REVIEW: Antigone at USC's Longstreet Theatre by Libby Campbell

Sophocles’ Antigone, written in the 5th Century BCE  is the final chapter of the Oedipus Trilogy. Our story starts in the city of Thebes. Didem Ruhi’s beautiful lamentation provides the perfect beginning to this tragic tale.

Oedipus’ sons, Polyneices and Eteocles, have killed each other in battle during a civil war fought over succession to Oedipus’ throne. Antigone and Ismene, sisters of the fallen soldiers, reside in the city of Thebes where their uncle, Creon, reigns as king by default. Polyneices attacked the city defended by Eteocles. Creon decrees that Polyneices proved himself a traitor, an enemy of the crown, and vows that Polyneices shall remain unburied, to be devoured by dogs and vultures. He warns the citizens that anyone disobeying his command will be punished.

Antigone mourns the loss of her brother and determines to give Polyneices the burial he deserves. Her sister, Ismene, warns her of  the price she will pay for disobeying the crown. Thereby hangs a tale…

Antigone, portrayed by Elaine Werren, is a strong-willed woman determined to stand up to the demands of her uncle. More than once women are referred to as “mere women” whose words are to be dismissed. Antigone refuses to back down from the misogyny of men in power and buries her brother, punishment be damned.

What a marvelous production. Director Lauren Wilson has done an excellent job of emphasizing the feminism inherent in the script. As we all know, the themes explored by the ancient Greek philosophers and playwrights still ring true today (more’s the pity). Wilson brought together a good, strong cast and crew to tell this story. Werren is a strong, unbending Antigone, willing to pay the price of her defiance. Kyleigh McComish’s Ismene is a hesitant heroine at first, begging her sister not to rebel against Uncle Creon then growing sympathetic to Antigone’s decision. Olan Domer gave a strong portrayal of Teresias, the blind seer. His impassioned warning to Creon of the price he will pay should he execute Antigone was one of the most moving scenes of the evening. (His costume and makeup were outstanding).

There is not a weak link to be seen in the cast. Dominic DeLong-Rodgers’ Creon is unbending and unforgiving in his power. He is a commanding presence. The chorus was beautifully choreographed, using their voices and movement to drive the action of the play. Haemon, Creon’s only surviving son and fiancé, is played by Carlos Turner. He brings a rationality and composure to the story and is put in the position of having to choose between loyalty to his father or loyalty to Antigone. He implores his father to listen to the wisdom of others, to no avail. Mel Driggers’ sentry is fearful of Creon yet sympathetic to Antigone; Driggers does a great job of portraying the tug-of-war between these two emotions.

The set is absolutely beautiful. Andy Mills’ scenic design combined with Jim Hunter’s lighting design and Danielle Wilson’s sound design come together to create what to me is the perfect setting. Kristy Hall’s costumes are timeless. My only quibble with this production is with the costuming. The costumes are   timeless, however, when Creon enters in his uniform, barefoot as is the rest of the cast, it looks as if he heard his cue and dashed onstage without putting his shoes on. And that’s the extent of “things I didn’t like about this show.”

Antigone runs October 9 – 11 at 7:30 pm, and October 12 at 3:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at Longstreet Theatre. The show runs a bit less than 90 minutes without intermission. Tickets range from $15.00 to $22.00. It’s worth every cent. Parking is at a premium, as usual. There is parking beside Drayton Hall; some street parking is available along Greene St.

           

REVIEW: Trustus Theatre's People Places & Things by Kristine Hartvigsen

The Trustus Theatre stage play People, Places & Things by English playwright Duncan Macmillan is not feel-good entertainment. But don’t let that stop you from seeing it. 

It isn’t pretty, this sobering depiction of the messy, meandering journey from drunken debauchery to addiction to detox to denial to relapse to denial to acceptance to the beginnings of lifelong recovery.  

The play follows Emma, a troubled actress, through the process of acknowledging her debilitating addiction to drugs and alcohol. Portrayed with authenticity and skill by Christine Hellman, Emma is a drunken, self-absorbed mess who suffers from imposter syndrome on the stage. As a result, she is crippled by self-doubt and has difficulty distinguishing between her stage roles and her often mind-bending, party-filled reality. “If I am not in character, I am not sure who I am,” Emma reveals. 

The most riveting scenes in People are when Emma is agonizing through detox. She shakes and writhes and suffers a terrifying madness complete with hallucinations as many versions of herself emerge repeatedly from her hospital bed like cloned apparitions also seizing and retching and screaming in pain. All the Emmas together reach a cacophony of terrifying volume.  

Incredibly compelling stage design, lighting, and sound convey the emotion and multi-sensory torture Emma experiences. Background screens run video behind the actors that further strengthen the performance. Recorded sound, including broadcast static and echoing narratives, as well as flashing overhead lights contribute to the feelings of confusion and mania. 

When Emma expresses that the therapist and administrator of the facility cannot possibly understand what she and the other patients are going through, it is poignantly revealed that each themselves is a longtime recovering addict.  

In her alternating roles as doctor, therapist, and “mum” to Emma, Erin Wilson is believably straightforward, authoritative, and empathetic as group therapy facilitator. Josh Kern is equal parts likeable and knowing as the rehab facility’s administrator Foster. Each patient’s story adds depth and complexity to the multi-faceted struggles of recovery. Some of the therapy role-play scenes dragged some but included notable performances from William Paul Brown and Alex Malvern. 

While Emma’s first attempt at inpatient rehab fails, she has taken the lessons of therapy to heart and finds her way back to pick up the pieces once more. In trying to rationalize her substance abuse, Emma says things common among addicts like: “I needed something to take the edge off,” and “drugs and alcohol have never let me down.”  

There are moments of needed comic relief that emphasize the subtle contradictions inherent in the culture of substance abuse. In one nonsensical scene, the patients almost competitively spit out stories demonstrating how much more “fucked up” they are than the others — as if there was a certain dysfunctional pride in fucked-up-edness.  

Ultimately, the patients agree contextually that “The problem is not us; it’s the world.” However they also take responsibility for their behaviors and find comfort in realizing “We’re all the same.”  

Director Dewey Scott-Wiley is to be commended for delivering a brilliant play that bravely takes on an ugly topic with empathy and wit. The entire cast performing in People tackle unflattering and starkly challenging roles to tell an insightful story that touches nearly every American family on some level.  

The play does end on a positive note, with Emma acknowledging the “gift of desperation” and — having done the work — eventually resuming the necessary practice of going to auditions. This recovery milestone shows that it is possible to return to some semblance of a normal life. This revealing play is well worth seeing.

 

People, Places & Things (produced in partnership with LRADAC and The Courage Center) runs at Trustus Theatre through Oct. 12.

 

 

Review: The 39 Steps Opens at Chapin Theatre By Jane Peterson

The 39 Steps, a comedic gem originally crafted by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon, debuted at Chapin Theatre Company Friday night to a packed house. Directed by Frank Thompson, this farcical adaptation spoofs Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 film and John Buchan’s 1915 novel, blending the intrigue of a murder mystery with a comedic flair reminiscent of Monty Python, Mel Brooks, and chaotic productions like Noises Off and The Play That Goes Wrong.

In this witty reimagining, the entire plot of the 1935 Hitchcock film is recreated by just four actors, a feat that leads to boundless hilarity. George Dinsmore shines as the lead, Richard Hannay, an unsuspecting hero entangled in a spy conspiracy. Jennifer Kraus takes on the roles of three women (Pamela, Annabella, and Margaret), each of whom Hannay encounters in his desperate bid to clear his name. Ripley Thames and Julia Hudson steal the show as they juggle dozens of other roles, from innkeepers to police officers, to businessmen, showcasing their talent for rapid character shifts and physical comedy.

The plot centers on Hannay’s efforts to prove his innocence after being accused of murdering a mysterious spy, played with captivating charm by Kraus. Her portrayal of the dark-haired femme fatale Annabella sets the stage for the wild ride that follows. As Hannay evades capture, he crosses paths with a variety of eccentric characters, all hilariously brought to life by Thames and Hudson, who skillfully switch between personalities and accents with minimal costume changes. Their impeccable comedic timing keeps the audience in stitches as they bring the absurdity of the story to life.

Dinsmore plays Hannay with both charm and earnestness, effortlessly embodying the role of an accidental hero. His scenes, particularly the daring stunts—like hanging from the side of a train—are a delight to watch. Kraus, as his three love interests, excels in her ability to bring distinct personalities to each woman, with perfect comedic timing and facial expressions that add depth to the humor. Thames and Hudson, as the "clowns" of the show, provide endless gags, sight humor, and quick-witted dialogue, managing to make each character memorable despite the dizzying pace of their transformations.

A highlight of the production is the creative use of multimedia and projections, which are brilliantly integrated into the minimal set. Black-and-white and color images are used to transport the audience to various locations, riding on a speeding train, and in a car. We even witnessed a plane crash. Thompson’s direction ensures that the actors' movements, particularly in scenes involving the moving train and car chases, are synchronized perfectly with the projections, adding another layer of visual comedy to the show.

Though a few of the set changes felt slightly prolonged on opening night, it’s a small nitpick in an otherwise polished production. The actors' chemistry and energy more than compensated for any technical issues, delivering an engaging and highly entertaining experience from start to finish.

The 39 Steps runs from October 10 to 20 at Chapin Theatre, with evening performances and weekend matinees. Tickets are $15 in advance and range from $18 (seniors) to $20 (adults) at the door. Don’t miss this uproarious homage to classic cinema—this is a theatrical event full of laughs that you won’t want to miss! Visit www.chapintheatre.org for tickets.

Eclectic Mix of Short Plays Featured in USC’s 10 Minute Play Festival Oct. 24 – Nov. 3

The USC Dept. of Theatre and Dance will present the 10 Minute Play Festival, a fun and eclectic evening of short plays, October 24 – November 3 at the Lab Theatre.

Show times are at 7:30pm, October 24-26 and November 1-2, and 3pm on Sunday, Nov. 3.   Tickets are $10 and are available online at sc.universitytickets.com or at the door.  The Lab Theatre is located at 1400 Wheat St. on the first floor of the Booker T. Washington building.  

Enjoy a fast-paced evening of laughter, heartbreak and everything in between as we present a collection of (very) short plays, each directed by a different member of our theatre performance faculty. “A ten-minute play is a streak of theatrical lightning. It doesn’t last long, but its power can stand your hair on end.” (Take Ten, Vintage Books).

Featured plays include:

The Lobster Quadrille (Directed by David Britt)
Playwright Don Nigro’s quirky story depicts a casual encounter that quickly becomes a chaotic dance, as two lovers navigate the neurotic pitfalls of a one-night stand. 

So I Was Visiting Dad on His Birthday... (Directed by Lyle Browne)
In this sensitive and witty script by DC Cathro, a chance meeting between two women in a cemetery – one visiting her deceased father and the other hoping to join him in the afterlife – sparks an unlikely bond. 

Dead Giveaway (Directed by Mario Haynes)
Daniel Guyton’s unorthodox exploration of romance is set on Valentine’s Day, as Robert gifts his wife arrangements of the "final" variety, leading both to question the meaning of “’til death do us part.”

Tea Time (Directed by Patrick Michael Kelly)
Stabbings. Missing tea. A dropped goose. Something is afoot in Lady Gertrude's manor, and it is certainly not a game. Class and reality are dissected in Will Dunne's absurd comedy of manners and murder.

Cast in the plays are undergraduate students Isnerys Carrasquillo, Josh Cooke, Calvin DeLude, Donovan Dempsey, Destiny McCorvey, Reagan Michael, Aza Nyberg, and Morgan Passley.

While the wide variety of situations presented in these compact stories makes for a uniquely entertaining experience for the audience, the faculty directors say that the actors’ work is just as challenging and fulfilling as doing a full-length play.

“While the audience only sees these characters for 10 minutes, the actors have to develop characters that have lived full lives up to [the performance of] the play,” says instructor Lyle Browne. “Just as with a full-length play, that time has to be spent to engage the audience and bring them in.

Senior instructor David Britt concurs. “It really gives the actors a chance to study a character and flesh them out in one scene. It’s all or nothing, and that is exciting to an actor.” 

For more information on the 10 Minute Play Festival or the theatre program at the University of South Carolina, contact Kevin Bush by phone at 803-777-9353 or via email at bushk@mailbox.sc.edu.  

 

Two Greek Tragedies Kick Off the Season for USC Theatre & SC Shakespeare Company

Elaine Werren as Antigone

In this politically fraught time, how clever of two of our local theatre companies to program political productions that focus on the power of the individual – in both cases, individual female characters – to rise up in protest against their own uniquely perceived injustices. USC Theatre opens their 2024 – 2025 season with Antigone, and SC Shakespeare Company opens similarly with Electra, both during the first weekend in October.  

Both plays are based on characters from ancient Greek mythology, both are being performed in Columbia, SC, and both open the first weekend in October, but most of the similarities end there. 

While the SC Shakespeare Company’s production of Electra runs from October 3 – 5 and 10 – 12, outside in Historic Columbia’s beautiful Woodrow Wilson House Gardens, the University of SC’s Theatre program presents Antigone October 4 – 12 at the historic Longstreet Theatre on campus. 

The mythological characters of Antigone and Electra are both examined frequently by writers of antiquity in a number of classic plays, each serving as a catalyst for the call of moral fortitude by the titular women involved.  

Antigone is a tale of civil disobedience. When her two brothers are killed while fighting each other for the throne of Thebes, newly seated ruler Creon forbids the burial and mourning of one of her brothers, Polynices, and Antigone rebels by mourning and burying him against Creon’s decree.  

Elektra, whose story has received treatment by everyone from Sophocles and Euripides to Richard Strauss and Eugene O’Neill, is best known for her part in the Trojan cycle, as well as for being the namesake of Carl Jung’s psychological Elektra Complex. 

Here’s what you need to know to take in both promising productions: 

Electra will be performed outside at the historic Woodrow Wilson Gardens at 1705 Hampton Street. The performance starts at 7:30, is free, and attendees are invited to bring blankets and picnics to enhance their viewing experience. The cast and crew include Hunter Boyle, Katie Mixon, Brittany Lewis, Nekoda Moses, Kira Nessel, J B Marple, and Tristian Brown and is directed by Tracey Steele.

 Antigone will be performed at Longstreet Theatre, 1300 Greene Street, with showtimes at 7:30 Wednesday through Saturday with 3 pm matinee performances on October 6 and 12. Tickets are $15 - $22 and may be purchased here. Lauren Wilson will direct the play. The cast and crew include Elaine Werren (Antigone), Dominic DeLong-Rodgers (Creon), Olan Domer, Didem Ruhi, and Elizabeth Wheless; undergraduates Meagan AuBuchon, John Ballard, Eliza Dojan, Ben Doub, Mel Driggers, Ash Leland, Kyleigh McComish, Angie Tamvaki, Carlos Turner, and Olivia Wamai; and guest artist Talha Karci.

-Cb

About Last Night - A Magical Evening of New Theatre & Unique Visual Art with Chad Henderson & Nate Puza

L to R: Jon Tuttle - PRS director, Chad Henderson - playwright, Marybeth Gorman Craig - director, Kayla Machado - very pregnant actor, Libby Campbell - actor & Jasper Project board member, G. Scott Wild - actor

Last night was a wonderful night for the Jasper Project as we were privileged to celebrate two artists from two different disciplines at Harbison Theatre for a double dose of Jasper goodness. We opened the evening with a reception for our featured visual artist in the Harbison Theatre Gallery, Nate Puza and ended it with the premier staged reading performance of the 2024 Play Right Series winning play, Let It Grow by Chad Henderson.

Visual Artist Nate Puza offers and artist talk at the opening reception for hi exhibition at the Jasper Project’s Harbison Theatre Gallery

Nate Puza is a South Carolina based artist, designer, and illustrator with over a decade of experience working with some of the biggest bands and brands in the world including Jason Isbell, the Avett Brothers, Chris Stapleton, Phish, and more. Internationally known for his meticulous attention to detail and high level of craftmanship, Puza created the new design for the Columbia, SC flag. When not creating art for your favorite band Nate can be found playing music with friends, being outside, wrenching on his motorcycle, mowing the lawn, or drinking a beer on the back porch.

Chad Henderson is a professional theatre artist from South Carolina. He is known for directing contemporary plays, musicals and original works that mix music, movement, imagination and invention to create unforgettable works for the stage. Henderson served as the Artistic Director of Trustus Theatre (2015-2021) in Columbia, SC, and is the current Marketing Director for the South Carolina Philharmonic, where he most recently produced Home for the Holidays at Koger Center for the Arts. Selected Trustus Theatre credits include: The Brother/Sister Plays, Green Day’s American Idiot, Evil Dead, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, The Last 5 Years, Assassins, The Great Gatsby, Next to Normal, and The Restoration’s Constance - an original musical for which Henderson also authored the book.

Libby Campbell and David Britt on the stage for Let It Grow!

L to R: Libby Campbell, David Britt, G. Scott Wild, Kayla Machado

Jasper expresses our sincerest appreciation to Kristin Cobb, executive director of Harbison Theatre at MTC and her team for welcoming us into their home and supporting our mission. Check out all the exciting performances coming up at Harbison theatre here and support this state-of-the-art performance space the way they support the SC Midlands performing artists!

Kristin Cobb, executive director - Harbison Theatre at MTC welcomes the crowd.

Midlands Light Opera Presents Gilbert and Sullivan's Iolanthe!

Midlands Light Opera Society is pleased to present Gilbert and Sullivan’s operetta Iolanthe September 27 - 29. Performances will be at 7:30 on the 27th and 28th and at 3:00 on the 29th. All performances will be in Bennett Hall at First Christian Church (2062 N Beltline Blvd, Columbia - enter through the double doors under the driveway). 

The Queen of the Fairies (Felicia Torres) has just pardoned Iolanthe (Evelyn Clary), whom she had exiled for 25 years for having married a mortal. Iolanthe spent her banishment at the bottom of a pond, so she could be near her half-fairy and half-mortal son, Strephon (Terry Artis), who is engaged to Phyllis (Christi Pirkle). Phyllis is a ward of the court, so the Lord Chancellor (Roddey Smith) must give his consent for her to marry, but he wants to marry her. So do Lord Tolloller (Nikki Anderson) and Lord Montararat (Ben Palmer). Leila (Stephanie Villamizar), Celia (Shelby Sessler), and Fleta (Amy Thomasson) lead the fairies in helping Strephon win Phyllis’s hand. Private Willis (Andrew Skaggs) attempts to keep order once deep seated family secrets come to light and the fairies start meddling in politics. The cast is rounded out by an all ages chorus of fairies and peers (Sophia Almeida, Lilith Clary, Mark Foil, Kim Foil, Harmony Hayslette, Julie Lumpkin, Alex Mabrey, Janice Boan Mabrey, Maria Martinez, Sara Martinez, Ashley Mize, and William Thomasson).

The production is directed by Roddey Smith, accompanied on piano by Ashleigh Morse,  musically directed by Ronnie Wise, costumed by Susan Scaccia, stage managed by Hollie Smith, choreographed by Leighton Mount and produced by Evelyn Clary.

“Even though this work premiered in 1882, the show is still captivating audiences. The tunes are catchy, people love fairies, and everyone likes to make fun of politicians,” says Roddey Smith. “This is a true community production,” says Clary. “It is a delight to see the diversity of talent. We have some cast members who have performed professionally, some who are back onstage after taking a break, and some just starting out. It is fun to watch everyone work together. The camaraderie of the cast and crew is beautiful.”

Tickets for seniors (over 65) and students are $10, all others are $15, and may be purchased with cash or check at the door, or online. There will be a $1 processing fee added to each ticket purchased by card at the door. Online tickets may be purchased here.


Midlands Light Opera Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. For more information, and behind the scenes sneak peaks, visit our website!

The NiA Company Presents Jasper's Play Right Series 2023 Winning Play THERAPY by LONETTA THOMPSON

August 29, 30, 31

at the Trustus Side Door Theatre

Few things make us happier at the Jasper Project than seeing art that we had some small hand in helping to launch continue to grow, thrive, and take on a life of it’s own. We are so pleased to share the news about one such theatrical project coming to the stage this month – Lonetta Thompson’s 2023 Play Right Series-winning play, Therapy!

As the third of our Play Right Series winning plays, Lonetta Thompson’s Therapy was workshopped and presented as a staged reading in August 2023. The book, Therapy: A Play by Lonetta Thompson, was published the same month. Now, after a workshopping session in June, Therapy is coming to the Trustus Side Door Theatre August 29, 30, and 31,as a production of the NiA Company.

Jasper’s 2023 Cast of Therapy — Left to right - Jon Tuttle - Play Right Series Manager, Emily Deck Harrill - stage manager, Rick Edwards, Marilyn Matheus, Michelle Jacobs, Allison Allgood, Elena Martinez-Vidal - director, and front & center Lonetta Thompson - playwright.

THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY PRODUCERS WITHOUT WHOM WE WOULD BE UNABLE TO LAUNCH THESE PLAYS!

Jasper caught up with a very busy Lonetta Thompson and asked her what she’s feeling as she goes into the final weeks before a full production of Therapy comes to life.

“Winning the Jasper Project's Play Right Series and watching the staged reading was thrilling but watching it come to life with this amazing group of people is beyond anything I could have imagined,” Thompson says. “Being on this side of the story can be nerve-wracking, but I know it's in the best possible hands. We're still technically workshopping it, but I don't know how the experience could get any better. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to the Jasper Project, all those involved with the staged reading, Trustus Theatre and the always amazing NiA Company! 

The cast for this production includes Dr. V. played again by Marilyn Matheus, Max - Andie Lowe, Alex - Ellen Rodillo-Fowler, Charlie - DaMarius Allen, Young Alex - Kerasan Ulmer, and Chris is played by De'On Turner. Darion McCloud is the director with costumes from Taylor Thompson and Lights/Sound/Set Design by Teddy Palmer.

Jasper wishes broken legs and happy times to the cast and crew of Therapy, especially our award-winning playwright Lonetta Thompson, and encourages all of you who enjoy seeing new theatre art in Columbia to grab your limited seating tickets and look forward to a night of excitement – presented by NiA Company at the Trustus Side Door Theatre the last weekend in August!

Reserve Your Ticket Here!

SEPTEMBER 14th -- A Double Dose of Jasper

Mark your calendars for the evening of Saturday, September 14th, after the LSU/Carolina game, to come out to Harbison Theatre for a double dose of Columbia Arts. Help Jasper welcome renown graphic artist Nate Puza to the walls of our Harbison Gallery with a free drop-in opening reception starting at 6 pm. Enjoy meeting Nate and hearing about his art, sip a little something, have a little snack, and chat with friends until 7:30 when the curtain rises on more new art coming out of Columbia, SC!

Let It Grow, by Chad Henderson, winner of the Jasper Project’s 2024 Play Right Project series, will premiere as a staged reading  and offer us the right to say I saw it first when it inevitably moves on to other stages near and far. Directed by Marybeth Gorman Craig, and starring Libby Campbell-Turner, G. Scott Wild, Kayla Machado, and David Britt, Let It Grow is a sweet and poignant comedy that looks at the expectations we share about family-like relationships, what happens when players outside of those relationships insert themselves, and PLANTS! The Play Right Series is administered by SC playwright Jon Tuttle and is in its fourth cycle of midwifing new theatre art onto the stage exclusively from South Carolina playwrights.

Previous Play Right Series winning plays include Sharks and Other Lovers by Randall David Cook, Moon Swallower by Colby Quick, and Therapy by Lonetta Thompson. Lonetta Thompson’s Therapy will be fully produced by the NiA Company August 29, 30, 31st at the Trustus Theatre Side Door Theatre and Jasper strongly encourages you to come out and support this new art, too! Tickets for Lonetta Thompson’s Therapy are here.

 

NATE PUZA OPENING RECEPTION

6 PM – FREE

 

LET IT GROW by Chad Henderson

7:30 pm -TICKETS

 

And while we have you, check out Harbison Theatre’s exciting calendar of events for 2024 – 2025 including Ensemble Eclectica on August 24th, South Carolina’s own singer-songwriter Cody Webb on September 6th, and The Box Masters featuring Billy Bob Thornton with opening act The Capital City Playboys, Friday October 18th!

REVIEW -- Trustus Theatre's Workshop Premiere of Dandelion: An Original Musical

by Chad Henderson

Trustus Theatre opened its doors on Friday, August 9th to a sold-out audience that had been long-anticipating the first downbeat of Dandelion. This original musical was created by composer and lyricist Colleen Francis and book writers Jessica Fichter and Sean Riehm, with some additional music and lyrics from Hailee Beltzhoover-Zuniga and Bill Zeffiro. This work is a slick and well-devised exploration of trauma, mental illness, and the sinewy bonds of family. It will move you, you will relate to one or more of the characters in this multi-generational story and it will actually make you laugh quite a bit. So, if you’re reading this to find out if you should see Dandelion at Trustus - then let me go ahead and direct you to their website to buy tickets: trustus.org. Your Columbia artists are in your own backyard creating something new and you don’t have tickets yet? Shame on you. This is why we can’t have nice things in this town. The show runs through August 25th, so you’ve got plenty of chances to experience Dandelion and stick around for talkbacks after every performance if you wish.  

Now, for posterity, I will pontificate about the production as it stood on opening night. (As this is a workshop production, that means it can and probably will change on its journey to the next production. Hell, it might have already changed before the second weekend.) 

Dandelion tells the story of a teenager named Jane and her family. They live in Georgia, USA. Jane’s mother, Lilah, has endured a long struggle with mental illness and opioid addiction. Jane’s parents have split up, but her fun-loving parrothead of a father is still in the picture. At an impasse with Lilah, Jane’s brother Jordan has also left the house and raises a family away from his mother’s illness. So, this leaves Jane as the sole caretaker of her mother for quite some time, but she finds solace in the company of her best friend Gabbie as they begin the process of applying for college and going to the prom. Will Lilah find a pathway to a healthier life? Will Jane make the move to North College without her mother getting in the way? Are the systems that are supposed to protect those with mental illness totally fucked in America? Well, the audience will hope for the best as the inevitable answers to these questions are revealed. All the while, we’ll keep truly wishing the best for these characters, because they’re all really likable (and word on the street is that the story is based on an actual family from around these parts).  

On the road to this workshop production, one would assume that the script has undergone alteration and subtraction. The end result is a satisfyingly paced production that is dense but moves with plenty of locomotion. The play’s translation from page to stage was directed by co-book writer Jessica Francis Fichter (and Trustus Executive Director), and it is a winsome evening in the theatre through her collaboration with music director Steven Gross, choreographer Terrance Henderson and the production’s design team.

left to right Stann Gwynn, Sadie Wiskes, Katrina Garvin, and Sean Stephens photo by Thomas Hammond

Colleen Francis’ music and lyrics are clearly the result of an industry professional. Her work in her career spans from country to hip hop, and if you listen to Franky C (her performer name) you will joyfully experience music that would be at home on top 40s stations. The songwriter’s prowess comes front and center with the haunting “Lullaby” that serves as the introduction of Lilah’s mental illness, and one of the play’s most useful devices: the utilization of three actors to personify the character’s depression, rage, and paranoia. This storytelling gambit seems to have given Francis the permission to dive into some inventive places with numbers like “Nightmare,” “Throwing Me Away” and, truly one of the strongest of the production, “Bottom of a Bottle.” These tunes feel connected and original to this musical. Also noteworthy is “Not the Perfect Daughter,” which is a moving solo from Jane that boasts a memorable melody and hook.  

With Francis’ ability to be a songwriting chameleon, it was somewhat surprising that the team behind the show desired to lean into some of the more prosaic tropes of modern musical theatre. Much of the music that doesn’t center around Lilah’s internal journey sounds like some other song you’ve heard from some other musical in recent history, and sometimes even the moments in the show can seem (intentionally?) echoic. For example, with the device of having a present-day and younger Jane to demonstrate the story’s links to the past - one could remember Alison Bechdel in Fun Home. It was also hard to ignore the similarities between the Act II opener and Next to Normal’s “My Psychopharmacologist and I” - right down to the waltz and the list of side effects in the lyrics that end in “death” (or “use could be fatal” in N2N). It is entirely possible that a different approach to the arrangements or orchestrations could bring something unique to the sound of the show.

Left to right Mel Driggers and Hannah Bonnett — photo by Thomas Hammond

There are plenty of theatre fans that love the familiar, and Dandelion will ultimately feel safe with a cutting edge here and there to jar the viewer on occasion. The team and the cast give this new work sturdy legs to stand on, because it is indeed tight, well-crafted, and realized by professionals with proven track records. That is undoubtedly why the audience connected to the characters, pulled for them, related to them, and wiped the tears from their eyes as they stood for an ovation that was well-deserved by the cast and all in the show’s orbit.  

Speaking of the cast: new work can be stressful, fast-paced and a bit disorienting - but this group didn’t flinch. The quartet of Katrina Garvin (Lilah) and the voices in her head played by Kristin Claiborne, Terrance Henderson and Brittany Hammock provide the thrills in this story - both narratively and musically. As these characters build into moments of destruction (literally), the group illustrates the expanse of Lilah’s inner-struggle and how powerful her illness can be when confronted by others. Katrina as Lilah uses her toolbox to keep the character teetering on the brink of a possible breakthrough, while believably navigating the waters of hitting rock bottom (we hope they record  “Bottom of the Bottle” so we can relive her powerhouse performance).  

The Three Voices — Brittany Hammock, Kristin M. Claiborne, and Terrance Henderson - photo courtesy of Trustus Theatre

It must also be mentioned that the Three Voices get to play a grab-bag of other characters in the story, especially in “Welcome to Your New Life.” Some of these briefly-lived creations are some of the funniest in the show. Case in point: Brittany Hammock as Carla, the college tour guide. Some of the laughter she generated lasted longer than the built-in holds-for-chortle. 

New to the Trustus stage is guest artist Hannah Bonnet in the role of Jane. Bonnet is a magnetic performer, and she does a commendable job of holding the audience’s hand throughout the story and bringing them along. Jane’s best friend Gabbie is played by local actor Mel Driggers, who gets to play the clown a lot in this performance. Driggers’ Gabbie is an homage to all of our best friends in high school, and the friend who pushed us harder because they truly loved us. Seeing these two actors work together presents much needed levity between some of the darker moments. However, we did wonder if there might be more signaling in the playing of Jane that shows how her mother’s conditioning has set in over 18 years. Beyond her own guilt as a caretaker, what else is the character escaping in herself? 

Also in Jane’s sphere are her father Daniel (Stann Gwynn), her brother Jordan (Sean Stephens) and the memory of her younger self played by Sadie Wiskes. Young Sadie is there to show us Jane’s innocence, the child before the veneer is chipped away - and she does a lovely job. Stann Gwynn and Sean Stephens’ characters provide a lot of the uncomplicated familial love for Jane, though both characters have clearly abandoned her in some form or fashion. Both actors shine throughout the proceedings, but their turns in the chaotic “Get Your Shit Together” really turns up the energy on stage and the anxiety in the audience.  

The show’s title references an endearing moment early on in the play where Lilah tells the young Jane that when you blow a dandelion and make a wish, that your “wishes have wings.” I might be compelled to pick up the next few dandelions I come across. I hope I won’t jinx it by publishing it here, but I think I’ll wish for the following: 

  1. More original plays and musicals by local artists

  2. More producing organizations presenting new works 

  3. Audiences showing up for new work

And I think to myself, what a wonderful world. Check out the show's dedicated website, see Dandelion and enjoy the conversation afterwards. 

What's Up at Chapin Theatre Company -- New Work, Fundraisers, A Christmas Comedy, and a Classic

Jasper congratulates not only the writers of the winning plays selected for Chapin Theatre Company’s Ten Minute-ish Play Festival, but Chapin Community Theatre itself for creating another opportunity for South Carolina playwrights to see their work onto the stage! The winners of CTC’s 4th annual festival are

Lou Clyde, Jamie Carr Harrington, Chris Whitehead, Randall David Cook (the Jasper Project’s first ever featured Play Right Series author) Jonathan Cook, Jack Perry, Peter Dakutis, and Connie Mardis.

The festival will take place November 1 - 3 at the community theatre’s new home at 830 Columbia Avenue in Chapin with George Dinsmore serving as the emcee.

Auditions for the festival will be held at the same location on August 25 and 26.

~~~

The announcement provides a great opportunity to have a look at what else the company will be presenting as their 2024 season wraps up.

August 15 – 25 Fundraiser – So Long Roscoe!

Written and directed  by Monalisa Botts

So Long Roscoe! is a comedic look at Texas, family dynamics, and a World War II military-issue motorcycle complete with sidecar. Read more and get tickets here.

~~~

October 4 – 20 The 39 Steps

directed by Frank Thompson

~~~

December 5 – 15 A Nice Family Christmas

directed by Glenn Farr

Stay tuned to Jasper for CTC’s complete 2024 – 2025 season announcement.

Jon Tuttle Interviews Chad Henderson Whose Original Play, Let It Grow, is the Winner of the 2024 Play Right Series -- Read On to Learn How YOU Can Help Birth This New Piece of SC Theatrical Art

Let it Grow … a quite perfectly-realized dramatic gem.

-Jon Tuttle

Everyone sit up please: you are reading this just in time to save your place for the fourth installment of Jasper Project’s Play Right Series--the launching of a brand-new play by a South Carolina author. Jasper regulars will recognize the PRS as the birthplace of Randall David Cook’s Sharks and Other Lovers (2017), Colby Quick’s Moonswallower (2022) and Lonetta Thompson’s Therapy (2023). Each of these plays, following its showcase staged reading event at the end of the PRS cycle, has been published by Muddy Ford Press and gone (or soon will go) on to full productions around the state. 

This year’s winner is Let it Grow, by Columbia theatre veteran Chad Henderson, a name likely familiar to anyone even peripherally connected to the Midlands’ arts scene. Chad was for six years the producing Artistic Director at Trustus Theatre, in which capacity he directed dozens of plays and musicals and developed, as writer or collaborator, several more, including (with Daniel Machado) 2018’s The Restoration’s Constance, a sprawling, gorgeous, Bernstein-esque epic-with-music that tells a generational tale of Lexington and environs. He has also brought projects to other theaters in Columbia, like Workshop and the Columbia Children’s Theatre, as well as to theatres in Charleston, Spartanburg, and Key West. In 2017, his short film Overture won the Audience Award in Jasper’s Second Act Film Festival. He is now the Marketing Director for the South Carolina Philharmonic. So yes: it’s that Chad Henderson.  

The play’s language, by the way, is magnificent.

His play Let it Grow is a gentle comedy about later-life love blooming on the set of a public television gardening show. The PRS judges (I was one) found that, besides checking all our boxes pertaining to cast size, length, and venue-suitability, Let it Grow was a quite perfectly-realized dramatic gem. It is at once highly original but still demonstrates a throughgoing mastery of the traditional conventions of stagecraft. It’s also deliciously funny and arrives at a denouement at once surprising and inevitable.  

The dramatis personae in the play include Mary Lily (played by Libby Campbell), the host of our favorite gardening show, also a widow and the play’s moral center of gravity, into whose studio strolls Christoph, a new panelist, and the author of the bestselling Fifty Shades of Stamens. Christoph is also, as it happens, a widower, and you might see where this is going. Trying to keep the show right with sponsors and donors is producer Charlotte, who begins the play as the uptight voice of fiscal necessity but who emerges as someone entirely more sympathetic to the humanities.  Finally there’s hot-blooded but kind-hearted Jeb, an expert on sustainable humanure who gets “madder than a one-legged diabetic at a cake-walk” at critics who should sooner “shit in their momma’s best frying pan than to mess with me, cause I’d fold ‘em up like a fourth-grade love letter.”  The play’s language, by the way, is magnificent.

This year’s PRS cycle begins with its first meeting on the afternoon of July 21, at the 1013 Co-Op off North Main in Columbia. On that day you can meet Chad, the play’s director Marybeth Gorman Craig, the cast and, if you choose to be one, the other Community Producers (more about that below). In anticipation of that first meeting, I tracked Chad down for a quick Q and A.  


JT:  How do you know so much about horticulture? And where did you get the idea for Let It Grow? 

CH:  The impetus for this play was my desire to...well, write a play. I have been researching the punk music scenes in Belfast, New York City and London for a spell with the intention of writing a trilogy of plays with music. It'd been years since I wrote the book for The Restoration's Constance (a process that felt like being in a fever-dream), so I wanted to ‘dust the cobwebs off’ of my writing. I wanted to write a play as an exercise, I wanted to write it for me, and I wanted to write something simple and human. In short, I wanted to write something that was the opposite of the kind of theatre I gravitate towards as a producer/director. 

Around that time, I was finally becoming a fan of SC ETV'S Making It Grow. I kept watching the show as my late-30s interest in plants grew, and I also felt the show was a great source for comedy—though completely unintentional. It seems to teem with innuendo and winks, and I can never be sure if the panelists are aware of it. So, I decided to tell a story about a public broadcasting program where the fun, pleasant, scandal-avoidant day-to-day rigor is upset by their being confronted with a conflict. 

So then I wondered...what conflict could I confront them with? I may or may not have injected some of my personal experiences along with the workplace experiences of friends into the plot and come out with Let it Grow. In the end, the play turned out to be an investigation of humanity in the workplace. It examines vulnerability, discomfort, and plants.  


JT:  So this play was, in fact, inspired by ETV's Making it Grow. 

CH: Yes, it was the steppingstone into the rest of the play. I recently met Amanda McNulty, "Making It Grow’s" host, at a local Publix. She was lovely. I did not tell her I wrote a play based on her show. But I have had a lot of hilarious conversations in recent months with other folks who work with her and know her, and apparently my "Mary Lily" character--the play’s protagonist--is not nearly as colorful or daring as the real-life source.  


JT: The play is stiff with botanical erotica. Comment?  

CH:  Honestly, the "botanical erotica" (my new memoir title, thank you!) came into play because the actual SC ETV show feels stacked with unintentional innuendo. So I wanted the characters to examine certain horticultural topics that might open me up to intentionally creating innuendo for the audience. Plus, the growing conflict in the play is directly related to this kind of dialogue being an issue on air, so it felt necessary. 


JT:  Anyone reading the above would assume that this play is bawdy. It most certainly is not. It is a gently witty exploration of later-life-romance that uses botany as its love language. Here's the question: this play, like every play, is a journey. From what, to what? Where do you want the audience to land? Or what do you want them to know or take away.

CH: I'm hoping that this play asks us to think about each other’s complexities and make an intentional effort to stop viewing each other as black or white, right or wrong--as dualities versus dichotomies. I'll be candid and say that while I am offering this idea in the play, it is a practice I fail at constantly.  


JT:  On which note, I notice there are no antagonists in the play, at least not by the end. Even Charlotte, the producer, who is the Voice of Business Sense, becomes sympathetic. Was that a discovery you made in the writing? Was she ever, to you, an antagonist?  

CH: I think it's easy to dislike Charlotte because she really needs to lighten-the-fuck-up. She's the type of person whose company I have never enjoyed, but is she the antagonist? No. The villains in this story are the faceless attorneys and sponsors who orbit the characters throughout the play. They view their staff as cogs in a wheel and sensationalize their humanity - making them liabilities versus assets.  


JT: Mary Lily is a remarkable character--gracious and wise, and clearly the conscience of the play. Whence came Mary? Anybody you know? 

CH: Mary is the confluence of a lot of the smarter and more genuine people I've met in my life. There's quite a lot of my own heart in her as well. I suppose that happens quite a bit when you're creating a character you intend audiences to love. You pull together all the best parts of yourself and others, and boom: you get a Mary Lily.  


JT: This is obviously not your first foray into playwriting, and your career in the arts has led you many places. Where does writing--plays or otherwise--fit into your conception of yourself?  

CH: This is a bit of a doozy to answer. Trying to be brief, I'll say that writing new work is putting my money (or time) where my mouth is. I have long championed new work, and I have long envied how the larger cities are creating new work that infiltrates our regional and community theatres over time. So while I continue to expect SC audiences to favor the familiar, I think we are capable of having our own creative "new works" scene. So, instead of waiting on local audiences and granting organizations to call for new work, I feel we must just create. new. work.  

My "self-conception" keeps changing, but I confidently call myself a storyteller. I think I've been a storyteller for most of my life. I recognize that the little kid who made stop-motion movies with his action figures is still alive and well in this 39-year-old with a greying beard. So playwriting seems like a sensible avenue to telling new stories (read: creating new work), and I had quite a fun time working on Let It Grow.  


Your curiosity having been piqued, you’ll be glad to know that you too can have a fun time working on Let It Grow, because there is still time—through July 21--to join the PRS cycle as a Community Producer. For a $250 (or larger) buy-in, you can participate in the development process and learn more about the many elements that go into creating, writing, rehearsing, producing, and marketing a new play. There are also opportunities to be a developmental sponsor for those who would like to support Henderson’s play but are not interested in or available to serve as a Community Producer.  

The PRS group meets about every two weeks through August into September, when, on the 14th, we will open some bubbly, pick up our just-published copies and enjoy a staged-reading, with talk-back, at Harbison Theatre. For more information about the project or becoming a Community Producer or sponsor, please click here, and then join us on July 21st for a read-through and lively chat.

 

--Jon Tuttle

 

 

 

 

 

YOU can help produce the Staged Reading of Chad Henderson's New Play LET IT GROW!

 
 

Are you the kind of person who always wants to know more about the art you experience?

  • Why did the playwright make their characters the way they did?

  • What was the director trying to accomplish by having an actor move across stage, turn their back to the audience, or break into dance?

  • How did an actor make me feel the way they did simply by turning their head?

If you have a passion for knowing more, understanding process, inspiration, and impetus, and seeing how a virgin play goes from page to stage, you are a good candidate for becoming a Jasper Project Play Right Series Community Producer.

As a Play Right Series Community Producer you will be a part of an elite team of art supporters who invest a modest amount of money in the production of our 2024 Play Right Series winning play — Chad Henderson’s LET IT GROW — to the staged reading phase of development.

If you are interested in becoming a community producer or sponsor email playrightseries@jasperproject.org



How does this work?

On select Sunday afternoons this summer you are invited to join with the cast, crew, and fellow Community Producers of Let It Grow, by Chad Henderson for an enlightening and entertaining session that pulls back the curtains of theatre development and illuminates how a stageplay goes from page to stage. Your first session (July 21st) will offer you a private viewing of the first step in a play production, the Table Reading – the first time the cast of Let It Grow will read their parts together.

Subsequent sessions will focus on essential ingredients in the production of a successful staged reading, such as the stage manager’s job; props, lighting, blocking, and sound; unique insights from the director; how the actors prepare for their parts; playwright perceptions from this year and past projects; and an invitation to the dress rehearsal. In addition to your invitation to gather with the cast and crew every Sunday in July, each session will also feature exciting snacks and beverages. And many more surprises each week!

Finally, you’ll take your reserved, best-in-the-house seats to a ticketed staged reading of Chad Henderson’s Let It Grow on Saturday September 14th at Harbison Theatre.

But there’s more.

Your name will be included as a Community Producer on programs, posters, press releases, and other promotional materials as well as in the perfect bound book, Let It Grow by Chad Henderson, published by Muddy Ford Press and registered with the Library of Congress, and you will take home your own copies of Let It Grow as a souvenir of your experience.

What is expected of Community Producers?

We hope you can make it to every exciting Sunday afternoon meeting, but we understand if you have to miss some. Each session will last from 90 – 120 minutes.

The financial commitment for a Community Producer is a minimum of $250 per person, but other sponsorships are also available and appreciated.

Our hope is that you will be so enlightened and inspired by this experience that you will become a diplomat of live theatre, fresh playwrights, and the Jasper Project and encourage your friends and colleagues to participate in live theatre themselves!




Play Right Series Levels of Engagement

Community Producer

$250.00

Invitation to attend all four PRS CP sessions on Sunday afternoons, July 21, August 4, August 18, and September 2024; reserved seats for you and up to 2 additional guests to attend the premier staged reading of Let It Grow on September 14th at Harbison Theatre; your name in the published (by Muddy Ford Press) version of the play, as well as in the program, and all promotional materials; a copy of the book, and a Jasper Project gift bag valued at more than $100

Actor Sponsor

$500.00

This level sponsors one actor and supports the Play Right Series. Your generosity will be recorded with distinction above that of  Community Producers in the published play as well as in all other promotional materials and you will receive all the benefits of 2024’s roster of Community Producers, two copies of Let It Grow by Chad Henderson, and an invitation for you and up to 4 additional guests to attend the premier staged reading of Let It Grow on September 14, 2024

Playright Sponsor

$1,000.00

This level sponsors the funding of the playwright and supports the Play Right Series. Your generosity will be recorded with distinction above that of Actor Sponsors in the published play as well as in all other promotional materials and you will receive all the benefits of 2024’s roster of Community Producers, six copies of Let It Grow by Chad Henderson, and an invitation for you and up to six additional guests to attend the premier staged reading of Let It Grow on September 14, 2024

Director Sponsor

$2,500.00

This level sponsors the director and supports the Play Right Series. Your generosity will be recorded with distinction above that of the Playwright Sponsor in the published play as well as in all other promotional materials and you will receive all the benefits of 2024’s roster of Community Producers, eight copies of Let It Grow by Chad Henderson, and an invitation for you and up to eight additional guests to attend the premier staged reading of Let It Grow on September 14, 2024

If you are interested in becoming a community producer or sponsor email playrightseries@jasperproject.org



2023 - 2024 Community Producer & Sponsor

Schedule of Events

 

Sunday July 21 – Introductions & Table Reading of Let It Grow

Join the Jasper Project and your cadre of Community Producers and Sponsors for our introductory session and the opportunity to be the first audience members ever to witness the Table Reading of Let It Grow. Snacks and adult beverages will be served at this and all sessions!

Sunday August 4 – The Art of Theatre Interactive Experience

Join Play Right Series director, Jon Tuttle for an informative opportunity to participate in and learn more about the playwrighting and rehearsal process. Also, drinks and snacks!

Sunday August 18 – Sneak Peek at Rehearsal of Let It Grow!

Join Jon and all your fellow Community Producers and Sponsors as we become flies on the wall at an early rehearsal of Let It Grow. We love this opportunity because it offers attendees an insiders’ glimpse of the evolution of a play. You’ll also be able to ask questions of the actors and director about their unique and individual growth as artists. And, of course, drinks and snacks!

Sunday September 8 – Cast & Community Producer Informal Dinner Party

New this year! After meeting with our Play Right Series Committee and Chad Henderson, our winning playwright, we surmised that one of the best possible ways to learn about the creative process is by gathering around a table for a meal and experiencing the kind of discourse only a dinner party can provide. It won’t be fancy, but we promise it will be an evening you won’t forget!

Saturday September 14 – Staged Reading of Let It Grow at Harbison Theatre at 7:30 pm

Take your reserved seat for this premier performance, enjoy the Stage Reading and Panel Presentation featuring previous Jasper Project Play Right Series winning playwrights, then join us all for a casual after party (cash bar) at the British Bulldog Pub.

And please join us before the staged reading at 6:30 for the opening reception of award-winning artist Nate Puza’s visual art exhibition at the Jasper Gallery Space at Harbison Theatre. Puza is a South Carolina based artist, designer, and illustrator with over a decade of experience working with some of the biggest bands and brands in the world, including Jason Isbell, the Avett Brothers, Chris Stapleton, Phish, and more. Internationally known for his meticulous attention to detail and high level of craftmanship, Puza created the new design for the Columbia, SC flag. When not creating art for your favorite band, Nate can be found playing music with friends, being outside, wrenching on his motorcycle, mowing the lawn, or drinking a beer on the back porch.

CMA Partners with SPIT to bring Unframed Art: The Spit Hits the Fan

Jasper is a sucker for multidisciplinary arts projects! That’s why we love that Columbia Museum of Art is partnering with SPIT — Stars of Politically Incorrect Theatre — to bring us the play, Unframed Art: The Spit Hits the Fan, on Sunday April 28th at the CMA.

Read about this cool event below and grab those tickets before they’re gone!

UnFramed Art: The Spit Hits the Fan

Sunday, April 28 | Seating starts at 2:00 p.m. | Play 2:30 – 3:15 p.m. | Reception 3:15 – 4:00 p.m.

FOR ONE DAY ONLY!

What do you get when you mix up visual art, two wacky playwrights, and five performers with too much time on their hands? You get UnFramed Art: The Spit Hits the Fan, a short original adult comedy brought to you by the Stars of Politically Incorrect Theatre (SPIT) Players. It’s a bizarre companion piece to Interior Lives: Modern American Spaces, 1890-1945, loosely inspired by works in the CMA-exclusive exhibition. The zany cast of characters — performed by Nick Good, Emily Harrill, Tiffany James, Perry Simpson, and Kathy Sykes — comically interprets how the art speaks to them and gives voice to what possibly might be the story behind the art. The 45-minute play is produced by Larry Hembree, cowritten by award-winning playwright Lou Clyde and Perry Simpson, and directed by Emily Harrill. Please note that the production is sponsored by no one. UnFramed Art contains some mature language and themes, so discretion is advised. Arrive early to enjoy the galleries prior to the performance. Beer, wine, and light snacks for sale. Brief reception with light refreshments to follow. $20 / $16 for members. Join today!

Buy Tickets

REVIEW: Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune

Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune

Trustus Side Door Theatre

April 11 – 20, 2024

The play opens on a darkened apartment, with a couple making love. After working together for several weeks Frankie, a waitress has agreed to a date with Johnny, a short-order cook, and the two have ended up in Frankie’s one-room walk-up apartment. Johnny (played by Jason Stokes) has fallen madly, absurdly, head-over-heels in love with Frankie (Marybeth Gorman Craig). Frankie thinks this is an absurd notion. She’s had a lovely evening but would be happiest if Johnny would just get dressed and leave so she could get in her pj’s and eat ice cream and watch television. 

The evening unfurls as our two world-weary, battered souls talk and listen and question and argue about love and the notion of love, and whether any of us are really and truly prepared to meet the love of our lives, that one soul without whom we cannot live. A late-night classical music radio station provides the score, complete with a velvet-voiced deejay. 

Johnny is persistent and obnoxious and relentless and meddling and romantic, and he NEVER SHUTS UP in his quest to convince Frankie that she is in fact his soulmate. There were several times when I wanted her to push him out the window or split his head open with an axe. He’s just adorable. This may be the best work I’ve seen from Stokes, and I’ve seen him in any number of roles. His shading, his timing, his nuance, his unending enthusiasm is all spot on. 

I’m not sure how Marybeth Gorman Craig is able to pull off world-weary and luminous at the same time, but she does it beautifully. Her Frankie has been burned and disappointed by men over and over. Her skepticism is as relentless as Johnny’s enthusiasm. She would like to believe him, but her experiences won’t let her. Yet.           

When I first heard this was being produced in the Side Door, I was  concerned that it would be too “cozy” for this show. In fact it’s the perfect space. We feel as claustrophobic as Frankie. Jayce Tromsness’ scene design and Erin Wilson’s set dressing is true to tiny NYC apartments. There’s a working kitchen! I love a working kitchen on stage; Frankie’s need for a late-night nosh (cold meatloaf sandwiches – delish) resulted in real meatloaf sandwiches ON TOAST. (I went home and made toast after the show.)  There’s a later scene where Johnny whips up a western omelet; there is a soupçon of menace to his chopping skill. 

For any of you who might hesitate to see this show because you’ve heard that there would be  NAKED PEOPLE onstage, relax. There are no naked people onstage in this production, and it didn’t affect the story one iota.

 We’ve all had those all-nighters, where we argued and made up and loved and snacked and made discoveries about ourselves and each other and made love again until the sun rose. Hopefully, we’ve sometimes even had “the most beautiful music ever written” as a soundtrack. Erin Wilson has given us a lovely, lovely show. Frankie and Johnny are tired and resigned and hopeful and hopeless. You don’t necessarily get a “happy ending,” but you don’t get a sad one, either. I was sad and hopeful and wanted a cigarette at the end of the evening.

Sadly, you only have 4 more chances to see this production: April 17 – April 20 at 8:00 p.m. There is limited seating in the Side Door Theatre so make your reservations now. Tickets may be purchased online or by calling the theatre at 803-254-9732. Beer and wine are available for purchase in the lobby.

 

           

 

REVIEW: The Visit at USC Theatre and Dance

THE VISIT

USC Department of Theatre and Dance

April 5 - 12

This writing is woefully late for a number of reasons; none of them particularly good, and for that we do apologize. However, the excellent work by everyone involved deserves an acknowledgement.

USC Theatre and Dance closed out the season with Friedrich Dürrenmatt’s The Visit, and what a production it was. The piece was first produced in 1956 in Zürich, Switzerland, and was adapted for British audiences in a production directed by Peter Brook and starring Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontaine. After touring Britain in 1957 – 58, the play was taken to Broadway. Ingrid Bergman and Anthony Quinn starred in a film adaption in 1964, and Kander and Ebb (along with a book by Terrance McNally) flipped it into a musical starring Chita Rivera in 2001. In 2020, Tony Kushner’s  new English language adaptation was produced in London.

The story takes place in the “somewhere in Europe” village of Güllen, a village which has not fallen on hard times, but under them. A miserable, poverty-stricken, dingy little hamlet. The one bright spot is the impending visit of Claire Sachanassian, the wealthiest woman in the world. Claire grew up in Güllen, and the townspeople are hopeful and desperate that she will provide them with much needed financial assistance. The scene opens with villagers, desperate to make a good impression, frantically preparing for Ms. Zachanassian’s arrival. And arrive, she does.

As a young girl, Claire fell in love with Anton Schill, who has grown up to be a model Güllenite – a successful shop keeper with a devoted wife and children, and on his way to becoming the next Bürgermeister. Alas, young Claire finds herself  with a brӧtchen in the oven. Her beloved Anton abandons her, denies his paternity, and turns the townspeople against her. She is run out of town in shame. Claire will gift the town and each of its citizens a grand fortune, in exchange for the life of the man who abandoned her. Anton’s life is about to go to hell in a ham biscuit.

Revenge is a dish best served cold…

Rachel Vanek, a Sophomore (repeat – A SOPHMORE) nailed the role of Claire. She moves like a glacier across the stage – all icy, brittle perfection. I have no doubt that if you touched her, you’d get frostbite. Cruella Deville notwithstanding, there is a shimmer of that very young woman who was shamed by the people of Güllen so very long ago, and Claire begins to win us over. Vanek’s Claire is the Ice Princess personified. (She does not “Let it Go”). I look forward to seeing this young performer in other productions.

Olan Domer plays Anton Schill to smarmy excellence. If you met him in a bar, you’d keep your cocktail covered. His expression when he realizes that he is the fee for Güllens future  prosperity is priceless. Domer played the equally smarmy Karl Lindner in USC’s production of A Raisin in the Sun earlier this year.

There truly isn’t a weak link in this cast. Maggie Davisson as Bobby, Claire’s assistant, Dominic DeLong-Rodgers as the Bürgermeister, Cameron Eubanks, the village doctor, Didem Ruhi, the priest, Elaine Werren as Fraü Schill, and Elizabeth Wheless as the teacher were all very well-cast. Along with the rest of the ensemble, many of whom were double and triple cast, the story builds in intensity and suspense. I must mention Koby Hall and Rafe Hardin, who play the two blind men. Not only are they hysterically funny (until we learn how they came to be blind), but they are also blind and on stilts.

Lindsay Wilkinson’s costume design is amazing. Working with Kristy Hall, she develops a costume plot which is a bit art-deco, a bit Weimar Republic, a bit Picasso, and a smattering of A Clockwork Orange…. It was fascinating to watch the costumes change  as the characters  wearing them changed. Her use of patterns and color brought another dimension to the production.

The stage at Drayton Hall is massive, and the set/lighting/sound designers (Ashley Jensen, Lorna, Young, Danielle Wilson) filled it completely. The use of beautifully painted scrims allowed the set to change completely with a light cue. The sound was very well done. The train station serves as a focal point, and the sounds and the smokestacks turned me into a gleeful five-year old kid again. (I must confess I so wanted Claire to burst into “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina” when she stepped out onto the balcony.)

The Visit is not only a story of revenge, but also a warning tale about avarice, integrity, loyalty, and the effects of soul-searing capitalism. Director Craig Miller, a USC alum, brought all of this together in an entertaining, provocative production. The only negative to this show is the all too short length of its run.

USC’s Department of Theatre and Dance has long been a contributor to some of the very best of Columbia theatre. Its students and faculty share their talents with theatres throughout the city. Many of them have gone on to teach, perform, and share their gifts on stages and in schools across the country.

REVIEW: Trustus Theatre's Blues for an Alabama Sky

If there was ever a question whether or not Katrina Garvin is the first lady of Columbia theatre, that question is put to rest in perpetuity with her performance in the role of Angel in Pearl Cleage’s 1995 play, Blues for An Alabama Sky, which opened on March 15th at Trustus Theatre.

Having seen Garvin perform for years now, we knew to expect excellent work from this multi-talented actor, but this particular part allows Garvin the latitude to flex all her chops, from the exuberant and sometimes drunken highs, to the still wistful, but resigned lows. While Blues for the Alabama Sky is not a musical, we do get a nice sampling of Garvin’s considerable vocal talent, which punches up the storyline, making the character of Angel, an out of work singer, even more authentic.

Blues for an Alabama Sky is set in 1930, during the waning days of the Harlem Renaissance, a period of time well after the Great Migration and World War I, but smack in the middle of the Great Depression when the multitudes of Black families and artists who had fled from the South to Harlem were feeling the pressure of unemployment, scarcity, and cultural exploitation by wealthy whites. The play takes place after Garvin’s Angel has just been fired from the famous Cotton Club, Harlem’s pantheon of racial exploitation where Black performing artists like Duke Ellington and Billie Holliday were predominantly featured, but Black audiences were not allowed to enjoy their shows.

As a drunken and hilarious Angel is escorted home by her friend and on-again off-again roommate, Guy, flawlessly played by Lamont Gleaton, a stranger encounters the two and offers to assist Guy in getting Angel safely home. Guy is a gay costume designer in Harlem, but he dreams of traveling to Paris to design wardrobe for the famous ex-pat entertainer, Josephine Baker. The stranger is Leland, also exceptionally well-played by Equity actor, Samuel James Pygatt, who is a conservative Alabama carpenter visiting Harlem after the death of his wife and baby in childbirth. Leland lingers a bit as Guy and Angel go upstairs to Guy’s apartment where next door neighbor and social worker, Delia, played by Courtney Sims helps Guy settle Angel down. Delia is an employee of famed birth control activist Margaret Sanger and hopes to help Sanger establish a family planning clinic in Harlem. The next day we also meet Sam, played by William Paul Brown, who is an obstetric physician at a Harlem hospital with a complicated moral compass and a penchant for partying with his friends.

Over the course of the next eight stage weeks we see Angel faced with a number of choices about who controls her future; herself, or the pre-designed culture in which she lives that stacks the deck against a Black woman in a white man’s world. In fact, every character in the play is faced with a similar choice to one degree or another. Will Guy continue to be hopeful of a better future? Will Leland be controlled by his conservative religious roots? Will Delia continue to work for reproductive freedom despite a senseless backlash of violence and destruction? And will Sam compromise his personal values for a friend?

Blues for an Alabama Sky is a study in conflict, represented by the straightforward resignation of the blues versus the progressive complexity of jazz. Traditionalism versus progressivism. Forbearance versus optimism. Guy and Delia versus Leland. And Angel, who vacillates between all positions but must decide her own fate, whether she wants to or not, with Sam left to suffer the consequences of his friend’s not-always-steady decisions.

Blues for an Alabama Sky is also a study in history with notable icons of Black history surfacing in the dialogue and lending even more authenticity to the fictionalized story. In addition to Guy’s preoccupation with Josephine Baker, the friends also attend a party thrown by artist Bruce Nugent in honor of writer Langston Hughes. Margaret Sanger was the founder of Planned Parenthood. Booker T. Washington was the founder of the Tuskegee Institute (University) where Sam went to school. Adam Clayton Powell, Sr. was the founder of the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, the largest Protestant Church in the US at the time and the church that Delia attends, and his son, Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. who began preaching at his father’s church in 1937 before becoming a member of Congress and advocate for Black voting rights, is teased as her potential suitor.

Opening Night for Blues for an Alabama Sky demonstrated an exceptionally solid cast, well-coached by veteran director Terrance Henderson. The use of alternative entrances to the stage brought the audience into the action from the beginning when Garvey’s Angel caused an appropriate but humorous stir as she made her way, with some intentional effort, to her place. And I’m just going to say it. Katrina Garvey looked beautiful in that black evening dress with bright red lipstick. As my viewing companion said, “She was adorable!”

Kudos to whoever did hair and makeup, as well as to costume designer Tashera Pravato, who dressed Garvin chicly, Sims orthodoxly per Delia’s character, Gleaton snappily with just the right amount of panache, Brown professionally but with a fabulous broad brimmed hat, and Pygatt like the country man come to Harlem that his character was.

Scenic and property design was handled by Ashley Jensen and G. Scott Wild, respectively, who created a textured and cozy period set that kept the audience exploring the details through the inordinately long pauses between acts. Lighting was designed by Mark Hurst and board operation was by William Kirven, with Trinessa Kirby assisting Henderson in direction, and stage management courtesy of Chastity Shell and Elizabeth Houck.

As can happen with live theatre, opening night suffered just a couple of flubs that were evident to the audience; an unavoidable lighting board crash, leading to one of those long pauses mentioned above, and a precocious doorknob. Making the best of the unfortunate doorknob situation, Lamont Gleaton improvised a solution, and he did so with a flourish, inspiring the audience to applaud the actor for both his ingenuity and his style!

This writer fell in love with all the characters with the exception of Pygatt’s Leland, whose job was not to make us love him. Henderson and his cast made us identify with the characters and care about them. The play, though almost 30 years old and set in 1930, holds up disappointingly well as American society still grapples with a woman’s right to control her own body, queerness, and racial equity. Some things are certainly better, but they are far from fixed!

Complementing the play in the Trustus lobby is an art exhibition by Columbia-based visual artist Thomas Washington. Washington’s mesmerizing art is also a study in contrast as it is both brooding but magical, dark but hopeful. And his price points for this show are more affordable than they should be. To see more of Washington’s work, visit his Jasper-sponsored exhibition, Love Quest, at the 701 Whaley Community Hallway Gallery or at Jasper’s Big Tiny Gallery at Richland Library through April 19th. Collect this artist’s work while you can afford it!

Blues for an Alabama Sky runs through March 30th on the Thigpen Main Stage at Trustus Theatre. For tickets, go to the Trustus website.