The Old Creamery is holding auditions on February 25th and 26th to fill paid roles in its 2012 season.
The Old Creamery is looking for both Equity and non-Equity performers, both men and women, as well as a young man aged 12-14 to play Billy in On Golden Pond.
Intern opportunities are also available, typically working with Theatre for Young Audiences or Summer Theatre camps.
Interested actors should prepare two short contrasting monologues, 1 minute max, one of which should be a contemporary comic piece. Singers should also prepare 16-32 bars of at least one song to be sung a capella or with recorded accompaniment (no accompanist will be available). All performers should bring current pictures and resumes.
The auditions will be held at The Old Creamery Theatre, 39 38th Ave. Amana, IA 52203. Times are 1-5pm on Saturday the 25th, 2-5pm on Sunday the 26th. Call the Old Creamery at 319.622.6034 to make an appointment.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Old Creamery Theatre 2012 Company Auditions
Monday, January 30, 2012
Men Misbehaving Opens Feb 3
3 Brothers - 3 Brothers Theatre are letting their inner bad boys out with Men Misbehaving, beginning Friday at 7:30pm at the Paul Engle Center for Neighborhood Arts in Cedar Rapids.
Men Misbehaving is, according to 3 Brothers artistic director Josh Beadle, "rude, crude, crass, and not for the faint of heart. No subject is taboo for these guys. An entire show of dudes letting loose and letting people have it. But just so you don't get the wrong impression, no matter how much these men misbehave, they get their due!"
Rick Adams, Nick Ostrem, Justin Mangrich, and Sean Curphey will perform. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased by calling 319.621.0024 or e-mailing 3brotherstheatre@gmail.com.
Men Misbehaving opens in Cedar Rapids for the first weekend, then moves to Iowa City (at Public Space one) for the weekend of February 10-12. Showtimes are 7:30pm Fridays and Saturdays, 2pm Sundays.
Murder Rides Again Opens February 3
Old Creamery - Saddle up and ride out to the Ox Yoke Inn this weekend to see Murder Rides Again, Old Creamery's wild-west murder mystery dinner.
Murder Rides Again features Ian Zahren, Sean McCall, Amber Snyder, Deborah Kennedy, Nicholas Hodge and Jackie McCall. It is written by James Daab.
Show dates are Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays Feb. 3 through 19; Tuesday, Feb. 14; Saturday, Feb. 25 and Saturday, March 3. All shows begin at 6 p.m. with seating opening at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $45 including dinner and show. Call the Ox Yoke Inn for reservations at 800-233-3441.
Murder Rides Again is sponsored by City Revealed Dining Guide.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Earnest Is Seriously Funny
by James E. Trainor III
TCR - Jack and Algernon are two friends who are quickly learning that they have more in common than they suspected. Jack has slipped up and allowed Algernon to discover his imaginary brother Earnest, whom he uses as an excuse to go to the city whenever he likes. Algernon has decided to reveal to Jack the secret of his fictional friend Bunbury, whom he uses as a pretext to visit the country on a moment's notice. Thess little secrets would probably remain between the two men if matters of the heart weren't complicating things: Jack is attempting to court Algernon's cousin Gwendolen in the city, and Algernon visits the country in order to woo Jack's ward Cecily.
It is with this cleverly convoluted setup that Oscar Wilde begins his most successful play — a witty, biting portrayal of late Victorian society entitled The Importance of Being Earnest. TCR's production opened last night, under the direction of Leslie Charipar.
The text is full of the clever one-liners for which Wilde is known, but at the same it is paced quite well and plotted precisely. In order to manage their marriages, Jack and Algernon must not only clear up the issue of their false identities, but they must also contend with Lady Bracknell, the draconian guardian of Victorian mores. Bracknell is a wonderful creation: sharp-tongued, cynical, and maddeningly rational in defense of her irrational ideals. As a piece of satire, she hits the nail on the head and is instantly familiar. "She is a monster, without being a myth, which is rather unfair,' says Jack.
Bracknell's rigid social rules are ridiculous: invalids must hurry up and decide whether or not they're going to die, an orphan can be excused losing one parent but certainly not two, and marriage is far too important an institution to be left up to the two young people involved in it.
The principals inhabit this world of hypocrisy and cynicism as well. Jack and Algernon are excessively genial until they start courting each others' family members, and Cecily and Gwendelon express boundless affection for each other, while they sublimate their rage into a bitter dispute over the tea setting. It is all done in a style of high farce that is great fun.
Charipar understands the vicious social environment of the play quite well, and her casting and staging underline the power struggles and create tension, energy, and a lot of laughter. Scott Olinger's set is open, airy, and picturesque. It's very effective, though the change from city to country does seem to go on a bit. Joni Sackett's costumes and Derek Easton's lighting create a pleasant, sophisticated environment for these entertaining but ultimately petty characters. Care is taken to create a physical world for the actors to bring to life. One image near the end stands out as an example of this unity of elements: Jack, who is preparing to out Algernon, turns from the window, trots smugly down the stairs, dapper in his white coat and tails, and reveals the worst of Algernon's ghastly behavior: he ate all the muffins.
It is satire at its best -- sharply critical and gleefully unapologetic -- and the company delivers it well. Aaron Murphy plays Algernon with wit and ease; he seems perfectly at home in the altogether silly world he inhabits. Alex Williams plays Jack with desperate energy, driving home the scenework with powerful but precise strokes. The two work well together, and the scenes in which they spar are as delightful as the scenes in which they frantically work together.
Hannah Spina is simply adorable as Cecily. Her character is ludicrously childish and vain, filled to the brim with youthful vigor. The way she interacts with Miss Prism is priceless. The way she runs Algie in circles and cautiously sizes up Gwendolen shows a range of skill. She is able to turn on a dime, and never afraid to commit herself fully to a bit. Comic acting of this caliber is always a joy to watch.
Angela Meisterling Billman, as Gwendolen, is the reserved, sophisticated counter to Spina's bubbly country girl. Her vocal energy is excellent, and she plays scenes with a subtlety and an intensity that fit right into the mix. With Williams she is charming, and the barely contained sexual tension is hilarious. With Spina she is sharp and sarcastic, and the supposedly civil conversation between the two ladies is quite entertaining.
Cherryl Moon Thomason plays the immortal Lady Bracknell, and she does so with grace and precision. Thomason knows exactly how to effectively portray power onstage, and she adds a great deal of tension and energy to every scene she inhabits.
The rest of the company consists of Marty Norton (who plays Miss Prism, the flighty and overbearing tutor to Cecily), Jim Kern (who plays Reverend Chasuble, the learned but lecherous country preacher), and Scott Humeston (who plays all the servants). These performances are delivered with the skill and care you'd expect from TCR veterans, but Humeston's Merriman was a little perplexing.
The old servant plods on and off stage in an exaggerated manner and speaks in a barely intelligible way. Apparently he's had a stroke; exactly what is going on is unclear, but what does happen is that every time he comes on or off, the "pause" button is pressed on the plot. A bit of physical comedy as a palate-cleanser to a couple of hours of verbal sparring is completely understandable, but the timing here seems oddly inexpert. Humeston's slow, staggering (and staggeringly slow) entrance interrupts the rising tension of the fast-paced dispute between Cecily and Gwendolen, steals focus from the principals, and drains quite a bit of energy from a really engaging scene. Lady Bracknell's game-changing entrance later is similarly upstaged. The performance is quite good, but the absurd physicality of the choice seems disruptive. Humeston's reserved butler Lane and his rustic gardener Moulton are a bit subtler, and are quite funny.
Overall, though, if you're a fan of Wilde, you cannot miss this play. It's an excellent example of skilled artists faithfully producing a timeless script. If you've never heard of this Oscar Wilde fellow, this is a great opportunity to see what all the fuss is about. I cannot overstress the importance of seeing Earnest.
The Importance of Being Earnest runs through February 18th on the mainstage at TCR. Performances are at 7:30pm (2:30pm on Sundays). Tickets here.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Auditions for Hospice Benefit Show
Young Footlighters - Auditions will be held tomorrow for a Hospice benefit to be performed at the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts on March 9th and 10th.
Auditions run from 1pm to 5pm at the Austin Burke location by Von Maur in the Sycamore Mall.
The show is called “Under The Community BigTop: A Musical Entertainment for Iowa City Hospice”. Keyboard accompaniment will be provided.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Auditions for Baby With the Bathwater
Dreamwell - Auditions for Baby With the Bathwater will be held February 11th at 7pm in Meeting Room D of the Iowa City Public Library, and again on February 13th at 2pm in Meeting Room A.
Baby With the Bathwater is a comedy about the emotionally crippling effects of bad parenting. Performances begin April 20th. Rachael Lindhart directs.
Cast needs are as follows:
2 Men: John, the father, going from his mid 20s to mid 50s--an addictive personality.
Daisy, the child--portrayed from infancy to toddler offstage; we first see him fully as a 17-year old and follow him through his 30th birthday. He has been dressed as a girl until this time and that has played havoc with his psyche--to say the least. He is listed in the cast list as "The Young Man."
4 Women: Helen, the mother, also going from mid 20s to mid 50s--a would-be writer who admires Judtih Krantz very much.
Nanny: A crazy version of a child-rearing expert; she is in her mid to late 30s and then is about 65 when we see her at the end of the play.
Kate and the Principal: Kate is a concerned mother interacting with Daisy and Helen on the playground; the same actress will play the Principal who espouses the worst trends in modern education. Age can be variable, from 20s to 40s.
Angela and Miss Pringle: Angela is another mother interacting on the playground; again the same actress will play Miss Pringle, who is Daisy's concerned teacher. She is probably a bit younger than the Principal, but age can still vary from late 20s to late 30s.
Cynthia and Susan: Again, these roles are to be played by the same actress. These two characters are perhaps the most sympathetic in the play. Both are in their mid to late 20s. Cynthia is quite pregnant when we first see her but not so much later; she would probably make a good mother if she could solve some of life's practical problems. Susan, whom we meet late in the play, is also going to be a great mother--because she has reasoning faculties.
Rachael's Note: In the original production(s) the roles of Nanny, Kate, the Principal, Cynthia, Angela, Miss Pringle and Susan were all played by only two actresses. I intend to double the roles as above, adding two more actresses to the mix and, hopefully, giving sharper and more specific edges to these characters.
More information here.
Apprentice Auditions for Riverside Shakespeare Festival
Riverside Theatre - Auditions and interviews for Riverside's 2012 Shakespeare Festival apprentice company will be held February 4. Full-time apprenticeships are open to undergraduate, graduate students or others seeking a professional experience in the areas of acting, directing and stage management. Call Riverside at 319.338.7672 to set up an audition or interview.
The apprentice program contracts from May 15 - July 9 as Riverside rehearses and produces As You Like It and The Merchant of Venice in repertory. The program includes a $75/week stipend, housing for non-local interns, and weekly master classes. More information here.
Auditions for House of Wonders
ICCT - Auditions for Kate Aspengren's House of Wonders are being held January 30th and 31st at 6pm in the Room A of the Iowa City Public Library.
The show involves a an author struggling to write a book about her great aunt. Unfortunately, she knows nothing about her, so she decides to contact her through a Ouija board, and gets more than she bargains for. Cast needs are as follows:
Roles for 3 men: 1 (30′s) and 2 (40s+)
Roles for 5 women: 1 (20s), 2 (30′s), 1 (40′s), and 1 (50s+)
Voice over role
Performances begin March 23rd. More information here.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
What Are You Doing This Weekend?
January's not quite over, and already we're waking up in pitch darkness, scraping ice off our windshields, and wondering if those New Year's resolutions are really going to stick. There's nothing quite like post-holiday blues, but luckily there's a great way to shake them...
... get out to the theatre!
Riverside Theatre is already breaking the ice with another side-splitting production of their popular comedy Guys on Ice: An Ice Fishing Musical Comedy. It's set in an ice-fishing shanty in Wisconsin, and is full of warm humor for the cold season. John Watkins, who plays Lloyd, calls it "a terrifically written show with fabulous music, a big heart, sidesplitting humor grounded in Ernie, Marvin and Lloyd's candid simplicity, and a halftime show where you can win prizes."
Or, if you're more comfortable sitting in a stately British Manor than being exposed to the elements, TCR's The Importance of Being Earnest might be more your speed. Just make sure your calling card has the right name printed on it; you wouldn't want to cause undue confusion.
Or, if student theatre is your cup of tea, the University of Iowa is presenting a brand-new play by Louisa Hill. It's called The Lord of the Underworld's Home for Unwed Mothers, and it's described as "a reimagining of the Demeter and Persephone myth set in the 1960s and 1990s that explores the politics of motherhood through a landscape of Catholicism, horticulture, and death metal."
And finally - included just for completeness as the tickets are already sold out - SPT has one more weekend of its hit music-and-comedy show at Brucemore, A Modern Salon. If you already have tickets, you're one of the lucky ones; congratulations, SPT and special guest Jeff Ircink, on a successful run!
Guys on Ice opened January 20th and runs until February 19th. Get tickets here.
The Importance of Being Earnest opens January 27th and runs until February 18th. Get tickets here.
The Lord of the Underworld's Home for Unwed Mothers opens January 27th and runs through January 29th at the UI Theatre Building (Theatre B). More information here.
Ch-ch-ch-changes...
Hi Iowa Theatre Blog readers,
I started this blog on September 5th, 2007. In the past four and a half years, I have really enjoyed bringing attention to so much of the exciting theatre done in our little part of Iowa. However, it's time for me to step away. I will no longer be the editor in chief of this blog. It's been a lot of fun, but I need a break.
I've been joined these last four years by a talented group of reviewers who have expressed their opinions in a distinctly Iowan way. I think our philosophy of reviewing was best summed up by actress Lorin Ditzler, who wrote on her blog a number of years ago:
"...the Iowa Theatre blog ... manages to be insightful and honest without ever being mean, because this is Iowa and that's how we roll."
How true and one of the reasons I love this state. So here's to being insightfully honest! Our reviewers have done a great job critiquing and praising the work of our theatre artists. Thank you, all.
One reviewer in particular has stood out, not just for his excellent writing, but also because of all of the work he has done as my partner behind the scenes here at the Iowa Theatre Blog: James Trainor. And so it is with great confidence that I announce that James will take over the reins of the Iowa Theatre Blog. I am still going to help out in a limited capacity, but James will be the driving force moving forward. Thank you, James!
Finally, a special thank you to you, the readers who have enjoyed this blog over the years. I have truly appreciated your support. I hope you will continue to support James and the blog as it transitions.
See you at the theatre!
Matt Falduto
Sunday, January 1, 2012
What's coming in January
Before we call it quits for a month, I want to let you know about some January happenings. Read on and then I'll see you in February!
Auditions for Gigi!
Iowa City Community Theatre will hold auditions for Gigi January 5-6 at 6 pm at the Iowa City Public Library. From their website: ?We love Paris in the springtime! Let ICCT take you to turn-of-the-century Paris this spring with Gigi, the award-winning musical by Lerner & Loewe. Dashing and wealthy Gaston Lachaille realizes, perhaps too late, that the girl of his dreams has been in front of him all along."
Riverside brings back Guys on Ice!
Riverside brings a popular favorite from the past back to the Gilbert Street stage beginning January 20. Guys on Ice: An Ice Fishing Comedy invites you to join long-time pals Lloyd and Marvin in their ramshackle ice fishing shanty outside of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. The guys keep warm with a mutual appreciation for good bait, cold beer and the Green Bay Packers. As they anxiously await their opportunity to appear on a popular cable TV fishing show, the pals scramble to protect their beer from fellow angler, Ernie the Moocher. They pass the time by swapping jokes, ice fishing, playing cards, talking about their romantic problems – and occasionally breaking into song and dance about snowmobile suits, beer, and fish. With manly musical numbers like "Ode to a Snowmobile Suit" and "Fish is de Miracle Food," this show is sure to charm your wool socks off! For more information, go here.
TCR's first 2012 show!
The Importance of Being Earnest opens January 21 at Theatre Cedar Rapids. Go here for more information. The cast list follows:
Angela Billman - Hon. Gwendolen Fairfax
Scott Humeston - Lane/Moulton/Merriman
Jim Kern - Reverend Canon Chasuble, D.D.
Aaron Murphy - Algernon Moncrieff
Marty Norton - Miss Prism
Hannah Spina - Cecily Cardew
Cherryl Moon Thomason - Lady Bracknell
Alex Williams - John Worthing, J.P.
Audition for Our Town!
Auditions for City Circle Acting Company of Coralville's production of Our Town are coming up later this month.
Director Chris Okiishi will be seeing interested actors on Saturday, Jan. 21 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Please e-mail CityCircleOurTown@gmail.com to schedule an audition. Actors are asked to prepare a short, 2 minute or less, monologue which shows off range. It may be classical or contemporary. Alternatively, there will be sides from which to read at the auditions.
Our Town by Thornton Wilder is the Pulitzer Prize-Winning drama about everyday life in early 20th century America. This production will be an unsentimental take on the material, which has proved timeless and universal. Production will be at the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts the last two weekends in March, 2012. Rehearsals will begin in late January.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Goodybe to 2011, Part 2, The EEEPs
by Matthew Falduto
Last year, I created the EEEPs, which stands for Excellence in Exercising our Emotions Prizes. Just as we strengthen our minds and our bodies through exercise, emotional exercise strengthens our spirits. Experiencing theatre provides that emotional exercise. We need to feel joy and sadness and glee and fear and wonder and anger in order to thrive in this life. Theatre allows us a safe place to do that. So what follows are ten shows that have earned the 2011 Iowa Theatre Blog Excellence in Exercising our Emotions Prizes.
I do not pretend that this list is exhaustive of the great work done in our community over the past year. I am certain there are shows you believe should be on this list that are not. This is just my opinion. If you'd like to share your opinion, the comment section awaits!
Riverside Theatre
Thank goodness for Riverside Theatre. They so rarely disappoint. Their production of All My Sons was a masterpiece. Jody Hovland gave us a wonderfully heartbreaking portrayal of Kate Keller. As I think back on the show, it is her performance that stands out. Which is not to say the other actors were forgettable - far from it. Both Ron Clark and Scot West imbued their characters with pathos and passion, particularly in Act Two. This was simply a powerful production of a masterpiece of the American Theatre.
Old Creamery Theatre
Sometimes it's just all about the actors. Such was the case with Art. Three immensely talented actors - Sean McCall, Tim Budd and Patrick Dulaney - using every bit of their skill and talent to create a funny and thought provoking play. From the review:
"Budd does needling well, but he also delivers when he has to verbally attack, using a vicious cadence and an unyielding posture."
"Dulaney's face is a canvas upon which he can create any expression, each more thought provoking or humorous than the last."
"McCall wring[s] out all of the humor and all of the pathos. His ability to reinterpret again and again the word "Yes" in one scene is truly masterful."
Are we not truly lucky to have the opportunity to watch master class actors ply their trade?
Theatre Cedar Rapids
Eurydice is the sort of show I absolutely love. It's a fantasy redrawn for a modern audience that offers a new and at the same time familiar examination of the father-daughter relationship. As the father of three daughters, Eurydice is the sort of strong heroine I want to see more often onstage. Powerful performances, strong direction, a simple set that offered the audience the opportunity to participate in its creation... this show was fantastic from beginning to end.
Iowa City Community Theatre
Last April I had the opportunity to see 42nd Street at a professional theatre company in Illinois. It was astounding. As we left the theatre, I lamented to my wife that you never see that kind of skillful tap dancing in our local productions. So color my shocked when a few weeks later I witnessed some of the most marvelous dancing in ICCT's production of The Drowsy Chaperone. Kudos to choreographer Jill Beardsley with a special "Wow!" to dancers CJ Jones and Adam Kopfman. Of course, the show had more to recommend it than the choreography. From the review: "This production also contains the single best lighting design and sound effects I have seen in any ICCT production...The set is... one of the most complex and sophisticated I have witnessed in a community theatre production. There will be times where you’ll see someone make an entrance and marvel at the ingenuity of the design." And of course, then there was the spot on comic timing, not to mention the strong singing. All in all, an excellent show from ICCT, the old kid on the block.
Dreamwell
The Unitarian Universalist space was not Dreamwell's first choice for Henry V. They searched for something larger, but in the end returned to a space they knew well. Realizing an epic play required an epic space, Director Angie Toomsen bravely moved in a new direction, creating an amazing thrust space by utilizing the small stage as well as the main floor, while seating the audience in a horseshoe, just two rows deep. It was only the first of many impressively creative decisions Toomsen made in creating Henry V. She was fortunate to have a stellar cast, particularly K Michael Moore in the title role, Mark McCusker as Pistol, and James Trainor as the Dauphin. As with all Shakespearean plays, it's easy for our modern ears to lose our way, but this cast understood the words they spoke and emotions they embodied so well that every moment was clear from beginning to end. If this is what Dreamwell can do with Shakespeare, let's hope we see more of it soon.
with a Baby in my Teeth
Riverside Theatre
It's hard for a show I did not personally see to make this list, but there were two shows friends would not stop talking about and so I had to include them. One was Megan Gogerty's solo show about motherhood. I have seen Megan perform many times in the past - she's fearless. It's clear from James Trainor's review that fearlessness continued in this show: "Gogerty's acting style is unabashed, heightened and resourceful... She throws herself completely into a bit, commanding the full stage with ease and energy." But it's not just her acting, but her writing that is fearless. In this show she dared to ask, "Is motherhood worth it? Do you regret it?" And according to one friend who saw the show, she did not provide a glib answer, but rather delved into the complexities of emotion involved in being a parent. Kudos to Riverside for providing such a unique artist a wonderful stage.
Hairspray
City Circle
Sharon Falduto began her review of Hairspray with one word: joy. It was the ideal descriptor for this theatre experience. The actors clearly enjoyed every moment of the show and the audience left the theatre tapping their toes and humming the songs. City Circle chose a perfect show to open their new performance venue, the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts. They brought back Chad Larabee, a favorite son director who has since gone on to the professional theatre world. They found an amazing cast lead by the immensely talented Elizabeth Breed, who was staggeringly good as Tracy Trueblood. If this is what we can expect of City Circle in their new home, the future for theatre is very bright in Coralville.
Urban Theatre Project
Urban Theatre Project's Rabbit Hole is the other production I missed, but still included on this list. So many people commented on how wonderful this production was. As a lover of unusual theatre, I was delighted that they performed the show in an actual house. Creating theatre off a traditional stage is exciting and challenging, and it's part of UTP's ongoing mission. We've seen some excellent examples of that in our area, from City Circle's performance of Metamorphosis in a swimming pool a few years back to Dreamwell's Soldier's Daughter performed on a farm just last July. The mansion chosen by UTP fit the show perfectly. In addition, the talented cast-Leslie Chariper, Sarah Jarmon, Nick Ostrem, Cheryl Moon Thomason, and Jason Alberty-was well directed by Angie Toomsen. I am sorry to say I missed Alberty, one of our very talented comedic actors, in a dramatic role. Hopefully, we'll get the chance to see him stretch those drama muscles again. And UTP, don't make us wait another couple of years for your next show!
Old Creamery Theatre
Ah, Pinocchio. A story we all know well. One that continues to captivate children even today in our tech heavy world. Two of my children, Rachel, age eleven, and Piper, age four, experienced this show. They both loved it, as did I. Old Creamery must be commended for creating their Theatre for Young Audiences series. What was truly magical about this production was the use of classic theatrical tradition of “Commedia dell’Arte.” The actors played actors in a troupe creating the story of Pinocchio using just masks, sound effects, and simple set pieces. This allowed the children to see behind the scenes of the show, encouraging them to create their own shows at home. An inspiring and fun performance, the actors dived into the action letting their inner children shine. Particularly fun was Andrew Bosworth as the Cricket. If you have children, or even if you just want to let your inner child out, check out the next season of Old Creamery's Theatre for Young Audiences series.
Theatre Cedar Rapids 
Of all the shows I saw this year, Summerland affected me the most. I think part of that was the fact that I was witnessing a brand new play and thinking this was as good or better than so many published plays I'd seen over the years. But more than that, the story of a man desperate to bring his wife back from death and of a women trying to understand her new self was riveting. So many questions arose from Summerland. Who are we? What makes us human? Our memories? Our emotions? Our bodies? Some combination of all three? The genius of Rob Merritt's play is that he offers no definitive answers, allowing the audience to leave the theatre asking these questions. Brian Tanner noted in his comments about 2011 that there were so many original shows offered by many different companies. This is definitely a strength of our theatre community. Summerland is an excellent example of the creative talent in our community.
So those are the ten shows I've chosen to receive an EEEP this year. Congratulations to all and Happy New Year! I am sure 2012 will be even better.
Matthew Falduto founded Dreamwell Theatre over 14 years ago. He has served on the board of the Iowa City Community Theatre and the board nomination committee for City Circle. For close to twenty years, he has produced, directed, and acted in many shows in the Iowa City area with many different companies. A playwright, he is also a member of the Black Doggers. Two of his shows, Pop Tart Hero and Soldier's Daughter have been produced in recent years. He started the Iowa Theatre Blog in 2007 because he felt the excellent theatre productions of our area were not getting the coverage they deserved.
Goodbye to 2011, Part 1
by Matthew Falduto (and friends)
I think this is my favorite part of this blog - the year in review. I get to reflect and recall the amazing theater we've experienced over the past twelve months. And I absolutely love hearing the thoughts of my friends and colleagues. Some of those thoughts are below. Thank you, Chris, Mike, Rob, Brian, and Kevin, for sharing your thoughts. Later on today, I'll post my final wrap up article.
Mike Moran, Goatsinger
The development of [Megan] Gogerty's piece (Feet First in the Water with a Baby in my Teeth) was a delight for me to watch. Her initial monologue performed at Riverside's Walking the Wire last Spring was fun, but the entire show in the Fall -- from the drive with future-husband out to Carhenge to the embarrassment of squatting beside the Depends at HyVee -- was funny, head-shaking, and inspired. She's a gem.
Another, I have to say -- and this is personal -- was the image of Brad Quinn playing Eros being chased by Elizabeth Breed playing Psyche over the ridge of a field in Dreamwell's outdoor production of Soldier's Daughter. Fun fun funny.
And finally, Kelly Garrett as Mary Warren, in the rather uneven Dreamwell production of The Crucible, was brilliant, bringing power and pathos to her performance that was, in the end, absolutely chilling.
Rob Merritt, Communications Director, Theatre Cedar Rapids
Henry V, Dreamwell – it was stunning that director Angie Toomsen could take a play of such sprawling size and depth and make it work in a small space like Dreamwell’s. Aside from the compelling performances – and there were many – the clever production choices often gave the Shakespearean classic all-new dimension. A PowerPoint presentation that explained exactly why Harry should attack France was both a modern touch, and a clever way to get the audience to understand what’s going to happen next. And the choice to stage the play in the round was inspired. Definitely one of my favorite shows this past season.
Rabbit Hole, Urban Theater Project – Brilliant and honest portrayal of a tragedy that happens far too often: The loss of a child. Staged in the living room of a house in Cedar Rapids – and with the audience seated just a few feet from the actors – the setting couldn’t have been any more real. And that reality was complemented by spot-on performances by the ensemble, particularly Leslie Charipar and Jason Alberty as grieving parents who are trying to move on with their lives. Once word got around, the show sold out quickly. It isn’t hard to see why.
TCR Underground New Play Festival, Theatre Cedar Rapids – In the interest of full disclosure, I was a playwright in TCR’s Festival. However, my own play aside, one of the things that excited me the most was seeing the overall reaction to a festival of this nature across the board – from actors, writers and directors all the way to audience members. From the huge amount of submissions, to the large turnout of auditioners, to the popular audience response, it seemed clear that this was an event the Corridor was hungry for. It was incredibly encouraging for the future. And that, for me, was what made this one of the most exciting and memorable theatre experiences I had all year.
Kevin Moore, President, Dreamwell Theatre
I thought this was a fantastic year for local theatre! City Circle's Hairspray leaps to mind - the energy, enthusiasm, and excitement of that production carried through to the audience in ways very rare in community theatre. Dreamwell's Henry V brought the power of Shakespeare back to the Iowa City downtown arena. Of course, the opening of the CCPA in Coralville is a landmark of local performance of all sorts.
Brian Tanner, playwright, actor, director
I think one of the great things about this year were all of the original works that were presented. We had the City Circle "New Play Fest 5", Riverside's "Walking the Wire", Dreamwell and City Circle's "All in a Day Play Festival 4", Dreamwell's Soldier's Daughter, and TCR's "Underground Festival". We have so much talent right here in the area and it's great that theatres across the area will take the chance to feature it. I was honored and privileged to have my own work included in many of these events.
I thought TCR's Sweeney Todd and Crimes of the Heart were an amazing example of how large Broadway style theatre and intimate, heartfelt drama can be done right here at home. At the same time, Dreamwell, can make use of a smaller venue to bring to us the larger than life stories of Stuff Happens and Henry V. The logistics of the space are unable to hold back live theatre's ability to take us out of a church basement and into the inner circle of the Oval Office and the halls of Agincourt.
One other standout for me was ICCT's The Drowsy Chaperone. So well done, perfectly cast, hilarious, and the dance routines were wild!
Chris Okiishi, Past President, City Circle
Cripple of Inishmaan--if for nothing more than Kristy Hartsgrove's revelatory performance, a master class in how to be a team player and still steal every scene.
Feet First in the Water with a Baby in My Teeth--the titular story sticks with me, the jokes still make me smile, and the veritable Megan Gogerty-ness of it all makes it specific in the way that makes it universal.
Soldier's Daughter--which I didn't see--but admire everything about it. Biggest loss of the year for me not seeing this.
Ah! Wilderness--shame, shame on the small, narrow-minded segment of the community that got up in arms when Riverside dared to program a summer show not written by the Bard. (Taking a small google-look-around proves that most Shakespeare festivals go waaaaay further afield--they do frigging Oklahoma or even Music Man, for heck's sake!) The purists missed out on a truly wondrous production with Jim Van Valen breaking hearts and the single most thrilling theater moment of the year: Ron Clark and Jody Hovland standing on stage, in character but not acting, reflecting on a life of love and devotion. Two Gents wasn't bad either (especially the bit with the sadly now-deceased dog), but Ah! Wilderness was pure and golden.
Hairspray--yes, I'm biased. Truth be told, I'm biased about every show above, written, directed, performed by friends. But I'm really proud of Hairspray--a show that we were told couldn't be cast, would never be ready, would not find an audience and would not be able open on time. Phooey. A dream team of collaborators found an ideal cast at the perfect time and through careful, constant work, willed it to life.
So, there you go. I'm also grateful to have worked on the Riverside Shakespeare Cabaret, West Side Story, Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Rocky Horror Show, Christmas Carol and our Holiday Cabaret, each of which had some "best of" moments: John Watkins singing Mumford and Son's "Sigh No More" with Tara Dutcher on Violin and Carrie Houchins-Witt and Patrick DuLaney on back ups, Ryan Shellady and Victoria Vaughn's Broadway Carols, Rod McCrea's entrance in "There's a Light (Over at the Frankenstein Place)", the Dance at the Gym, Josh Sazon as a very unique, almost-Buddhist Ghost of Christmas Past.
I also was very fond of Creamery's Art and TCR's Horatio's Purgatory.
It was a remarkably varied year, especially given our "culturally-challenged"* status.
*And let's hope that's the last Stephen Bloom reference ever.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Outstanding Performances of 2011
by James E. Trainor III
Theatre is a collaboration between a great number of artists with a wide variety of abilities - from writers to actors to graphic designers and everything in-between - but the role of the individual actor is unique because it gives the art a very personal feel. An actor can be a evocation of the audience's collective demons, a warm guide into a world of wonder, or simply an entertaining host for an exciting night out.
Today I want to talk about a few people who did a particularly memorable job of creating characters in the past year. This list is by no means exhaustive; we cherish all those who spend their time and energy bringing imaginary worlds to life. Please post in the comments if you have particular performances you remember fondly from 2011.
Mike Wilhelm as Mr. Applegate
Damn Yankees, TCR
Damn Yankees is a musical comedy about a man who offers his soul in exchange for the chance to be young again and win the Washington Senators the pennant. It's a fun, heartwarming, and clever piece that pops when it gets going. To really swing for the fence on this one, a company needs someone who can bring considerable stage presence to bear as Mr. Applegate, the sly, smooth-talking devil who tries to con honest Joe out of his soul.
Applegate does it all: sings, dances, even lights his cigarette with a flashy bit of stage magic. Wilhelm embodied the role with the smooth carelessness that can only come from weeks of careful practice. Whenever he stepped on the stage, the dramatic stakes rose and the pure fun of the piece went up a notch. The charm, grace and gleeful evil he brought to the role really sold the premise of the piece.
K. Lindsay Eaves as Abigail Williams
The Crucible, Dreamwell
If Mr. Applegate is the devil you love to hate, Abigail Williams brings a more realistic, decidedly frightening face of evil to the stage. The destructive, opportunistic girl embodies all the mendacity, paranoia and perversion that is present in Miller's depiction of the Salem witch trials. She is the shrill counterpart to the calm, maddeningly rational Danforth; a more active and therefore more dangerous evil.
K. Lindsay Eaves portrayed this vicious young lady with boundless energy and tireless commitment. She was never afraid to take things to the next level, and was always working with the other actors silently as the consequences of Abigail's schemes played out. The result was the perfect atmosphere for a script of this caliber. The work of Eaves and her scene partners kept the tension in this classic drama agonizingly high, and if you missed it, I'm sorry to say you missed one of the best productions of The Crucible to come to the Corridor in quite a while.
Saffron Henke in The Syringa Tree
Riverside Theatre
The area has no shortage of profoundly dedicated professional performers. Facilitated by companies like Riverside Theatre, these artists are able to bring incredibly immersive works like The Syringa Tree to the stage.
The Syringa Tree tells the story of South African apartheid from a variety of perspective, most notably from that of Lizzie Grace, who introduces us to this morally ambiguous world with childlike innocence and whose story we follow throughout the play. The show is remarkable because the same performer creates all the characters, and Henke did an amazing job creating a world that was absorbing from beginning to end. With no other actors and little set dressing to speak of, she applied her considerable skill and experience to play all parts, with equal dedication, in this bemusing, tragic and ultimately invigorating story.
Lincoln Ginsberg as Tobias and Emmy Palmersheim as Little Stone
Sweeney Todd and Eurydice, TCR
Theatre is above all else a art that enlivens the spirit of community, and an important part of that is passing down our traditions to our children. TCR does a fantastic job of selecting shows that allow young actors to work directly with a script, onstage with their elders, learning the craft as part of the community.
Lincoln Ginsberg and Emmy Palmersheim stood out this year as two young performers who went above and beyond in some really challenging roles. Ginsberg played the ill-fated Tobias in Sweeney Todd to chilling effect. He was charming, energetic, understood the tone of the show, and took direction well. The image of Tobias's final moments strike is probably the most haunting thing I've seen on the TCR mainstage, and I've been screaming at vampires, pirates and assassins in that space since I was a boy myself.
Emmy Palmersheim did a remarkable job in Eurydice, a poetic and quirky modern retelling of a famous Greek Myth. She worked well with the other actors and has a very striking stage presence. She also successfully directed a very funny ten-minute piece The Ethical Dilemma of a Sandwich Down the Pants for TCR Underground. Acting in a surrealist tragedy and directing a funny short play require completely different skill-sets, and to accomplish both in one season is deserving of recognition.
So, a round of applause to these artists, and to all those who brought us out to the theatre this year to draw inspiration, confront uncomfortable truths, or just plain have a good time.
What were your favorite performances this year? Memorable characters? Hilarious or shocking moments? We'd like to hear from you; follow the "Comments" link below to post your thoughts.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
January break
The Iowa Theatre Blog will be silent for the month of January. We'll be posting a couple of year end articles in the next couple of days, but after that frankly, we need a break to recharge.
Sans Merci cast chosen
Iowa City - Director Meg Dobbs has selected the cast for Sans Merci, the next play in Dreamwell Theatre's Here I Stand season.
The show runs February 10-18.
Kelly – Nika Tipsword
Tracy – Elisabeth Ross
Elizabeth – Annette Rohlk
