In Deathtrap, professional rivalry becomes deadly. Sidney Bruhl, who is having a killer case of writer's block, invites young writer Clifford Anderson over to discuss his new murder mystery. But Clifford is in for more than he bargained for...
Deathtrap is a metatheatrical romp full of plot twists, sinister characters and outrageous plays for power. Written by Ira Levin in 1978, it ran for Broadway for years and is Levin's most famous play.
City Circle's production runs from March 5-7 and 12-14, starting at 7:30pm (2:30 on Sundays) at the Iowa Children's Museum in the Coral Ridge Mall. Call the Coralville Rec Center (319-248-1750) for tickets.
Want to contribute reviews or articles?
Contact us at ictheatreblog@gmail.com.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Poona is a daring success
by Andrew Juhl
Dreamwell - During the course of Dreamwell’s opening night of Jeff Goode’s Poona the Fuckdog, I was assaulted with a plastic knife, yelled at, personally insulted, dragged out of the auditorium, and forced to endure some of the cheesiest puns ever uttered outside of a Jay Leno writers’ meeting.
And, yes, I enjoyed it. The folks at Dreamwell put on a delightful and politely obscene show, if ever there were such a thing.
Co-directors Meg Dobbs and Brain Tanner did a fantastic job of translating a script with a ludicrous number of entrances, exits, sight gags, and props from page to stage. Due to some comedic timing issues, a handful of jokes warranted considerable head-scratching from the audience, but I’m entirely optimistic that opening night jitters accounted for the majority of those peccadilloes.
The star of the show, in both the wholly expected and literal sense, is Libby Dobbs’ Poona (I mean, err, her characterization of ‘Poona’). Dobbs brings the cute innocence of a puppy to the stage early in the show, only to have it be believably replaced later in the evening with the haggard resignation of a tired old bitch. Listening to her lines echo in my head during the drive home, however, I couldn’t help but think her performance would have surely struck stronger if it were significantly more salacious, instead of so slyly sensual—but, then again, I’m a fan of alliteration. What I’m saying is this: when you’re an attractive young woman starring in a show called Poona the Fuckdog, wherein you play a fuckdog, bring the sex. Otherwise, you’re trying to consummate the actress-audience marriage with a pocketful of flaccid double entendres.
Another reflection I had whilst driving home was that continuing to review community theatre productions allows me callback notes from previously reviewed shows. To wit, in last year’s review of Rage Theatrics’ The Prisoner of Zenda, I wrote the following with regards to actor K. Michael Moore, who chiefly played ‘Prince’ in Dreawell’s Poona: “This reviewer has always been impressed when an actor is able to project an unmistakable visual mask of scum and villainy, and Moore is the face of evil throughout this performance….” Copy that for Moore’s performance in Poona, changing only the words ‘scum,’ ‘villainy,’ and ‘evil’ into ‘douche-iness,’ ‘douche-itude,’ and ‘douche-osity.’ I mean this in a very good way.
The rest of the show’s actors rotate onstage through myriad characters, both interesting and less-so, but the majority of the performances are funny, almost to the point of being piqued at any solemnity concealed in their dialogue. Notable standouts are Ben Ward, who steals scenes as the ‘Man Who Could Sell Anything’; Stephen Polchert, who powers-through a charmingly ambivalent portrayal of ‘God’; and Brett Janecek, who rocked the stage as both a manic set piece and the noir-esque ‘Jack Jacobs.’
Overall, it’s an enjoyable play with several satisfying and unexpected moments. What the source material lacks in cohesiveness, the cast makes up for in its dedication and consciousness of the audience. In an area already laden with quality community theatre companies that can produce 4-6 major shows each year, it is praiseworthy to see something so refreshingly different—and, more importantly, daring—from the likes of Dreamwell and their current season. Because putting a singing, dancing penis on stage? Well, that takes balls.
Andrew R. Juhl is an area author and director. He has previously worked with the City Circle Acting Company of Coralville and Rage Theatrics.
Dreamwell - During the course of Dreamwell’s opening night of Jeff Goode’s Poona the Fuckdog, I was assaulted with a plastic knife, yelled at, personally insulted, dragged out of the auditorium, and forced to endure some of the cheesiest puns ever uttered outside of a Jay Leno writers’ meeting.
And, yes, I enjoyed it. The folks at Dreamwell put on a delightful and politely obscene show, if ever there were such a thing.
Co-directors Meg Dobbs and Brain Tanner did a fantastic job of translating a script with a ludicrous number of entrances, exits, sight gags, and props from page to stage. Due to some comedic timing issues, a handful of jokes warranted considerable head-scratching from the audience, but I’m entirely optimistic that opening night jitters accounted for the majority of those peccadilloes.
The star of the show, in both the wholly expected and literal sense, is Libby Dobbs’ Poona (I mean, err, her characterization of ‘Poona’). Dobbs brings the cute innocence of a puppy to the stage early in the show, only to have it be believably replaced later in the evening with the haggard resignation of a tired old bitch. Listening to her lines echo in my head during the drive home, however, I couldn’t help but think her performance would have surely struck stronger if it were significantly more salacious, instead of so slyly sensual—but, then again, I’m a fan of alliteration. What I’m saying is this: when you’re an attractive young woman starring in a show called Poona the Fuckdog, wherein you play a fuckdog, bring the sex. Otherwise, you’re trying to consummate the actress-audience marriage with a pocketful of flaccid double entendres.
Another reflection I had whilst driving home was that continuing to review community theatre productions allows me callback notes from previously reviewed shows. To wit, in last year’s review of Rage Theatrics’ The Prisoner of Zenda, I wrote the following with regards to actor K. Michael Moore, who chiefly played ‘Prince’ in Dreawell’s Poona: “This reviewer has always been impressed when an actor is able to project an unmistakable visual mask of scum and villainy, and Moore is the face of evil throughout this performance….” Copy that for Moore’s performance in Poona, changing only the words ‘scum,’ ‘villainy,’ and ‘evil’ into ‘douche-iness,’ ‘douche-itude,’ and ‘douche-osity.’ I mean this in a very good way.
The rest of the show’s actors rotate onstage through myriad characters, both interesting and less-so, but the majority of the performances are funny, almost to the point of being piqued at any solemnity concealed in their dialogue. Notable standouts are Ben Ward, who steals scenes as the ‘Man Who Could Sell Anything’; Stephen Polchert, who powers-through a charmingly ambivalent portrayal of ‘God’; and Brett Janecek, who rocked the stage as both a manic set piece and the noir-esque ‘Jack Jacobs.’
Overall, it’s an enjoyable play with several satisfying and unexpected moments. What the source material lacks in cohesiveness, the cast makes up for in its dedication and consciousness of the audience. In an area already laden with quality community theatre companies that can produce 4-6 major shows each year, it is praiseworthy to see something so refreshingly different—and, more importantly, daring—from the likes of Dreamwell and their current season. Because putting a singing, dancing penis on stage? Well, that takes balls.
Andrew R. Juhl is an area author and director. He has previously worked with the City Circle Acting Company of Coralville and Rage Theatrics.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Open the Red Door
by Matthew Falduto
Red Door - There's a new theatre company in town and they are focusing on a very specific niche: original work. Red Door Ensemble promises every show will be original, previously unproduced work. The founders of the theatre were all connected in some way to Stage Left Productions, which folded not that long ago. While Stage Left never seemed to have a clearly defined purpose, Red Door does. Their vision promotes the idea that the theatrical experience is a unique history of the world and one that offers a different viewpoint than any that could be received from a text book. One of the group’s goals
is to push the idea that the theatre is an unmatched oral history of behavior and culture. Red Door Ensemble is interested in helping create the new canon, a new cycle of work that teaches the next generation and beyond what the people of today were like. Artistic Director Josh Beadle explains, "Often as theatre practitioners we try to think of the next step in theatre, thinking of the form as a whole not just this one production we're currently working on. With a complete dedication to original work we're putting ourselves on the cusp of theatre. It's the difference between curating a museum and creating the work to be put in that museum; there's nothing wrong with deciding what pieces should be spread in the world of theatre, we'd just rather be creating those pieces." Beside Beadle, founding members include Kerry Kieler as Managing Director, Tori Morgensai as the Production Manager, and James Trainor as Dramaturge. The acting ensemble consists of Steve Wunderlich, Ashley Yates, Jana Stedman, Rick Adams, Ryan Westwood, Nathan Scheetz, and Jeremy Ping. We had a chance to discuss this never venture with Josh, Tori, Kerry and Jeremy.
Creating a new canon is a lofty goal. How do you select shows to produce to make certain they are worthy of being part of the "new canon"?
Josh: Well there’s a great deal of haggling over existential issues and Robert’s rules of orders. Seriously though, I don’t think any theatre artist actively seeks to create the new canon but that is exactly
what every artist is doing when she or he chooses to do a play. We choose plays we like and want to produce or have a message we like and want to spread; rarely is a play performed just because someone feels that it must be done to complete a canonical regard but that is in fact what we’re all doing. I guess, in a sense, we’re just ensuring a certain consciousness when we pick these plays.
With this first season we had a pool of scripts we were looking at and we weighed the merits of each. Discussed the practicality, the appeal, the playwright, and finally it all comes down to the fact that you have to want to produce the show. You have to love the material. There are the shows I don’t think I could live without. If I were stranded on a desert island these are the scripts I wish I had. That is how we often choose scripts to be produced and you just hope that your tastes are close enough to the tastes of the community so you can serve them.
Are you focusing on local playwrights or are you looking from work from all over?
Jeremy: With such a strong selection of writers in the Iowa City/Cedar Rapids area, we feel that people who are either from here or still here should have their pieces produced, so we prefer to stay local.
Kerry: And as we grow as a company we hope to extend our reach to writers from all over.
Your first production, Red Door Shorts, will be scenes from your first season of plays performed at Public Space One. Do you plan to produce all shows in Public Space One? Is there a cost for Red Door Shorts?
Tori: We’re open to performing anywhere. This first production will be at PS1 because most of us have worked in the space before and have a relationship with some of the members of the James Gang. It was a good fit for this production but we’re definitely not ruling out the potential of any other found space. We’d like to experiment with producing shows in both sides of the corridor, perhaps having a split run with a couple weekends in Iowa City and a couple weekends in Cedar Rapids. Hopefully, we’ll have the opportunity to find a home in our future! The show will cost patrons a flat $5 admission. We decided to have the lower ticket cost because we’re such a fresh and new face that we didn’t want to turn people away; in other words we want to prove ourselves to the community. The night is also intended to be a kind of preview of what’s to come.
How do plan to generate revenue to get this theatre going? Do you have patrons or grants or is this self funded by the members of the ensemble?
Josh: For the first few shows the cost will be taken directly out of my pocket. We will be self-funded and ticket sales will be going directly in to the budget for the next play. We will be looking in to some potential grant funding but we don’t believe in fully putting the cart before the horse in regards to fundraising, however, we do have some fun events planned for after our this first show. Our second show is about the post-apocalypse and so we have some fabulous ideas with zombies brewing.
Ah, zombies. A classic in live theatre. But moving on, I have to ask... nearly every theatre in the area is producing original work: City Circle often does a ten minute play festival, Riverside has its Walking the Wire, Mount Vernon Lisbon has its Slices of Life, ITAC recently produced two short original plays and won an Icky for it. Dreamwell is holding a playwriting contest, the Writers Joust. And of course, there are the original shows the University of Iowa theatre department does every year. Explain to us why we need Red Door too.
Kerry: Producing one new work each season is noble goal, and one that many theatres aspire to – but producing entire seasons of new work is unmatched by any theatre in this area. We hope a dedication to new and original work all season long will set Red Door Ensemble apart because even with the rise of original work in the area people are still having trouble getting produced.
Jeremy: If you look at the University, who by far has the largest avenue of original work, there are still playwrights there who aren’t being produced. Both local established playwrights and aspiring new playwrights will get to see their work produced by our company because they will have that many more opportunities to do so.
Along those same lines, are you considering any sort of collaboration with any of the existing theatres? Or is this a go it alone endeavor?
Kerry: At the moment we’re producing work alone but part of our philosophy and part of the inherent nature of theatre involves collaboration and never competition. We would absolutely love to work in conjunction with other area theatres, whether that simply be to promote each other’s work or to share resources. There is an absolute vibrant theatre community in the corridor and we want to add ourselves to that community.
I see a lot of familiar names in this group - Josh Beadle, Kerry Kieler, James Trainor - is this Stage Left reborn? How is this project different?
Tori: Red Door is co-founded by Josh Beadle, Kerry Kieler, Jeremy Ping, and myself. Yes, most of those names are familiar to the Stage Left crowd. However, the very structure of Red Door is completely different from Stage Left. Stage Left was run quite like a traditionally structured theatre organization with one person on the top, a board making most of the decisions, and lots of hurry up and wait! Red Door Ensemble is formed from two ensembles: the producing ensemble and the acting ensemble. Our producing ensemble is responsible for carrying out the organizations work and producing each show, we’ve tagged ourselves with titles just because it can be helpful at times for others to be able to identify with them and for ourselves to fall back on a kind of structure but more often than not we’re making decisions communally. What shows we’re going to do, who is going to be in them, where we are going to do them, has all been decided communally and collaboratively between the four co-founders. Our hope is that this group remains this way, we’re hoping to create a community of like-minded artists.
Having an acting ensemble is different from most area theatres. Old Creamery does it, but other than that, I think most of the theatres in the area have auditions on a show by show basis. How involved will this acting ensemble be?
Kerry: Our acting ensemble will participate in all aspects of the season including on and off stage work and will have the opportunity to voice an opinion on season selection. Red Door will truly be a collaborative effort of actors, directors, writers and technicians.
What did you learn from Stage Left that will help you succeed with Red Door?
Josh: I started Stage Left at a very peculiar point in time. I had little to no experience in the community but I was in a place in my theatrical education where I absolutely needed to direct a play. It sounds crazy to reflect on this point because of how far I and that group traveled over that time. But the original creation was because I felt I’d been called to this profession and I knew that I wouldn’t be given a chance to direct until late in my college career. I mean I didn’t take a directing class until my last term of my Junior year, about a year and a half ago. My real education came from the creation of that group, so for me there is no way I can truly sum up what I learned. I’d have to write a book. Which may not be a bad idea…
Maybe we can write one together about our experiences, Josh. That might be really interesting. But back to Red Door, most theatres find that it's hard to create an audience for shows the general public has never heard of. How do you plan to overcome that?
Josh: That’s the challenge of any theatre not doing a piece by Shakespeare or a Stephen Sondheim musical. Not to be dismissive of either of those theatre artists or those that produce them. I remember our first conversation when somebody brought the idea to the table of doing all original work: how do we promote something that nobody knows? And we talked and we talked and we talked until finally someone asked how is that different than any other promotion of a script? You look at ICCT producing “Wonderful Town” right now; I’ve never heard of it. You look at Dreamwell producing “Poona the Fuckdog” and Riverside producing “End Days” right now. The community at large does not know these shows for the most part, maybe some hardcore theatre people, but most of them are producing shows as well.
Okay, so let's get a little more personal... I would love to know why some of you specifically want to do this. What's in it for you?
Kerry: For me, Red Door will be special because it will give us the chance to foster local talent that doesn’t always get the opportunity to shine. We have a chance with this company to draw attention to the astounding amount of local talent in the Iowa Corridor and we think writers in this area will be excited about the opportunity to have their work produced and to get to play a real part in making that happen. Knowing that our company will never be recycling old standbys, that we will always be producing the newest, freshest, next possible hit plays is both challenging and exciting and I look forward to being a part of it.
Josh: My goal as an artist has always been to create this community, almost that utopian artist society, a much less maligned version of Andy Warhol’s Factory. Where there is a group of artists of all types existing side by side and creating together. That’s my hope, that we can create this true ensemble where we’re creating new plays and actualizing each individual’s potential.
Thank you all so much. I am certainly looking forward to Red Door Shorts.
Red Door Shorts, a collective original work featuring previews from each production of the season, will run March 12-14 and 19-21 at 7:30 pm at Public Space 1, 129 E. Washington Street, in Iowa City. Reservations can be obtained by calling 319-329-6612 or emailing the producing ensemble at reddoorensemble@gmail.com
Red Door Ensemble wishes to extend an open invitation to local theatre artists and playwrights to become involved in this exciting new endeavor. Actors, playwrights, technicians, and directors are encouraged to contact a member of Red Door’s Producing Ensemble at the number or email above to learn more.
Red Door - There's a new theatre company in town and they are focusing on a very specific niche: original work. Red Door Ensemble promises every show will be original, previously unproduced work. The founders of the theatre were all connected in some way to Stage Left Productions, which folded not that long ago. While Stage Left never seemed to have a clearly defined purpose, Red Door does. Their vision promotes the idea that the theatrical experience is a unique history of the world and one that offers a different viewpoint than any that could be received from a text book. One of the group’s goals
is to push the idea that the theatre is an unmatched oral history of behavior and culture. Red Door Ensemble is interested in helping create the new canon, a new cycle of work that teaches the next generation and beyond what the people of today were like. Artistic Director Josh Beadle explains, "Often as theatre practitioners we try to think of the next step in theatre, thinking of the form as a whole not just this one production we're currently working on. With a complete dedication to original work we're putting ourselves on the cusp of theatre. It's the difference between curating a museum and creating the work to be put in that museum; there's nothing wrong with deciding what pieces should be spread in the world of theatre, we'd just rather be creating those pieces." Beside Beadle, founding members include Kerry Kieler as Managing Director, Tori Morgensai as the Production Manager, and James Trainor as Dramaturge. The acting ensemble consists of Steve Wunderlich, Ashley Yates, Jana Stedman, Rick Adams, Ryan Westwood, Nathan Scheetz, and Jeremy Ping. We had a chance to discuss this never venture with Josh, Tori, Kerry and Jeremy.Creating a new canon is a lofty goal. How do you select shows to produce to make certain they are worthy of being part of the "new canon"?
Josh: Well there’s a great deal of haggling over existential issues and Robert’s rules of orders. Seriously though, I don’t think any theatre artist actively seeks to create the new canon but that is exactly
what every artist is doing when she or he chooses to do a play. We choose plays we like and want to produce or have a message we like and want to spread; rarely is a play performed just because someone feels that it must be done to complete a canonical regard but that is in fact what we’re all doing. I guess, in a sense, we’re just ensuring a certain consciousness when we pick these plays.With this first season we had a pool of scripts we were looking at and we weighed the merits of each. Discussed the practicality, the appeal, the playwright, and finally it all comes down to the fact that you have to want to produce the show. You have to love the material. There are the shows I don’t think I could live without. If I were stranded on a desert island these are the scripts I wish I had. That is how we often choose scripts to be produced and you just hope that your tastes are close enough to the tastes of the community so you can serve them.
Are you focusing on local playwrights or are you looking from work from all over?
Jeremy: With such a strong selection of writers in the Iowa City/Cedar Rapids area, we feel that people who are either from here or still here should have their pieces produced, so we prefer to stay local.
Kerry: And as we grow as a company we hope to extend our reach to writers from all over.
Your first production, Red Door Shorts, will be scenes from your first season of plays performed at Public Space One. Do you plan to produce all shows in Public Space One? Is there a cost for Red Door Shorts?
Tori: We’re open to performing anywhere. This first production will be at PS1 because most of us have worked in the space before and have a relationship with some of the members of the James Gang. It was a good fit for this production but we’re definitely not ruling out the potential of any other found space. We’d like to experiment with producing shows in both sides of the corridor, perhaps having a split run with a couple weekends in Iowa City and a couple weekends in Cedar Rapids. Hopefully, we’ll have the opportunity to find a home in our future! The show will cost patrons a flat $5 admission. We decided to have the lower ticket cost because we’re such a fresh and new face that we didn’t want to turn people away; in other words we want to prove ourselves to the community. The night is also intended to be a kind of preview of what’s to come.
How do plan to generate revenue to get this theatre going? Do you have patrons or grants or is this self funded by the members of the ensemble?
Josh: For the first few shows the cost will be taken directly out of my pocket. We will be self-funded and ticket sales will be going directly in to the budget for the next play. We will be looking in to some potential grant funding but we don’t believe in fully putting the cart before the horse in regards to fundraising, however, we do have some fun events planned for after our this first show. Our second show is about the post-apocalypse and so we have some fabulous ideas with zombies brewing.
Ah, zombies. A classic in live theatre. But moving on, I have to ask... nearly every theatre in the area is producing original work: City Circle often does a ten minute play festival, Riverside has its Walking the Wire, Mount Vernon Lisbon has its Slices of Life, ITAC recently produced two short original plays and won an Icky for it. Dreamwell is holding a playwriting contest, the Writers Joust. And of course, there are the original shows the University of Iowa theatre department does every year. Explain to us why we need Red Door too.
Kerry: Producing one new work each season is noble goal, and one that many theatres aspire to – but producing entire seasons of new work is unmatched by any theatre in this area. We hope a dedication to new and original work all season long will set Red Door Ensemble apart because even with the rise of original work in the area people are still having trouble getting produced.
Jeremy: If you look at the University, who by far has the largest avenue of original work, there are still playwrights there who aren’t being produced. Both local established playwrights and aspiring new playwrights will get to see their work produced by our company because they will have that many more opportunities to do so.
Along those same lines, are you considering any sort of collaboration with any of the existing theatres? Or is this a go it alone endeavor?
Kerry: At the moment we’re producing work alone but part of our philosophy and part of the inherent nature of theatre involves collaboration and never competition. We would absolutely love to work in conjunction with other area theatres, whether that simply be to promote each other’s work or to share resources. There is an absolute vibrant theatre community in the corridor and we want to add ourselves to that community.
I see a lot of familiar names in this group - Josh Beadle, Kerry Kieler, James Trainor - is this Stage Left reborn? How is this project different?
Tori: Red Door is co-founded by Josh Beadle, Kerry Kieler, Jeremy Ping, and myself. Yes, most of those names are familiar to the Stage Left crowd. However, the very structure of Red Door is completely different from Stage Left. Stage Left was run quite like a traditionally structured theatre organization with one person on the top, a board making most of the decisions, and lots of hurry up and wait! Red Door Ensemble is formed from two ensembles: the producing ensemble and the acting ensemble. Our producing ensemble is responsible for carrying out the organizations work and producing each show, we’ve tagged ourselves with titles just because it can be helpful at times for others to be able to identify with them and for ourselves to fall back on a kind of structure but more often than not we’re making decisions communally. What shows we’re going to do, who is going to be in them, where we are going to do them, has all been decided communally and collaboratively between the four co-founders. Our hope is that this group remains this way, we’re hoping to create a community of like-minded artists.
Having an acting ensemble is different from most area theatres. Old Creamery does it, but other than that, I think most of the theatres in the area have auditions on a show by show basis. How involved will this acting ensemble be?
Kerry: Our acting ensemble will participate in all aspects of the season including on and off stage work and will have the opportunity to voice an opinion on season selection. Red Door will truly be a collaborative effort of actors, directors, writers and technicians.
What did you learn from Stage Left that will help you succeed with Red Door?
Josh: I started Stage Left at a very peculiar point in time. I had little to no experience in the community but I was in a place in my theatrical education where I absolutely needed to direct a play. It sounds crazy to reflect on this point because of how far I and that group traveled over that time. But the original creation was because I felt I’d been called to this profession and I knew that I wouldn’t be given a chance to direct until late in my college career. I mean I didn’t take a directing class until my last term of my Junior year, about a year and a half ago. My real education came from the creation of that group, so for me there is no way I can truly sum up what I learned. I’d have to write a book. Which may not be a bad idea…
Maybe we can write one together about our experiences, Josh. That might be really interesting. But back to Red Door, most theatres find that it's hard to create an audience for shows the general public has never heard of. How do you plan to overcome that?
Josh: That’s the challenge of any theatre not doing a piece by Shakespeare or a Stephen Sondheim musical. Not to be dismissive of either of those theatre artists or those that produce them. I remember our first conversation when somebody brought the idea to the table of doing all original work: how do we promote something that nobody knows? And we talked and we talked and we talked until finally someone asked how is that different than any other promotion of a script? You look at ICCT producing “Wonderful Town” right now; I’ve never heard of it. You look at Dreamwell producing “Poona the Fuckdog” and Riverside producing “End Days” right now. The community at large does not know these shows for the most part, maybe some hardcore theatre people, but most of them are producing shows as well.
Okay, so let's get a little more personal... I would love to know why some of you specifically want to do this. What's in it for you?
Kerry: For me, Red Door will be special because it will give us the chance to foster local talent that doesn’t always get the opportunity to shine. We have a chance with this company to draw attention to the astounding amount of local talent in the Iowa Corridor and we think writers in this area will be excited about the opportunity to have their work produced and to get to play a real part in making that happen. Knowing that our company will never be recycling old standbys, that we will always be producing the newest, freshest, next possible hit plays is both challenging and exciting and I look forward to being a part of it.
Josh: My goal as an artist has always been to create this community, almost that utopian artist society, a much less maligned version of Andy Warhol’s Factory. Where there is a group of artists of all types existing side by side and creating together. That’s my hope, that we can create this true ensemble where we’re creating new plays and actualizing each individual’s potential.
Thank you all so much. I am certainly looking forward to Red Door Shorts.
Red Door Shorts, a collective original work featuring previews from each production of the season, will run March 12-14 and 19-21 at 7:30 pm at Public Space 1, 129 E. Washington Street, in Iowa City. Reservations can be obtained by calling 319-329-6612 or emailing the producing ensemble at reddoorensemble@gmail.com
Red Door Ensemble wishes to extend an open invitation to local theatre artists and playwrights to become involved in this exciting new endeavor. Actors, playwrights, technicians, and directors are encouraged to contact a member of Red Door’s Producing Ensemble at the number or email above to learn more.
Chapter Two auditions this weekend
ICCT - ICCT has announced auditions for their production of Neil Simon's Chapter Two. Auditions will be February 27 at 1:00 pm and February 28 at 7:00 pm, with call backs March 1 at 7:00 pm at the Iowa City Recreation Center.
In Chapter Two, Neil Simon tells the story of George Schneider, a writer, who is still suffering from his wife's death. His brother Leo has been unsuccessful in matching George up with someone new. Then George meets a Jennie, a young, struggling actress who has recently divorced and coming to terms herself with the loss of love. The two fall head over heels and into marriage. Chapter Two is a heartfelt comedy about adults attempting to move on and discover if true love can really happen a second time. It is directed by Brian Tanner and assisted by Kathy McDonald.
Characters:
George Schneider, playwright
Leo Schneider, George's brother
Jennie Malone, actress
Faye Medwick, actress, Jennie's friend
In the script the characters are described as 30's to 40's; interested actors should consider auditioning as the final cast will depend on the dynamic and relationship between the actors.
Auditions will consist of readings from the script. If you have any questions, please contact Brian at brntnn@aol.com.
In Chapter Two, Neil Simon tells the story of George Schneider, a writer, who is still suffering from his wife's death. His brother Leo has been unsuccessful in matching George up with someone new. Then George meets a Jennie, a young, struggling actress who has recently divorced and coming to terms herself with the loss of love. The two fall head over heels and into marriage. Chapter Two is a heartfelt comedy about adults attempting to move on and discover if true love can really happen a second time. It is directed by Brian Tanner and assisted by Kathy McDonald.
Characters:
George Schneider, playwright
Leo Schneider, George's brother
Jennie Malone, actress
Faye Medwick, actress, Jennie's friend
In the script the characters are described as 30's to 40's; interested actors should consider auditioning as the final cast will depend on the dynamic and relationship between the actors.
Auditions will consist of readings from the script. If you have any questions, please contact Brian at brntnn@aol.com.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Producers preview
TCR is coming home.
In less than a week, Theatre Cedar Rapids will re-open the Iowa Theater Building with its production of The Producers. The hit musical, by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, won a whopping 12 Tony Awards when it premiered on Broadway. It is based on Mel Brooks' 1968 film of the same name.
In The Producers, producer Max Bialystock and his accountant Leo Bloom learn that they can actually make more money from a flop than a hit - assuming the IRS doesn't notice they're raising more money than they spend. With dollar signs in their eyes, they set out to raise $2,000,000 to produce the worst $100,000 musical ever: Springtime for Hitler. Of course, nothing goes quite as planned, and the result is the combination of ribald humor, zany characterizations and riotous slapstick that has made Mel Brooks famous.
The Producers is the first show to be produced in the newly-renovated Iowa Theater Building. Much of the building was damaged in the flood of 2008, and TCR has been producing plays in the Grant Wood House and at TCR Lindale. Thanks an ambitious reconstruction plan and a vigorous fundraising drive, TCR is now able to move back into its traditional space, and will host a Grand Reopening Gala with drinks and snacks before the show. The new building features added comforts for both audiences and performers, including a lounge, larger restrooms, a new green room and dressing room, and a new stage floor with a more sophisticated trap door system. Constructions crews have uncovered and restored some of the original plasterwork, and Richard Barker has been commissioned to design a mural celebrating TCR's history. Videos of some of the reconstruction process can be found at TCR's website.
The Producers opens February 26th and runs until March 14th. Performances are at 7:30pm Thursdays through Saturdays and 2:30pm Sundays. Tickets are $20-25 for adults, $15 for youth; rush tickets are $12. More information here.
In less than a week, Theatre Cedar Rapids will re-open the Iowa Theater Building with its production of The Producers. The hit musical, by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, won a whopping 12 Tony Awards when it premiered on Broadway. It is based on Mel Brooks' 1968 film of the same name.
In The Producers, producer Max Bialystock and his accountant Leo Bloom learn that they can actually make more money from a flop than a hit - assuming the IRS doesn't notice they're raising more money than they spend. With dollar signs in their eyes, they set out to raise $2,000,000 to produce the worst $100,000 musical ever: Springtime for Hitler. Of course, nothing goes quite as planned, and the result is the combination of ribald humor, zany characterizations and riotous slapstick that has made Mel Brooks famous.
The Producers is the first show to be produced in the newly-renovated Iowa Theater Building. Much of the building was damaged in the flood of 2008, and TCR has been producing plays in the Grant Wood House and at TCR Lindale. Thanks an ambitious reconstruction plan and a vigorous fundraising drive, TCR is now able to move back into its traditional space, and will host a Grand Reopening Gala with drinks and snacks before the show. The new building features added comforts for both audiences and performers, including a lounge, larger restrooms, a new green room and dressing room, and a new stage floor with a more sophisticated trap door system. Constructions crews have uncovered and restored some of the original plasterwork, and Richard Barker has been commissioned to design a mural celebrating TCR's history. Videos of some of the reconstruction process can be found at TCR's website.
The Producers opens February 26th and runs until March 14th. Performances are at 7:30pm Thursdays through Saturdays and 2:30pm Sundays. Tickets are $20-25 for adults, $15 for youth; rush tickets are $12. More information here.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Wonderful Town is wonderful
by Meghan D'Souza
Gasps.
That was what I heard around me as we audience members made our way into Englert Theatre to choose our seats for ICCT's production of Wonderful Town. Before us was an extended stage with the silhouette of a whole orchestra sitting at the highest point of the stage, back lit by soft blue lights. Just this sight and the sound of the orchestra tuning up elicited our excited gasps as fellow audience members and I exchanged eager glances. If just entering the room got our hearts pumping, what were the next few hours going to bring?
How about a full transformation to the 1930s with believable acting, on-the-nose costumes, incredible set designs that appeared right from the ceiling, and fabulous props all the way down to Lilly, the real, living dog who made her acting debut. Not to mention the harmonious singing and jaw-dropping choreography, arranged by wife and husband choreographing team Jill and Doug Beardsley.
In short, all of these details were put together to tell a story of two sisters who moved from a small town in Ohio to New York City in the 1930s with hopes of making it big in the entertainment world, one as a singer and one as a writer. The musical follows their struggles, using humor throughout the story.
There were points in this musical when I was so entranced by the singing and choreography that I forgot to clap until the applause around me jarred me out of my state. Though the actors, from the many ensemble members to the lead roles, obviously had to work hard, they did not make the performance look like hard work. The dances were so mind-blowing that I wished I could DVR them back and play them over to take in every detail.
I really felt that everyone involved behind the scenes, from director Ben Bentler to set designer Michael Blake and scenic painter Catherine Porter knew that the sky was the limit when it came to what they could do to make this musical come to life before our eyes. I believe they used four different backgrounds that they creatively had the acting ensemble set up with props between scenes, distracting the audience with dance performances. These included an apartment set from the inside, a brick apartment set from the outside, a street set with skyscrapers in the background, and a naval base with a large picket fence.
It is hard to pin down just one actor that made this whole show work as well as it did. Angelique VanDorpe and Lauren Baker played the two lead roles, sisters Eileen and Ruth, impressively and, in my opinion, flawlessly. They had nearly three hours of lines, songs and dances to memorize and they did it believably. Neither actress overacted, nor overreacted, they simply became their characters, as did every other actor involved in the play. Everybody was believable, down to their hair.
Wonderful Town is a wonderful musical, a wonderful experience, and worth seeing this weekend.
Meghan D'Souza lives in Coralville with her husband and beloved dog. She is a University of Iowa graduate and works at the Iowa City Public Library. She has written for The Burlington Hawk Eye and is currently a freelance writer.
Gasps.
That was what I heard around me as we audience members made our way into Englert Theatre to choose our seats for ICCT's production of Wonderful Town. Before us was an extended stage with the silhouette of a whole orchestra sitting at the highest point of the stage, back lit by soft blue lights. Just this sight and the sound of the orchestra tuning up elicited our excited gasps as fellow audience members and I exchanged eager glances. If just entering the room got our hearts pumping, what were the next few hours going to bring?
How about a full transformation to the 1930s with believable acting, on-the-nose costumes, incredible set designs that appeared right from the ceiling, and fabulous props all the way down to Lilly, the real, living dog who made her acting debut. Not to mention the harmonious singing and jaw-dropping choreography, arranged by wife and husband choreographing team Jill and Doug Beardsley.
In short, all of these details were put together to tell a story of two sisters who moved from a small town in Ohio to New York City in the 1930s with hopes of making it big in the entertainment world, one as a singer and one as a writer. The musical follows their struggles, using humor throughout the story.
There were points in this musical when I was so entranced by the singing and choreography that I forgot to clap until the applause around me jarred me out of my state. Though the actors, from the many ensemble members to the lead roles, obviously had to work hard, they did not make the performance look like hard work. The dances were so mind-blowing that I wished I could DVR them back and play them over to take in every detail.
I really felt that everyone involved behind the scenes, from director Ben Bentler to set designer Michael Blake and scenic painter Catherine Porter knew that the sky was the limit when it came to what they could do to make this musical come to life before our eyes. I believe they used four different backgrounds that they creatively had the acting ensemble set up with props between scenes, distracting the audience with dance performances. These included an apartment set from the inside, a brick apartment set from the outside, a street set with skyscrapers in the background, and a naval base with a large picket fence.
It is hard to pin down just one actor that made this whole show work as well as it did. Angelique VanDorpe and Lauren Baker played the two lead roles, sisters Eileen and Ruth, impressively and, in my opinion, flawlessly. They had nearly three hours of lines, songs and dances to memorize and they did it believably. Neither actress overacted, nor overreacted, they simply became their characters, as did every other actor involved in the play. Everybody was believable, down to their hair.
Wonderful Town is a wonderful musical, a wonderful experience, and worth seeing this weekend.
Meghan D'Souza lives in Coralville with her husband and beloved dog. She is a University of Iowa graduate and works at the Iowa City Public Library. She has written for The Burlington Hawk Eye and is currently a freelance writer.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Backstage with Poona
Dreamwell - Dreamwell Theatre is known for doing risky shows, but never before have they produced a show with a title they can't even say in polite company. Poona the Fuckdog opens tonight. It's the first play in Dreamwell's "A Taboo Bijou" season. We asked Chuck Dufano, president of the board, to elucidate this season's theme. "A Taboo Bijou refers to plays that involve a taboo subject. Themes that are difficult to witness onstage and are subjects people don't like to talk 
about. We thought about presenting a season that would elicit the question, "Why would anyone want to write a play about that?!" explained Dufano. "These kinds of plays challenge the way we accept theatre as a means of expression and bring to light certain aspects of life." As they searched for plays for the season, Dufano said they found many plays with taboo subjects were too serious. Poona the Fuckdog, written by No Shame Theatre founder Jeff Goode, is the opposite. "Poona is a blatant comedy. It's fun while still incorporating taboo themes of language and sexuality," said Dufano before adding with a wry smile, "And we thought having a show with the word "dog" in it would sell lots of tickets. I think that was the word."
As we often do with shows, we also had a chance to sit down with some of the creators of the show. Brian Tanner and Meg Dobbs co-directed the show. Kevin Moore is one the actors.
Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions. So... what is this show about?
Brian: On the surface, it's a series of stories about Poona, who is trying to mature and find her way in the world and she runs into a variety of characters and influences along the way, some good and some bad. It's a sort of fractured fairy tales for adults. She is accompanied by a storyteller and her own special guardian. There are several fairy tale components like a handsome prince, talking stuffed rabbits, as well as a number of characters you wouldn’t expect, like a fast talking salesman and a TV that is elected king.
Kevin: Right and the show's about context. Questioning opinions and ideas we take on faith - this word, that action, that lifestyle: it's "wrong." This script brings some of these concepts we've all been indoctrinated in since childhood, turns them around a little bit and makes us laugh at them, and by doing this, makes a little part of our brain ask "Why?" The show's also about laughing your butt off - really. It might just slide right off of your spine - seriously, wear a belt to keep your pants on.
Brian and Meg, why did you want to direct this show?
Meg: Well, who wouldn't? I wanted to test myself against the challenge of such a wacky comedy and the chance to work on a play that is truly the definition of ensemble.
Brian: This is such a quick witted script and it really challenges the structure and boundaries of your traditional play. Characters step in and out of the narrative, and not only address the audience, but interact with them too. I thought it did a great job making social commentaries through the use of satire and hitting above and below the belt at the same time. It hits you on a cerebral level even as you’re groaning at the political un-correctness.
Kevin, what characters do you play and what was challenging about portraying them?
Kevin: I play the Prince and also the Computer. The Prince is challenging because, well, there are so many Prince Charming roles out there, it can be tricky to introduce something new into a role of that kind. The script helps in that way - he's definitely not Prince Charming! But it's been a lot of fun to try to pry out some originality and fun from a more or less stock character type. The Computer is challenging because it's a character based in a very startling scene and powerful symbolism. It's an emotionless machine that ...just might...have a bit of an agenda of its own. Or, it might simply be removed from any emotional or conscience-based value system. It's a tricky part to make alive and funny and shocking at the same time.
What has been challenging about putting this all together?
Meg: The play is made up of a lot of small separate pieces, with one overarching storyline. The challenge has been to create a sense of cohesiveness.
Brian: And there are quite a few characters and quick set changes. Most of the cast play multiple roles. We went for a minimalistic approach, with costumes that suggest the characters and a basic colorful, but neutral set. We thought that since this is supposed to be adult fairy-tales or stories, what if this kind of looks like a production put on by kids, for adults? So there’s kind of a simplistic feel to the set, although the subject matter is very rich and provocative.
Kevin: I think the toughest challenge of any Dreamwell show is that we choose shows that don't fit into a lot of people's ideas about theatre. The shows are great, and startling and courageous, but rarely easy for the audience - exploration rarely is. Poona's certainly in that vein - the show has elements with the potential to offend almost anybody. But, in the spirit of satire, one has to enter it with a lack of judgment - be prepared for the unexpected, and that the unexpected might just insist on sitting in your lap for a while!
Who among your cast is going to blow us away?
Brian: Pretty much everyone in the cast has their own moments and times to shine. It’s such an ensemble piece that I hesitate to call out any one performance over another.
Meg: Yes, everyone, really. It's an ensemble after all.
You two sound like I've asked you which of your children you love best!
Kevin: I'll say it. Libby Dobbs is an inspired choice for Poona, and has masterfully prepared herself for a complicated role. Steve Polchert brings something unique and brilliant to each of his many roles. But like Meg and Brian said, everyone is working hard and bringing freshness to their characters. It's been a fabulous cast to be around.
What are your favorite moments in the play
Meg: Playing with the pink box. I find the scene with Suzy-Suzy and the computer to be the most gripping moment of the play.
Kevin: I love the Suzy-Suzy scene, not because I'm in it, but because it's the only truly chilling scene in the show. There's a lot of adult material in the show, a lot of stuff that may startle you in its underlying seriousness, or shame you or make you think. Suzy-Suzy's a counter-point to the zaniness and silliness in most of the other scenes. Which is not to say it isn't funny too.
Brian: There are some scenes that stand out for me. One is with the aliens, one of which has a name that unfortunately is something very offensive in our culture. So there’s a great exchange of confusion not unlike “Who’s on first?” which is hilarious while at the same time exploring the nature of offensive language. Just when you think that scene couldn’t go any further, there it goes, going further.
The press release says it “skewers society’s views on everything from sex to terrorism to language to sex again” but what does that mean?
Brian: There really isn’t any subject that isn’t fair game in this show. It takes certain archetypes, twists them around, and reflects them back at us. A lot of the humor is very satirical but at the same time there are rings of truth in the words, or at least we recognize the points it’s trying to make. As we move from story to story, or even from line to line, it’s taking punches at a lot of society’s conventions. It’s also got a lot of smart but silly humor in it too.
Kevin: It also means leave your preconceptions at the door. Let yourself be carried away with the show and try not to let the daytime world of rules affect your enjoyment. Don't get me wrong - if you find yourself stewing for days over the social concepts that we mess with in the show, that's great! But let it stew after the show's over. If you find yourself in the audience and thinking "But you CAN'T say/do/think/sneak into a box with THAT!!!!" Ask yourself: "Why the fuck not?" It's only a play.
Poona the Fuckdog runs February 19, 20, 25, 26 and 27 at 7:30 PM at the Unitarian Society building (10 S. Gilbert). Tickets can be reserved online but are also available at the door.
about. We thought about presenting a season that would elicit the question, "Why would anyone want to write a play about that?!" explained Dufano. "These kinds of plays challenge the way we accept theatre as a means of expression and bring to light certain aspects of life." As they searched for plays for the season, Dufano said they found many plays with taboo subjects were too serious. Poona the Fuckdog, written by No Shame Theatre founder Jeff Goode, is the opposite. "Poona is a blatant comedy. It's fun while still incorporating taboo themes of language and sexuality," said Dufano before adding with a wry smile, "And we thought having a show with the word "dog" in it would sell lots of tickets. I think that was the word."As we often do with shows, we also had a chance to sit down with some of the creators of the show. Brian Tanner and Meg Dobbs co-directed the show. Kevin Moore is one the actors.
Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions. So... what is this show about?
Brian: On the surface, it's a series of stories about Poona, who is trying to mature and find her way in the world and she runs into a variety of characters and influences along the way, some good and some bad. It's a sort of fractured fairy tales for adults. She is accompanied by a storyteller and her own special guardian. There are several fairy tale components like a handsome prince, talking stuffed rabbits, as well as a number of characters you wouldn’t expect, like a fast talking salesman and a TV that is elected king.
Kevin: Right and the show's about context. Questioning opinions and ideas we take on faith - this word, that action, that lifestyle: it's "wrong." This script brings some of these concepts we've all been indoctrinated in since childhood, turns them around a little bit and makes us laugh at them, and by doing this, makes a little part of our brain ask "Why?" The show's also about laughing your butt off - really. It might just slide right off of your spine - seriously, wear a belt to keep your pants on.
Brian and Meg, why did you want to direct this show?
Meg: Well, who wouldn't? I wanted to test myself against the challenge of such a wacky comedy and the chance to work on a play that is truly the definition of ensemble.
Brian: This is such a quick witted script and it really challenges the structure and boundaries of your traditional play. Characters step in and out of the narrative, and not only address the audience, but interact with them too. I thought it did a great job making social commentaries through the use of satire and hitting above and below the belt at the same time. It hits you on a cerebral level even as you’re groaning at the political un-correctness.
Kevin, what characters do you play and what was challenging about portraying them?
Kevin: I play the Prince and also the Computer. The Prince is challenging because, well, there are so many Prince Charming roles out there, it can be tricky to introduce something new into a role of that kind. The script helps in that way - he's definitely not Prince Charming! But it's been a lot of fun to try to pry out some originality and fun from a more or less stock character type. The Computer is challenging because it's a character based in a very startling scene and powerful symbolism. It's an emotionless machine that ...just might...have a bit of an agenda of its own. Or, it might simply be removed from any emotional or conscience-based value system. It's a tricky part to make alive and funny and shocking at the same time.
What has been challenging about putting this all together?
Meg: The play is made up of a lot of small separate pieces, with one overarching storyline. The challenge has been to create a sense of cohesiveness.
Brian: And there are quite a few characters and quick set changes. Most of the cast play multiple roles. We went for a minimalistic approach, with costumes that suggest the characters and a basic colorful, but neutral set. We thought that since this is supposed to be adult fairy-tales or stories, what if this kind of looks like a production put on by kids, for adults? So there’s kind of a simplistic feel to the set, although the subject matter is very rich and provocative.
Kevin: I think the toughest challenge of any Dreamwell show is that we choose shows that don't fit into a lot of people's ideas about theatre. The shows are great, and startling and courageous, but rarely easy for the audience - exploration rarely is. Poona's certainly in that vein - the show has elements with the potential to offend almost anybody. But, in the spirit of satire, one has to enter it with a lack of judgment - be prepared for the unexpected, and that the unexpected might just insist on sitting in your lap for a while!
Who among your cast is going to blow us away?
Brian: Pretty much everyone in the cast has their own moments and times to shine. It’s such an ensemble piece that I hesitate to call out any one performance over another.
Meg: Yes, everyone, really. It's an ensemble after all.
You two sound like I've asked you which of your children you love best!
Kevin: I'll say it. Libby Dobbs is an inspired choice for Poona, and has masterfully prepared herself for a complicated role. Steve Polchert brings something unique and brilliant to each of his many roles. But like Meg and Brian said, everyone is working hard and bringing freshness to their characters. It's been a fabulous cast to be around.
What are your favorite moments in the play
Meg: Playing with the pink box. I find the scene with Suzy-Suzy and the computer to be the most gripping moment of the play.
Kevin: I love the Suzy-Suzy scene, not because I'm in it, but because it's the only truly chilling scene in the show. There's a lot of adult material in the show, a lot of stuff that may startle you in its underlying seriousness, or shame you or make you think. Suzy-Suzy's a counter-point to the zaniness and silliness in most of the other scenes. Which is not to say it isn't funny too.
Brian: There are some scenes that stand out for me. One is with the aliens, one of which has a name that unfortunately is something very offensive in our culture. So there’s a great exchange of confusion not unlike “Who’s on first?” which is hilarious while at the same time exploring the nature of offensive language. Just when you think that scene couldn’t go any further, there it goes, going further.
The press release says it “skewers society’s views on everything from sex to terrorism to language to sex again” but what does that mean?
Brian: There really isn’t any subject that isn’t fair game in this show. It takes certain archetypes, twists them around, and reflects them back at us. A lot of the humor is very satirical but at the same time there are rings of truth in the words, or at least we recognize the points it’s trying to make. As we move from story to story, or even from line to line, it’s taking punches at a lot of society’s conventions. It’s also got a lot of smart but silly humor in it too.
Kevin: It also means leave your preconceptions at the door. Let yourself be carried away with the show and try not to let the daytime world of rules affect your enjoyment. Don't get me wrong - if you find yourself stewing for days over the social concepts that we mess with in the show, that's great! But let it stew after the show's over. If you find yourself in the audience and thinking "But you CAN'T say/do/think/sneak into a box with THAT!!!!" Ask yourself: "Why the fuck not?" It's only a play.
Poona the Fuckdog runs February 19, 20, 25, 26 and 27 at 7:30 PM at the Unitarian Society building (10 S. Gilbert). Tickets can be reserved online but are also available at the door.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Backstage with Wonderful Town
ICCT - Few shows have traveled such an interesting path to the stage as ICCT's production of Wonderful Town. The show was set to be canceled because of a lack of funding until director Ben Bentler and others stepped forward and raised the money needed. Because of that private funding, this show will be mostly a fundraiser for the beleaguered theatre. As we do sometimes, we decided to head backstage and talk to some of the artists who are working on this show.Wonderful Town tells the story of Ruth and Eileen, two Midwestern sisters, who are thrown into the wild heart of Greenwich Village in New York City in the 1930s. Lauren Baker plays Ruth and Angelique Van Dorpe portrays Eileen.
Lauren, tell me about Ruth. Is it easy or difficult to slip into her skin?
Lauren: At this point in the rehearsal process, Ruth and I are pretty much the same person. I've been told by my friends and family that I still use her voice for hours after rehearsal. I just can't get out of it! But it did take a while to get to this point. For me, the important access point to Ruth was through her voice. She has a very specific way of speaking that really had to click for me before I could really flesh out who she is. Now I really can't tell where she ends and I begin.
And Angelique, what is Eileen like? How did you connect with the character?
Angelique: Eileen is a very exuberant young woman who charms everyone not only with her looks, but by her natural friendliness. Although she finds New York life quite different from small town Ohio, she keeps her moral values. Remembering the thrill of my recent trip to Chicago has helped me to portray Eileen's excitement in experiencing New York.
What is the relationship like between the sisters?
Angelique: Eileen and Ruth are very different but accept each other as they are. Eileen relies on Ruth for protection but she's also willing to do anything to help Ruth. They have a very strong sisterly bond, that not even New York can break.
Lauren: Yes, Ruth and Eileen have a very strong bond. Ruth is Eileen's mother, confidant, protector, and best friend. It's been really great to find this relationship with Angelique as we've gone through the rehearsal process. We both have brothers, so it's been nice to find such a strong sisterly bond between these characters.
What's been challenging about the roles?
Lauren: Honestly the most challenging thing is the music. It's not particularly difficult music, but I'm a soprano and this is written for a... well... a man really! It sits very low in my range so it's been a challenge to get it to sound right. It's coming together just fine now... even my foray into jazz improvisation is moving right along! You'll see what I mean if you catch the show.
What has the rehearsal process been like?
Lauren: It started off pretty slow, as most of the cast was out on winter break, but now it's crazy crunch time. But despite how hectic it feels, we're right where we should be. This rehearsal process is actually two weeks shorter than a normal process for a musical as big as this, but we've made it work and I think we're gonna be ready and rearing to go!
Angelique: Preparing a show is always hard work, but there have been lots of laughs along the way.
Is there a favorite moment or song in the show for you?
Angelique: One of my favorite songs is "Conversation Piece." It's a lot of fun to portray such an awkward dinner party. It's an unusual scene and I'm excited to do it every time.
Lauren: "Conversation Piece" is deliciously awkward! And "Quiet Girl" is great. For "Quiet Girl" it's less about the song and more about the beautiful dance that Jill, our choreographer, and her husband Doug do in the middle of the song. It makes me cry it's so gorgeous!
Have you done other ICCT shows? Or other shows in the area?
Angelique: I've performed in several other ICCT shows, most recently The Baker's Wife and Camelot and helped with lighting for Camelot and Zombie Prom. I've also been in shows with West & City High Schools, Market St. Theatre, University of Iowa, Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre, David Aiken Touring Productions and New Tuners Theatre in Chicago.
Lauren: This is my debut with ICCT, but not in the area. I've lived in Iowa City my whole life and did numerous performances at West High School during my time there. Since starting at the University of Iowa I've been in a few shows there including a show for the Graduate Director's Showcase, the Iowa New Play Festival, and the mainstage production of Reefer Madness this past fall. Other shows I've done in the area outside of the University are Little Women: the Musical with City Circle Acting Company, and this past summer I was an acting intern for the '09 Riverside Theatre Shakespeare Festival where I pranced around in a bodysuit as a fairy in A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Can you talk a little bit about the other cast members? Who is going to blow the audience away?
Lauren: Everyone in this show is so dedicated and wonderful in their own ways. But if I had to single some people out, I think that Luke Schares, who plays Wreck, is absolutely hilarious. As is his counterpart, Helen, played by Claire Barnhart. They'll probably steal the show!
What has it been like working with director Ben Bentler?
Angelique: Ben has a great vision for this show and is very enthusiastic about bringing it to life. He uses rehearsal time well, and values each of his actors. He's given attention to details to make this production as authentic as possible.
Lauren: Ben and I have known each other for a long time now. This is our fourth show together and the second that he's been my director. I have always enjoyed working with him and this project is no different. His drive, enthusiasm and talent really make working with him an enjoyable and rewarding experience. If anyone knows how to a make great, holistic, theatrical experience... it's Ben Bentler.
Fortunately for us, we have the talented Mr. Ben Bentler with us as well. Ben, tell us how has the rehearsal process gone from your perspective?
Ben: The rehearsal process has been a real challenge. In professional theatre you work in either four or six week rehearsal periods and then open a show. With community theatre you need eight weeks in order to put a show of this size and scope up. Instead, because of our slot, we had only six weeks to put the show together. One of those weeks will be in tech and so in five weeks we have to block, choreograph, and teach music for the entire show. In the end I believe this
time restraint has caused people to work harder. These folks have put so much of themselves in the production. I believe it will come out in the final product.What have you changed from your original vision through that process?
Ben: Originally, I wanted to bring out more drama in the show. Less caricatures of folks. In the end, after realizing how the writing works, it makes far more sense to have the people go more out there. Truth is, this production's style reminds me a lot of I Love Lucy. Quick and witty humor mixed with funny little bits and gimmicks. I grew up watching this... on Nick at Nite, of course...
Right. I didn't think you were old enough to see the original episodes!
Ben: I admit I was in love Lucille Ball. About the time this show was being produced, Lucy was in her heyday. I guess in the end it's the show I wanted it to be all along. Going from a more serious but witty take on the depression to a Lucille Ball antics of two women liberating themselves seems like a drastic change, but truth is, it makes more sense.
Tell me about your actors. Who is going to blow us away?
Ben: We have such a diverse array. A few names come to mind. Tyler Lynch is a high school student and brings a professional level of acting to the stage. Every night, from minute one, Tyler comes in with interesting additions and the absolute perfect timing. He's been a real joy to work with. Same goes of course for my lead Lauren Baker. She and I learn shows through the music. So when she was trying to find Ruth I told her that it's in her voice and once she finds it, she'll become it. She found it alright and it has become who she is now. Angelique Vandorpe brings an effervescent champagne-like quality to the show by her beautiful voice and talents onstage. Luke Schares and Claire Barnhardt will have you in stitches thanks to their fantastic chemistry and natural ability to make people laugh. Luke especially is something straight out of a Looney Tunes cartoon and yet you believe every word out of his mouth. Finally, Brian Quijada will charm his way into your hearts. He's typically played character parts and this one is quite challenging in that it really is a legit role. He's taken it by the horns and made it his and added his special quality to it. I couldn't ask for more. I have to be honest though, and this isn't just to save myself from cast members being upset, this cast is truly strong. Each of them alone will keep you interested and believing that you are really living back in NYC back in the 30's.
Can you talk to me about the technical aspects of the show?
Ben: Michael, Josh, and Catherine, among others, have created a set and environment that will turn the Englert into an intimate space.
Intimate is not a word normally associated with the grand Englert theatre!
Ben: You will walk in and believe you are in Pennsylvania Station from back in the day. Also, Elisabeth and Rachel have gathered enough props to do forty musicals and to this day continue to find more to use. The lighting plan by Jeff Crone will excite you just simply by the use of color and texture and my fantastic sound designer Alex Ruhlin, who is also in the show, will simply blow your mind. I saw his work on Reefer Madness and I knew I had to get him to do this. He works on such a deep level with sound.
Anything else you'd like to tell us about this show?
Ben: This show has been a very difficult piece for me just simply based on the issues embedded in the time frame, financial difficulties, and complexity in the dances. In the end, we have such a devoted and talented group of actors and crew that is will be in my mind one of the best memories I will have of theatre to date.
Thanks, Ben, Angelique and Lauren. Be sure to catch Wonderful Town, which runs February 18-February 21 at the Englert Theatre. For tickets, go here.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
A Review of Bless Your Heart
by James E. Trainor III
SPT - SPT's latest "tale from the writers' room" takes Valentine's Day as its cue and love as its theme. The stage is simple - a small, circular platform, a screen, a few lights and an area for the band - but from this small palette they're able to paint a variety of settings and explore a broad range of ideas. Love, of course, is a very large theme, and Bless Your Heart does it justice, going from warm to awkward, hilarious to raunchy, melancholy to inspiring, all in a single evening.
The music is the glue that holds all this together. It's hard to say whether these shows are scenes interspersed with songs or songs interspersed with scenes. The pieces blend well, although some of the transitions into scenes could have been a bit tighter.
Some of the highlights of Bless Your Heart are the Cupid Squad, a comic take on the Valentine's Day icon, "The Talk," in which a father-daughter discussion of the birds and the bees gets rather awkward, and "Dr. Tinman Makes a House Call," where a teddy bear might have been given the wrong heart. "Dr. Tinman" is an interesting diversion because it works as something of a radio play, with Adam Witte and Akwi J. Nji-Dawson reading the dialogue to a humorous slideshow.
"Unmasked" deserves special mention, because it stands so much in contrast to the ribald humor of the rest of the show. Akwi J. Nji-Dawson's personal narrative tells of her first childhood romance and the racial boundaries that severed it. It is a somber but invigorating moment, and it gets right at the heart of the "respect and gratitude" that embodies mature love.
The music is versatile as well, going from melancholy to passionate, rock to blues and back again. Special musical guest Ron Dewitte is amazing on the guitar and sings "Got You on My Mind" with feeling and flawless rhythm.
Doug Jackson is a joy to listen to as always. His deep, powerful voice can be smooth and relaxed as well, and he sings "You Can Love Yourself" with skill and showmanship. He fits into this band particularly well, especially in his duets with Jane, and the vibes are that of a great blues combo, free and loose but tied to an energizing rhythm.
Megan Turner-Ginsberg is quite funny with Jason Alberty in "The Talk" and with Mary Sullivan in "Bless Your Heart" and "Irish Radio." She brings a wealth of energy to the stage and is very specific and playful with reactions and facial expressions. She loves to throw herself into silly and outrageous characters, and this helps the comedy dance.
Bless Your Heart is playing at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, 410 3rd Avenue SE. Shows are February 12 & 13 at 7:30PM. Tickets are $20
James graduated from Cornell College with a Bachelor of Special Studies in English and Theater. He has also acted and directed for the now defunct Stage Left Theater in Cedar Rapids.
SPT - SPT's latest "tale from the writers' room" takes Valentine's Day as its cue and love as its theme. The stage is simple - a small, circular platform, a screen, a few lights and an area for the band - but from this small palette they're able to paint a variety of settings and explore a broad range of ideas. Love, of course, is a very large theme, and Bless Your Heart does it justice, going from warm to awkward, hilarious to raunchy, melancholy to inspiring, all in a single evening.
The music is the glue that holds all this together. It's hard to say whether these shows are scenes interspersed with songs or songs interspersed with scenes. The pieces blend well, although some of the transitions into scenes could have been a bit tighter.
Some of the highlights of Bless Your Heart are the Cupid Squad, a comic take on the Valentine's Day icon, "The Talk," in which a father-daughter discussion of the birds and the bees gets rather awkward, and "Dr. Tinman Makes a House Call," where a teddy bear might have been given the wrong heart. "Dr. Tinman" is an interesting diversion because it works as something of a radio play, with Adam Witte and Akwi J. Nji-Dawson reading the dialogue to a humorous slideshow.
"Unmasked" deserves special mention, because it stands so much in contrast to the ribald humor of the rest of the show. Akwi J. Nji-Dawson's personal narrative tells of her first childhood romance and the racial boundaries that severed it. It is a somber but invigorating moment, and it gets right at the heart of the "respect and gratitude" that embodies mature love.
The music is versatile as well, going from melancholy to passionate, rock to blues and back again. Special musical guest Ron Dewitte is amazing on the guitar and sings "Got You on My Mind" with feeling and flawless rhythm.
Doug Jackson is a joy to listen to as always. His deep, powerful voice can be smooth and relaxed as well, and he sings "You Can Love Yourself" with skill and showmanship. He fits into this band particularly well, especially in his duets with Jane, and the vibes are that of a great blues combo, free and loose but tied to an energizing rhythm.
Megan Turner-Ginsberg is quite funny with Jason Alberty in "The Talk" and with Mary Sullivan in "Bless Your Heart" and "Irish Radio." She brings a wealth of energy to the stage and is very specific and playful with reactions and facial expressions. She loves to throw herself into silly and outrageous characters, and this helps the comedy dance.
Bless Your Heart is playing at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, 410 3rd Avenue SE. Shows are February 12 & 13 at 7:30PM. Tickets are $20
James graduated from Cornell College with a Bachelor of Special Studies in English and Theater. He has also acted and directed for the now defunct Stage Left Theater in Cedar Rapids.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Proof cast announced
TCR - Theatre Cedar Rapids announced the cast list for Proof by David Auburn. From the TCR website: "On the eve of her twenty-fifth birthday, Catherine, a troubled young woman, has spent years caring for her brilliant but unstable father, a famous mathematician. Now, following his death, she must deal with her own volatile emotions; the arrival of her estranged sister, and the attentions of Hal, a former student of her father’s who hopes to find valuable work in the notebooks that he left behind. The discovery of a mysterious notebook draws Catherine into the most difficult problem of all: How much of her father’s madness — or genius — will she inherit?"
Catherine – Rachel Howell
Claire – Jessica Link
Hal – Rob Merritt
Robert – Demetrios Hadjis
The show is directed by J. David Carey.
Catherine – Rachel Howell
Claire – Jessica Link
Hal – Rob Merritt
Robert – Demetrios Hadjis
The show is directed by J. David Carey.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Bless Your Heart preview
SPT Theatre - SPT returns with another evening of live music and sketch comedy. Check out past reviews here and here. This version is for lovers of all ages. "Bless Your Heart" opens on Friday and Saturday, February 12 and 13, at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, 410 Third Avenue SE. Doors open at 7 p.m.; the show begins at 7:30 p.m.
The shows are the third of SPT's year-long episodic theatre series, "Tales from the Writer's Room: Out of Context," featuring live music, sketches and comedy. SPT Theatre Company founding members Doug Elliott, Gerard Estella, Janelle Lauer and Jane Pini will be joined during these special Valentine's Weekend shows by special guests Marty Norton and Doug Jackson.
Each show in the series is the collaborative effort of writers Jason Alberty, Akwi Nji-Dawson, David Martino, Mary Sullivan and Adam Witte.
Tickets are $20 per adult and may be purchased in advance or at the door. Go here fore more information.
The shows are the third of SPT's year-long episodic theatre series, "Tales from the Writer's Room: Out of Context," featuring live music, sketches and comedy. SPT Theatre Company founding members Doug Elliott, Gerard Estella, Janelle Lauer and Jane Pini will be joined during these special Valentine's Weekend shows by special guests Marty Norton and Doug Jackson.
Each show in the series is the collaborative effort of writers Jason Alberty, Akwi Nji-Dawson, David Martino, Mary Sullivan and Adam Witte.
Tickets are $20 per adult and may be purchased in advance or at the door. Go here fore more information.
Iowa Summer Rep auditions coming up
UI - The Iowa Summer Rep, the professional theatre company in residence at the University of Iowa, is seeking Equity and Non-Equity actors for its 2010 season. Auditions will be held February 20-21. For more information and to reserve an audition spot, please visit this website.
Bend in the Road canceled
ICCT - The ICCT show Bend in the Road by Michael Sokoloff has been canceled according to the stage manager and multiple actors. It was to have opened March 12th. Stage manager Brenda Christner said they couldn't find an actor to play Joe Buck, a character who is in his 20s, can sing and has a strong stage presence. "Michael (Sokoloff) and I decided this was what we had to do," explained Christner. "We had been in rehearsal two weeks and everyone we contacted was busy." Christner cited the performance dates being over spring break as one of the factors that made it difficult to find an actor for the role. Christner hopes they'll get a chance to do the show next year, but in a different time slot. This latest disappointment comes at a time when the theatre is working through financial difficulties as reported here. However, it should be noted that ICCT's next show, Wonderful Town, is in rehearsals and will open at the Englert Theatre on February 18.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
ITAC announces auditions for 2010 season
ITAC - The Iowa Theatre Artists Company will hold local audition/interviews and technical interviews at their Amana location, 4709 220th Trail, on Saturday, February 20 from 10 am until 3 pm, and Sunday, February 21 from 12 pm until 3 pm.
Actors should prepare two short contrasting pieces with a total running time of 2-3 minutes. Actors who sing should also prepare 16 to 32 bars of music that best represent his/her vocal range and skills. Please plan to sing a cappella. A current picture and resume should be emailed to the theatre prior to the audition, or may be brought to the audition on the day of the actor’s reserved time slot.
The Iowa Theatre Artists Company is a small, professional not-for-profit theatre that operates under an Actors’ Equity Association Small Professional Theatre contract, Tier 4. This allows ITAC to hire both union and non-union actors and assistant stage managers. The 2010 schedule includes Friday through Sunday performances, from May 7 through December 12. An actor or technician may audition/interview for one or two shows, or for the whole season. Internships for young performers are available.
For more information and scheduling an interview, please call 319-622-3222 or email: itac@southslope.net
Actors should prepare two short contrasting pieces with a total running time of 2-3 minutes. Actors who sing should also prepare 16 to 32 bars of music that best represent his/her vocal range and skills. Please plan to sing a cappella. A current picture and resume should be emailed to the theatre prior to the audition, or may be brought to the audition on the day of the actor’s reserved time slot.
The Iowa Theatre Artists Company is a small, professional not-for-profit theatre that operates under an Actors’ Equity Association Small Professional Theatre contract, Tier 4. This allows ITAC to hire both union and non-union actors and assistant stage managers. The 2010 schedule includes Friday through Sunday performances, from May 7 through December 12. An actor or technician may audition/interview for one or two shows, or for the whole season. Internships for young performers are available.
For more information and scheduling an interview, please call 319-622-3222 or email: itac@southslope.net
Rita delivers a fine evening's entertainment
by Brad Quinn
Old Creamery - I’ll admit I had never been to dinner theater at the Ox Yoke Inn before, but having of course eaten there on occasion I couldn’t figure out where they were possibly going to stage a play. I didn’t know what to expect, and when I was directed downstairs into a smallish room appointed something like a living room I thought for a brief moment that we the audience were to sit in a waiting room for a bit before going in to the performance space.
Of course, I quickly realized that I was in the performance space. As I said, the room seemed small and was lined on all sides by chairs for the audience. In the center, close enough for the audience to reach out and touch, was the set itself which consisted of a couple of desks and chairs, a couple of small bookshelves, and a settee. So, theater in the round then. But not just any kind of theater in the round, this was clearly going to be a very intimate sort of show, where the small audience was going to be practically sitting with the characters.
Actually, the size of the space is a little deceptive…I counted about 45 people in the audience and there was room for more, which at $40 a seat is not a bad set of numbers. The $40 includes a full meal of your choice at the Ox Yoke Inn, so it’s a fairly reasonable price for a full evening of entertainment. But what sort of entertainment are we talking about?
Educating Rita is not a plot-driven show. What little plot it has is beside the point. This is a character study, the sort of script where dialogue is the engine which drives it from beginning to end and you learn the details of these character’s lives as they learn them from each other. There are only two characters in the entire show- Frank Bryant, a borderline alcoholic professor of English at a small British college; and the eponymous Rita, a lower class hairdresser who has decided to try to broaden her horizons by taking a few classes at the college in her spare time.
In essence, this show is sort of a reverse Pygmalion. Instead of a highly educated professor trying to take an unwilling lower class student and mold her into a different woman, you have a lower class student who is trying to educate herself at the behest of an unwilling professor who doesn’t want to change her. There are other familiar elements as well, enough so that you have a pretty good idea of where this is going from the very beginning, and there aren’t a lot of surprises.
However, since as I said before this show is not about the plot, that doesn’t really matter. It’s all about the characters. And since there are only two characters, an actor who wants to take on this script better be well prepared for a challenge.
Deborah Kennedy, who plays Rita, is a veteran actress who certainly is capable of stepping up to the plate. She throws herself in to this role entirely, from her blonde dyed hair to her street-level London accent. In order for this play to work, the audience has to care about Rita, and she is definitely adept at making that happen. She also has great comic instincts and timing. There is no satire, absurdism, or irony in this show, but there are lots of lines which are meant to be funny. A lesser actor might not be able to evoke the humor in them. Kennedy had the audience laughing quite regularly. The only complaint I could make about her as Rita is really the fact that Rita is quite obviously meant to be played by a younger actress. Rita is expressly stated as being 26 years old, and I thought there was a certain youthful energy level, difficult to quantify, that Rita was supposed to have but seemed missing somehow.
Tom Milligan plays the other half of this duet, Frank Bryant. It was a bit more difficult for me to get a grasp on his character. Milligan did not make any attempt to use an English accent, so at first it was a bit confusing even figuring out who was supposed to be the foreigner in which country. It becomes apparent that both characters are meant to be British in Britain, especially later on when Frank refers to himself directly as an "English poet." This makes the choice of not using an accent more puzzling.
However, his Frank is quite likeable. At times I wondered if maybe he was too likeable. Given the fact that he is an alcoholic who has essentially given up on life and retreated into safe obscurity as a tenured professor, I felt maybe he was meant to be more gruff and reticent. Milligan played him with a sort of wide eyed innocence that belied his world weariness, but on the other hand made him very endearing to the audience. He was soft spoken to Kennedy’s loud brashness, but he never let her overwhelm him on the stage.
I actually think the playwright was rather abusive to his actors. Not only did he write a fairly long play (nearly 2 ½ hours) in which just two actors were expected to carry the show entirely on dialogue, but he wrote it in about a dozen or so different scenes, each of which took place on different days. This meant that the actors had to change costumes for every single scene, and do it quickly. By necessity, they basically had to make a simple change such as throwing on a different shirt or jacket before charging on into the next scene. The set had to remain completely unchanged…whatever state it was left in was the state it started the next scene in. Fortunately there wasn’t much change that was required…the staging was fairly static.
Despite this, they made the costumes work. They were kept pretty simple and casual, the way these characters would dress. I thought the costumes for Rita were particularly well chosen. They had a sense of style which definitely fit her brash character and lower class origins.
As you can imagine, in such a small space with no stage to speak of, there was little of note as far as lighting and sound (although at one point one of the directional lights which was aimed at the center of the room sort of swiveled on its own accord so it was pointed directly down at a poor audience member). There was music between every scene to cover the quick changes that needed to be made. Some of it I found strange and wasn’t sure why it was chosen or how it fit in, although the choice of The Smith’s “Hairdresser on Fire” was incredibly apropos.
The set had a great deal of character. There were all kinds of books, papers, files, bottles, knick-knacks, and other details on the set. It had an old, homelike look to it. It was exactly the sort of place you would expect a professor who has grown complacent in his tenure to have nested in for 20 years or so.
So there was definitely thought put into the design of this show, but I found myself wondering who had directed it. No director was listed in the program, and I rather suspect this show was self directed by the actors. The reason I suspect this is because the way the show was staged looked to me like nobody was watching it from the outside when it was being blocked. Nearly every scene began the same way, with Frank sitting at his desk doing some kind of business with papers and files. And many of them ended the same way as well, with Frank standing at the door looking puzzlingly after the just departed Rita. There was also less dynamic movement within the scenes themselves than one might expect. I can speak from experience that often as an actor on stage you can think that something feels natural to do (or not do), but usually a director will force you to change things up on a regular basis because he sees it from the audience’s perspective.
I think that, overall, the type of audience who would go to dinner theater would enjoy this show. It is incredibly sincere theater; small, intimate, done with an aim to please and a joy in its simplicity. As I was there as a critic I may have found fault where others would find none (such as the fact that this play has an overly long first act and no real ending, not to mention leaving a strongly hinted romantic subplot unfulfilled), but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t make for a fine evening’s entertainment. If you like character, dialogue, and the drama and comedy you find in every day life, you will like this show.
Brad Quinn is a veteran of the local theater scene, and has worked with all of the local community theaters both onstage and backstage in various capacities.
Old Creamery - I’ll admit I had never been to dinner theater at the Ox Yoke Inn before, but having of course eaten there on occasion I couldn’t figure out where they were possibly going to stage a play. I didn’t know what to expect, and when I was directed downstairs into a smallish room appointed something like a living room I thought for a brief moment that we the audience were to sit in a waiting room for a bit before going in to the performance space.Of course, I quickly realized that I was in the performance space. As I said, the room seemed small and was lined on all sides by chairs for the audience. In the center, close enough for the audience to reach out and touch, was the set itself which consisted of a couple of desks and chairs, a couple of small bookshelves, and a settee. So, theater in the round then. But not just any kind of theater in the round, this was clearly going to be a very intimate sort of show, where the small audience was going to be practically sitting with the characters.
Actually, the size of the space is a little deceptive…I counted about 45 people in the audience and there was room for more, which at $40 a seat is not a bad set of numbers. The $40 includes a full meal of your choice at the Ox Yoke Inn, so it’s a fairly reasonable price for a full evening of entertainment. But what sort of entertainment are we talking about?
Educating Rita is not a plot-driven show. What little plot it has is beside the point. This is a character study, the sort of script where dialogue is the engine which drives it from beginning to end and you learn the details of these character’s lives as they learn them from each other. There are only two characters in the entire show- Frank Bryant, a borderline alcoholic professor of English at a small British college; and the eponymous Rita, a lower class hairdresser who has decided to try to broaden her horizons by taking a few classes at the college in her spare time.
In essence, this show is sort of a reverse Pygmalion. Instead of a highly educated professor trying to take an unwilling lower class student and mold her into a different woman, you have a lower class student who is trying to educate herself at the behest of an unwilling professor who doesn’t want to change her. There are other familiar elements as well, enough so that you have a pretty good idea of where this is going from the very beginning, and there aren’t a lot of surprises.
However, since as I said before this show is not about the plot, that doesn’t really matter. It’s all about the characters. And since there are only two characters, an actor who wants to take on this script better be well prepared for a challenge.
Deborah Kennedy, who plays Rita, is a veteran actress who certainly is capable of stepping up to the plate. She throws herself in to this role entirely, from her blonde dyed hair to her street-level London accent. In order for this play to work, the audience has to care about Rita, and she is definitely adept at making that happen. She also has great comic instincts and timing. There is no satire, absurdism, or irony in this show, but there are lots of lines which are meant to be funny. A lesser actor might not be able to evoke the humor in them. Kennedy had the audience laughing quite regularly. The only complaint I could make about her as Rita is really the fact that Rita is quite obviously meant to be played by a younger actress. Rita is expressly stated as being 26 years old, and I thought there was a certain youthful energy level, difficult to quantify, that Rita was supposed to have but seemed missing somehow.
Tom Milligan plays the other half of this duet, Frank Bryant. It was a bit more difficult for me to get a grasp on his character. Milligan did not make any attempt to use an English accent, so at first it was a bit confusing even figuring out who was supposed to be the foreigner in which country. It becomes apparent that both characters are meant to be British in Britain, especially later on when Frank refers to himself directly as an "English poet." This makes the choice of not using an accent more puzzling.
However, his Frank is quite likeable. At times I wondered if maybe he was too likeable. Given the fact that he is an alcoholic who has essentially given up on life and retreated into safe obscurity as a tenured professor, I felt maybe he was meant to be more gruff and reticent. Milligan played him with a sort of wide eyed innocence that belied his world weariness, but on the other hand made him very endearing to the audience. He was soft spoken to Kennedy’s loud brashness, but he never let her overwhelm him on the stage.
I actually think the playwright was rather abusive to his actors. Not only did he write a fairly long play (nearly 2 ½ hours) in which just two actors were expected to carry the show entirely on dialogue, but he wrote it in about a dozen or so different scenes, each of which took place on different days. This meant that the actors had to change costumes for every single scene, and do it quickly. By necessity, they basically had to make a simple change such as throwing on a different shirt or jacket before charging on into the next scene. The set had to remain completely unchanged…whatever state it was left in was the state it started the next scene in. Fortunately there wasn’t much change that was required…the staging was fairly static.
Despite this, they made the costumes work. They were kept pretty simple and casual, the way these characters would dress. I thought the costumes for Rita were particularly well chosen. They had a sense of style which definitely fit her brash character and lower class origins.
As you can imagine, in such a small space with no stage to speak of, there was little of note as far as lighting and sound (although at one point one of the directional lights which was aimed at the center of the room sort of swiveled on its own accord so it was pointed directly down at a poor audience member). There was music between every scene to cover the quick changes that needed to be made. Some of it I found strange and wasn’t sure why it was chosen or how it fit in, although the choice of The Smith’s “Hairdresser on Fire” was incredibly apropos.
The set had a great deal of character. There were all kinds of books, papers, files, bottles, knick-knacks, and other details on the set. It had an old, homelike look to it. It was exactly the sort of place you would expect a professor who has grown complacent in his tenure to have nested in for 20 years or so.
So there was definitely thought put into the design of this show, but I found myself wondering who had directed it. No director was listed in the program, and I rather suspect this show was self directed by the actors. The reason I suspect this is because the way the show was staged looked to me like nobody was watching it from the outside when it was being blocked. Nearly every scene began the same way, with Frank sitting at his desk doing some kind of business with papers and files. And many of them ended the same way as well, with Frank standing at the door looking puzzlingly after the just departed Rita. There was also less dynamic movement within the scenes themselves than one might expect. I can speak from experience that often as an actor on stage you can think that something feels natural to do (or not do), but usually a director will force you to change things up on a regular basis because he sees it from the audience’s perspective.
I think that, overall, the type of audience who would go to dinner theater would enjoy this show. It is incredibly sincere theater; small, intimate, done with an aim to please and a joy in its simplicity. As I was there as a critic I may have found fault where others would find none (such as the fact that this play has an overly long first act and no real ending, not to mention leaving a strongly hinted romantic subplot unfulfilled), but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t make for a fine evening’s entertainment. If you like character, dialogue, and the drama and comedy you find in every day life, you will like this show.
Brad Quinn is a veteran of the local theater scene, and has worked with all of the local community theaters both onstage and backstage in various capacities.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
End Days is a can't miss show
by Matthew Falduto
Riverside - September eleventh has had a lasting impact on our country. That impact has not been explored through the arts as deeply as one might expect; it appears there is still a lot trepidation about venturing into that subject. Fortunately, Riverside Theatre has brought to the stage an excellent show that explores the impact of 9/11 (and so much more) in a humorous and thoughtful way. End Days by Deborah Zoe Laufer opened last week to sell out crowds and for good reason. This is easily one of the finest shows I have seen on the Riverside stage.
The story focuses on the effect Nelson, an overly eager and optimistic teenager who loves Elvis, has on the Stein family: mother Sylvia, who recently came to a revelation that Jesus is her savior; father Arthur, who hasn't gotten out of his pajamas since narrowly escaping the destruction of the Twin Towers three years earlier; and Rachel, the 16-year-old daughter who dons Goth makeup to keep people away.
The four principal actors created amazingly complex and real characters. Ryan Westwood as Nelson in particular lit up the stage. Nelson is a difficult character to portray because it would be easy to go over the top with the optimism and innocence in the belief that that is necessary for the laughs. Westwood seems to understand this and creates a multi-faceted boy desperate for love and a family. Is it a little improbable that a teenager would wear an Elvis jumpsuit everywhere and convince himself that his classmates are just kidding around when they continually throw milk cartons at him? Yes, it is. But Westwood's willingness to jump completely into the role and believe in Nelson allows us to as well.
Arthur, portrayed by Jim Van Valen, begins the play in the fetal position on the kitchen table. Incapable of dealing with the 9/11 tragedy at the beginning of the play, it is Arthur's journey that is the most poignant. Van Valen is simply amazing as he moves Arthur from a hopeless fog into the bright lights of a new day, using his facial expressions, his voice and his posture to show this transformation. One of the best moments in the play is when Arthur helps Nelson learn the Hebrew song he must sing for her Bar Mitzvah.
Both Jody Hovland as Sylvia and Laura Tatar as Rachel do an excellent job creating believable characters. Tim Budd creates two characters: Jesus and Stephen Hawking. These characters personify religion and science. Sylvia uses religion as her way of coping with the world; Rachel discovers science. Their journeys mirror each other and Budd's characters aid the women as they move through these journeys. Budd wonderfully imbues his Jesus with kindness with a dashing smile. And his Stephen Hawking is really quite amazing, computerized voice and all.
There is really nothing to criticize in this show. The set is great, the acting is phenomenal, and the direction is economical and smart. This is a show you simply must experience. It runs through February 21. Tickets are available online.
(photo by Bob Goodfellow)
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, Rage Theatrics 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.
Riverside - September eleventh has had a lasting impact on our country. That impact has not been explored through the arts as deeply as one might expect; it appears there is still a lot trepidation about venturing into that subject. Fortunately, Riverside Theatre has brought to the stage an excellent show that explores the impact of 9/11 (and so much more) in a humorous and thoughtful way. End Days by Deborah Zoe Laufer opened last week to sell out crowds and for good reason. This is easily one of the finest shows I have seen on the Riverside stage.The story focuses on the effect Nelson, an overly eager and optimistic teenager who loves Elvis, has on the Stein family: mother Sylvia, who recently came to a revelation that Jesus is her savior; father Arthur, who hasn't gotten out of his pajamas since narrowly escaping the destruction of the Twin Towers three years earlier; and Rachel, the 16-year-old daughter who dons Goth makeup to keep people away.
The four principal actors created amazingly complex and real characters. Ryan Westwood as Nelson in particular lit up the stage. Nelson is a difficult character to portray because it would be easy to go over the top with the optimism and innocence in the belief that that is necessary for the laughs. Westwood seems to understand this and creates a multi-faceted boy desperate for love and a family. Is it a little improbable that a teenager would wear an Elvis jumpsuit everywhere and convince himself that his classmates are just kidding around when they continually throw milk cartons at him? Yes, it is. But Westwood's willingness to jump completely into the role and believe in Nelson allows us to as well.
Arthur, portrayed by Jim Van Valen, begins the play in the fetal position on the kitchen table. Incapable of dealing with the 9/11 tragedy at the beginning of the play, it is Arthur's journey that is the most poignant. Van Valen is simply amazing as he moves Arthur from a hopeless fog into the bright lights of a new day, using his facial expressions, his voice and his posture to show this transformation. One of the best moments in the play is when Arthur helps Nelson learn the Hebrew song he must sing for her Bar Mitzvah.
Both Jody Hovland as Sylvia and Laura Tatar as Rachel do an excellent job creating believable characters. Tim Budd creates two characters: Jesus and Stephen Hawking. These characters personify religion and science. Sylvia uses religion as her way of coping with the world; Rachel discovers science. Their journeys mirror each other and Budd's characters aid the women as they move through these journeys. Budd wonderfully imbues his Jesus with kindness with a dashing smile. And his Stephen Hawking is really quite amazing, computerized voice and all.
There is really nothing to criticize in this show. The set is great, the acting is phenomenal, and the direction is economical and smart. This is a show you simply must experience. It runs through February 21. Tickets are available online.
(photo by Bob Goodfellow)
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, Rage Theatrics 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.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Dreamwell says "Down with Love!"
Dreamwell - Dreamwell is offering another of their cabaret performances. This year's theme: Valentines Day. Well, sort of. As they say on their website: "It’s the perfect date night for Valentines Day sweeties and hard-core Cupid-haters alike. An evening of heartbreaking, pathetic, neurotic and devastating songs for cynics, singles, sad sacks (& even you crazy lovebirds!). Singers and musicians will share songs from various eras, covering lovers scorned, passions unrequited, wedding day second thoughts, “the man that got away” and more."The show is at the Mill (120 East Burlington Street) and has a $6 cover. Performers include Kate Thompson, Mark McCusker, Josh Sazon, Krista Neumann, Angie Toomsen, Jeanne Nelson, Roscoe Porch, Delayne Stallman.
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