Twelve teenagers, under the leadership of Andrew Carlson and Nick Minas, perform scenes from William Shakespeare's work.
Great River Shakes sponsors as part of an educational setting.
Scenes and monologues from:
As you Like It
Cymbeline
Henry IV, Part I
Julius Caesar
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Much Ado About Nothing
Othello
Richard III
Romeo and Juliet
Twelfth Night
The Winter's Tale
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These extremely talented youth put on a great show. Some of the kids were a little bit stronger than others, but over-all, it was very impressive! A delight to see!
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Saturday, July 18, 2009
DROPS & DRAMA V: Tales of Shaharazad -- Theatre du Mississippi
Masonic Lodge, Winona, MN
In five scenes, twenty-two historic, hand-painted drops are displayed. Readings from Shaharazad, and belly dancing, tie the story together.
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The drops are fascinating and absolutely fabulous. The detail is incredible, and seems almost a shame that they were 'hidden' -- used for Masonic rituals, rather than for public theatre performances.
The story put together to display the drops is generally pointless, though I do understand that most people won't just sit to look at the art. Still, a little more time to see the drops withOUT overweight belly dancers blocking the view might be nice, too.
In five scenes, twenty-two historic, hand-painted drops are displayed. Readings from Shaharazad, and belly dancing, tie the story together.
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The drops are fascinating and absolutely fabulous. The detail is incredible, and seems almost a shame that they were 'hidden' -- used for Masonic rituals, rather than for public theatre performances.
The story put together to display the drops is generally pointless, though I do understand that most people won't just sit to look at the art. Still, a little more time to see the drops withOUT overweight belly dancers blocking the view might be nice, too.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
CANADIAN BRASS -- Minnesota Beethoven Festival
Somsen Auditorium, Winona State University
Charles Daellenbach, tuba
Eugene Watts, trombone
Jeff Nelsen, horn
Manon Lafrance, trumpet
Joe Burgstaller, trumpet
The talented brass quintet performing from their excellent repertoire.
Claudio Monteverdi: Orfeo Suite
Giovanni Gabrieli: Canzona per Sonare
Johann Sebastian Bach: Toccata and Fugue in D minor
Bramwell Tovey: Santa Barbara Sonata (Cakewalk on a Tightrope; Preacher on the Pier; Magic Horn Tango; State Street Stomp)
Luther Henderson and Christopher Dedrick: Tribute to Louis Armstrong
Beatles: Penny Lane; Yesterday; Come Together
Ludwig van Beethoven: Pathetique Sonata, Op. 13, 2nd movement
Peter Schickele: Hornsmoke, A Horse Opera in One Act
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The French woman, Manon, was not with the group this evening, instead, a young man who looked barely out of college was the second trumpet player. He was quite good and seemed to be getting a workout, playing many of the more difficult trumpet pieces, with Joe Burgstaller taking a lesser role.
While the young man was very good and definitely held his own among this group, I missed Burgstaller's amazing speed and finesse.
The evening was delightful, as expected, though there were fewer 'comic' moments. We had taken the kids this time, as we regretted NOT taking them two years ago. I think that everyone appreciated the evening, even though the boys generally won't admit to enjoying anything.
Charles Daellenbach, tuba
Eugene Watts, trombone
Jeff Nelsen, horn
Manon Lafrance, trumpet
Joe Burgstaller, trumpet
The talented brass quintet performing from their excellent repertoire.
Claudio Monteverdi: Orfeo Suite
Giovanni Gabrieli: Canzona per Sonare
Johann Sebastian Bach: Toccata and Fugue in D minor
Bramwell Tovey: Santa Barbara Sonata (Cakewalk on a Tightrope; Preacher on the Pier; Magic Horn Tango; State Street Stomp)
Luther Henderson and Christopher Dedrick: Tribute to Louis Armstrong
Beatles: Penny Lane; Yesterday; Come Together
Ludwig van Beethoven: Pathetique Sonata, Op. 13, 2nd movement
Peter Schickele: Hornsmoke, A Horse Opera in One Act
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The French woman, Manon, was not with the group this evening, instead, a young man who looked barely out of college was the second trumpet player. He was quite good and seemed to be getting a workout, playing many of the more difficult trumpet pieces, with Joe Burgstaller taking a lesser role.
While the young man was very good and definitely held his own among this group, I missed Burgstaller's amazing speed and finesse.
The evening was delightful, as expected, though there were fewer 'comic' moments. We had taken the kids this time, as we regretted NOT taking them two years ago. I think that everyone appreciated the evening, even though the boys generally won't admit to enjoying anything.
Monday, July 13, 2009
THE DALY NEWS -- Great River Shakespeare Festival
script: Jonathan Gillard Dalymusic: Gregg Coffin, Larry Delinger & Jonathan Gillard Daly
director: C. Michael Wright
costumes: Ellen Kozak
lights: Timothy Otte
cast: Jonathan Gillard Daly, Jack Forbes Wilson, Jeff Schaetzke
During World War II, Martin Daly (Jonathan's grandfather) sent out a regular newsletter to all of his children to keep them all aprised of what each was doing as all of them were in the Service and scattered about the globe. Those newsletetrs become the script for this intimate musical about family and duty.
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A fantastic, funny, and moving show in which three multi-talented performers easily take on a number of different roles.
Listening to the actual words, written by Martin Daly is a moving experience, and hearing of the death of a family friend is a moving experience, made even more touching by Martin's recognizing how fortunate he was to have all his family members survive the war.
All three performers are remarkably moving and talented.
A wonderful performance, and one well worth experiencing.
Friday, July 10, 2009
DEAR JAMES -- Jon Hassler Theater
playwright: Sally Childs
based on the novel by Jon Hassler
director: Sally Childs
cast: Cheryl Frarck, Robert Gardner, Eric Knutson, Coralee Grebe, Joe Ulwelling
set design: Erica Zaffarano, Paul Skattum
lighting: Benjamin Hain
costume: Barb Portinga
Upright, stallwart citizen of Staggerford, Agatha McGee, carries on a platonic relationship with an Irish priest ... which has the tongues of the town wagging.
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I have to admit that I am not familiar with the novel on which this play is based, despite a strong appreciation for Hassler's books, so I can't write at all to the faithfulness of this adaptation.
The story as presented on stage, was well-planned and well-delivered.
Once again I am impressed with the quality of the talent that I see on stage at the Hassler Theatre. Each actor was strong and believable. Eric Knutson, whom I have enjoyed seeing at the Commonweal, was particularly delightful in his role as McGee's handyman. I have to say, though, that I saw the story surprise coming very early in the play.
Sally Childs did an excellent job making use of a nice-looking, functional set which spanned Italy, Ireland, and Staggerford, Minnesota between its proscenium. Father O'Hannnon's office space seemed a bit prominent for how little it was actually used, but there wasn't much more that could really be done about it.
My only 'complaint' was the character of Agatha McGee. Having read two or three Staggerford novels myself, I'd come to a pretty clear picture of the lady in my mind, and Cheryl Frarck wasn't at all what I'd imagined. She did a marvelous job, but she wasn't the 'type' that I had expected.
Still, all in all, it was a wonderful evening of theatre.
based on the novel by Jon Hassler
director: Sally Childs
cast: Cheryl Frarck, Robert Gardner, Eric Knutson, Coralee Grebe, Joe Ulwelling
set design: Erica Zaffarano, Paul Skattum
lighting: Benjamin Hain
costume: Barb Portinga
Upright, stallwart citizen of Staggerford, Agatha McGee, carries on a platonic relationship with an Irish priest ... which has the tongues of the town wagging.
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I have to admit that I am not familiar with the novel on which this play is based, despite a strong appreciation for Hassler's books, so I can't write at all to the faithfulness of this adaptation.
The story as presented on stage, was well-planned and well-delivered.
Once again I am impressed with the quality of the talent that I see on stage at the Hassler Theatre. Each actor was strong and believable. Eric Knutson, whom I have enjoyed seeing at the Commonweal, was particularly delightful in his role as McGee's handyman. I have to say, though, that I saw the story surprise coming very early in the play.
Sally Childs did an excellent job making use of a nice-looking, functional set which spanned Italy, Ireland, and Staggerford, Minnesota between its proscenium. Father O'Hannnon's office space seemed a bit prominent for how little it was actually used, but there wasn't much more that could really be done about it.
My only 'complaint' was the character of Agatha McGee. Having read two or three Staggerford novels myself, I'd come to a pretty clear picture of the lady in my mind, and Cheryl Frarck wasn't at all what I'd imagined. She did a marvelous job, but she wasn't the 'type' that I had expected.
Still, all in all, it was a wonderful evening of theatre.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
TAKE NOTE! 3RD ANNUAL SPRING CONCERT - Rushford Area Society of the Arts
Director: Judy MyersFeatured Soloist: Mariah Helen Ciangiola
An assortment of musical theatre-related songs.
"Put On A Happy Face"
"A Lot of Livin' to Do"
-- Bye, Bye Birdie
"They Call the Wind Maria"
-- Paint Your Wagon
Selections from My Fair Lady
Selections from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
"The Joy of Motherhood"
-- Honk!
Selections from Guys and Dolls
"How Are Things in Glocca Morra?"
-- Finian's Rainbow
"I Got Love"
-- Purlie
Selections from George M
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The typical fare from this small-town group of animated, enthusiastic singers.
Guest singer, Ciangiola, has a beautiful, strong voice.
Monday, May 18, 2009
RUSHFORD-PETERSON SPRING VOCAL CONCERT -- Rushford-Peterson Schools
High School Gym
Directors: Dianna Poppe, Burton Svendsen
High School Choir:
"You'll Be In My Heart"
"Hushabye Mountain"
"Your Song"
"Colors of the Wind"
Grades 4&5
"Oleana"
"Wayfaring Stranger"
"Route 66"
"Follow the Drinking Gourd"
"The Pirate Song"
Grades 1,2, and 3
Feathers, Scales and Furry Tails
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Another, typical school concert. The high school students performed quite well, but could definitely use more male voices in the choir. Although a relatively small group, you can tell that it's a group of people who enjoy doing it.
The fourth and fifth graders are fun to watch. The director gives them plenty of hand-motion action to keep them active and involved. A fun time.
The younger students are always cute. They perform a short musical play, with selected students getting the opportunity to have a speaking or solo role.
A delightful evening.
Directors: Dianna Poppe, Burton Svendsen
High School Choir:
"You'll Be In My Heart"
"Hushabye Mountain"
"Your Song"
"Colors of the Wind"
Grades 4&5
"Oleana"
"Wayfaring Stranger"
"Route 66"
"Follow the Drinking Gourd"
"The Pirate Song"
Grades 1,2, and 3
Feathers, Scales and Furry Tails
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Another, typical school concert. The high school students performed quite well, but could definitely use more male voices in the choir. Although a relatively small group, you can tell that it's a group of people who enjoy doing it.
The fourth and fifth graders are fun to watch. The director gives them plenty of hand-motion action to keep them active and involved. A fun time.
The younger students are always cute. They perform a short musical play, with selected students getting the opportunity to have a speaking or solo role.
A delightful evening.
Friday, May 15, 2009
CHECK, PLEASE 1,2 & 3 -- Rushford-Peterson High School
playwright: Jonathan Rand
The amusing stories of dates-gone-wrong!
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R-P put together three one-act plays to give us one wonderful evening of laughs. The kids did a great job of understanding who they were and putting it across to the audience. Taking all three plays together actually gave us more of a storyline, which was nice. I had not seen 2 & 3 before (though I had read them).
A fun evening.
The amusing stories of dates-gone-wrong!
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R-P put together three one-act plays to give us one wonderful evening of laughs. The kids did a great job of understanding who they were and putting it across to the audience. Taking all three plays together actually gave us more of a storyline, which was nice. I had not seen 2 & 3 before (though I had read them).
A fun evening.
Friday, April 03, 2009
CELEBRATION OF YOUNG MUSICIANS FESTIVAL -- Minnesota Music Educators
Lanesboro High SchoolSelect students in 4th, 5th, and 6th grades from area schools participate in a groups concert. Schools represented were:
Caledonia
Holy Redeemer
LanesboroMabel-Canton
Rushford-Peterson
Songs presented were:
"Oleana" -- Jeanne Julseth-Heinrich
"Wayfaring Stranger" -- Southern American Song (arr. Shelly Cooper)
"Follow the Drinking Gourd" -- Traditional Spiritual (arr. Rollo A. Dilworth)
"Peace on Earth...and lots of little crickets" -- Paul Carey
"Route 66" -- Bobby Troup (arr. Roger Emerson)
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This is the third year in a row that I've been to this concert. I've always enjoyed it. The music is fun and the folk dancing a real treat to watch.
This year's festival was perhaps my least favorite. The singing seemed to go by too fast, without any real energy. The dancing was predictable. I'm sure that I've seen these same dances two years ago.
Still, though, a fun time and a great experience for these students.
Friday, March 27, 2009
A CHORUS LINE -- Saint Mary's University
conceived, originally directed & choreographed by: Michael Bennettco-choreographed by: Bob Avian
music: Marvin Hamlisch
book: James Kirkwood & Nicholas Dante
lyrics: Edward Kleban
director: Judy Myers
music director: Jan Matson
choreographer: Christine Martin
set design: Kit Mayer
lighting designer: Tim Schmall
costume designer: Alice Flo
cast: Alex Gorgone, Jarod Boltjes, Bryan Moore, Darrell Fair, Nick Montecalvo, Matthew Gorgone, Peter Snell, Matt Polum, Tom Conry, Neil Heacox, Krista Hingtgen, Nora Richards, Ali Fisch, Alyssa Schlageter, Maggie Allexsant, Katie Keck, Whitney Rappana, Laura Flicek, Joanna Mills, Nicole Volner, Colleen Joyce, Madeleine Bryant, Allison Johnson, Michelle Cullen, Anna Holley
The musical story of a group of dancers auditioning to be part of the chorus for a new musical.
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I had some trepidation going to see this musical. It is not a story musical, and more than the 'revue' types of shows, this show NEEDS to have strong dancing. Seeing a college production, in a school with no dance major and only a recently-introduced dance minor, I was fearful that the dancing would bring this show down.
Fortunately my fears were mostly unfounded.
This production was nearly as strong now as the touring production I was back in... what?... 1980?
Particularly strong (and it was fortunate that he led the way) was Bryan Moore as "Mike" with his song "I Can Do That." He sang well, danced well, and ended with the nice flip that was needed to conclude the number.
Also strong was Nora Virginia Richards as "Shiela." She had just the right amount of 'bitchy' attitude that she came across exactly the way the character should.
It's hard to pick out who stands out because really, the ensemble was quite good. The dance for Music and the Mirror got more than a little repetitive, but really, if there's any actual 'negative' to the evening it would be the ending.
First...it took too long to happen. The band vamped for quite a long time before the first group of dancers came out, and no one seemed to understand WHO was coming out, so they didn't understand that this was supposed to be the curtain call.
Also...while the costumes generally seemed appropriate, the ending costumes didn't impress and 'wow' the way that I think they usually should.
Still...a really great university production and one which I've recommended!
Friday, March 13, 2009
PRIVATE EYES -- Commonweal Theatre Apprentice Company
playwright: Steven Dietz
A play of deception in which the characters are rehearsing a play. Or are they? Is the affair real, or part of the rehearsal?
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This group of apprentice actors did a phenomenal job bringing the misdirection and questions to the forefront.
Although a simple story, it seemed quite complicated because of Dietz's careful writing. the performances were tight and believable. I'd like to see these apprentices with more stage time!
A play of deception in which the characters are rehearsing a play. Or are they? Is the affair real, or part of the rehearsal?
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This group of apprentice actors did a phenomenal job bringing the misdirection and questions to the forefront.
Although a simple story, it seemed quite complicated because of Dietz's careful writing. the performances were tight and believable. I'd like to see these apprentices with more stage time!
Friday, February 13, 2009
DANCESCAPE 2009 -- Winona State University
"Tracking""Pretty"
"Analyze This"
"My Ena Me"
"Honor the Water"
"Confluence"
"Soy Mi Propia Persona"
"Spider Vs. ..."
"Torn Open"
"Traced Visceral Space"
"Cool"
A collection of short, student dance pieces.
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"Dancescape" is a tradition at Winona State University, though I haven't seen a production since the 1980's, when it had a different name. Still, the basic premise is the same: students and dance teachers choreograph short numbers and put them together in one large production.
I actually enjoyed quite a few of the numbers, for different reasons. Whether it was a nifty idea that was well expanded upon ("Tracking"; "Traced Visceral Space"), or nice choreography and execution ("Soy Mi Propia Persona"; "Cool") it generally had me entranced.
A few numbers fell WELL short of their mark. "My Ena Me" and "Spider Vs..." were not just off-beat, off-the-wall, they lacked a cohesiveness to their pieces.
The 'showcase' number was a dance called "Honor the Water," performed with the In The Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre. Sadly, this wasn't even a dance. It was a weak, overly didactic piece of exposition. It was embarassing. It had lots of potential, lots of great masks to work with, but there was no substance. Someone definitely needs to look a little harder at these guest pieces!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
2009 SUB-SECTION 1A ONE-ACT PLAY FESTIVAL -- MSHSL
Rushford-Peterson High School Theatre
Area high schools compete with one act plays. the top two move on to the next round.
Schools in this round/director are:
Houston/Gwynne Mishler
Mabel-Canton/Lindsey Harman
Fillmore Central/Jackie Whitacre
Spring Grove/Sarah J. Hooand
Rushford-Peterson/Forrest Musselman
Plays are:
"The Veldt" by Ray Bradbury
"Caution: Politrics" by Alan Haehnel
"Relative Strangers" by Sheri Wilner
"This is a Test" by Stephen Gregg
"A Jury of Her Peers" by Burton Bumgarner
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This was probably one of the tougher years for sub-section. Most of the plays were to-notch.
"The Veldt" was well put-together and had lots of great effects, but the acting was weak.
"Caution: Politrics" was a delightful play. Well-written and well performed, this had a lot going for it. What it lacked, was some change. It was delivered a bit even. Could have used a bit more direction.
I have to be honest and say that I don't remember much about "Relative Strangers." It must have been the weakest of the shows that day as I can remember all the rest.
"This is a Test" is a popular play and I saw it performed nearly flawlessly at State a few years ago. This performance was weak and sloppy. It relied on a funny script to carry it. the lead male was okay, but the rest of the cast didn't seem to know their cues.
"A Jury of Her Peers" was a strange, slow-moving play, but it was executed quite well. Actors were strong and direction clear. A well done play.
My choice for top two would have been: "Caution: Politrics" and "A Jury of Her Peers." The two shows moving on were, in order, "The Veldt" and "This is a Test".
Area high schools compete with one act plays. the top two move on to the next round.
Schools in this round/director are:
Houston/Gwynne Mishler
Mabel-Canton/Lindsey Harman
Fillmore Central/Jackie Whitacre
Spring Grove/Sarah J. Hooand
Rushford-Peterson/Forrest Musselman
Plays are:
"The Veldt" by Ray Bradbury
"Caution: Politrics" by Alan Haehnel
"Relative Strangers" by Sheri Wilner
"This is a Test" by Stephen Gregg
"A Jury of Her Peers" by Burton Bumgarner
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This was probably one of the tougher years for sub-section. Most of the plays were to-notch.
"The Veldt" was well put-together and had lots of great effects, but the acting was weak.
"Caution: Politrics" was a delightful play. Well-written and well performed, this had a lot going for it. What it lacked, was some change. It was delivered a bit even. Could have used a bit more direction.
I have to be honest and say that I don't remember much about "Relative Strangers." It must have been the weakest of the shows that day as I can remember all the rest.
"This is a Test" is a popular play and I saw it performed nearly flawlessly at State a few years ago. This performance was weak and sloppy. It relied on a funny script to carry it. the lead male was okay, but the rest of the cast didn't seem to know their cues.
"A Jury of Her Peers" was a strange, slow-moving play, but it was executed quite well. Actors were strong and direction clear. A well done play.
My choice for top two would have been: "Caution: Politrics" and "A Jury of Her Peers." The two shows moving on were, in order, "The Veldt" and "This is a Test".
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
THREE RIVERS ONE ACT CONFERENCE -- Wabasha-Kellogg High School
The Three Rivers Conference One-Act Play Competition. Schools compete, in preparation for the more important Sub-Section competition the following weekend.
Schools and plays at this meet:
Lewiston-Altua -- "Conflict" by Wade Bradford
Rushford-Peterson -- "The Veldt" by Ray Bradbury
Fillmore Central -- "A Jury of Her Peers" by Burton Bumgarner
Dover-Eyota -- "Oprah Made Me Do It" by Bradley Hayward
St. Charles -- "Art" by Yasmina Reza
Kingsland -- "I Never Saw Another Butterfly" by Celeste Raspanti
Wabasha-Kellogg -- "A Play With Words" by Peter Bloedel
Southland -- "Circumvention" by Anton Dudley
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A tough, full day of plays, with some tough choices to make for the judges. I did not see the final play, by Southland, but did see all the rest. None of them stood out as being exceptional and ready for competition.
Overall, I'd have to say I enjoyed Dover-Eyota's the most. Good script, and a very good job of acting with the script. The end got a bit bogged down -- both with the script and the acting (over-doing it), but I felt it was the best performance for the day.
St. Charles, always a strong contender, had a fairly solid show, but the acting choices seemed very inappropriate. These girls did not seem to fit their roles and I never sensed that the play grew.
Wabasha-Kellogg seemed adept, but unpolished. Sadly, I think that this is as good as they get, which isn't bad, but it's not strong enough to take them to State. A little too much random blocking and straight lines, for my tastes.
Lewiston-Altura's showing was not bad, but needed a stronger hand at direction. Straight lines and lack of focus (and upstaging/mugging) will keep them from moving on.
Rushford-Peterson was maybe the most ambitious but weakest of what I saw. Lots of technology (video and sound) on a nice set, but someone forgot to work with the actors. Of all the actors on stage, I could only hear and understand two of them without straining, and one of them I couldn't hear at all. Blocking appeared random on their tight set. Characters seemed good, strong, but without any vocal quality it is hard to say for certain.
Fillmore Central's play bored me. That's all. Just bored me. I couldn't wait for it to be over. No momentum. No peaks or valleys. Just slow. Painful. Talking.
But for me, perhaps the dullest play of the day was Kingsland's holocaust piece. Perhaps I'm just a little cranky about it, but I am tired of 'high drama' holocaust plays in the festival. Seems there's always at least one. This one played that drama from the very start, even when the children were supposed to be at their happiest, so it had nowhere to go.
I'm still not sure how I would rank these plays, but the top three for me would be: Dover-Eyota, St. Charles, and ... a tie for Wabasha-Kellogg, Rushford-Peterson, Fillmore Central, and maybe even Lewiston-Altura. None were strong, and none really deserved a first place.
Actual results:
1st - St. Charles
2nd - Wabasha-Kellogg
3rd - Dover-Eyota
4th - Fillmore Central
5th - (tie) Lewiston-Altura, Rushford-Peterson, Kingsland
8th - Southland
Schools and plays at this meet:
Lewiston-Altua -- "Conflict" by Wade Bradford
Rushford-Peterson -- "The Veldt" by Ray Bradbury
Fillmore Central -- "A Jury of Her Peers" by Burton Bumgarner
Dover-Eyota -- "Oprah Made Me Do It" by Bradley Hayward
St. Charles -- "Art" by Yasmina Reza
Kingsland -- "I Never Saw Another Butterfly" by Celeste Raspanti
Wabasha-Kellogg -- "A Play With Words" by Peter Bloedel
Southland -- "Circumvention" by Anton Dudley
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A tough, full day of plays, with some tough choices to make for the judges. I did not see the final play, by Southland, but did see all the rest. None of them stood out as being exceptional and ready for competition.
Overall, I'd have to say I enjoyed Dover-Eyota's the most. Good script, and a very good job of acting with the script. The end got a bit bogged down -- both with the script and the acting (over-doing it), but I felt it was the best performance for the day.
St. Charles, always a strong contender, had a fairly solid show, but the acting choices seemed very inappropriate. These girls did not seem to fit their roles and I never sensed that the play grew.
Wabasha-Kellogg seemed adept, but unpolished. Sadly, I think that this is as good as they get, which isn't bad, but it's not strong enough to take them to State. A little too much random blocking and straight lines, for my tastes.
Lewiston-Altura's showing was not bad, but needed a stronger hand at direction. Straight lines and lack of focus (and upstaging/mugging) will keep them from moving on.
Rushford-Peterson was maybe the most ambitious but weakest of what I saw. Lots of technology (video and sound) on a nice set, but someone forgot to work with the actors. Of all the actors on stage, I could only hear and understand two of them without straining, and one of them I couldn't hear at all. Blocking appeared random on their tight set. Characters seemed good, strong, but without any vocal quality it is hard to say for certain.
Fillmore Central's play bored me. That's all. Just bored me. I couldn't wait for it to be over. No momentum. No peaks or valleys. Just slow. Painful. Talking.
But for me, perhaps the dullest play of the day was Kingsland's holocaust piece. Perhaps I'm just a little cranky about it, but I am tired of 'high drama' holocaust plays in the festival. Seems there's always at least one. This one played that drama from the very start, even when the children were supposed to be at their happiest, so it had nowhere to go.
I'm still not sure how I would rank these plays, but the top three for me would be: Dover-Eyota, St. Charles, and ... a tie for Wabasha-Kellogg, Rushford-Peterson, Fillmore Central, and maybe even Lewiston-Altura. None were strong, and none really deserved a first place.
Actual results:
1st - St. Charles
2nd - Wabasha-Kellogg
3rd - Dover-Eyota
4th - Fillmore Central
5th - (tie) Lewiston-Altura, Rushford-Peterson, Kingsland
8th - Southland
Saturday, January 17, 2009
"A PERFORMANCE OF THE ABSURD" -- Winona State University Department of Theatre and Dance
Samuel Beckett's Play and Theatre II.Director: Ryan Hawkins
Performers: Maggie Jansse, Mallory Prise, Kate Billison, Ryan Hawkins, Kristen Payette, Anna Kuhnen
An evening of absurdist theatre.
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I'm a big fan of absurdist theatre, but this evening didn't grab me as I had hoped. Even theatre of the absurd has to be done carefully, and with precision -- perhaps more-so since it doesn't have the easier-to-follow structure and story-line.
Unfortunately, this student-directed series of short plays seemed to be about a series of tableaus rather than a carefully constructed set of plays. I never got a sense that the actors understood what they were doing -- they were reciting strange lines. What is the purpose? Why are they saying what they're saying?
It was a tough evening to sit through.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
ICE MAIDENS -- Commonweal Theatre Company
director: Scott Dixon
set: Kit Mayer
lighting: Jason Underferth
costumes: David Hennessey
sound: Andy Waltzer
World Premiere.
An estranged daughter returns to her Minnesota hometown to find that the shadow of a family tragedy still hangs heavy over the household. Past wounds are torn open, secrets are revealved, and a family finds itself facing one last chance to come together or break apart forever.
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This is a new play, and part of a the Commonweal's 'new play' series.
I generally really liked this production. The story was strong and interesting. One minor moment was unintentionally misleading, and it's a moment that I hope will get corrected as the playwright continues to refine the work.
Overall I think that this play could have a long life in the community theatre circuit.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
ONE ACT PLAY FESTIVAL 2008 -- Word Players
Crossings at Carnegie, Zumbrota, MN
A collection of one-act plays written by young authors (all authors under the age of twenty-one), and a short film.
Plays are:
Head in the Skies by Colum Driscoll
Journee de Triste by Molly Miller
Private Defective by Nick Rudlong
Sawdust Restaurants by Colum Driscoll
and the film, A Ringing of Doorbells by Thornton Wilder.
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I like supporting young artists, which was my reason for attending. The opportunity to find some fresh talent is always exciting. Too bad that I was probably the only non-relative in attendance.
Or maybe it wasn't too bad.
There is definitely some talent here, but it most certainly needs to be worked. Get these writers into some classes! Learn about dramatic structure! Then, let somebody direct who has no other involvement. All of these plays could have benefitted from an un-biased eye at the helm.
What I found were very typical young author fare... lots of philosophical and existential questions, posing as dramatic theatre. This isn't unusual. These authors are at the right age to be asking these questions, and their interest in theatre is their outlet. This is wonderful. It really is. And it's great that there is this opportunity for them.
But theatre is a dialogue. It's a dialogue between characters on the stage, and a dialogue between the playwright and the audience. What we had here, really was less dialogue than it was a series of monologues and dissertations. Rather than involving the audience by drawing us in, we were kept back ... shown a series of characters with flaws and eternal questions.
I've written these plays myself, or at least plays very much like these, so I understand where they are coming from. Good early efforts, but it's time to move on.
Specifically....
It's hard to comment on Head in the Skies because I couldn't hear much of it. The live piano underscoring was too loud for the little space, and the young actors had trouble understanding that there was something to project over. I liked the idea, based on the author's notes in the program, but I never really got a sense that any of these people wanted something better than what they had. None of them seemed to have their head in the skies, but rather seemed firmly and comfortably planted right where they were.
Journee de Triste is so like some of my early works, that I completely understood it. It definitely needed a stronger hand controlling it, but like so many existential ideas, it's hard to convey what's really happening. The author's biggest mistake is to write nearly as much ABOUT the play as the play itself. If the play doesn't make itself understood, then there's a problem. I shouldn't need a page and a half to tell me what's going to happen.
Private Defective had many moments of humor, and the information before the performance, that it came from an improv routine, was dreadfully obvious. A little more tightening on the script would have been helpful. Throw out some of those funny lines if they don't work in the context of the play. That's a hard lesson to learn. We want to keep in everything that's funny. But save it for another play.
Maybe the strongest piece of the night, Sawdust Restaurants had the most semblance of a play, with some actual conversation, but still not enough. Driscoll's main character, played by himself, still tended to speak in monologues rather than dialogues, and rather than showing us who he is (it's a play! -- be visual!) he had to constantly tell us. So the character's an enigma. He lies all the time. Show us he lies by lying, and lying again. He doesn't need to say, "I'm a liar." The audience is smart and can figure it out if you do the work ahead of time.
In a rare moment of plot, the sister reveals to the audience that her fiancee is there in the restaurant with us, but she's been hiding this fact. So intriguing! I wanted to see the plot through. Instead, they all went off stage.
Driscoll should not be allowed to act in his own plays. His work is very personal to him and he internalizes all the emotions, bringing everything down. He would benefit by sitting and watching his words take shape -- watching someone else say what he's thinking and feeling.
The short film was okay. Thornton Wilder's words made the plot interesting. Hopefully these youngsters learned a little something about how cameras work with the variety of lighting in the room!
A collection of one-act plays written by young authors (all authors under the age of twenty-one), and a short film.
Plays are:
Head in the Skies by Colum Driscoll
Journee de Triste by Molly Miller
Private Defective by Nick Rudlong
Sawdust Restaurants by Colum Driscoll
and the film, A Ringing of Doorbells by Thornton Wilder.
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I like supporting young artists, which was my reason for attending. The opportunity to find some fresh talent is always exciting. Too bad that I was probably the only non-relative in attendance.
Or maybe it wasn't too bad.
There is definitely some talent here, but it most certainly needs to be worked. Get these writers into some classes! Learn about dramatic structure! Then, let somebody direct who has no other involvement. All of these plays could have benefitted from an un-biased eye at the helm.
What I found were very typical young author fare... lots of philosophical and existential questions, posing as dramatic theatre. This isn't unusual. These authors are at the right age to be asking these questions, and their interest in theatre is their outlet. This is wonderful. It really is. And it's great that there is this opportunity for them.
But theatre is a dialogue. It's a dialogue between characters on the stage, and a dialogue between the playwright and the audience. What we had here, really was less dialogue than it was a series of monologues and dissertations. Rather than involving the audience by drawing us in, we were kept back ... shown a series of characters with flaws and eternal questions.
I've written these plays myself, or at least plays very much like these, so I understand where they are coming from. Good early efforts, but it's time to move on.
Specifically....
It's hard to comment on Head in the Skies because I couldn't hear much of it. The live piano underscoring was too loud for the little space, and the young actors had trouble understanding that there was something to project over. I liked the idea, based on the author's notes in the program, but I never really got a sense that any of these people wanted something better than what they had. None of them seemed to have their head in the skies, but rather seemed firmly and comfortably planted right where they were.
Journee de Triste is so like some of my early works, that I completely understood it. It definitely needed a stronger hand controlling it, but like so many existential ideas, it's hard to convey what's really happening. The author's biggest mistake is to write nearly as much ABOUT the play as the play itself. If the play doesn't make itself understood, then there's a problem. I shouldn't need a page and a half to tell me what's going to happen.
Private Defective had many moments of humor, and the information before the performance, that it came from an improv routine, was dreadfully obvious. A little more tightening on the script would have been helpful. Throw out some of those funny lines if they don't work in the context of the play. That's a hard lesson to learn. We want to keep in everything that's funny. But save it for another play.
Maybe the strongest piece of the night, Sawdust Restaurants had the most semblance of a play, with some actual conversation, but still not enough. Driscoll's main character, played by himself, still tended to speak in monologues rather than dialogues, and rather than showing us who he is (it's a play! -- be visual!) he had to constantly tell us. So the character's an enigma. He lies all the time. Show us he lies by lying, and lying again. He doesn't need to say, "I'm a liar." The audience is smart and can figure it out if you do the work ahead of time.
In a rare moment of plot, the sister reveals to the audience that her fiancee is there in the restaurant with us, but she's been hiding this fact. So intriguing! I wanted to see the plot through. Instead, they all went off stage.
Driscoll should not be allowed to act in his own plays. His work is very personal to him and he internalizes all the emotions, bringing everything down. He would benefit by sitting and watching his words take shape -- watching someone else say what he's thinking and feeling.
The short film was okay. Thornton Wilder's words made the plot interesting. Hopefully these youngsters learned a little something about how cameras work with the variety of lighting in the room!
Friday, October 17, 2008
THE WIZARD OF OZ -- Rushford Society of the Arts & Priaire Fire Children's Theatre
playwright(s): Daniel Nordquist & Deborah Pick
directors/actors: Ben Ratkowski & ErinRose Sincevich
The classic Baum story brought to life by elementary school students.
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First, I do find it interesting that L. Frank Baum is not credited at all anywhere. He did write the novel that this was based on, after all.
Second, I generally do not think much of this kind of theatre. I suppose, in some ways, it's better than no theatre at all, but most of these kids have a totally wrong perception of what theatre is. I know this for a fact as I have directed some of them after they've 'graduated' out of Prairire Fire and in to real theatre. Most of them are in for a really big surprise.
That out of the way, I did have an enjoyable time at this production. There were some cute parts, though some of the lead actors definitely over-acted. I also didn't enjoy the 'extra' characters (Winkies and Traders). But for the characters that did a good job, they did a very good job. I think that this type of production definitely sets people apart -- the talented, out-going, from the nots.
directors/actors: Ben Ratkowski & ErinRose Sincevich
The classic Baum story brought to life by elementary school students.
#####
First, I do find it interesting that L. Frank Baum is not credited at all anywhere. He did write the novel that this was based on, after all.
Second, I generally do not think much of this kind of theatre. I suppose, in some ways, it's better than no theatre at all, but most of these kids have a totally wrong perception of what theatre is. I know this for a fact as I have directed some of them after they've 'graduated' out of Prairire Fire and in to real theatre. Most of them are in for a really big surprise.
That out of the way, I did have an enjoyable time at this production. There were some cute parts, though some of the lead actors definitely over-acted. I also didn't enjoy the 'extra' characters (Winkies and Traders). But for the characters that did a good job, they did a very good job. I think that this type of production definitely sets people apart -- the talented, out-going, from the nots.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
THE 13 CLOCKS -- WSU Department of Theatre & Dance
WSU Performing Arts Center Main Stagestory: James Thurber
script: Frank Lowe
director: Vivan Fusillo
cast: Tyler Brown, Matthew Matuseki, Kate Billison, Charles Wallace, Kristin Payette, Lucy Urban, Ryan Hawkins, MaKenzie Birchell, Ryan Stefani, Kelly Jo Vanderiet
Set/Lighting Designer: Peggy Sannerud
Costume Designer: Cynthia Jennings
Sound Designer: Ryan Hawkins
Thurber's fantasy tale of a prince, trying to win the hand of a princess, but first he must succeed at the Duke's required quest.
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It was nice to see Vivan's work on stage again. The creative spirit is still alive and this entertaining play certainly captivates the youngsters.
Cynthia Jenning's costumes and the make-up design is wonderful. Creative, simple, yet memorable.
Mr. Hawkins is quite wonderful as Gollux. His command of his body is perfect for a Vivian children's play. His lanky frame helps him define the character.
A fun evening!
Thursday, October 09, 2008
ENCHANTED APRIL -- Jon Hassler Theater
playright: Matthew Barberdirector: Matt Sciple
cast: Ellen Apel, Karen Weber, Katie Guentzel, Meri Golden, Dale Pfeilsticker, Alan Sorenson, Nathan Surprenant, Jane Hammill
set design: Erica Zaffarano
lighting design: Benjamin Hain
costume design: Kari Olson
sound design: Carter Martin
In 1920s London, two middle-aged women from the same church find that they are both seeking relief from the endless rain and their unsatisfying marriages. Pooling their resources, they rent a villa in Italy and set about finding two other women to travel with them and share expenses. Accompanied by a young socialite and a snooty dowager, the ladies find rejuvenation under sunny Italian skies. When their husbands unexpectedly arrive on the tranquil scene, chaos and comedy ensue!
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It's hard to believe that this play (not this production) was a Tony nominee. There are SO many problems with the script. I plan to read the original novel and watch the films, if I can, to compare.
With a script that seems so ... wrong ... it's hard to judge the rest of the production, but I'll try.
The direction didn't help much. The entire first act played at one, even pace, and while slightly elevated, the second act also mostly played at an even pace. Opportunities to bring some energy into the show (the appearance of the husbands) was generally squandered. Mellersh's amusing bath incident was a lively and enjoyable side-track, but really it was the only one.
Ellen Apel as "Lottie," the motivating character behind it all, was quite good. She seemed to posess the appropriate amount of wide-eyed wonder. Her attempts to copy the 'modern' were delightful.
Karen Weber's "Rose" was morose. While important to see her in an unhappy situation at home, we never really saw any spark in her. Nothing to lead us to believe that Antony could really fall for her, and certainly no reason for her husband to suddenly, and without any reason, spurn his lover.
We know the least about the 'modern,' Lady Caroline (played by Katie Guentzel) and yet she seems to be a pivotal character. This leads to nothing but difficult choices for the actor and director. How do we keep her mysterious and yet so important? Here is one of the areas in which the script simply doesn't help. We don't really know why she's fallen for Rose's husband and we don't know how she so easily seems to fall right in to Antony's charms. And of course there's her drinking 'problem.' Is it important? You might think so, since it's so pointedly portrayed, and yet ... well, it goes nowhere.
Dale Pfeilsticker appears to be a wonderful character actor, but I can't help wonder if it was the right choice. He is so unusual that we like having him on stage, and yet...how is the marriage between this character and Lottie's unique character, possibly boring?! It would seem to me that Mellersh needed to be a much drier person.
Meri Goldem, as "Mrs. Graves" was wonderful. She managed both the dry, Victorian, old lady AND the changed, relaxed, personna quite well.
The others were all quite good, though the script and direction kept them mostly unremarkable.
The set was efficient, though perhaps a bit sparse (particularly Act I). The costumes fine.
I was hoping for a bit more, on this, my second visit to the Hassler. Though not a terrible production, it wasn't what I was looking for, and likely not as good as it could have been.
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