Sunday, August 24, 2014
Day 2 in Creede
Day 2 in Creede! Got to spend some time with Kate before her set of shows today. We are outside the Ruth theatre here.
First show of the day at the Ruth theatre was 'Hope and Gravity' by Michael Hollinger. I'll be seeing Ghost-Writer by the same author in a couple of weeks at the Spinning Tree Theatre in Kansas City.
There are shows that are created by actors for actors, or shows that highlight technical elements that cannot be divorced from the production.
'Hope and Gravity' is a writer's production. Two of the play's characters are writers, and the engine is the perspective of a writer. I appreciate and love large productions, but what I love about live theatre is the smaller dialogue exchanges that actors realistically volley back and forth.
Hollinger and Mamet are similar in this way - heartbreaking, believable misses and choices that are wrapped up in small moments that are expanded to bigger themes. Can we take something small to be a sign, or a miracle, even if it's a catastrophe?
As the author says himself, "Theatre dares to promise that we'll be more interested after sitting in our seats for two hours than we were when we first sat down. So we're all aspiring to engage an audience of fellow human beings, to thrill them, educate them, move them, then release them and send them home, hopefully with a little piece of ourselves inside."
The set pieces, which had to change to go back and forth in time and place, were impeccably executed. Even though the scenes were cut out of order and referred back on others, it was able to be followed. Mandy Heath and Jacob Welch created a deep and gorgeous lighting design that helped drive realism when it was needed but created a beautiful back glow on the most gorgeous tree set piece. Original music, by Tina Watson and Jake Harbour, became its own character and set the tone the moment the audience entered the space. All of the actors were impeccable, but I was most impressed with John Arp. I didn't realize until afterwards that he played both roles of Marty and Douglas as his physical and vocal range were so varied. I wish I could watch this show at least one more time before we had to leave.
In true repertory (whiplash style), the evening production, 'The Secret Affairs of Mildred Wild,' was a prop and costume heavy production. At the pre-show talk with the dramaturg, she explained this show was from the "magical realism" genre; a woman uses movies to escape her mundane life.
The stage manager, Leigh'Ann Andrews, has to be in top form during every show. There are phones ringing, flying rocks, a King Kong hand, a live phone conversation paired with TV background noise, and actors going in and out of trap doors. There were some hiccups in tonight's show - some missed phone ring cues, some forgotten song lyrics - but for the amount of insanity it was well executed. Christy Brandt, 40 year CRT legend, played Helen Wild in the 1976 production of Mildred Wild, and is now reprising her role. What longevity with one company, and how fun to reprise a role years later!
The show was stolen by Zlatomir Moldovanski, who hammed it up in a fairy dancing girl outfit, a Mammy (Gone With the Wind) outfit, and a sleazy 1970s producer. I would have loved to see more of him in an improv capacity this weekend.
As our theatre weekend vacation comes to a close, we are so grateful we came. Creede Repertory Theatre has a rich history and a bright future; I am sure their 50th season will be a great celebration next year.
Www.creederep.org
Www.spinningtreetheatre.com
Saturday, August 23, 2014
On the Road to Creede Repertory Theatre
Www.creederep.org
My husband and I are in the middle of a trip to see 4 shows at Creede Repertory Theatre in Creede, Colorado. Kate Berry, an actor friend from college, is in three of the four shows. This is a true repertory style theatre performance schedule. (Yes, KC Rep, I'm looking at you.) It is fascinating how similar Creede is to Mt. Carroll, Illinois and how both small towns can hold these absolute jewels of professional Theatres.
How absolutely lucky and wonderful, especially for the youth of these communities to grow up with live theatre in their backyard (a block from the school.) Now that I've written that, I realize that everything in Creede is about a block from everything else, but it still paints the picture.
Tonight was closing night of Annie get your Gun and then Boomtown (improv). In reviewing Kate Berry, I'm extremely biased, cause we drove here to see her - but her comedy delivery really was exceptional. She was over the top, but her physical movements weren't so big and flailing that it distracted from what she was communicating. She was perfect.
It's amazing having a young actor in your head from college and then seeing a professional years later. I kept telling my husband that I had to keep myself from crying even though Kate was playing an extremely funny part. I was just very proud of her and everything she's worked on. I can't wait to see her again tomorrow.
I know more about the technical side- but first impressions are that CRT is run like a well oiled machine. It may be that we are here at the end of the season, but man, the trains run on time. The house is run efficiently, even though we watched staff an actors run from one theatre to the next, from one show to the next. The artistic directors take great pride in their spaces, and they are decorated accordingly and tell the story of who they are and what they stand for as a theatre company.
Annie was a lively and fun production with a lot of moving parts - set pieces, costumes, singing, and dancing. They kept the set simple with the actors moving the pieces themselves and breaking the fourth wall by calling the changes. It looked effortless, and fun, but the backbone was hours of hard work. Well done.
Emily Van Fleet and Sean Thompson were impeccable as Annie Oakley and Frank Butler. The roles, in the physicality and the singing gymnastics, require the very best and they were up to the task. They had to to tread a fine line of being expressive and funny without being caricatures, which is always the challenge in musical theatre.
Ann Pittman was another actor, Winnie Tate and others, that caught my attention as a younger actor that was able to sparkle in a supporting role. I will be interested to see the range she can provide in other characters as she grows in her craft.
After a delightful showing of Annie, many of the cast went to perform an improv show, Boomtown, at the Ruth. Caitlin Wise, is a bundle of energy that bounced from part to part. She came across as a little scary when she played the part of the internet at one point. Jessica Jackson was absolutely insane - black garbage bags over casts, really? John Diantonio was on this kick about murdering birds, which was frightenly hilarious.
At times, the actors just looked exhausted watching one another in the sketches (one may have dozed off, I won't tell) but they put on a great improv after most of them were in two shows of Annie Get Your Gun earlier. It may be the mom in me, but that may be a bit much! Or, actors are a little bit more insane than the rest of us? Or both.
Can't wait for tomorrow!
Friday, August 8, 2014
Creating our own theatre company
We are moving forward with two Saturdays of play reading and workshopping, and then we will move into more formal rehearsals. We are going to investigate creating a non profit association for our theatre company, but we need to meet some lawyers to get advice on how to create that. I don't think we will buy our own space; but renting should work for the time being.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)