Future
World?
This
play is based on the children’s book of the same title by Lois Lowry and
adapted for the stage by Eric Coble. It
is directed by Stan Foote (OCT’s Artistic Director). The show will play through May 19th
at 1111 SW Broadway. For further
information go to www.octc.org or call 503-228-9571.
The world of the Future is almost always pictured as a desolate, despairing and
depressing place by Sci-fi writers. This
play is no exception. It is not to say
they’re wrong in their assessments, but where is the Hope for a better
tomorrow, the elusive Eden of yesteryear.
It may be, as the poet said, “The World is too much with us.” And thus,
we are thrust, screaming, into our own Apocalyptic blankness.
Hints of Lowry’s world are glimpsed in Clive Barker’s book, Weaveworld or Shyamalan’s film, The Village. But in the children, we see the light of
brighter possibilities. The child, in
this case, is a young lady named Kira (Stephanie Roessler), who has inherited
the Art of Weaving a robe that reflects the Past and will influence the
Future. She is lame and would have been
relegated to the Bonefield, as all undesirables are, had it not been for this
gift.
She is housed in a special place called the Edifice, in which she is to work
her wonders on the cloth, along with her boy-servant, Matt (Peyton Symes) and a
Carver, Thomas (Jeremy Howard), who has the talent of writing, etching and
reading. Their keeper is a stern fellow
named Jamison (Andres Alcala), one of the Guardians, leaders of this society.
In order to complete her task, she must learn colors from a wise old woman
named Annabella (Camille Cettina). But
in order to complete the robe she must find the color blue, which does not
exist in this world. She discovers the
reason for this is that blue represents Freedom. And so, the search continues, in which they
find an imprisoned girl, named Jo (Steele Clevenger), who has the gift of Song.
Matt dares the forbidden trek outside this town, in search of the magical blue
coloring and finds a village housed with more misfits. Kira’s mother, Katrina (Cassie Greer), had
been killed, but he finds another family member of hers, Chris (Dennis Kelly),
now blind, living there and brings him back.
The Truth and the color Blue may elevate them to a higher plateau and a
better Life. (Interesting note, the more
syllables a person has in their name, the wiser they are considered to be. Guess I’d be on the low end of their scale.)
The story gets a bit bogged down at times because of the vast amount of
information it needs to share. But Mr.
Foote keeps the pace flowing with inventive and simple scene changes and a cast
that is rarely static. The designs of
the set (Mark Haack) and costumes (Sarah Gahagan) are remarkable. They give one the sense that you are really
there.
A cast of eight does a wonderful job of playing multiple characters. Ms. Roessler in the lead role is believable
and quite convincing as a lame girl. Ms.
Cettina in a couple of very contrasting roles is quite the actress, giving the
energy needed, as well as convincingly transforming. And Mr. Alcala does nicely, as he gives an
air of mystery to his character, in which one is never sure who he is or where
he stands.
Most of the rest of the cast is equally good with the exception of Mr. Kelly, at
times, who needs more of a sense of urgency, of animation, to his
character. He is a little too bland in a
role that should be exploding with emotion.
But he has the right look and voice for the part.
I would not recommend this play for very young children, as it is pretty deep
and complex and they might not grasp the meanings. But I would recommend it for all others, as
it is a thoughtful and well presented piece.
If you do choose to go, tell them Dennis sent you.
This
dramatic comedy by Jeffrey Hatcher is directed by Artists Rep’s new Artistic
Director, Dàmaso Rodriguez. It plays
through May 26th at its location on SW Alder St. & 16th
Ave. For more information contact them
at www.artistsrep.org or call 503-241-1278.
Stage “royalty” has been around since the inception of the Broadway
theatre. Going back to the Civil War,
there was Edwin Booth and later Helen Hayes, the Barrymores (exemplified in the
play, The Royal Family) and, of
course, Lunt and Fontanne, among them.
This story concentrates on a period of time, mostly in the late 30’s,
when they were mounting a production of Chekov’s The Seagull. And it also
includes such luminaries from that period as the actor, Sydney Greenstreet (The Maltese Falcon, Casablanca) and
theatre actor/teacher, Uta Hagen (her book, Respect
for Acting, is considered one of the bibles of the theatre world).
The play shifts from delving into the private lives of Alfred Lunt (Michael
Mendelson) and Lynn Fontanne (Linda Alper), to their stage incarnations, as
well, and the creative process. The
story takes place at their estate in Wisconsin, Ten Chimneys. In the cast are Mr. Greenstreet (Todd Van
Voris), pre-film, and Ms. Hagen (Abby Wilde), early in her career. Also living at their estate are his
over-bearing mother, Hattie (JoAnn Johnson); his pool-shark, half-brother, Carl
(Chris Harder); and his frustrated, half-sister, Louise (Sarah Lucht).
All seems well in the first scene, which is a bit of fluff, but as the plot flows
forward, so do the trenches deepen, as things become…complicated, contrived and
corrosive. It seems that Louise, engaged
in an unhappy marriage, has talents that have always been overlooked in the
family, as she is relegated to the job of “baking muffins,” which would be
slightly burnt, of course, but we’ll eat them anyway because “we love
her.” The pool shark brother is a bit of
a ne’er-do-well and up to his cue-sticks in debt. And the mother, having delusions of grandeur,
proceeds to carve her slab in this deluded dream, as if she were still in
charge, although now her stately manor used to be the “chicken coop.”
Into this well-seasoned stew are added the portly Sydney, whose wife has been
incarcerated in an institution for the insane for a number of years and Uta,
who seems to have dreams of becoming a star, no matter what the cost to
personal lives. Alfred, who had possibly
had an affair with a college “room-mate,” as some indiscreet letters have
appeared, is distracted. And Lynn, aware
of the attraction between her husband and the neophyte, alternately explodes,
then consoles the volatile parties. Life
imitating art or vice versa? Or, both?
Into this mix also are some of the basics of theatre and the rehearsal
process. They are constantly rehearsing
so that the lines become automatic and real, like a second skin. And if they miss so much as a word, they must
start the whole scene over again. This
is not the only way of creating a play, but it is their way. The constant
immersion in the creative process and their stage lives might seem foreign to a
casual observer. But it may be essential
to the artist.
This idea is explored in its simplest form in Vonnegut’s, Who Am I This Time? And this
may be, in part, the theme of Hatcher’s play.
One’s life onstage may be the reality, and the life outside it, the
illusion. To extend that thought
further, aren’t we all, in a way, actors.
Perhaps not in the creative sense but “All the world’s a stage…,” as
expressed by the Bard. We “act”
differently when we are with family, with friends, with co-workers, with
strangers, etc. And, if true, then the
play speaks to all of us, not just artists.
The Director, Mr. Rodriguez, has wisely chosen not to have the actors try to
imitate the famous personages, but simply enact the character. He understands the rhythms of the play and
has a superb cast that complements this.
Mendelson portrays all the various flavors and beats of this complex
person, Lunt, and Alper is equally fine as Fontanne, raging to heights as the
wronged woman, then to calmer depths, as the helpmate to the artist. And Johnson is extraordinary as the mother,
running the gamut from having us hate her, to feeling sorry for her. A super performance by a seasoned veteran.
Wilde, as Uta, is wonderful in her ability to keep her motives hidden, as she
traverses the slippery slope between, perhaps, romancing her way to the top, or
becoming a dutiful actress, willing to learn and observe. You can see her thinking, considering choices
as she navigates her course. Harder and
Lucht portray the siblings of this famous couple, convincingly showing us the
ups and downs of reaping the gains f the trip, but constantly riding in the
back seat.
The set, by Larry Larsen, is open, allowing the actors plenty of room to emote
and is versatile, as it magically changes from an exterior to interior by the
second act. A beauty. This is a winning example of what the future
may hold for ART under the reins of the capable director, Mr. Rodriguez. Bravo!
I recommend this production. If you do
choose to go see it, please tell them Dennis sent you.
The
Once & Future Tarzan
This musical, based on the animated Disney film, will play through April 28th. It is written by David Henry Hwang and
music/lyrics by Phil Collins. The
production is directed by Cindy Kenny, choreographed by Jennifer Knight Dills
and musical direction by Stephen Kenny.
The school is located at 1790 Chamelton St. in Eugene. Go to www.newhope.edu for further information.
The story is adapted from Edgar Rice Burroughs’s Tarzan of the Apes. Burroughs
was, along with Verne and Wells, one of the great adventure writers of the past
century. A number of films have been
made on this character and it was finally adapted to an animated musical by the
Disney team. They, in turn, developed it
for the stage, along with Mr. Collins and Mr. Hwang. And now it arrives in Oregon, with six new
songs added.
For all you tecko-geeks, twitter-tweeters and those who follow the all-knowing
Lord, Facebook, you are probably not going to like one of the themes of this
show. That flora and fauna do have something valuable to offer
mankind and that maybe a life in Nature’s Wonderland is superior to an
existence in a Concrete Jungle. And,
coupled with Love, it is an unbeatable combination.
After a shipwreck, Tarzan’s parents escape to the safety of the jungle, only to
be killed by a leopard. But the Boy
Tarzan (Issac Sutherland) is rescued and raised by a kindly mother ape, Kala
(Natalie Pruett), who is shunned by her mate, Kerchak (Jacob Thiessen) for
this, because the boy is not one of them.
He slowly learns their ways and language with the help of Kala and a
goofy friend, Terk (Chris Kiriakos).
But the modern world will force its ugly head upon them in the guises of a
kindly, English Professor, Porter (Larry Kenton) and his lovely daughter, Jane
(Christina Brown—featured in TV’s High
School Musical: Get in the Picture). Of course, relative peace will not continue,
as another god of the modern world, greed, comes calling. Clayton (Zach Ropp), the guide of the
expedition, sees a way to make money with kidnapping some apes and, perhaps,
the ape-man himself, Tarzan (Issac Frank).
After promising to “reform” and become a “proper” Englishman, tragedy strikes
and Tarzan is left in charge of the ape tribe.
But True Love has a way of working its magic, so that things can take
their natural course. Burroughs’s story
is a lot more complicated than this, but the musical does hit the highlights.
For the most part, the songs/music keeps the story flowing forward. Only during the butterfly dance number, beautifully
rendered by the Hosanna Dance Studio Dancers, does the story take a slight
pause. The songs are all part of the
story, taking on an almost operatic quality in storytelling at times. Some of my song favorites were Who Better Than Me, with the Boy Tarzan
and Terk; You’ll be in my Heart,
Kala; Son of Man, Tarzan & apes;
and the show-stopping, For the First Time,
Jane and Tarzan, beautifully sung by both of them.
And one cannot ignore, one of the highlights of the evening, the Ape Dancers,
so good that they all deserved to be named:
Brianna Cruz, Millie Freeman, Jasmyn Kahawai, Nora Mercier, Amanda
Prussak, Liz Strang, Lauren Talamantez, Signe Tapert, Brittany Torricer, and
Rachel Ure. And one has to give supreme
credit for them to the Choreographer, Ms. Dills! They lit up the show every time they appeared.
In the title role, the person must be athletic, acrobatic, physically fit, a
good singer, actor and dancer. Not an
easy bill to fill. But Mr. Frank is more
than up to the task. He is downright
amazing in all these guises. It was as
if Burroughs (and even Disney) was using this actor as a model for the
character. He has a career ahead of him
in this field, I believe, if he chooses to pursue it.
As Jane, Ms. Brown is an extraordinary singer.
At times, though, her acting was a little broader than needed to be, for
the size of space she was in. But, other
than that, a perfect Jane. Another
favorite of mine was Ms. Pruett, as Kala, Tarzan’s surrogate mother. She has a beautiful voice and is a terrific
actor. She, too, has star-shine in her
future, in my opinion. And master
Sutherland, as the Boy Tarzan, handled his role with ease. Hopefully he will also continue in this
field, to grow and learn.
Also, very impressive, was Mr. Kenton as Professor Porter. He has an easy-going, natural demeanor
onstage that makes you believe everything he does and says. He has a very good singing voice and his
concern for his daughter seemed genuine.
In short, he accomplishes the task of every actor, to find Truth in the
character he’s portraying.
All the others actors were very good, and the ape ensemble, very
convincing. There was not a weak person
in the cast. And, for once, the miking
worked throughout the show, and the orchestra did not overpower the singers, a rare accomplishment. Credit must be give to Stephen Kenny, the
leader of them, and the Producer of the show.
Bravo!
This is a monumental effort to transfer to the stage. The Director, Ms. Kenny, must be equals parts
traffic cop, interpreter, counselor/consoler/promoter, teacher and
the-buck-stops-here person. Cindy is a
wiz in all those departments. She has
managed to translate all these creative fragments into a cohesive production
and she does it with class. It is noted
in the program that this is her first foray into the directing spotlight. I, for one, vote that it not be her last.
And one cannot leave this show without congratulating the Lighting/Stage
Designer, Kelly Baum, the Costume Designer, Jonna Hayden and the audio
designer, Kyle Anderson. Quite simply,
this production would not have been the success it is, without the talents of
these remarkable people, too.
The only regret one should have is that it is only running two weekends. I would hope they might consider extending
the run. If this is an example of the
type of talent and dedication to the Arts that this school has, then I would
say it is an example of one of the best
institutions for such training.
Obviously, I highly recommend this show.
If you are thinking of going, get your tickets now, as they are selling
out fast. If you do choose to see it,
tell them Dennis sent you.
For another perspective on this show, go to SW WA Stage & Theater Arts Review, www.swwastar.blogspot.com
The Man Behind Narnia
Shadowlands, a drama about C.S. Lewis by William
Nicholson and directed by Rachel Keen will be playing through May 4th
at Magenta Theater. They are located at
606 Main St. For further information,
check their Web, www.magentatheater.com
Clive (Jack) Staples Lewis was a well-respected writer and teacher from Oxford
in England. Much of the subject matter
of his books and lectures concerned Man’s relationship with God. But his most famous books were the Narnia collection, which have been made
into more than one film. In fact, he was,
also, good friends with J.R.R. Tolkien, writer of the Lord of the Rings books, also filmed. Shadowlands
was made into a movie starring Anthony Hopkins, Debra Winger and Edward
Hardwick.
The story takes place in the 1950’s in Oxford, his home for most of his
life. Jack (Philip Giesy) and his older
brother, Warnie (Bob Lawson), were confirmed bachelors and roomed
together. Jack was constantly exploring
the relationship between God and Man, questioning why, if there was a God, he
would allow so much suffering in the world.
