The Twilight Zone

Source Material:  Rod Serling, The Twilight Zone television show.

Company:  The Theatre Company of Lafayette

Venue:  Mary Miller Theatre, 300 East Simpson Street, Lafayette CO.

Running Time:  2 hours 15 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission) 

Dates of Performance:  Sunday, November 31, 2015.

I’m old enough to remember when TV shows came in just two colors:  black and white.  Well, that’s not entirely true.  Those shows included every shade of gray found in the black to white spectrum.  Still, we just call that black and white. (See notes below for a soapbox statement on “black and white.”) 

For me, as for many of my generation, the best of those black and white shows was The Twilight Zone.  It was a weekly escape from reality.  You entered another dimension for 30 minutes.  I can still see (and hear) writer Rod Serling speak these words while creepy music played in the background:

"There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. 

It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. 

It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. 

This is the dimension of imagination. 

It is an area which we call the Twilight Zone."  Show opening, Season 1.

And thus began our weekly excursion into fantasy, horror, and suspense.  Most of the episodes were written by Rod Serling, who also hosted the program.  Not only was he a gifted writer, but he had a dramatic way of narrating his work.  He opened the show, and he closed the show, making sure that from start to finish you always knew you were in The Twilight Zone.

Theatre Company of Lafayette (TCL) is now doing its 10th revival of the classic TV show, recreating 3 episodes (Walking Distance, Rip Van Winkle Caper, and The Lateness of the Hour) and sprinkling in some ancient commercials for fun.  Of course, there are appearances of the man, Rod Serling (Ian Gerber) to crank up the mood meter.  The Twilight Zone is one of the most popular shows on the TCL stage, selling out nearly every seat for the last nine revivals.  The Twilight Zone number 10 is continuing that trend.

Ian Gerber as Rod Serling.

Mr. Gerber has an uncanny physical resemblance to Rod Serling, and he can faithfully mimic Serling’s speech style.  It’s actually kind of bizarre to watch him.  He’s so close to the real Rod Serling that I started having flashbacks to the flickering black and white TV in my childhood living room.  I could see the screen, the channel dial, the big wood cabinet, and volume knob.  Gerber is exactly how I remembered Serling, and TCL took me back to the unmissable weekly viewing when The Twilight Zone lit up that small room.  So to you, Mr. Gerber, and to TCL, I say…thanks for the memories.

Each of the three episodes for this 10th revival is uniquely Serling at his best.  By that I mean that I can’t give you much information about the plot without spoiling the show.  Here’s the best, if brief, description I can give:

Walking Distance

Martin Sloan is a 36 year old advertising executive who, while driving in the countryside, stops at a gas station within “walking distance” of his boyhood home.  It appears exactly as he remembers it.  It seems unchanged by the passage of time.

The Rip Van Winkle Caper

The perfect crime.  Steal a million dollars worth of gold and disappear.  But how, you ask?  It’s not that difficult if you’re willing to spend some time in a suspended animation chamber.

The Lateness of the Hour

If you could staff your home with robots for all your daily chores, would that be utopian or dystopian?  The answer depends on your point of view, and how sure you are of your own past.

As you watch these three short stories unravel on the TCL stage, you will cross over into The Twilight Zone.  You will travel back in time, to when TV was monochrome, programming was on the network’s schedule, and things were much simpler.  When you walk into the Mary Miller theater, you will discover that you just crossed over into the TCL Zone, a place where time travel (backwards, at least) is possible.

There are a lot of things to love in The Twilight Zone, too many, frankly, to bring up in this post.  Here are a few though:

Set design for suspension chambers.  Howard Smith.

Howard Smith’s set design.  Between the four suspended animation chambers (The Rip Van Winkle Caper), the soda shop (Walking Distance), and the upscale home of Dr. & Mrs. Loren (The Lateness of the Hour), Mr. Smith has delivered impressive, creative, and functional sets for a wide variety of situations.

Renee Malis (right), Madge Montgomery &Ana Mihaela Lucaci

Renee Malis as Jana (The Lateness of the Hour).  Ms. Malis is striking as the rebellious daughter who confronts her parents, only to discover that she is part of the problem, not the solution.  Malis takes her emotions through a roller coaster ride that few of us could endure.

The Hunks.

Byron Thompson, Don Thumim, Matthew Barham, collectively known as the “hunks.”  Thompson, Thumim, and Barham make the Noxema commercial the comedy highlight of the entire performance.  Not to be missed.

Don Thumim.  Yes.  He’s a hunk.  But I’m not sure I want to have a beer with him at an Italian restaurant.  Alka Seltzer commercial.

Judy Carlson.  She’s the Fig.  In a fig costume.  What more can you ask of an actor?

Judy Carlson, the Fig.  With her Newtons.

Aidan Stockrider.  The youngest guy on the stage, but a BIG stage presence.  He hit his marks, knew his lines, and charmed the audience.

Ian Gerber.  Rod Serling reincarnated and much more.  He also directed Walking Distance.  It’s a complicated piece with a big cast.  It worked well.

Aidan Stockrider, David Billey

Kirsten Jorgensen Smith.  Ms. Smith directed The Rip Van Winkle Caper, and adapted it from the original.  She replaced the male scientist with female actor (Sage Miller).  It worked.  It also put a different spin on the story, as the mastermind criminal was a woman with a staff of 3 male bad guys.

Vonalda Utterback.  Ms. Utterback directed The Lateness of the Hour, which has the special challenge of actors portraying robots.  Utterback coached the cast to drop their humanity and to act mechanical.  It worked.  Well.    

I could go on (apologies to all who I didn't mention), but I think I’ve made the point.  The Twilight Zone is great entertainment, due in no small part to the genius of the source material.  But having inspired source material isn’t enough.  That source material has to be executed with the respect and the quality it deserves.  TCL has done exactly that, making The Twilight Zone a worthy (and very worthwhile) tribute to Rod Serling and his work.

NOTES:

The Twilight Zone is appropriate for all audiences.  There is no parking lot at the Mary Miller Theater, but there is ample free parking in the neighborhood.

Soapbox:  Black and White & Early Television

I mentioned above that “black and white” TV actually includes a broad spectrum of greys (or grays, if you prefer).  I mentioned this because for those of us who remember those days, and those shows, we know that without the gray areas the shows would have been virtually unwatchable.  There is always a a broad range of gray between black and white.

My point is political, so if you’re not interested, read no further.  For all the benefits of Color TV (and they are many), and HD TV, and cable/satellite/streaming TV, we seem to have lost sight of the “gray areas.”  That range between the extremes of black and white.  It impairs us; we are only able to see, and speak, in absolute terms.  Right and wrong.  Left and right.  Red and blue.  Good and evil.

So consider this my quaint flashback to a simpler time when we HAD to see the “gray area.”  It fills in the critical details.  It gives the scene texture.  It provides nuance.  Perhaps we could benefit from remembering that red contains some rose, and that blue contains some cyan.  There are many parts to the spectrum between the extremes.

End of soapbox.

Lighting Designer Brian Miller always does a fine job with the lights, but for this performance he went above and beyond.  There was a light that didn't function properly early in the performance.  Brian gamely showed up at intermission on a Sunday afternoon and fixed the problem before Act 2 began.  Now that's a lighting guy who brightens up everyone's day.

The Twilight Zone was nearly sold out at the performance I saw.  As tickets are only $10 on Thursdays, they are hard to get.  Thursday, November 12 appears to still have seats available.  Link above for ticketing...but don't wait too long.

This show closes on November 14, 2015.

PHOTO CREDITS:  The Theatre Company of Lafayette and Brian Miller.

TICKETS HERE:  

Pre/Post Show Dining Suggestion

We met friends for brunch at Pinocchio’s Italian Eatery at 211 N. Public Road in Lafayette.   They serve breakfast on weekends, 9:00 AM to noon on Saturday and 9:00 AM-1:00 PM on Sunday.  It’s a fairly standard breakfast menu, well prepared and served promptly and with a smile.  

Ironically, we had planned to do brunch at The Post Brewing Company, which is nearby.  Unfortunately, it’s a very popular spot, and we couldn’t get a reservation.  My advice:  if you’re unwilling or unable to wait your turn at The Post, try Pinochhio’s.  You’ll be glad you did.  With good food at reasonable prices, no waiting, and an environment quiet enough for conversation, we’re glad The Post was booked.  We had a leisurely breakfast and great conversation with friends at Pinocchio’s.

If you’re looking for good spaghetti with spicy meatballs, Mr. Thumim…well, you know where to go...Pinocchio's!  All you can eat spaghetti every Thursday for just $8.99.

CREATIVE TEAM:

Production Concept:  Madge Montgomery

Set Design and construction:  Howard Smith

Scenic design and painting:  Sarah Spencer

Costume Design:  Kim DeJager.  

Costume Assistant:  Karen Jones

Sound Design:  Madge Montgomery

Lighting Design:  Brian Miller

CASTS:

Rod Serling:  Ian Gerber

Fig Newton Commercial

Director Don Thumim

Fig: Judy Carlson

Newtons: Hannah Richards and Renee Malis

Walking Distance:  

Written by:  Rod Serling, televised 1959

Directed and adapted by: Ian Gerber

Martin Sloan:  Dave Bliley

Soda jerk, Martin's Mother:  Wendy Fulton-Adams

Young Woman, Soda Jerk: Heather Frost

Billy:  Don Thumim

Mr. Wilson, Martin's Father:  Arnie Follendorf

Station Attendant, Billy's mom:  Judy Carlson

Wilcox Boy, Young Martin:  Aidan Stockrider

Alka Seltzer Commercial (Spicy Meatballs)

Adapted/Directed by: Madge Montgomery

Husband:  Don Thumim

Wife  Carol Long

Director:  Susanne Newswadi

Production Assistant:  Hannah Richards

Announcer:  Vonalda Utterback

Rip Van Winkle Caper

Written by:  Rod Serling, televised in 1961

Adapted/Directed by: Kirsten Jorgensen Smith

Professor Farwell:  Sage Miller

De Cruz: Bill Graham

Erby/Thierry: Byron Thompson

Brooks/George:  David Bliley

Noxema Commercial (Take it Off)

Reimagined by: Madge Montgomery, Ammon Swofford and the company. 

Directed by:  Madge Montgomery

Ladies:  Hope Weiss, Susanne Neswadi, Hannah Richards

Hunks:  Byron Thompson, Don Thumim, Matthew Barham

Rod:  Ian Gerber

The Lateness of the Hour

Written by:  Rod Serling, televised in 1960.

Adapted/Directed by: Vonalda Utterback

Dr. Loren:  Arnie Follendorf

Mrs. Loren:  Madge Montgomery

Jana:  Renee Malis

Robert, the butler:  Matthew Barham

Nelda, the maid:  Ana Mihaela Lucaci

Jensen, the handyman:  Don Thumim

Tribes

Playwright: Nina Raine

Company:  The Theatre Company at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.

Venue:  Ricketson Theatre, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, 14th and Curtis Street, Denver CO.

Running Time:  2 hours 15 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission) 

Dates of Performance:  Saturday, October 31, 2015.

Front:  Harriet, Ozzie.  Back:  Ricky, David.

I remember growing up with some TV families.  Ozzie and Harriet, in particular, stood out.  They were a perfect family; Ozzie was the perfect father, Harriet the perfect mother.  Their boys, Ricky and David, were role models for my teenage years.  It turned out that the reality was nothing like the TV show.  It also turns out that life is nothing like we see on TV.

Life is actually a lot more like playwright Nina Raines' British family in Tribes.  In other words, totally dysfunctional  And seriously, who among us couldn’t write our own scripts about our family dysfunctions?  Tribes, however, has a special (maybe even better?) kind of dysfunction.  The politically incorrect, self absorbed family members can’t communicate with each other.  They wallow in their own self pity while cruelly insulting each other’s failures.  

Christopher (Stephen Paul Johnson) and Beth (Kathleen McCall) have three children, including Billy (Tad Cooley).  Billy is deaf.  He doesn’t sign; he reads lips.  Even so, the family barely bothers to speak to him.

Raines adds a deaf component to an already toxic family dynamic.  By doing so, she demonstrates how far beyond repair our social skills have become in our most important relationships.  One can’t help but wonder how people who are unable to relate to their own parents or siblings can possibly succeed with anyone else.  Raines doesn’t really answer that question, but just posing it makes a powerful point.

Tad Cooley as Billy.

Director Stephen Weitz starts here with a stellar cast, including Cooley as the deaf and disconnected son.  His bio in the program doesn’t indicate whether he really is deaf, but if he’s not, you would never know it from his performance.  He’s completely convincing whether he’s lip reading or, after being introduced to the deaf community, using American Sign Language (ASL).  Cooley has a critical scene in which he demands that his family learn ASL.  He’s not just fluent in ASL in that critical scene, but his signs brilliantly convey his anger and passion.  Cooley’s performance in that scene destroys his family’s objection to ASL:  it can’t be a real language without words.  Of course they’re wrong; ASL can and does convey the intangible, the poetic, and the entire range of emotions, as Cooley dramatically proves.  

Projection/Translation.  Tad Cooley and Andrew Pastides.

Weitz has incorporated an interesting array of audio-visual effects to make Tribes work for all.  There are opera type projections (designed by Charlie I. Miller) that accompany ASL interactions, giving the hearing audience a means to understand the ASL.  However, it quickly becomes apparent that the words are somewhat empty without the signs.  One must see the ASL speaker to understand the urgency (or lack thereof) and the emotions being conveyed.  

Perhaps the most striking visual Weitz uses is a musical one.  Billy’s love interest, Sylvia (Kate Finch) sits down at the piano and starts playing.  Charles I. Miller's mesmerizing projection interprets the notes in colors and shapes.  It’s a stunningly beautiful visual representation of what we are hearing.

L-R:  Andrew Pastides (Daniel), Tad Cooley (Billy), Kate Finch (Sylvia).

Finch, for her part, is just as gifted as Cooley at portraying a deaf character.  In Sylvia’s case, she is losing her hearing gradually.  She has learned ASL, and she introduces Billy to ASL and to the ASL deaf community.  We never question why Billy falls for Sylvia. Finch plays her as a smart, beautiful, and a strong advocate for Billy in his broken family dynamics.  Like Cooley, there is no mention of deafness in her bio.  And like Cooley, it doesn’t much matter, since she’s a brilliant actress who can quickly convince an audience that she is deaf.

Kathleen McCall (Beth) & S P Johnson (Christopher).

The rest of the cast is talented as well.  Stephen Paul Johnson plays Christopher, Billy’s father and resident curmudgeon.  He’s an odious provocateur, more interested in conflict than solutions.  Johnson has a twinkle in his eye; he obviously enjoys starting trouble.  Billy’s sister Ruth (Isabel Ellison) is lost in life and drifting; Ellison carefully skillfully sketches out the agony of an adult child who moves back home.  Daniel (Andrew Pastides) is Billy’s slacker/writer/loser brother, and Pastides brings all the necessary angst to his role.  Were it not for sharing the stage with Johnson, he would surely be the least likable character in Raine’s script.  Kathleen McCall (Beth) rounds out the script as Billy’s mild mannered, hand wringing mother/aspiring writer.  

Lisa Orzolek’s set design is stunning in its detail; the family home is littered with books, magazines, and a working tea kettle.  I was sitting close enough to the stage to notice that when Ruth was ironing sheets (a sure sign this is a British family), the iron wasn’t plugged in.  The script apparently called for Ruth to plug it in, and she did.  It was then that I noticed that the cord had a UK style plug.  It’s a small detail that few would notice, but it speaks volumes about Orzolek’s attention to details.

Raine’s script is ambitious; telling a story about the conflicts in both the small family unit and the larger deaf community is a tall order.  Both themes would easily support their own full length script.  She succeeds in demonstrating how our “tribes” are often in conflict with each other, and that sometimes we have tribes within our tribes.  I did find Billy’s transition from lip reader to ASL fluency to be rather abrupt, as does the reconciliation in the final scene.  Quibbles aside, though, Tribes is an powerful, engaging theater done by a high powered cast and crew.

Colorado audiences are familiar with Raine’s subject matter, thanks to several local companies (Rocky Mountain Deaf Theatre, PHAMALY, and Dragon Theatre) that deal regularly and directly with issues of different abilities.  The Theatre Company at the Denver Center is arguably the biggest player in the Colorado theater, and they are proud that their shows are “as diverse as the community we perform for.”  

It’s true.  Their shows are as diverse as the community, and they should be proud. Tribes may not sell as many tickets as The Lion King, but Colorado is a better place because organizations like The Theatre Company include everyone in their mission and their productions.

NOTES:

The Tribes script is peppered with profanities and probably not appropriate for young children.  Park at the adjacent DCPA parking structure ($12.00).  Metered street parking is sparse.  

Closed Captioning devices are available for those with hearing impairments.  The new devices  feature an adjustable seat mount, enabling users to enjoy private captioning from any seat. Devices must be reserved by emailing 48 hours in advance (CKrueger@dcpa.org).

This show closes on November 15, 2015.

PHOTO CREDITS:  The Theatre Company at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.  Ozzie and Harriet:  TVSeriesFinale.com.

TICKETS HERE:  

Pre/Post Show Dining Suggestion

It was Halloween, so there were a LOT of people downtown the night we saw Tribes.  We only had about 45 minutes to eat and get to our seats, so we walked the two blocks to the Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery at 1001 16th Street.  It was crowded, but we got seated quickly at the Back Bar.  Just to make sure we didn’t get delayed by a bottleneck in the kitchen, we just ordered an appetizer to split (steak BLT sliders, $6.95 for two, four for $12.50) and a dessert (salted carmel toffee in a Mason jar, $6.95).  Oh.  And beers.  

The order was delivered quickly, and we had no problem getting back to the DCPA in plenty of time for Tribes.  The sliders were delicious (but small), the guilty pleasure dessert was fantastic.  Rock Bottom will be definitely be on our radar for food and beer when we’re back in the neighborhood.

CREATIVE TEAM:

Director:  Stephen Weitz

Scenic Design:  Lisa Orzolek

Lighting Design:  Shannon McKinney

Sound Design:  Craig Breitenbach

Projection Design:  Charlie I. Miller

Associate Projection Designer:  Topher Blair

Dramaturgy:  Heidi Schmidt

Voice/Dialect Coaching:  Kathryn G. Maes Ph. D.

Director of Production:  Jeff Gifford

Costume Design:  Meghan Anderson Doyle

Deaf Accessibility Consultants:  Hands On Productions, LLC.

Stage Manager: Rachel Ducat

CAST:

Christopher:  Stephen Paul Johnson

Beth:  Kathleen McCall

Ruth:  Isabel Ellison

Daniel:  Andrew Pastides

Billy:  Tad Cooley

Sylvia:  Kate Finch

The Compleat Works of Wllm Shkspr (Abridged) (Revised)

Playwrights: Adam Long, Daniel Singer, Jess Winger

Company:  Black Box Theatre Company

Venue:  Black Box Theatre, 1367 Pecan Street, Colorado Springs CO.

Running Time:  2 hours 15 minutes ( female cast, includes 15 minute intermission); 2 hours (male cast; includes 15 minute intermission).

Dates of Performance:  Thursday, October 29 and Friday, October 30, 2015.

If “brevity is the soul of wit,” then condensing all of Shakespeare’s 37 plays into two hours and fifteen minutes should create a cornucopia of highly compressed wit.  And it does.  I can assure you that The Compleat Works of Wllm Skspr (Abridged) (Revised) (hereafter CWWS) is wit gone wild.  It’s not just witty.  It’s laugh out loud funny, it’s intense, and despite the sanctity of the source material, it’s respectfully irreverent.  Rolling up all of Shakespeare’s work into a single performance is the very definition of ‘brevity,” and Black Box delivers abundant wit and some wisdom in the process.

“Complete” (or “Compleat”) might not be the most accurate description, but “Abridged and Revised” definitely apply to Black Box’s current production.  You will see a LOT of Shakespeare, abridged, and especially revised.  But be forewarned; this is not a passive experience.  CWWS includes a fair amount of improv moments, and the audience is always in on the fun.  

Black Box is a bit outside of "the box” on this one, bringing not one, but two completely different casts to their stage in a single production.  Producer/Director Nancy Holaday gives us an all female cast and an all male cast, taking turns and alternating the performances.  Ironically, the casting here is a bit of a throwback to Shakespeare’s time, when only males were permitted to be performers (one of those ideas whose time has, fortunately, come and gone).  Holaday's version puts both the men and the women in drag.  The results are striking; both the male and the female casts make for fetching members of the opposite sex.  The real payoff, however, is that the men and the women have somewhat different interpretations of the script.  

Jenny Maloney.

Holaday has assembled two very capable casts.  Local stage veteran Jenny Maloney anchors the female cast, and her experience shows.  She orchestrates the ladies through numerous costume changes and multiple props without skipping a beat.  Megan Rieger brings some scholarly gravitas to the troupe as the “preeminent” Shakespeare scholar.  Katie Harmon is a master of overacting (in a good way); she makes scene stealing a high art.  Conveniently, she also looks great with as a guy.

Megan Rieger.

Jim Sharp is a smooth operator, quarterbacking the guys through their persistent mischief.  Dan Kifer and Dana Kjeldsen give him all he can handle.  Kjeldsen is the serial cross dresser in the male cast, and he reminds us how women were portrayed by male actors in Shakespeare’s day.  To his everlasting credit, Kjeldsen makes the women in the all male cast come alive.

Dan Kifer (L); Jim Sharp (R).

I mentioned that “revised” is part of the title.  Consider that truth in advertising, and fair warning that the authors have taken some liberties with their source material.  How about Othello…done as a rap song?  Or Titus Andronicus done as a “Gory Gourmet” cooking show?  And that’s just Act 1.  Act 2 is an extended mashup of Hamlet, and includes a skull that will bounce like a basketball when dropped or thrown.  

Dana Kjeldsen.

There’s some serious spin on the original work, all done with a spoonful of respect for the source material.  But fear not, theater lovers; you will not have to suffer the “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” at CWWS.  Rather, you will have good fortune and a very good time.  

If you are wondering whether you should see the men or the women at CWWS, I’m not going to go there.  Sorry.  No matter which cast you see, you will be amused, entertained, and glad you didn’t miss this one.  This is a Black Box comedy hit, no matter which cast is on the stage.  Whether you are a member of Shakespeare’s official fan club, whether you have no idea what iambic pentameter is, or whether you think the Bard was a  pretentious highly overrated snob, you’ll love CWWS.  

NOTES:

This show is appropriate for all ages, but young children (and perhaps some adults) may not have enough experience with Shakespeare to appreciate the humor.  There is ample free parking at the theater and on surrounding streets. 

This show closes on November 14, 2015.

PHOTO CREDITS:  Black Box Theatre Company/Chris Kjeldsen Fine Art Photography.

TICKETS HERE:  

Pre/Post Show Dining Suggestion

Colorado Mountain Brewery at 600 S. 21st Street is close (less than a 5 minute drive to/from the theater), and it’s fun.  It’s a classic Colorado Springs location; it was the Roundhouse for local train traffic before it became the Van Briggle Pottery store.  Now the site of an upscale brewpub, the menu is varied menu and includes their own craft beers.  I had the Old 59er Amber, which was very good (and not too hoppy).  Roxie prefers the dark brews, and had the Monumental Stout.  

The Pretzel and Beer appetizer had a pleasant surprise; one of the two giant pretzels is stuffed with melted cheese.  Highly recommended.  The food menu is typical brew pub stuff, but it includes pizza.  The crust is somewhere between thick and thin, which for us was just about right.  They are generous with toppings, and it turned out to be a tasty pre show dinner.

CREATIVE TEAM:

Producer/Director:  Nancy Holaday

Scenic Design:  Alex & Kitty Robbins

Lighting/Sound Design:  Evan Danforth

Sword Master:  Steve Perkins

Costume Design:  Elizabeth Boucher and the BBT Costume Shop

Stage Manager: Kylie Hartnett

CAST (Women):

Jenny Maloney

Megan Rieger

Katie Harmon

CAST (Men):

Jim Sharp

Dan Kifer

Dana Kjeldsn