THE THEATER MIRROR, Boston's LIVE Theater Guide
| MARQUEE | USHER | INTERMISSION |

THE GREENROOM DISCUSSIONS June, 1996

note:

The Greenroom Discussions is your forum for issues, commentary and reviews written by you, the theater-goer. It is arranged by the most current item first. Discussions may be deleted, periodically. Please email us at greenrm@shore.net

Date: Fri, 28 Jun 1996 18:34:08 -0700
From: Garry Haase
Subject: CLOC

Hello. I am wondering if you are familiar with the College LIght Opera Company at the Highfield Theatre. I was selected as first alternate to the company this summer and was told I would be hired for sure next summer. What is their repuatation, and what about the quality of the performances? Do they have a web page? Thanks for your help!

Gary Haase

LARRY STARK REPLIES:

I haven't seen any of their work for many, many years, but the fact that I could have seen them is a tremendous recommendation in itself. There has been a season every summer out at Highfield for thirty years or so, which means they have learned how to make all the mistakes and how to Stop making all the mistakes.

This is summer theater, so you will probably be worked till you drop, stretch your acting and singing muscles farther in more directions than ever before, and form intense relationships of all sorts with people you may never see again.

As I recall, they stick to traditional, lyrical, classic fare, but as I say I haven't seen them in centuries and don't know this year's season.

But, since the company has such a lengthy track-record and has spawned literally thousands of "graduates" by now, the credit on your resume will mean something, and the contacts and networking will be invaluable.

And of course they don't have a web-page. If they did, you'd see it in The Theater Mirror, wouldn't you? Many very good theater groups still think they're too busy with the Theater Business to bother with the Computer Business. In that sense, the College Light Opera Company is a solidly conservative theatrical institution, and I regretfully respect them as such.
Love,
===Anon.

Date: Sat, 22 Jun 1996 10:13:50 -0400
From: Jeff Zinn
Subject: Community Theater

Larry,

Saw our link in your "theater website" section. Thanks. One request and its sort of a sore spot with me: We're not a "community group." Community theater, for me, means that you get the butcher and the baker onstage and everybody has fun and you even get the occasional inspired performance. That's not us. We're a professional (albeit non-equity) company. Everyone gets paid. Everyone's a pro. Many are from Boston and New York, recent grads of Brandeis, Emerson Theater programs, etc. We are also recipients of an NEA Professional Theater Company grant two years running now.

Anyway, you get the point. Thanks and sorry for being cranky and looking a gift horse in the mouth! Keep up the good work, yours is a great site.

Jeff Zinn

67 Eric's Way, Wellfleet, MA 02667
(508) 349-7871 voice/fax
http://user.aol.com/zinnj8181/

LARRY STARK REPLIES:

Jeff, I meant no disrespect. It's probable that reading so many web-sites for the descriptive listing meant I read a little too fast and understood too little. And, when I did my marathon overview, there were no play-choices in your self description. But I'll get the offending language corrected --- and we'll see about putting your URL into the listings everywhere the company is mentioned.

However, if you don't mind being the occasion for discussion, I'd like to come to the defense of "butcher and baker" theater.

I think the people at the Jamaica Plain Footlighters Club and the Arlington Friends of The Drama would take as much umbrage of your dismissal of their efforts as you took at my insults to you.

The best company I can remember following here in Boston had only one paid member --- their artistic director; the Hub Theater Center met all your descriptions except that they got no grants and no one else got paid.

In New York or L.A., "professional actor" is defined as "a waiter who auditions".

And seeing JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT not long ago taught me that money spent on sets and speakers and stars and promotion only makes theater bigger; it doesn't, necessarily, make it better.

What makes good theater, on Any Economic Level, is talent and dedication. If you have them, money surely helps --- but it helps most, I think, by giving people the freedom and the time to devote full attention to making the best possible productions.

I'm not saying that the only "good" theater is poor theater. When money was added to talent and dedication, it gave us Hal Holbrook's DEATH OF A SALESMAN on the identical stage that now holds Donny Osmond's JOSEPH, and it made a CAROUSEL that was worth going miles through a blizzard to see.

But are the Nora Company's productions less rewarding because they don't have a budget as big as A.R.T.'s? Was The Footlighters' FOLLIES inconsequential because the company fit your description of "butcher and baker" theater down to its toenails?

I'm probably biased because of my background. I spent five years doing stagehand stuff around Harvard productions before writing reviews, and then during my apprenticeship I covered "small theater" here --- colleges, community theater, and the tiny non-commercial companies. Steve Mindich did the Broadway shows, and we shared reviews of The Charles Playhouse and The Theater Company of Boston. So, when I "graduated" to reviewing the "grown- ups" at The Shubert, The Colonial, and Ye Wilbur, I really expected Better --- and I didn't get any more better in the big barns than I did in dining-halls, church basements, YWCA's, and coffeehouses. As a matter of fact, when money made Bad shows bigger, I was livid with indignation.

So, now you know at enormously self-indulgent length what I think.

What do all of you think?

Love,
===Anon

Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 12:07:37 EST5EDT4,M4.1.0,M10.5.0
From: jmcgonnigal@topcat.bridgew.edu
Reply-To: jmcgonnigal@bridgew.edu
Subject: hello.

Hi Larry!

How are you? I'm doing fine, I guess. I haven't spoken to you in quite some time. I have been very busy, as I am sure you have been.

I finished The Sea Gull here at school. It went very well...much better than expected. The actors didn't think anyone would enjoy it, but surprisingly, the audiences loved it.

I won the Irene Ryan Acting Competition nomination (say that five times fast) for the role of Sorin. It was a blast playing a seventy-two year old.

I've also since performed in Curley (it was for an afternoon senior citizen show). There were many changes to the show, since it was moved to the theatre district. So, that made it a bit difficult.

Well, this summer I'll be returning to the Saxtons River Playhouse. It should be fun. I'm assistant directing The Kathy & Mo Show:Parallel Lives, then playing Rolf in Sound of Music, Glenn in Rumors, Albert in The Secret Garden and Motel in Fiddler on the Roof. If you want to put a listing in here's the info...
It's all at the Saxtons River Playhouse in Saxtons River, Vermont.
The Box off. number (after June 15) is (802) 869-2030. Here are the shows and dates...

The Kathy & Mo Show:Parallel Lives June 20-24, June 27-July 1
Rumors July 18-22, July 25-29
The Secret Garden August 1-5, August 8-12
Fiddler on the Roof August 15-19, August 22-26

That's it-They also have a new internet page...here's the adress:
"http://www.sover.net/falklorn/srp.html"
check it out.

I'll be off line this summer, so if you want to reach me, my mailing address will be c/o Saxtons River Playhouse, Box 501, Saxtons River, VT. 05154

I will also be in touch with you at the beginning of next semester, RE: the Bridgewater State College Theatre Arts 96-97 Season-Let's see if you can maybe review some stuff We'll be doing Godspell & Midsummer Night's Dream among other things.
Well, I'll see ya!
Bye-Jamie McGonnigal

From: Michael Wayne John Bell

Organization: University of Manitoba

Subject: Submissions

Hi. My name is Mike Bell. I am a playwright from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. I was just curious if you could help me in regards to finding some of the theatres in the Boston area that might be very receptive to submissions of original work, and development of new plays. I would appreciate it very much.

Sincerely,

Mike Bell

LARRY STARK'S ANSWER:

I tried to give an answer to Mike Bell, but the Email was somehow screwed up.

CENTASTAGE this season seems to have done all new plays, plus a series of staged-readings.

So has TRIANGLE THEATRE, though their commitment to gay and lesbian themes restricts what they're interested in.

PLAYWRIGHTS' PLATFORM and THE B.U. PLAYWRIGHTS' THEATRE are apparently involved in Developing plays by local dramatists. Ed Bullins and Mort Kaplan at NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY and the people out at WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE run an annual play- readings marathon, probably for local people.

And there may be other people who have escaped my notice or slipped my memory.

Anyone else able to add more?
Love,
===Anon.

This is larry stark, explaining what appears below.

It came in Email; it's probably a species of Spam sent to dozens or hundreds of Email addresses. It goes on for several screens, so what I have given here is a brief selection of most (and not all) of the many sections of information.

I don't know what to make of it. Roberto Yermo may be the Orson Welles of Mexico, or just another grad-student looking for work. If he's done all he says, I think her certainly Has "interestings plays" for our audience.

But he seems to be able to give them in a language this country (and certainly the Northeast corner of it), is ill equipped to use.

If anyone wants the full resume, please ask. If anyone can give him some encouragement, please call him back. I mean, look:

Date: Tue, 25 Jun 1996 21:01:21 -0700
From: "Asociacion de Vecinos de la Colonia Emiliano Zapata Pte."

Subject: Roberto Ramirez

I am Writer and Theater Director.
I want to work and live in your country. I have interestings plays
for your audience. Please call me back.
My phone and fax en Guadalajara: ( 3 ) 6 31 00 19
My mail adress is: avecezap@pvnet.com.mx
CURRICULUM VITAE DE ROBERTO RAMIREZ GARCIA
SEUDONIMO: ROBERTO YERMO
FECHA Y LUGAR DE NACIMIENTO:
17 de Abril de 1960 en Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mixico.

COMO PROFESOR:

Ha dado Clases en la Universidad del Valle de Atemajac y en el ITESO, las materias de Comunicacisn Cultural, Teatro Popular, Teorma de la Comunicacisn, Produccisn de Cine, Noticia Radiofsnica, Investigacisn de la Comunicacisn y Planeacisn de la Comunicacisn.

OBRAS DE TEATRO DIRIGIDAS:
PENTECOSTES, una rsck-spera de Jose Luis Vasquez Escalona. Estrenada en el Teatro Alarife Martmn Casillas de Guadalajara, y posteriormente representada en varios teatros de la Repzblica. ADAN Y EVA, obra de Joaqumn Fernandez. Se presents en varios Colegios de Guadalajara.
ROMEO, JULIETA Y ALGO MAS. Adaptacisn del mismo Director. Rock- Opera, con mzsica de Mario Cuellar y Fernando Quintana. Presentada en la Muestra de Teatro de Jalisco de1983.
DENTRO DE NOSOTROS LA MAGIA, original de Enrique Lspez Navarro y Adalberto Carbajal. Estrenada en un Festival Cultural de la Universidad ITESO y presentada en el Festival Nacional de Teatro que organizs Bellas Artes en 1984, en Guadalajara.
BURLA BURLANDO YA VAN SIETE DELANTE, adaptacisn de Enrique Blanq de Rayuela de Julio Cortazar. Estrenada en la Alianza Francesa, en Guadalajara, Jal.
PEDRO PARAMO, de Juan Rulfo, adaptada por el mismo Director. Presentada en varios Teatros de Mixico y en Estados Unidos en donde particips en el primer festival internacional ( FRINGE FESTIVAL) y fui nominada como una de las mejores obras latinas para obtener el premio EL CESAR.

COMO ACTOR:
ROMEO, en Romeo y Julieta veinte anos despuis. Adaptacisn del Dr. Pablo Lasso. Estrenada en el T. E. J. en Guadalajara, Jal.
MERCUTIO, en otra puesta en escena de Romeo y Julieta.
EL PASTOR MANDERS, en Espictros de Henry Ibsen. Guadalajara, Jal.
PAPA NOEL, en Pastorelas Navideqas. En el Edo. de Mixico.

OBRAS ESCRITAS:
FISONOMIAS, Guisn para Cine. ( Inidito )
LABRADA, Obra de Tetaro en dos actos. ( Inidita )
EUDOXIA, Argumento para Ballet, con mzsica de Juan Carlos Rammrez Aguilar. ( Inidito )
PARA LEER EN LA VIGILIA, Libro de Poesma. ( Inidito )
LA EFICIENCIA Y LA EFICACIA DE LA COMUNICACION EN EL MONTAJE TEATRAL, Libro de analisis sobre todos los aspectos que interbienen en un montaje. ( Inidito )

ADAPTACIONES TEATRALES Y CINEMATOGRAFICAS:
PEDRO PARAMO de Juan Rzlfo la adapts para teatro con varios actores, para monslogo y para cine.
LA NEGRA ANGUSTIAS, de Francisco Rojas Gonzalez la adapts para cine.
LA INCREIBLE Y TRISTE HISTORIA DE LA CANDIDA ERENDIRA Y SU ABUELA DESALMADA, de Gabriel Garcma Marquez , adaptada para teatro.
GUADALUPE, adaptacisn basada en el NICAN MOPOHVA para teatro.
ROMEO y JULIETA, rock-opera basada en la obra de William Shakespeare.
FANTASMAS DE ABRIL adaptacion basada en la novela de el periodista Luis Alberto Alcaraz.

Larry:

Due to the fact that our summer season has already begun, we would like to get at least our listings onto the Mirror ASAP. In the future we can consider an ad. If possible please post the shows listed below, and please send us more info on your pricing and procedures for ads. If you need any additional information from us, please let us know.

Rick Booth
Booth Productions

6/13-6/15, 6/21-6/22, 6/27-6/29 Phantom Booth Productions Holy Name High School, 144 Granite St., Worcester MA 01604 BOX OFFICE: (508) 797-9277 6/28, 6/29, 7/12, 7/19, 7/20 The Trial of Goldilocks Booth Productions Holy Name High School, 144 Granite St., Worcester MA 01604 BOX OFFICE: (508) 797-9277 7/2-7/6, 8/20-8/24 Godspell Booth Productions Methodist Church, Shore Rd., Ogunquit, ME BOX OFFICE: (509) 797-9277 8/16, 8/17 Godspell Booth Productions Holy Name High School, 144 Granite St., Worcester MA 01604 BOX OFFICE: (508) 797-9277 7/5, 7/6, 7/12, 7/13, 7/26, 7/27, 8/2, 8/3 21A Booth Productions Community Center, Temple St., Kennebunk, ME BOX OFFICE: (508) 797-9277 7/12, 7/13, 7/26, 7/27 South Pacific Booth Productions Methodist Church, Shore Rd., Ogunquit, ME BOX OFFICE: (508) 797-9277 7/18-7/20 Annie Get Your Gun Booth Productions Holy Name High School, 144 Granite St., Worcester MA 01604 BOX OFFICE: (508) 797-9277 7/25-7/27 The Pajama Game Booth Productions Holy Name High School, 144 Granite St., Worcester MA 01604 BOX OFFICE: (508) 797-9277 7/26, 7/27 Too Many Cooks Booth Productions Holy Name High School, 144 Granite St., Worcester MA 01604 BOX OFFICE: (508) 797-9277 8/2, 8/3, 8/8-8/10 Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Booth Productions Methodist Church, Shore Rd., Ogunquit, ME BOX OFFICE: (508) 797-9277

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - through July 28

MARBLEHEAD SUMMERSTAGE PRESENTS "PLUM PUDDING"

Acclaimed Boston actress Paula Plum returns to Marblehead SummerStage with her unique one-woman show PLUM PUDDING for eight performances only, Thursday through Sunday evenings, July 18 - 28 at 8pm, at the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Marblehead.

Remembered locally for her priceless performance in Shirley Valentine at Marblehead SummerStage several seasons ago, Ms. Plum was recently honored to receive the Boston Critics' Award as Outstanding Actress of 1995 for her starring roles in Lost In Yonkers at the Chiswick Park Theatre and Unexpected Tenderness at the Gloucester Stage Company.

In PLUM PUDDING, the actress has concocted an evening's entertainment of amazing variety, blending Ruth Draper's mad-cap comedy The Italian Lesson, Alan Bennett's poignant Bed Among The Lentils with the unforgettable and indescribable The Sidekick by Helen Merrill.

Tickets for PLUM PUDDING are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and students and are available at Arnould Gallery, 111 Washington Street in Marblehead or at the door on the evenings of performance. For reservations or more information, call 617-639-0195.

>>Date: Mon, 24 Jun 1996 17:46:24 -0400
From: DanielleFJ@aol.com
To: themirror@shore.net
Subject: Casting

TheatreZone, in residence at the Actors Workshop, seeks male actors 22-40 for roles in Cloud 9 by Caryl Churchill.

Auditions will be held by appointment, at the Actors Workshop, 40 Boylston St. in downtown Boston, by the Boylston T Stop on the Green Line and the Chinatown/Essex stop on the Orange Line. Please prepare a short contemporary monologue. Cloud 9 will run from July 19th to August 3rd. There is no pay involved. For more information call 666-0732.

Date: Wed, 12 Jun 96 11:31:01 -0500 (CDT)
From: gnadt@airmail.net (M. T.)
Subject: Re: wow...

Thank you so much for your speedy reply to my request for a play to see for my mom's 80th birthday. You've given me lots to choose from. I give you a review when we get back on the 24th.
mt

Date: Sat, 1 Jun 1996 21:49:23 -0400 (EDT)
From: Michael Mcgarty
Subject: Audition and show announcement

I received your letter this past month about the Theater Mirror and got a chance to check it out last night. What a great idea!

I hope to create a web page this summer for the Harvard Community Theatre and once it's done I'll let you know how to find it. Meanwhile, we're having auditions for "Nunsense" this week with a production in July. If the information is useful to you then I thank you for the listing.

Best of luck with the business!
Michael McGarty, Artistic Director, Harvard Community Theatre

******* FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE******

The Harvard Community Theatre will hold auditions this week for a summer production of the musical "Nunsense". The cast calls for five women, the survivors at the Little Sisters of Hoboken nunnery. The sisters parade their talents at a variety show staged to raise funds to bury the rest of their order who have succumbed to botulism after eating vichyssoise prepared by Sister Julia.

Auditions will take place on Wednesday evening, June 5 at 7:00 p.m. and on Saturday afternoon, June 8 from noon to 3:00 p.m. in the Cronin auditorium at the Bromfield School on Route 111 in Harvard.

Actresses should bring a prepared piece of music.
An accompanist will be in attendance. For further information, call (508) 456-3454.

Production dates will be July 19,20,26 and 27.