ROUGH WRITERS IN THE SPRINGS

Well, the theatre at the Fine Arts Center in Colorado Springs has given us yet another reason to get to the Springs. This time, it's their latest installation of Rough Writers, a play festival presenting staged readings of new works. This is a chance to see brand new work by playwrights at various stages in their careers, in a beautiful space in a wonderful town. There are many different plays you to see- one acts and full lengths, large and small casts- take your pick. And you can either buy one ticket to one reading, or for twenty dollars, see as many readings as you want. Twenty dollars. You know, the price of a couple of movie tickets, or a couple of drinks at Starbucks. And for that same twenty dollars, you can take part in the creation of a new show. How are you a part of it? Well, when the new plays are read, the playwright is there- listening to the audience and their reaction. For a playwright, this is a scary and wonderful experience- and vital to the process. When you write a play, you sort of live in a bubble- which is important. You need to keep your baby safe, and help it grow. But there comes a time in every play's life when it needs to be exposed to the world outside- thus, the staged reading. You watch and pace and panic, and observe what lands with the audience, what makes them gasp, or laugh, or yawn with boredom. And then you adjust. And often, at the readings, there are talk backs- a time when the audience is asked for comments and questions. These can be rough for a writer, but also quite informative. Sometimes, the comments are brilliant. Sometimes, not so much. Either way, sitting in a room with a bunch of fellow human beings, hashing
out what did and did not work on a new play is exciting, unique, and essential for any fan of theatre. Believe me, I know what I'm talking about. I've done many readings at many festivals- including this one. My play April's Fool had it's first reading at Rough Writers before going on to its world premiere last summer at the New York International Fringe Festival. Those readings were essential in the play's development.

The plays and playwrights in this year's festival are: Jade O'Keeffe (who may or may not be related to Georgia O'Keeffe) and her play Two Nine One Letters; Alyson Mead and her play The Flower; Susan Shafer and her play A Woman on Paper; Sue Bachman and her play Georgia on His Mind; Grant Swenson and his play Mary and Georgia; Todd Wallinger and his play The Real Meaning of Things; Jessica Weaver and her play The Last Rabbit; and Dara O'Brien and her play Early Sunday Morning.



And that's happening right now at the FAC.

All the shows are thematically linked to Georgia O'Keeffe, in anticipation of the center's upcoming exhibit on her- for more on that, click HERE. Some are about her, some are about her paintings and how they have touched people's lives. What's really interesting is to see all these different takes on O'Keefe- how this one subject has sent so many writers on so many different trajectories with their plays.

So- if you live on Planet Earth, and like being entertained, and also like being part of something amazing, get your self to the Fine Arts Center in Colorado Springs. The festival continues through June 13.

For more info, and how to order tickets to this exceptional festival, click HERE.

LET'S HAVE A BAKE SALE!

So, I got back on the horse, and am acting in a show. You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown to be exact. It's a benefit performance for Reel Kids, one of the many places in Colorado where I teach. I play Charlie Brown-  role I have always loved, and I must admit, it's pretty awesome being on stage again after over ten years. I've always loved this play, and we do a pretty damn good job with it.

It's a little tough to get through the song Happiness every performance. The song always makes me think of my mom- I was working on a children's production of the show when she died, and every time we do it, I feel the absence, the hole that only your mother can leave once she heads for parts unknown.

We have one more performance, tonight at 7 pm, so if you are anywhere near Superior, CO, come on over and check it out. There is a cocktail hour before the show, with drinks and treats. Proceeds from the show will go towards getting a new camera for the school, which we desperately need.

And the show kicks it in the ass.

DEMON WEED IN COLORADO SPRINGS!

WARNING:Reefer Madness the Musical, now playing at the Fine Arts Center in Colorado Springs, will get you high, baby. Can you dig it? High on life. High on great music, exciting choreography, brilliant design. High on watching amazing performers deliver with aplomb a fantastic, inventive show based on a hilariously out of whack cautionary movie from 1936 about the evils of the devil weed. Put simply, it will freak you out in the best way possible- and that ain't no jive.

The musical is presented as a mockumentary of sorts, complete with overly earnest narrator, or Lecturer, speaking directly to the audience about the terrible "facts" of marijuana and how the stuff is destroying the youth of America. The Lecturer tells us the infamous story of Jimmy Harper and Mary Lane, who of course have their lives turned upside down, irrevocably ruined, by the demon weed. When we meet Jimmy and Mary- played to perfection by Andrew Wilkes and Chelsea Ringer- they are your typical suburban couple from the 1930's. Or rather, what was thought to be your ideal young white couple of that time. Jimmy and Mary are happy, peppy, and bursting with love- until Jimmy meets the evil Jack, who introduces him to the dreaded reefer. Soon enough, Jimmy is getting high, partaking in orgies, and hanging out with his fellow degenerates at Jack's place. Things go further South from there. The plot itself is hilarious, and I don't want to give too much away- suffice to say that things don't turn out so well for Jimmy and Mary. Along their tragic path, we meet Mae, the weed addict with a heart of gold and a voice like an angel's. Caren Tackett plays Mae, and she is flat out stunning- her comic timing is impeccable, and her singing sends chills of ecstasy down your spine. We also meet the demented Ralph, another weed-fiend played by a very funny Kevin Pierce. The sexpot at the den of iniquity is Sally, a sassy Rebecca Myers who lights up the stage every moment she's on it. We also get two numbers featuring the Son of Man Himself, Jesus. Jesus, and the evil Jack, are both played by Kenton Fridley- and let me tell you, this guy is the real deal. I really don't know how they can find so many talented people at the FAC, but somehow, they do. Every last member of the cast is excellent- Becca Vervoulas as the girl who brings out various placards with messages about how marijuana can make you do bad things like cannibalize your friends, and the ensemble of Alex Campbell, Nathan Ferrick, Sammy Gleason, and Omid Dastan Harrison are all perfect- they dance and sing and play a variety of outrageous characters with a glee that is infections and as addictive as the demon weed itself. And special mention must be given to Max Ferguson, who plays the Lecturer, who leads this madcap cast of lunatics with style and energy. Seriously, this cast is one of the best ensembles I have ever seen.

The choreography and direction by Nathan Halvorson is outstanding- moving at a break-neck pace, full of surprises and inventiveness and a sort of giddiness that makes you happy to be alive. The set, by Kevin Loeffler, is beautiful and just twisted enough to make you know that the world the show is presenting is a bit off-kilter. The costumes are stellar- giving us everything from your typical teenagers at the Five-and-Dime dancing a jitterbug, to hallucinatory reefer-zombies, a randy Devil, the aforementioned Jesus with a cadre of back-up angels, and semi-nude participants in the outrageous orgy scene. Perfectly matching the set and costumes in tone are the colorful lights by designer Jonathan Spencer. And the band, led by Ian Ferguson, is top notch. Every element of this show is perfect.

So, if you like smart, exciting, ground-breaking theatre that keeps you leaning forward, laughing and clapping, Reefer Madness at the FAC in Colorado Springs is the show for you. Once again, Scott Levy has put together the best theatre in the state, as is his habit.

And, if you can get a ticket to the March 1 show, you can meet the show's composer Dan Studney!

Want to see and hear more about the show? Click HERE for a short video!

LOST SOULS

LOST SOULS

We used to call cricketts

Souls

My brother, sister, and I.

At night on a full Moon,
I would look out my window
and see silohuettes of
cats and trees
(and the red light
of a cigarette)

against the deep blue sky.

Whispers passed between us,
questions for my older brother to answer-
                             
                                -which he always did.

Slowly the night would swallow us whole,
and for an
infinite moment,
I lost all sense

of up or down.

I was
(not flying but)
careening,
afraid I would never come back.

How long this lasted
I do not know.

Then I would hear the souls,
Singing in the night
Admiring the moon
Whispering to each other
Drawing me
Home

and I would sleep,
safe and content,
Protected by their music.

Now, I no longer need
To shut my eyes to lose
my senses.

Every day I am
(not careening but)
floundering.

Lost.

And I must listen,
must learn to hear again,

The Souls,

admiring the Moon,

I must learn again,
to let the living violins
carry me Home,

And caress my
Worried heart.

SAVING MR. THESPIS

Scott Levy is my hero. Truly. Here is a man who gets things done, who makes thing happen- who knows what the f*#@ he is talking about- especially when it come to talking about theatre. Mr. Levy is the artistic director of the theatre at the Fine Arts Center of Colorado Springs- which under his inspired guidance has become far and away the best theatre company in Colorado. His most recent triumph? The current production of the musical Mary Poppins- which is utterly charming, exciting, and heart-warming. The show is also proving to be amazingly popular- they have already added an extra week of performances. If you are looking for a last minute Christmas gift, giving someone a pair of tix to this outstanding show will definitely get you on their nice list.

The musical is based on both the Disney movie of the same name, and that movie's source material, the stories of P. L. Travers. It centers around the Banks family, who live in Victorian London and are in need of some guidance of their own. Mr. Banks is clearly lost in his banking job, and hasn't merely forgotten to stop and smell the roses, he's forgotten that roses exist. Mrs. Banks is trying to fit into her rather uptight world, and failing.  Michael and Jane, the two children, are a bit on the bratty side, and as such have lost a series of nannies in quick succession. Of course, all that changes with the entrance of Mary Poppins- whose chief magic isn't flying with her umbrella, or pulling an impossible amount of things from her bag to the wonderment of the Banks children- but rather the ability to see through the facades and defenses of everyone around her and into their souls. There is magic of former sort in the show, of course- special effects that delight the eye and confound the mind- but the real magic in this production is the spirit of the show itself- the great wonder of being alive, of being human.  (for info on the plot, characters, etc. click HERE)

I loved everything about this production: the cast, the set, the costumes, the lights, the special effects- the list goes on and on. First and foremost, the show is directed at a cracker jack pace- necessary because this is a huge show. Mr. Levy keeps the action lively, the plot moving forward, and fills the stage with vibrant, fully realized characters. The music- under the direction of Jay Hahn, is superb. The choreography by Mary Ripper Baker is a visual treat- both exciting on its own, but also furthering the story. I think one of the many numbers that shows how all three- director, choreographer, and music director- worked perfectly together would be the Jolly Holiday sequence in Act One, which perfectly blended whimsy, pathos, music and movement. The cast is outstanding, top to bottom. Tom Auclair as Mr. Banks is perfect. Tom Pierce as Bert the chimney sweep is a joy every time he's on stage. Sally Hybl is sweet and sympathetic as Mrs. Banks, full of grace and humor. Nate Patrick Siebert as Michael and Mallory Hybl as Jane are outstanding- getting young actors who can hit it out of the park like they do is a feat indeed. Almost stealing the show as the evil Miss Andrew is the amazing Jen Lennon- who was just flat out awesome. She walks on the stage, and you lean in and believe whatever she wants you to believe. And carrying the show with ease is Jennifer DeDominici as Mary Poppins. Ms. DeDominici gives the best female performance of the year on this or any other stage in Colorado. She sings like an angel, and I believed every moment she was on stage.

Again, tickets for this one are hard to come by, but if you can find a way to procure one, do yourself a favor and get to the FAC. This is one for the ages.

GHOSTLIGHT

So busy of late. Little Shop of Horrors at the JCC, Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters at Littleton Town Hall, A Midsummer Night's Dream at DAT, Sweet Charity at StageDoor- I work on a lot of shows. So what do I do next? Film a horror film as part of a class at Reel Kids. The movie is called Ghostlight, and it's a thriller centered around a high school theatre department. It's the kind of movie  Joss Whedon should direct, in my humble opinion. I've had a couple of different classes read the script together, and the feedback has been amazing- you can tell when people genuinely like something. Anyway, I want to share some of the script with you- so here a bit of the opening:

INT. BLACKFORD HIGH SCHOOL THEATRE - NIGHT

The theatre is empty, the only light a lamp in the middle of the stage. FOOTSTEPS AND WHISPERED VOICES approach. A KEY TURNS IN A LOCK. A DOOR CREAKS open. At the doorway is a group of high school kids, ready to party. MILTON, freshman drama geek, nervously points a flashlight into the theatre. RAY, the school rebel, pushes past Milton into the theatre, twelve pack of beer in his hand.

RAY 

          Lock and load!

He tosses a beer to NOEL, the class clown.

NOEL

          My ninja!

The group walks in. Ray tosses a beer to MAGGIE, Milton’s smart and sexy older sister.

MILTON

Maggie!

Maggie wags a finger at Milton.

MAGGIE 

          Milton- don’t make me regret letting you and 

          your nerdy friends come to the party.

IAN AND TONY, Milton’s nerdy friends, look at each other.

IAN

          Nerdy?

TONY 

          Clearly she meant you.

Noel grabs Milton’s flashlight, shines it on himself, and starts making faces. GROANS, LAUGHTER, “Loser!” ETC.

NOEL

          I am the ghost of Bloody Bones!

He HOWLS like a wolf. TRINA, MARNA and CECILY, three of the older girls, giggle.

NOEL (CONT’D)

          I am the ghost of Bloody Bones, and I am 

          walking into the theatre!

Noel freezes in terror. He points over Rays shoulder.

NOEL

          Ray- look out!

Marna and Cecily SCREAM. Trina LAUGHS. Ray doesn't flinch.

RAY

          Hilarious.

Unseen in the audience, LENNY- the school janitor who has been sleeping behind some chairs- sits up.

LENNY

          Morons.

Lenny takes the last swig from a BOTTLE OF WHISKEY, lays back down, and almost immediately passes out.

MILTON

          Actually, Bloody Bones is an old
          Scottish legend. He was flayed alive, and 
          roams the highlands seeking new skin.

Everyone stares at Milton. Maggie hangs her head, embarrassed. DANA, sophomore drama geek, looks scared.

DANA 

          N-N- New skin?

MILTON

          You could tell his victims from
          the lack thereof.

DANA 

          Lack there of?

MILTON

          He'd peel them. Like grapes.

NOEL

          Sweet!

Milton notices everyone is listening, smiles sheepishly.

RAY

          Nobody’s interested in a lecture
          on Captain Bloody Butt-

MILTON 

          Bloody Bones.

RAY

          What?

MILTON

          His name- it’s Bloody Bones.

RAY

          Whatever- look, you got us in here-
          now shut the fuck up.

Milton looks down, hurt. Maggie glares at Ray.

MAGGIE

          Milton, why don't you turn some
          lights on?

Milton sullenly runs towards the light room.

NOEL 

          Lack thereof.

Marna giggles. Noel smiles at her. Ray notices this.

RAY

          What we need is some atmosphere.

Ray steps to lamp, reaches for the switch.

MILTON

          Don’t turn off the ghost light!

Ray stops, turns to Milton.

RAY

          The what?

MILTON

          A theatre in the dark is a
          dangerous place. As president of the drama club, 
          I strenuously object.

Trina howls with laughter. Ray winks at Maggie.

RAY

          Danger's my middle name, baby.

MILTON

          Be that as it may, you don't turn
          the ghostlight off-

NOEL

          Why’s it called the ghost light?

MILTON 

          Theatres are haunted- full of ghosts from the 
          stories we tell: the fall of kings and queens, 
          star crossed lovers, things that go bump in the night-

RAY

          I got something that goes bump in the night.

Noel and several others shush Ray.

MILTON

          This is sacred ground...can’t you feel it?

RAY

          No.

MILTON

          You're clearly not a thespian.

RAY

          Clearly.

MILTON

          Every theatre has a ghostlight, to keep 
          the spirits out.

Trina takes a step towards Milton, fascinated.

TRINA 

          What do they want?

EMMY, a cute freshmen, steps forward.

EMMY

          Yeah, what do they want, Milton?

MILTON

          Oh, uh...some think it's the ghosts of actors, 
          not ready for their final exit-

Trina looks Milton in the eyes and smiles. Milton blushes, not sure what to do.

RAY

          Oh no!

Ray turns off the ghost light, plunging the theatre into DARKNESS. Milton SCREAMS. Everyone LAUGHS.

RAY 

          Come and get us, Bloody Bone!

Noel points flashlight into Milton’s face.

NOEL

          It’s Bloody Bones! He’s gonna peel me!

Milton runs to the ghostlight, turns it back on.

MILTON

          Seriously! What's next? Whistling backstage? 
          Quoting the Scottish play?

NOEL 

          You mean Brigadoon?

Ray looks incredulously at Noel.

NOEL 

          What? It’s a good movie.

MILTON

          You’re not respecting the theatre!

RAY 

          Alright, Duck- calm down.

MILTON

          A theatre is a temple! A TEMPLE!

An awkward moment. Milton is practically hyperventilating.

MAGGIE

          Milton, you’re embarrassing me.

Milton tries to compose himself.

MILTON 

          I’ll get those lights.

Milton walks to the LIGHT ROOM DOOR. A FLOORBOARD CREAKS.

MAGGIE 

          What was that?

NOEL 

          Maybe it’s Bloody Bones!

Milton unlocks the door.

MILTON

          I told you, he’s in Scotland.

Milton opens the door. It’s very dark inside, and the light switch is at the far end.

MILTON 

          Uh, Maggie, could you help me?

NOEL 

          What’s with Duck?

Maggie elbows Noel in the ribs.

MAGGIE

          He doesn’t like the dark, asshole.

Noel smiles, looks to Ray.

NOEL 

          Really?

Noel and Ray run to Milton, push him in the light room, and close the door, holding it shut. Milton screams from inside. Noel and Ray howl with laughter.

MAGGIE

          Not funny!

Some of the kids laugh. Milton continues to scream.

MILTON

          Let me out!

Maggie runs and pulls Ray away from the door.

MAGGIE

          Ray! Stop being such an asshole.

RAY 

          Lighten up!

MAGGIE

          I don’t like how you’re treating
          my little brother.

RAY 

          How do you like this?

Ray swats Maggie on the ass.

MAGGIE

          Stop it!

Maggie SLAPS Ray. 

An uncomfortable silence, except for Milton’s pounding on the door.

RAY 

          Well fuck you too!

Ray throws the ghostlight to the floor, SHATTERING the bulb, plunging the theatre into DARKNESS. 

A moment of silence, then ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE. Floorboards CREAK. Stage LIGHTS turn on, and BURST, showering SPARKS on the floor. Milton furiously POUNDS on the door.

Trina sees something, SCREAMS.

Abruptly, everything goes QUIET. Everyone looks a little shell shocked. Maggie goes to the back wall and turns on the overhead lights. Noel is still standing in front of the prop room door.

NOEL 

          What the fuck was that? 




So that's some of Ghostlight. If you are over 13, and interested in working on this, click HERE.

I'M GONNA GO FLY A KITE AT FAC

So, yet again, I am going to tell you all something true about the performing arts in Colorado- the consistently best theatre in the entire state in in Colorado Springs at the Fine Arts Center. I have seen so many shows there- Assassins, Lovers Leapt, A Year with Frog and Toad, Other Desert Cities- and all of them have been excellent. The latest show I saw, Dracula, was amazing- fun, scary, quick paced, and entertaining. The night I saw it, the house was sold out, and the whole place had the kind of energy running through it you usually find at a rock concert. Which is, I believe, how theatre should be. The cast was excellent, the set gorgeous, the lighting amazing, the costumes beautiful- and the script the chose outstanding. I had recently read the Bram Stoker original, and was hoping I would enjoy the stage version as much as I loved that weird, one of a kind novel. And my expectations were exceeded. The play started with Renfield- played with insane glee and just the right amount of sadness by Michael Lee- addressing the audience in a monologue that set the tone for the night with a surprising, bloody moment. From that point on, I was leaning in, lost in another world and completely enjoying myself. Kate Consamus as Lucy and Jessica Weaver as Mina were both excellent. Jason Lythgoe, as Lucy's bumbling suitor Seward- was comical, tragic, and a joy to watch. Christian O'Shaughnessy as Harker- a usually thankless role- was quite good, and Matt Radcliffe as the bloodthirsty title character was creepy, dark, and menacing. Logan Ernstthal as Van Helsing was at times hilarious, at others heroic. Rounding out the cast in several smaller roles were Karl Brevik, Crystal Carter, and Kaetyln Springer- each of whom was solid in the performance. The set, designed by Christopher L. Sheley, was ingenious and glorious and perfectly set each scene in both look and tone. The costumes, by Janson Fangio, were as beautiful as the set, and everything was perfectly lit by lighting designer Holly Rawls. And putting all this together and making seamless was the director, Nathan Halvorson. This show kicked it in the ass.

So much theatre these days seems dull, contrived, and made to order for donors who must not really care about actually enjoying the experience of going to a play. A lot of these places- and I don't want to name names-  make going to the theatre feel like eating your vegetables did when you were a kid: something not very fun, but something you did because you were told it was good for you. Why this is, I do not know- I only know that it is so. And I am so sick of hearing from people in the theatre community bemoaning the glacial retreat of regional theatre, or how the corporations are running things on broadway and making it impossible for good theatre to be created, or how hard it is to compete with tv and film and the internet. Those are all just excuses for bad theatre made by people who should know better! You want your theatre to thrive? Stop making boring theatre, and your theatre will friggin' explode with customers- and the FAC in Colorado Springs is proof. Under the leadership of Scott RC Levy, they have grown a larger audience and presented exciting, relevant theatre that keeps people coming back for more. And not only do they come back, they seem to bring their friends.

Next up on their stage is the musical Mary Poppins, directed by Mr. Levy- and I can not wait. Here is some info from their press release: This musical aptures the exuberance of the Disney film, while remaining true to the original P. L. Travers' books. The score brims with such timeless classics at "Feed the Birds," Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious," and "Let's Go Fly a Kite."
The show runs December 11-January 4 at 7:30 pm Thursdays-Saturdays at 2:00 pm. Student matinees are already SOLD OUT! Tickets are available at www.csfineartscenter.org or at the box office, 719-632-5583.


Hope to see you there!