The 39 Steps runs through this weekend and next

If you haven’t taken the opportunity to go see Springfield Contemporary Theatre’s The 39 Steps then you have not chosen your weekend entertainment options carefully. The performance is, by far, one of the best comedies I have seen at the Vandivort…ever.

Why do you ask? What makes this show so good? Casting. Amazing freaking casting.

Specifically, director Rick Dines has taken two of Springfield’s finest performers, Heath Hillhouse and Nathan Shelton, and created what should be America’s next greatest comic duo—but before I swoon too much, please allow me to tell you a bit about the show itself.

The 39 Steps is a spy comedy farce sort-of thing that was originally adapted by Alfred Hitchcock for film from a 1915 novel by James Buchan, and then, Hitchcock’s version was adapted for stage in 2005 by Patrick Barlow. And that sounds pretty normal…until you consider that the concept of the show calls for the entire cast of the of Hitchcock’s 1935 film to be played by a cast of only four people. Well, one role is played by one actor, David Schmittou as Richard Hannay, three roles are played by Lisa Murphy, and the rest of the fifty to one hundred other roles (that is a guesstimated number, obviously, but there are a lot) are played by Nathan Shelton and Heath Hillhouse. If you’re confused right now, bear with me and allow me to now tell you a little bit about what’s up on with these (other) characters.

As I mentioned, this is a farce, so there’s a lot going on anyway without Hillhouse and Shelton constantly switching personas, but what they are doing for the performance is filling in the minor roles and characters that move the story forward. In each scene they must quickly change costumes, accents, age…gender. And they do an amazing job of it. I imagine that it takes an incredible amount of talent to nail the parts that they do, so for them to absolutely nail every role is a credit to their ability and skill as brilliant entertainers. I decree, Ladies and Gentlemen, if you need any reason to see this play, you should go see it because of Heath Hillhouse and Nathan Shelton. The dynamic that they share onstage is comfortable and relaxed, and although they are popping in and out of different roles the entire play, there are moments when you forget that, really, there are only two of them. However, I also have to praise Rick Dines, director of The 39 Steps, because when you are dealing with this much movement on stage it is imperative to stay organized. This play has illustrated to us that Dines is capable of marching an army of four into tricky comedic territory and emerging victorious.

David Schmittou and Lisa Murphy also perform wonderfully together. Schmittou we last saw in Lend Me a Tenor so this is the second time, in less than a year, he has to proven to SGF that he knows how farce it up (Ha!). Schmittou is cool, calm, and confident in his role as the incredibly quirky and strangely interesting Richard Hannay, and honestly, folks, we couldn’t have asked for a better actor to portray this particular character. One thing that I really like about Schmittou is that he is easy to watch, and I’ve come to the conclusion that it has something to do with his stage presence where, as an audience member, you find yourself paying very close attention to every one of his actions. He works the character to a point that his movements, physical ticks, voice, gestures all become very important to the overall performance (This was also obvious in Lend Me a Tenor) and he wants you to pay attention to him, which is a good thing because he’s good at it. Cheers to you, Mr. Schmittou; you, sir, are a pro.

This is the first time I’ve had the pleasure of watching Lisa Murphy perform on stage. Again, a testament to Rick Dines casting, Lisa works the same kind of magic that Hillhouse and Shelton tackle but enjoys a far less daunting amount of characters. She plays the three love interests to Schmittou’s Hannay and like, Schmittou, Murphy is also very easy to watch. I may have said this before but I’m always amazed when a cool, fun performance, like The 39 Steps, is announced and amazing actors and actresses like Lisa Murphy just seem to come out of nowhere. Springfield is home to such an amazing array of talent that, even after seeing dozens of performances, I’m consistently and pleasantly surprised by how damn good you are, SGF. And Murphy, as a testament to this awesome city, is also that damn good. I said it with Hillhouse and Shelton, and I’ll say it again with Murphy, you sometimes you forget that there is only one of her. Her characters are incredibly distinct, right down to the three different (yet spot-on) accents she has to use each one of them. Murphy+Schmittou+Hillhouse+Shelton=The (awesome and amazing) 39 Steps.

So, if you haven’t caught this performance yet, you now have no reason not to…but I’m about to blow your mind even further with absolute awesomeness. This Sunday The 39 Steps has a 2:00 show, but at 7:00 Springfield Contemporary Theatre will premiere FOSGATE: FERRET LOAN OFFICER, A Premiere Concert Reading of a New Musical Book by Ned Wilkinson.  If you’re a local, you may have seen this “Ned guy” play once or twice at McSalty’s. These are two do-not-miss shows. The 39 Steps runs through the rest of this weekend and next, but FOSGATE is a one-time-only event so you may want to plan this Sunday night accordingly. For ticket information call the Vandivort Center Theatre at 417-831-8001 or visit their website at vctheatre.com.

Enjoy.

The November 27 episode of The Statler’s Waldorf, hosted by David Norman, featured a discussion with cast members from Love’s Labour’s Lost, which opens at Missouri State University’s Craig Hall on Thursday, as well as production members from Golden Circle Movie. Listen to The Statler each Sunday at 6 p.m. on KBFL 99.9 FM (1060 AM) or watch the show live on TAG TV at TAGsgf.com. Podcasts on iTunes.

Our Town runs through the November 20th at the Landers

I’ve had trouble starting this review for some reason. I couldn’t exactly tell you why, but it certainly isn’t because I have bad things to say about it; it isn’t that at all. I think it’s because there’s so much to say.

Funny story: Thornton Wilder had severe writer’s block writing the second act of Our Town. When he wrote this play he tried very hard to portray a simplistic (specifically, minimalist) idea throughout the performance. I think that sometimes, when you try to focus on what isn’t there, you’re actually seeing and feeling what is there, the journey to the end. Perhaps that’s why I had trouble, and maybe why Wilder had trouble. To put it in perspective, think of the words “happy” or “sad.” Now think about how you get there. You have to deconstruct those words to identify them. Personally, that was my problem when attempting to define this play. A simple word will evoke a maddening number of memories and emotions, and in the same sense that simplicity plays a role in Our Town the chronicling thereof is not as effortless because in less there is so much more than you think.

Our Town has a unique structure; it is performed as a performance, if you catch my drift. The play begins with the house lights still up and stagehands moving set and props to their appropriate locations. It’s fun to listen to the audience slowly silence while this is taking place on stage because no one is really sure if the play is starting or not. There’s a collective feeling of why wasn’t this all done before we got here, but the idea is that we are now privileged to watch the very structure of the fourth wall crumble and the cast warmly invite us into this production.

From left to right, L.J. Summers, Ashleigh Ricci, and Brandon Compton

What is essentially the narrator is billed as the “Stage Manager” in this production. This character sets the scene, mood, introduces characters and gives background, futureground(?)…he’ll tell you what happens to the characters ex post facto. Bottom line, you begin to feel for the people in the play before you ever really get to know them. The role of Stage Manager in Our Town is played by L.J. Summers, and I am telling you this with the deepest sincerity: There could not have been a better person to cast in this part. Summers is cool, confident and absolutely perfect. The stage is filled with enough talent for me to highly encourage you to see this play, but I’m telling you to go see it because of L.J. Summers. When I attempt to think of how to best describe his presence within the performance it’s almost stoic, but not because he’s unaffected by the actions of his characters. It’s because he knows that, essentially, the world is a stage, and everyone plays a role. We live, we die, and our stories are those spaces in between. As an audience member he is our guide, and we rely on him fill those spaces and update us on what has taken place when time lapses and life happens to these people in Our Town.

Rick Giesen and Brandon Compton

The Our Town players are composed of several recognizable faces, notably the wonderful Meg Rice (Mrs. Gibbs) and Rick Giesen (Dr. Gibbs). As always, Rice is incredibly fun to watch; she exhibits a particular ease on stage that helps with the believability and emotion of her overall performance. She has a very affecting role, and it’s her subtle actions that make it work because, again, less is more in this play.  When you find out what has become of her in the third act it’s hard not to become very sad simply because you’ve come to regard her character as a constant. And again, it is her prevailing subtlety that is so endearing. As with everything else in this play it’s not so much the constants but a consistency of small changes onstage; for example, the stage itself doesn’t change, but the life within it does, and without apology. The Our Town set is simple, so you have to feel the setting. The characters mime many of the actions where props would otherwise be. Thus, it is the responsibility of the actors to will your suspension of disbelief, and they do a great job of it, Rice especially.

Giesen plays the Dr. Gibbs role with the same powerful tact he did as Mark Twain in Big River. He is a big, rather intimidating fellow but a gentle giant in end, and through him his character exudes that loving father persona you’d expect from this rather wise individual. I’d imagine that Giesen isn’t too far removed from Thornton’s own Dr. Gibbs.

Melissa Morgan, Meg Rice, and Lynda Ellis

The characters that a majority of the play centers around are Emily Webb and George Gibbs, played respectively by Ashleigh Ricci and Brandon Compton. These are two young people who have grown up together in this same small town, fall in love and eventually marry and begin the rest of their lives. Compton and Ricci didn’t have me until the second act. During intermission I even questioned the motivation of each of these characters and almost didn’t want them to end up together. But damn if they didn’t get me in the end, and it was the wedding scene that did it. Whatever Compton and Ricci were lacking in the first act they turned around and played with the hot-blooded emotion, awkward in-love insecurity and angsty hardheadedness you expect from young lovers, and that was where the characters became brilliant. Ricci especially nailed character of the starry-eyed young woman Emily. She captured the fetching innocence of all those women we once knew when we were younger. Cheers to Compton and Ricci.

The director George Cron has done a fantastic job keeping with the original intention of the play while still putting in his signature of excellent stage direction for the actors. The entire cast and story is all very tight and he has made many of the correct choices to bring these characters to life. His use of the minimalist set and design of the stage is compensated by his very talented actors and his eye for painting a beautiful picture of small town American life. Thank you, Springfield Little Theatre, for this moving performance.

For ticket information visit the Springfield Little Theatre website of call 417-869-1334.

Enjoy.

The 2012 Tent Theatre season begins on June 6 with 9 to 5 The Musical

Missouri State announced the 2012 Tent Theatre Schedule this evening via their T&D Wrap web series hosted by Natalie Dickter. Here are the details from the Tent Theatre website:

9 TO 5: THE MUSICAL

June 6-9, 11-16
Music and Lyrics by DOLLY PARTON
Book by PATRICIA RESNICK
Based on the 20th Century Fox Picture
9 TO 5: THE MUSICAL is a hilarious story of friendship and revenge in the Rolodex era. 9 TO 5: THE MUSICAL tells the story of three unlikely friends who conspire to take control of their company and learn there’s nothing they can’t do — even in a man’s world. Outrageous, thought-provoking and even a little romantic, 9 TO 5: THE MUSICAL is about teaming up and taking care of business… it’s about getting credit and getting even…

THE ODD COUPLE

June 21,23, 25, 27, 29 (male version)
June 22, 24, 26, 28, 30 (female version)
By NEIL SIMON
MALE VERSION: This classic comedy opens as a group of the guys assembled for cards in the apartment of divorced Oscar Madison. And if the mess is any indication, it’s no wonder that his wife left him. Late to arrive is Felix Unger who has just been separated from his wife. Fastidious, depressed and none too tense, Felix seems suicidal, but as the action unfolds Oscar becomes the one with murder on his mind when the clean-freak and the slob ultimately decide to room together with hilarious results as The Odd Couple is born.
FEMALE VERSION: Unger and Madison are at it again! Florence Unger and Olive Madison, that is, in Neil Simon’s hilarious contemporary comic classic: the female version of THE ODD COUPLE. Instead of the poker party that begins the original version, Ms. Madison has invited the girls over for an evening of Trivial Pursuit. The Pidgeon sisters have been replaced by the two Constanzuela brothers. But the hilarity remains the same.

42ND STREET

July 5-7, 9-14, 17-20
Music by HARRY WARREN
Lyrics by AL DUBIN
Book by MICHAEL STEWART & MARK BRAMBLE
Based on the Novel by BRADFORD ROPES
Original Direction and Dances by GOWER CHAMPION
Originally Produced on Broadway by DAVID MERRICK
The use of all songs is by arrangement with Warner Bros., the owner of music publishers’ rights.
This is the story of hard work, being in the right place at the right time, talent and love. FORTY-SECOND STREET is a celebration of Broadway and the people involved in shows. It focuses on aspiring chorus girl Peggy Sawyer, and takes us along her journey. Musical hits include You’re Getting to Be a Habit with Me, Dames, I Know Now, We’re In the Money, Lullaby of Broadway, Shuffle Off to Buffalo and Forty-Second Street. Every audience enjoys watching the underdog succeed!

More information will follow as we get a hold of it, folks. Finally, TAG would like to congratulate Tent Theatre on fifty wonderful seasons, looking forward to next fifty.

The November 13 episode of The Statler’s Waldorf, hosted by David Norman, featured a discussion with the cast of The New Uncle Gregory Horror Hour, which airs on Mediacom Channel 85 Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. Listen to The Statler each Sunday at 6 p.m. on KBFL 99.9 FM (1060 AM) or watch the show live on TAG TV at TAGsgf.com. Podcasts on iTunes.

Our Town Opens tonight, 11/11/11 at the Lander's Theatre

When Veterans Day takes place in our town it means something special, but when Veterans Day takes place during Springfield Little Theatre’s Our Town it becomes an event. Over the next two weeks, for every ticket purchased to this show SLT will to donate $2.00 to Ozarks Honor Flight, a non-profit group set up to help World War II veterans fly to Washington D.C. to view, in person, the national WWII Memorial built in their honor.

Springfield Little Theatre has been known for their charity work in the past but as marketing director, Kim Garwitz states that SLT, “…wanted to do something special with this production, and Ozarks Honor Flight has such an important mission.  Our World War II veterans truly represent one of the greatest generation that has ever lived. These men and women gave us so much, it’s the least we could do.”

Why Our Town you ask? Because it is Thornton Wilder’s fantastic representation of our American life, the beauty of this country, the innocence, confusion, and growth of our young nation and its citizens.

“There are so many reasons that make Our Town the perfect production to partner with Ozarks Honor Flight. Our Town is about life in a simpler time—a time when many people lived at a little slower pace. It encourages audiences to stop and slow down and enjoy every second.  That message, I think, is something that World War II vets and their families can really relate to,” said Garwitz.

Ozarks Honor Flight is a non-profit organization that sends WWII vets to the national memorial in D.C.

Not to mention, Our Town has some interesting community history at SLT, specifically, the time period when the first two performances took place.

“This is our fourth time producing Our Town, but the very first time we performed it was shortly after its publication in 1939 (the beginning of WWII in Europe) as part of Springfield Little Theatre’s fifth anniversary season. The second time was in 1946 (the Japanese surrendered on August 15, 1945) following a two year wartime suspension of activity of the theatre itself,” said Garwitz.

The donations will continue throughout the entire run of Our Town so there will be several chances to contribute to Ozarks Honor Flight and catch a great show at the same time. Garwitz also mentioned that SLT has already raised over $700 for the organization, which enough to cover the cost of transportation of at least one WWII veteran to Washington D.C.

For information on Ozarks Honor Flight, visit their website.  To purchase tickets to Springfield Little Theatre’s performance of Our Town call 417-869-1334 or visit the Springfield Little Theatre website.

Also, check out The Statler’s Waldorf radio interview with the Our Town members, Brandon Compton, Ashleigh Ricci, and LJ “Doc” Summers from last Sunday. This is a powerful show directed by George Cron that you do not want to miss.

Enjoy, and happy Veterans Day. For every set of dog tags out there, worn, retired, and resting…thank you…so very much.

(Ed.: Debate is healthy. The following is an editorial piece written by local theatre producer George Cron for the News-Leader which went unpublished. It does not reflect the views or opinions of TAG Media (tagsgf llc). TAG encourages its readership to get involved and voice its opinion(s), no matter your side. Every topic deserves a forum. To submit your editorials, email viewpoint@tagsgf.com.)

By George Cron

The waiting period for reconsideration of the Smoke Free Air Act of 2011 is expiring. I would like to share my concerns as a particular kind of business owner in Springfield.

I produce plays as a business; all kinds of plays. Many plays have been written throughout history in which a character smokes. This was a deliberate choice by the playwright. It is part of the story. It says something about the character and the human condition they are experiencing within the world of the play. Copyright laws make it illegal to change the wording or structure of a playwright’s script. Doing so can result in a lawsuit being brought against the producer from the playwright. Every play published by Samuel French states in the opening pages: “No one shall make any changes in this play for purposes of production.” Springfield’s ordinance places the producer of theatrical art in a dilemma.

Because of the restrictive wording of the Smoke Free Air Act of 2011, theatrical producers are forced to choose between producing the play as written, breaking the law and risking a fine; changing or editing the script and risking a lawsuit from the publisher or playwright; or not producing any plays which involve smoking. (Perhaps there is a fourth choice; there is a “fake” cigarette where an actor blows powder out the end of a plastic tube to simulate smoking, but if you have ever seen one used you would know that this is more of a ludicrous distraction to the audience than a viable solution.)

There are many, many plays where this dilemma arises. As an example, I am directing the Pulitzer Prize winning play, Our Town, by Thornton Wilder for Springfield Little Theatre. As written, the main character lights a pipe at the beginning of the play and begins speaking to the audience. SLT will be forced to break the law in one way or the other. Some people say go ahead and do the play as written because no one will complain … probably. But the fact that one might “get away with it” is beside the point. Why should anyone be placed in the position of being a law breaker just to present one of the most beloved plays in modern theatre history? If he were still alive would Springfield ban George Burns from performing with his cigar? Can Ron White not return to the Shrine with his trademark cigar? Doesn’t this mean films that contain smokers should be banned as well? After all of the millions of dollars that have been spent to represent Springfield as an urban cultural center, do we really want to be known as a city where certain famous performers and even classic plays cannot be presented?

If plays that involve smoking are in effect “banned,” a part of theatrical history dies for Springfield. Shall the plays of Tennessee Willliams, Arthur Miller, Thornton Wilder, and countless other great writers not be seen in Springfield because a vague and ill-conceived ordinance demands censorship, not because a play is pornographic, but because it has a pipe? New York City, the epicenter of American theatre, has one of the strictest anti smoking ordinances in the country, yet non-tobacco, legal herbal smoking products and E- cigarettes are allowed on Broadway and other stages. An amendment to our anti smoking ordinance to allow legal herbal cigarettes on stage for performances, given advance disclosure so that audiences can make their own decision, should be written into the ordinance. Let us not allow good intentions to result in an evil that takes away freedom of expression in Our Town.

Previous TAG coverage of smoking ban

Merrphy’s Law: Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em
The Music Blog: Do I really NEED to breathe at shows?
SGF votes through pair of bans

The November 5 episode of The Statler’s Waldorf, hosted by David Norman, featured a discussion with members of Our Town, which debuts at Landers Theatre on Friday, directed by George Cron. Listen to The Statler each Sunday at 6 p.m. on KBFL 99.9 FM (1060 AM) or watch the show live on TAG TV at TAGsgf.com. Podcasts on iTunes.

The October 30 episode of The Statler’s Waldorf, hosted by David Norman, featured a discussion with members of Quixotic, which played at Gillioz Theatre on Halloween. George Cron brought cast members from Murder, Magic, Fantasy, Fruit, four one-acts coming to a venue near you. Listen to The Statler each Sunday at 6 p.m. on KBFL 99.9 FM (1060 AM) or watch the show live on TAG TV at TAGsgf.com. Podcasts on iTunes.

The Love Song of J. Robert Oppenheimer plays at Missouri State's Coger Theatre through the rest of this weekend

Last year I was really into Linkin Park’s concept album A Thousand Suns. I enjoyed the album because there was an underlying message in the music that spoke to me somehow. Granted, I must be very honest when I say I didn’t totally “get it” right off the bat. I was aware of the concept the band was attempting to communicate through its sound, but it drew a lot of parallels from other resources I hadn’t yet explored or even really considered as relevant. I knew it had to do with war, specifically nuclear war, and the struggle thereof; I knew it had to do with the strength and regret that comes from tinkering with an element of nature that is, quite honestly, as close to the wrathful power of God as mortal human beings could ever get. Most importantly, I also knew it was trying to express the obvious danger that came with the use of that power.

To emphasize its message, in the first two minutes of A Thousand Suns Linkin Park uses a sound bite from an interview with J. Robert Oppenheimer, known as the “father of the Atomic Bomb:”

“We knew the world would not be the same. Few people laughed, few people cried, most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita. Vishnu is trying to persuade the Prince that he should do his duty and to impress him takes on his multi-armed form and says, ‘Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.’ I suppose we all thought that, one way or another.”

When I saw Missouri State’s performance of The Love Song of J. Robert Oppenheimer last night my mind opened up to the message, a message that not only a trivial little concept album was trying to deliver, but also one that so many, many people have been violently or quietly screaming for past 60 years or so…

Splitting an atom is dangerous, and we’re maybe not ready for that kind of power.

I’m recommending this performance not only because it features some talented actors from Missouri State’s Department of Theatre and Dance but because it is also a very thoughtful piece on the struggle of genius and how people can create something incredibly profound and use it—despite the cost, and despite the consequences—for the important sake of discovery and exploring a place in science where the audacious—but always curious—human mind has yet to venture.

Nicholas Stevens as J. Robert Oppenheimer

The part of the tortured J. Robert Oppenheimer is played by Nicholas Stevens. He does a good job of capturing a man who is trying to create something otherworldly, a driven individual who has been given the task of discovering fire but is aware that in doing so he could burn down the forest, so to speak. Stevens’ character is so dedicated by his need to find and understand this aspect of nature that he will continue to conduct his research at the expense of global safety… which for me, as an average, everyday Joe Schmo, is something I find hard to wrap my mind around. There’s a particular scene before the explosion of a bomb at the Trinity test site in New Mexico where Oppenheimer is afraid the explosion could very well burn the Earth’s atmosphere. Yeah, I said that, the entire Earth’s atmosphere. You have to be a very talented actor to quietly capture and portray the numerous levels of emotion that exist within this character because he never feels any one way during the entire performance. It’s a mishmash of varying degrees of discovery, fear, confidence, arrogance, accomplishment and deep regret, and Stevens does very well as a student actor attempting to wrap all of these traits into a man who probably should have been driven completely mad by his actions. Let it be known this is a very difficult role and I applaud Nicholas for what I imagine to have been a lot of hard work to become and understand the man himself, J. Robert Oppenheimer.

Emilie Graham as Liltih

The play is really a window into Oppenheimer’s mind. We are privileged to his personal thoughts and the inner demons that he struggles with by doing what he is doing. Oppenheimer is Jewish, and the writer of this performance, Carson Kreitzer, uses a unique character to not only root him in his heritage and tie his actions to the power of God but to also personify the U.S. government’s actions toward Oppenheimer after the bombs are dropped. If you’re familiar with the Hebrew story of Liltih then you’ll know what I mean; if you’re not, then you should look it up. Liltih, played by Emilie Graham (last seen as Mona in Springfield Little Theatre‘s Chicago) represents the fairly serious consequences Oppenheimer is dealing with both in personal and professional life. Liltih is a devious and scorned woman, but rightfully so considering how she was treated by her creator. Graham plays Liltih’s spiteful torture in a very sly and seductive manner, and when she’s on stage you can’t ever really take your eyes off her, and I don’t mean that in a creeper sort of way. The pain that is Liltih’s character naturally pulls your heartstrings, but Graham lures you in slowly then claws at them till they tear. Not to mention Graham’s dance background gives Liltih very pretty, fluid and misty movements when she’s on stage. She enters and exits like a dream until Oppenheimer really starts listening to and accepting her haunting presence in the second act. There, Graham again uses her talent to literally change her stage presence to a more solid and centered stance that helps the audience to understand that, just like Oppenheimer’s actions, Liltih is not going anywhere. He will do what he must, but she has to be dealt with.

Josiah Kumpost as Teller

Another interesting role, that of Edward Teller (played by Josiah Kumpost), represents the madness that can come from wielding the mighty atomic sword. Josiah speaks in a pretty decent German/Hungarian accent during the play and does a good job of being the exact opposite of Oppenheimer in both traits and ideals. As a matter of fact, Josiah’s character opens the second act and berates the father of the atomic bomb for refusing to pursue the project any further. Whereas the rest of Oppenheimer’s cohorts feel very stock, Edward Teller stands out because of Josiah’s portrayal.

Visually, The Love Song of J. Robert Oppenheimer is beautiful. Upstage there is a very large screen that projects images of the desert, nuclear explosions… Liltih…Oppenheimer’s mistress… it all feels very new and modern despite the 1940-’60 setting. Missouri State has done a wonderful job of making this rather big performance an experience for the audience through not only the characters but also the set. I was never distracted by costumes or props. Granted, Springfield needs to do something about the smoking ban and allow actors to at least smoke the vapor or light-powder prop cigarettes on stage. It infuriates me when an actor has to pretend to light a cigarette and, very obviously, nothing happens. Not that it’s that a big deal, but when you see as many performances as I do it becomes hard not to notice. And now you will, too, because I said it.

The Love Song of J. Robert Oppenheimer runs through this weekend only. For ticket information call 417-836-7678, or visit the Missouri State Department of Theatre and Dance website.

Photos courtesy of Foster’s Photography .

Hot Mikado opens Friday, October 28 at the Gillioz

When you hear SRO, don’t think “Springfield Regional Opera,” rather, think awesomeness…because that’s what it is. They are a lyric theatre, celebrating great music, amazing productions, and showcasing some of the best voices in SGF. I had the chance to sit with several  members of SRO Lyric Theatre’s production of Hot Mikado and this is the song they sang…

The Statler’s Waldorf: Derek, are you directing this show?

Derek Munson (Managing Director of SRO):  No, Gretchen is.

TSW: Whoah. Whoops, sorry…soooooo, Gretchen, will you please tell me a little bit about the show.

Gretchen Teague (Director/Choreographer of Hot Mikado): Well, it’s really kind of a complicated plot. To get really specific, the original story is from Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado which is this convoluted story about a man who is going to get beheaded so he becomes the executioner so as to not get beheaded. And there’s this flirting law where you actually can get beheaded for doing so and—

TSW: I’d be dead in the first fifteen minutes.

GT: Yeeeeah, there’s a lot going on there. So in Hot Mikado, our production, a young man comes to town who has flirted, or guilty thereof. He’s also in love with the executioner’s fiancé, so in order to save the executioner—who in turn is going to have to execute himself—the young man offers offers to take his spot if he can marry his fiancé for a month. And hilarity ensues…

TSW: Wow, that sounds, uh, complicat—

GT: Complicated? Yes.

(Everyone laughing)

DM: But it’s a farce! A farce! So it has to be complicated!

The Statler trying reign in the laughter; he has lost control of the interview, to people exceedingly more knowledgeable (an interesting) than him. “Are they laughing at me?” he ponders…

TSW: Okayokayokay. I just want to get it straight. You’ve got a rogue “flirter” in town?

GT: Yes, Nanki-Poo. Nanki-Poo has come to town and—

TSW: Wait, where do these names come from?

GT: (very matter-of-factly) The original Gilbert and Sullivan opera.

TSW: Huh (dull, blank stare), but where do these names come from?

GT: They are being satirical towards the Japanese/English relationship; poking good-natured fun at all the parties involved and the ridiculousness of human nature.

DM: Everything that they (Gilbert and Sullivan) wrote at the time was satirical, it’s not that they were making fun of this particular culture…they were making fun of both cultures, they just happen to be writing for and performing in front of an English audience. Hot Mikado takes Gilbert and Sullivan’s satire and evolves it so as to make fun of people and relationships in general. Or, just like Gretchen said, the ridiculousness of human nature.

TSW: Derek, did you have a hand in choosing this particular show?

DM: Yes, our artistic director Amy Muchnick and myself decided to do this performance after Gretchen brought it to us. She was actually the one who found it. She came to me and said, “I’ve got a really great show for you guys, and it’s exactly what you’re looking for in the lyric style. It takes a traditional opera and modernizes it.”

TSW: What did you, Gretchen, like about this show to make you pitch it? So to speak.

GT: I love swing dancing. I love jazz. I love gospel. I love blues, and this is set in the 40’s so that’s that—this is actually the third show I’ve done set in this time period—so yeah, I really, really like it. One of the songs from this performance, Three Little Maids, I heard and immediately brought to Derek and said, “You gotta listen to this. This is awesome.”  And actually, that song in particular is one of the most recognizable from the Gilbert and Sullivan piece, so in Hot Mikado it’s spun in a completely different way, instead of being all operatic it swings.

TSW: Kelly and Ashley, how did you guys hear about auditions for this show?

Kelly Osborne (Pitti-Sing): Through the grapevine. That’s kinda’ the way the community works. You hear about auditions through a friend of a friend who’s heard about it - who’s seen it somewhere. I personally hadn’t heard of this show before, so I did some reaserch on it, YouTubed some videos and tried to learn as much as I could about the show and tried my chances at the audition.

TSW: What really sparked your interest in this show?

KO: The music, definitely the music. It is rockin’. I graduated from Missouri State and did a lot of the traditional musical performances, a lot of opera…like the Italian, French, and German, stand-in-one-place-and-sing kind of thing, so when I listened to this I was instantly captivated. There’s a big band feel to it, which I thoroughly enjoy. Honestly, you just can’t help but to just fall for the music which, in turn, immerses you in the story. With the evolution of SRO as a lyric theatre rather than the traditional perception that many people believe to be opera this is an amazing, amazing production that really emphasizes the growth of SRO within our theatre community. I personally feel that we are all very lucky to be a part of this performance.

TSW: (to Ashley) You guys are besties? Yeah? Or so you mentioned before I started recording. Did she (pointing to Kelly) tell you about Hot Mikado?

Ashley Smith (Yum-Yum…Statler’s note: that is her character’s name…Ashley is very pretty, but in an attempt to remain professional I would never follow her actual name with “yum-yum” unless the script demands it…please, carry on): I actually heard about this show on Facebook. I have a friend who works in the SRO office and she posted an event so Kelly I did some research online and I knew within the first few clicks that I wanted to do this.

TSW: Please, you have to tell me your character’s name again…

AS: Yum-Yum.

TSW: Tell me more about your role simply because I love the name.

AS: Yum-Yum is engaged to Ko-Ko, who is the executioner, who was going to be beheaded but then became the executioner. Anyway, I’m supposed to marry him, but I’m in love with another guy…the guy who comes into town who has already previously flirted with another woman. But then it works out to where I’m going to marry the rogue flirter for a month. So it’s like this weird scandal or something. Or a bad Jerry Springer.

DM: (in a sultry Spanish accent) …Like a telenovela.

TSW: Except no Spanish, right? You guys know I don’t speak Spanish. (Thank you Ron Burgandy…yesh, I need some new jokes). Now, I know you guys have rebranded, and we’ve already mentioned that this is not your traditional opera…

DM: We are still “SRO”, Sprinfield Regional Opera, because we’re still known by that title by many in the area. However, we’ve added “Lyric Theatre” so that people hear that and think theatre.

TSW: Which means that this isn’t an opera, per se? It’s just a super-happy-swingin’-fun-time musical theatre piece?

DM: Correct, merely based on an operetta.

TSW: Now, because it’s musical theatre, Gretchen, where did you draw your inspiration for the choreography, concerning the style of dance that was taking place during the Hot Mikado time period? I suppose what I’m asking is, how did you pull it all together and make this production yours?

GT: What I’m trying to do is develop a unique style within the performance. I did a lot of research on swing dancing and on talent such as the Andrews Sisters. I watched the film Hellzapoppin numerous times—which, I might add, is a great, great film—and I looked at amazing entertainers like Gene Kelly, then, looked dancers that weren’t necessarily considered “dancers” and how they still went about creating a style that was different from the norm. All in all, what I’m trying to do is create a style that is comes out of the unique skills of this cast.

TSW: Is the entire cast trained in dance? Or do you have some that are like, “I can’t really dance, but I can sing like a boss.”

GT: Oh man, they can sing the crap out of this show. We have a few that I would consider “dancer-dancers,” and a few that move okay, but didn’t know that they could really move until this show…

(The Statler looking suspiciously at Kelly and Ashley…)

TSW: Are you guys “dancers?”

(Ashley laughing)

KO: I would say “no.” But it doesn’t reflect in the show. I took a few dancing classes in college but Gretchen has really catered to our abilities. Everything is put together so tight with such close attention to detail that we absolutely rock each number, especially “Three Little Maids.” We’ve worked really hard on that piece.

TSW: What do you guys want the audience to walk away with after this performance?

DM: Feeling happy, tapping their toes with a big smile on their face.

GT: I would like for them to think how accessible opera really is…I’m a teacher and I’ve played several of the numbers for my students and they go, “This is opera?” I think accessibility is what could really get a younger generation excited about it…

TSW: (to Ashley and Kelly) Speaking of the younger crowd (Statler’s note: both Ashley and Kelly are in their early twenties), I think it’s important that the word about these sorts of things gets out to people who are younger simply to explore this as an avenue of entertainment. What would you say to them to bolster some excitement about this show?

KO: I would tell them that it’s not an opera. I think opera unfortunately gets a bad rap with the younger—

TSW: But what if still say, “Well, yeah, but its theatre…”?

KO: But, you watch TV. You watch movies. You watch music videos that might have some sort of theatrics or storyline. How cool is it to see people in your own community being great?  Supporting people your own age…like, seeing something great, literally, in front of you is so much more profound that watching anything on TV, and you run into those same people at the grocery store, or the gas station. Realizing the potential that people my age have to do great, great things is why I encourage them to come and see what their peers are doing. It’s an open invite to say you could do this too,  if you really wanted.

Hot Mikado open Friday October 28. For ticket information call 417-863-4941 or visit the SRO Lyric Theatre website

The October 23 episode of The Statler’s Waldorf, hosted by David Norman, featured a discussion with members of SRO Lyric Theatre, which has Hot Mikado coming up. Poetry slam artist Michelle Nimmo, who represented SGF in a recent international slam also joined the conversation. Listen to The Statler each Sunday at 6 p.m. on KBFL 99.9 FM (1060 AM) or watch the show live on TAG TV at TAGsgf.com. Podcasts on iTunes.

Glengarry Glen Ross runs through October 29th at the Vandivort Center 9stage Theatre

I haven’t seen any version (stage or film) of Glengarry Glen Ross in years. I was fortunate enough to reintroduce myself to the script by way of a movie screening held by the Missouri State Department of Media, Journalism and Film prior to Springfield Contemporary’s opening of the theatrical version the following weekend. And I’m glad I attended Missouri State’s unique soirée because I’d forgotten how crazy good this little production actually is.

I say ‘little’ because the general premise of the play is not too complex (a look into the strange business of real estate sales. Simple enough, right?) it’s the language and the handful of characters in Glengarry Glen Ross that’ll affect you. The progression of this story takes place through Mamet’s awesome dialogue, and that’s why this performance so profound. Every. Word. Matters.

The curtain opens to a conversation between Terry Bloodworth as down-on-his-luck salesman, Shelley “The Machine” Levene; and Shawn Teague as the uneasy office manager, John Williamson. Bottom line, Bloodworth is known as one of the strongest actors in Springfield…and rest assured, his reputation precedes him. He does not disappoint in this role.

In Glengarry Glen Ross the opening scenes are what rope you in as an audience member. The desperation in Bloodworth’s character puts you on edge and sets the mood for the entire production. To describe how you feel during this play…I would say first, incredibly alert to; then, jaded towards, these frustrating yet captivating characters. I spoke to several audiences members at the cast meet-and-greet after the play and they said that the performance left them emotionally exhausted. We become entranced by each of these character’s dilemmas, each one of them locked in a constant and unyielding state of subtle, quiet hysteria. The audience eventually learns to both pity and loathe them simultaneously.

Terry Bloodworth as Shelley "The Machine" Levene, and Shawn Teague as office manager John Williamson

Bloodworth literally owns this role. I don’t want to compare his portrayal of this character to Jack Lemmon’s from the movie Glengarry Glen Ross, but if I’m going to make any kind of comparison what-so-ever I’m absolutely saying that Bloodworth’s performance was equally as moving as his cinematic doppelganger. Though in comparison, Bloodworth plays Levene in a very intense manner, less like a person fraught with peril than an individual who maintains his composure, but still sweats in a cold room … imagine the itch of anxiety like a wire brush always under your clammy outdated business attire. Not to mention, Bloodworth also takes Mamet’s unique scripted language (with the constant pauses, interruptions and stammers) and reads it as comfortably as if he’s speaking to you in everyday conversation, which is quite an accomplishment for any performer in this play.

Mark Irish, the wonderful guest actor who is cast as Richard “Ricky” Roma in this performance also makes Glengarry Glen Ross worth every cent of your ticket price. Irish was last seen at the Vandivort in Amadeus as Salieri, and in the same way he stole your attention then, he also steals it now.

From left to right, Mark Irish, Benjamin Watt, and Terry Bloodworth

The confidence that Irish is able to emanate from this character is almost too much to be real…though, it’s just enough that you are taken by his suave, insightful personality and his character’s spot-on ability to swindle you out of everything you own with little more than the sly crack of his dastardly and welcoming smile. Irish’s role is very important in that it displays to the audience exactly what kind of success can come from working in a position such as his. Further, it also displays, through a customer, the cost of that success. Irish works very well with the rest of this talented cast. His back and forth dialogue with the quirky Ron Seney, who plays the always-somewhat-confused George Aaronnow, and his scenes with Bloodworth’s character are some of the most notable in the play. Irish is so comfortable in the roles he tackles that to watch him act, specifically in this performance, it’s as if you’re watching a very well-directed, actor driven television drama. The believability he portrays using his strong stage presence is one of the many things that make Irish a very genuine and very engaging actor.

This performance is one that you don’t want to miss; if you’ve ever worked in sales, or been curious as to how the realtor who sold you your home-sweet-money pit makes a living then you should see this wonderful production by Springfield Contemporary Theatre. It’s an intriguing look into the make-it-or-break-it world of big money deals and the unique men that close ‘em.

Glengarry Glen Ross plays through the rest of this weekend (10/29) and next. For ticket information call 831-8001 or visit the Springfield Contemporary Theatre’s website.

The October 16 episode of The Statler’s Waldorf, hosted by David Norman. Listen to The Statler each Sunday at 6 p.m. on KBFL 99.9 FM (1060 AM) or watch the show live on TAG TV at TAGsgf.com. Podcasts on iTunes.

The Skinny Improv will celebrate it's tenth year in Springfield in 2012.

Starting tonight the Skinny Improv can now be found in the affectionately nicknamed Nonna’s Attic on the second floor above Nonna’s Italian Restaurant. Jeff Jenkins, founder and director of The Skinny Improv had this to say about the move, “The space we’ve been in for the last several years has been great but as we prepare to enter into our 10th year of performing in Springfield in 2012, I wanted to do something different than we’ve ever done before. Moving to above Nonna’s allows us the freedom to add great food and other tangibles to the whole Skinny Improv experience. I’m glad that Nonna’s will be taking us in and allowing us use of the fantastic banquet space that has been above Nonna’s.”

Starting October 14 The Skinny Improv can now be found in Nonna's Attic

Nothing in the Skinny’s schedule will change, so audiences can still expect the same award-wining MainStage Improv Show every Friday and Saturday night at 8:00 P.M. with the addition of Improv Sportz performing in the MainStage slot every 4th weekend of the month. Other late night shows will be added to the calendar as The Skinny finds its overall groove in the attic, but here’s a quick peek at the new content (literally) coming up (the stairs):

A two person long form improv
Skinny Science 3000 featuring the Collective Works of Nic Cage (basically showing Nic Cage films and providing live, improvised commentary)
Skinny Action Headline News (news parody improv)
Use Your Words (literature based improv shows)

Nonna's Attic is found on the second floor of the restaurant

Nonna’s Italian Restaurant is located at 306 South Avenue (on the corner of South & McDaniel).

For more information call 417-831-5233 follow the visit The Skinny Improv’s website.

The October 9 episode of The Statler’s Waldorf, a local theatre roundtable hosted by David Norman, featured cast members (Mark Irish, Ron Seney) and directore Robert Bradley of Glengarry Glen Ross opening this week at Vandivort Center Theatre.

Listen to The Statler’s Waldorf each Sunday at 6 p.m. on KBFL 99.9 FM (1060 AM) or watch the show live on TAG TV at TAGsgf.com. Podcasts on iTunes.

Glengarry Glen Ross opens at the Vandivort October 14th

This coming Saturday, October 8^th, the Missouri State University Film Series, in conjunction with Springfield Contemporary Theatre, will present a free screening of the 1992 film version of Glengarry Glen Ross starring Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Kevin Spacey, Alec Baldwin, Ed Harris, and Alan Arkin.

The MSU Media, Journalism & Film Department is screening this movie in anticipation of SCT’s theatrical production of David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross, which opens at the Vandivort Center Theatre on October 14^th.

After the film, SCT’s director and cast of Glengarry Glen Ross will be on hand for a short discussion of the film and as an added bonus will preview a concert reading of the “newest musical creation” from SCT collaborator Ned Wilkinson.

Returning SCT veterans participating in this panel include; director, Robert Bradley, and returning actor, Mark Irish (Amadeus).  

 This event is free and open to the public. For more information contact Mark Biggs at 417-836-5218, or follow the link here

The October 2 episode of The Statler’s Waldorf, a local theatre roundtable hosted by David Norman, featured cast members of The Importance of Being Earnest. Kylie Stack made her debut as official co-host of the show.

Listen to The Statler’s Waldorf each Sunday at 6 p.m. on KBFL 99.9 FM (1060 AM) or watch the show live on TAG TV at TAGsgf.com. Podcasts on iTunes.

The September 25 episode of The Statler’s Waldorf, a local theatre roundtable hosted by David Norman, featured cast members of Noah’s Art, showing at Missouri State University’s Balcony Theater.

Listen to The Statler’s Waldorf each Sunday at 6 p.m. on KBFL 99.9 FM (1060 AM) or watch the show live on TAG TV at TAGsgf.com. Podcasts on iTunes.

Ladies and Gentlemen, change your calendars! Springfield Contemporary Theatre has announced that it’s production of Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps will replace Dirty Rotten Scoundrels as SCT’s holiday show, completely bumping Scoundrels off the 2011-12 schedule.

Concerning the change, Rick Dines, managing artistic director for SCT  states, ”Our audiences have been anxiously awaiting this production of The 39 Steps and we’re going to give them the special holiday gift of not having to wait until February. This comedy which has been an international hit with audiences will be a perfect show to mount through the holidays as it is a great fun romp suitable for the entire family.” Dines is also set to direct this award-winning performance.

SCT has yet to say what show will fill the February dates that The 39 Steps has left behind. Although, it was mentioned that an announcement was “forthcoming,” brilliantly combining theatrical suspense with actual suspense. Well played, SCT, well played indeed.

The 39 Steps will open on Friday, November 18 and runs through Sunday, December 11.

By David Norman
The Statler’s Waldorf

Typically, I go to the theatre under the assumption that I will be intellectually moved, affected; I feel as though I must take an intrinsic look at myself through the lives of other people and analyze the value of the emotion that is incurred through their interactions.

And then I get snobby.

Hairspray is running at the historic Landers Theatre through Oct. 2.

I’ll find myself playing that guy simply because I do this for a living and somewhere in my brain it tells me to act as such. For example, “Well, I believe that this show doesn’t stretch the bounds of an actor’s capabilities, harrumph, harrumph” or “this performance doesn’t invoke the director’s true vision. harrumph.” I’ve heard myself saying nonsense like that on more than one occasion. Now, let’s be real for a moment, how in the Sam Hill do I know, really? It’s hard to measure ability, and vision can only be witnessed through the eyeballs of the person who envisions it.

So, why do we treat theatre as if it’s stuffy? When did we start thinking that it’s only reserved for the literary types, or theatre students who might have a friend in the show, or family of the cast members, and finally, people like me, “critics?” (Blech, what a horrible word, critic.) Finally, when did I suddenly become a snob and ignorant to theatre as a primary form of entertainment, it’s true intention…why did we, as a community, stop going to the theatre for fun and suddenly make it an analytical experience?

SGF, I have seen the light, and I am better for it…

I attended a performance this weekend that put me back in my place, simply because it was fun. I forgot that Hairspray was fun, and I don’t know why I doubted this performance. I was ready to see it…but I was judging the book by it’s cover, getting all snobby and thinking this musical was fluff. Saying to myself, “Oh man, Hairspray. Here we go, ugh.”

Foot. Mouth. Putting in. I liked it (a lot). Springfield Little Theatre’s Hairspray was really fun to attend. It’s chock-full of energy from beginning to end, very well directed, and the show itself is big as Tracy Turnblad’s hair. However, please, before you assume that I am simply passing off Hairspray as fun and without any of the value mentioned above, put your foot in your mouth. I enjoyed this show because there are very important messages concealed in innocence of it all.

Amelia Parish as Tracy Turnblad

If you’re unfamiliar with the story, Hairspray is an award-winning musical written by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan. It centers around Tracy Turnblad (played by Amelia Parish) a hefty girl with high hopes of becoming a dancer on the Corny Collins Show. Turnblad eventually accomplishes this goal, but not without help from her friend, Penny (Laura Irwin), her mother and father, and her new group of “negro” (as African-Americans are referred to in the performance…It’s set in 1962, folks…racism sucks) friends, led by Seaweed Stubbs (Brandon Looney) and his mom, Motormouth Maybelle (Sheristen James). Throughout the musical, Tracy gains her confidence and learns that when people come together to work towards a positive goal, awesome happens.

First things first, unless there’s something tying her down in SGF, kiss Amelia Parish goodbye. I have to be really honest with you, ladies and gentlemen; she has talent beyond the 417. Cities that can provide a legitimate paycheck to actors will welcome her voice, charisma, and ability and take very good care of her. But for now, before I start planning her career, Parish was perfect for the role of Tracy. During a Q&A director Beth Domann nailed it when she said that “…Amelia is one of those kids that’s just freaky talented.” Domann wasn’t kidding. Amelia stole the show, and usually, in a production like this, the supporting cast members are intended to shine as bright as the main. Needless to say, she owns it. On a personal note, I had a conversation with a friend afterwards and we both agreed that Parish could easily audition and be cast in the actual Hairspray touring company. Cheers to you, Amelia, looking forward to more.

Tracy’s mother, Edna Turnblad, played by none-other than SLT vet Derrick Jarvis is a ton ‘o fun.

Derrick Jarvis and Amelia Parish

When I heard that Hairspray was opening the Little Theatre’s season, I immediately wanted Jarvis for this role, and lo and behold, Domann thought the same thing. Great minds, right? It must be said, this is a finicky character to play. If it’s not cast correctly the role can come across as rather silly, however, Jarvis portrays a heavy, emotional, slightly over-bearing (but sweet and motherly) middle-aged woman very, very well…and, trust me, I never thought I would be using the words “sweet” and “motherly” in reference to one of Jarvis’ character profiles. But truly, the best thing about Derrick is that he’s just a really good actor and knows what’s funny, thus, he also knows how to work this role and command its unique purpose within the musical. His scenes with his husband…er, Edna’s scenes with Wilber Turnblad, played by Chis Knox, were really great. Knox plays to Jarvis’ frantic demeanor very well. When they sing “You’re Timeless to Me” you can’t decide if you want to “aww” or laugh.

Sheristen James as Motormouth Maybelle

Brandon Looney as Seaweed was like watching a two and a half hour dance-off marathon. Literally, the kid does not stop moving, and he can sing while shimmying harder than I’ve ever seen anyone shimmy before. Looney has a nice, rich soul to his voice that really catches your attention and he’s got a confident stage presence that works well for his character. Speaking of singing, SLT has found the voice of an angel in Sheristen James. I wasn’t as blown away by her acting, but when she belted out the song “I Know Where I’ve Been” that was it for me. It was performed so well I didn’t care about anything else.

The characters, the cast, the ensemble, all of them, were great…and did I mention this show was big? Really, really big. Too big, you ask? Maaaaaybe, however, Domann made good use of the stage and entire theatre before you felt visually overstimulated during the show. Otherwise, the set painted a beautiful picture and framed the cast very well, a testament to a talented set crew.

Bottom line, Hairspray was great. Did it test actors abilities? Yep. Did Domann project what she intended to the audience? I believe so. Granted, the best part about Hairspray is its message to the audience: prejudice is ignorant, it doesn’t make any sense and when we all come together we can accomplish great things and, in most cases, have a lot of fun doing it. So, don’t waste your time assuming stuff and being all snobby and whatnot. Lesson learned on my end.

Thank you, Springfield Little Theatre. You’ve done a wonderful job.

Hairspray runs through October 2. For schedule and ticket information call 417-869-1334 or visit SLT online.

Enjoy.

The September 18 episode of The Statler’s Waldorf, a local theatre roundtable hosted by David Norman, featured cast members of No Exit, opening Thursday, Sept. 29 at Lindbergs.

Listen to The Statler’s Waldorf each Sunday at 6 p.m. on KBFL 99.9 FM (1060 AM) or watch the show live on TAG TV at TAGsgf.com. Podcasts on iTunes.

Good morning Springfield.

Beth Domann, director, Hairspray

The Statler sat down for a brief conversation with Beth Domann before her tech rehearsal for Springfield Little Theatre’s first performance of their 77th season (yeah, 77 … amazing), Hairspray. The talented Domann spoke about the awesomeness of Amelia Parish, the idea behind the show, and Derrick Jarvis’ new boobs…giggity.

The Statler’s Waldorf: Good evening, Beth. Big production coming up, how are you feeling?

Beth Domann: Excited. Very excited.

TSW: For those who may not be familiar with Hairspray will you please tell us a little bit about it.

BD: It’s about a girl named Tracy Turnblad who loves watching this program called the Corny Collins Show and she finds out they’re holding auditions (Statler’s interjection: the Corny Collins Show…think Dance Party USA, or Club MTV…or The Grind, for you Gen Y youngsters). But Tracy is kind-of a hefty little gal so she doesn’t really “fit in.” And it all goes from there.

TSW: When does the show take place?

BD: 1962, in Baltimore.

TSW: This is a big show, perhaps not as big as some that you’ve had in the past, but still big to say the least. I know with this show there’s a lot of movement and dancing to consider. How are you handling the stage direction?

BD: Obviously, I look to the the choreographers because there’s a lot of music in this one. Chyrel Miller (director and choreographer of last season’s Chicago), Joey Williams, and Lorianne Dunn did the choreography for the whole thing, and did a fabulous job. Chuck Rodgers, who did the set design, had a huge impact on movement, because so much is in and out and flying all over the place during the show. There are a couple of places where people have to be careful about being squished or clocked. There are quite a few scene shifts and even more people moving around. We’ve got a big crew.

TSW: Concerning casting, what were you looking for in your main characters?

BD: We were looking for the person that grabs the role- just grabs it and takes it, and man oh man, we’ve got an incredible cast. Amelia Parish as Tracy Turnblad is fabulous.

TSW: Where have we seen Amelia before?

BD: In Thoroughly Modern Millie Jr., most recently, but she’s been in a number of shows here (at the Landers).

TSW: About that, I would imagine that the theatrical classes and programs you have through SLT and the Junior performances help to prepare these young actors to tackle the lager roles, such as Amelia as Tracy…

BD: Of course…Amelia is one of those kids that’s just freaky talented, but we try to promote everybody’s growth as performers and actors. We are always honing their skills so, yeah, if an opportunity likes this ever comes up, they’ll be ready.

TSW: Let’s talk about Derrick Jarvis for a moment.

BD: Derrick. I love Derrick. I’ve known Derrick for a hundred years. He is just an incredible performer.

TSW: I can imagine the role of Edna (Derrick’s character and Tracy Turnblad’s mom. Yep, Tracy’s MOM. Derrick’s a dude) either going fantastically or horribly wrong. Last time I saw Derrick was in Chicago, and he was very good in that. How has he embraced this role?

BD: Funny you should ask…we were working on a scene and I said, “Now, Derrick, you have to think like a woman. A hormonal woman.” Try embracing that. And, of course, once you put boobs on someone they tend just go with it for some reason.

TSW: As fun as this performance is, it actually deals with some pretty relevant social issues, like prejudice, integration…is your cast aware that this show is to an extent, didactic?

BD: Very much so, and we’ve actually spoken quite a bit about it. They’re kids, obviously, and so some of the situations are completely foreign to them, but we have some older members of the cast who were there when these sort of things were going on. They’ve done a great job of embracing the message that this show delivers and I’m very proud of them for that.

TSW: I’m excited to see what you’ve done with this show and story. What would you like for me, as an audience, member to walk away with?

BD: I would like them to walk away realizing how far we’ve come, but also have a really good time with the performance itself. What I like about this show is that the overall sociological lesson isn’t thrown in your face. It’s very much there, but it is wrapped in great music, great characters and a really fun story. This music sticks in your head, trust me, I’ve been singing “Welcome to the Sixties” for weeks now. If just a few people leave with at least that sort of impression, then we’ve done our job.

Hairspray opens tonight at the Landers and runs through October 2. For ticket info call 417-869-1334, or visit their website.

Enjoy.

Kurt Gerard and Sarah Wiggin (photo courtesy Springfield Contemporary Theatre)

I’m always impressed by the productions selected by Springfield Contemporary Theatre. They choose original, thought provoking and entertaining shows. The sets are beautifully constructed and most importantly, they feature an array of exceptional local and national talent. This time, ladies and gentlemen, the players at SCT have outdone themselves. Rabbit Hole is quite literally the best drama I have seen on stage this year. If this is just a taste of what’s to come out of the Vandivort (and SGF theatre) this season, I’m very happy to be doing this for a living. When SCT’s Artistic Director Richard Dines sent me an email last week to set up the cast Q&A he said, “This cast is AMAZING.” To that I say, “Well put, Mr. Dines,” I wholeheartedly agree.

Actually, looking back this is one of the first dramas I have attended in a while … at least since Amadeus with the crazy and fantastic Ran Cummings, which was also at the Vandivort. Either way, it was refreshing to attend this performance and laugh and cry and feel with this exceptional cast who totally nailed their roles … and totally made me all, like, uh … misty eyed and stuff. But don’t tell anyone that.

This production is eerily real and almost commonplace in it’s setting. Director Paul Dennhardt called it a “mirror to real life,” and I totally agree with that. So what makes Rabbit Hole interesting, you ask? It’s the amazing complexity of its characters. I hate to describe them as layered because that sounds cliché nowadays, but they are … and the way this cast controls the release of emotion is a testament to Dennhardt and the abilities of his performers. The entire cast is like rubber bands, tense at times, loose at times, but always capable of snapping and stinging. However, the pangs of grief are stitched in snippets of genuine comedy (that wit I attest to the playwright David Lindsay-Abaire, who won a Pultizer for the work) but the delivery of the funny is all, again, these great actors.

The plot centers around a small family living in New York state. The mother and father, Becca and Howie, played by Sarah Wiggin and Kurt Gerard, have lost a child and the audience is witness to the aftermath, or recovery, or strange madness that follows such a tragic personal loss. This pair is great together, and they interact so well that there were moments when my willing suspension was so willed I just wanted to yell out:

“Please stop arguing, you guys! It’s gonna be okay, I promise!”

Now, before you think to yourself, “Ah, geez, I don’t know if I can handle something this heavy, Mr. Statler.” I’m here to tell you that these characters are very smart, very funny people who have experienced something that I don’t think they really have come to terms with, and we watch them try getting back to “normal” again.

Kurt Gerard impressed me very, very much. The intense subtlety that he used for Howie is hard to put into words. There are moments when this character’s emotions are simply pouring out of him but all Kurt is doing is being still and quiet, allowing the audience to soak in the moments he creates. His delivery was perfect on this night. Everything Gerard does feels frustratingly and fantastically normal, the guy pulls you in by just being…if that makes any sense at all.

Rolando Rodriguez and Sarah Wiggin in Rabbit Hole (photo courtesy Springfield Contemporary Theatre)

I started the play disliking Becca, Sarah Wiggin’s character. I had a hard time seeing things from her point of view, and I was upset by the way she was reacting to her husband’s attempts to help her. Not that I want to call Becca the main character (this, as I was reminded, is an ensemble piece), but, she is the character who seems to develop most. I went from brushing her off to falling in love with her bravery. Wiggin pulled on the ‘ole heart strings several time during the play as Becca goes from trying to erase the memory of child to accepting the event as reality. She fights through sadness, hatred, love and forgiveness in each and every scene. Sarah’s scenes with Rolando Rodriguez’s Jason character are really affecting. Jason helps to center Becca, and together they learn to accept this unfortunate fate together.

Maggie Marlin and Julie Bloodworth, as a team, are comedy awesome, and I know that sounds strange after the struggles mentioned in the above paragraph, but this play wouldn’t work without these characters. The seriousness of Becca and Howie is drastically countered by Becca’s mom, Nat (Julie Bloodworth), and her sister, Izzy’s (Maggie Marlin) uncanny ability to never shut up; but in the way that is good and funny, not annoying and lame. They talk about things with Becca and Howie that be could be inappropriate considering what’s happened and the timing of these conversations may be waaaay uncomfortable but it’s still very honest and very human. Thus, they do the job of keeping Becca and Howie honest with themselves and the situation. It must be mentioned that everything Marlin did seemed easy, and that’s what makes it hard, folks, when it looks that easy. Thank you, Maggie, for lifting the heavy off of our shoulders and making me smile.

The only little qualms I had about the play were set and prop issues. I pay very close attention to the setting and times that these performances are supposed to take place. When it says “the present” in the playbill, I think 2011, not a decade earlier. There’s a video cassette that’s really important to the plot…wait, let me say that again, there’s a VHS tape that has important stuff on it about a four year old in 2011. I haven’t owned a VHS tape since 2002. I know “the present” can encompass a significant amount of time, and maybe I’m nitpicking … well, let’s just say that I am. This play is so damn good that I’m having to try to find something to critique.

Good show, cast of Rabbit Hole. Good show, indeed.

Rabbit Hole runs through September 24. For show and ticket information call the Vandivort Center Theatre at 417-831-8001 or find them online.

Enjoy.

The September 11 episode of The Statler’s Waldorf, a local theatre roundtable hosted by David Norman, featured cast members of Rabbit Hole, showing now at Vandivort Center Theatre.

Listen to The Statler’s Waldorf each Sunday at 6 p.m. on KBFL 99.9 FM (1060 AM) or watch the show live on TAG TV at TAGsgf.com. Podcasts on iTunes.

Rabbit Hole is showing now at Vandivort

This is one of the first interviews I’ve had where I’ve ever been slightly intimidated by the talent. Not intimidated in the sense that I was nervous to speak to them—I really just wanted to come across as a bit more professional than I usually do—I tend to goof around quite a bit, if you guys haven’t noticed…which sometimes works in my favor. My intentions were to make a good first impression because these people are genuine pros, possessing the experience and knowledge that only comes when you know your craft inside and out.

I should also mention that I was running late for this interview. I was scheduled to meet the cast at the theatre at 6:00. It was 6:02. My reputation precedes me, unfavorably.  

To get to The Vandivort Center Theatre you can either hoof it up the thousand steps it takes to get to the fourth floor of the Vandivort Building … or you can take the slowest (and perhaps oldest) elevator in Springfield. Patience is a virtue (Ha! Let’s be honest, those steps are killer, man…and I’m way outta shape), so I took the elevator (…and it’s 6:05, btw). Granted, in its slowness, the elevator gave me the time to review the IMDb page I printed off on one of the actors cast in Rabbit Hole, Kurt Gerard. I see it like this, and you can disagree if you like: if a person is able to print off an IMDb page on an actor, he’s/she’s legit. It’s those moments when an actor, writer, or what-have-you realizes that they’re at least swinging from one or two of the interweb’s little digital threads.

It’s how I validate myself (yes, I Google myself. Don’t judge me), so when I was able to access the professional records of three of five cast members…I was like, “Dude, this is the real deal.” It’s where I become less The Statler’s Waldorf and more David Norman, theatre columnist for TAG.

(6:07).

I hustle out of elevator and down the stuffy hallway cursing myself and my rather serious punctuality issues but to my surprise, there, directly in front of the Vandivort, nestled on the floor, comfortably leaning against the locked theatre doors is a man I had also printed off several pages on – the director himself, Mr. Paul Dennhardt, looking very human, but still very much resembling the astute figure in the pics I had printed from The Illinois State University’s website. Dennhardt is a professor of acting and movement and the go-to for stage direction for several of the state’s professional theatres.

(6:09).

Luck had stood by my side again. Thank God that he loves fools and sinners. It would seem the rest of the cast had not yet arrived. Come to find out, parking was the issue. I always park illegally, so no problem for me (insert winky). He rose to greet me and it was then that I finally began to relax a little. It’s so much easier once you find out that despite an overwhelming amount of talent, these people are still overwhelmingly normal. Minutes later the rest of the cast arrives and I quickly find myself sitting on the beautifully constructed set, lounging in a “living room” with Dennhardt, Sarah Wiggin, and Gerard of Rabbit Hole, a Resident Artist Ensemble premiere brought to you by Springfield Contemporary Theatre. Ladies and Gentlemen, if you only see one show this season, this is the one you where you should check your punctuality. This cast is amazing. (6:15 p.m.). Our conversation went like this…

The Statler’s Waldorf: How is everyone this evening?
(Everyone resounds with enthusiastic praise to the glory of this Thursday evening)
TSW: Mr. Director, sir (gesturing shrewdly to Paul Dennhardt). Please tell me about Rabbit Hole. And yes, that’s a broad question. It’s how I do.
Paul Dennhardt: It’s a beautifully written play about a family recovering from a horrific loss. David Lindsay-Abaire, the playwright of Rabbit Hole, was challenged to write about something that terrifies him, so he wrote this play around parents who lose a young child, through happenstance…through an accident. It’s a story about a family not so much lost in grief but moving on in life, yet still dealing with the emotional impact of the death of their son and how it affects their relationship.
TSW: Does it take place immediately after?
PD: It takes place about eight to ten months after the incident, and over the course of the play.
TSW: Sarah, you play the mom, Becca, can you tell me a little bit about your character?
Sarah Wiggin: (laughs) Another broad question…
TSW: (grinning) It’s how I do things.
SW: Becca is a woman who redefined herself after having a child, she waited until much later to take that step and so once Danny was born she essentially became a “mother,” a stay-at-home mom, which was a drastic change from the career orientated and professionally driven person she was prior to her pregnancy. Her whole life was wrapped up in her child and then it was suddenly and painfully removed. This play is about how she is coming to terms with her loss, how she is managing the relationship with her husband, her mother—who also lost a child—and her sister and the young man who was partially responsible for the death of her son—
PD: The young man, an individual who just happened to be driving down the street that day when Danny just kind of …“ran out.”
TSW: It’s like a story of fates, so to speak? Unfortunate fates…
PD: Yeah, I think it is. It’s mentioned that there’s no sense why they should feel cursed…this family just has to move on. Again, they are distraught, but this is not a family simply wallowing in grief…these are highly functioning, polite, even funny people…well, they go on a scale from urbane to not so…urbane, I suppose (chuckling). But, truly, they are capable of great humor and sensibility…they’re just trying to figure out how to best deal with this rift in their lives.
TSW: Kurt, obviously these people exist as a couple but how does your character’s grief differ from Sarah’s?
Kurt Gerard: First, much of this play is about holding onto a marriage as it is learning how to grieve for a child. This is a father’s worst nightmare. Howie has lost his son, and now he’s trying to not lose his wife to her grief. He’s very into therapy and talking about things, but Becca works differently. She’s more closed…if anything, they’re trying to figure out how to survive together.
TSW: This may be a tough question. These people don’t seem to be shells of their former selves, but they are obviously missing a part of who they were and what defined them…a part of their souls. How do you reach for the kind of sadness is required for these characters? I don’t know if I could, like, relate it to real life…or tune into something so dark and so terrifying and so sad. Where do you go, as actors, to find your characters?
SW: For me, it’s trying to live honestly in the given circumstances of this person’s moment. I can’t use my own experience because I fortunately don’t have that kind of situation to draw from. To try to find something similar would be unreliable. So, for me it’s about investing in the truth of this particular story.
KG: This story, it’s deep, man. It’s about taking your emotions and dropping it down a little bit more and a little but more till you reach that point where you believe you can communicate yourself to the audience. That’s all there is to it. I’ve lost loved ones in my life, and I’m a father…but really, it’s about knowing how to grieve before anything. Like Sarah said, you have to be honest with the situation—you have to look into your scene partner’s eyes and take from them, their feelings and their emotions. I’ll tell you like this, if you sat backstage and cried for an hour before the show, you’d be done.
TSW: How do you define this play?
PD: This is a contemporary drama – a drama that’s a mirror to life. In intense circumstances people will usually turn to humor to survive. It’s like attending a wake. There’s an obvious air of sadness surrounding the situation, but it’s sprinkled with the laughter of people communicating and interacting and remembering. So in essence, yes, it is a drama…but I have both laughed and cried my way through six weeks of rehearsal.
TSW: On that note, what do you want the audience to walk away with?
PD: As I mentioned, there’s really not one thing I want them to walk away with. The play itself is very ambiguous. It’s not tidy, or all tied up at the end. Nor is it a performance where people are going to get up and go, “Oh, thank God, everything is okay.” There’s suggestion that there has been some forward movement but it ends on a hopeful, but not a certain note.
SW: It’s such a complex piece. I don’t know if you can predict how someone is going to respond. For me it’s an acceptable, personal performance, even for two people sitting next to each other, or a married couple, or a mother and daughter, I imagine they will each experience the play very differently because it’s so personal.
PD: Let me go back, if I were to think about one thing that kind of resonates for me, it would be the idea of people connecting with each other. If I look at myself and how mundane we can become when interacting with the people that we love…but then, in an instant, they can be gone…perhaps the idea is to invest in our lives and the ones we care for. That’s what I take away.

(6:45).

Rabbit Hole opens this weekend at the Vandivort Center Theatre. For ticket information call 417-831-8001 or visit www.vctheatre.com.

Enjoy.

The September 4 episode of The Statler’s Waldorf, a local theatre roundtable hosted by David Norman, featured members of Cherry Bomb Burlesque.

Listen to The Statler’s Waldorf each Sunday at 6 p.m. on KBFL 99.9 FM (1060 AM) or watch the show live on TAG TV at TAGsgf.com. Podcasts on iTunes.

The August 28 episode of The Statler’s Waldorf, a local theatre roundtable hosted by David Norman, featured standup comedians from Laughing Stock (host Merr, Matt Barnes and Ginny Bell). Catch Laughing Stock on the first Tuesday of every month at the Outland.

Listen to The Statler’s Waldorf each Sunday at 6 p.m. on KBFL 99.9 FM (1060 AM) or watch the show live on TAG TV at TAGsgf.com. Podcasts on iTunes.

If you experience compatibility problems with the podcast player, follow this link.