MICHAEL COOPER: MASKED MARVELS AND WONDER TALES

Ronald McDonal ARTS for Young America -- Viterbo University, Lacrosse, WI

This production was nearly identical to what we saw a year ago in Winona, MN. The kids enjoyed it so much that we got tickets again for this production. The only thing different, for us, was that my youngest son was chosen to go on stage and was the one picked for the "wacky" elevator ride sketch (last year, my older son was chosen). The show didn't hold quite the same magic for us, certainly because we knew what to expect, but it was still an enjoyable show.

Below is a copy of what I wrote last year.

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A master mime and mask-maker entertains with a series of skits, sketches, and vignettes.

This was a fantastic show. What an artisan! Cooper clever opened his show with a mime piece that had him wearing an over-sized baby-head mask. Half-way through the selection, he opened the baby mask (which then, swadled, became the baby) to reveal an old man mask.

Other sketches included a cowboy taming a horse, his impression of various animals (some with and some without masks), a fish fishing for a human, an audience participation piece in which he taught some children how to look like they were going down (and up) on an elevator and on stairs, and a coup de gras with a story about a dancing troll, in which he danced in stilts, wearing a troll mask and costume.

My children were completely entralled by this show, and my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed it as well.

I had two, small, reservations about the show. First, I did feel that Mr. Cooper worked a little too hard to try to get some reaction and enthusiasm out of the stodgy, mid-western, Scandinavian-descendant audience. We're generally a pretty reserved bunch, so trying to get us to yell out comments during a show goes against our nature. It seemed as though his show is geared toward trying to get the audience to "ask" for things, which we generally just don't do.

And some times I thought his miming, while certainly competent, was less than spectacular -- specifically his mime of sitting in a chair. Hey...I understand the whole aging/weak knees thing, but if you can't get your butt a little more parallel to the floor, then I'm not going to buy that you're sitting in a chair. The first time he did it, I wasn't even sure that's what he was miming.

Still...a really tremendous show, with a hearty two thumbs up from me!

MSHSL Section 1-A One Act Play Festival 2007

The top two winners from the Sub-Section contests compete for the chance to move to the State festival. Participating schools were: Byron; Fillmore Central; Grand Meadow; Rushford-Peterson; St. Charles; Stewartville; Triton; Wabasha-Kellogg.

Plays performed were:

Wade the Bird -- Trista Baldwin
A Mother's Story -- Sandra Miller
Cannibals -- Heather Dundas
The Cards of Fate -- Ed Monk
A Danish Soap or The Danes of Our Lives -- Peter Filichi
The Bald Soprano -- Eugene Ionesco
I Never Saw a Moor -- John Schreiber
Normal People -- Mike Willis

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I cannot comment on the first three plays of the day. I directed Cannibals and was back stage during the performance, but from the parents who'd seen ever production said that it was the best yet.

But because we were third in line, we were preparing during the first two shows. As I had already seen Wade the Bird at sub-section, I didn't need to see it again. I am sorry I missed A Mother's Story.

The Cards of Fate, by Ed Monk, was an interesting show. The premise was interesting -- a game show in which the contestant's answers had consequences FAR beyond the television studio, and included life and death for some. The set and costumes for this production were extravagant. The acting, sadly, was mostly a pastiche of caricatures. While the script is written in such a way that the characters are a bit over-the-top, making them a little more real to the audience might have helped it to get across better. It came across as melodrama, rather than a dark comedy.

Peter Filichi's A Danish Soap or The Danes of Our Lives, depends, as you can imagine, on a series of puns relating to Shakespeare. I thought that the script was quite funny but that the staging of the play was absolutely dreadful. Some of the dialog was moderately funny, but again, that was largely due to the script, and not the performances, which I felt were wooden.

What can I say about The Bald Soprano, by my hero, Eugene Ionesco? It's done fairly often, but I thought that some of the choices for this productions where quite fun. I liked, specifically, the costuming. The choice of color coordinating, along with wildly colored hair, was quite nice. The timing was very good, and I really appreciate high school students who aren't afraid of the pause. Especially in a show like this. The maid was overly-annoying, the cuckoo in the clock was not absurd, but ridiculous, and the giant ear was ... what the hell was it?! It's not in the script. Still, the commitment to the piece by the cast was really tremendous.

John Schreiber's original piece, I Never Saw a Moor, was deathly dull, and only moderately well acted. This is an "issue" play, and lord knows we see an awful lot of those at the high school level. The difference is that it's not about AIDS or the holocaust or teen suicide. This time it was about epilepsy. Sorry, but issue plays drive me crazy.

The final play of the day, Normal People, by Mike Willis, was another "issue" play. This time about AIDS. A high school student contracts the HIV virus through a blood transfusion and gets full-blown AIDS and then ostricized by her classmates and school -- except by one boy, a high school football player who everyone thinks is a bit dull and a jerk. The acting was monotone and boring. Strange costume choices had matching boys and girls wearing matching, vivid color outfits. Why? Were we really not going to get who was dating whom? Did it matter? This was my choice for worst production of the day.

My prediction was that Bald Soprano would get top prize. I thought that 2nd place could go just about any way, depending on the judges. I was hoping ... perhaps even expecting ... that our production of Cannibals would place in the top four.

Final result:

1st place: The Bald Soprano

2nd place: A Mother's Story

...

5th place: Cannibals

DON QUIXOTE -- Moscow Festival Ballet

Saint Mary's University of Minnesota School of the Arts
Page Series
dir: Sergey Radchenko
principal dancers: Grigorieva, Olga Tchemalina, Marianna Usina, Goukhar, Daev, Alexander Kazatsky, Anatholiy
soloist dancers: Alexy Lisitsin, Viacheslav Aksenov, Galina Glovanova, Andrey Chudin, Maria Barkova, Maria Socolnikova, Victoria Krakhmaleva, Alexander Rupishev, Anna Nekhlyudova, Yan Samigullin, Ekaterina Egorova, Alexander Pinugin, Maria Klueva, Irina Ivanova, Elena Khorosheva, Almaz Kalel, Timur Kinzikeev, Andrey Tarchokov, Yulia Kormishkina, Alina Dokuchaeva, Evgeniya Matyushina, Yulia Gridina, Yulia Proshkina, Victoria Kershis, Denis Sdvizhkov, Ivan Kaoitorov, Juhko Tanaka, Evleniya Sukhareva, Sofia Tomilina, Vitaly Zabelin, Denis Morozov, Taliana Suetina, Oksana Bondareva, Dmitriy Dmitriev
music: Leon Minkus
choreography: Marius Petipa
choreographers: Yurly Vetrov & Maria Bilova
sets: Lev Solodovnikov
costumes: Lev Solodovnikov
light designer: Maria Borodina

The Classical Ballet, as performed by the touring Russian company.

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It was rather fortuitous that I got to see this ballet. I'd wanted to go but hadn't gotten around to getting tickets, and then it was sold out. The morning of the show, however, I received a call from an old friend who said that she had an extra ticket and would I like to see it. Turns out that my friend had the prime, center seats, usually reserved for the university's president.

I enjoyed the ballet quite a bit (though I'm not at all sure what the hell it has to do with the story of Don Quixote) -- unlike many ballets which have graceful, slow-moving sections in which women in tutu's dance lithely around, this show was filled with a fair amount of men dancing. And quite frankly I enjoy the strength of male ballet dancing much more than the female dancing in most ballets I've seen.

Again, I'm not sure how anyone could possibly see that this is based in any way on Cervantes' classic novel, other than by having Don Quixote wander through each scene (yes, the character was there, but he never actually danced at all).

The dancers all seemed to be strong, though so many of them looked incredibly young, and as my friend pointed out, they were probably students out on their first tour.

The scenery was stunning and very ambitious for a small traveling company.

Over all, a really great experience and well worth attending.

MSHSL Sub-Section 1-A One Act Play Festival 2007

Seven, one-act plays, produced and performed by area high schools as part of the Minnesota State High School League One Act Play Festival. The schools are: Rushford-Peterson; Kingsland; Houston; Chatfield; Fillmore Central; Spring Grove; Mabel-Canton.

The plays performed were (in the order that they were presented):

The Dining Room by A.R. Gurney
The Ugly Duckling by A.A. Milne
Cannibals by Heather Dundas
Why I Am A Bachelor by Conrad Seiler
Final Dress Rehearsal by Jack Frakes
Wade The Bird by Trista Baldwin
Chipped by Forrest Musselman

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When I first caught a glimpse of the list of shows to be performed, I wondered why anyone in their right mind would choose The Dining Room. I first read this A.R. Gurney play when I was in college, and it has stuck with me as the most boring piece of theatre that I've ever come across. This production did little to change my impression. Although well directed and moderately well acted, the choice of material comes into question. I did come to understand some things about the play that I don't think I understood when I read it 25 years ago, but I still had the feeling of... "So what?" It never engaged me. It never drew me in or gave me any interesting insight. There's definitely a talented cast here that needs some real help with their focus. The premise for the show is one dining room that we see through the ages, by the different families that have used it, and what they have used it for.

The Ugly Duckling by A.A. Milne was an interesting choice for this competition because the same show was performed last year (successfully) by one of the other schools. This was the only production of the day that I did not get to see. What I heard was that this production had a western theme setting (last year's was a fairy-tale kingdom setting).

As I directed the production of Cannibals by Heather Dundas, I cannot comment on it without bias. It was a very good production, well performed, though with room for improvement.

Why I Am A Bachelor, by Conrad Seiler, was an amusing work with a lot of potential. This production could have used a little tighter direction. The "Lecturer" was funny, but wandered aimlessly a little too often. The "couple in love" were a bit stiff and the young man seemed very uncomfortable on stage The "mother," "aunt" and "little sister" were all fine. The two" stage hands" also seemed to be uncontrolled and therefore distracted rather than added to the production. And...it's a small thing, and probably a matter of personal taste, but if I had a performer with a tattoo on his/her body and it was not appropriate for the part, I would have dressed the character differently or at the very least had him/her put a bandage over it. The "aunt's" tattoo above her ankle was not appropriate for the character and very distracting. The story of the play was a man lecturing on the benefits of being a bachelor by showing how dreadful marriage was, and how man usually got into such a predicament.

The Jake Frakes play, Final Dress Rehearsal, was another play that could have used some tighter direction to keep the play in focus. I think that plays which have a lot of apparent chaos need to be even more tightly directed to LOOK chaotic, and not left up to the actors (especially high school student actors) to run around randomly. This performance had just enough of the "run around" feel to it that it lacked cohesion. This is too bad because it certainly had what was probably the strongest male performance in the character of the "Director" as played by Derek Mulhern. The story was, as titled, supposed to be the "final dress rehearsal" of a sure-to-fail performance of Cinderella.

Wade The Bird, by Trista Baldwin, was a very high school appropriate show. In competition, it is nice to have students playing roles that are not really much of a stretch for them. Playing characters who are in high school is helpful. The direction here was nice, with some really great tableaux images and some great sound effects. Here, too, some of the staging could be tightened up. The 30+ second schene change in total blackout was WAY too long ... and unnecessary. Either give them a little light, or find a way to use a different area of the stage, rather than trying to clear and reset it. The story revolved around "Wade" who was kicked out of school for setting fire to something in school, then talked about killing himself, and dreams a female friend was having of Wade as a bird. If Derek Mulhern from the previous show was not clearly the best male actor, it would be because of the tremendous performance put in by Alan Wiltgen as "Wade."

The final performance of the day was Chipped by Forrest Musselman. This work is a pastiche of computer-related items (eBay, on-line relationships, viruses, spam, etc). I thought that the play had a lot of potential, and this school actually did one of the best jobs that they've done in recent years, but, like many of the plays during the day, lacked tightness, focus, and relyed on the script to carry them. When discussing this play with my own students later, their consensus was that the play was out-dated. I agree, but I did think that it could still have been staged in such a way as to have winning potential.

I actually had a hard time predicting how the judges would go with this. I did think that we were clearly the best ensemble cast, but then I guess I feel that way every year. I did think that Wade The Bird was well performed, though it was a little bumpy here and there, and that Final Dress Rehearsal had some really great performances (amid some really cheesy performances). I thought that Cannibals, Wade The Bird, and Final Dress Rehearsal would fight for the top two spots.

And I was correct.

1st place: Cannibals
2nd place: Wade The Bird
3rd place: Final Dress Rehearsal

These competitions are fun to watch and to see the level of talent in our high schools. Those shows that don't do as well, in my opinion, are those whose schools which are using directors who aren't familiar with theatre.

NUTCRACKER -- Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts

Saint Mary's University of Minnesota School of the Arts
Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts presents The Dance Repertory Company
Artistic Director and Choreographer: Allen Fields
Production Coordinator: Christine Martin
Addition Staging and Choreography: Jessica Draskoci-Johnson
Scenic Design: Lawrence P. Gorrell, Jim Hibbler, and Kit Mayer
Lighting Designer: Fluffy Blake
Production Stage Manager: Daniel Munson
Dancers: Jessica Draskoci-Johnson, Kaitlyn Vietor, Keegan Eide, Alyssa Schneider, Zach Ruben, Allen Fields, Rebekah Mulkey, Katie Roy, Marta Johnson, Heidi Draskoci-Johnson, Dana Eide, Karen Sullivan, Pam Simon Salwey, Jim Bruner, Jeff Eide, Bill Ruben, Floyd WhiteEagle, Chris Bernard, Jeremiah Munson, Danielle Schleich, Kyle Schneider, Claire Smart, Lexy Valentine, Adelle Vietor, Dot Armstrong, Katie Harbinson, Kate Bruner, Sydney Larson, Drew Melius, Brianna Morgan, Hannah Nagel, Colette Penic, Michaela Peplinski, Amanda Weatherhead, Anna Wolner, Maria Appicelli, Pippa Armstrong, Dona Bowler, Taylor Cada, Harriet Flinsch, Ellie Kiese, Rebekah Nagel, Hanna O'Neill, Skyla Swain, Calli Jo Wagner, Erin Wilson, Katie Bowler, Jasmine Boynton, Clara Bruner, Piper Grubb, Paige Melius, Haley O'Neill, Olivia Polachek, Jillyan Salwey, Emily Smith, Renee Sullivan, Hayden Stark, Madeleine Bryant, Lydia Feuerhelm, Caitlyn Kaman, Kate Larson, Katie Nurmela, Augusta Rodgers, Ashley Lafferty, Daniel Whitehead, Lindsey Babekhl, Trisha Crichton, Meghan Timm, Lars Johnson, Nancy Harms

MCA's biennial production of the classic holiday ballet.

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This year's MCA production of the Nutcracker was more theatrical, and had more acting work, but the quality of the dance was much lower than what I saw two years ago. The story was modified by Allen Fields, with some new elements added, but these were not necessarily worthwhile changes. Perhaps if the dancing was stronger, the new elements would have had a stronger effect.

Over all, a disappointing production.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL -- Commonweal Theatre Company

script: Charles Dickens
adaptation: "the Commonweal"
director: Alan Bailey
cast: Anna Grace Bingham, Amanda Davis, Scott Dixon, David Hennessey, Eric Knutson, Matthew Luck, Simon Cropp, Magnolia Decker, Elsa Hennessey-Barnes
scenic design: Joel Sass
costume design: Greta Raatz
lighting design: Patrick Strain

Charles Dickens' classic tale of a curmudgeon who, after being visited by ghosts, becomes a loveable philanthropist.

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I will say, straight up, that I don't care for this adaptation. I first saw this two, maybe three years ago, and was utterly devestated that I had brought a group of young cub scouts, who were thoroughly bored. This adaptation is, in my opinion, readers theatre. The cast tells you what happened or what will happen, how a character felt, and then they act out a little bit. This is not why I go to the theatre -- to have someone tell me a story.

Why did I bother going, then? I went because the new director for the production is a friend of mine, and hopefully, bias aside, I can admit that I enjoyed this production more than I have in the past.

There is still a "reader's theatre" quality to it, that I don't care for, but much of that sense has been removed and the actors actually get to show us their emotions and the story, rather than tell much of it.

Director Alan Bailey keeps the story moving along well, and works the small cast through a large number of roles quite well. The action moves quickly and there is no change for the audience to be lulled to sleep.

The set is beautiful, and very functional for this version.

If you want to see something at the Commonweal, this is probably the company at their best. Unfortunately, I still can't recommend it as outstanding theatre.

JAMES SEWELL BALLET -- Saint Mary's University Page Theatre Professional Series

Three dances.

KLEZMER DANCES
music: Giora Feidman
choreography: James Sewell
lighting: Kevin A. Jones
costumes: Amy B. Kaufman
dancers: Penelope French, Brittany Fridenstine, Chris Hannon, Justin Leaf, Nicolas Lincoln, Sally Rousse, James Sewell, Emily Tyra

A beautiful piece. Innovative choreography that blended so nicely with the unique music and the gorgeous costumes. Easily the best number of the evening.


BRAHMS DUET
choreography: Sally Rousse (in collaboration with Mariusz Olszewski)
music: Johannes Brahms (Piano Concerto No.1 in D Minor)
dancers: Sally Rousse, Mariusz Olszewski
lighting: Kevin A. Jones
costumes: George Tachet

The words I hear from nearly everyone are, "I could have done without this one."

There was nothing particularly wrong with it, but it didn't seem to move anyone. It wasn't tremendously beautiful or touching. I got no sense of storyline. It was just a dance to a typical, slow, Brahms duet.

I could have done without this one.


GUY NOIR: THE BALLET
characters created by: Garrison Keillor
storline: James Sewell and Sally Rousse
narration: Garrison Keillor
choreography: James Sewell
dancers: James Sewell, Emily tyra, Justin Leaf, Penelope Freeh, Nicolas Lincoln, Brittany Fridenstine, Sally Rousse
music: Richard Dworsky and The Guy's All Star Shoe Band, Chopin, E.H. Hagen, Horace Silver, Billy Strahorn
lighting: Kevin A. Jones
costumes: Mary Hansmeyer
properties: Kevin Jones, Mary Hansmeyer

This was the reason we were here. We wanted to see the Guy Noir ballet. It was ambitious, with moments of wonderful creativity, humor, and exellent dance, but over-all it lacked a cohesive focus. Sometimes I thought people were just wandering around the stage for no reason, distracting from what was going on elsewhere.

This particular performance was riddled with prop problems, but that aside, I felt that the storyline needed more of Sewell as Guy Noir dancing, and less attempt at establishing a plot.

This had/has potential, but perhaps it needs an outsider's eye to let Sewell and Rousse know how to fix it.

THE GOD OF HELL -- Saint Mary's University of Minnesota School of the Arts

script: Sam Shepard
director: Dr. Gary Diomandes
cast: Casey Howe, Peter Snell, Melissa Kaffine, Andy Greene
scenic designer: Fluffy Blake
lighting designer: Fluffy Blake
costume designer: Br. Thomas Houde, FSC
sound designer: Jimmy Iddins
stage manager: Melanie Reuvers

The U.S. government invades rural Wisconsin.

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This is not one of Shepard's best.

At the beginning of this long one-act, I felt as though I could have been watching a Pinter play -- the clipped language, a husband and wife not really listening to one another but managing to communicate, a stranger, perhaps two, invading their home. It sounds a little like Pinter's The Birthday Party. But this piece goes off on a Shepard rampage against the Bush administration's use of patriotism to throw out the American Constitution and do whatever the hell it pleases.

The play hits you over the head a little too much with its message, which makes it comical. And by being comical, we lose any sense of fear and horror and revulsion at what is being done.

The idea that the stranger in the basement had received so many shocks that he carried electricity within him, was great, and the sense of his being tortured i nthe basement was sickening and compelling. But as soon as he made his appearance onstage and received a shock, it could in no way match the degree to which the actor could play it unseen.

I'm still not sure why the farmer, who begins to convert to the patriotic agent's ways, reacted as he did to the shock treatments. I don't believe that there was enough time for him to have been subjected to the tortures.

Some of the dialog seemed just wrong. The Wisconsin born and bred, farm wife, reacts to the torture by commenting on how the wires are attached to the man's penis. She must say "penis" four or five times. I couldn't imagine her doing that. And then, after having said this much, she then refers to it as, "His ... thing." NOW she can't say "penis?"

The cast did a decent job with a difficult, less than stellar play.

SHAKESPEARE'S R&J -- Off-Ramp Theatre

produced by: The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

script: Joe Calarco (adapted from the play by William Shakespeare)

director: Paul Mason Barnes

cast: Daniel Zaitchik, Bobby Steggert, Chris Landis, Bob Braswell

scenic designer: Scott Neale

lighting designer: Mark Wilson

costume designer: Garth Dunbar

sound designer: Tori Meyer

vocal coach & combat director: Bruce Longworth

stage manager: Kathryn Ballard

Four boys from a private school escape to the attic each night to revel in the words of Shakespeare, acting out the roles (and living the lives) from Romeo and Juliet.

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This was a really nice production. The acting was terrific, the setting beautiful. I didn't get entirely wrapped up in the characters, however. By the time I understood who they all were, I was beyond caring about any of them. Did they all know that the two were lovers? Did it only come out through the course of their reading R&J?

I don't think that the adaptation was as tight as it could have been, and perhaps the direction could have made it a bit more clear.

I felt that the lighting was not helping the story at all. It seemed to change for no reason. If we're going to have lighting changes for the imaginary world the boys are living in, then it should be made clear that the lighting is for the play world. But when it resembles the real world outside the attic, then I simply got confused as to where we were supposed to be. The very fact that I felt the need to mention the lighting signifies that it did NOT do it's job well.

An interesting production. I was not familiar with this adaptation. Tight acting really made me stay focused on it.

2006 LIT MOON WORLD SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL -- Santa Barbara, CA

I wanted to take a moment to look at the festival as a whole. In addition to the six plays I saw, and the one rehearsal, I attended an art gallery which displayed sketches for theatre scene and costume design, puppets, set models, and other theatre related items.

I attended a lecture “Continental Shifts: Shakespeare in Central and Eastern Europe” moderated by Professor Simon Williams, Chair of the UCSB Department of Dramatic Art and featuring Dennis Kennedy, Samuel Beckett Chair of Theatre at Trinity College, Dublin.

Easily, my favorite production was the Polish Othello, followed by the Bulgarian Puppet Theatre's production of As You Like It, and very closely followed by the Bulgarian Romeo and Juliet.

Strangely, and somewhat sadly, the English language productions this week were the weakest. UCSB's Timon of Athens was a good show, but lacked the spark that the European productions had. The Canadian Juliet and Romeo was unique, but lacked spark and purpose. It had some great mask work and interesting uses for its set, but never followed through on any of it.

My good friend's production of King Richard II was interesting, with some great looking tableau's, but his deconstruction of language didn't work well at all in the vast space of the cathedral. It seemed out of control and never brought the audience in to the show the way it intended.

However, based on the rehearsal I saw, I had high hopes for the production of The Tempest. It might easily have stood next to the European productions in terms of story-telling and mood and effect.

I was very glad I was able to get to this festival, and it makes me yearn to attend some of the European theatre festivals.

It is obvious that great theatre work is being done, but not necessarily here in the States. Why?

A large part of it, I think is that the European theatres are largely state funded. (In conversation with the good people of the Bulgarian Puppet theatre, I learned that the Bulgarian state pays all the salaries and that they are only required to pay for everything else through ticket prices (a very reasonable solution, I think). Whereas in the U.S., theatres are forced to play to a lower common denominator in order to ensure that tickets will be sold so that there is enough revenue to continue a season.

I applaud John Blondell and the Lit Moon Theatre Company for this venture and for bringing these wonderful European theatre companies to the U.S. I hope that the trend continues and that I can attend more great festivals like this one.

ROMEO AND JULIET -- Bulgarian National Theatre "Ivan Vazov," Sofia, Bulgaria

script: William Shakespeare
director, production adaptation, musical setting: Lilia Abadjieva
cast: Vladimir Karamazov, Silvester Silvestrov, Vasil Ryahov, Yulian Vergov, Zakhary Baharoff, Kalojan Lenkov
set and costume design: Vassil Abadjiev
titles: Ivan Abadjiev
stage technicians: Stiliyan Penev Penev, Slavchco Dimitrov
sound technician: Valentina Matteeva

Shakespeare's tragedy of young lovers from rival families, as told by a cast of men, in Bulgarian. In the rain.

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This production seemed to create the most interest among the people of Santa Barbara, CA and the 750 seat theatre was sold out for every performance.

It was a remarkable work, a lot of fun, and I am very grateful for the inclusion of credit for an "adaptation." Like many of the works I saw this week, few were Shakespeare's play, but rather adaptations of Shakespeare's play.

This one managed to hold quite well to the story, but there was a fair amount of extra material here.

There was incredible energy with this cast, and from the opening sequence of carefully choreographed movements to a techno-fusion score, this show grabbed our attention at a high level, and never let us down. The sense of humor among the tragedy was brought out at every opportunity, and yet we somehow never lost the sense of the drama.

As the death scene approached, I wondered where they would go with it ... how could they top the energy of what they'd already been doing.

And then it rained.

And rained.

And rained.

It rained on the indoor stage, and must have rained for nearly fifteen minutes. The entire death scene took place in a downpour, creating the absolute perfect mood for this tragedy. But, in keeping with the rest of the production, even the death scene took on comic overtones as Romeo and Juliet took turns dying ... repeatedly. Rolling around and splashing in the pool of water that was being formed.

And the ending, which in Shakespeare leads one to believe that some goodness might come from this tragedy, was an incredibly high energy dance among all six men, in the rain, with strobe lighting effect, to loud, techno-pop-fusion music. It seemed to be the only way to top what they had already done, and it worked perfectly.

In the lobby after the show I heard someone exclaim, "They captured the mood of the show perfectly. It's the first time I ever felt anyone got it just right."

Well... I don't necessarily agree that it's the only time anyone got it "just right," but I do think that this production conveyed the mood of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet quite well, and that perhaps that was their intention. This production seemed to be a paraphrasing, capturing essence and mood extremely well.

English subtitles were displayed above the performance, but again, I found I didn't need them much (occassionally I read them in the scenes that were unique to this production).

The high energy performance from this cast was a perfect way for me to end my visit to the festival.

I would definitely recommend this production to anyone who has the opportunity of seeing it.

THE TEMPEST -- Lit Moon Theatre Company

script: William Shakespeare
director: John Blondell
cast: Stanley Hoffman, Peter john Duda, Victoria Finlayson, Kate Louise Paulsen
original music: James Connolly
scenography: Milon Kalis
costumes and masks: Lesley Finlayson
lighting design: Jonathan Hicks

Shakespeare's magical tale of enchantment and romance.

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It is unfair of me to review this show as I didn't actually get to see a performance, but instead was invited to attend a rehearsal, and even at that, it was more of a spacing rehearsal for the company's first time in the theatre, rather than a run-through rehearsal.

However, what I saw, I enjoyed immensely. It was much more attainable than the company's production of King Richard the Second, which I saw a few nights earlier. I think, in part, that the smaller container of space that they inhabit in the theatre, as opposed to the great openess of a cathedral style church, works in their favor. This company needs containment to remind them of their purpose. More space and they lose control.

The setting, stalks of bamboo hung from the grid above, work perfectly to convey the sense of remote island, and their movement flow nicely with the actors working in and around them.

I really liked what I managed to see, and only wish that I could have stayed long enough to attend an actual performance.

AS YOU LIKE IT -- State Puppet Theatre, Bourgas, Bulgaria

script: William Shakespeare
director: Hristina Arsenova
cast: Iroslav Petkov, Nedilina Mladenova
scenography and puppet design: Emeliana Panayotova Andonova-Toteva
lighting design: Nikolay Koychev Kyuchukov
sound design: Svetlin Ivanov Petkov

WORLD PREMIERE

Shakespeare's frolicsome romantic comedy, as told by puppets. In Bulgarian.

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This was a whole hell of a lot of fun!

First, I was very surprised at the nature of the puppeteer/puppet aspect of the performance. I was expecting strictly a puppet performance, with puppeteer visible. But in fact, the two puppeteers were also characters in the play, as well as controling certain puppets and even, at times, being extensions of the puppets.

The puppets were not marionettes, nor were they traditional hand puppets, but some kind of unique mix. Control was made mostly by grasping the back of the head of the puppet, but at times they stood rigid, alone, and often they were moved about in a very flowing manner. I'm certain that there was something used to keep them straight, but I never saw what it was or how/when it was attached.

The puppets and scenography were brilliant in design! Emeliana managed to pack the entire set into a rough-shaped ball about the size of a laundry basket, which opened and became a myriad of different things.

The work of the actor/puppeteers was great. Iroslav Petkov was immediately loveable and a perfect comic foil (imagine Steve Martin in his prime, working with puppets). Nedilina was no less talented, but was definitely overshadowed by Iroslav's comic manic-ness (mania?).

English subtitles were projected on a screen above the performers, but I found that I didn't pay much attention to it. In part, I know the script well enough that I didn't need to see it, word for word, and also, like the Polish Othello, they managed to tell the story clearly enough that one didn't need to understand every word.

I had the good fortune to spend some extra time with this company -- drinks with the director and scenographer the evening of their arrival, and dinner and drinks after the first performance. They were incredibly charming and unpretentious. I was surprised to learn that the performers were required to study acting before they could study puppeteering. I shouldn't have been surprised, judging by the show, but I don't think that the same holds true here in the West.

A total delight and a highly recommended show.

KING RICHARD II -- Lit Moon Theatre Company and Westmont College, Santa Barbara

script: William Shakespeare
director: John Blondell
cast: Heather Bancroft, Michael Conrad, Sumner LeVeque, Nolan Hamlin, Carlo Moss, Mitchell Thomas, Victoria Finlayson, Zak Landrum, Kate Louise Paulsen, Casey Caldwell, Stanley Hoffman, Amber Angelo, Erin Brehm, Peter John Duda
original music: James Connolly
costumes, masks, and scenography (Acts 1 & 3): Lesley Finlayson
costumes and scenography (Acts 2 &4): Yevgenia Nayberg
lighting design: Jonathan Hicks
assistant director: Rose Elfman
stage manager: Suzanne Galletly
stage technician: Christianna Stuart

Shakespeare's political tragedy about the death of kings.

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Staged in a grand, classical Episcopalian church, the opening tableau for this piece, complete with incredibly beautiful masks, was incredibly beautiful. (See first photo in this blog.)

And then the show began.

Oh this piece was dreadful. I hate to say it, as the director is a very good friend, but it was agony to sit through this.

Although spoken in English, I never understood a moment (except for the challenge between John of Gaunt and Bollingbrook -- and that went on way too long) of this piece (unlike Othello, which was performed in a language I didn't know, but a piece in which I understood every moment).

Having the audience move to different locations for the different acts was a nice touch and helped to give this work a unique flavor, but rather than including us in the piece, as I believe it was intended to do, I believe it actually distanced me. Because there was action going on all around me, I couldn't take it all in, and therefore I was left to choose where my attention would go, which made me an observer, rather than a participant. Being an observer at a play is fine (it's expected!), but when the action places the observer in the middle, the expectation is that the audience becomes a part of the action. And that never really occurred.

I don't really remember where, or when I heard the comment (it may not have even been directed toward this production) but someone said, "It was obvious that the actors were having some 'moments' that were very special and important to them, but they never let us in on them." And that is exactly what I felt about this show. There was lots of something special going on, but it was intensely personal to the performers.

There was too too much shouting. Mitchell Thomas as King Richard seemed to shout constantly. It never seemed to make him powerful, angry, strong, or anything other than an actor who can't find any other way to convey an emotion. I actually sat watching, tuning out the words because of the shouting, and thought, "The Europeans would never resort to this. Their character's strength and madness come from the inside, not worn on their sleeve this way."

And strangely enough, one of the things that irked me th most was the only touch of humor that found its way in to the show. The Dutchess of York actually shrieked the line: "What ho, my liege! For God's sake, let me in" in a most annoying, and totally out of character fashion (it was the only time they did something of the sort) and the following line from King Henry was, "What shrill-voic'd suppliant makes this eager cry?" It felt as though it were done just for the laugh (which it got) and was incredibly out of place.

Stanley Hoffman as the Duke of York was the only performer who managed to find a character and convey it to the audience without any momentous internalizing or vehement shouting. He simply was, living in his own moments, which is what helped me find him.

Sadly, a show that obviously meant something to those involved, but the audience was never let in on it.

JULIET & ROMEO -- Canis Tempus, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

script: William Shakespeare
director: Andrew Culk
cast: Julie Lowe, Andrew Culk
costumes and sets: Sirius Morillo
lighting design: Alex Geng
sound design: Peter Alec Fedun
mask design: Lesley Finlayson
fencing masks: Valerie Viertel
stage manager: Jim Melvyn

Shakespeare's tragedy of young lovers from rival families, told in gender twisting fashion.

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This was a very interesting production, and more along the lines of what I was expecting to see at this festival (Lit Moon World Shakespeare Festival).

Sparse, with two persons performing all the roles (all those that weren't cut in this one hour production), and with two folding ladders for all the scenery, this show managed to remain faithful to the language, but I'm not sure how true it was to the intentions of the story.

I never did decide why the genders were switched. Why was Andrew playing most of the female roles, and Julie playing the majority of the men's parts?

The actions were interesting, and the use of the ladders was good, but not complete. Each time they started something new, I felt that they never quite finished it.

The story lacked the passion between Romeo and Juliet that is so necessary for making the tragedy work. Was this a result of the gender switching? Can a thirtysomething male possibly portray a teenage girl in love?

I got nothing from this show (I saw it twice -- in part because I could, and in part because I was so incredibly exhausted the first night that I wanted to give it a better chance and see it with fresh eyes). I didn't come away with anything new or even with a different perspective on the story. There were some nice "looks" to it, but not enough to make it worth the effort.

A disappointment.

OTHELLO -- Teatr Modjeska, Legnica, Poland

script: William Shakespeare
adaptation: Krzystof Kopka
director: Jacek Glomb
cast: Przemyslaw Bluszcz, Rafal Cieluch, Pawel Palcat, Bogdan Grzeszcak, Aleksandra Motorniuk, Tadeusz Ratuszniak, Pawel Wolak, Malgorzata Urbanska, Magda Skiba, Ewa Galusinska, Katarzyna Dworak, Justyna Pawlicka, Anita Poddebniak, Lech Wolczyk
scenography: Malgorzata Bulanda
stage movement: Leszek Bzdyl
music: Kormorany
lighting design: Wladyslaz Sajda
sound technician: Andrzej Janiga
director's assistant: Olga Nowakowska

spoken in Polish

Shakespeare's tale of a strong and honorable leader, betrayed by his own men and tricked into believing the worst about his own wife.

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Wow.

This production took my breath away. I've seen it twice now and come away from it with such powerful emotions and the feeling that I've just seen some of the best theatre I may ever see.

Spoken almost entirely in Polish, I didn't understand any of the words, and yet in this play, I knew absolutely everything that was happening. Perhaps that's a good indicator of a truly well done play?

Although based on Shakespeare's Othello, we never forget that this production has someone credited with the "adaptation." This Othello is the captain of a ship, and the entire play is staged aboard its cramped quarters. With some variation from Shakespeare's story, this works quite well, and the set is brilliant with its simplicity and the remarkable blend of realism and experimental qualities.

The lighting is bare and sets a bleak tone for this voyage. Well crafted and executed.

The sound is performed live and is (pardon the pun) instrumental for invoking the mood throughout the play.

Costumes are brilliant -- nothing stands out as being inappropriate and everyone on stage seemed quite comfortable and natural with what they were wearing.

The performances.... Here, above all, they shine. To the smallest detail, these fine actors brought us aboard their ship and did not let us go until the voyage was over. Whether it was the constant, slight rocking they did, reminding us of the roll of a ship's deck, or their climbing in the riggings and hoisting sails, or the shedding of clothes and dragging themselves about as the ship floundered and they began to lose hope and respect, this cast held us enchanted throughout the journey.

It is hard for me to describe just what they did that made this so special, because each time I try to say what they did that was so wonderful, I realize that this is the goal for every actor, in every play, and it sounds rather corny.

This cast never broke character. there were no sly winks amongst themselves. They never seemed to be putting on a show or just saying their lines. I lived and breathed every moment with every character. Even those in the smaller roles I watched more closely the second time, and they each went about their business as if this ship and it's voyage were real.

Przemyslaw Bluszcz as Othello was perfect. Small in stature, he had a commanding presence every time he entered the stage. I think that the entire audience would have done whatever he told the to do, simply by the power of his presence. The ship lived and died by him, and so this tragedy rests solely on his shoulders.

I can't recommend this play highly enough. I would see it again without hesitation, and I most certainly would like to see anything at all by this remarkable company.

TIMON OF ATHENS --Theatre Artists Group and USCB Dept. of Dramatic Art & Dance

script: William Shakespeare
director: Risa Brainin
cast: Irwin Appel, Mike Zlotnick, Collin Tongue, Justin Gillman, Aja Naomi King, Jeff Mills, Zachary Appel, Richard Klautsch, Alexa Kahn, Martha Mintz, Ty Uranga-Foster, Ryan Lockwood, Shannon Sullivan, Shaun Hart, Amy Gumenick
scenic design: Tal Sanders
costume design: Dianne Holly
lighting design: Vickie Scott
composer/sound design: Brad Carroll
choreography: Christopher Pilafian
stage manager: Wendy Jones

Shakespeare's story of a philanthropist who believes the best in everyone, until his fortune runs out and he seeks a little help from his friends.

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This is not one of Shakespeare's finest stories -- there are problems throughout the plot, and underused characters (what is the purpose of Apemantus' character?), but it is always nice to see a good production of a Shakespeare play that is not generally so well known.

I have had the opportunity to see this play before (Broadway, with Brian Bedford in the lead role) and in many respects, this production was much better.

Director Brainin did a superb job of making this script accessible. It was quite easy to follow what was going on, and the hip, techno-style movements in the beginning did a nice job of setting the time and location for us. Some of her decisions seemed questionable, though ... why the obvious, stereo-typed salon scene? It felt very out of place with the rest of the scenes.

Most of the cast, as college students, did a fine job. Richard Klautsch,a guest artist, as Apemantus, was quite superb with what little he had to play with. Irwin Appel (also a guest artist), in the title role, seemed to be playing for a television camera -- he looked good, and he sounded good, but I never felt anything from him.

For the most part, the set worked well, though some of the shorter scenes seemed to require the most work in set change.

Costuming was wonderful.

This was the first play I managed to see as part of the Lit Moon World Theatre Festival. I thought it came across as a good college production (which, for the most part, is what it was), but hoped for much more from some of the other shows during the week.

ROBIN HOOD -- Missoula Children's Theatre

Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts at the Valencia Arts Center
director: Melissa Carroll
tour actor: Renee Roberts
cast: Austin Lubinski, Madeleine Bryant, Alli Wildenborg, Elisabeth Frederickson, Audrey O'Keefe, Amanda Anderson, Christopher Bernard, Raizl Campbell, Sydney Dean, Hannah Dunsmoor, Mitchell Essar, Orion McCullough-Smith, Katie Prinsen, Haleigh Riggall, Emily Smith, Michael Todd, Nick Arnold, Christian Deranek, Becca Geisler, Samantha Johnson, Rebecca Munson, Adrianna Rackow, Cora Arnold, Ceci Bernard, Sophia Piano, Sofie Underdahl, Rosemary Flanagan, Cross Korder, Kailey Kronebusch, Jeremiah Munson, Mac Whaley, Libby Crigler, Hannah Essar, Anthony Henderson, Summer Lawson, Carl Rackow, Melanie Anderson, Mary Arnold, Aidan Beckman, Andrew Behling, Myles Dean, Olivia Flanagan, Nathan Graff, Samuel Graff, Aaron Munson, Chloe Paino, Wil Prinsen
accompanist: Aleah Zuccarelli
conceived, written, and composed by: Michael McGill

A new look at the Robind Hood tale.

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The Missoula Children's Theatre program is a relatively new program to me (although I'm now familiar with at least two companies working this way). Basically, the company sends two "professional" actor/directors to a city, auditions are held and the show is cast with anywhere from 50-80+ children, and the show is rehearsed and then performed all within one week's time.

No one attends a performance like this in order to see theatre. Attendance is generally only family of the children in the show. The "purpose" of this kind of theatre is to give children a chance to "be in a play." Opportunities for children to participate in theatre are rare, as states cut more and more arts from schools. The question I ask, though, is: Is this theatre? I've auditioned and cast students in 9th grade who are completely surprised by a "real" rehearsal schedule and demands because they've never known anything but this kind of theatre. They've also never had to take it seriously -- it's just for fun.

For some, this is, sadly, the only theatre they will ever experience, and for that there is a purpose. I happen to not think too highly of this kind of program. Yes, my children did participate, but I also know that my children have an understanding of "real" theatre, having seen me at work.

This show lacked a story and music, even more than most of this sort. What it did have going for it, was a better than usualy "look." The costumes were nicer than I've seen with other, similar, companies, and the set actually had some kind of set, rather than just a few drapes.

I've posted this here because I did attend the performances, but it's certainly not worth watching if you don't have family participating (and even then it's questionable).

CYMBELINE -- Great River Shakespeare Festival

director: Doug Scholz-Carlson
cast: Jacob Bell, Jennice Butler, Andrew Carlson, Dane Clark, Kylie Edmonds, Adam Habben, Rachael Jenison, Amy Malcom, Marianne Miller, Eva Nelson, Lucinda Rogers, Michael Rubke, Christopher Thompson, Max Wojtanowicz

Shakespeare's rarely performed fairy tale.

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This was performed by GRSF's Acting Apprentice company (generally college students) and, while generally fairly good, certainly had the feel of a good college production.

There were aspects of the direction that made me wonder just what the heck was going on (the marching upstage of the action was distracting and out of place).

The script has problems (how can you not laugh when, in Act V, Scene V, as all the confessions are being made and identities being revealed, Cornelius says, "I left out one thing...") -- a lack of focus and a too convenient wrapping up of revelations. Sometimes it's nice to see that even the greatest playwright who ever lived managed to write some less than stellar work.

Even so, there manages to be some kind of a power that Shakespeare has and it is a joy to listen to his words (when done well).

I did find it curious that it was billed as a "tragedy." There really are no tragic elements in this, and when I asked the director, he said they did so because it was titled as a tragedy in the folio from which they took this work. Curious. I appreciate their deire to be as authentic as possible, but it actually seemed to add to some confusion (on my part, at least).

DROPS & DRAMA II-- Theatre du Mississippi

cast: Lauren Berlin-Burns & Julie Frederickson
voice overs: Jacob Bell, Michael Rubke, Lucinda Rogers, Jennice butler, Amy Malcom, Christopher Thompson, Eva Nelson, Max Wojtanowicz, Kylie Edmonds
narration written by: Kathy Peterson

A unique presentation of one of the most complete and historic collections of hand-painted scenic drops, designed by Thomas G. Moses, in the Midwest.

1) Roman Ruins Scene: Julius Caeser by William Shakespeare, I,ii (4 drops)
2) Ocean Scene: Moby Dick, Chapter 1, by herman Melville (4 drops)
3) Medieval Camp Scene: The Once & Future King by T.H. White (4 drops)
4) Summer garden Scene: Kew Gardens by Virginia Woolfe (4 drops)
5) Hell Scene: The Divine Comedy: Part I by Dante Alighieri (4 drops)
6) English Manor Scene: The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (3 drops)
7) Treasure Room Scene: Ali Baba from 1001 Arabian Nights (3 drops)

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The presentation is done in a very amateur way, but the flats themselves are most certainly worth seeing. Having someone pretend to be Thomas Moses and/or his assistant is a nice idea, but having it be two high school aged girls just didn't work. However, since they were only segues in to the next set of drops, it didn't really matter.

The drops themselves are quite remarkable. Beautifully painted, in such a way that we could see that some care and great craftsmanship went in to their painting. The fact that they are still in a condition that can be flown and shown in a theatre testifies to the Masonic Temple's preservation skills.

Part of the remarkable-ness of these drops is not just the actual painting skills and the detail in which they were painted (which was quite remarkable) but the number of drops. These paintings were done at a time when the scenic elements called for more than a simple backdrop, and hence there were legs and teasers that were done to match the elegant backdrop.

Most impressive was the "Hell Scene" for The Divine Comedy, Part I. As the narration mentioned, Moses used a very new technique (perhaps his own design) of including bits of crimped tin foil among the paint so that it would reflect the lights, and would change the appearance slightly as the lights changed. Remarkable!

Worth attending next season as well!