Happy Thanksgiving!

It's a day to be thankful, and I'm grateful you stopped by to visit our humble theatre blog - but I'm taking the day off, and you should do the same.

Here's hoping you have a great holiday!

Happy Thanksgiving, one and all!

900!

This is post number 900, which means it's time to stop and say "Thank you" to everyone out there who takes time out of their busy day to check on the latest about community theatre in our area.

As always, gentle readers, I urge you to send along a comment or write an email to me at TheMinskers@aol.com with your news, photos, comments and suggestions.

I enjoy our little chats here, and hope you enjoy it, too. Now, onward towards 1,000!

Merry Christmas (After All)!

Well, thanks to my readers for correcting a terrible mistake on my part!

I try to search around and make sure I'm up on the latest community theatre shows in our area, and was surprised to see very few Christmas shows the last time I looked - so I wrote a blog post about the shortage of shows, only to find out I had overlooked a bunch of 'em!

My pal Melanie Larch wrote to say, .

..there are three other holiday shows happening in Charleston (in addition to Mary). Children's Theatre is presenting Babes In Toyland next week. Charleston Stage Company brings the one man show, The Santaland Diaries to the WVSU Capitol Center Theatre December 11-13. That same weekend, Kanawha Players presents John Jakes' adaptation of A Christmas Carol.

Then my pal Shirlee Idzakovich wrote:

There is a lot to do in Portsmouth, Ohio for the Holiday season, including A Beautiful Renaissance Feaste and the classic story of Miracle on 34th Street.

The Portsmouth Little Theatre is doing Miracle on 34th Street on Dec. 5,6 and 12,13 with a matinee on the 6th. It is a great cast and Ivy Idzakovich is little Susan Walker (Macy and Ravan's little sister from Cats and Millie!) It has a great cast of over 30 and is directed by Michael Stapelton and Jason Chaney. The Portsmouth Little Theatre is celebrating their 60th Anniversary! Tickets are available at the theatre at 1117 Lawson Street or by calling 740-353-7034.

Also THE Portsmouth West High School is doing A Renaissance Feaste. Once every four years the entire choir comes together with costumes and props of olde to host a magnificent Feaste. Songs, food, dance along with a king and queen and their court. Under the direction of Linda Tieman, suitable for the entire family. Tickets can be purchased by calling 740-858-1103. The Feaste will be held at Portsmouth West High School, Route 52 West on Dec. 6 at 6:00 p.m. (reservations are required).

Then my pal Stephen Vance added:

...for all intents and purposes the 1940s Radio Hour is a Christmas/Holiday Show. The broadcast portrayed during the play occurs on December 21, 1942. In fact, it happens on a snowy NYC night and is dedicated as a Christmas gift to the boys overseas.

Great to see our communities will have several shows to choose from after all. Thanks for the info, everyone - and Happy Holidays!

12th Annual "Mary" Production Opens Nov. 28

Hey, I promised you more information about the holiday show Mary, so here's the press release from CYAC:

The Contemporary Youth Arts Company opens its twelfth annual production of the Mark Scarpelli - Dan Kehde musical MARY at 8 p.m. on Nov. 28 at the WVSU Capitol Center Theater at 123 Summer Street in Charleston.

The story of the nine months prior to the birth of Jesus Christ through the eyes of a young girl destined to be the most important woman in the Christian tradition, MARY has become a family friendly holiday tradition throughout the greater Charleston area.

Drawing from a mix of talent, young and old, from all over the greater Kanawha Valley, the annual production began rehearsals in early October for the traditional opening night the day after Thanksgiving. A driving score and an ageless story continue to inspire audiences with new insights to the days and months leading up to the first Christmas.

This year's cast includes Molly Means as the title character, with Jonathan Tucker as Joseph, Tanya Dillon-Page as Gabriel, Melanie Larch as Elizabeth, Donnie Smith as Zechariah and Eli Chambers as Herod; with a large supporting cast including Tess Lucas, Amanda Trail, Samantha Oxley, Nik Tidquist, Nick Curnutte, Kirill Gura, Shane Belcher, Ryan McCoy, Ella McCoy, Shante Martin, Stephanie Stockman, Liz McCormick, Alicia Lewis, Marranda Major, Jackie Cobb, Maddy Gourevitch, Victoria Hayes, Emily White, Lauren Miller and Sarah Mandirola. A 15-piece orchestra, conducted by composer Mark Scarpelli, accompanies the production.

Performances are at 8 p.m. Nov. 28, 29, December 4, 5, 6 with a Sunday matinee on Nov. 30 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $5.50 for students and seniors and $9.50 for adults and can be purchased at the door the evenings of the performances. Call the WVSU Capital Center Box Office, 304-342-6522, for advance reservations and group discounts.

'Tis The Season - Or Is It?

With Thanksgiving almost here, it's normally the time of year when community theatre groups roll out their holiday shows.

Usually, you'll find more than one group presenting shows on the same weekend, since there's only a limited number of weekends between Turkey Day and Christmas - but this year, there's a surprising shortage of holiday shows.

In fact, the only one I've heard about is Mary, a seasonal favorite being presented in Charleston by CYAC for the 12th year! Those shows run from Nov. 28 to Dec. 6 (and I'll have more about it later this week).

The Ashland Community and Technical College (ACTC) has a long-running tradition of presenting A Christmas Carol every holiday, but that theatre group is still on hiatus after last Spring's accident on the set of Sweeney Todd. (Word has it that they'll be presenting shows again in the Spring of 2009.)

Fifth Avenue Theatre in Huntington also has a two-year tradition of presenting A Christmas Carol, but has apparently decided to take a break this year.

First Stage Theatre Company has presented several Christmas shows in the past, including A Christmas Carol (natch), A Christmas Story (twice) and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, but that group is also taking this holiday off.

If there are any shows out there I'm missing, gentle readers, let me know - but it looks like this year, other than Mary, we'll have to settle for watching A Charlie Brown Christmas on TV for the umpteenth time.

More on "The 1940s Radio Hour"

A recent comment asked for more information about the upcoming show, The 1940s Radio Hour, so here's the cast and song list (and other information), as provided by my pal Stephen Vance:

Arts Resources for the Tri-State proudly presents The 1940s Radio Hour by Walton Jones

Shows will be presented Dec. 4 at 5:30 p.m.; Dec. 5,6,11,12,13 at 8:00 p.m. ; and Dec. 14 at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are $15, and dinner is available prior to the Friday and Saturday shows for $15.

All Veterans are admitted free of charge to the show.

The Cast:

Scott Burner as BJ Gibson
Sarah Hayes as Cute Little Connie Miller
Joshua Jannotta as Johnny Cantone
Amy Knell as Ginny Lee Browne
Bil Neal as Lou Cohn
Eric Newfeld as Wally Fergusson
Mary Olson as Ann Collier
Linda Reynolds as Ginger Brooks
Stephen Vance as Neal Tilden
David Vickers as Clifton A. Feddington
Charles Woolcock as Pops Bailey

Direction and Music Direction by Bruce Rous
Choreography by Gene and Coni Anthony

Songs Include:
I Got a Gal in Kalamazoo
Daddy
Our Love is Here to Stay
That Old Black Magic
Ain't She Sweet
How About You
Blue Moon
Rose of the Rio Grande
I'll Never Smile Again
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy
Blues in the Night
Jingle Bells
I Got it Bad and That Ain't Good
You Go to My Head
Five O'Clock Whistle
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Strike Up the Band
I'll Be Seeing You

I'm hearing great things about the show, so mark your calendars!

Last Chance for "Glass Menagerie"

Tonight's your last chance to catch the excellent play, The Glass Menagerie, as presented by the Marshall University Department of Theatre.

The show will be presented tonight at 8:00 p.m. at the Joan C. Edwards Playhouse. Tickets are $14 for Adults, $7 for High School and younger, $12 for Seniors, Faculty and Staff, and it's free to MU students with ID.

You can read my review of it right here. It's a wonderful, moving performance and well worth checking out. If you miss it, you only have yourself to blame!

A Blessed Event!

Hey, I'm running a few days late with this, but I wanted to take a moment to congratulate my pals Ryan and Jean Tarbett Hardiman on the birth of their daughter, Celeste Marie! (Ryan has starred in a number of shows, and Jean works at the Herald-Dispatch, so it's all in the family here.)

Ryan sent some photos of Celeste, but my computer isn't cooperating, so I'll try to share them later - but trust me, she's a beauty!

Celeste made her grand entrance on Monday at 5:47 p.m., weighed in at a petite 7 pounds, 3 ounces and was 20 inches long.

Ryan said,"She's beautiful like her Mommy and big sister! She has her Daddy's cleft chin. We're thankful that she's healthy, and we're so happy and proud of her!"

What better time of year to have a baby than Thanksgiving? Congratulations all around!

On Stage Tonight - "The Glass Menagerie"

You still have two chances to catch the excellent play, The Glass Menagerie, as presented by the Marshall University Department of Theatre.

The show will be presented tonight and Saturday at 8:00 p.m. at the Joan C. Edwards Playhouse. Tickets are $14 for Adults, $7 for High School and younger, $12 for Seniors, Faculty and Staff, and it's free to MU students with ID.

Don't miss it!

"The Glass Menagerie" - A Review

The Glass Menagerie is a show that gets staged a lot, especially by high schools across the country, and there are lots of reasons for that. It uses a small cast, requires only a minimal set, and it's a moving and thought-provoking show.

But to really experience the power of Tennessee Williams' classic story, you need to see this production being staged by Marshall University's Department of Theatre. It's a shining example of the power of live theatre.

Consider the cast. It's a small show, and only four actors take the stage. The narrator of the story, Tom, is played with intensity and assurance by Adam Terry. He introduces the performance as a "memory play" and also appears in the play as himself, a young man forced to cope with the responsibilities of providing a home for his mother and sister.

Playing the role of the mother, Amanda, is Mary P. Williams, and she gives an amazing performance. It's rare to see a performer actually become the character they're presenting, to such an extent that you forget that you're watching an actor practicing her craft. That's how completely she assumes the role - she's perfect and absolutely believable. Sometimes funny, sometimes infuriating - Amanda is EveryMom, and not many will watch the show without thinking at some point, "That sounds like something Mom would say."

Caitlin Haught tackles the difficult role of Laura, Tom's shy, crippled sister who lives a lonely life, despite her mother's best efforts to bring her out of her shell. She delivers a sweet, touching performance and absolutely nails a deceptively difficult role. It would be easy to make Laura a whiny, annoying character, but Caitlin wins your heart and creates a character who's both sweet and sympathetic.

The final member of the cast doesn't show up until the second act, but his arrival is the catalyst that changes the lives of the other three. Jeremy Plyburn plays The Gentleman Caller, and what a terrific job he does, exuding confidence, charm and a (somewhat self-centered) drive to succeed. I've watched Jeremy grow up on stage, and he's always been an excellent performer - but he's honed his craft and become an outstanding actor, too.

The story these four tell is what might be called a "small" story, or at least a personal one, as the three family members deal with the stress of everyday life. But through the lyrical writing of Williams, our hearts go out to their trials, and we're reminded of the power of a personal journey, where something as small as a dinner date can be the most important thing in the world - and where a breaking heart can shake the firmament.

Trust me on this, you owe it to yourself to see this production, and see why it's considered a stage classic. Every aspect of the show is excellent, including the set design, costumes and the tech work - and kudos to Jack Cirillo for his fine work here. Under his direction, the acting carries the story here, and it's why you'll be thinking about the show long after you've left the theatre.

It's the smallest cast of any show I've seen in years, but it's also one of the most touching, moving and thoughtful shows I've seen, too. Highly recommended!

Seeing "The Glass Menagerie"

Hey, I saw The Glass Menagerie at Marshall University last night and absolutely loved it! I hope to post a review of it this evening, but I wanted to highly recommend this show to everyone out there - it features some amazing acting, and it's a truly moving experience.

The show plays tonight through Saturday, Nov. 22 at 8:00 p.m. at the Joan C. Edwards Playhouse. Tickets are $14 for Adults, $7 for High School and younger, $12 for Seniors, Faculty and Staff, and it's free to MU students with ID.

"The Glass Menagerie" - An Interview

It's time for another e-interview! Stepping up to our non-existent microphone is my pal Jack Cirillo, the director of The Glass Menagerie, which takes the stage tonight at Marshall University's Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center.

Jack was nice enough to answer a few questions via email:

Q: For those who haven't seen it, tell us a bit about The Glass Menagerie.

A: An American classic and Tennessee Williams' first success. The story is somewhat autobiographical and focuses on a young man’s struggle to lead an independent life while taking care of an overbearing mother and handicapped sister during the depression just before World War II.

Q: Why did you want to direct this show?

A: This is a long time favorite of mine and a great challenge for young actors. The role of Amanda (the mother) is usually very difficult to cast in a college environment, but we are blessed with Mary Williams who has decided get her degree in theatre (shall we say) a bit later in life than your typical student. She’s outstanding in this part.

Q: It's a small cast - does that make it easier or more challenging for you and for the cast?

A: This offers the opportunity for more direct interaction with a cast. We get to ask lots of questions and find many of the answers. The rehearsal period has been somewhat shorter than usual, but the work has been very concentrated.

Q: Tell us about your cast.

A: They are astonishing — really! Adam Terry plays Tom Wingfield and has become such a wonderful talent. He has really made an incredible journey in this part and I couldn’t ask for better in this role. Mary Williams is a real pro. The character has so many layers and she manages to score on every one of them. Jeremy Plyburn has been doing work with me since he was a kid (Oliver! 10 years ago!!!!). Jeremy plays the “Gentleman Caller," a role I played when I was his age... he’s better... and I hate saying that! And Caitlin Haught has owned this role since she first read for it in auditions. She brings such an endearing, yet sad innocence to the part that it will break your heart. All four are seniors and all four are excellent.

Q: Why would you urge our readers to see this play?

A: You won’t see better performances anywhere for quite some time. Really. If you love great acting in one of the greatest plays ever written, set and costumed in a way that will transport you to a time and place that existed before TVs, IPODS, cell phones and McDonalds — this is one you can’t miss.

Q: When and where is the show and how much are the tickets?

A: The show plays Wed., Nov. 19 — Sat., Nov. 22, 8:00 p.m. at the Joan C. Edwards Playhouse. Tickets are $14 for Adults, $7 for High School and younger, $12 for Seniors/Faculty and Staff, and free to MU students with ID.

Thanks, Jack!

Focus On "The Glass Menagerie"

Marshall University's latest show (which opens on Wednesday) is a theatre classic - and you can learn more about it in this story in the Herald-Dispatch by Beth Hendricks:

Send the kids to High School Musical 3 and do a little high school reminiscing of your own with the Marshall University Theatre Department this week.

Under the direction of Jack Cirillo, theater students will present The Glass Menagerie, a well-known high school English class staple, at 8 p.m. nightly Nov. 19-22 at the Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center. The selection is the department's annual "Denman Classic," named in honor of retired Marshall Provost, Dr. Sarah Denman, an avid theater supporter.

"When she announced her retirement, we were disappointed because it meant she wouldn't be a part of our day-to-day, week-to-week lives. She was a tremendous supporter of the arts when she worked here," Cirillo said. "So, we decided to honor her with one selection every year."

The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, his self-described "memory play," has been considered a theater classic since its debut. The play centers on Tom Wingfield as he reminisces about his childhood living with his domineering mother Amanda and handicapped sister Laura. From high school days, audience members might remember Laura's nickname "Blue Roses," from a bout of pleurosis, Amanda's attempt to find an appropriate suitor for her daughter and the glass figurines that play a symbolic role in the tale.

"This was considered Williams' first great success," Cirillo said. "It's somewhat autobiographical and it deals with something most of us are familiar with - family dysfunctions."

For Cirillo, it is a return back to a play he performed as a student himself, but had never directed. It utilizes a small cast - only four members - and presents a teaching opportunity that most works do not.

"I wanted a small cast that I could work very closely with and really roll up my sleeves and get involved," he said. "I did this in college myself ... and there are parts of it that, as we've gone through it, became very familiar to me again. I had a pretty good sense of what I wanted to do with it and I knew I had the actors necessary to make it alive."

For tickets, call 304-696-2787.

On Stage This Week - "The Glass Menagerie"

Taking the stage this week at Marshall University is a real theatre classic - The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. The play will be presented at the Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center.

Here's a description:

No play in the modern American Theatre has so captured the imagination and heart of the American public as Tennessee William’s The Glass Menagerie.

As William’s first popular success, it launched the brilliant, if somewhat controversial, career of one of America’s per-eminent playwrights. Since its premier in Chicago in 1944, Menagerie has been the bravura piece for great actresses from Jessica Tandy to Joanne Woodward, and is studied and performed in classrooms and theatres around the world.

The show starts Wednesday, Nov. 19 and runs through Saturday, Nov. 22. All the shows start at 8:00 p.m.

Highly recommended!

Musical Theatre Performance Tuesday in Charleston

The West Virginia Division of Culture and History will continue this season’s Collegiate Series with a musical theater performance by Marshall University students titled An Evening of Songs & Scenes at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18. The program will take place in the Norman L. Fagan West Virginia State Theater at the Cultural Center in the State Capitol Complex in Charleston.

The Collegiate Series is free and the public is invited to attend.

An Evening of Songs & Scenes is directed by Beth McVey and features Bruce S. Rous on piano. McVey is bringing 12 music and theater students who will perform 13 numbers.

For more information, call 304-558-0162 in the evenings or Jacqueline Proctor, deputy commissioner for the Division, at 304-558-0220.

Coming Soon - "The 1940s Radio Hour"

Here's a press release from ARTS about the group's upcoming show, The 1940s Radio Hour

: December 1942. The country is at war. Economic times are terrible. A small radio station in New York City rallies to help the boys overseas know all is well back home.

Arts Resources for the Tri-State presents a musical Christmas card - The 1940s Radio Hour beginning December 4. The show is a live “Broadcast” from radio station “WOV – The Mutual Manhattan Variety Cavalcade.” Featuring some of the most beloved music of the Big Band era, comedic commercials, swing dancing, a big band, and a cast a zany characters, The 1940s Radio Hour is sure to offer something for everyone!

The artistic team is comprised of several who presented George M! at Marshall this past October. According to Bruce S. Rous, Director, “I had so much fun working with Gene and Connie Anthony on George M!, but never imagined they’d agree to work on 1940s. What amazing choreography they have brought to the show. I have never seen so much laughter during dance rehearsals.”

Lang Reynolds is the lighting designer who designed George M! According to Rous, “With Gene and Connie on board, I thought ‘why not ask Lang, as well?’ I mean, the man is an award-winning lighting designer and he agreed to do our little show.”

“The cast is made up of some perennial favorites,” says Rous. “I am really lucky to be working with a group of people this great. 1940s is a very special show to me - this is my fifth production of it, and I think Tri-State audiences will be as thrilled as I am with the talented bunch of people working on this project.”

Shows are Dec. 4-6 and 11-14 at the former Huntington High School, 900 8th Avenue. Tickets are $15, and Veterans will be admitted free, with the appreciation of the company.

For reservations or more information, please call Arts Resources for the Tri-State at 304-733-ARTS. Dinner is available.

"Menopause the Musical" at the Keith-Albee

Here's another reminder that you have one chance to catch a very funny musical this Sunday in Huntington. Here's the story from the Herald-Dispatch:

Menopause the Musical is returning to Huntington at 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16, at the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center, 925 4th Ave. It's a 90-minute production that includes 25 re-lyricized tunes from the '60s and '70s.

The musical is set in a department store where four women meet by chance. The musical pokes fun at things such as hot flashes, memory loss, mood swings, wrinkles, night sweats and eating binges. The show's intended message is that menopause is a normal passage in every woman's life that should not have to be hidden.

The musical encourages a healthy dialogue about issues of aging and women's health and provides a unique opportunity to raise awareness with female audiences.

Recognizing the show's potential to educate women on health issues, writer and producer Jeanie Linders took the show on the road as Menopause the Musical Out Loud: Breaking The Silence of Ovarian Cancer. The 2005-06 tour raised nearly $500,000 for ovarian cancer research and awareness.

A portion of the proceeds from the Huntington production will directly benefit the West Virginia Chapter of the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition.

Tickets range in price from $33 to $43.

To purchase tickets, contact Donna May, Keith-Albee box office manager, at 304-696-3313 or visit www.ticketmaster.com.

More information is available at www.ovarian.org.

On Stage This Weekend - "The Producers"

There's only one show taking the stage this weekend, and Charleston has it:

- The Producers will be presented by the Charleston Light Opera Guild at the Charleston Civic Center Little Theater tonight and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20.

And I should point out that Saturday is the last performance for that show. It's the first local community theatre production of the insanely popular Mel Brooks musical.

A Discount on "Menopause: The Musical"

Hey, if you're looking for a bargain, check out this web site - it's a short ad for Menopause: The Musical, and it tells you how you can save money on your ticket.

The show was a huge success the last time it was in town, with all the shows selling out fast, so don't miss your chance to catch this funny show.

(Oh, and I assure you - the music in the show isn't performed in the chipmunk-style you hear on this website.)

On Stage Tonight: "Oliver!"

Here's a show you only get one chance at, as Oliver is presented tonight at the historic Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center in Huntington.

It's the classic musical about an orphan who falls in with the wicked Fagin, the Artful Dodger, and all the other memorable characters from the story by Charles Dickens. Most of us know the show from the film version, but there's nothing better than seeing the show performed live on stage!

Tickets are $46 and $56. Youth tickets (17 and under) are $27.50, $25 and $22.50.
For tickets or more information, call the Marshall Artists Series ticket office at 304-696-3326.