7 posts tagged “theatre”

So for the last little while I've been doing scenic painting for an ambitious haunted house project Here in Nashville, called (not hard to guess) Haunted Nashville.

While it's been hard work, it is rewarding to see your stagecraft skills applied to something at least semi-permanent.  My hands and arms have been fairly covered in grimy brown, dirty green and putrescent purple for some time, and even the most thorough cleaning seems insufficient to remove lingering paint from beneath my nails.

So the attraction opens this weekend, and I hope to see some familiar faces and make them scream!

The following snippet appears amidst a full review of Play On! at www.nashvilletheatrelostandfound.com.  We're all very pleased that you enjoyed it, Trudy!

...The curtain is open at the very top of the first act.  The house lights over the stage are warming-up as the actors mill uncharacteristically in house.  The stage manager and the tech sit on the lip of the stage discussing the information that should be dispensed to the audience on opening night.  The director calls the actors to the stage to begin rehearsal.  They make their ways leisurely to the stage ... or not.  This scene seems so familiar; I forget I'm watching a play. Actors bickering, tech grumbling, director pleading … I'm at home.  I was so comfortable in that environment that I almost got out of my seat to head to the kitchen for a cup of coffee along with Jerry Dunbar, the director of Murder Most Foul, the play within the play in PLAY ON! by Rick Abbot, currently showing at Community Players Theatre.

Stay with me here.  The show in rehearsal, Murder Most Foul, is an “original play by a local playwright,” Phyllis Montague played by Barbara DeHarde.  The other players consist of the actors:  Henry Benish played by David Hutson, his wife, Polly Benish, played by Olivia Scott, Smitty played by Alwyn Mothershed, Billy Carewe played by Lucas Hutson, Saul Watson played by Logan Masterson, and Violet Imbry played by Kellye Mitchell, the stage manager, Aggie Manville, played by Angie Bianchi, the lighting/sound/scene tech, Louise Peary, played by Martha Stephens, and the director, Jerry Dunbar, played by Asa Ambrister....

1_200x300-Wicked

The Tony award winning Wicked is coming to Nashville!  This clever musical, written by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman is based on Gregory Maguire's innovative retelling of the Wizard of Oz.  It tells the story of apprentice Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba, and her life before dear Dorothy turns the Land of Oz upside down.  TPAC is holding a special ticketing event for the Nashville performances, running September 2nd through 20th.

DATE:  Saturday, June 6 2009
TIME:  8:00 AM - 10: 00 AM (Come early, it will fill up fast!)
PLACE:  TPAC's Jackson Hall Box Office
   (The line will begin at the bridge on War Memorial Plaza.)

EVENT DETAILS:

Between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., tickets will be exclusively available at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center’s downtown box office. The line for the event will begin at the bridge on War Memorial Plaza.

Ticket buyers are encouraged to arrive early for access to some of the best seats in the house and special box office opening festivities. WJXA Mix 92.9 radio will be on site with live remote broadcasts, offering prizes for WICKED trivia and karaoke participants. WJXA also will give WICKED hats to the first 92 ticket buyers in line, Dunkin Donuts will provide green “munchkin” donuts and coffee to the first 150 people in line, and Which Wich will hand out vouchers for a free “The Wicked” sandwich to the first 100 people in line, as well as free samples at the event.

Beginning at 10 a.m., remaining tickets will be available online; by calling Ticketmaster at 615/255-ARTS (2787); and at all Ticketmaster outlets, including TPAC’s Box Office at Davis-Kidd Booksellers in The Mall at Green Hills. There is a maximum of 8 tickets per person. For information on offers for groups of 20 or more, call TPAC Group Sales at 615/782-4060.

The preexisting sales to season ticket holders and groups indicate an overwhelming interest in WICKED. It is possible that the Nashville engagement will sell out quickly. Patrons are urged to purchase their tickets to WICKED early.

The WICKED on-sale event will take place June 6, rain or shine. Promotions, giveaways and event details are subject to change without notice.

Visit http://tinyurl.com/NashvilleTheatre

I would like to apologize to my loyal readers (all seven of you) for my reticence of late.The play (see http://tinyurl.com/Harvey09) has had me busy beyond my expectations.  Tonight is the last show of our opening weekend, which has been an unmitigated success. 

My cast and crew have exceeded all of my expectations, and I am proud and grateful.  My co-director has been a joy to work with as well.  More at my Nashville Theatre Examiner column here: http://tinyurl.com/NashvilleTheatre.

More soon, my friends.

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   I had not been involved in live theatre since high school.  In fact, the closest I had been was a read through on a first draft of an historical play. 

   Then, not long ago, a friend of a friend insisted that I audition for A Christmas Carol.  I was not initially thrilled with the idea.  The work’s strong Christian theme hardly suits my personal system of beliefs.  The troupe producing the play is largely unheard-of.  The venue leaves a bit to be desired. 

   Nonetheless, audition I did.  I was cast as the Ghost of Christmas Present in a version of the story that turned out to suit my temperament rather more than I expected.  Director

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David Hutson adapted his version from the original text, carefully endeavoring to stay as true as possible to Dickens’ words.  Indeed, virtually every word in the play comes directly from the author.

   The play was presented in story theatre style, with the ghosts of Past, Present and Future acting as narrators.  My part was large enough to be rather intimidating.  I was more than a little concerned that I might lose myself in the deluge of lines.  The character himself was a little hard to wrap my brain around, as I am hardly the festive type, and never less so than at Christmas.

   But I learned the lines, and largely delivered them rightly.  I adopted a character somewhere between the elation of survival against the odds and an elemental of winter.  I found my place.

   The set was an amazing piece of theatrical engineering, and I am proud to have helped put it up, and to have dressed it.  In fact, I am proud to have been a part of the production at all.

   But most of all, I am proud to have worked with a terrific cast and staff.  From the director to the stagehands, from the lead actor to the bit players, it was an honor and a pleasure to work with one and all.

   Most of all, my thanks and appreciation go out to Phil Brady, Rachael Brooks, and Lucas and David Hutson, all people with whom I have spent prodigious blocks of time over the last few months.  It has been wonderful working with you.

   And, alas, I have caught the bug again.  I will be back, and look forward to acting, directing and set building more than a little in the future.

   This play has been as exhausting as rewarding.  Nothing good is ever easy, and nothing easy’s ever good. 

   My hat’s off to each and every one of us!  May there be a thousand perfect performances in our future!

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Ceb9

Community Players will stage its 10th Anniversary of A Christmas Carol (A Ghost Story) on December 5-7, 11-14, 18-19 at 3220 Bell Road, Nashville, TN 37214. Show times are Thursday – Saturday 7pm; Sundays at 2pm. The production features John Carpenter as Bob Crachit and welcomes Phil Brady back as Scrooge.

Going back to the original text by Mr. Dickens, this production is presented in a story theatre fashion on an impressive six level stage. Of this year’s production, director David Hutson has to say, "This version of A Christmas Carol does something no other movie, TV show, or play I have ever seen has done. It brings you the voice of Charles Dickens. Most people are familiar with this story, but few have actually read the book. Instead of reinterpreting, adapting, and taking artistic license as I have done in past years, I reduced the process down to simply editing Dickens own words and dividing them between three narrators to bring his voice back to the story. Nothing has been added and every aspect possible of the story has been restored to the basic elements that made this one of the most popular and endearing books ever written.

Tommy Rocco of Out and About had this to say about last year’s production: "Upon entering the theater, I was simply expecting yet another church Christmas play that would warm the heart, but not open my eyes, to a brand new vision of a timeless work of art like this Dickens classic. Boy was I wrong. When the curtains opened and I first saw the magnificent six story stage, I was immediately drawn into the story. Then, when the players began speaking in haunting yet impeccable British accents, I was even further impressed. As the play progressed and the production incorporated beautiful choreography, brilliant harmonic singing and magic literally happening before my eyes, …. {I} felt more like I was on Broadway enjoying a professionally produced show.

"I must say this: not to sound over the top, but for the whole of the play I truly felt like I was floating through the haunted imagination of Charles Dickens himself. Director David Hutson decided to produce this adaptation in a style called "story theater," and he stayed as true to Dickens’ original text as possible. His efforts truly paid off, as this is one of the best plays I’ve seen in a long time, perhaps ever. And I don’t say that lightly."

If you enjoy great theater, tell your loved ones to grab their coats and accompany you to an evening of sheer brilliance. What better way to celebrate the holiday season?"

For more information and reservations, please visit www. communityplayers. biz or call 615.414.2781.