpXJQDuFuPYvsKLfBr3vLEaxclNUB1elu5SAWIZyqJsppjEvCrlgWFOzh_auCJSoz6j8/s640/Pants+2.jpg" width="452" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>NOTES</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Pants on Fire: A Totally Made Up Musical for Kids </i>is suitable for all ages. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Theater is magical for kids. You can see it in their eyes. Theater mirrors their own imaginary world, and makes it ok to pretend to be someone else. In fact, the very name of a performance describes their favorite activity: it’s a “<b>play</b>.” Shows like <i>Pants</i> are a beautiful gift to the local community. Creede Repertory Theatre (CRT) is inspiring a new generation to carry on the legacy that CRT has bestowed on it’s tiny host city.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFqpf-OkHnwxhBALsv7gHUCPTRbSBTn-qGvhuCvt_h9wvknPCQgRcorPWY9PHA7tiEA425IFf83fFwNfAZxBd4d1ux7UhodoH6w_UWQROd-iuZNeT_2RV0Wx4MeK-9M8cl5r1AgQYMmvOv/s1600/Pants+on+Fire+YAOT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="940" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFqpf-OkHnwxhBALsv7gHUCPTRbSBTn-qGvhuCvt_h9wvknPCQgRcorPWY9PHA7tiEA425IFf83fFwNfAZxBd4d1ux7UhodoH6w_UWQROd-iuZNeT_2RV0Wx4MeK-9M8cl5r1AgQYMmvOv/s400/Pants+on+Fire+YAOT.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">CRT takes its commitment to the next generation seriously. <a href="http://creederep.org/kid-show/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>The KID Show</i></span></a> program mentors kids from 10-17 through the process of creating an original show. <i>T</i><a href="http://creederep.org/yaot/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>he Young Audience Outreach Tour </i></span></a>(YAOT) has performed in rural and underserved communities in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, Oklahoma and Nevada since 1984. Each kid gets a children's book after the show to encourage literacy. YAOT has reached over 24,000 kids in 97 schools.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This show closes on August 11, 2017.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Photo Credit: </b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/creederepertorytheatre/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Creede Repertory Theatre</i></span></a> and John Gary Brown </span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">unless otherwise credited.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Tickets <a href="http://creederep.org/calendar/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><b><i>HERE</i></b></span></a>. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY6zAPzWD_pmXWVWwhPiHDhN3ASE3DSyFbOOs2LT98QzUSnVqmf64ejt0Wn-410fLXJbqC2mv-nCsEfSt0KVmC92lnbr0VTQzpFiVqlbOz7FpuvHM6exFFt7Ec7Yz6w-os-oQRpkLbbKCH/s1600/IMG_2064.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY6zAPzWD_pmXWVWwhPiHDhN3ASE3DSyFbOOs2LT98QzUSnVqmf64ejt0Wn-410fLXJbqC2mv-nCsEfSt0KVmC92lnbr0VTQzpFiVqlbOz7FpuvHM6exFFt7Ec7Yz6w-os-oQRpkLbbKCH/s400/IMG_2064.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Photo credit: Bill Wheeler</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>CREATIVE TEAM</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Scenic Design</b>: Chris Winnemann</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Costume Design</b>: Tamara Carruthers</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Lighting Design</b>: Mandi Wood</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Stage Manager</b>: Aaron McEachran</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>CAST</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">John DiAntonio</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Jessica Jackson</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Brian Kusic</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Graham Ward</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Caitlin Wise</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Kate Berry (swing)</span></div>
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Bill Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094423709404416194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682761603405073318.post-27459264677063803662017-06-05T08:44:00.000-06:002017-06-05T10:31:25.985-06:00Man of La Mancha<br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Written by:</b> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dale_Wasserman"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Dale Wasserman</i></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Music by</b>: Mitch Leigh</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Lyrics by</b>: Joe Darion</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Company</b>: <a href="http://www.csfineartscenter.org/theatre/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center</i></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Venue: <i> </i></b><a href="http://www.csfineartscenter.org/app-home/app-theatre/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>SaGaJi Theatre</i></span></a>, <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/30+W+Dale+St,+Colorado+Springs,+CO+80903/@38.8458038,-104.8282796,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x8713454087b0b49b:0x2054e38ad061e5c1!8m2!3d38.8458038!4d-104.8260909"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>30 West Dale Street</i></span></a>, Colorado Springs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Running time</b>: 2 hours (no intermission).</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Date of Performance</b>: Friday, June 2, 2017.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I’ll get straight to the point. <i>Man of La Mancha</i> at the Fine Arts Center is a crackerjack production, a visual and audio feast that mows down all windmills in its path. This is a high energy show that rocks, rolls, and rules the Fine Arts Center stage.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_of_La_Mancha"><i>Man of La Mancha</i></a></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"> is a play within a play based loosely on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miguel_de_Cervantes"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Miguel de Cervante’s</i></span></a> 1605 novel <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Quixote"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Don Quixote</i></span></a>. Cervante’s classic portrayed Don Quixote (from whom the adjective “<a href="http://www.dictionary.com/browse/quixotic?s=t"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>quixotic</i></span></a>” is derived) as an aspiring knight totally devoted to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chivalry"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>code of chivalry</i></span></a>. Dale Wasserman’s musical adaption won five Tony Awards in 1966, including Best Musical. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Quixote’s quest is to fight evil everywhere and to promote his cause of virtue, manners, and honor. Despite the lofty ideals, Cervantes and Wasserman both portray Quixote as untethered to reality. Quixote has imaginary enemies, resulting in “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilting_at_windmills"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>tilting at windmills</i></span></a>” when he mistakes one for a giant.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The Fine Arts Center production grabs your attention as soon as you enter the SaGaJi theatre and see the set. Christopher Sheley’s designs never disappoint, and his <i>Man of La Mancha</i> work is splendid. Anchored by huge classical columns, the set includes a reverse drawbridge stairway that descends on cue from the ceiling. It provides a grand entrance for Cervantes (Stephen Day) and his sidekick Sancho (Sammie Joe Kinnett). Benjamin Heston’s sound design is spectacular throughout, but never more so than when he makes Sheley’s stairs creak, clank and rumble onto the stage. Costume designer Sydney Gallas has dressed the cast in an array of period perfect costumes, from a belly dancer to sexy wenches and especially to men in blousy pants. Gallas’ attention to detail is notable; she emblazoned Cervantes’ knee high boots with gold crosses. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Stephen Day (Cervantes/Don Quixote).</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Stephen Day might well be a descendant of Cervantes and Quixote. He’s that good. There’s no daylight between Day and his 400 year old fictional character. Day brings Cervantes/Quixote to life with the look, the sound, and the moral commitment of his sincere but confused character. His acting is dazzling, but it is his stunning singing voice that defines his performance. When he sang<a href="https://youtu.be/-KufFjcWOUQ"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i> The Impossible Dream (The Quest</i></span></a>), it’s as if I was really <u>hearing</u> the standard for the very first time. Day’s performance, from curtain to curtain, is flawless.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Gina Naomi Baez (Aldonza/Dulcinea).</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Gina Naomi Baez gets the plum female lead role as Aldonza/Dulcinea. The role is a big stretch; Baez must transform from a sassy, saucy sexy wench to a true believer in Quixote’s purity of heart. She is, without question, up to the task. Her Aldonza takes no prisoners; she enchants and then dominates her male suitors. She’s a modern woman in that she knows how to use her femininity to get what she wants. When Baez becomes Dulcinea, she lets her inner beauty outshine her demons. Quixote makes Dulcinea a better person, and Baez does the same for all of us. Baez distinguishes herself with her gorgeous voice; her reprise of “Dulcinea” near the end of the show is at once delicate and powerful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">It’s a large and very capable cast, but two stood out for me. I’ve seen both <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2015/12/a-tuna-christmas.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Sammie Joe Kinnett</i></span></a> and <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2017/03/the-crucible.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Michael Augenstein</i></span></a> in other productions. None of those productions involved any singing. Kinnett and Augustein handled the music admirably here. Kinnett’s “<a href="https://youtu.be/mGlbHwaIZww"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>I Really Like Him</i></span></a>” made me sit up and take notice. Augenstein nailed his solo“<a href="https://youtu.be/6_1EkCfB4Cc"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>The Psalm</i></span></a>,” putting his heart and soul into the latin lyrics.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Director Scott RC Levy sets a quick pace; there’s not a wasted moment in the entire two hour production. Although <i>Man of La Mancha</i> was originally written as a one act musical, the other productions I have seen were done in two acts. Levy wisely uses the original one act script, making for a brisk, uninterrupted experience. Casting Sammie Joe Kinnett as Sancho was brilliant; he’s the finest comedic actor working in Colorado Springs. Levy’s Sancho is part Cervantes and part Kinnett, and it’s a marvelous combination.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">There’s only one thing I would have changed in this Fine Arts Center production. The gypsy dance scene is done with a lighted white sheet backdrop. Setting it up was a little clunky, and the backdrop did little to enhance the dance. If anything, it distracted somewhat from the otherwise spectacular set.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Wasserman’s interpretation of <i>Don Quixote</i> is, in his own words, “<i>continuous collisions of illusion and reality</i>” (from the program notes). <i>Man of La Mancha</i> deems illusion as the more powerful force. That’s a debatable concept…in fact, it’s arguably an “<i>Impossible Dream</i>:”</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>This is my quest, to follow that star</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>No matter how hopeless,</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>No matter how far</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>To fight for the right</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>Without question or pause</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>To be willing to march into hell</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>For a heavenly cause</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Quixote runs headlong into his illusion, crashing into the reality of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Inquisition"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Spanish Inquisition</i></span></a>. There’s a lesson here. A righteous quest is noble, but reality requires one to temper the nobility of purpose with achievable goals. It is unwise to “<i>march into hell for a heavenly cause</i>” without some understanding of the consequences. <i>Man of La Mancha</i> celebrates the goodness that is sometimes buried in our souls, but it does not change the reality that evil is a very real and very powerful force. <i>Man of La Mancha</i> is inspiring, but we need to recognize that there's a fine line between illusion and madness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>NOTES</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Man of La Mancha</i> is suitable for teens and up, with parental discretion regarding violence and sexual situations. It it were a movie, <i>Man of La Mancha</i> would likely be rated PG 13.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Even if you’ve never seen <i>Man of La Mancha</i>, you’ve probably heard some of the magnificent music. “<a href="https://youtu.be/JjI7VeIA7ZI"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>The Impossible Dream (The Quest)</i></span></a>” has been recorded by nearly everyone: Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Glen Campbell, Andy Williams, Cher, Roberta Flack, The Temptations, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, among many others, have released versions of the song. “<a href="https://youtu.be/zAzApJGHhVg"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Dulcinea</i></span></a>” is a beautiful ballad, while “<i><a href="https://youtu.be/GpXNniqJml0">Man of La Mancha (I, Don Quixote</a>)</i>” is a stirring, toe tapping anthem.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This show closes on June 18, 2017. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Photo Credit: </b>Colorado<b> </b>Springs Fine Arts Center</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Tickets <a href="https://coloradospringsfineartscenter.secure.force.com/ticket/?&_ga=2.128742732.1150875758.1496581901-1056655541.1420243619#details_a0SG000000PzbVNMAZ"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><b><i>HERE</i></b></span></a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>CREATIVE TEAM</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Director: </b>Scott RC Levy</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Musical Direction</b>: Sharon Skidgel</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Scenic Design</b>: Christopher L. Sheley</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Lighting Design</b>: Holly Anne Rawls</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Sound Design</b>: Benjamin Heston</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Choreography</b>: Mary Ripper Baker</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Properties Design</b>: Emma Dean</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Hair & Makeup Design</b>: Jonathan Eberhardt</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Costume Design</b>: Sydney Gallas</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Production</b> <b>Stage Manager</b>: Kaetlyn Springs</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>ORCHESTRA</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Conductor</b>: Sharon Skidgel</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Guitar</b>: Mike Frederick</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Bass</b>: Jay McGuffin</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>French Horn</b>: Lisa Smith</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Flute & Piccolo</b>: Allison Gioiscia</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Oboe</b>: Joyce Hanagan</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Trombone</b>: Rick Crafts</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Trumpet</b>: Chris Walters</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Bass Clarinet</b>: Ed Hureau</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Percussion</b>: Richard Clark & Brian Hobson</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>CAST</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Cervantes/Don Quixote: </b>Stephen Day*</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Sancho: </b>Sammie Joe Kinnett*</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Aldonza/Dulcinea: </b>Gina Naomi Baez*</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Governor/Innkeeper: </b>David Hastings</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Duke/Carrasco/Gypsy: </b>Kyle Dean Steffen*</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Pedro/Gypsy: </b>Michael Lee</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Anselmo/Gypsy: </b>Drew Horwitz</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Tenorio/Barber: </b>Randy Chronister</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Paco/The Horse: </b>Alex Wood</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Jose/Guitarist: </b>Joshua Owen</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Padre: </b>Michael Augenstein</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Antonia/The Mule: </b>Carmen Vreeman Shedd</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Housekeeper: </b>Andra Burch</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Innkeeper’s Wife: </b>Elizabeth Snyder</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Fermina/Gypsy Dancer: </b>Joy Thea</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Captain of The Inquisition: </b>Jonathan Eberhardt</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">*Member of Actor’s Equity Association</span></div>
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Bill Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094423709404416194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682761603405073318.post-62573028138935594112017-05-27T08:14:00.001-06:002017-05-27T08:14:09.592-06:00Rapture, Blister, Burn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAiUeVc8MK0XIWB5Vm-NpP6kckUEM_kHnngncOb6npL3vkTBE1Vi-P2HOq1g7wlyYdYuPHr2QDOXl-9roSjZ4nQh-RMzAjN8_hznzFbIej4bewdGjkBxPORhoyB8jk36VqzjarXD2SwpYm/s1600/RBB+Banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="960" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAiUeVc8MK0XIWB5Vm-NpP6kckUEM_kHnngncOb6npL3vkTBE1Vi-P2HOq1g7wlyYdYuPHr2QDOXl-9roSjZ4nQh-RMzAjN8_hznzFbIej4bewdGjkBxPORhoyB8jk36VqzjarXD2SwpYm/s640/RBB+Banner.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Playwright:</b> <a href="http://www.apple.com/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Gina Gionfriddo</i></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Company</b>: <a href="http://www.springsensembletheatre.org/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Springs Ensemble Theatre</i></span></a> (SET)</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Venue: <i> </i></b>Springs Ensemble Theatre, 1903 E. Cache La Poudre Street, Colorado Springs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Running time</b>: 2 hours, 55 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission).</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Date of Performance</b>: Thursday, May 25, 2017.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Rapture, Blister, Burn</i> is a feminist history lesson at its core, but that’s just the starting point for playwright Gina Gionfriddo. The script begins as a thoughtful analysis of the women’s movement, but evolves into a criticism of both feminism and academia. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">A fair portion of the first act plays out like a college sociology course on feminism. Catherine has only two students: Avery and Gwen. The academic scenes (complete with a PowerPoint presentation) run the risk of turning into boring lectures. Instead, her script is uncommonly witty; the classes feature clever, intelligent conversation about very important ideas. Covering topics including slasher films, pornography, and philosophy (from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_Friedan"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Betty Friedan</i></span></a> to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyllis_Schlafly"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Phyllis Schlafly</i></span></a> to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_McGraw"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Dr. Phil</i></span></a>), Catherine challenges her students (and the audience) to consider women’s life options. The central question: Is it more important to have a successful, rewarding career or to raise a family in a loving home? </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">To make her point, Gionfriddo introduces the “literal and latent” ambiguity of lost opportunities. Gwen finds value in her role as a stay at home mother who wonders what career opportunities she has squandered. Catherine is a single, childless and financially successful writer/lecturer who still longs for a male partner. So they swap Don, giving Catherine the partner she seeks and giving Gwen her lost career opportunities. (This is an interesting twist; the only male character is reduced to chattel.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">If you think this is a doomed plot twist, you are correct. It does not go well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I’ve probably already given away too much here, but that’s because there’s a <b>LOT</b> going on in <i>Rapture, Blister, Burn</i>. It’s a heavy lift of ideas, made entertaining by Gionfriddo’s witty dialog and this ensemble’s ability to punch up the comedy on demand. That’s right. This is a drama and a comedy, or if you prefer, a “dramedy.” Gionfriddo’s weighty philosophical themes are tempered by poking fun at those same ideas along the way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Gionfriddo’s story is told by her ensemble characters, all of whom deliver sparkling performances at Springs Ensemble. Don (Matt Radcliffe) is a pot smoking, beer drinking slacker who has risen to his dream job as the Dean of Discipline at a small college. His wife Gwen (Kara Carroll) is a college dropout, reformed drinker, and mother who regrets her life choices. Catherine (Holly Haverkorn) is a successful author, professor, and feminist whose former lover (Don) became Gwen’s husband. Avery (Haley King) is a college student, babysitter, and full time free spirit. Catherine’s mother, Alice (Karen Anderson), is a mischievous but charming mom whose wisdom comes not from books but from 70 years of life experience. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This is a strong ensemble; the performers feed off each other’s energy as they tackle profound philosophical topics and dreary daily details of family life. Haley King is the young, immature but whip smart student Avery. King gets some of the best zingers in the script as she discounts and dismisses the hypocrisy of her elders. Karen Anderson (Catherine’s mother) mixes her 1950s morals (she’s repelled by the pornography discussion) with her shameless endorsement of stealing another woman’s husband. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The stars of this SET production are Holly Haverkorn and Kara Carroll as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yin_and_yang"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>yin and yang</i></span></a> of feminism. Both stars shine brightly on the SET stage, delivering strong, credible and compelling performances. Haverkorn’s Catherine is intelligent and successful, but also insecure, delicate, and conflicted. She is especially poignant in the second act, as Don breaks up with her. Carroll’s frustration with Don is palpable; she oozes an understated anger with her emotionally absent husband.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtLah9U5XWjH33Uw8eVJJBQK6miceGJ0IMRMXmiP9RRfdnmVa_TOMaawETTralUOA2HEd_J7D8lIj3JghXrcND9A6LyKHCYwQQ2GeGdB72qGkJxAAjvfe_zsGFSwFTmRPIxcxE-ccbSW3M/s1600/RBB+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1069" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtLah9U5XWjH33Uw8eVJJBQK6miceGJ0IMRMXmiP9RRfdnmVa_TOMaawETTralUOA2HEd_J7D8lIj3JghXrcND9A6LyKHCYwQQ2GeGdB72qGkJxAAjvfe_zsGFSwFTmRPIxcxE-ccbSW3M/s400/RBB+3.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Matt Radcliffe, Holly Haverkorn.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">If there’s any flaw in this story, it’s Don, the only male character. He’s a hapless, porn addicted boozing slacker. Matt Radcliffe is unapologetic and marvelous in the role, but Don is a pathetic representative of his gender. Radcliffe takes one for the team here, making the female characters look sharper, smarter, and more appealing in comparison. He slouches and charms his way through his role, creating a lovable but pathetic foil for the women of <i>Rapture, Blister, Burn</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Director Joye Cook-Levy seats the audience on three sides of the room, bringing patrons so close to the stage that one almost feels part of the philosophical discourse. She uses a range of sound levels for actor’s lines, from very loud to very soft, and even the softest spoken lines are clearly audible. Gionfriddo’s script calls for a fair amount of onstage alcohol; Cook-Levy’s attention to detail includes craft beer bottles and a twist of citrus in the martinis. There's no question that Cook-Levy <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2016/09/constellations.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>knows how to tell a complicated story</i></span></a> about complicated relationships, and she hits the mark again with <i>Rapture, Blister, Burn</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Kitty Robbins sound design makes full use of the SET surround system, bringing the ambient sounds to life. Jack Salesses has put together an impressive and detailed set that includes children’s shoes/boots outside the exterior door. It’s a great touch; we know there are children in the family but they never appear on stage. The shoes make the kids real even though unseen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Gionfriddo takes some shots here at the pompous and self-centered academic versions of feminism. The discussions are at once stimulating, predictable and impractical. No problems are solved by a discussion of torture porn. For Gionfriddo, women are not defined by academics or philosophers, but by exercising the freedoms they have won in long battles with sexist institutions. It’s the successful career women and the devoted mothers who are on the front lines of feminism.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The playwright's ultimate point is that differing views of feminism are more complementary than contradictory. For Gionfriddo, even the anti-feminist Phyllis Schlafly inadvertently supported women making their own decisions; she just believed motherhood is the only rational decision.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">In Gionfriddo’s ultimate irony, Karen Anderson’s mature, matronly, and mischievous character delivers a shocking toast for Gwen and Avery:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>To Phyllis Schlafly:</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>She said you girls would pay for your independence and your whoring. She said men wouldn't stay with you and she was right. </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>You're free.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The surprising tribute to Shlafly is the climax of <i>Rapture, Blister, Burn. </i>It’s a fitting climax indeed. Whether you’re Phyllis Schlafly or Jane Doe, you’re free to live the life you choose. Even bad decisions demonstrate that you have the right as a woman to determine your own destiny. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvJBNCgcnhOuufngBLWNqwOsO7NuPUuHg0UqBbSo0ABWunRjewXzQLY8KLn_-dV072qQ2hXX8mSR1tWOZT4NJoN443aXBfV2ADyVaddQVgq05_Yo299u-qWq8aX2DuPPrZ7j75gf32t4KU/s1600/RBB+2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1069" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvJBNCgcnhOuufngBLWNqwOsO7NuPUuHg0UqBbSo0ABWunRjewXzQLY8KLn_-dV072qQ2hXX8mSR1tWOZT4NJoN443aXBfV2ADyVaddQVgq05_Yo299u-qWq8aX2DuPPrZ7j75gf32t4KU/s640/RBB+2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">L-R: Haley King (Avery), Kara Carroll (Gwen), Matt Radcliffe (Don),<br />Holly Haverkorn (Catherine) and Karen Anderson (Alice).</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>NOTES</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Despite the playwright’s embrace of Phyllis Schlafly’s least offensive position, there is little question that she was <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/12/us/phyllis-schlaflys-lasting-legacy-in-defeating-the-era.html?_r=0"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>a vocal and incessant enemy of equality for women</i></span></a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">If you’re wondering about the title of this play, <a href="http://www.lamag.com/culturefiles/curtain-call-playwright-gina-gionfriddo-talks-rapture-blister-burn/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>here’s some information</i></span></a>. The inspiration comes from a song lyric. I’m not familiar with the band “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hole_(band)"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Hole</i></span></a>” or their song “<a href="http://www.apple.com/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Use Once and Destroy</i></span></a>.” I have to get out more.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Rapture, Blister, Burn</i> is suitable for mature teens and adults. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Springs Ensemble is mixing a special cocktail for <i>Rapture, Blister, Burn</i>. It’s called “Summer Rapture.” It’s a delicious mix of vodka, grenadine and a few other ingredients. They’re not serving it premixed from a pitcher, but hand made before your very eyes. Donations gladly accepted. It’s available before the show and during intermission.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This show closes on June 4, 2017. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Photo Credit: </b>Springs Ensemble Theatre, John Zincone</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Tickets <a href="https://www.showtix4u.com/boxoffice.php?submit=Search+for+Events&begin=1542968&current_client=04000069123114894"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><b><i>HERE</i></b></span></a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>CREATIVE TEAM</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Executive Producer</b>: Holly Haverkorn</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Producers</b>: Jenny Maloney & Emory John Collinson</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Director: </b>Joye Cook-Levy</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Scenic Design (Build Coordinator)</b>: Jack Salesses</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Scenic Painting</b>: Marie Verdu, Jodi Papproth</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Lighting Design</b>: Sean Verdu</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Sound Design</b>: Kitty Robbins</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Dramaturg</b>: Crystal Carter</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Stage Manager</b>: Gabriel Espinoza-Lira</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Costume Design</b>: Sarah S. Shaver</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Light Board</b>: Angelina Gallagher</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Sound Board</b>: Katarina Ivancik</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Props</b>: Micah Spiers</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>CAST</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Catherin Croll: </b>Holly Haverkorn</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Alice Croll: </b>Karen Anderson</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Avery Willard</b>: Haley King</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Gwen Harper</b>: Kara Carroll</span></div>
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<b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Don Harper:</b><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> Matt Radcliffe</span></div>
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Bill Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094423709404416194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682761603405073318.post-37264823587821137682017-05-21T14:30:00.000-06:002017-05-21T17:43:13.771-06:00Extremities<br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Playwright:</b> William Mastrosimone</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Company</b>: Funky Little Theater</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Venue: <i> </i></b><a href="https://www.funkylittletheater.org/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Funky Little Theater</i></span></a>, 2109 Templeton Gap, Colorado Springs, Colorado.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Running time</b>: 1 hour, 45 minutes (no intermission).</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Date of Performance</b>: Saturday, May 20, 2017.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">When you enter the Funky Little Theater for <i>Extremities</i>, there’s a large banner. You can’t miss it:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>And when you're a star they let you do it. You can do anything ... Grab them by the pussy. </i></b><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/08/us/donald-trump-tape-transcript.html?_r=0"><span style="color: #ff2600; line-height: normal;"><b><i>You can do anything</i></b></span></a><b><i>."</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Donald Trump rarely apologizes, but when this 2005 video surfaced, he said “I apologize if anyone was offended.” <b>I was offended</b>, as were millions of other Americans who found Mr. Trump’s comments 1) repugnant and 2) revealing. The banner sets the tone for <i>Extremities</i> at Funky. Some men, including one in the highest office in the nation, really believe they can do anything to women, and they aren’t ashamed to admit it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">When <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extremities_(play)"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Extremities</i></span></a> opened off Broadway in 1982, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Sarandon"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Susan Sarandon</i></span></a> played Marjorie. She was replaced after the initial run by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farrah_Fawcett"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Farrah Fawcett</i></span></a>. Mastrosimone adapted his play for the 1986 film version of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extremities_(film)"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Extremities</i></span></a><i>, </i>which again had Farrah Fawcett in the lead role. Haley Hunsaker gets the lead in the Funky version, and it’s a role she seems born to play. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Extremities</i> is the dark, disturbing story of Marjorie’s encounter with a rapist named Raul (Dylan McClintock). He stalks and assaults her, and in the process, subjects her to extreme emotional distress. Alternating between seductive and destructive, McClintock is a fearsome beast. When Marjorie turns the tables on Raul, the story moves from rape to revenge. Mastrosimone puts the victim’s dilemma right in your face: what recourse is there for a powerless woman when she is attacked?</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Mastrosimone’s point is one that hasn’t changed in the three decades since he wrote <i>Extremities</i>. For every 1,000 rapes, <a href="https://www.rainn.org/statistics/criminal-justice-system"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>994 perpetrators will never serve a single day in jail</i></span></a>. Only about 1/3 of rapes are even reported to police, often for the same reasons that Mastrosimone’s script so aptly depicts. Unfortunately, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2017/01/18/under-devos-education-department-likely-to-make-significant-shift-on-sexual-assault/?utm_term=.1587d4360320"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>it appears that the President’s casual attitude about sexual assault may become a national policy</i></span></a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Director Grant Langdon is passionate about <i>Extremities</i>. This is not his job. It’s his crusade. From his program notes: “Art can be effective and successful but even more so when advocating for a greater purpose.” He’s right. Mastrosimone’s purpose, and Langdon’s by extension, is to create awareness, dialogue, and change. They both succeed in Funky’s frightening production.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Banksy: Red Balloon.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">In addition to directing, Langdon designed the country house set for <i>Extremities</i>. It’s a gorgeous room, from the wooden plank flooring to the print of the <a href="http://www.upworthy.com/banksy-has-updated-his-famous-the-girl-with-the-balloon-artwork-to-stand-with-syria-5"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Red Balloon</i></span></a> by street artist <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banksy"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Banksy</i></span></a>. Langdon also split the audience into two parts, facing each other and forming walls for his set. The effect is to draw viewers in even closer; we not only see the actors, but also the audience reaction as if we’re looking in a mirror.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Langdon doesn’t stop the crusade when the house lights come up at the end of the show. We hear his message as we leave the theater. Lady Gaga sings “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmWBrN7QV6Y"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Til It Happens To You</i></span></a>:”</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>'Til it happens to you, you don't know</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>How it feels</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>How it feels</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>'Til it happens to you, you won't know</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>It won't be real</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>No it won't be real</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>Won't know how it feels </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Haley Hunsaker <a href="https://www.denvercenter.org/blog-posts/news-center/2017/05/20/in-the-spotlife-haley-hunsaker-of-extremities"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>takes a tremendous emotional beating</i></span></a> as Marjorie: </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>“The biggest challenge for me has been the attack scene. It’s extensive and gritty, I’ve never had to do anything quite like it before. It’s difficult to stay in the scene and maintain some composure without getting too upset about what’s happening. I think I want the scene to be over just as quickly as Marjorie does.” </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Her program bio is direct: she hopes we are inspired by <i>Extremities</i>, even though we are disturbed by the brutality. Hunsaker hits the target. She inspires. Her Marjorie is fearful, fragile, and ferocious in equal measure. Whether she is the victim or the victimizer, we get it. Our emotions are as real as hers. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Marjorie’s dilemma, and the dilemma all sexual assault victims face, is whether to report or bury the violence. She cries out for an answer: “<i>What about me? Don’t I count</i>?” It’s the cry of every woman who has suffered the emotional and physical violence of sexual assault. The answer, sadly, is statistically elusive. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Hunsaker’s performance is greatly enhanced by Steve Perkin’s sensitive fight choreography. Perkins walks the fine line that fight specialists must walk: the action must be realistic, yet respect the actor’s safety and boundaries. He carefully balances the realism with respect. For those who think this the balance simple, easy, and natural, <a href="http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/profiles-theatre-theater-abuse-investigation/Content?oid=22415861"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>I assure you that it is not</i></span></a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">McClintock takes on a big challenge here as Raul, the heartless amoral animal who takes his sexual satisfaction wherever and whenever he wants. It’s fun to play the hero; but playing Raul requires convincing the audience that you are the worst possible example of humanity. McClintock’s performance is so powerful that he might want someone to start his car for him after each show. He generates a reflexive revulsion that instantly justifies Marjorie’s revenge. If the role isn’t difficult enough on the emotional level, there’s still the physical challenge: McClintock spends most of his time blindfolded bound and gagged, crammed in a tiny space. His performance is revolting, and that’s high praise, not criticism.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Desirée Myers, self described “Nasty Woman and Survivor,” brings some sanity to the cast as Patricia, a social worker. Myers is a peacemaker here, trying to deescalate the crisis using her social worker skills. They fail her in spectacular fashion, and Myers turns into every victim’s worst nightmare. She turns on Marjorie, blaming her for provoking the assault. Patricia is a key character; Mastosimone uses her to demonstrate how even those we trust can turn on a victim. Myers convincingly makes that point for the playwright.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Sophie L. Thunberg as Terry is NOT the friend and peace maker here. She is concerned but ambivalent about Marjorie’s attack, and there’s a reason. She has also been a victim of sexual assault. Thunberg reveals the secret, and her decision to just let it go. Thunberg’s Terry is damaged, but not broken. Like millions of victims, she chooses to bury the violence rather than fight back. Terry is Mastrosimone’s passive option for victims; Thunberg makes that option crystal clear, if ultimately unsatisfying.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Extremities</i> is a huge dose of reality that lands a knock out punch to everyone in the audience. If someone asked me where to put it on this emotional pain chart, I’d rank it at 11. <i>Extremities</i> exposes our casual acceptance of sexual assault, the neglect of its victims, and <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2017/02/09/baylor-not-alone-shielding-athletes-accused-misconduct-punishment"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>our tolerance of predatory males</i></span></a>. It also indicts our legal system’s failure to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2016/06/04/you-took-away-my-worth-a-rape-victim-delivers-powerful-message-to-a-former-stanford-swimmer/?utm_term=.08d91c98a746"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>adequately punish predators</i></span></a>. Funky never shies away from pushing the envelope on social issues. <i>Extremities</i> is ample proof that theater is both relevant and thriving in Colorado Springs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>NOTES</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>For mature adults only.</b> Subjects in <i>Extremities</i> may be unsuitable for survivors of sexual assault and/or domestic violence.</span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Several groups have supported Funky’s production of <i>Extremities</i>. They include <a href="http://www.herstorycafe.com/her-inspiration.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Her Story Cafe</i></span></a>, the <a href="http://ht-colorado.org/service.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Human Trafficking Task Force</i></span></a>, and the <a href="http://zontapikespeak.org/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Zonta Club of the Pikes Peak Area.</i></span></a> Anyone with concerns about domestic abuse and/or sexual assault may want to explore those links.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Other resources in the Pikes Peak area for women in distress: </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">1. <a href="http://www.tessacs.org/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Tessa</i></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">2. <a href="http://www.ccasa.org/4th-judicial-district/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault</i></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">3. <a href="http://ccadv.org/resources/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Colorado Coalition Against Domestic Violence</i></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">4. <a href="https://www.womenshelters.org/cit/co-colorado_springs"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Women’s Shelters in Colorado Springs</i></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">5. <a href="http://www.itsonus.org/" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">National Hotline for Sexual Assault and Crisis Support</a></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">: 1-800-656-HOPE(4673)</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Please seek out help if you are in distress. If you are a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or emotional abuse, </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(255, 38, 0); color: #ff2600;"><b>you are not alone</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This show closes on May 28, 2017. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Photo Credit: </b>Funky Little Theater, Chris Medina</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Tickets <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/o/funky-little-theater-company-3916663059"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><b><i>HERE</i></b></span></a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>CREATIVE TEAM</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Producer</b>: Chris Medina</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Director/Scenic Design: </b>Grant Langdon</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Lighting Design/Stage Management</b>: Delaney Hallauer, Megan McManus</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Costume Design</b>: Dee Schnur</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Sound Design</b>: Will Sobolik</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Fight Choreography: </b>Steve Perkins</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Props</b>: Megan McManus</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>CAST</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Marjorie: </b>Haley Hunsaker</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Raul: </b>Dylan McClintock</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Patricia</b>: Desirée Myers</span><br />
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<b>Terry</b>: Sophie L. Thunberg</div>
Bill Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094423709404416194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682761603405073318.post-77005668734199336302017-04-26T10:27:00.000-06:002017-04-26T11:57:07.719-06:00A Skull in Connemara<br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Playwright:</b> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_McDonagh"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Martin McDonagh</i></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Company</b>: <a href="https://www.minersalley.com/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Miner’s Alley Playhouse</i></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Venue: <i> </i></b>Miner’s Alley Playhouse, 1224 Washington Avenue, Golden, Colorado, 80401.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Running time</b>: 2 hours minutes (includes 15 minute intermission).</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Date of Performance</b>: Sunday, April 23, 2017.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I don’t review every show I see. Sometimes I go to the theater just to enjoy the performance, like everyone else in the audience. Such was the case with <i>A Skull in Connemara</i> (hereafter <i>Skull</i>) at Miner’s Alley Playhouse in Golden. I took my seat, relaxed, and waited to be entertained, and thoroughly entertained I was. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Sometimes, the plan changes. <i>Skull</i> is one of those shows that compels a reaction. Mine takes the form of a blog post.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Irish story telling is <a href="http://irishfireside.com/2012/11/25/the-ancient-art-of-irish-storytelling/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>legendary</i></span></a>, and Mick Dowd is at the center of this fine if unusual Irish story. The show opens with MaryJohnny (Carla Kaiser Kotrc) and Mick Dowd (Logan Ernstahl) arguing in the cold confines of Dowd’s hovel of a home. Dowd pours himself a glass of homemade “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poit%C3%ADn"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Poitín</i></span></a>” (Irish moonshine of nearly toxic strength). Carla Kaiser Kotrc simmers as MaryJohnny, holding a grudge that others would have long forgotten. Dowd is sick of the decades long grudge. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I was hooked 2 minutes into the opening scene. Dowd and MaryJohnny argue like an old married couple (they’re not) over the minutia of small town Irish gossip. Both Kaiser Kotrc and Ernsthal have splendid Irish accents, wear tattered clothes and shake off the chill by lighting the fireplace. The effect immediately transfers the audience from the foothills of Golden to the cold, bleak west coast of Ireland. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">It is in this cold, depressing <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connemara"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Connemara</i></span></a> shack that Martin McDonagh tells his story of sanctioned grave robbing. Due to congestion in the local Catholic cemetery, the parish hires Mick Dowd for a week every year to exhume remains and make room for new burials. Dowd gives the remains a proper burial at sea, but he’s not above taking some liberties in the process. It’s a routine Dowd dutifully carries out, at least until he must dig up the remains of his late wife. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Logan Ernsthal makes Dowd’s lingering guilt over his wife obvious. “Drink driving” killed his wife, and Dowd was behind the wheel. That’s ample guilt for anyone, but there’s more to the story. Ernsthal hides the details deep inside and bristles when anyone casts “aspersions” on his story. Whether he caused the “accident” is in unclear, but Ernsthal leaves no doubt that he may have done her in. He confesses, in his bloodstained clothes, to beating Mairtin mercilessly in a fit of rage shortly after it happens. Ernsthal makes the crime look normal, showing not an iota of guilt, fear or regret.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">John Hauser (Mairtin Hanlon) is hired to help Mick this year and his portrayal of Mairtin is fearless. Not once, but twice he does a face plant into a gravesite. The second dive is spectacular; his impact raises a cloud of dust reminiscent of Charles Shultz’ character <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pig-Pen"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Pig-Pen</i></span></a>. That Hauser can even dive into a grave is a bit of theater magic.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Scenic Designer Jonathan Scott-McKean’s brilliant set makes McDonagh’s grave robbing real. Scott-McKean baked in two eternal resting places at stage left so Mick can both dig up and refill graves with his spade. The visual image is convincing, as Logan Ernsthal shovels hundreds of pounds of dirt to sell the story. Ernsthal can cancel his gym membership during <i>Skull’s</i> run; he gets a strenuous workout at every performance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Hilarity ensues when the skull is missing from Mick’s wife’s casket, setting off a domino of unpleasant developments for Mick. To say what follows is dark comedy is an understatement. It’s an 11 on a scale of 10, despite the fact that I experienced some self imposed guilt by laughing at McDonagh’s utter disrespect for both the clergy and the dead.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">John Jankow is ambitious and insecure as Thomas Hanlon, the bumbling cop who knows more about the missing skull than he wants to tell. Trading “aspersions” and “insuations" with Mick, Jankow displays more wit than we expect from Hanlon. Jankow delivers a nuanced performance, demonstrating both the strengths and weaknesses of his character. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The playwright has little use for decorum. McDonagh <b>shatters</b> any respect one might have for the dead with a macabre imagination and his razor sharp wit. He’s obviously well aware of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_guilt"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>the capacity of Catholics for guilt</i></span></a>, and uses that guilt for his own literary and comedic purposes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">McDonagh’s unflattering portrayal of rural Irish peasants is <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2008/apr/25/theatre.northernireland"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>not without its critics</i></span></a>; he has been accused of “<a href="http://www.pitlanemagazine.com/cultures/paddywhackery-is-it-offensive-or-a-tribute-to-irish-culture.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>paddywhackery</i></span></a>.” Those critics notwithstanding, McDonagh’s string of successful plays (<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/11/theater/reviews/a-storytelling-instinct-revels-in-horrors-fun.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Pillowman</i></span></a>, <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-beauty-queen-of-leenane.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>The Beauty Queen of Leenane</i></span></a>, <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-cripple-of-inishmaan.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>The Cripple of Inishmaan</i></span></a>, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater_dance/the-lonesome-west-irish-brothers-seeing-red-turn-the-comedy-deliciously-black/2016/08/10/add15a40-5f1c-11e6-84c1-6d27287896b5_story.html?utm_term=.ae1d5b04bd8c"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>The Lonesome West</i></span></a>, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/mar/14/martin-mcdonagh-race-row-broadway"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>A Beheading in Spokane</i></span></a>, and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/23/arts/international/review-hangmen-is-a-triumphant-return-for-martin-mcdonagh.html?_r=0"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>The Hangmen</i></span></a>) is ample proof of his talent as a playwright. It’s hard to imagine a list of contemporary Irish playwrights that wouldn’t have McDonagh at the top.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Director Billie McBride (True West Award for <a href="https://www.denvercenter.org/blog-posts/news-center/2016/12/31/2016-true-west-award-theatre-person-of-the-year-billie-mcbride"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>2016 Theatre Person of the Year)</i></span></a> just keeps adding to her impressive résumé. She is one of the most intense actors in Colorado, and she has wrung that same intensity from every member of the <i>Skull</i> cast. McBride attacks McDonagh’s witty script, giving it a crackling interpretation that sticks with the audience long after they leave the theater.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This is a review that I didn’t expect to write. It turned out to be a review I </span><span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;">needed</span><span style="font-kerning: none;"> to write. My change of heart is a direct result of Miner’s Alley Playhouse’s outstanding production of McDonagh’s superb script.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYenMqQdxZbcDl2HKM0LFW8E0OHEuJK0vVdCDvhOuPcqqh6tSa_rQ5DgabJVqlp7B3sEQAmjQuumx9SbFE9MLvnkcJv_uailZ-vzz9gZhUDAgz50OXJfM2U5fg6qsLXJa8g6ZKFhf2sOgo/s1600/Image+4-25-17+at+2.00+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYenMqQdxZbcDl2HKM0LFW8E0OHEuJK0vVdCDvhOuPcqqh6tSa_rQ5DgabJVqlp7B3sEQAmjQuumx9SbFE9MLvnkcJv_uailZ-vzz9gZhUDAgz50OXJfM2U5fg6qsLXJa8g6ZKFhf2sOgo/s640/Image+4-25-17+at+2.00+PM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Top Photos: John Hauser (Mairtin) and Logan Ernsthal (Mick Dowd).<br />Bottom left: Carla Kaiser Kotrc (MaryJohnny).<br />Bottom right: John Jankow (Thomas Hanlon)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>NOTES</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Full disclosure</b>: I’m of Irish descent. I’m not a big fan of gruesome stories, but I am inclined to enjoy tales from the Emerald Isle.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I can’t leave <i>Skull</i> without raising a pint for an Irish toast. To the cast and crew:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>“I'll have what the man on the floor's having!” </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">If you were involved in <i>Skull</i> in any way, it’s time for a pint. Have a fecking good time. You’ve earned it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This show closes on April 30, 2017. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Photo Credit: </b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/minersalley/photos/?ref=page_internal"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Miner’s Alley Playhouse</i></span></a>, <a href="http://sarahroshan.com/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Sarah Roshan Photography</i></span></a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Tickets <a href="https://tickets.vendini.com/ticket-software.html?t=tix&w=bea6463162ce80542d3f7658946ea26f&vqitq=a3c53be1-d3ac-4f42-bbd3-00095e7601f3&vqitp=ce4986b9-969e-4bc8-8967-289de1998587&vqitts=1493066646&vqitc=vendini&vqite=itl&vqitrt=Safetynet&vqith=dd851141d7694bcc712762e9cf5bd473"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><b><i>HERE</i></b></span></a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>CREATIVE TEAM</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Director: </b>Billie McBride</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Scenic Designer</b>: Jonathan Scott-McKean</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Lighting Design</b>: Jonathan Scott-McKean</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Costume Design</b>: Laurie Scalf Scoggins</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Sound Design</b>: Billie McBride & Jonathan Scott-McKean</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Stage Manager: </b>Bryanna Scott</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>CAST</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Mick Dowd: </b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/logan.ernstthal"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><i>Logan Ernsthal</i></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>MaryJohnny Rafferty: </b><a href="https://www.denvercenter.org/blog-posts/-in-Tags/Tags/billie-mcbride"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><i>Carla Kaiser Kotrc</i></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Mairtin Hanlon</b>: <a href="https://www.denvercenter.org/blog-posts/news-center/2016/11/04/in-the-spotlife-john-hauser-of-hand-to-god"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><i>John Hauser</i></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Thomas Hanlon</b>: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/john.jankow"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><i>John Jankow</i></span></a></span></div>
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Bill Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094423709404416194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682761603405073318.post-44381021945221229742017-04-21T11:38:00.000-06:002017-04-21T11:38:33.220-06:00Sylvia<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Playwright: </b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._R._Gurney"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>A.R. Gurney</i></span></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Company</b>: <a href="https://www.funkylittletheater.org/"><i>Funky Little Theater</i></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Venue: <i> </i></b>Funky Little Theater, <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/2109+Templeton+Gap+Rd,+Colorado+Springs,+CO+80907/@38.8634598,-104.8124434,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x8713457cb39fed17:0xc8492cee41ca90a5!8m2!3d38.8634598!4d-104.8102547"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>2109 Templeton Gap Road</i></span></a>, 80907</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Running time</b>: 2 hours 10 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Date of Performance</b>: Thursday, April 20, 2017.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If there’s anything we all feel strongly about, it’s our pets. Americans <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/14/business/retirementspecial/retirees-love-their-pets.html?_r=0"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>bond with their pets</i></span></a> as strongly as they bond with the people in their families. We <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/americans-will-spend-more-60-billion-their-pets-year-n390181"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>spend a fortune</i></span></a> on them with special foods, high end pet hotels, and veterinary services comparable to the best hospitals for humans. A. R. Gurney’s brilliant comedy <i>Sylvia</i> taps into this huge reserve of love we have for our canine companions.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">L-R: Sylvia, Catherine Cotton McGuire (Kate), John Zincone<br />(Greg), Amanda Gaden (Sylvia).</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gurney gives a voice to Sylvia, a stray dog (played here with a canine enthusiasm by Amanda Gaden). Sylvia inserts herself into Greg (John Zincone) and Kate’s (Catherine Cotton McGuire) home and marriage. Sylvia’s presence is disruptive to the domestic dynamic; Greg loves Sylvia unconditionally but for Kate the new dog is an unwelcome competitor for Greg’s attention.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Greg and Kate live in a New York City apartment, and bringing a dog into the mix is a significant challenge. Although they negotiate a deal to let Sylvia stay for a few days before making a final decision, Greg and Kate’s positions quickly harden to the consistency of cement. Sylvia stays, but the conflict intensifies as Greg sinks into a <a href="http://thoughtcatalog.com/kendra-syrdal/2016/01/14-signs-you-have-an-unhealthy-attachment-to-your-dog/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>delusional emotional connection</i></span></a> with Sylvia.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Sylvia</i> is a laugh out loud comedy, with much of the laughter generated by Gaden’s convincing dog persona. She does it all like a real dog, whether it’s jumping on the furniture, licking her people, or barking when someone comes to the door. She’s pouty and evasive when Kate discovers someone has peed on the carpet. She’s a raging carnivore when she sees a cat. She’s an eager and unapologetic slut when she hooks up with Bowser. Gaden has mastered dog motions and mannerisms so well that when she speaks, we hear only Sylvia. We forget she’s actually a human.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">John Zincone delivers a stand out performance as Greg; he’s moody, broody, and only borderline sane. Greg’s devotion to Sylvia is well beyond the pale, but Zincone somehow dials the dementia back to a slow simmer before it boils over. Catherine Cotton McGuire keeps her anger inside as Kate, rarely raising her voice despite Greg’s madness. She’s determined, but not assertive. At times, I wanted her to push back harder on Greg. She didn’t. Cotton McGuire draws a stark contrast between herself, completely in control, and Sylvia’s doggy driven spontaneity.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gurney throws a few curve balls in his script, not the least of which is three minor characters (one male, one female, and one of undetermined gender) played by a single actor. That actor here is Sallie Walker, and her performance is brilliant in all three roles. Walker’s “Tom” makes her the most convincing cross dressing gal in Colorado. Walker’s “Phyllis” gets some of the biggest laughs of the evening when she tosses her AA membership for a double scotch. It’s through the androgynous “Leslie,” though, that we really understand Walker’s sexual fluidity. She can be anyone we want, male, female, or other. Few actors can make that claim; Walker can make it and prove it as well.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chris Medina’s direction is crisp; scene changes are flawless. He has turned the ladies loose here, giving Gaden and Walker free reign to run with their characters. His focus on Cotton McGuire’s understated anger brings a version of Kate I hadn’t seen in four other productions. Medina’s set is part outdoor park and part indoor upscale NYC apartment. The apartment is adorned with two <a href="http://www.georgiaokeeffe.net/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Georgia O’Keefe</i></span></a> prints and one <a href="http://www.markrothko.org/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Mark Rothko</i></span></a>. The effect is both classy and striking. Medina also produced Johnny Drago’s <a href="http://johnnydrago.com/TRASH"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Trash</i></span></a> recently, and the set was literally “Trash.” The contrast between the two sets is a visual testament to his versatility. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gurney's script is hilarious, but the subliminal message is just as important: it's easy to lose touch in our relationships. "Sylvia" is a dog, but with very few tweaks to the script, she could be a woman. Relationships are hard work, but Greg has given up on Kate. Sylvia's unconditional love requires much less work than fixing things with Kate. Gurney moderates this conflict with a surprisingly bittersweet ending. Despite Greg's emotional distance and Kate's distrust of her competitor, Sylvia rebuilds a bridge that was only partially burned.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sylvia is a tough ticket. Funky Little Theater is a small venue in a strip mall, seating perhaps 50 people. When I arrived shortly before show time, the parking lot was nearly full. We got two of the last 4 seats. The next couple to arrive filled the house, but they couldn’t sit together. I point this out because Sylvia will likely sell out the entire house for the rest of the run. Get your tickets early if you plan to see it.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijl5oh1ORV9DPbfzLmYPTCdV-6vq9CMz1EDZeACRreBvm836MXkOjodswVcxk2VtzbtQkVqL-rBlp3aFnAdV9py-rnrnvawGhrbjbF-HGR2RdptGdRfmWx3I8pZsWFV866jVkO8-Q3WRxx/s1600/Sylvia+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijl5oh1ORV9DPbfzLmYPTCdV-6vq9CMz1EDZeACRreBvm836MXkOjodswVcxk2VtzbtQkVqL-rBlp3aFnAdV9py-rnrnvawGhrbjbF-HGR2RdptGdRfmWx3I8pZsWFV866jVkO8-Q3WRxx/s640/Sylvia+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>NOTES</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Funky is partnering with<a href="http://haveanicedog.org/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i> All Breed Rescue & Training</i></span></a> for this production. All Breed is a no kill shelter that rescues dogs. $1 from every ticket will be donated to All Breed. Purchase a ticket and you don’t just get a great evening of theater…you also support the dedicated people at All Breed:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://haveanicedog.org/about"><b><i>All Breed Rescue & Training</i></b></a></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i> is a nonprofit dog rescue and training organization based in Colorado Springs. Since 1994, we’ve been rescuing, rehabilitating, and finding forever families for dogs deemed unadoptable and facing euthanasia.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sight lines at Funky can be difficult in the back rows, especially for a show like <i>Sylvia</i> where some of the actors are on hands and knees. If you have a choice in seating (all tickets are general admission), get as close to the stage as possible.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Sylvia</i> is suitable for teens and up, with the caveat that there are some F bombs in the script.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you enjoyed Sylvia, I highly recommend reading <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Racing-Rain-My-Life-Dog/dp/0062015761/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_img_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=3WRQNK5RJ16XFNHY8YRZ"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>The Art of Racing in the Rain</i></span></a> by Garth Stein. It gets into a dog’s head, and it’s exactly what you would expect if your dog could talk.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">L-R: Caesar & Lucky</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Full disclosure: we have two (2) dogs in our household. They are long haired dachshunds, and yes, they are part of the family, no matter the cost.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This show closes on April 30, 2017. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Photo Credit: </b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/FunkyLittleTheaterCompany/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Funky Little Theater Company</i></span></a>, Chris Medina and John Zincone.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tickets <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/o/funky-little-theater-company-3916663059?s=68701302"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><b><i>HERE</i></b></span></a>. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>CREATIVE TEAM</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Director: </b>Chris Medina</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Scenic Designer</b>: Chris Medina</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Lighting Design</b>: Dylan McClintock</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Costume Design</b>: Delaney Halauer</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Stage Manager: </b>Dee Schnur/Megan McManus/Will Sobolik</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>CAST</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Sylvia: </b>Amanda Gaden</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Greg: </b>John Zincone</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Kate</b>: Catherine Cotton McGuire</span></span></div>
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<b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Assorted Genders and Roles</b><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">:</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sallie Waker</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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Bill Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094423709404416194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682761603405073318.post-11277709172823659922017-03-21T10:34:00.000-06:002017-03-21T10:34:23.498-06:00The Crucible<br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Playwright: </b>Arthur Miller</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Company</b>: <a href="http://www.themat.org/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Millibo Art Theatre</i></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Venue: <i> </i></b><a href="http://www.themat.org/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Millibo Art Theatre</i></span></a>, <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/1626+S+Tejon+St,+Colorado+Springs,+CO+80905/@38.8105156,-104.8285142,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x871344c3c059161d:0xd677c3910ef5e86e!8m2!3d38.8105156!4d-104.8263255"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>1626 S. Tejon St. Colorado Springs</i></span></a>, CO,</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Running time</b>: 3 hours (includes 15 minute intermission).</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Date of Performance</b>: Friday, March 17, 2017.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The most common definition of “crucible” is “<a href="http://www.dictionary.com/browse/crucible?s=t"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>a container of metal or refractory material employed for heating substances to high temperatures.</i></span></a>” Arthur Miller’s <i>The Crucible </i>is based on a somewhat less common definition: “<i>a severe, searching test or trial</i>.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Miller’s masterpiece of American drama is a severe test for the characters of the<i> </i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salem_witch_trials"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Salem Witch Trials</i></span></a> (1692-93). While Miller takes some artistic liberties with the witch trials, he has carefully reconstructed the cruelty of the persecution of those suspected of witchcraft. In the space of a mere 15 months, 20 were executed, most by hanging. The executions included 14 women. Five others, including two children, died in custody.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The Salem Witch Trials were a mockery of justice; convictions were <a href="http://listverse.com/2012/07/27/10-tests-for-guilt-used-at-the-salem-witch-trials/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>based on the slimmest of evidence</i></span></a>. Miller uses this perversion of justice as a metaphor for his own "crucible." He was questioned by the notorious <a href="http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/huac"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>House Un-American Activities Committee</i></span></a> (HUAC) in June, 1956. Like many others questioned by HUAC, he was suspected of being a Communist. When asked, Miller <a href="http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/arthur-miller-refuses-to-name-communists"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>refused to name other suspected Communists</i></span></a> and subsequently was charged and convicted of contempt of Congress. Like his character John Proctor, when put under extreme pressure to provide names of the innocent to authorities, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sil4S_Y-XFI"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Miller resisted, persisted, and refused to cooperate</i></span></a>. He wrote <i>The Crucible</i> after his conviction, to remind us that the lesson of Salem is one that we haven't yet fully learned.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Millibo Art Theatre’s current production of <i>The Crucible</i> is a powerful cautionary tale of the abuse of power that results from a disinterest in truth. Millibo's small venue puts Miller’s tale of fear, frustration, and injustice mere feet from our seats. The close connection between actors and audience is exactly what Miller intended: his unthinkable tragedy becomes disturbingly real.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Set Design by Roy Ballard.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This is a large cast,18 by my count. Director Kelly Walters manages the entries and exits gracefully; there’s not a missed cue in the entire 3 hours of the show. The performances are uniformly excellent. Scenic Designer Roy Ballard has given the cast a functional and striking 3 level set to work on. Amy Haines’ costume designs are detailed period pieces, recreating the drab but practical style of the late 17th century. Though the sound design is not credited in the program, the ambient background sounds add the proper environmental setting. Walters has thoroughly thought through every detail of this production. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Taylor Geiman has the lead role as John Proctor, and he’s unquestionably the star of the show. Proctor is the guy in the “crucible,” being tested because he defended his wife against the charge of witchcraft. Geiman’s performance builds through the first act to an explosive climax in the second act. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">That climax is stunning. Questioning the evidence and the process, Proctor struggles with questions of his own destiny. As the crucible heats up, he realizes that although he cannot save his wife, he can save himself by posting a false confession on the church door. He refuses. He will not slander himself with a false confession. He knows that doing so means certain death, but he refuses to lie to save his own life. Miller wrote the words; Geiman delivers them with all the power and intense pain he can muster. Enthusiastic applause greeted the entire cast at the final curtain,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(60, 10, 73); color: #3c0a49;"> but it was only when Geiman took his bow that the audience stood for the standing ovation he so clearly deserved.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Amanda Faye Hunter plays Abigail, Proctor’s servant until she provides too much personal service to her married boss. Hunter makes a difficult transition credible; she gives up her hope for a future with Proctor and then turns against him to save herself from the noose. She disintegrates as it becomes clear that Proctor can’t be manipulated. Hunter pulls it all off without a hitch.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Christian O’Shaunessey is a veteran actor <a href="http://www.csindy.com/coloradosprings/henrik-ibsens-ghosts-still-haunts-us-today/Content?oid=3430850"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>with an impressive résumé</i></span></a>. Here, he’s Reverend John Hale, the local “expert” on witchcraft. O’Shaunessey is convincing as the “expert,” but even more so when he realizes the consequences of his expertise. Whether he’s delivering his own lines or reacting in horror to the excesses of Judges Danforth (Christopher Lowell) & Hathorne (Mark Cannon), one can’t look away from O’Shaunessey’s Hale.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">In his program notes, Director Kelly Walters understates the obvious: </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>“I chose to look at this work not from the distant view of the Puritans, but through the prism of an undetermined time and place, where mankind may be tested in a different, or similar, crucible yet again. </i><b><i>It will be, perhaps a time when hysteria again determines perception, when divisiveness creates opportunity, when power fills a vacuum, when truth may be inconvenient, and questionable facts may reign over moral reason.”</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">That "undetermined" time is now, and that "undetermined" place is right here. We are asked daily to <b>“believe”</b> what we hear from our “<b>leadership</b>,” even when it’s demonstrably false. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Whether the lie is the size of the inauguration crowd, the size of an electoral college victory, whether millions of fraudulent votes were cast, or whether a predecessor wiretapped his home, <a href="http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/01/donald-trump-lies-liar-effect-brain-214658"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>the truth has indeed become inconvenien</i></span></a></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; text-decoration: underline;"><i>t</i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Millibo Art Theatre’s timing for <i>The Crucible</i> is a coincidence; the show was put on the calendar well before the November, 2016 election. It was serendipity that brought us<i>The Crucible</i> at the precise time we need to hear Miller’s message. Whether we will have the courage of John Proctor or Arthur Miller is yet to be seen, but the results so far are not encouraging.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVT8cJ25k3Rma-oZmd8rtSeZnnrSR3o5_RIA-VrMYzcvLQXNjSjld0Eh3rshJnlclKmnmm2mRWYSwh_ZIARxJxJM_Ug3W-cprCaEBlA84OZmrYuv4d8vBmj26edsMaSODspQhVYNGOZYrA/s1600/Crucible+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVT8cJ25k3Rma-oZmd8rtSeZnnrSR3o5_RIA-VrMYzcvLQXNjSjld0Eh3rshJnlclKmnmm2mRWYSwh_ZIARxJxJM_Ug3W-cprCaEBlA84OZmrYuv4d8vBmj26edsMaSODspQhVYNGOZYrA/s400/Crucible+collage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>NOTES</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This show closes on April 2, 2017. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>The Crucible</i> is arguably suitable for the entire family. The most offensive language may be the terms “whore” and “lecher,” and there’s no adult content that would trouble small children. The witchcraft references are innocuous, no doubt because there were no actual witches in Salem at the time. My recommendation would be that <i>The Crucible </i>is best for teens and up.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I had forgotten that Arthur Miller was married to Marilyn Monroe. While researching Miller for this post,<a href="http://www.immortalmarilyn.com/the-villain-and-the-showgirl-a-closer-look-at-arthur-miller-and-marilyn-monroe/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><i> I stumbled on this bit of interesting information</i></span></a>:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>“Miller stood by his convictions when subpoenaed to appear before The House Un-American Activities Committee. He had been called to testify and was offered a chance for this to ‘go away’ if he would arrange for a photo call between Marilyn and the Head of the Committee. </i><b><i>He point blank refused</i></b><i>.”</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">It’s safe to say that <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/01/the-gops-ethics-disaster/512021/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Congressional ethics are still as flexible today</i></span></a> as they were in 1956.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Photo Credit: </b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MATMillibo/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Millibo Art Theatre</i></span></a> & <a href="http://www.briankwan.com/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Brian Kwan Photography</i></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Tickets <a href="http://boxoffice.printtixusa.com/themat/calendar"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><b><i>HERE</i></b></span></a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>CREATIVE TEAM</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Director: </b>Kelly Walters</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Assistant Director</b>: Susan Dawn Carson</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Scenic Designer</b>: Roy Ballard</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Lighting Design</b>: Kitty Robbins</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Costume Design</b>: Amy Haines</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Video Design</b>: Lauren Duggin</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>ASL Interpreters (Colorado School for the Deaf & Blind): </b>Cory McCormick, Juli Novak, Desi Petz</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Choreography: </b>Jan Johnson, Ormao Dance Company</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Stage Manager: </b>Kristen Wickersheim</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Assistant Stage Manager</b>: Molly Gillard</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>CAST</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>John Proctor: </b>Taylor Geiman</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Elizabeth Proctor: </b>Erica Erickson</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Parris</b>: Mike Lee</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Abigail</b>: Anna Faye Hunter</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Hale</b>: Christian O’Shaunessy</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Cheever</b>: Micah Spiers</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Giles Cory</b>: Michael Augenstein</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Hathorn</b> Mark Cannon</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Mercy</b>: Kayla Kuemmerle</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Ann Putnam</b>: Hannah Rockey</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Sarah Good</b>: Barbara Summerville</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Tituba</b>: Marisa Hebert</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Mr. Putnam</b>: David Hastings</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Herrick</b>: Jonathan Andujar</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Mary</b>: Abby Gaydos and Priscilla Needs</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Betty</b>: Miranda McCauley</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Suzanna</b>: Lisbet Jackson</span></div>
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<b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Francis Nurse</b><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">:</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> Charlie Ammen</span></div>
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Bill Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094423709404416194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682761603405073318.post-24898897926980937432017-03-13T17:48:00.000-06:002017-03-13T17:49:04.196-06:00Dearly Beloved<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjOswl-aa70G3ovJ61E4Uy3VVXvtkUjkRXqAOhpSM6g1JaiQlZq_fXlp4F0wD-7JhDMJra2Fb8Y4_IMYCuUOGQVPoOvuVGYL4YD30Um6Ob-Be8soHsgyaWd4Bo3YjfDX2eOeZDgLAvgLrR/s1600/Dearly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjOswl-aa70G3ovJ61E4Uy3VVXvtkUjkRXqAOhpSM6g1JaiQlZq_fXlp4F0wD-7JhDMJra2Fb8Y4_IMYCuUOGQVPoOvuVGYL4YD30Um6Ob-Be8soHsgyaWd4Bo3YjfDX2eOeZDgLAvgLrR/s640/Dearly.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Playwrights: </b>Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope, Jamie Wooten</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Company</b>: <a href="http://www.fumc-cs.org/drama/visual-arts"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>First Company</i></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Venue: <i> </i></b>First United Methodist Church Theater, <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/420+N+Nevada+Ave,+Colorado+Springs,+CO+80903/@38.8401401,-104.8241634,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x87134516025f28e5:0x739e7b8e4a6eaa2f!8m2!3d38.8401401!4d-104.8219747"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>420 North Nevada</i></span></a>, Colorado Springs, Colorado.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Running time</b>: 2 hours, 20 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission).</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Date of Performance</b>: Saturday, March 11, 2017.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I wish I could sum up the plot of <i>Dearly Beloved</i> in a few sentences, but that would definitely be a fool's errand. I could just say “it’s complicated,” which is true but unhelpful. So here’s my best “brief” and fairly descriptive summary of the plot.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The show takes place in the small town of Fayro, TX, home to 3,003 authentically funny souls. There’s going to be a wedding; but the happy couple (Madalyn Rilling as Tina Jo & the mysterious Parker Price) turns up missing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">That’s a big problem, as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gone_with_the_Wind_(film)"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Gone With the Wind</i></span></a> themed extravaganza is a very large event in Fayro. Tina Jo’s mother Frankie (Kitty Robbins) is on overload, trying to put on a wedding and keep sisters Twink (played by Alicia Franks), and Honey Rae (played by Cheerish Martin) from scratching each other’s eyes out. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Jones/Hope/Wooten cleverly mix some interesting ingredients into their story: </span></div>
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<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Tina Jo’s mother’s curious health issues, </span></li>
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<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Tina Jo’s sister’s exotic if unconventional career (<a href="http://www.selectsires.com/programs/docs/0209_fertility_potential.pdf?version=20161206" target="_blank">bovine insemination specialist</a>),</span></li>
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<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">and some soulful Gospel music for good measure. </span></li>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The result is a sure fire recipe for frivolity, fun, and surprises.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">There’s a <b>LOT</b> to like about First Company’s production, from the flexible and functional set by Marty Fennewald to Katie Harmon’s eye catching costume design. First among the strengths of Director Daniel S. Robbins’ cast, however, is the Sermonettes (Kitty Robbins, Cheerish Martin, and Alicia Franks), the Fayro gospel trio with fabulous harmonies. The Sermonettes stole the show with their soulful, sweet renditions of traditional hymns. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjOswl-aa70G3ovJ61E4Uy3VVXvtkUjkRXqAOhpSM6g1JaiQlZq_fXlp4F0wD-7JhDMJra2Fb8Y4_IMYCuUOGQVPoOvuVGYL4YD30Um6Ob-Be8soHsgyaWd4Bo3YjfDX2eOeZDgLAvgLrR/s1600/Dearly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjOswl-aa70G3ovJ61E4Uy3VVXvtkUjkRXqAOhpSM6g1JaiQlZq_fXlp4F0wD-7JhDMJra2Fb8Y4_IMYCuUOGQVPoOvuVGYL4YD30Um6Ob-Be8soHsgyaWd4Bo3YjfDX2eOeZDgLAvgLrR/s400/Dearly.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Sermonettes. L-R: Kitty Robbin, Alicia Franks, Cheerish Martin.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">When not singing as the Sermonettes, Robbins, Martin, and Franks anchor the cast with their solid performances as the dysfunctional ladies of Fayro. Ms. Robbins shocked the audience when she revealed her secret, eliciting a collective audible gasp. Ms. Martin struts her stuff in a gold lamé trimmed dress with matching spiked heels, making Honey Raye’s hot flashes and five failed marriages a comedic flashpoint. Ms. Franks is the zany wedding planner, cooking 300 pounds of meat while putting the pot luck together. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Franks is not just in charge of the BBQ. She also has a field day with her love interest, Wiley Hicks (Justin Anderson), drugging him into oblivion. Anderson’s physical comedy, including a tumble off a table, is precisely staged and timed for maximum effect. In a relatively small role, Anderson makes a big splash as Twink’s boyfriend.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Director Daniel Robbins keeps the comedy pace quick, starting in act one, scene one. Megan Rieger (playing florist Geneva Musgrave) opens the show alone on stage. She is short on the flowers she needs for the imminent wedding. Constantly interrupted by phone calls she hasn’t the time to take, Rieger answers each one as if she’s an automated voice mail machine. When it comes time to leave a message, she beeps and hangs up on the callers. Rieger gets the laughs started with her poise and personality, and Robbins capitalizes on Rieger’s opener. He keeps the characters as fun and as funny as possible as they endure the zany complications threatening the so called wedding.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The script is a collaborative effort of three playwrights, and I suspect that each of them contributed characters from their personal experiences. <i>Dearly Beloved’s</i> “family” issues result in some great comedy based on painful realities. For better or worse, you may recognize some of your own family members in <i>Dearly Beloved</i>. I know I did.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">My issues with the script are of the nit picking type. The jokes (and at times the characters) seem corny and juvenile. The characters are definitely small town stereotypes. In my experience, small town characters have as much individuality and as diversity as those in any other town. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">With one exception, the script is also unflattering to the males of Fayro. That one exception is Dub, the patriarch of the Dubberly clan, played by Jon Reimer. Reimer turns in the only male performance that requires grace, dignity, and class. In Reimer’s case, I’m sure those qualities are not just an act.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Dearly Beloved</i> is a solid production with a capable cast that delivers an entertaining evening of comedy. This is live theater in an unusual venue done well by the cast and crew. You will leave the building with a smile on your face. I guarantee it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>NOTES</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This show closes on March 19, 2017. This show is suitable for the entire family.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Heads up. Do <b>NOT</b> head for the exits at the final curtain. Stay for the curtain call. It’s a hand clapping gospel medley of sing along favorites.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">If you’re a fan of other Texas comedies like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Tuna"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><i>Greater Tuna</i></span></a> or <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2015/12/a-tuna-christmas.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><i>A Tuna Christmas</i></span></a>, <i>Dearly Beloved</i> should be on your “must see list.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">If you haven’t seen a First Company show before, access is very easy (no stairs to climb). There are two off street parking lots: a small one on the north side of the building, and a larger one across the street. You can enter both lots from E. Saint Vrain Street.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This is a short run (just two weekends), so don’t delay if you need tickets. Intermission at First Company shows usually features root beer floats in the lobby. It’s a fundraiser for the youth singers, with a suggested donation of $2.00.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Dearly Beloved</i> satirizes rural Texans. If you’re sensitive and from Texas, you may be offended by some of the humor. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Photo Credit: </b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/firstcompanytheater/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>First Company</i></span></a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Tickets <a href="https://www.showtix4u.com/boxoffice.php?submit=Search+for+Events&begin=1542968&current_client=0821091408062025"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><b><i>HERE</i></b></span></a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>CREATIVE TEAM</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Co-Producers</b>: Martin Fennewald & Megan Rieger</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Director: </b>Daniel S. Robbins</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Set Designer</b>: Marty Fennewald</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Art Design/Painting</b>: Alex Robbins, Kitty Robbins, Kiffin Irwin, Katie Harmon, Samuel Suksiri</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Set Construction</b>: Terry Phillips</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Lighting Design</b>: Kitty Robbins</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Sound Design/Light Board</b>: Alex Robbins</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Lighting Assistant</b>: Kari Kiser</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Stage Manager: </b>Candi Martynes</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Costume Design</b>: Katie Harmon</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Properties</b>: Miranda Wright</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Sound Board Operator: </b>Allison Singmaster</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Makeup & Hair Design</b>: Trudy Fennewald</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>CAST</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Frankie Furtrelle Dubberly: </b>Kitty Robbins</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Honey Raye Futrelle: </b>Cheerish Martin</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Twink Futrelle</b>: Alicia Franks</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Tina Jo & Gina Jo Dubberly</b>: Madalyn Rilling</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Nelda Lightfoot</b>: Katie Harmon</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Geneva Musgrave</b>: Megan Rieger</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Dub Dubberly</b>: Jon Reimer</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Justin Waverly</b>: Samuel Suksiri</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>John Curtis Buntner</b>: Kiffin Irwin</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Wiley Hicks</b>: Justin Anderson</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>MUSICIANS</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Piano</b>: Jeannie Robbins</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Bass</b>: Norm Hetzel</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Drums</b>: Evan Danforth</span></div>
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<b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Piano (rehearsal)</b><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">:</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Laura Gearhart</span></div>
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Bill Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094423709404416194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682761603405073318.post-22054245879931302452017-02-18T13:34:00.003-07:002017-02-18T13:38:18.915-07:00The Heir Apparent<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj3KEdiLWHyDqeZZCZssP6kxPs892J5sPd_ZnKdLt_ZI-fh0Rgf-aCItkYq7SpwZmX4wzwSu5uWgDKbk9TYhccSKmQd0zK9eRG4MCyeIbATcpucOiTIgAL0DXEsVRHeZNOdSHfA5woFdxK/s1600/Heir+Apparent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj3KEdiLWHyDqeZZCZssP6kxPs892J5sPd_ZnKdLt_ZI-fh0Rgf-aCItkYq7SpwZmX4wzwSu5uWgDKbk9TYhccSKmQd0zK9eRG4MCyeIbATcpucOiTIgAL0DXEsVRHeZNOdSHfA5woFdxK/s1600/Heir+Apparent.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Playwright: </b>Jean-Francois Regnard, adapted by David Ives</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Company</b>: <a href="http://www.springsensembletheatre.org/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Springs Ensemble Theatre Company</i></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Venue: <i> </i></b>Springs Ensemble Theatre, <a href="http://www.springsensembletheatre.org/location.php"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>1903 E. Cache La Poudre</i></span></a>, Colorado Springs, Colorado.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Running time</b>: 2 hours, 15 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission).</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Date of Performance</b>: Friday, February 17, 2017.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">If it’s humor you seek,</span></span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">it’s from the bathroom it leaks.</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">When of diarrhea he speaks </span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">The wealthy miser reeks and peaks.</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Sorry. I couldn’t resist writing some <a href="http://www.dictionary.com/browse/scatological"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>scatalogical</i></span></a> poetry inspired by David Ives’ adaptation of Regnard’s classic comedy. My hat is off to Ives; his poetry is much better than mine. In fact, one might say that Ives is a rock star among writers of toilet verse. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Le Légatalre Universal</i> (<i>The Heir Apparent</i>) was first performed at the <a href="http://www.apple.com/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Comédie Francaise</i></span></a> (the French national theater) in 1705. It’s a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commedia_dell'arte"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>commedia dell’arte</i></span></a> farce of the first order. Regnard’s script, arguably his best work, is a bawdy, funny, irreverent, and satirical romp. David Ives has translated and adapted it, preserving the plot and the poetry but adding current cultural reference points. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxNLjq9vPC_RI6Vg1A6HrMe4wh_7N-TBEUeq8nMbNFWLJ0txbZKMCz5NEzLJL5XMy6OQwe5pgeCwn769RcI12dXCHvTAq_RC7dliZcop_5AvdcJKMnkE0febl12U9eGekwi3JpmfCsYYI/s1600/Crispin+%2528Adam+Sterling-Blancas%2529+and+Lisette+%2528Sarah+S.+Shaver%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxNLjq9vPC_RI6Vg1A6HrMe4wh_7N-TBEUeq8nMbNFWLJ0txbZKMCz5NEzLJL5XMy6OQwe5pgeCwn769RcI12dXCHvTAq_RC7dliZcop_5AvdcJKMnkE0febl12U9eGekwi3JpmfCsYYI/s400/Crispin+%2528Adam+Sterling-Blancas%2529+and+Lisette+%2528Sarah+S.+Shaver%2529.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Adam Sterling-Blancas (Crispin) &<br />Sarah S. Shaver (Lisette).</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Current cultural quips aside, though, <i>The Heir Apparent</i> doesn’t need a lot of detailed political or cultural analysis. It’s best enjoyed for what it is: a bawdy, naughty comedy about love, lust and greed. The characters are from central casting. There’s the old fool Geronte (Steve Wallace) who falls for a beautiful girl (Isabelle, played by Michelle Pantle) who could be his daughter. The girl’s mother (Joanne Koehler as Madame Argante) is a conniving battle axe. Crispin (Adam Sterling-Blancas) and Lisette (Sarah S. Shaver) are servants in love. Eraste (Greg Reilly) is the handsome, dashing suitor who cannot have Isabelle unless he can acquire Geronte’s fortune. Scruple (the <a href="https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/scruple"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>aptly named</i></span></a><i> </i>attorney, played by Sophie Thunberg) is a mere 3 feet tall and the source of numerous size jokes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The story is straight forward. Geronte is a wealthy miser but dying of diarrhea (a condition that may be naturally occurring or pharmaceutically induced). He is desperately trying to live long enough to finish his will. All the other characters (save Scruple) are jockeying to be the sole heir to Geronte’s fortune. Some of the plot twists are predictable (Geronte, presumed dead, is resurrected for additional humor), others are not (Eraste and Crispin in drag). Geronte has an Ebenezer Scrooge moment in the end, and love blooms for all.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUP_J__rKwLlOXIK5vcm_h2eWIjhbp8LP_Bkciaxwuz17MjYO2riEnTIbjiXtUNogGRQ9Fg2dC-7cZGySYFKmNSAxJeXdEB1_lCQXbZFdHKRgNjcu_UB4-EEgJTrdt3QtNpQ2Qm4SRDkqX/s1600/Eraste+%2528Greg+Reilly%2529+and+Isabelle+%2528Michelle+Pantle%2529+Photo+by+Emory+John+Collinson.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUP_J__rKwLlOXIK5vcm_h2eWIjhbp8LP_Bkciaxwuz17MjYO2riEnTIbjiXtUNogGRQ9Fg2dC-7cZGySYFKmNSAxJeXdEB1_lCQXbZFdHKRgNjcu_UB4-EEgJTrdt3QtNpQ2Qm4SRDkqX/s400/Eraste+%2528Greg+Reilly%2529+and+Isabelle+%2528Michelle+Pantle%2529+Photo+by+Emory+John+Collinson.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Greg Reilly (Eraste) & Michelle Pantle (Isabelle).</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This is an experienced and talented cast, led by Sarah S. Shaver as Lisette. Shaver opens the show, dusting the set pieces when she’s grabbed from behind and embraced by her love interest Adam Sterling-Blancas. The two make a credible couple, stealing kisses and trading glances at every opportunity. Shaver’s mischievous side is on full display as she keeps Geronte loaded up on laxatives. Greg Reilly is the hunky dashing pauper in love with Isabelle (Michelle Pantle). Reilly and Pantle have the chemistry that Regnard intended. Both are marvelous on their own, but together they are on fire. Joanne Koehler’s Madame Argante is cold and calculating, keeping Eraste on the defensive. Koehler is a strong, shrewd woman who refuses to be taken lightly. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Steve Wallace (Geronte). </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Geronte is Regnard’s central character, and Steve Wallace nails his role as the wealthy miser lusting after Isabelle. He is the classic “<a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=dirty%20old%20man"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>dirty old man</i></span></a>,” sharing both his bowel movements and his libido shamelessly with the cast and the audience.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Regnard inserts Scruple into his script for purely comedic purposes; a 3 foot tall lawyer serves to diminish a profession that many before and after him have short changed. Puns intended. Sophie Thunberg (in drag, as it were, complete with a full but fake mustache) plays her role on her knees. She shuffles around the stage, making the illusion real: her Scruple is really only 3 feet tall. For one of such small stature, though, Thunberg stands tall. She milks the laughs from every line, exaggerating her French accent and channeling her inner <a href="https://youtu.be/SXn2QVipK2o"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Inspector Clousseau</i></span></a>. She makes the most of her </span><span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;">short</span><span style="font-kerning: none;"> time onstage to make an oversized impact. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Max Ferguson’s direction focuses on the fun, the physical, and the farce. Ferguson doesn’t just permit some overacting. He requires it. From gestures, to costumes, to facial expressions, the cast is constantly directed to ham it up, and that’s a good thing. Ferguson dresses Eraste and Crispin as women, and both actors are fetching, funny and fabulous. Sarah S. Shaver’s costumes are a delight, and none are better than the hoop dresses for the guys. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This performance was the second night of the run, and at times the actors seemed to rush their lines. That’s a shame; Ives’ poetry, like a fine wine, is best sipped, not chugged. Many of the lines needed a slower pace and occasional pauses to be fully appreciated. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">David Ives has written <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2014/03/venus-in-fur.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>some exceptional scripts</i></span></a> of his own, and he’s a master at adapting <a href="http://www.csindy.com/coloradosprings/review-theatreworks-the-liar/Content?oid=3037373"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>forgotten classics</i></span></a> for the contemporary stage. This Jean-Francois Regnard/David Ives collaboration is pure comedy, done in eloquent poetic verse. I’m a fan, but there are those who may be intimidated by rhyming lines. That’s a shame. It may take your ears a few minutes to adjust to the cadence, but it’s well worth the effort. Springs Ensemble’s production is an entertaining classic comedy with a modern twist. Throw in a dirty old man with diarrhea, guys in drag, and a midget lawyer and you can count on a fun night out at the theater.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Foreground, L-R: Adam Sterling-Blanca (Crispin) Steve Wallace (Geronte), Greg Reilly (Eraste).<br />Background, L-R: Sarah S. Shaver (Lisette), Michelle Pantle (Isabelle).</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>NOTES</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This show closes on March 5, 2017. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">For all the bathroom humor and sexual innuendo, there were very few four letter words in the script. The subjects may be delicate, but the language is rarely vulgar (I did note one F bomb). Still, discretion would be advised for preteen children.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">For more information on Regnard, Ives, and <i>The Heir Apparent,</i> check out this <a href="http://www.shakespearetheatre.org/_pdf/first_folio/Folio%20Heir%20Apparent.pdf"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><i>First Folio Student and Teacher Resource Guide</i></span></a>. (Hat tip to the <a href="http://www.shakespearetheatre.org/"><i>Shakespeare Theatre Company</i></a>, Washington DC.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">As information, the <a href="http://www.comedie-francaise.fr/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><i>Comédie Francaise</i></span></a> is still in the theater business more than 300 years after producing Regnard’s comedy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Photo Credit: </b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Springs-Ensemble-Theatre-98966550916/?hc_ref=SEARCH&fref=nf"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Springs Ensemble Theatre Company</i></span></a>, photos by Emory John Collinson.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Tickets <a href="https://www.showtix4u.com/boxoffice.php?submit=Search+for+Events&begin=1542968&current_client=04000069123114894"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><b>HERE</b></span></a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>CREATIVE TEAM</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Executive Producer & Costume Design</b>: Sarah S. Shaver</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Co-Producer</b>: Jenny Maloney</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Director: </b>Max Ferguson</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Set Designer</b>: Jack Salesses</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Lighting Design</b>: Jeremiah Miller</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Sound Design</b>: Taylor Geiman</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Dramaturg</b>: LeAnne Carrouth</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Stage Manager/Board Operator: </b>Amber Carlton</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Costume Construction</b>: Rebecca Hillstead</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Properties Master</b>: Marie Verdu</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Running Crew: </b>SairReese Gavzy</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>CAST</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Geronte: </b>Steve Wallace</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Lisette: </b>Sarah S. Shaver</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Eraste</b>: Greg Reilly</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Crispin</b>: Adam Sterling-Blancas</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Isabelle</b>: Michelle Pantle</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Madame Argante</b>: Joanne Koehler</span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Scruple</b>: Sophie Thunberg</span></div>
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Bill Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094423709404416194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682761603405073318.post-5430346825487954502017-02-12T17:20:00.001-07:002017-02-12T19:27:07.106-07:00Enchanted April<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdvE8tfsTL1_CmE3EzdQ_YljvT_DpoJR_doX-yVbz-_9O-49sTOpUobVRDZn0wrp7U-ERRXqjfZ0k6bCpKKJK2QZGX5LEqmCKtkDvJ3K17Q1ZUGVfhCiX3PnWLWUyRosxbitaKxLbROiet/s1600/Enchanted+5+Lotty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdvE8tfsTL1_CmE3EzdQ_YljvT_DpoJR_doX-yVbz-_9O-49sTOpUobVRDZn0wrp7U-ERRXqjfZ0k6bCpKKJK2QZGX5LEqmCKtkDvJ3K17Q1ZUGVfhCiX3PnWLWUyRosxbitaKxLbROiet/s640/Enchanted+5+Lotty.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Carley Cornelius as Lotty.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Playwright: </b>Matthew Barber, from the novel by Elizabeth von Arnim</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Company</b>: <a href="http://www.csfineartscenter.org/theatre/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Fine Arts Center</i></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Venue: <i> </i></b>SaGaJiTheater, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/30+W+Dale+St,+Colorado+Springs,+CO+80903/@38.8458038,-104.8282797,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x8713454087b0b49b:0x2054e38ad061e5c1!8m2!3d38.8458038!4d-104.826091"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>30 West Dale Street</i></span></a>, Colorado Springs, Colorado.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Running time</b>: 2 hours, 10 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission).</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Date of Performance</b>: Saturday, February 11, 2017.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Elizabeth von Arnim’s 1922 novel <i>The Enchanted April</i> has been adapted for<i> </i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101811/?ref_=nv_sr_1"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>the big screen</i></span></a> twice, first in 1935 and again in 1992, when it garnered 3 Oscar nominations and won 2 Golden Globes awards. The Matthew Barber stage adaptation premiered in 2003, and a musical adaptation opened in 2010. It’s nearly a century since von Armin created her female focused Italian holiday tale, and the story is arguably more fun and more relevant now than it was on the day it was first published.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">von Armin’s story starts in the dreary London rain when Lotty (<a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2016/09/constellations.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Carley Cornelius</i></span></a>) discovers an “advert” (British for advertisement) offering an Italian castle for rent for the month of April. It’s for those who love “wisteria and sunshine.” Lotty’s a dreamer, but she’s trapped in a bleak marriage to her pompous, self centered husband Mellersh (Kevin Lowry). Lotty recruits three other dispirited, disillusioned women to split the costs (60 pounds sterling) for q month in paradise. It’s a “girls only” getaway, at least until the guys show up in Italy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Enchanted April</i> is a romantic comedy with a timely feminist slant; the ladies need to get away from the guys to reconnect as “sisters”. It’s an empowering story. By escaping from the guys, the ladies shake them up and are ultimately better able to reconnect with their spouses. Lotty puts it well early in the first act: time doesn’t go backwards. It only moves forward. Each day is like the last, and like the next, unless we do something to “move forward.” A month in an Italian castle is her move forward.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">On entering the theater, I was struck by Christopher L. Sheley’s sumptuous set. For act one, it’s simple; six window frames suspended over the stage. Those six window frames serve as multiple locations, in each case giving us a constant reminder of the incessant London rain. Sheley’s window frames are a playground for lighting designer Holly Anne Rawls, who bathes the windows in different shades and different degrees of brilliance, depending on the time of day and the location. Rawls has mastered the lighting that animates the endless rain that falls for the entire first act.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">While Sheley’s set for the first act set engaging, it is the Italian castle set in the second act that provides spectacular eye candy. The transformation from London to Italy is stunning, and Sheley’s set reinforces the emotional transformation of Barber’s characters as it shifts from dull London to idyllic Italy. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEsJz6BrlCp2mYyMrA4IE0YTpUbAc14_AFVWnnietki-zeoFNKydgWIkXk3HzyKtouJU1i7VvD-61eiEm-0i6mMfCX-uvfaPgdwNoqbibIVwWQIvwJWtqKD7zNO-2iR9XK2RCXhLme_9bS/s1600/Enchanted+5+Rose+Lotty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEsJz6BrlCp2mYyMrA4IE0YTpUbAc14_AFVWnnietki-zeoFNKydgWIkXk3HzyKtouJU1i7VvD-61eiEm-0i6mMfCX-uvfaPgdwNoqbibIVwWQIvwJWtqKD7zNO-2iR9XK2RCXhLme_9bS/s400/Enchanted+5+Rose+Lotty.jpg" width="273" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MacKenzie Beyer (Caroline), Carley Cornelius<br />
(Lotty).</td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Carley Cornelius is from the Chicago area, but she’s a semi-regular on the Theatreworks stage at UCCS (see <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2015/01/detroit.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>here</i></span></a>, <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2016/09/constellations.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>here</i></span></a>, <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2016/10/the-game-of-love-and-chance.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>here</i></span></a>, <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2014/03/venus-in-fur.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>here</i></span></a>, and <a href="http://www.csindy.com/coloradosprings/review-theatreworks-the-liar/Content?oid=3037373"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>here</i></span></a>). There’s some very good reasons why she keeps showing up 1,000 miles from her natural habitat. She’s a consummate professional, a gifted actor, and as versatile as anyone I’ve ever seen. I think this is her first Fine Arts Center appearance, and I hope the FAC will be asking her back often. She’s the spark plug in the <i>Enchanted April </i>engine, punctuating Barber’s lines with her gestures, facial expressions, and natural charm.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Heather Lacy (as Rose) is Lotty’s reluctant partner in crime. Lacy’s character shares one essential trait with Lotty: she’s in a dead end marriage. Even so, she knows her place, and Lacy plays the submissive Rose to Lotty’s rebellious dreamer. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Karl Brevik as Wilding, the castle’s owner, has a twinkle in his eye and a spring in his step, charming the ladies at every turn. MacKenzie Beyer plays the beautiful, aloof Lady Caroline, mixing it up with Mrs. Graves over fashion choices and cognac. Billie McBride (Mrs. Graves) is always a pleasure to watch on any stage, and her prickly, proper Mrs. Graves is no exception.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrx_K0T2cfuXnF0xynhVMg1dMOnbKM5xidMXR3FrE82GO7a4Q9M1cy3xQSPKLCxnWSvNrKA149XUgqiPNVkWmwc9VA3TKbFHN5rdNfpvB448QRPj8CAU_NyTKLbH6aWQTS09WJewPHVR48/s1600/Enchanted+April+Lowry+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrx_K0T2cfuXnF0xynhVMg1dMOnbKM5xidMXR3FrE82GO7a4Q9M1cy3xQSPKLCxnWSvNrKA149XUgqiPNVkWmwc9VA3TKbFHN5rdNfpvB448QRPj8CAU_NyTKLbH6aWQTS09WJewPHVR48/s320/Enchanted+April+Lowry+.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Kevin Lowry (Mellersh), Carley Cornelius (Lotty).</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Kevin Lowry (Mellersh) and Logan Ernstthal (Frederick) are convincing as a pair of proper British male aristocrats of the early 20th century. They exude privilege while demonstrating why they should have none. As spouses, they would be a decidedly poor catch for any woman in 2017. That said, however, the do provide a good deal of the humor for <i>Enchanted April, </i>and in the process, they inspire the ladies to bust out of their dreary routines. Both are very capable actors who must have reached very deep to play the cads of <i>Enchanted April. </i>I’m quite sure neither is a cad off stage. Lowry gets special mention here, though, for being the “butt” of the funniest joke of the production.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jane Fromme (Costanza).</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Jane Fromme (as Costanza) has the smallest role in <i>Enchanted April</i> as the servant who speaks only Italian. For Fromme, language is no barrier. She speaks impeccable Italian (at least is sounds impecable to me, but I speak </span><span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;">no</span><span style="font-kerning: none;"> Italian), but she communicates marvelously with her facial expressions and gestures. Fromme has a delicate sense of comedic timing, and she uses it every time she hits the stage. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Director Joye Cook-Levy clearly delights in this tale of empowerment. My favorite scene in the production is the one where Lotty and Rose tell their husbands about their plan to go to Italy. Cook-Levy tells the two stories simultaneously as Lotty and Rose confront their husbands. It’s a highly relevant scene done with a poignant touch, and it’s a scene reminiscent of recent events (<a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2017/02/08/mitch_mcconnell_inadvertently_coined_the_latest_feminist_catchphrase_she.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>“She was warned. “She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted.”</i></span></a>) </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Lotty and Rose persisted too. They went to “<i>paradiso</i>.”</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUFEUvZz19iyOhlPanmqugLauieFze4uWcnveIYhakRdk7Useynb7p3MK-VzEp8F7DTqxBdba76GBm7txnIQIrdLzHglnb1s7bJx34z4gM9ZlLo1QFQ9wAkB_a0jD_GjgCaduR_C1pRWgJ/s1600/Enchanted+April+Lotty+Rose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUFEUvZz19iyOhlPanmqugLauieFze4uWcnveIYhakRdk7Useynb7p3MK-VzEp8F7DTqxBdba76GBm7txnIQIrdLzHglnb1s7bJx34z4gM9ZlLo1QFQ9wAkB_a0jD_GjgCaduR_C1pRWgJ/s640/Enchanted+April+Lotty+Rose.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Carley Cornelius (Lotty) & Heather Lacy (Rose).</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">That said, you don’t have to see <i>Enchanted April</i> for the political or feminist value. It’s a funny, charming, romantic story that has endured for nearly a century. The Fine Arts Center production is a LOT of fun, and that’s reason enough to get a ticket.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>NOTES</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This show closes on February 26, 2017. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This show contains adult situations and brief nudity. Recommended for adults and mature teens. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I have been critical of some of the FAC productions in the past for not using audio mikes on the actors. Enchanted April is fully miked, and the sound is excellent. For this, I thank whoever (Sound Designer Ben Heston? Director Joye Cook-Levy?) for the audio support for those of us with less than optimal hearing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The rain effect in the first act is mesmerizing. Rain is transparent, but somehow FAC has made it visible and real. I do not know how they did this. Wow.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">On a personal note, <i>Enchanted April </i>confirms something I’ve discovered over the years. Vacations and holidays are indeed an effective way to renew and refresh one’s outlook, but it’s not just about the vacation itself. The planning, preparation, and anticipation is as powerful as the “<i>wisteria and sunshine</i>.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Photo Credit: </b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/CSFineArtsCenter/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10155152339304642"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center</i></span></a>, photos by <a href="http://www.modelmayhem.com/tdcphotography"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Jeff Kearney</i></span></a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Tickets <a href="https://coloradospringsfineartscenter.secure.force.com/ticket/?&_ga=1.230494364.1056655541.1420243619#details_a0SG000000PzbVDMAZ"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><b>HERE</b></span></a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>CREATIVE TEAM</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Director: </b>Joye Levy</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Set Designer</b>: Christopher L. Sheley</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Costume Design: </b> Janson Fangio</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Original Music Composed by: </b>Ryan Bañagale</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Lighting Design</b>: Holly Anne Rawls</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Sound Design</b>: Ben Heston</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Dialect Coach</b>: <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-goat-or-who-is-sylvia.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Amy Brooks</i></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Makeup & Hair Design</b>: Jonathan Eberhardt</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Stage Manager: </b>Katelyn Springer</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Rose: </b>Heather Lacy</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Lotty: </b>Carley Cornelius</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Lady Caroline</b>: Mackenzie Beyer</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Mrs. Graves</b>: <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2016/02/driving-miss-daisy.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><i>Billie McBride</i></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Mellerish</b>: <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2015/07/gruesome-playground-injuries.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><i>Kevin Lowry</i></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Frederick</b>: Logan Ernstthal</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Wilding</b>: <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2015/03/dead-mans-cell-phone.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><i>Karl Brevik</i></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Costanza</b>: <span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><i><a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2015/03/dead-mans-cell-phone.html">Jane Fromme</a></i></span></span></div>
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Bill Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094423709404416194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682761603405073318.post-49036087436936209672017-01-30T15:28:00.000-07:002017-01-31T07:51:59.786-07:00[Record] [Transfer] [Erase]<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiulCxaByQarFlbVEuwecg1-hbQsj4q_zM5cWBH58KUCOrvZLS4LsfEhox2EL65NF82em6-zoscV4QMgph_sJfFmFsxFu-9OuVJkWaXklCKI8nZCjr1hJwztTyiyzTtBzZzJenra3WageNF/s1600/RTE+Funky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiulCxaByQarFlbVEuwecg1-hbQsj4q_zM5cWBH58KUCOrvZLS4LsfEhox2EL65NF82em6-zoscV4QMgph_sJfFmFsxFu-9OuVJkWaXklCKI8nZCjr1hJwztTyiyzTtBzZzJenra3WageNF/s640/RTE+Funky.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Playwright: </b>Jeremiah Miller</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Company</b>: <a href="http://www.funkylittletheater.org/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Funky Little Theatre Company</i></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Venue: <i> </i></b>Funky Little Theater, <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/2109+Templeton+Gap+Rd,+Colorado+Springs,+CO+80907/@38.8634598,-104.8124434,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x8713457cb39fed17:0xc8492cee41ca90a5!8m2!3d38.8634598!4d-104.8102547"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>2109 Templeton Gap</i></span></a>, Colorado Springs, Colorado.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Running time</b>: 2 hours, 30 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission).</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Date of Performance</b>: Friday, January 27, 2017 (World Premiere performance). </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Imagine that you, just like many police officers, are forced to wear a body camera. No problem, right? Except that you must wear it 24/7. It records everything you do, say, and think. The content is transferred regularly to a data center, where it is stored for later review. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This troubling premise is central to <i>[Record] [Transfer] [Erase]. </i>It is not science fiction; much of it is possible with existing technology. Colorado Springs native Jeremiah Miller creates a dark, disturbing <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dystopia"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>dystopian</i></span></a> future for <i>[Record] [Transfer] [Erase] </i>where our personal privacy is not even a distant memory. Privacy has been manipulated and virtually eliminated.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>[Record] [Transfer] [Delete] </i>is Miller’s first full length production, and it’s a dandy. A world where we no longer own our most intimate experiences is a very scary place. Miller gives his characters the “opportunity” to erase their bad experiences, creating a “happy” population through manipulation of memories. Other characters though are “reported” for some offense and forced to have their memory erased. What could possibly go wrong?</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Whether the timing is deliberate or a coincidence, <i>[Record] [Transfer] [Erase] </i>is a pertinent “Mayday” call. While our memories are not currently manipulated directly, “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fake_news"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>fake news</i></span></a>” and “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternative_facts"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>alternate facts</i></span></a>” have severely distorted our political reality. “Facts” have become disposable, truth is somehow debatable, and baseless, fact free opinions are now embraced as valid political argument. The difference between the deleted memories of <i>[Record] [Transfer] [Erase] </i>and the spread of “fake news” is one of degree, not kind.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Like most dystopian scripts, Miller’s story does not have a happy ending. Eliminating grief, guilt, and loss does not make one “happy.” Artificial “happiness” has some serious consequences; it’s the digital equivalent of a surgical <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobotomy"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>lobotomy</i></span></a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Miller wisely includes some valiant female resistance to memory tampering. Both Amelia (Dee Schnur) and E. Pierce (Joanne Koehler) endure immense personal sacrifice to oppose the <i>status quo</i>. Their noble efforts, of course, are futile.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This is Ms. Schnur’s first appearance on the Funky stage, and I can guarantee it won’t be her last. Schnur broods her way through the first act, trying to get her parents (Cara Marshall as Martha and Dan Burdan as Jeffrey) to delay and cancel her scheduled surgery. Schnur is at once vulnerable and rebellious, scheming to avoid any attack on her memories. Schnur’s character is not naive; she explores her sensitive side with Caroline (Chelsie Bennett). The two share precious memories that would never survive the law governing <i>[Record] [Transfer] [Erase]. </i>By the second act, her scheming turns into desperation, and Schnur sticks the landing. Amelia gets her way, but in an unspeakably barbaric manner. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Chelsie Bennett, on the other hand, is a <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2016/10/the-bold-young-and-murdered.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>veteran of the Funky stage</i></span></a>, and <i>[Record] [Transfer] [Erase] </i>may well be her best work there. Her chemistry with Schnur is palpable. The sparks fly when they embrace, and there’s no denying the passion between them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Joanne Koehler has only a few scenes, but she makes a powerful statement in the second act. Her call to arms is inspiring and revolutionary, and made poignant by Koehler’s sense that it will not end well for her. She delivers Miller’s message with clarity and passion, knowing that her principled resistance will ultimately fail.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Garrett McCormack plays the heavy here (Jack Davis, CEO of the company serving up manipulated memories), and he’s very good at being very bad. Nicole Goeke is pitch perfect as the smiling reporter who actually asks the hard questions. Steve Sladaritz is the doctor you never want to meet. Sladaritz has the smile of an angel and the ethics of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josef_Mengele"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Dr. Mengele</i></span></a>. Marshall and Burdan are every teen’s fantasy and fear: zombie parents.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I’ll get on my soapbox briefly; those who care not a whit about my personal opinions should skip the next paragraph. I won’t be offended.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Our understanding of “privacy” has undergone a dramatic if subtle change over the last few years. There are numerous reasons for that change (not all of which are mentioned here). <b>First</b>, for national security reasons, the federal government has engaged in <a href="https://fas.org/irp/offdocs/pclob-215.pdf"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>bulk collection of telephone and email records</i></span></a>. The impact on the privacy of these two means of communication has been substantial. <b>Second</b>, web based applications have been routinely compromised, exposing personal and financial data records of millions of innocent people. No effective remedy for these intrusions has been implemented. <b>Third</b>, for various but questionable reasons, millions of individuals have shared intimate photos and videos on social media platforms. The reaction to each of these three privacy changes has </span><span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;">not</span><span style="font-kerning: none;"> been outrage. Rather, it has been widely accepted that the government snoops on its citizens, that financial data will be stolen regularly by criminals, and that our freedoms allow us to transmit any personal violent or sexual content we please. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">In other words, “privacy” has not been taken away from us. We have given it away.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Off the soapbox for now, but my uneasiness at Miller’s premise is not that it is possible, but that it may be inevitable. Our disinterest in privacy issues may make [<i>Record] [Transfer] [Erase]</i> sadly prophetic.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Miller’s script could use some editing late in the second act; the climax is delayed by some loose ends that take too long to tie up. I struggled a bit with Miller’s (or possibly Funky’s) use of an already outdated technology to display memories in the future setting of [<i>Record] [Transfer] [Erase]. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">That said, though, [<i>Record] [Transfer] [Erase] </i>is a powerful first effort from Miller. Funky’s production is one of its best to date, with some sparkling touches added by Director Dylan McClintock. If you haven’t been to Funky before, it’s time you got there If you’re a Funky regular, [<i>Record] [Transfer] [Erase] </i>is your loyalty reward. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">It’s a short run (just 2 weekends), and the opening night house was packed. Get a ticket soon. [<i>Record] [Transfer] [Erase] </i>is a memory I won’t delete, and neither will you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>NOTES</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This show closes on February 4, 2017. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The subject matter is appropriate for teens and up. As Funky promises, though, [<i>Record] [Transfer] [Erase] </i>is not for the faint of heart. You’ve been warned.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Photo Credit: </b><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i><a href="http://www.funkylittletheater.org/">Funky Little Theater</a></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Tickets <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/o/funky-little-theater-company-3916663059?s=68701302"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><b>HERE</b></span></a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>CREATIVE TEAM</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Director: </b>Dylan McClintock</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Set Designer</b>: Chris Medina</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Costume Design: </b> Delaney Hallauer</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Original Music & Sound Design</b>: Chad Orr</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Choreography</b>: Breanna Skelton</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Lighting Design</b>: Dylan McClintock</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Stage Manager: </b>Justin Anderson</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Assistant Stage Managers:</b> Will Sobolik, Megan McManus</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>CAST</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Amelia: </b>Dee Schnur</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Martha: </b>Cara Marshall</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Jeffrey/Judge</b>: Dan Burdan</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Rebecca/Ellie</b>: Nicole Goeke</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>E. Pierce</b>: Joanne Koehler</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Caroline</b>: Chelsie Bennett</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Doctor Bryson/Detective</b>: Steve Sladaritz</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Jack Davis</b>: Garrett McCormack</span></div>
Bill Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094423709404416194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682761603405073318.post-61869190175564787142017-01-14T08:02:00.004-07:002017-01-14T08:02:52.755-07:00Remembering Murray...<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV6IfiPAU5wR7uJDem39TkRvqEu8lHDWKtRE3QczYzZzYfxqDSMh59f_eVcKA-Szih7-xTPoC9xY8_RuRwq1bmfG4nvLRw7GIaY5IjlwhQZTeE33K_B3KbMhQWDqsCz9ZahyFNqdL6w_59/s1600/Murray+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV6IfiPAU5wR7uJDem39TkRvqEu8lHDWKtRE3QczYzZzYfxqDSMh59f_eVcKA-Szih7-xTPoC9xY8_RuRwq1bmfG4nvLRw7GIaY5IjlwhQZTeE33K_B3KbMhQWDqsCz9ZahyFNqdL6w_59/s1600/Murray+1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Murray Ross, bigger than life, at the construction site of <a href="http://www.theatreworkscs.org/ent-center.html"><i>The Ent Center for the Arts</i></a>. March, 2016.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This is a huge loss for the Colorado Springs theater community. Murray Ross, Artistic Director at Theatreworks, was one of a kind. He built Theatreworks from the ground up, branding it with his personal passion, energy, and flair for innovation. He will be fondly remembered and sorely missed by all who knew him and his work.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I didn’t know Murray well; we never sat down and had a beer. I met him in person just once. Like most of us who follow live theater in Colorado Springs, I knew Murray best through his work. His impact has been both immense and unforgettable. The proof of his genius and his humanity came to me in two remarkable experiences, one onstage and one offstage.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">1. The first Theatreworks show I saw (on March 13, 2013) was <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2013/03/everyman-on-bus.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Everyman on the Bus</i></span></a>. My late wife Linda was a Henry Judge, and she was assigned to judge <i>Everyman</i> for the Colorado Theater Guild. Little did I know how transformative that show, and Director Murray Ross, would be for both of us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Everyman on the Bus</i> was not just one of the most creative and profound performances I have ever seen, although it certainly was that. It was also a perfectly timed message to my wife Linda and I about life and death. Linda had terminal breast cancer, and she would be gone just 60 days after <i>Everyman</i>. The play greatly affected both of us; it gave us context and strength for what we would endure in the following two months. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The music for Murray’s <i>Everyman</i> production included contemporary songs that spoke to life and death: <a href="https://youtu.be/cJpB_AEZf6U"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Knocking on Heaven’s Door</i></span></a> (Bob Dylan), <a href="https://youtu.be/avU2aarQUiU"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>That’s Life</i></span></a> (Frank Sinatra), and especially, <a href="https://youtu.be/Pxs_p1535WE"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Awake My Soul</i></span></a> (Mumford and Sons). Linda had a burning passion for theater. The <a href="https://play.google.com/music/preview/Tw7jb6m5w6dgkdw25hqxvjkio5y?lyrics=1&utm_source=google&utm_medium=search&utm_campaign=lyrics&pcampaignid=kp-lyrics"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>lyrics</i></span></a> for <i>Awake My Soul</i> gave her comfort in her last days, just as they now help us appreciate Murray’s life:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>In these bodies we will live, in these bodies we will die</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>Where you invest your love, you invest your life</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Murray invested his love, and his life, in his work. That investment has brought abundant rewards to all of us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">2. As many readers of this blog know, the constant travel and writing commitments for <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Theater Colorado</i></span></a> have grown substantially since it’s humble beginnings back in 2012. In <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2016/05/important-information-about-theater.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>May of 2016</i></span></a>, I announced that I would no longer be able to meet those commitments. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">When Murray Ross heard that <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Theater Colorado</i></span></a> was going away, he reached out to me via email. His message was a heartfelt thanks for all I had done, and a plea to continue writing for <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Theater Colorado</i></span></a>. Rather than covering <b>ALL</b> of Colorado, Murray suggested that I limit my writing to just the Colorado Springs area. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">As I mentioned above, I met Murray only once. It was on July 28, 2016, at Rock Ledge Ranch, just before the opening performance of <a href="http://www.csindy.com/coloradosprings/shakespeares-romantic-tragedy-heads-outdoors/Content?oid=3943136"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Antony and Cleopatra</i></span></a>. I saw him and his wife Betty, killing time before heading into the tent. I walked up and introduced myself and my wife Roxie. Murray was as gracious, as friendly, and as compelling as I expected. Of course, he reminded me that he wanted Theater Colorado to continue. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">If you’ve ever met Murray, you know how persuasive he can be. I thought long and hard about his message, and <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2016/08/sunset-colorado-springs.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>in August, 2016</i></span></a>, Theater Colorado became Theater Colorado Springs. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Without Murray’s thoughtful and unexpected intervention, Theater Colorado would have died and Theater Colorado Springs would never have been born. For that, I am very grateful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">We are all grieving this loss, but also celebrating his life. He made a difference in our lives. That’s an enormous accomplishment, and one that we can all aspire to achieve. So I’m sending my sincere condolences to Murray’s wife Betty, and to their families, friends, and many admirers. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Murray’s influence was much broader than just his family and friends, though. </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">So thanks, Murray, for all you have done.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">We will grieve for you, and we will celebrate your love, your friendship, and your many accomplishments.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">We are better people for having known you, and Colorado Springs is a better place for having had you and your gift of wonderful, inspiring theater.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>NOTES</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHh7y5C7NXRpWU3lxNma_ZXrY-imlj0y1N4gqU6mbWDDsTsnOApIJf2ns-sSRqhCKXomLvuyBAy4CrpNgRk1_GBBnvirSak1OgDtVwp4f6VCGOdMYVyA4TtfrI2NW8GE-6_VNjnEBOfAOt/s1600/murray-4360-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHh7y5C7NXRpWU3lxNma_ZXrY-imlj0y1N4gqU6mbWDDsTsnOApIJf2ns-sSRqhCKXomLvuyBAy4CrpNgRk1_GBBnvirSak1OgDtVwp4f6VCGOdMYVyA4TtfrI2NW8GE-6_VNjnEBOfAOt/s320/murray-4360-.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Theatreworks has scheduled <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/199003053903561/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>a celebration of Murray Ross’ life</i></span></a> for Thursday, January 19 at 5:30 PM. Parking is free in all campus lots for this event. Here's the campus map: <a href="http://tinyurl.com/zs9dhuk"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(54, 88, 153); color: #365899;"><i>http://tinyurl.com/zs9dhuk</i></span></a><i>.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">An endowment fund has been established in Murray Ross’ name. Donations can be made <a href="https://giving.cu.edu/fund/murray-ross-artists-endowment-fund"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>here</i></span></a>. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Murray appreciated my work for Theater Colorado/Theater Colorado Springs, even when I took issue with some of his work (see </span><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Ludlow, 1914</i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> and </span><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Antony & Cleopatra</i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">).</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">That’s class.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Since he had such an impact on me personally, I’m including the links below. </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> These posts document the last few years of Murray's extraordinary work. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">1. <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2013/03/everyman-on-bus.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Everyman on the Bus</i></span></a>. March 8, 2013.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">2. <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2014/03/venus-in-fur.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Venus in Fur</i></span></a>. March 23, 2014.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">3. <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2014/05/playwright-carlo-goldoni-company.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>The Servant of Two Masters</i></span></a>. May 1, 2014.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">4. <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2014/09/ludlow-1914.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Ludlow, 1914</i></span></a>. (Mr. Ross was the Dramaturg.) September 11, 2014.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">5. <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2015/03/playwright-samuel-beckett-venue-dusty.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Happy Days</i></span></a>. March 27, 2015.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">6. <a href="http://www.csindy.com/coloradosprings/review-theatreworks-the-liar/Content?oid=3037373"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>The Liar</i></span></a>. April, 2015.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">7. <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2015/08/a-midsummer-nights-dream.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>A Midsummer Night’s Dream</i></span></a>, August 13, 2015.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">8. <a href="http://www.csindy.com/coloradosprings/henrik-ibsens-ghosts-still-haunts-us-today/Content?oid=3430850"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Ghosts</i></span></a>. October, 2015.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">9. <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2016/05/girl-of-golden-west.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Girl of the Golden West</i></span></a>, May 3, 2016.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">10. <a href="http://www.csindy.com/coloradosprings/shakespeares-romantic-tragedy-heads-outdoors/Content?oid=3943136"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Antony and Cleaopatra</i></span></a>, July 28, 2016.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">11. <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2016/10/the-game-of-love-and-chance.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>The Game of Love and Chance</i></span></a>, October 23, 2016.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">12. <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2016/12/a-christmas-carol.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>A Christmas Carol,</i></span></a> December 3, 2016.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This show and this life closed on January 3, 2017. The standing ovation continues.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><b>Photo Credit: </b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/murray.ross.31"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Facebook/Murray Ross</i></span></a></span></div>
Bill Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094423709404416194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682761603405073318.post-84587713795319221132017-01-07T13:18:00.000-07:002017-01-07T13:18:58.224-07:00The Last 5 Years<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4LgTD_lfjyZ2ixoSqcUYLGBa0RBSZgVz-nhUX2lv-Ivk1m1Yh-grp09YTOPLitifnnXSGvX8ROEEfajvHrz0J3-q_dReKRjtbH9USQKc65ks7QwZz43Vh6ZpYbc04r_tk4RKh_bNy8g6h/s1600/5+years+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4LgTD_lfjyZ2ixoSqcUYLGBa0RBSZgVz-nhUX2lv-Ivk1m1Yh-grp09YTOPLitifnnXSGvX8ROEEfajvHrz0J3-q_dReKRjtbH9USQKc65ks7QwZz43Vh6ZpYbc04r_tk4RKh_bNy8g6h/s640/5+years+1.jpg" width="494" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Music/Lyrics/Book by: </b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Robert_Brown"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">Jason Robert Brown</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Company</b>: <a href="http://chameleonaande.com/contact-us.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">Chameleon Arts & Entertainment</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Venue: <i> </i></b>First United Methodist Church Theater, 420 North Nevada Avenue, Colorado Springs, Colorado.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Running time</b>: 1 hours, 30 minutes (no intermission).</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Date of Performance</b>: Friday, January 6, 2017. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">If you haven’t heard of <a href="http://chameleonaande.com/">Chameleon Arts & Entertainment</a>, you’re not alone. It’s a modeling and career enterprise that is now producing live theater. As far as I know, Jason Robert Brown’s <i>The Last 5 Years</i> is its first production. Brown’s two person musical is unquestionably an ambitious project for a first outing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Brown’s script is virtually all sung, with few spoken lines. That’s a challenge for the actors, both of whom have robust resumes. Malerie Jo (Catherine Hiatt) was superb on the First United Methodist Church stage as the lead in <a href="http://www.fumc-cs.org/drama/visual-arts"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">First Company’s</span></a> 2014 production of <a href="http://theatercolorado.blogspot.com/2014/11/thoroughly-modern-millie.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Thoroughly Modern Millie</i></span></a>. Nick Charles Madson (who, coincidentally, was also in the <i>Millie</i> cast with Malerie Jo) has been a regular at the <a href="http://thinairtheatre.com/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">Thin Air Theatre Company</span></a>, including a role as <a href="http://www.csindy.com/coloradosprings/pippin-hits-cripple-creek-jackpot-at-butte-theater/Content?oid=3897873"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">Charlemagne</span></a>. Jo and Madson are both talented, capable and engaging; a more qualified cast for a local production of <i>The Last 5 Years </i>would be difficult to find.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Brown tells a story that doesn’t have a happy ending. I’m not spoiling the plot by saying that it chronicles the end of Catherine and Jamie’s marriage; that much is disclosed in the program. It’s a fairly common plot; the lovers grow apart and are not up to the challenges of married life. Catherine and Jamie have a classic “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starter_marriage"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">starter marriage</span></a>,” a relationship that burns brightly before flaming out. Brown tells his story in chronological order (Jamie’s version) and in reverse chronological order (Catherine’s story). That’s a gimmick, but a useful one. The story we see is two people on totally different arcs, and the effect is that we know from the outset that the bond between them is doomed.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nick Charles Madson (Jamie) & Malerie<br />Jo (Catherine).</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Madson and Malerie Jo shine in their solos (their only duet is when they sing their wedding vows and kiss). Malerie Jo is particularly engaging singing at her kitchen sink in <i>A Part of That</i>. Madson mesmerizes in <a href="http://www.lyricsmania.com/the_schmuel_song_lyrics_last_five_years_the.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>The Schmuel Song</i></span></a>, perhaps the best song in the show. When Madson wraps it up with the words ‘Have I mentioned today how lucky I am to be in love with you?,” we know he means it, even though his love is not as enduring as he thinks.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Madson’s set design is both creative and functional, and the changing of set pieces between scenes was seamless. His direction is crisp, using the entire stage but in three sections, creating a sense of intimacy by lighting one third of the stage and darkening the rest. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Notwithstanding the talent and the energy of Chameleon’s cast, the opening night performance was somewhat rough around the edges. The musicians were seated onstage at house left. The lamp lighting the sheet music for the piano was a brilliant blue/white globe that, at times, overpowered the actor’s lighting, and at other times was simply distracting. A stage hand without lines appeared onstage during Catherine’s auditions; she also walked on and off stage once for no apparent reason. There were times when an actor was barely lit (save for the piano lighting). Malerie Jo’s opening number was intermittently overwhelmed by the musicians, making her lyrics difficult to discern. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Still, this is a commendable production of a rather bleak story. Seeing, hearing, and experiencing the loss of a lover is something most of us (sadly) can relate to. If you haven’t had a “starter marriage,” you’re lucky. For those of us who have, we know the love, the pain, and the loss on full display in <i>The Last 5 Years</i>. We also know that after it’s all over, we know ourselves much better, and we’re substantially wiser in our future relationships. Those are painful life lessons, but that pain is often essential to becoming a better person and a better partner.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>NOTES</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This show closes on January 15, 2017. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This show is suitable for all ages. However, the subject matter is probably more appropriate for teens and up.</span></div>
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Malerie Jo and Nick Charles Madson share only a single scene in <i>The Last 5 Years</i>. That’s a shame, as their chemistry is very real. They are engaged to each other. I’d love to see that chemistry in another production. Maybe <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grease_(musical)"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><i>Grease</i></span></a>? Or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Phantom_of_the_Opera_(1986_musical)"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><i>Phantom of the Opera</i></span></a>? Perhaps <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Side_Story"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><i>West Side Story</i></span></a>? Malerie and Madson, live and in love onstage and off. I’d definitely see them in any of those shows…and I’d buy tickets for every performance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Photo Credit: </b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/ChameleonAandE/photos/?ref=page_internal"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">Chameleon Arts & Entertainment</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Tickets <a href="https://www.showtix4u.com/boxoffice.php"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><b>HERE</b></span></a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>CREATIVE TEAM</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Director/Set Design: </b>Nick Charles Madson</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Music Direction</b>: Jana Lee Ross</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Costume Design: </b>Malerie Jo</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Lighting Design</b>: Tristan Hilleary</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Stage Crew: </b>Osiana Bodine, Olivia Snively-Gonzalez</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Stage Manager: </b>Katie Snively-Gonzalez</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>CAST</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Catherine Hiatt: </b>Malerie Jo Bycura</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Jamie Wallerstein: </b>Nick Charles Madson</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><b>MUSICIANS</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Piano: </b>Jana Lee Ross</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Violin: </b>Elizabeth Kahn-Lanning</span></div>
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<b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Cello: </b><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Elise White</span></div>
Bill Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094423709404416194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682761603405073318.post-53486408440943411202017-01-04T07:52:00.000-07:002017-01-04T07:52:35.305-07:00MURRAY ROSS...1942-2017.<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>For those who may not have heard this sad news, I have copied below the message I received late yesterday from Drew Martorella, Executive Director, UCCS Presents:</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: 11pt;"><b>Dear Friends,</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: 11pt;"><b>It is with the most profound sadness that I must share the news that my inestimable friend and colleague Murray Ross passed away on January 3, 2017 with his wife, sisters, sons and his dog Toby by his side. </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: 11pt;"><b>In his own words (which appeared as the last line of his directing bios for years), he was married to the painter Elizabeth Ross, was the father of four splendid sons (two acquired , two sired), and was regularly walked by his dog, Toby.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: 11pt;"><b>Murray was an artist of the highest regard, an extraordinary academic, and a bold leader in the arts. In his 42 years at UCCS, he made wonderful and seemingly impossible things happen—he built a professional theatre company, he produced classic and contemporary plays in classrooms, buses, warehouses, basements, and, of course, the Dusty Loo Bon Vivant Theater, and he put true beauty and goodness out into this world. </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: 11pt;"><b>He worked with thousands of students, artists, actors, and staff and without a doubt left an impression on each. If you were lucky enough to be among those thousands, you know that he was wickedly funny, tremendously smart, a bit of an anarchist, a dreamer, a daydreamer, and a great lover of life. Good wine, great art, dinners around his ancient kitchen table, adventures (on stage and off), storytelling (on stage and off) and spirited debate filled his life. </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: 11pt;"><b>If he is to be measured by the company he kept, he stands tall. With the lifelong friends he met in college, he helped dismantle systems of segregation; with his wife, Betty, he founded THEATREWORKS and they produced over 100 shows together; and with the support of great artists and patrons he, in no small part, made it possible for UCCS to build the Ent Center for the Arts.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: 11pt;"><b>I have known and worked with Murray for over twenty years. And while I was the Executive Director of THEATREWORKS we were essential to each other. We were best friends. And I already miss him terribly.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: 11pt;"><b>Once more, to quote Murray, “In play we are free, and we are human, and in the theatre we are free and human together. We wish you joy.” I share his wish for joy for you all.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: 11pt;"><b>We are determined to build on what he started. We will continue to make magic in improbable places, spread joy, celebrate the greatest plays ever written, and try our hand at a few new ones as well. I know we will do all of these things and have a very good time along the way. It’s just what Murray would have wanted.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: 11pt;"><b>Notes may be sent to the family in care of the Office of the Chancellor, 401 Main Hall. At the request of the family, donations can be made to the Murray Ross Artists Endowment Fund with the CU Foundation.<a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?THEATREWORKS/df43545ee6/9f24d2186f/3cc3e889eb/cfpage=project&project_id=14067"> Click here to go to the CU Foundation page to give your gift.</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: 11pt;"><b>Drew Martorella</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Words fail me, but Drew's eloquent tribute to Murray captures both his strength and his spirit. This loss came much too soon; Murray's work was not finished. He was a major force bringing the new <a href="http://www.theatreworkscs.org/ent-center.html">Ent Center for the Arts</a> to life. It will house Theatreworks' new home in a black box space and carry the name "Dusty Loo Bon Vivant Theatre."</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">When I first walk into that theater next year, I will know it as the <b>Murray Ross Theatre</b>. He dreamed it. He built it. And his spirit will always inhabit that space.</span><br />
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Bill Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094423709404416194noreply@blogger.com0