Show Tonight

Season Review: Collage

birds last bow

Because every great cast and crew deserves a final bow after a hard job done well!

birds
by Jennifer Maisel

DIRECTED BY: Wendy McClellan

PRODUCED BY: Jenny McConnell Frederick and Randy Baker

FEATURING: Company Member Tim Getman.
Also featuring Brian Hemmingsen, Nanna Ingvarsson, Marissa Molnar, Jjana Valentiner

DESIGNED BY: Jacob S. Muehlhausen (Set), Deb Sullivan (Lights), Debra Kim Sivigny (Costumes), Matthew Nielson (Sound), Andrew F. Griffin (Asst. Lighting Design), Veronica Lancaster(Asst. Set Design)

STAGE MANAGED BY: Viv Woodland

ASST. STAGE MANAGERS: Alex Aaron and Jake Melville

This production was made possible thanks to generous support from an anonymous donor, J. Chris Babb and the Durfee Foundation.

Season 7 is sponsored in part by Anthony Dobranski.

Final Conversation with Jose Rivera

Performances remaining: 4.

Excuses for not seeing References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot if you are within a 25 square mile radius of Casa this weekend and are able to leave your house: 0.

We would love to see you Tonight or Tomorrow at 8pm. Or we could make some room for you tomorrow or Sunday at 3pm for the matinee. 2 for 1 Ticket Deal still in effect for Mother's Day Weekend, just use the ticket code "MOM" when ordering. I am done with prodding and guilting you people so I will let your mom's do it and say wouldn't it be nice to do something for your mom that didn't involve a Hallmark Card and brunch at TGI Fridays?

Been holding onto the following for about two months now. It is a transcript of a conversation that our dramaturg Jackie Lawton had with our playwright Jose Rivera. I can't tell you what a wonderful thing it was to have a living playwright working with us to answer our questions and supply so much background information regarding the genesis of the play and help discover the meaning of his work.

We had the same sort of help from Roberto with regards to Rough Magic earlier this season and we are looking forward to having some similar assistance from Jennifer Maisel with Birds. Birds by the way goes into rehearsals very soon, so get ready for another Rorschach World Premiere, this will be our 3rd for those of you keeping track.

Conversation with Jose Rivera

1. What has worked/not worked in previous production?
Playing the animals as animals, actors on all fours, or having them in costumes that resemble animals, etc, does not work.
The Coyote and the Cat are just a guy and girl. The Coyote is dangerous. The Cat is sexy. They are all in a heightened state of sexual desire.
It works best when actors aren’t afraid to go as far as the script is asking them to.
Allow the language to sound natural, flowing from you lips as though it’s the first time being spoken.
2. What is the Dream versus Reality Chronology?
Act 1 and 4 are reality. Gabby falls asleep at the end of Act 1 and dreams through Act 2 and 3. This is what Jose calls the joke of the play!!
Stylistically, Act 2 and 3 should not come off as A Midsummer Night’s Dream. None of it should be handled preciously. The language, their desires, their passions are real, gritty, psychologically disturbing, etc.
3. What or who inspired the script?
Benito is Jose’s brother Tony who was soldier in Gulf War 1. The machismo and the language are right from his brother’s mouth.
What Gabby does, in studying Islam, Muhammad, Karma, is what Jose did.
“If my brother’s going to be harmed, I wanted to understand what we were supposed to be afraid of/what we are fighting.”
He wanted to do some good.
He was also going through a divorce at the time he was writing this play. What it is when a marriage is in danger? What is it when two people can no longer communicate with one another?
He wanted to examine how two people who could have loved one another could suddenly, or over time, grow/develop into people who no longer love one another.

I Took Your Picture

And so tonight begins the end. References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot is in its final days. I know a lot of you love to wait to see a show at the last minute, well the last minute is fast approaching. Get your tickets now! Shows are Tonight, Friday and Saturday at 8pm and Saturday and Sunday at 3pm. 2 for 1 Ticket Special is still in effect for both matinees, use the ticket code "MOM."

Prod

This is the time on the blog where I get all misty eyed for the show that is about to go away. I have a few more things to post regarding References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot, but most of the week will be a series of nags and prods to get those of you who haven't seen the show yet to come see the show.

Today I remind you how cool the set, costumes and lights are. It is quite beautiful isn't it. Remember just 5 shows left and then we are done. Thurday, Friday and Saturday at 8pm. And remember our 2 for 1 tickets to the Matinees on Saturday and Sunday 3pm. 1-800-494-TIXS or visit BoxOfficeTickets.com.

Rough Magic Photo Collage

Once again I remind you that there are only four performances of Rough Magic left. One of them is Sold Out.

Get your tickets now.

Goodbye MONSTER

Because a great cast always deserves an extra bow:

MONSTER by Neal Bell
from Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

DIRECTOR: Randy Baker

FEATURING:
Lily Balsen, Nicky Daval, Jeremy Goren, Jason Linkins, Tiernan Madorno, Paul McLane, Ryan Nealy, Robert Rector, Jon Reynolds

DESIGNED BY:
Debra Kim Sivigny (Set), David C. Ghatan (Lights), Erin Nugent (Costumes), William Burns (Sound), Andrew F. Griffin (Asst. Lighting Design)

STAGE MANAGED BY:
Megan Reichelt, Jillian Levine-Sisson (Asst. Stage Manager)

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR:
Jessie Gallogly

FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHY:
Grady Weatherford