Old Creamery - You may remember our speculation about the "secret show" that Old Creamery couldn't tell us about because it was still touring. They have now revealed it to be... Church Basement Ladies. It was inspired by the books of Janet Letnes Martin and Suzann Nelson, including the best seller Growing up Lutheran written by Jim Stowell and Jessica Zuehlke. Music and Lyrics are by Drew Jansen.
I admit, I had never heard of it. A little googling tells us that it's very popular and according to many critics, very funny. As the Old Creamery website tells us: "This musical comedy celebrates the heart and soul of every church: the basement kitchen and the women who work there. These ladies serve up laughs with the Lutefisk and dole out advice with the jello salads."
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Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Old Creamery offers dinner theatre at the Ox Yoke
Old Creamery - The Old Creamery Theatre is offering dinner theatre in partnership with the Ox Yoke Inn. Educating Rita by Willy Russell opens February 5th and features Deborah Kennedy and Tom Milligan. Rita is a young working class wife, ready to better herself with an education. Dr. Frank Bryant is a professor who thought his life was doomed to be dull and meaningless, until Rita becomes his student. Through her, Dr. Bryant learns that sometimes the student is the better teacher.
The special menu includes choice of entrée, beverage, dessert, gratuity and tax. $40 per person. Show only tickets: $25. For reservations and theatre tickets, call the Ox Yoke Inn, 800-233-3441.
The special menu includes choice of entrée, beverage, dessert, gratuity and tax. $40 per person. Show only tickets: $25. For reservations and theatre tickets, call the Ox Yoke Inn, 800-233-3441.
Monday, January 25, 2010
End Days preview
Riverside - Riverside Theatre, Iowa City’s resident professional theatre company, will present End Days, by Deborah Zoe Laufer January 29 – February 21. Artistic Associate Bruce Wheaton will direct. Tickets are available at the Riverside Theatre Box Office at (319) 338-7672 or online at www.riversidetheatre.org.End Days presents the three members of the Stein family: sixteen-year-old Rachel, a Goth-garbed atheist; her mother, Sylvia, a passionate convert to evangelical Christianity; and Rachel’s father, Arthur, a businessman who hasn’t been able to change out of his pajamas since 9/11. Things get stirred up when the Steins meet their new neighbor, Nelson, an upbeat teen obsessed with science, Elvis…and Rachel. Stephen Hawking and Jesus also make appearances, and the inside word is that the Apocalypse is coming on Wednesday.
Director Bruce Wheaton provided his perspective on the production’s wackiness: “It’s true that all the characters are odd ducks. However, the play isn’t really about their idiosyncrasies. At its center, End Days is a romantic comedy that emphasizes the characters’ need to belong.”
The two teenaged characters are played by Laura Tatar, who appeared recently at Riverside in Walking the Wire and last season in Raising Medusa, and Ryan Westwood, who was a part of the 2009 Riverside Theatre Shakespeare Festival intern company. Riverside audiences will also recognize Artistic Director Jody Hovland as Sylvia Stein, and favorites Jim Van Valen (recently seen in A Dog’s Life) as Arthur Stein and Tim Budd (recently seen in Walking the Wire) as Jesus/Stephen Hawking.
End Days also features scenic design by Paul M. Collins, costume design by Jill Van Brussel, lighting design by Courtney Schmitz Watson and sound design by Ryan Rumery.
The production of End Days is sponsored in part by Julie and Carl Schweser.
Tickets range from $12-$26 with a $12 student rush 20 minutes before the performance. Tickets may be ordered through the Riverside Theatre Box Office at 213 N. Gilbert St., (319) 338-7672 or online at www.riversidetheatre.org.
Monday, January 18, 2010
A Review of The Laramie Project
by James E. Trainor III
In 1998, Matthew Shepard was beaten, tied to a fence and left to die. The members of the Tectonic Theater Project (portrayed at TCR by Sarah Jarmon, Jennie Kies, B.J. Moeller, Jessica Moore, David Morton, Phillip Schramp, Brian Smith, Mike Wilhelm and Alex Williams) went to Laramie, Wyoming in person to conduct a series interviews that eventually became The Laramie Project. They set out as outsiders, artists in search of the Other. They crossed a lot of distance, both physical and aesthetic. What they found, however, was very close to home; they found the human spirit in all its aspects, weak and frail, inspiring and intimidatingly brutal.
In The Laramie Project, the members of the Tectonic Theater Project (and hence the audience), start as outsiders, strangers - a little aloof, a little baffled and a little bemused. The miles of political and philosophical distance, however, are crossed in an instant by a dramatic device: Mike Wilhelm, portraying actor and writer Greg Pierotti, puts on a hat and a coat and becomes Detective Sergeant Hing before our eyes. He leans back at his desk, relaxes into the part. He speaks the words Hing spoke, in his best Wyoming accent. It's easy to take the cue, suspend disbelief: we, in a moment, are there. Other voices fill the stage: the diverse population of Laramie. The stage fills with light and with people, and we're there, by the magic of theater.
At the same time, we're immediately made aware that we're watching these people from a distance. Hing describes talking to an outsider, a reporter, who wanted to know how Shepard's body was found. Aaron Kriefels, who found him, was out riding his bike. It's a popular area to run, Hing says. The reporter was baffled: "who the hell would want to run out here?"
"I didn't feel judged," says Hing. "I felt that they're stupid...they're just missing the whole point."
The site of the incident, on the outskirts of town, is certainly an idyllic view. It's also become the object of pilgrimages, according to Unitarian minister Stephen Mead Johnson. As audience members, it's a pilgrimage we must make. Director Jason Alberty takes us there in a simple but very effective way. The two screens upstage of the action show film of the fence itself, and downstage we hear from Kreifels, a stranger to Matthew Shepard. Flanking him are two other strangers: Dr. Cantway, the emergency room doctor who treated Matthew, and Reggie Fluty, the police officer who responded to the 911 call. They describe the incredible brutality of the beating, and their efforts to save him. Moore, Williams and Jarmon do an incredible job with Alberty's direction. It's easy to imagine Matthew Shepard out there, in October, alone in the cold, struggling for his life. It's a terrifying image, and it frightens us. It angers us. In the words of Dr. Cantway, "it offends us."
It should offend us. It should anger us. This sort of violence is appalling, and something deep inside the human spirit rejects it. While Matthew Shepard was being treated for his wounds, vigils across the country sprung up in support of his family.
Eleven years later, The Laramie Project still hits a sensitive spot in our country, and wherever the play is done, the issues of gay rights and hate crime seem to come up. In reaction to a rumor that Fred Phelps and Westboro Baptist Church were coming to protest the show, a large group of people set up a counter-protest on the south side of 1st Avenue. Some came out in a show of solidarity towards TCR, others to support gay rights. Fortunately the counter-protest was peaceful (the WBC never showed), and it's good to have warm vibes on a cold night. TCR Artistic director Leslie Charipar called the counter-protest "one of my proudest moments of being a Cedar Rapidian."
And that's good. I'm proud, too. But if you honked in support of the counter-protesters and drove on past the theater, you only got part of the story. The Laramie Project, as Alberty says in his show notes, "is not about Matthew Shepard or homosexuality - nor is it really about Laramie. To put it in such a small box would be to limit its power. This show is about hate of "the other," whoever that may be - an often blind and visceral hate - and how that hate affects individuals and communities." Ironically, the Fred Phelps on stage is much scarier than the real Fred Phelps. As a dramatic symbol, he has a lot more power than the man - who, after all, will soon die and be forgotten. What he symbolizes, however, is an integral part of the human character. It is fear. It is anger, hate and violence. It is the part of us we often succumb to in little ways, whenever we create that distance, whenever we get too tied up in labels and stereotypes, whenever we put up a wall between ourselves and the other person.
When a tragedy like Matthew Shepard's murder occurs, the natural reaction is to reject it, to remind ourselves that it happened somewhere else. That's only natural. But is it accurate? The Laramie Project, as The New York Times said, is "Our Town with a question mark, as in 'Could this be our town?' "
Back inside the theater, Act II examines the idea in depth. Zubaida Ula, a Laramie woman, implores us not to distance ourselves, not reject hate and violence as something to which we're immune. "We need to own this crime. I feel. Everyone needs to own it. We are like this. We ARE like this. WE are LIKE this."
The Laramie Project reminds us that both sides of the coin - the battered boy tied to a fence and the two bestial boys that beat him - are, as Marge Murray puts it, "absolutely human." Laramie's Catholic priest, Father Roger Schmit reminds us that Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney, the perpetrators, "must be our teachers. What did we as a society do to teach you that?"
TCR's production brings home this theme fairly well. One scene in particular deserves mention: after Ula's speech we hear from Shannon and Jen, two friends of Aaron McKinney. They are young, perhaps in their early twenties, and very jaded. It's a bit troublesome watching these two: both seem to be lost already, the epitome of wasted youth. Shannon is nervous; he giggles a lot and doesn't seem comfortable in his seat. Jen won't look at the interviewer; she turns away and chews distractedly on her hair. They feel compassion for McKinney, but they're both ironically aware of the hopelessness of the situation. Shannon sits up and poses at the end of the interview: "we're products of our society." He laughs. He thinks it's a joke. It isn't.
Williams and Jarmon do an excellent job with this scene. Too many young actors fall into the trap of playing these two for laughs; Williams and Jarmon approach them with compassion and sincerity. They do not dull the tragic irony with comic exaggeration; they merely trust their instincts and let the story tell itself. It's some of the best acting in the entire production.
While the reality of the situation in Laramie is frightening, the play is not at all dreary. It does not simply shine a light on the shadowy depths of the human soul and walk away, leaving us to stare in despair. There is a redeeming aspect to the piece, as Shepard himself is used to symbolize hope.
A wonderful poetic image of Matthew comes from a very unlikely place. Sherry Johnson, wife of a highway patrolman, objects to the press's treatment of Matthew Shepard. "The media is portraying Matthew Shepard as a saint. And I don't think he was. I don't think he was that pure." Johnson is well awake to the human tragedy, but she dismisses the idea that Matthew Shepard was special: "he was just a barfly."
The image is perfect. Matthew Shepard wasn't pure. None of us is. Even those of us with our eyes pointing towards the heavens are walking on the muddy, messy ground of the real world. Father Roger Schmit, when pointing out that the incident did a lot for the community, warns that he doesn't want to "condemn Matthew to perfection." His statement adds some perspective to Johnson's; where the divine meets the human, it isn't perfect. It isn't pure. Through the cracks, though, we see the light. Hope shines through in Matthew Shepard, and it shines through in Laramie.
Through Matthew, the patron saint of barflies, Christian philosophy and secular humanism meet and work towards the same ends - hope, healing and compassion. Father Schmit organizes a vigil despite his fear that his superiors will object. Romaine Patterson, a friend of Shepard's, organizes a peaceful counter-protest to combat Fred Phelps' fire-and-brimstone sermon. She takes the stage from Phelps, and on the screen behind her, his inflammatory signs are blown away by angel wings.
The county attorney's office wants to pursue the death penalty in the trial of Aaron McKinney. This is another major political issue, and it divides the town. Some are angry and want McKinney to die. Others oppose the death penalty on moral grounds. Dennis Shepard's statements decide the verdict: in the name of his son, he asks the county not to give McKinney the death penalty. "This is the time to begin the healing process," he says. "To show mercy to someone who refused to show any mercy."
In addition to these grand gestures, there is a lot of dialogue about the implications of the incident. Detective Rob Debree is troubled when he learns how many gay people actually live in fear, and it causes him to change his political views. "This is America. You don't have the right to feel that kind of fear." Jedediah Schultz, a University of Wyoming Theatre student, stands up to his parents and defends his participation in a college production of Angels in America. Jonas Slonaker, a gay Laramie resident, however, is still frustrated that no civil-rights or hate-crime legislation has been passed: "what's come out of this that's concrete or lasting?" (Recently, Congress passed the Matthew Shepard Act, which expands the 1969 federal hate-crime laws to protect LGBT individuals)
TCR's production of the The Laramie Project is well-thought out and moving. It is a fitting close to the "TCR Lindale" era; the space, despite its shortcomings, is ideal for plays that are intimate in theme but broad in dramatic scope. Alberty's direction is strong; an actor himself, he understands his cast and plays to its strengths. The cast is singularly committed and brings a lot of courage, honesty and empathy to its portrayal of the diverse town of Laramie.
From a design standpoint, the use of projection screens is troubling, however. It's ideal for the first act, when it shows actual footage of Laramie - particularly the fence where Shepard died - but films of the actors portraying characters on the news is unsatisfying. The use of film creates an artificial distance that doesn't really serve this play, and it took a lot of the power from certain scenes, such as the media frenzy, the breakdown of hospital director Rulon Stacey and the showdown between Phelps and Patterson.
Most importantly, the character of Aaron McKinney is dulled by the use of film. The footage of the interrogation room is somewhat surreal: black-and-white, and filtered a bit to look like a pencil outline, it makes McKinney into something safe. He is a cartoon, a faraway monster that we don't have to worry about it. This risks undermining the entire play; for the piece to work, we have to feel empathy for Aaron McKinney - as unpleasant as that may be. He needs to be on stage; he needs to be human. A television screen can be turned off, but a real human being must be dealt with. The audience needs to let Aaron McKinney be its teacher. It's a very difficult thing to do, but it's central to the play.
Outside of that choice, the production is very effective. If you haven't seen The Laramie Project yet, you should. It runs until January 24th at TCR Lindale. More information here.
In 1998, Matthew Shepard was beaten, tied to a fence and left to die. The members of the Tectonic Theater Project (portrayed at TCR by Sarah Jarmon, Jennie Kies, B.J. Moeller, Jessica Moore, David Morton, Phillip Schramp, Brian Smith, Mike Wilhelm and Alex Williams) went to Laramie, Wyoming in person to conduct a series interviews that eventually became The Laramie Project. They set out as outsiders, artists in search of the Other. They crossed a lot of distance, both physical and aesthetic. What they found, however, was very close to home; they found the human spirit in all its aspects, weak and frail, inspiring and intimidatingly brutal.
In The Laramie Project, the members of the Tectonic Theater Project (and hence the audience), start as outsiders, strangers - a little aloof, a little baffled and a little bemused. The miles of political and philosophical distance, however, are crossed in an instant by a dramatic device: Mike Wilhelm, portraying actor and writer Greg Pierotti, puts on a hat and a coat and becomes Detective Sergeant Hing before our eyes. He leans back at his desk, relaxes into the part. He speaks the words Hing spoke, in his best Wyoming accent. It's easy to take the cue, suspend disbelief: we, in a moment, are there. Other voices fill the stage: the diverse population of Laramie. The stage fills with light and with people, and we're there, by the magic of theater.
At the same time, we're immediately made aware that we're watching these people from a distance. Hing describes talking to an outsider, a reporter, who wanted to know how Shepard's body was found. Aaron Kriefels, who found him, was out riding his bike. It's a popular area to run, Hing says. The reporter was baffled: "who the hell would want to run out here?"
"I didn't feel judged," says Hing. "I felt that they're stupid...they're just missing the whole point."
The site of the incident, on the outskirts of town, is certainly an idyllic view. It's also become the object of pilgrimages, according to Unitarian minister Stephen Mead Johnson. As audience members, it's a pilgrimage we must make. Director Jason Alberty takes us there in a simple but very effective way. The two screens upstage of the action show film of the fence itself, and downstage we hear from Kreifels, a stranger to Matthew Shepard. Flanking him are two other strangers: Dr. Cantway, the emergency room doctor who treated Matthew, and Reggie Fluty, the police officer who responded to the 911 call. They describe the incredible brutality of the beating, and their efforts to save him. Moore, Williams and Jarmon do an incredible job with Alberty's direction. It's easy to imagine Matthew Shepard out there, in October, alone in the cold, struggling for his life. It's a terrifying image, and it frightens us. It angers us. In the words of Dr. Cantway, "it offends us."
It should offend us. It should anger us. This sort of violence is appalling, and something deep inside the human spirit rejects it. While Matthew Shepard was being treated for his wounds, vigils across the country sprung up in support of his family.
Eleven years later, The Laramie Project still hits a sensitive spot in our country, and wherever the play is done, the issues of gay rights and hate crime seem to come up. In reaction to a rumor that Fred Phelps and Westboro Baptist Church were coming to protest the show, a large group of people set up a counter-protest on the south side of 1st Avenue. Some came out in a show of solidarity towards TCR, others to support gay rights. Fortunately the counter-protest was peaceful (the WBC never showed), and it's good to have warm vibes on a cold night. TCR Artistic director Leslie Charipar called the counter-protest "one of my proudest moments of being a Cedar Rapidian."
And that's good. I'm proud, too. But if you honked in support of the counter-protesters and drove on past the theater, you only got part of the story. The Laramie Project, as Alberty says in his show notes, "is not about Matthew Shepard or homosexuality - nor is it really about Laramie. To put it in such a small box would be to limit its power. This show is about hate of "the other," whoever that may be - an often blind and visceral hate - and how that hate affects individuals and communities." Ironically, the Fred Phelps on stage is much scarier than the real Fred Phelps. As a dramatic symbol, he has a lot more power than the man - who, after all, will soon die and be forgotten. What he symbolizes, however, is an integral part of the human character. It is fear. It is anger, hate and violence. It is the part of us we often succumb to in little ways, whenever we create that distance, whenever we get too tied up in labels and stereotypes, whenever we put up a wall between ourselves and the other person.
When a tragedy like Matthew Shepard's murder occurs, the natural reaction is to reject it, to remind ourselves that it happened somewhere else. That's only natural. But is it accurate? The Laramie Project, as The New York Times said, is "
Back inside the theater, Act II examines the idea in depth. Zubaida Ula, a Laramie woman, implores us not to distance ourselves, not reject hate and violence as something to which we're immune. "We need to own this crime. I feel. Everyone needs to own it. We are like this. We ARE like this. WE are LIKE this."
The Laramie Project reminds us that both sides of the coin - the battered boy tied to a fence and the two bestial boys that beat him - are, as Marge Murray puts it, "absolutely human." Laramie's Catholic priest, Father Roger Schmit reminds us that Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney, the perpetrators, "must be our teachers. What did we as a society do to teach you that?"
TCR's production brings home this theme fairly well. One scene in particular deserves mention: after Ula's speech we hear from Shannon and Jen, two friends of Aaron McKinney. They are young, perhaps in their early twenties, and very jaded. It's a bit troublesome watching these two: both seem to be lost already, the epitome of wasted youth. Shannon is nervous; he giggles a lot and doesn't seem comfortable in his seat. Jen won't look at the interviewer; she turns away and chews distractedly on her hair. They feel compassion for McKinney, but they're both ironically aware of the hopelessness of the situation. Shannon sits up and poses at the end of the interview: "we're products of our society." He laughs. He thinks it's a joke. It isn't.
Williams and Jarmon do an excellent job with this scene. Too many young actors fall into the trap of playing these two for laughs; Williams and Jarmon approach them with compassion and sincerity. They do not dull the tragic irony with comic exaggeration; they merely trust their instincts and let the story tell itself. It's some of the best acting in the entire production.
While the reality of the situation in Laramie is frightening, the play is not at all dreary. It does not simply shine a light on the shadowy depths of the human soul and walk away, leaving us to stare in despair. There is a redeeming aspect to the piece, as Shepard himself is used to symbolize hope.
A wonderful poetic image of Matthew comes from a very unlikely place. Sherry Johnson, wife of a highway patrolman, objects to the press's treatment of Matthew Shepard. "The media is portraying Matthew Shepard as a saint. And I don't think he was. I don't think he was that pure." Johnson is well awake to the human tragedy, but she dismisses the idea that Matthew Shepard was special: "he was just a barfly."
The image is perfect. Matthew Shepard wasn't pure. None of us is. Even those of us with our eyes pointing towards the heavens are walking on the muddy, messy ground of the real world. Father Roger Schmit, when pointing out that the incident did a lot for the community, warns that he doesn't want to "condemn Matthew to perfection." His statement adds some perspective to Johnson's; where the divine meets the human, it isn't perfect. It isn't pure. Through the cracks, though, we see the light. Hope shines through in Matthew Shepard, and it shines through in Laramie.
Through Matthew, the patron saint of barflies, Christian philosophy and secular humanism meet and work towards the same ends - hope, healing and compassion. Father Schmit organizes a vigil despite his fear that his superiors will object. Romaine Patterson, a friend of Shepard's, organizes a peaceful counter-protest to combat Fred Phelps' fire-and-brimstone sermon. She takes the stage from Phelps, and on the screen behind her, his inflammatory signs are blown away by angel wings.
The county attorney's office wants to pursue the death penalty in the trial of Aaron McKinney. This is another major political issue, and it divides the town. Some are angry and want McKinney to die. Others oppose the death penalty on moral grounds. Dennis Shepard's statements decide the verdict: in the name of his son, he asks the county not to give McKinney the death penalty. "This is the time to begin the healing process," he says. "To show mercy to someone who refused to show any mercy."
In addition to these grand gestures, there is a lot of dialogue about the implications of the incident. Detective Rob Debree is troubled when he learns how many gay people actually live in fear, and it causes him to change his political views. "This is America. You don't have the right to feel that kind of fear." Jedediah Schultz, a University of Wyoming Theatre student, stands up to his parents and defends his participation in a college production of Angels in America. Jonas Slonaker, a gay Laramie resident, however, is still frustrated that no civil-rights or hate-crime legislation has been passed: "what's come out of this that's concrete or lasting?" (Recently, Congress passed the Matthew Shepard Act, which expands the 1969 federal hate-crime laws to protect LGBT individuals)
TCR's production of the The Laramie Project is well-thought out and moving. It is a fitting close to the "TCR Lindale" era; the space, despite its shortcomings, is ideal for plays that are intimate in theme but broad in dramatic scope. Alberty's direction is strong; an actor himself, he understands his cast and plays to its strengths. The cast is singularly committed and brings a lot of courage, honesty and empathy to its portrayal of the diverse town of Laramie.
From a design standpoint, the use of projection screens is troubling, however. It's ideal for the first act, when it shows actual footage of Laramie - particularly the fence where Shepard died - but films of the actors portraying characters on the news is unsatisfying. The use of film creates an artificial distance that doesn't really serve this play, and it took a lot of the power from certain scenes, such as the media frenzy, the breakdown of hospital director Rulon Stacey and the showdown between Phelps and Patterson.
Most importantly, the character of Aaron McKinney is dulled by the use of film. The footage of the interrogation room is somewhat surreal: black-and-white, and filtered a bit to look like a pencil outline, it makes McKinney into something safe. He is a cartoon, a faraway monster that we don't have to worry about it. This risks undermining the entire play; for the piece to work, we have to feel empathy for Aaron McKinney - as unpleasant as that may be. He needs to be on stage; he needs to be human. A television screen can be turned off, but a real human being must be dealt with. The audience needs to let Aaron McKinney be its teacher. It's a very difficult thing to do, but it's central to the play.
Outside of that choice, the production is very effective. If you haven't seen The Laramie Project yet, you should. It runs until January 24th at TCR Lindale. More information here.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Blackbird has been cast
Dreamwell - Angie Toomsen, director of Dreamwell's March show Blackbird, by David Harrower, has chosen a cast. Blackbird continues Dreamwell's season of a Taboo Bijou. Fifteen years ago, Una and Ray had a... relationship that changed their lives forever. She was twelve and he was forty. He went to jail and she suffered years of emotional turmoil. Una tracks Ray down for one final confrontation. Nothing is simple and clear in this gripping show.
CAST:
Una - Erin Mills
Ray - Rip Russell
CAST:
Una - Erin Mills
Ray - Rip Russell
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Stand against Phelp's hate at TCR
If you don't know who Reverend Fred Phelps is, you should be thankful. He spits hate and cloaks it a mask of religion as if somehow hate could ever be acceptable to God. Phelps hates homosexuals and he makes a living somehow by unleashing his followers to protest whenever possible. His insanity is descending upon Cedar Rapids this Friday, as they will protest the opening of Theatre Cedar Rapid's production of Moises Kaufman's The Laramie Project. It's because of people like Phelps that Matthew Shepard was murdered. If you can, you should go at 6:30 pm on Friday to support TCR and The Laramie Project. Show Phelps and his followers that hate will never prevail.
--Matt Falduto
--Matt Falduto
Ushers Ferry delivers an interesting evening
by Matthew Falduto
Ushers Ferry - It's very important for a theatre to have a niche, particularly in a community like ours that is so rich in theatre. The newly expanded and renamed Ushers Ferry Theatre Company has chosen a very specific niche: historical theatre of the pre-television era. They have selected three very interesting short plays to open this new era of their theatre: Aria da Capo by Edna St. Vincent Millay, Overtones by Alice Gerstenberg, and Trifles by Susan Glaspell. All were well done with excellent committed acting.
To many audiences, Aria da Capo will seem, as director Jim Stewart noted in his pre-show remarks, a weird show. Stewart advised us to let it wash over us and not to try to figure out what was happening. The play opens with Pierott (Kent Guthrie dressed as Groucho Marx) and Columbine (Paula Grady with a frizzy blond wig) pitter-pattering back and forth about... well, nothing really. A few witty remarks from Columbine punctuated with a cigar and a lot of drama queen rants from Pierott and we're five minutes in and nothing makes much sense. However, both performers throw themselves into the whirlwind dialogue and if one lets it wash over you as Stewart suggested, you come out of it amused and curious as to what might happen next. And next is the character of Cothurnus (Ann Cejka) who is pretty much Death looking like she jumped out of a Neil Gaimen comic book. She ushers the clowns offstage and then we get a far more accessible story of two shepherds (Darrin Crow and Keith A. Kenel) and what happens when they build a wall, dividing the land and creating mistrust and jealousy, which leads to a hardly shocking and perfectly tragic end. Once again the actors are fine in their roles. As Stewart also noted, this is probably our one chance to see this show as its very rarely done. It's a clever, funny little show and we're fortunate to have a theatre willing to present it to us.
Overtones is a play that has been done a million times and will be done a million more because its beautiful simplicity. Two society women enjoy a cup of tea while their inner selves say what they're really thinking. It's a very funny show. All four actresses perform admirably, but the one who truly stands out is Kerry Kieler as Maggie, the inner self of Margaret (Jana Stedman). Kieler shows vulnerability and anger and despair using her entire body to convey these feelings.
Trifles is also a play that's been done many times and will be done many times more. By Iowa native Susan Glaspell, its offers a glimpse into the lives of farm women at the turn of the century. A heartbreaking play that never fails to get you in the gut, Trifles as staged by Ushers Ferry was excellent. The two women, played by Barb Arceneux and Susie Burns, created believable characters. Their reactions as they realize the fate of the woman at the center of the play are perfectly done.
If you have not seen Trifles or Overtones, these are excellent introductions to classic plays. And even if you have seen those two, chances are you've never experienced Aria da Capo, and that show alone should pull you off the couch and into the Ambroz Recreation Center.
Dangerous Women continues Friday, January 15 and Saturday, January 16 at Ambroz Recreation Center in Cedar Rapids. Admission is $12 for adults and $6 for children age 14 and under. Call Ushers Ferry, (319) 286-5763, or go here for more information. Tickets at the door are subject to availability. Advance registration is advised. Register in person at the Cedar Rapids Parks & Recreation Department's Ambroz Recreation Center, 2000 Mount Vernon Road SE; by phone at (319) 286-5731, or online.
Matthew has a Bachelor's degree in English from the University of Iowa. He has directed, acted in, and produced theater in the Iowa City area for over ten years. He has worked with the Iowa City Community Theatre, City Circle and Dreamwell, of which he is a founder. Two of his plays have been produced in the Iowa City area. In another brief life, he also worked as a technical writer.
Ushers Ferry - It's very important for a theatre to have a niche, particularly in a community like ours that is so rich in theatre. The newly expanded and renamed Ushers Ferry Theatre Company has chosen a very specific niche: historical theatre of the pre-television era. They have selected three very interesting short plays to open this new era of their theatre: Aria da Capo by Edna St. Vincent Millay, Overtones by Alice Gerstenberg, and Trifles by Susan Glaspell. All were well done with excellent committed acting.
To many audiences, Aria da Capo will seem, as director Jim Stewart noted in his pre-show remarks, a weird show. Stewart advised us to let it wash over us and not to try to figure out what was happening. The play opens with Pierott (Kent Guthrie dressed as Groucho Marx) and Columbine (Paula Grady with a frizzy blond wig) pitter-pattering back and forth about... well, nothing really. A few witty remarks from Columbine punctuated with a cigar and a lot of drama queen rants from Pierott and we're five minutes in and nothing makes much sense. However, both performers throw themselves into the whirlwind dialogue and if one lets it wash over you as Stewart suggested, you come out of it amused and curious as to what might happen next. And next is the character of Cothurnus (Ann Cejka) who is pretty much Death looking like she jumped out of a Neil Gaimen comic book. She ushers the clowns offstage and then we get a far more accessible story of two shepherds (Darrin Crow and Keith A. Kenel) and what happens when they build a wall, dividing the land and creating mistrust and jealousy, which leads to a hardly shocking and perfectly tragic end. Once again the actors are fine in their roles. As Stewart also noted, this is probably our one chance to see this show as its very rarely done. It's a clever, funny little show and we're fortunate to have a theatre willing to present it to us.
Overtones is a play that has been done a million times and will be done a million more because its beautiful simplicity. Two society women enjoy a cup of tea while their inner selves say what they're really thinking. It's a very funny show. All four actresses perform admirably, but the one who truly stands out is Kerry Kieler as Maggie, the inner self of Margaret (Jana Stedman). Kieler shows vulnerability and anger and despair using her entire body to convey these feelings.
Trifles is also a play that's been done many times and will be done many times more. By Iowa native Susan Glaspell, its offers a glimpse into the lives of farm women at the turn of the century. A heartbreaking play that never fails to get you in the gut, Trifles as staged by Ushers Ferry was excellent. The two women, played by Barb Arceneux and Susie Burns, created believable characters. Their reactions as they realize the fate of the woman at the center of the play are perfectly done.
If you have not seen Trifles or Overtones, these are excellent introductions to classic plays. And even if you have seen those two, chances are you've never experienced Aria da Capo, and that show alone should pull you off the couch and into the Ambroz Recreation Center.
Dangerous Women continues Friday, January 15 and Saturday, January 16 at Ambroz Recreation Center in Cedar Rapids. Admission is $12 for adults and $6 for children age 14 and under. Call Ushers Ferry, (319) 286-5763, or go here for more information. Tickets at the door are subject to availability. Advance registration is advised. Register in person at the Cedar Rapids Parks & Recreation Department's Ambroz Recreation Center, 2000 Mount Vernon Road SE; by phone at (319) 286-5731, or online.
Matthew has a Bachelor's degree in English from the University of Iowa. He has directed, acted in, and produced theater in the Iowa City area for over ten years. He has worked with the Iowa City Community Theatre, City Circle and Dreamwell, of which he is a founder. Two of his plays have been produced in the Iowa City area. In another brief life, he also worked as a technical writer.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Laramie Project opens next Friday at TCR
by James E. Trainor III
Moises Kaufman's The Laramie Project, like many dramas, centers around a sacrifice that teaches us an important lesson. It would be apocalyptic and even messianic in its scope, if not for the sobering reality that grounds it. The tragedy of Matthew Shepard, after all, is not a dramatic fiction. It actually happened, right here in America.
Let's back up a minute, though. The town of Laramie, not Matthew Shepard, is the main character of The Laramie Project. The play opens by introducing us to this Wyoming community of 27,000, from the perspective of its inhabitants, and then from the perspective of the Tectonic Theater Project, who visited in 1998 to conduct the interviews that eventually became The Laramie Project.
The town was originally a "tent city," a place to rest and gather supplies for railway workers. In 1887, the University of Wyoming opened. Laramie stepped onto the national stage in 1998, when a young student named Matthew Shepard was brutally beaten and left for dead.
Kaufman's play deals with Laramie's reaction to the incident, from the discovery of Shepard's body (he was found tied to a fence) to the trial of the two perpetrators, Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney. The text consists entirely of interviews with Laramie's residents, interspersed with commentary from the members of the Tectonic Theater Project.
Though the beating and the subsequent media attention had a profound effect on the town, the tone of The Laramie Project is ultimately redemptive; Matthew, the young gay man who was tragically killed, becomes a symbol for peace, humility and hope for tomorrow. The individuals in the community, when faced with hate, violence and ugliness, choose to respond with love and compassion. Wyoming has recently pushed hate-crime legislation, due in part to the activism inspired by Shepard's death.
TCR's production of The Laramie Project opens on January 15th at TCR Lindale. This will be the last play at TCR Lindale, the temporary space the theatre has used since the Flood of 2008 damaged the Iowa Theatre building. Starting with Rocky Horror, TCR has produced 11 shows in this space. Its next show, The Producers, will be back downtown.
The Laramie Project runs January 15 - January 24, 7:30 pm on Thursday, Friday & Saturday, 2:30 pm on Sunday, at TCR Lindale (4444 1st Ave NE). Tickets are $20-$25 for adults, $15 for youth, $12 for rush. More information here.
Moises Kaufman's The Laramie Project, like many dramas, centers around a sacrifice that teaches us an important lesson. It would be apocalyptic and even messianic in its scope, if not for the sobering reality that grounds it. The tragedy of Matthew Shepard, after all, is not a dramatic fiction. It actually happened, right here in America.
Let's back up a minute, though. The town of Laramie, not Matthew Shepard, is the main character of The Laramie Project. The play opens by introducing us to this Wyoming community of 27,000, from the perspective of its inhabitants, and then from the perspective of the Tectonic Theater Project, who visited in 1998 to conduct the interviews that eventually became The Laramie Project.
The town was originally a "tent city," a place to rest and gather supplies for railway workers. In 1887, the University of Wyoming opened. Laramie stepped onto the national stage in 1998, when a young student named Matthew Shepard was brutally beaten and left for dead.
Kaufman's play deals with Laramie's reaction to the incident, from the discovery of Shepard's body (he was found tied to a fence) to the trial of the two perpetrators, Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney. The text consists entirely of interviews with Laramie's residents, interspersed with commentary from the members of the Tectonic Theater Project.
Though the beating and the subsequent media attention had a profound effect on the town, the tone of The Laramie Project is ultimately redemptive; Matthew, the young gay man who was tragically killed, becomes a symbol for peace, humility and hope for tomorrow. The individuals in the community, when faced with hate, violence and ugliness, choose to respond with love and compassion. Wyoming has recently pushed hate-crime legislation, due in part to the activism inspired by Shepard's death.
TCR's production of The Laramie Project opens on January 15th at TCR Lindale. This will be the last play at TCR Lindale, the temporary space the theatre has used since the Flood of 2008 damaged the Iowa Theatre building. Starting with Rocky Horror, TCR has produced 11 shows in this space. Its next show, The Producers, will be back downtown.
The Laramie Project runs January 15 - January 24, 7:30 pm on Thursday, Friday & Saturday, 2:30 pm on Sunday, at TCR Lindale (4444 1st Ave NE). Tickets are $20-$25 for adults, $15 for youth, $12 for rush. More information here.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
A Theatre is Reborn
Ushers Ferry - Let's see a show of hands. How many readers out there have seen a show by the Parlour Theatre Company at Ushers Ferry Historic Village? Hopefully, your hand went up, but I have to admit, mine cannot. We haven't been covering them because they've flown below our radar in the sense that they haven't been a "traditional" theatre company, but a part of a "venue for family friendly activities, events and programs that build community from the historical perspective of a small Iowa Town at the turn of the 20th century" (see website).
However, the fact is they have been doing theatre out there for the past ten years "very quietly" according to Darrin Crow, Education Coordinator. Their first show was Morbid Curiosities: An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe in 1999. Since then they have produced short story and poetry compilations on a number of themes. The idea behind the Company has been to help people experience popular literature and entertainment from the turn of the century.
About four or five years ago they began producing an annual melodrama using authentic settings and acting techniques. According to Crow, "They've been a lot of fun as they are so very silly and really involve the audience." Parlour Theatre became an even more important part of Ushers Ferry when 95% of their site was flooded in summer of 2008. They kept their programming going by taking shows on the road, such as Charlotte's Web at the Bever Park Zoo and The Count of Monte Cristo and Poe at Brucemore.
A few months ago Jim Stewart, a nationally known director and actor who has worked in Chicago, Philadelphia, and with the Houston Shakespeare Company, approached Crow with the desire to expand the company and its offerings. Stewart's leadership as Artistic Director lead to a new mission and a new name. The renamed Ushers Ferry Theatre Company's purpose is to explore community by producing American works from the "pre-televsion" era of 1850-1950, European works that were popular during the era, and modern works that are about or comment on the era. This kind of theatrical endeavor is unique in the Midwest as no other companies are focused on the presentation of historic theater.
This new company's season will explore this literature through both a "Mainstage Series" and its traditional "Parlour Theatre Series." The first Mainstage Series production will be Dangerous Women: Three Plays by Early American Women on January 8, 9, 15, and 16 at the historic Ambroz Recreation Center. These three one-act plays, Aria de Capo, Overtones, and the riveting mystery by Iowa native Susan Glaspell, Trifles, are each unique and were groundbreaking when they opened at the turn of the 20th century.
Other Mainstage Series performances include a family favorite, the Old Fashioned Melodrama, returning to the Mainstage at Ambroz in March. This hilarious show full of inspired silliness and bad jokes will run March 18-20 and 25-27. On May 13-15 and 20-22, the Ushers Ferry Theatre Company will inaugurate its Pulitzer Prize segment at Ambroz by presenting Why Marry?, the first play to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize. The first Mainstage Shakespeare Series production will open on September 9-11 and 16-18 with A Comedy of Errors outside at Ushers Ferry's Gazebo. The Mainstage Series closes in December with the heartwarming tale of love on the prairie, A Change in the Wind presented December 2-4 and 9-11.
Parlour Theatre Series shows include a valentine piece called Love Ballads: Tragic Songs, Poems, and Stories at Ushers Ferry on February 5, 6, 12, and 13; Jack Tales - Beyond the Beanstalk, a children's theater original presentation at the Ushers Ferry Gazebo June 3-5 and 10-12; and Old Fashioned Radio Theatre at the Ushers Ferry stage on August 12-14 and 19-21. On October 14-16 and 21-23, the Parlour Theatre Series will welcome back that very show, the audience favorite, Morbid Curiosities: An Evening With Edgar Alan Poe.
The Iowa Theatre Blog will be covering these shows, so be sure to check back for previews and reviews. It seems our culturally rich community has become a little richer. As Crow noted, Ushers Ferry Theatre Company "offers one more outlet to showcase the talented actors and actresses in the Corridor."
Tickets for Mainstage Series performances are $12 for adults and $6 for children ages 14 and under. Parlour Theatre Series shows are $8 for adults and $4 for children ages 14 and under. Season tickets for the Mainstage Series are $54 and Parlour Theatre Series season tickets are $29, a ten percent discount off the individual ticket price. Patrons purchasing both Mainstage Series and Parlour Theatre Series season tickets will receive an additional $5 off and will get nine great shows for only $78. Groups are welcome at Ushers Ferry Theatre Company shows. Groups of ten or more receive ten percent off their ticket order. To order season tickets or group tickets, call Ushers Ferry at 319-286-5763. To order individual tickets, call the Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation Department at 319-286-5731.
However, the fact is they have been doing theatre out there for the past ten years "very quietly" according to Darrin Crow, Education Coordinator. Their first show was Morbid Curiosities: An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe in 1999. Since then they have produced short story and poetry compilations on a number of themes. The idea behind the Company has been to help people experience popular literature and entertainment from the turn of the century.
About four or five years ago they began producing an annual melodrama using authentic settings and acting techniques. According to Crow, "They've been a lot of fun as they are so very silly and really involve the audience." Parlour Theatre became an even more important part of Ushers Ferry when 95% of their site was flooded in summer of 2008. They kept their programming going by taking shows on the road, such as Charlotte's Web at the Bever Park Zoo and The Count of Monte Cristo and Poe at Brucemore.
A few months ago Jim Stewart, a nationally known director and actor who has worked in Chicago, Philadelphia, and with the Houston Shakespeare Company, approached Crow with the desire to expand the company and its offerings. Stewart's leadership as Artistic Director lead to a new mission and a new name. The renamed Ushers Ferry Theatre Company's purpose is to explore community by producing American works from the "pre-televsion" era of 1850-1950, European works that were popular during the era, and modern works that are about or comment on the era. This kind of theatrical endeavor is unique in the Midwest as no other companies are focused on the presentation of historic theater.
This new company's season will explore this literature through both a "Mainstage Series" and its traditional "Parlour Theatre Series." The first Mainstage Series production will be Dangerous Women: Three Plays by Early American Women on January 8, 9, 15, and 16 at the historic Ambroz Recreation Center. These three one-act plays, Aria de Capo, Overtones, and the riveting mystery by Iowa native Susan Glaspell, Trifles, are each unique and were groundbreaking when they opened at the turn of the 20th century.
Other Mainstage Series performances include a family favorite, the Old Fashioned Melodrama, returning to the Mainstage at Ambroz in March. This hilarious show full of inspired silliness and bad jokes will run March 18-20 and 25-27. On May 13-15 and 20-22, the Ushers Ferry Theatre Company will inaugurate its Pulitzer Prize segment at Ambroz by presenting Why Marry?, the first play to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize. The first Mainstage Shakespeare Series production will open on September 9-11 and 16-18 with A Comedy of Errors outside at Ushers Ferry's Gazebo. The Mainstage Series closes in December with the heartwarming tale of love on the prairie, A Change in the Wind presented December 2-4 and 9-11.
Parlour Theatre Series shows include a valentine piece called Love Ballads: Tragic Songs, Poems, and Stories at Ushers Ferry on February 5, 6, 12, and 13; Jack Tales - Beyond the Beanstalk, a children's theater original presentation at the Ushers Ferry Gazebo June 3-5 and 10-12; and Old Fashioned Radio Theatre at the Ushers Ferry stage on August 12-14 and 19-21. On October 14-16 and 21-23, the Parlour Theatre Series will welcome back that very show, the audience favorite, Morbid Curiosities: An Evening With Edgar Alan Poe.
The Iowa Theatre Blog will be covering these shows, so be sure to check back for previews and reviews. It seems our culturally rich community has become a little richer. As Crow noted, Ushers Ferry Theatre Company "offers one more outlet to showcase the talented actors and actresses in the Corridor."
Tickets for Mainstage Series performances are $12 for adults and $6 for children ages 14 and under. Parlour Theatre Series shows are $8 for adults and $4 for children ages 14 and under. Season tickets for the Mainstage Series are $54 and Parlour Theatre Series season tickets are $29, a ten percent discount off the individual ticket price. Patrons purchasing both Mainstage Series and Parlour Theatre Series season tickets will receive an additional $5 off and will get nine great shows for only $78. Groups are welcome at Ushers Ferry Theatre Company shows. Groups of ten or more receive ten percent off their ticket order. To order season tickets or group tickets, call Ushers Ferry at 319-286-5763. To order individual tickets, call the Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation Department at 319-286-5731.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Blackbird Auditions this weekend
Dreamwell - Dreamwell will hold auditions for Blackbird by David Harrower Saturday January 9th at 1 pm at the Iowa City Public Library. The show dates are March 19, 20, 26, 27.
THE STORY: Ray is confronted with his past when Una arrives unannounced at his office. Guilt, rage and raw emotions run high as they recollect their relationship when she was twelve and he was forty. Ray, fifty-six, after years in prison and subsequent hardships, has a new identity and has made a new life for himself, thinking that he could no longer be found. Una, twenty-seven, has thought of nothing else, and on finding a photo of him, sets out to find Ray. She is looking for answers not vengeance. Nevertheless, the consequences are shattering.
ACTORS: Male 40s - 60s. Female 20s - 30s. Seasoned/experienced actors are preferred. This play demands commitment and emotional vulnerability from its actors. We will rehearse four times per week.
The script is on reserve at the Iowa City Public Library. If you have questions or are interested but cannot make the audition time, contact director Angie Toomsen at angietoomsen@yahoo.com.
THE STORY: Ray is confronted with his past when Una arrives unannounced at his office. Guilt, rage and raw emotions run high as they recollect their relationship when she was twelve and he was forty. Ray, fifty-six, after years in prison and subsequent hardships, has a new identity and has made a new life for himself, thinking that he could no longer be found. Una, twenty-seven, has thought of nothing else, and on finding a photo of him, sets out to find Ray. She is looking for answers not vengeance. Nevertheless, the consequences are shattering.
ACTORS: Male 40s - 60s. Female 20s - 30s. Seasoned/experienced actors are preferred. This play demands commitment and emotional vulnerability from its actors. We will rehearse four times per week.
The script is on reserve at the Iowa City Public Library. If you have questions or are interested but cannot make the audition time, contact director Angie Toomsen at angietoomsen@yahoo.com.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Deathtrap Cast Chosen
City Circle - The cast of City Circle's production of Deathtrap has been announced.
SIDNEY - Scot Hughes
MYRA - Barb Arceneaux
CLIFFORD - Matthew James
HELGA - Kaitlyn Busbee
POTER - Brad Quinn
The show is directed by Alex Iben. It opens March 4 at the Iowa Children's Museum. One of the five longest-running non-musicals in Broadway history, Deathtrap is both the epitome of a classic thriller and a playful insider’s poke at the genre. Perhaps the opening lines of the show describe it best: “A thriller in two acts. One set. Five characters. A juicy murder in Act One, unexpected developments in Act Two. Sound construction, good dialogue, laughs in the right places. Highly commercial.”
SIDNEY - Scot Hughes
MYRA - Barb Arceneaux
CLIFFORD - Matthew James
HELGA - Kaitlyn Busbee
POTER - Brad Quinn
The show is directed by Alex Iben. It opens March 4 at the Iowa Children's Museum. One of the five longest-running non-musicals in Broadway history, Deathtrap is both the epitome of a classic thriller and a playful insider’s poke at the genre. Perhaps the opening lines of the show describe it best: “A thriller in two acts. One set. Five characters. A juicy murder in Act One, unexpected developments in Act Two. Sound construction, good dialogue, laughs in the right places. Highly commercial.”
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Rage is looking for some fighters
Rage - Rage Theatrics is having auditions for the Shattock Schoole of Defence, the touring ren faire stage combat and comedy theatre troupe. They have weekly rehearsals, have a four show repertoire, and new members will likely be in two or three of those shows. Participants will be committed to up to 8 weekends away at faires between May and September. No prior stage combat experience necessary. Auditions consist of an interview, fight call and a few readings, scheduled individually. Call Scott Lewis, 936-1847 with questions or to schedule.(Photo by Shuva Rahim)
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