Bringing to life Stephen Sondheim’s "Follies" in concert (pt. 1) - a guest blog by Charlie Goodrich

It all started with Yvonne De Carlo.  Yes the actress, Yvonne De Carlo.  I happened to pick up a book entitled Broadway Musicals: The 101 Greatest Shows of All Time one afternoon in the spring of 2009 during my final semester of grad school in the USC Russell House Bookstore.  I opened it up, looked through a few pages, and knew I had to have this book in my personal library.  That evening, I began to flip through and read about all of the various shows that the authors had designated as “The Greatest.”  When I got to the “F’s,” I noticed a rather long article about a musical simply entitled Follies.  As I read, what caught my eye immediately was that the Stephen Sondheim musical had starred Yvonne De Carlo. De Carlo was an actress that I had been a fan of for as long as I could remember, beginning in elementary school, when I would watch reruns of The Munsters on Nick At Nite. As I went through middle and high school, I became what one might call a “film buff,” and began to watch every classic movie that I could get my hands on.  I began to notice De Carlo in such films as The Ten Commandments and McLintock!  Remembering my fondness for The Munsters, I always watched any and every film I came across with her name in the credits.  Not only was De Carlo beautiful, talented, and a joy to watch perform; she had something so engaging about her, a quality that surely had a lot to do with her stardom.  It always baffled me that such a beautiful and classy lady took on a role as a Bride of Frankenstein-esque horror film housewife, but I was extremely grateful that she did.  Her approach to the role of Lily Munster was by all means brilliant.  I noticed De Carlo’s name and photo in Broadway Musicals, and began to read the article on Follies more in depth.

Follies, as I found, was designated by many critics, as perhaps THE greatest Broadway musical ever produced, despite the fact that it was a financial failure when originally staged in 1971.  It had a very loose script, and primarily focused on a group of former chorus girls and boys attending a reunion at the fictional Weismann Theatre, the night before its demolition.  I began to read about all of the classic show-stopping moments in the original production, including De Carlo’s marvelous rendition of the now classic Sondheim tune, “I’m Still Here.”  I had to hear one of my favorite actresses belt this number, which I read was written specially for her about her life.  Within 10 minutes, I had downloaded the Original Cast recording off ITunes and in less than 24 hours was hooked on Follies.  I began to research the show obsessively. My research was aided in part by the definitive tell-all book on the original production entitled Everything Was Possible: The Birth of the Musical Follies, by Ted Chapin, who worked as the Production Assistant.

The first thing about the 1971 production that I noticed had made it so great was the casting. Everyone among the cast of actors had in one way or another lived the life of the characters that he or she portrayed.  De Carlo, for example, was a former chorus girl that transitioned into movie stardom and now appears on a campy television series, just like her alter ego Carlotta Campion.  Alexis Smith had started out as a ballet-dancing chorine, who went onto a successful career in films that showcased her dramatic and sophisticated capabilities.  This career was not a far cry from the cool Phyllis, her stage counterpart, a chorine turned society woman.  Dorothy Collins, also formerly a chorine and now a warm, witty, and talented television personality, singer, and devoted mother, embodied perfectly Sally, the “everywoman housewife,” with an emotionally crippling vulnerability lurking beneath the surface.  Gene Nelson was a former tap dancing acrobatic movie star, best known for his portrayal as Will Parker in the film adaptation of Oklahoma.  Now retired from acting and dancing and primarily a director and family man, he too mirrors his character Buddy all too closely.  I could go on forever about how each original cast member WAS in fact his or her character, but to save time, I will quickly mention a few noteworthy personalities.  Fifi D’Orsay, former French Canadian chanteuse and comedienne, portrayed Solange, also a chanteuse and comedienne.  Ethel Shutta, a huge Broadway musical star from the 1920’s, played Hattie, who had the same history.  Ethel Barrymore Colt, the daughter of Ethel Barrymore, portrayed Christine, a former chorus girl.  While Colt spent the majority of her career appearing in straight plays and singing soprano arias in supper clubs, she started out as a chorine in The George White Scandals.  Finally, Helon Blount, now a seasoned character actress, portrayed Dee Dee, another former chorus girl.  Before drifting into character work, Blount had been a dancer and Off-Broadway musical star for a number of years.

I soon began thinking about the perfect actors in Columbia to portray this plethora of interesting characters.  I wanted to  direct a production of Follies with the same intricate casting as the original production.  A number of names popped into my head, and while I soon had the entire show cast in my mind, I set my plans aside for a few years.  The time didn’t seem right, and I was not sure of an available venue to direct such a show.  And I didn't feel confident in my directorial skills yet.  It was not until I went back to school to study Theatre,  finishing in 2011, that I felt ready.  I directed a production of Tennessee Williams’ Suddenly Last Summer at USC’s Benson Theatre.  I also directed an original Bob Fosse revue that I entitled Damn Sweet Pajama Cabaret, while working professionally at The Lost Colony in the Outer Banks.  Upon returning to Columbia in the fall of 2011, I again became super-involved in local theatre.  While performing in numerous productions, Follies always remained in the back of my mind.  With each show I worked on came one or two more perfect candidates for my dream production.  Finally, in 2013, I spoke with a friend, local actor and director Frank Thompson, about the many fundraisers that he organized to benefit Town Theatre, all of which contained his original ideas.  He then encouraged me to approach Sandra Willis, Executive Director of Town, with my vision of Follies as a fundraiser that could benefit the theatre.  Fortunately, Mrs. Willis loved my idea, and we made plans for the production to occur in the summer of 2014.  Obviously mounting the entire show was too big an undertaking for a fundraiser.  However, a concert version of the major hits from the show would be perfect for August, a month between Town’s summer show and its next season opener.

It was now time to choose what numbers from Sondheim’s score I wanted in my concert, and which actors to  invite.  Being faithful to James Goldman’s original Libretto for the show, I wanted to use all original 38 characters, because I knew that there was enough talent to fill these parts in the Columbia area, and then some.  19 of these characters are the reunion attendees that I spoke of earlier, former chorus girls and boys that sang and danced enthusiastically in their youth, but were now retired for the most part.  The other half are the ghostly “young” counterparts of these characters.  Part of the brilliance of Follies is the fact that while the former Weismann performers are attending this reunion, the ghosts of their youth wander throughout the action, sometimes performing, sometimes not, but always serving as a constant reminder, a memento mori if you will, of the natural human occurrence of aging and decay.  These youths physically embody the major metaphor of the show: “all things beautiful must die,” a line from “One More Kiss.”  The innocent rapture of our youth gradually gives way to the harsh and abrasive reality of adult life. Marriages careers, families, etc are never what we envisioned them to be.  Using this brilliant dichotomy, Goldman and Sondheim fashion a show that reflects upon the decay of our society as a whole, particularly in post-World War America.

When casting the “reunion attendees,” I needed 19 local actors of a certain age that had been doing theatre for a number of years and seemed to embody their characters as well as the original Broadway cast members did. The first part I cast was easy, Ruth Ann Ingham as Sally Durant Plummer.  Ruth Ann has been my music teacher, vocal coach, and friend for going on twenty years now.  I could not wait to hear her beautiful operatic voice tackle the classic Sondheim ballad, “Losing Mind.”  Then I asked Andy Nyland, an expressive and talented singer and actor with whom I had appeared in 6 productions to play Sally’s husband Buddy.  Andy has the perfect voice for the part and agreed to join the project. Next, it was extremely simple to cast Kathy Hartzog as Carlotta.  Kathy has been entertaining audiences in Columbia theatres for many years with her impeccable comedic timing and warm personality.  “I’m Still Here,” would be a piece of cake for her.  The rest of the soloist casting began to happen even more quickly:  Nancy Ann Smith to sing “Broadway Baby,” as the wry and witty Hattie; Jami Steele to portray the fabulous Solange and sing “Ah Paris;” Frank Thompson and Shannon Willis Scruggs to portray the fun and adorable vaudevillian couple, Emily and Theodore Whitman, and sing “The Rain on the Roof;”  and Will Moreau to play the humorous former director Dmitri Weismann.   All of these actors are staples at Town Theatre, and the audience will recognize each of them from the numerous memorable roles that they have created over the last twenty years.

I then enlisted Christy Shealy Mills to portray Stella Deems, a former tap soloist and ensemble leader in the former Weismann showstopper, “Who’s That Woman,” which Stella and her friends recreate at the reunion.  Stella is backed up by 6 former chorine tappers in the number, including Sally, Carlotta, and the yet to be cast Phyllis.  The other female characters in the number are: Meredith, the youngest former Weismann Girl; Christine, the former leader of the parade of beautiful girls in the follies opening numbers; and Dee Dee, a serious and confidant former chorine.  I easily found 3 women that could tap dance and bring to life these ladies: Becky Lucas Combs, who I had grown up with, to play Meredith; my cousin and frequent costar Agnes Babb as Christine; and my friend and co-performer Robin Blume as Dee Dee.

I still had a few more roles to cast.  I also decided to expand upon the role of Sandra, who in the original production was a swing understudy, portrayed by the retired Russian ballerina and pin-up girl Sonja Levkova.  I cast a highly talented actress that I had worked with in Elvis Has Left the Building and Les Mis, Resi Talbot, who was relatively new to Columbia theatre, in this role.  I also chose a song that was cut from the original production for Resi to perform: the hilariously smart “Can That Boy Foxtrot.”  “Foxtrot” was intended as Yvonne De Carlo’s big moment, but when the actress couldn’t make the largely euphemistic lyrics work, it was cut and replaced with “I’m Still Here.” The song has become a cult classic over the years, and was included in the Sondheim Revue, Side by Side by Sondheim.  Knowing Resi had the comic timing necessary, I gladly offered her the chance to sing it, and she took me up on my offer.

I also needed to cast the role of Heidi Schiller; an 80-year-old retired opera singer, and the oldest attendee at the Weismann Reunion.  I approached Mrs. Carmella Tronco Martin, the retired owner of Villa Tronco (also my place of employment.)  Mrs. Martin is the daughter of the late Sadie Tronco, who founded the restaurant in 1940.  In her 80s, Mrs. Martin is just as sharp and witty as ever, and at first nervously dismissed my offer, stating, “I can’t sing.”  What Mrs. Martin didn’t know was that I had heard her sing karaoke at an event I helped the restaurant cater a few years back, and knew that she possesses a lovely voice.  When I informed her that she would share the stage with the “ghost” of her younger self, she seemed more confident, and agreed to make her stage debut at the age of 89 (!!) in Follies.  I was delighted, because it is a rare in a production of the show, including even the 1971 production, to have an actress actually in her 80’s play the part.

Coming up in Part 2:  more casting challenges!

Selections from Stephen Sondheim's "Follies" in Concert  goes up on Friday, August 15, at 8:00 PM at Town Theatre. Tickets are $10/General Admission, and are available by phone (799-2510) or at the door.

Selections from Stephen Sondheim’s Follies in Concert

Friday, August 15, 2014 at 8:00 PM

Directed by Charlie Goodrich

Musical Direction by Jeremy Buzzard

All Choreography (after Michael Bennett) by Charlie Goodrich

Except: Bolero D’ Amour Choreography by Tracy Steele

Costumes by Christy Shealy Mills

Scenic/Tech Design by Danny Harrington

Lights by Amanda Hines

Sound Design by Robert Brickner

Stage Manager: Jill Brantley

Assistant Stage Manager: Russell Castell

Dance Captain: Allison Allgood

Pianist: Susie Gibbons

Photography by Rebecca Seezen, Britt Jerome, and Charlie Goodrich

All Star Exhibition at if ART - "Across the Board: New Works" Opens August 8th

Continuing in its custom of showcasing some of the city's best local artists, if ART has announced a new show of which serious art collectors, aficionados, and even poor broke fans should take notice.

To open the new art season, if ART Gallery presents a large group exhibition with new works by 21 of the gallery’s artists. Across The Board: New Works will take up all the downstairs gallery spaces at if ART Gallery. The show presents art works that are either entirely new or have not been shown before at the gallery. The exhibition opens Friday, August 8, with an artists’ reception from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m., and runs through August 30.

The exhibition includes paintings, limited edition prints, drawings and sculptures by Columbia artists James Busby, Jeff Donovan, Mary Gilkerson, Tonya Gregg, Anna Redwine, Laura Spong and David Yaghjian.

Additional artists represented include Greenville artists Steven Chapp, Diane Kilgore Condon, Phil Garrett and Katie Walker; Dorothy Netherland of Charleston; Edward Rice of North Augusta; Tom Stanley of Rock Hill; H. Brown Thornton of Aiken; Leo Twiggs of Orangeburg; North Carolina artist Ashlynn Browning; Michigan artist Beverly Buchanan; Texas artists Leslie Hinton; Georgia artist Philip Morsberger; and Dutch artist Sjaak Korsten.

“The exhibition amounts to a total overhaul of the gallery,” if ART Gallery owner Wim Roefs said. “It’ll also be a large infusion of new art in the gallery’s inventory. It’ll be exiting to see all brand-new art throughout the gallery.”

The show runs August 8 – 30, 2014 with an Artist’s Reception on Friday, August 8, 2014, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. Gallery Hours are Weekdays, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Saturdays, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. and by appointment. if ART Gallery is located at 1223 Lincoln St., Columbia, SC 29201

Trustus Announces Winner of the 2014 Playwrights' Festival

Trustus Theatre’s Artistic Director Dewey Scott-Wiley and Literary Manager Sarah Hammond announced on Thursday July 24^th that Barbara Blumenthal-Ehrlich’s Big City was named the winner of the 2014 Trustus Playwrights’ Festival. The script will receive a staged reading at Trustus in Fall 2014, and the fully staged world premiere production will run August 21 – 29, 2015.

The Trustus Playwrights’ Festival saw over 500 submissions from all over the nation this year, and Blumenthal-Ehrlich’s Big City was chosen as the festival winner. Barbara Blumenthal-Ehrlich is a Boston-based writer and member of Boston Public Works, a producing collective of playwrights. Her work has been produced/developed in NYC at Playwrights Horizons, Second Stage, Roundabout, Rattlestick, Women’s Project, EST, New Georges, AracaWorks, Urban Stages, the New York International Fringe Festival, Fringe NYC Encore Series, and the Summer Play Festival; Regionally, at Actors Theatre of Louisville, Trinity Rep, Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, Hangar Theatre, Victory Gardens, Boston Playwrights Theatre, LA’s Elephant Theatre, Long Beach Playhouse, New Mexico’s Fusion Theatre, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Festival, and Chicago’s Collaboraction Theatre. Published by Smith & Kraus and Indie Theatre Now, she won or placed in the Woodward/Newman Drama Award, O’Neill Playwrights Conference, Sundance Playwriting Lab, Princess Grace Award, the Heideman Award, Labyrinth Theatre Summer Intensive, Bay Area Playwrights Festival, and Julie Harris Award, among others. She is an affiliated artist at New Georges in NYC and Boston’s Interim Writers writing group, The Accomplice.

A modern tale about 21^st Century relationships and communication, Big City introduces audiences to Jane and Joe. These friends have been living with each other for a while and are “just roommates,” except for Friday nights and the occasional Sunday morning. Now he’s drowning in urban angst and wants a deeper commitment  -- a baby! -- but Jane says no. Deep down, are they really in love? Or is it just the narrowing of options and fear of being alone that comes from being closer to 30 than 20. Anything can happen over a meal of Chinese takeout and muscle relaxants, especially when unexpected guests invade the small apartment they call home.

“I started writing Big City when I was feeling like the world was operating at a faster, scarier, more absurd pace,” said Blumenthal-Ehrlich. “Thanks to wifi, our work follows us everywhere. Twitter and Facebook bring a false sense of friendship and intimacy. Not to mention that the world is scarier since 9/11. The irony is that in a world of heightened fears and isolation, we need each other more than ever. This can make for some oddball and heartrending hookups. That’s the back story of Big City, a quirky high-stakes comedy about Jane and Joe, engaged in an escalating conflict over their life as not-so-platonic urban roommates.”

Trustus Theatre is located at 520 Lady Street, in Columbia, SC.

For more information call Trustus Theatre Tuesdays through Saturdays 1-6 pm at 803-254-9732. Visit www.trustus.org for all show information and season information.

IndieGoGo Fundraising Campaign for Local Filmmaking Camp S.M.I.S.T.

Are you a big fan of the Indie Grits Film Festival? What about Girls Rock Columbia? Man, wouldn't it be great if somebody combined those two ideas??

As it turns out, local filmmaker O.K. Keyes has. She is currently working to raise funds for SMIST (Space. Movement. Image. Sound. Time.), a self-proclaimed "workshop-in-the-woods for women DIY filmmakers." Based on the premise that most DIY film shoots require Jill-of-all-trades rather than dedicated experts, the camp offers a vast crash-course in the basics of filmmaking as well as instruction on the ethos of independent and experimental filmmaking. With guest speakers, nightly screenings, and a daily morning "Meditation in Maya [Deren]," this is an ambitious, and awesome, undertaking worthy of your support if you care about feminism, local filmmaking, or just the young women in your community. Keyes is a top-notch filmmaker herself (she was a co-winner of last year's 2nd Act Film Festival), and she's already put a lot of sweat (and financial) equity into making this camp--something that she likely would have loved as a young women herself--a reality.

Check out the IndieGoGo video and fundraising page here. The campaign runs through July 24, 2014.

http://vimeo.com/99601028

Trustus Playwright's Festival Welcomes Play by Deborah Brevoort of The Women of Lockerbie Fame

Internationally produced playwright Deborah Brevoort premieres her new farce The Velvet Weapon at Trustus Theatre in The Vista. This script is the winner of the Trustus Playwrights’ Festival, an annual competition that gives a full production to a new original work. This world premiere production of Brevoort’s The Velvet Weapon will run from Friday August 8^th at 8:00pm through August 16^th, 2014. Tickets may be purchased at www.trustus.org.

Trustus Theatre prides itself on its mission to produce and nurture new American scripts and playwrights with the Trustus Playwrights’ Festival. The festival has produced the work of many playwrights who went on to enjoy further success, including Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire. This festival allows Trustus to become a voice in the national theatre scene by fully producing new works by American playwrights, while also bringing provocative and original stories to Columbia audiences.

This year’s winning script The Velvet Weapon is an intelligent, raucous, and political farce by internationally produced playwright Deborah Brevoort. The script takes audiences to the National Theatre of an unnamed country in an unnamed city where a matinee audience rises up in protest over what is being performed on stage and demands something new. They begin a performance of their own of “The Velvet Weapon,” a play by an unproduced playwright of questionable talent. Inspired by the Velvet Revolution in the former Czechoslovakia, The Velvet Weapon is a humorous exploration of populist democracy told through a battle between high-brow and low-brow art.

Deborah Brevoort is a playwright and librettist from Alaska who now lives in the New York City area. She is best known for her play The Women of Lockerbie which won the Kennedy Center’s Fund for New American Plays Award and the silver medal in the Onassis International Playwriting Competition.  It was produced in London at the Orange Tree, off-Broadway at the New Group and Women’s Project, and in Los Angeles at the Actors Gang and Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum. It has been produced all over the US and internationally in Scotland, Japan, Greece, Spain, Poland, Belarus, Australia, and has been translated into seven languages.

Brevoort’s The Velvet Weapon is a metaphorical examination of The Velvet Revolution, a non-violent transition of power in what was Czechoslovakia in 1989. The period of upheaval and transition lasted just over ten days.  Students, older dissidents, and artists demonstrated against the one-party government of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. The final result was the end of forty one years of Communist rule and the subsequent conversion to a parliamentary republic. Brevoort was inspired by events involving Vaclav Havel, revolutionary leader and artist who had been censored and imprisoned by the regime. “Havel, a playwright, orchestrated the revolution with a group of theatre artists and rock musicians from the green room of the Magic Lantern theatre in Prague,” said Brevoort. “With over a million people shouting ‘Havel to the Castle!’ in Wenceslas Square, Havel donned a suit from the theatre’s costume shop, went to the castle and was sworn in as President by voice vote from the polis. He and his fellow theatre artists took over the government in what was one of the most pure democratic events in human history.”

Brevoort has been working on The Velvet Weapon for years preceding the script winning The Trustus Playwrights’ Festival.  “One of my dear friends Pavel Dobrusky, defected from Czechoslovakia in the early 1980s while the country was still being run by the Soviet regime,” said Brevoort. “Although Pavel remained in the USA after the Velvet Revolution, he was able to go back to Prague every year after the country became democratic. About fifteen years after the Revolution, Pavel and I decided to apply for a grant from CEC ArtsLink to travel to Prague to interview the ringleaders of the revolution, many of whom were his old theatre friends.  Our goal was to make a theatre piece about the revolution that I would write and he would direct.” The show was intended to be produced at a Czech theatre.

What followed was years of grant-funded travel for Brevoort and Dobrusky where they gathered interviews and learned first-hand about the people and ideas that made the Velvet Revolution happen. However, as time passed leadership changed at the Czech theatre that intended to produce the script and the play found itself without a producing agent. Brevoort had seen the Trustus Playwrights’ Festival cited in many trade “opportunities” lists, so she submitted her new farce to the festival and it won. “Pavel passed away last year,” said Brevoort. “I am sad that he will not be able to complete The Velvet Weapon project with me, but I am glad and very grateful that the project will continue and that it will begin its life on the stage at Trustus Theatre.”

Artistic Director Dewey Scott-Wiley directs this world premiere production of The Velvet Weapon, with a talented comedic cast featuring the talents of Trustus Company members G. Scott Wild (Clybourne Park) and Katrina Blanding (Ain’t Misbehavin’, Ragtime). Actors Hunter Boyle (Young Frankenstein, Ragtime), Scott Herr (The House of Blue Leaves, A Christmas Carol), Raia Jane Hirsch (The Motherf**ker With The Hat), John Edward Ford, Libby Campbell (August: Osage County), and broadcast personality Taylor Kearns round out the cast bringing this show to life for the first time.

Trustus Theatre’s The Velvet Weapon opens on the Trustus Main Stage on Friday, August 8th at 8:00pm and runs through August 16th, 2014. Thigpen Main Stage shows start at 8:00pm Thursdays through Saturdays, and Sunday matinees are at 3:00pm. Tickets are $22.00 for adults, $20.00 for military and seniors, and $15.00 for students. Half-price Student Rush-Tickets are available 15 minutes prior to curtain.

Trustus Theatre is located at 520 Lady Street, behind the Gervais St. Publix. Parking is available on Lady St. and on Pulaski St. The Main Stage entrance is located on the Publix side of the building.

For more information or reservations call the box office Tuesdays through Saturdays 1-6 pm at 803-254-9732. Visit www.trustus.org for all show information and season information.

Looking back on six years of reviews and 100+ shows

Six years and six weeks ago - i.e. in May of 2008 - I returned to the world of local theatre reviews.  I had written plenty in the early years of the Free Times (along with interviews, essays, previews of shows, plus reviews of movies, books, even museum exhibitions.)  James Harley was starting a website for independent reviews, OnstageColumbia.com, as The State was scaling back its arts coverage, and he realized quickly that one person can't see everything, and so a number of folks pitched in to help.  (Then Cindi Boiter started Jasper, and asked me to help, which led to even more reviews.)  Since then I have seen a whopping 108 shows(!)  This includes: - 31 of the last 38 shows at Workshop;  27 of the last 47 Main Stage shows at Trustus, 7 shows in the Trustus Side Door (plus a Late Night production, and a staged reading of a new play); 16 of the last 34 shows at Town; 8 of the last 19 shows at Columbia Children's Theatre (plus 2 YouTheatre productions, i.e. performed by children for children); 6 plays at USC, 2 at High Voltage, 2 at SC Shakespeare (including a one-act excerpt done at the Rosewood Arts Festival); one each at Theatre Rowe, On Stage Productions, and Stage 5; a semi-improv dinner theatre performance by the Capital City Killers, and a reading of a new play by the Chapin Theatre Company. That’s a LOT of theatre!

95 of those I reviewed.  The majority of the reviews were written for Onstage Columbia, 68 in fact, and 20 of those were picked up by the Free Times.  Two were online exclusives for the Free Times  - interestingly, both were world premieres of  High Voltage shows - 25 more were for this blog, i.e. What Jasper Said, and one of those was also rerun by the Free Times.  Somehow I managed to see 30 shows last year (including the 2 readings and the one-act) and 17 so far this year.  A conservative estimate is that there were 350 or more shows done locally in that period, i.e. close to 60 done each year, not even counting children's shows, recitals, drama ministries at churches, marionette shows, burlesque, circus and cabaret performances, etc.  So as above, no one can see everything, least of all me.  What follows then is some off-the-top-of-my-head reflections on what I have seen, and what I enjoyed.  (Disclaimer: the following is solely a personal opinion, and not representative of the views of this site, nor this publication, nor anyone involved with it, nor is it meant to represent anything definitive.  And this only refers to shows I did see, not those I didn't.  So if I missed your nephew or niece's appearance as the third daffodil from the left, I'm sure it was dazzling nevertheless. )

Some interesting stats: a dozen plays that I saw were new works, most written by local authors, including Chris Cook’s new adaptations of Dracula and Night of the Living Dead,  Columbia  Children’s Theatre’s original commedia productions of classics like Snow White, Cinderella and Rapunzel, and assorted winners of the Trustus Playwrights’ Festival.  More than half of the shows I saw in this period had roles for actors of color, and many of those shows in fact benefited from color-blind casting. And about time, I might add.

What did I like?  Well, believe it or not, I've seen very few if any bad shows. Columbia has evolved over the decades to where there are literally several hundred talented performers here in town, although some don't do shows that frequently anymore.  More often than not, I see actors' performances surpass mediocre or at best adequate material.   I think this stems from a combination of odd programming choices, dated shows that don't always stand the test of time, and the relative weakness of much of contemporary Broadway.   There have only been maybe 7 shows that I haven't enjoyed that much, and 3 were really old shows (an average of 50+ years old) that were showing their age, 2 were rarely-produced works that came out of regional theatre (i.e. never made it to Broadway, and in retrospect there may have been a reason) and 2 were original plays that might benefit from some re-writing (to my knowledge neither has ever been done since.)  But even those had their moments, primarily due to some great folks in their casts.  I'm not saying everything was a classic, or great literature - but seeing an age-appropriate cast do an energetic production of, say, Disney’s Camp Rock, or elementary-school age kids do an adorable 25-minute production of the Charlie Brown Easter Beagle show, can still be fun if you accept them for what they are.

Yet there were easily 20-30 more that I would feel no need to see again unless there was some particular performer I really wanted to see.  A lot of those weren't really plays - they were musical revues, even if they had dialogue and an ostensible plot.  These too can be enjoyable to listen to, since there are so many gifted singers around.  Still, often I'd be just as happy if they tossed the framing devices and just let the performers just do a cabaret show.

But seriously, what did I enjoy most?  Hands down, Victor/Victoria at Workshop in March of 2011.  Perfect casting, and lightning-fast timing and choreography made this a great experience for me.  Close behind that would be The Producers, also at Workshop, and Avenue Q and [title of show], both at Trustus. Interestingly, some combination of Kevin Bush, Laurel Posey, and Matthew DeGuire were in each of those productions.

Then again, it's hardly surprising to anyone who knows me that my favorites were shows from Blake Edwards, Henry Mancini, and Mel Brooks, a show about muppets, and a show about making a show, since those would have been my favorites at age 10 or 15 too.   It's hard to escape one's own preferences.   Broad comedy, done rapid-fire, with lots of double entendre, has always appealed to me.  Case in point:  I admired the professional quality of shows like Next to Normal at Trustus (I feel sure that I saw a production exactly like I'd have seen in NYC) and Miss Saigon (I suspect Town's elaborate production would rival that of a touring company - maybe not the original one in the 80's, but certainly one that might play the Koger or Township now.)    But I didn't rush out to buy the script or the original cast album.  I appreciated the artistry  and professionalism, even though it may not have been my cup of tea.   And I don’t even consider myself that much of a musical lover – but sometimes the spectacle on stage and memorable songs that set your toes a-tappin’ make for a great experience.

Actually, what I normally enjoy most is quirky, character-centric shows with something to say (which would  be an apt description of [title of show] too), and the very best of those that I have seen in years and years was The Shape of Things, directed by Bakari Lebby - at age 22!! - in two separate and equally excellent productions, first at USC and then at Workshop with a different cast.  Close behind would be the NiA Company’s production of Fat Pig, and A Behanding in Spokane, both done in the Trustus Side Door space, and the Trustus Main Stage production of The Little Dog Laughed.  All  were done on a virtually bare stage with a cast of four actors, which is all you need as long as you have good people.  While I'm at it, I do want to mention the very magical and moving production of Caroline, or Change, at Workshop, quite inspirational in its own way. Honorable mention goes to Dracula at High Voltage and Second Samuel at On Stage Productions for doing an incredible job with very limited resources (i.e. sets, space, and budget.)

Here's another interesting stat:  I have seen Vicky Saye Henderson and Frank Thompson more than any other performer locally in that period:  12 times each (although that's just a fraction of the shows each has done - remarkable, since all of Frank's that I saw were in a period of only three and a half years, as were all but two of Vicky’s.) Charlie Goodrich is close behind with 11, Will Moreau with 10, Bobby Bloom and Giulia Marie Dalbec with 9, followed by Kyle Collins, Elisabeth Baker, Chad Forrister, George Dinsmore, Patrick Dodds, Elizabeth Stepp and Hunter Bolton, all tied at 8. But again, I stress that these were just the ones that I saw them in.

USC's Theatre South Carolina  and the SC Shakespeare Company  both have missions to produce the great works of the stage and thank goodness, because apart from shows there, I have seen only a couple of genuine classics, i.e. things that are taught in English classes. More and more local theatres have to be conscious of box office, which isn't always a good thing, especially if a show chosen for its potential to sell tickets doesn't live up to financial expectations.   So the alternative is to do name-brand shows, straight from NYC, and while I've enjoyed the chance to see these, I just wonder how many will hold up over the next few decades? Romeo and Juliet, for example, is going strong after 400 years, and recent productions of works by Tennessee Williams and Edward Albee still worked just fine. But to me something like Miss Saigon now seems less ground-breaking and more of a traditional doomed love story.    We've unquestionably seen top-notch local productions of some of the biggest-name and biggest-reputation shows from the last few decades,  including lots of big award-winners.  But I keep finding myself writing variations on "well that was fun, but how on earth did it win so many awards?"  And I think back to Pulitzer winners of yore, like Of Thee I Sing, Men in White, Beyond the Horizon, Fiorello, and Seascape.  Wait, what are those shows?  Exactly.

As above, a lot of productions contended with their age, with varying levels of success.  If you've never seen it, it's new to you, as NBC used to remind us during rerun season, and if a theatre knows their audience will support a show that some might think has been done to death, there's no shame in bringing it back, as long as it's done well.   But I have to stress - there were a LOT of fairly recent and disposable pop hits like High School Musical, Drowsy Chaperone, and Shrek which were nevertheless quite entertaining, and which gave plenty of good people good roles in which to shine.

Most promising trend I've seen over the last six years:  talented child and teen performers maturing into adult leading roles.  Also performers migrating from theatre to theatre; everyone benefits when the best actors land the roles they are best suited for.  It's very gratifying to see people from one cast attending a performance of a show at a nearby theatre on their only night off in order to support their friends.  Another terrific trend:  actors normally seen in lead roles being willing to  appear in ensembles; again, everyone benefits, and as anyone who's done live theatre knows, it's not the size of the role... it's how fun your castmates are over 6-8-10 weeks of rehearsals, performances and cast parties.

Most disturbing trend I've seen:  audiences over-inflating their experience.  I've occasionally been accused of "liking everything," but read what I write more closely - I usually say that something is good if that's what you're looking for.    And explain who might enjoy a particular show - fans of country music, fans of slapstick, senior citizens, families with children under age 7, drunk people.   What I see far too often, however, is audience members saying that every show they see is ground-breaking, trend-setting, transcendent, transformative or life-changing.  More likely, the best show you've ever seen in Columbia is about as good as a hundred other good shows that have been done here over the years.  You may just need to get out more, see more live theatre, and read more plays.  I think we also may tend to confuse hitting a high note in a solo with something unique, when hundreds and hundreds of singers in church choirs do it every Sunday morning.

So there are some thoughts after the most recent six years of reviews.  Have I learned anything?  Yes.  A) there are a ton of talented people in the Midlands, and B)  there are thousands of potential audience members who will come see the right show if they are in the mood for it, and will come back for more if it lives up to their expectations.    Yet how much influence does a critic's review have on box office?  Or is the critic's role to interpret and help find meaning in a particular work?  Does one even need a critic's review, and does some random writer's opinion even matter?    All valid questions.... all of which will have to be addressed in some future blog post.  In the meantime, those were some of the shows I enjoyed - what about you?  What did you like?  The comments section below awaits your input!

~ August Krickel

"Body of Work: Faces and Figures" opens at Gallery West Tuesday, July 8

Just as any vibrant summer gathering should be, Gallery West’s fast-forthcoming show is destined to take on qualities of a reunion and a first meeting of new friends – referring to both art and patrons. For a reunion with the past, work - created over three centuries - grace the walls at 118 State Street in West Columbia. New friends will show up as new work in all media; featured will be new work by outstanding Columbia artist Pat Callahan. Patrons will converge for the show opening Tuesday, July 8 with a wine and hors d’oeuvres reception hosted from 4 to 8 p.m.

Many Columbians are already familiar with the sensitive and beautifully-crafted figure drawings by Pat Callahan. On view for this summer exhibition will be a selection of Pat's work that showcases her refined viewpoint and poetic drafting skills. Callahan comes to art and to craft through graphic design. Perhaps to balance her computer-based career, Callahan draws a classical subject - the body - in traditional drawing media. She works from life, capturing beauty and strength embodied in her subjects. With descriptive line and gesture she captures exquisitely bodies of weight, ruled by gravity and time.

Among the many other highlights in Body of Work is a small, elegant photograph by internationally acclaimed photographer Edward Weston. This intimate, wistful portrait of Weston's friend, Mary Buff, is contrasted by a large, flashy oil on canvas by New York society portrait painter, Mabel Hatt. Hatt's painting of Evelyn Siegel looks like a direct descendent of John Singer Sargent, and for good reason - Hatt's father was a student of Sargent's. More contemporary is a brightly-colored painting by well-known South Carolina artist Jonathan Green of a family enjoying the beach.

In addition to paintings and photographs, there are numerous works on paper in Body of Work. Of note is a haunting etching by nationally-acclaimed printmaker and former head of the Yale University Art Department, William Bailey. A forceful graphic note is struck in Sigmund Abeles and his print of a mother and child. Among the most geometric works in the show is a large original print entitled, Builders, by renowned American artist Jacob Lawrence.

Side-by-side with these well-known artists will be paintings, photographs, prints, drawings and sculpture by artists of great talent. Gallery visitors will note a 1930s portrait of a young girl by Elsie Budd, an astonishing wood engraving by Alfred Tinayre, or the whimsical sculpture of Tom Soumalainen.

Gallery West has quickly become characterized by its director’s innate talent for unearthing affordable treasures and spotlighting them evocatively in the gallery. Several area artists are also featured in the exhibition, including Russell Jeffcoat, Philip Hultgren, and Bonnie Goldberg.

The exhibition remains on view through August.  Gallery West is located at 118 State Street in West Columbia.  For more information, call (803) 207-9265,  e-mail gallerywest.sara@aol.com , or visit their Facebook page.

~ Rachel Haynie

Horror, Camp, Comedy, and Splatter Come Together in Trustus Theatre’s Gloriously Gory "Evil Dead: The Musical" - a review by Jillian Owens

What could possibly go wrong? Ash (played by Michael Hazin) is just an average S-Mart employee who wants to spend a relaxing spring break at a creepy abandoned cabin in the woods. Joining him on this vacation are his sweetheart, Linda (played by Elisabeth Baker), his jerk of a friend, Scotty (played by Patrick Dodds), his jerk of a friend’s recent hookup, Shelly (played by Abigail Ludwig), and his socially-awkward buzzkill of a little sister, Cheryl (played by Jodie Cain Smith.) When a mysterious trap door in the floor flies open, the fellas decide to investigate.

Unless you’re -- as Scotty would say (and says repeatedly) -- “a stupid bitch,” you’ve probably figured out that this is the standard set-up for countless horror movies, and that there is no possible way for this to end well for our young friends. The group discovers a tape recorder and a very strange book, written in Latin. The bizarrely helpful voice on the tape (contributed by Scott Blanks) reveals that they hold the Necronomicon, a book of the dead bound in human flesh and written in human blood that has the power to unleash an army of some pretty catty Candarian demons upon the world. They, of course, play the transcription of the cursed words and release these aforementioned demons. And what do you do when being attacked by demons? You sing a song (“You stupid bitch!”)

Even the most pedestrian lovers of campy horror films can guess that this musical is based on the three films of the Evil Dead franchise: Evil Dead (1981), Evil Dead 2 (1987), and Army of Darkness (1992.) The musical version, (created by George Reinblatt, Christopher Bond, Frank Cipolla, and Melissa Morris) was originally produced in 2003 in Toronto, Ontario where its success lead it to Off Broadway in 2006. The musical version combines the plots of the first two films, and contains several Army of Darkness references as well.

The songs in the show are silly and fun, and reminiscent of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Song titles include, "All the Men in My Life Keep Getting Killed by Candarian Demons," “Bit-Part Demon","Do the Necronomicon", and –my personal favorite- “"What the F*ck Was That?" The music isn’t particularly challenging, and it certainly isn’t brilliant, but it’s also not trying to be. The simple score allowed director Chad Henderson to assemble a cast of very funny actors, some of whom are also very strong singers.

Michael Hazin pulls off the role of Ash with a terrific Bruce Campbell (star of the film series) swagger and a commanding voice, and Elisabeth Baker was an obvious choice for the role of Linda, his sweet love interest. She’s also no stranger to musical theatre, and it shows. Matthew DeGuire seems an unlikely Jake (a rugged and sort of sketchy Mountain Man) which makes his role all the funnier and he nails every note. The rest of the cast’s strength lies primarily in their comedic abilities...and that’s okay. Jodie Cain Smith’s Cheryl is hilarious, both pre- and post- Deadite (the term for bodies possessed by Candarian demons), even if some of her numbers pushed her out of her comfortable vocal range. Amy Brower is the most melodramatic archaeologist you’ll ever meet, with some serious wardrobe malfunctions that lead to much laughter, and Patrick Dodds is a complete and utter jerkoff as Scotty, which in this case is a compliment.

Evil Dead: the Musical is the definitely the first musical I’ve ever been to that featured a “Splatter Zone.” That’s right - this stage adaptation maintains the high levels of campy gore established in the films, and if you’re feeling particularly fearless, you can choose to be covered in fake blood as the body count rises. You’ll also get to see a beheaded corpse with a grudge, a feisty dismembered hand, and a really unpleasant evil moose. Scenic Designers Brandon McIver and Baxter Engle and Prop Designer Jillian Peltzman have made this production a 4-D experience.

Evil Dead: The Musical is a must-see for horror fans, fans of all things funny, and fans of really strange musical adaptations. Go ahead...heed the calling of the Deadites...Join Us...at Trustus Theatre.

~ Jillian Owens

Evil Dead: The Musical runs through Saturday, July 26; call 803- 254-9732 or visit www.trustus.org for ticket information.  Also, be sure to check out the artwork of Sean McGuinness, aka That Godzilla Guy, the featured artist in the Gallery at Trustus for the run of the production.

Trenholm Artists Guild at Still Hopes by Rachel Haynie

The curvaceous corridor winding around the Marshall A. Shearouse Center for Wellness at Still Hopes Episcopal Retirement Community became an art gallery Thursday evening as Trenholm Artists Guild continued its summer tradition of exhibiting there. More than 80 pieces, including two-dimensional (2-D), mixed media and photography filled the walls. In the corridor several makers of pottery and jewelry were set up showcasing their works.

Juror Maura Kenny of the Coastal Carolina University faculty said the choices she made “got my immediate attention. They had contrast, asymmetrical shapes, unexpected views, emotion and attitude.”

Best of Show went to Richard Lund for his mixed media, “Moon Rising.” First Place in the 2-D category was won by Erica Hoyt for her watercolor “Sunflower III.” Second Place in this category was awarded to Denise L. Greer for her mixed media piece entitled “Fast Waters.” Dale Bishop took third place for “Charleston on My Mind.”

Honorable mentions were given to Mark Conrardy for his oil – “John Deer – Bert’s Pumpin Patch,” and Barbara Yongue for her oil, “Floral Contata.”

Patty Gamburg received a Merit Award for her mixed media piece entitled “YaYa42,” and George Stone for his oil “Morning on the Farm.”

Top photography honors were given to Nancy Washington for “Betsy,” and second place to Brenda Konitzer for “Verdant.” Harold Blackwood took third place for his “Sunset at Jekyll Island.”

Trenholm Artist Guild has been encouraging and stimulating the practice and appreciation of the creative arts since 1971.

Art from the Ashes: Columbia Artists Respond to the 150th Aniversary of the Burning of Their City - Roster Announced

Jasper and Muddy Ford Press are pleased to announce the artist roster for a new project being conducted in conjunction with One Columbia and Historic Columbia's commemoration of the sesquicentennial of the burning of the city.

Art from the Ashes will bring together more than two dozen literary and visual artists with local historians for a series of informal, yet in-depth discussions exploring the days leading up to and following the burning of Columbia in 1865. While military history will necessarily form the structure for the discourse, the emphasis will focus on how the attack effected civilians as well as individuals already marginalized during the time period.

The first of the artist-historian sessions, which will include historians John Sherrer and Alexia Helsley, will take place starting mid-July. After meeting with their history guides both visual and literary artists will be asked to respond in their respective arts disciplines. The collected literary pieces will be gathered into a monograph to be published by Muddy Ford Press and released on February 1, 2015. The visual arts will be exhibited at the Tapps Arts Center with a gallery opening scheduled for the same day.

Visual artists include Christian Thee, Kara Gunter, Susan Lenz, Jarid Lyfe Brown, Kirkland Smith, Whitney Lejeune, Cedric Umoja, Michaela Pilar Brown, Michael Krajewski, and Mary Bentz Gilkerson.

Literary artists include Ed Madden, Betsy Breen, Susan Levi Wallach, Al Black, Debbie Daniel, Ron Aiken, Tom Poland, Don McCallister, Jonathan Butler, Rachel Haynie, Ray McManus, Tara Powell, Shani Gilchrist, Darien Cavanaugh, Will Garland and Cindi Boiter.

Filmmaker Wade Sellers will also be creating an original short film to complement the project.

"Simple Cindy" - Melissa Swick Ellington reviews the new original children's musical at On Stage Productions

On Stage Productions presentsSimple Cindy: A Full Fledged Musical? at their West Columbia  location with five more performances June 19-22. This original musical represents a unique collaboration between writer and theatre director Robert Harrelson and his young niece Sydney Porth. About five years ago, Harrelson wrote the book and lyrics for Simple Cindy and offered his then eight-year-old niece the opportunity to compose the music. Just fourteen years old and attending Governor’s School for music this summer, Porth has musical theatre experience well beyond her years.

Celebration of youth and emphasis on learning characterize the welcoming theatre community of On Stage Productions.  In addition to providing a forum for a young teen composer’s appealing music to be realized in full production, Simple Cindy also features the capable work of a high school student (Ryan Rogers) as the show’s director. The cast of Simple Cindy includes first-time actors as well as youngsters with more extensive theatre backgrounds. All performers are valued and encouraged in this engaging production, as Harrelson and his company of hard-working parents and theatre supporters create potentially life-changing opportunities for young people.

Simple Cindy’s script brings numerous classic tales together; children in the audience will be delighted to recognize familiar characters such as Dorothy, Snow White, Wendy, Goldilocks, Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, and more. With the help of an energetic Narrator and a friendly Musician who endeavor to manage the lively characters, Cindy explores “the real story” of her life. Clever revisions to the well-known tale abound, such as silver slippers because “glass is so dangerous.” Families will appreciate the gentle nature of this play that encourages kids to “make a wish with all your heart, and you will see the magic start.” The performers’ sincerity is strong and touching.

Hannah Presor plays the role of Cindy with great charm. She exudes comfortable stage presence during interactions with fellow performers as well as appreciative viewers. (My young daughter eagerly volunteered to follow Cindy onto the stage during an audience participation sequence, and was determined to give Cindy a rose after the show.) Macey Coats shares infectious energy and a lovely singing voice as both the Narrator and the Godmother; she also does fine work as the show’s choreographer. Katie Edelson creates memorable characters as the Musician and Glenda, Olivia Lesniak becomes an expressive Dorothy, and Grace Beasley plays a sweet Wendy. Emma Yankowitz is charming in three roles (Rapunzel, Young Cindy, and Old Lady), while Danielle Mejias (StepMother), Gracie May (Antasheneezia) and Mia Coats (Drowzilla) embrace their outrageous characters with gusto and flair. James Conner Rabon as the Prince communicates volumes with his humorous facial expressions while dancing with the would-be princesses.

The cast also includes Izzie Cruea, Carrissa Mejias, Maddie Cruea, Pierce Mejias, Alana Armstrong, Dominick Campbell, Victoria Harbin, and Brianna Northcutt. Every performer appears confident on stage. Take it from this former drama teacher – that is one remarkable achievement.

Opportunities for audience interaction abound but never overwhelm. Viewers are invited on stage to help open a fairy tale book and later to fold clothes with Cinderella. The friendly Narrator thrilled my six-year-old by giving out invitations to the ball during intermission.  Participants can also join the cast photograph following the performance, which was a big deal  for my daughter. (Small children will benefit from front row seats, as the sight lines can be challenging for shorter audience members.)

Simple Cindy is a homegrown delight. Harrelson shares that “We try our best to make everyone feel special at our shows,” and the On Stage community succeeds. When the Prince quizzes her on possible identifying characteristics, Cindy responds with the simple and powerful statement  “I’m just me.” At On Stage Productions, anyone can be “just me” and feel welcomed, included,  and celebrated. During the car ride home following the performance, my daughter confided that On Stage makes her “feel the happiest.” Happily ever after, indeed.

~ Melissa Swick Ellington

Upcoming performances:

Thursday June 19 - 7:30 pm

Friday June 20 - 7:30 pm

Saturday June 21 - 2:30 pm and 7:30 pm

Sunday June 22 - 2:30pm

For more information, visit htp://www.onstagesc.com, or call 803-351-6751.  The On Stage Performance Center is located at 680 Cherokee Lane in West Columbia.

Columbia Children’s Theatre’s Spaghetti and Meatball Players Stir Up Delicious Fun - Melissa Swick Ellington reviews "The Commedia Snow White"

We’re smack in the middle of that sweltering heat for which Columbia is famous, so thank goodness for the cool, original commedia play at Columbia Children’s Theatre. A rollicking band of players bring to life the meaning of commedia dell’arte, or “the very creative comedy of actors,” as described by the gifted (and hilarious) director and writer Jerry Stevenson. The collaborative nature of this Italian theatre tradition soars through the vibrant efforts of an exceptionally talented cast. Melding popular culture, current news items, Broadway musicals, and classic fairy tales with high energy slapstick, the ensemble sparkles in this gem of a production. Skillfully staged by Stevenson with special commedia choreography by Cathy Brookshire, The Commedia Snow White and the Seven Dwarves features five excellent actors who play traditional commedia characters: Punchin (Paul Lindley II), Rosetta (Beth DeHart, with Kendal Turner in the role for certain performances), Pantalone (Julian Deleon), Columbine (Elizabeth Stepp),and Arlequino (Anthony Harvey). These “Spaghetti and Meatball Players” take on various roles within the story, leading to some nifty meta-theatrical moments (such as Stepp’s matter-of-fact observation on what can’t happen if she’s playing Snow White instead of another role.)

The actors capitalize on the fun interplay of the commedia characters’ tension and discord through the fairy tale framework. Lindley realizes his character’s desire to star in a musical with brilliant commitment and impressive vocals; musical theatre fans will be particularly enthralled by his Broadway mash-up. DeHart’s gift for physical comedy fuels zany sequences like an uproarious running gag with sound cues. Her wicked queen is a hoot, especially in scenes with the magical mirror (the delightful Harvey) who belts out hit singles with attitude. Harvey’s considerable talents are put to good use throughout the engaging production. In a charming performance, Deleon creates effective rapport with the audience as Pantalone the narrator. Stepp achieves both the ridiculous (in a good way) and the sublime in her hilariously enchanting portrayal of the title role. One of the veterans from past commedia productions, Stepp is a marvel onstage; you don’t want to miss her magnificent “All By Myself” breakdown among other triumphs.

Some of the wit (Voltaire, anyone?) will be over the heads of younger children, but there are plenty of jokes that land for the kids while the grownups giggle over references to Instagram, Photoshop, Divergent, and Twitter. My six-year-old loved the wordplay of homonym humor such as “hair/hare” and “pi/pie.” This is definitely a show that works on multiple levels. When Snow White can’t eat gluten or high fructose corn syrup, hilarity ensues. The ingenious staging of the seven dwarves is simply too good to describe – go see the show and be ready to laugh yourself silly.

Production design choices hit all the right notes. Ragtag patched curtains frame anappealing proscenium with simple backdrops for efficient scene changes. Costumes by Donna Harvey and Stevenson evoke the stock commedia characters vividly while also giving a nod to contemporary figures such as a certain well-known animated female mouse. Extraordinary attention to detail went into the sound design (Stevenson) and operation (Jim Litzinger), and David Quay provides effective light board operation. Stage manager Crystal Aldamuy must possess superb organizational skills to keep track of all the mayhem this production instigates.

These actors are quick-witted, clever, and multi-talented (singing, dancing, the ability to turn awesome cartwheels in a big puffy princess gown...) They are also experts at connecting with the child audience members who seek autographs after the show. I continue to be impressed by how the CCT performers relate to individual kids. It is no small feat to deliver a raucous performance and immediately thereafter exude kindness and intuitive understanding of young people.

The only thing I’d like more than attending a performance of The Commedia Snow White and the Seven Dwarves? Watching what must have surely been a laugh riot of a rehearsal and development process. CCT has produced commedia offerings for five consecutive summers; let’s hope for more delicious fun in future from the Spaghetti and Meatball Players.

~ Melissa Swick Ellington

Show Times:

Friday, June 20: 8:00 p.m. Late Night Date Night for Mom and Dad Saturday, June 21: 10:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m. Sunday, June 22: 3:00 p.m

Weekday matinees (perfect for day cares & camps):

Thursday, June 19, 10:30 a.m.

Thursday, June 26: SOLD OUT Thursday, July 10: 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 17: 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 24, 10:30 a.m.

Call 691-4548 to reserve seats for your campers at a discounted group rate.

For more information, visit http://www.columbiachildrenstheatre.com/.

The cast of "Commedia Snow White" tell all to intrepid reporter Kat Bjorn (age 6 and 1/2)

First Grader Kat Bjorn Interviews the Cast of Columbia Children’s Theatre Commedia Snow White

by Kat Bjorn (with some help from Papa)

Kat’s Papa:  Hey folks, technically this isn’t a review of Columbia Children’s Theatre’s latest production, Commedia Snow White (although visit Jasper early next week for just that - a review by Melissa Swick Ellington) but seriously, you have to see this show—even you adults without kids.  After all, there’s a dwarf named Truculent.  And Paul Lindley II (Punchin) performs several numbers from Cats.  And Anthony Harvey (Arlequino) gets stuck in an infinite regress watching himself as The Mirror.  And Elizabeth Stepp (Columbine) as that “Really Pale Brunette Girl” does cartwheels around Beth DeHart’s (Rosetta) smoking tan Evil Queen.  Also, Julian Deleon (Pantalone) has a Spanish pirate hat that belongs in a Captain Morgan commercial.

Kat Bjorn:  Papa, shhh!!  I’m starting the interview now.

Papa:  Okay, time to turn into a transcriber.  Gotta go.  Seriously, see this show!

Jerry Stevenson, CCT Artistic Director:  How old are you now, Kat?  This is like your 30th interview.

Kat:  I’m six and a half.

Arlequino :  You seem old.

Kat:  I’m just tall for my age.  Who is your favorite dwarf and why?

Pantalone:  Effervescent.  No, Truculent.

Punchin:  Or did you mean the Disney ones?

Really Pale Brunette Girl (aka Snow White):  Dopey.  He’s got a purple hat.

Punchin:  Duck.

Kat:  Duck?

Punchin:  Duck!

[Entire Cast ducks.]

Kat:  Did you mean Doc?

Punchin:  Hee-hee.

Kat:  If there were an 8th Dwarf, what would his or her name be?

[Kat whispers to Really Pale Brunette Girl (aka Snow White).] 

Really Pale Brunette Girl (aka Snow White):  Plumpy?

[Entire Cast exchanges looks with one another.]

Entire Cast:  Plumpy.

Evil Queen:  Hairy.

Kat:  If Snow White wears a yellow dress, why isn’t she Snow Yellow?

[Pause.  Laughter ensues.]

Kat:  What is Commedia dell’arte?

Really Pale Brunette Girl (aka Snow White):  Commedia dell’arte is a form of theatre that originated in Italy in the 1500s—

Punchin:  [in an outrageous Italian accent]  That’s why we have these outrageous Italian accents!

Really Pale Brunette Girl (aka Snow White):  Ahem.  All the characters are stock characters—

Pantalone:  We go great with soup!

Really Pale Brunette Girl (aka Snow White):  Sigh.

Pantalone:  I mean, I run the troupe!

Kat:  Next question.  My Papa said your Commedia dell’arte shows have lots of “ChapStick” comedy.  What does that mean?

Really Pale Brunette Girl (aka Snow White):  Something to do with Ruby Lip Smackers, I imagine.

Arlequino:  Did he mean “slapstick”?

Punchin:  I think she knows what she means.

Arlequino:  [standing]  You minda your own-a business!

Punchin:  [standing, grabs Arlequino’s nose]  No, you minda your own-a business!

[Arlequino roundhouses Punchin.]

Evil Queen:  I think you get the picture.

Kat:  Moving right along.  What’s the next project for the Spaghetti & Meatball players?

Jerry Stevenson:  Commedia Our Town!

Papa:  [to himself]  Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Jr.

Kat:  I don’t remember seeing puppets at the Columbia Children’s Theatre before.  What was it like to work with puppets?

Pantalone:  Jerry and Jim have been using more and more puppets lately.

Arlequino:  Apparently they work for practically nothing and don’t complain about union violations.

Kat:  Guess my favorite part of the show.

[Entire Cast spends several hours guessing.]

Punchin:  [exhausted]  I give up…my excerpt from Godspell?

Kat:  When the Evil Queen was on fire.  I also liked it when Pantalone came and sat next to me.  I tickled him with my magic rose.

[Shameless Plug:  Bring $3 so your kid can buy a Magic Rose.]

 

Kat:  Okay, last question.  What does the fox say?

Entire Cast:  Ring-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding! / Gering-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding! / Gering-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding!

Kat:  That’s a wrap!  Another slice of pizza, please!

................................

Kat Bjorn is a rising first grader who loves Riverbanks Zoo and Fancy Nancy chapter book mysteries—and math, if you can believe it.

Commedia Snow White runs through June 22 with performances at the following dates and times:  Saturday, June 14 at 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.  Sunday, June 15 at 3 p.m.; Friday, June 20 at 8 p.m. (late night date night for grown-ups, with possibly a little more mature humor added in); Saturday, June 21 at 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.; Sunday, June 22 at 3 p.m. There are additional Thursday matinee performances at 10:30 a.m. on June 19, June 26 (sold out), July 10, July 17 and July 24. Tickets are $10 for adult and children 3 and up. Seniors & Military ticket prices are $8. Tickets are $5 for the Saturday 7 p.m. performance. The Columbia Children’s Theatre is located at the Second Level of Richland Mall, 3400 Forest Drive (corner of Beltline and Forest Drive) - or as they say in Forest Acres, over where the old S&S Cafeteria used to be. Enter the Second Level parking garage walkway and park in Level 2-L for easy access. Call 691.4548 for more information or to reserve tickets for groups. To learn more about Columbia Children’s Theatre , visit http://columbiachildrenstheatre.com/ .

Expecting Goodness Short Film Festival Showcases Columbia Talent

If you're in the mood for a short road trip and short films this weekend then travel up to Spartanburg for the third year of the Expecting Goodness Film Festival. Two films from Soda City will be screened as part of the program this year. So Beautiful, by filmmaker Joshua Foster is adapted from Jasper Editor Cindi Boiter's short story "Alvin & Alvie." So Beautiful tells the story of a father and his struggling relationship with his daughter after the death of his wife. The film is a touching slice of time between father and daughter.

Columbia filmmaker Jeff Driggers presents his short “Happy Hour”. The film centers around the thoughts of one woman in a bar. It is a simple story about a complex character. This is Driggers' second year participating in the festival.

The Expecting Goodness Film Festival will present two shows on Saturday, June 14^th at the Chapman Cultural Center. The first screening starts at noon, and the second will take begin at 7 PM. Tickets may be purchased through the Expecting Goodness website at www.expectinggoodness.com.

Jasper Celebrates Fall Lines

Jasper is pleased to announce that Fall Lines -- a literary convergence is on the streets after two exciting celebrations of its release.

On Sunday, we launched Fall Lines with a celebration and reading hosted by our partner the Richland Library Many thanks to Tony Tallent not only for facilitating the partnership but also for hosting and feting us so well Sunday afternoon.

The Fall Lines Team -- left to right, Ed Madden of Jasper, Lee Snelgrove of One Columbia, and Tony Tallent of Richland Library with Cindi Boiter of Jasper seated (not pictured Jonathan Haupt of USC Press and Bob Jolley of Muddy Ford Press)

Left - Nicola Waldron, winner of the Broad River Prize for Prose; Right - Mary Hutchins Harris - winner of the Saluda River Prize for Poetry -- both sponsored by Richland Library Friends

The next day we were back on the podium with an extended reading hosted by Sara Cogswell at her beautiful gallery on State Street in West Columbia, Gallery West.

photo by Will South

Pick up your copy of Fall Lines at any of the Richland County Library branches, the One Columbia office on Lady Street, Jasper Studio in the historic Arcade at 1332 Main Street, Frame of Mind, Gallery West, and selected boutiques, galleries and venues in Columbia -- or order it online at Amazon.com or BandN.com.  And look for the Fall Lines e-book coming soon from Richland Library.

Many thanks to Roe Young of Roe Young State Farm, Tom Mack of the SC Academy of Authors, and the Richland Library Friends.

Spoleto USA Review: Lucinda Williams @ TD Arena

Continuing their recent tradition of incorporating a handful of roots-rock acts in their eclectic vision of high-culture arts programming, Spoleto USA brought one of the true legends of Americana to Charleston this past Wednesday, Louisiana-born Lucinda Williams. The daughter of acclaimed Southern poet and literature professor Miller Williams, the singer/songwriter has had a tumultuous, storied career, from her early Folkways Record releases to the painstaking birth of one the genre’s all-time classics, Care Wheels on a Gravel Road, which was released in 1998. Since then Williams has enjoyed steady sales and plenty of critical regard, but seems to have worked in the shadow of her greatest achievement.

That’s not to say, of course, that she hasn’t remained an exacting and engaging writer, as she’s capable of writing songs of anger and joy, lust and longing, with a sense of economy and painterly level of detail. Plus she's always had a one-of-kind weathered voice that's capable of a similarly broad palette of emotion. But it is to say that her arguably best material was released in the 1990s, on Car Wheel and 1992’s Sweet Old World. That the Spoleto set leaned heavily on newer material suggests that Williams will continue to be a relevant artist, even if her concert appearances are perhaps not as engaging because of it.

Leading a hot band through the paces, Williams sprinkled a number of new songs throughout the night that incorporated much of the band-oriented material from her last two records, Little Honey (2008) and Blessed (2011), that allowed her to showcase her sidemen's chops, particularly the explosive solos of electric guitarist Stuart Mathis, a longtime guitarist for the Wallflowers.  Mathis’ presence was key to the performance’s success, as the long instrumental passages made it difficult for Williams’ songwriting prowess to hold center stage for long. And while the set was peppered with stories and asides from the songwriter, and she was in fine vocal form for much of the night, too much of her time was spent playing the effacing frontman for the long jam-laden blues and rock excursions through some of her weaker material.

In my mind, the real highlight of the show was when Williams emerged for an encore with nothing but her acoustic guitar and sang “Passionate Kisses,” one of her most commercially successful tunes. Despite how good the band was, I would much rather have had a few more of Williams’ compositions in that more haunting and heartbreaking minimalist setting. That's not to say the night wasn't quite enjoyable, and kudos to Spoleto for bringing one of the true songwriting (and singing) greats to the Holy City, but I'm still left wishing for what could have been. –Kyle Petersen

Spoleto USA Show Review: Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn at TD Bank by Chris Robinson

This quiet banjo duo performance actually took place in a basketball arena-turned-performance space that fit about a thousand people, but the excitement in the air was palpable and when the lights finally went down and Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn came out on stage they were happy, confident, quickly engaging, and fiercely entertaining.

After music’s widely known Top 40 stars, popular recognition for most is mixed and spotty, but if you are a music aficionado and listen to public radio, TED talks, or the like, you know both Fleck and Washburn’s names and virtuosity.

Fleck is easily one of the most innovative banjo pickers in the world, with a reputation for expanding the musical range of his instrument, and Washburn, also a banjo player, is a warm singer with a fascinating backstory. Fluent in Chinese, she almost ended up studying law in Beijing, but was cold-offered a recording contract while being heard “jamming” on the sidewalk of a music convention and hasn’t looked back since. Together, this husband and wife are consummate musicians, entertaining storytellers, and have a wonderful balance of contemporary sensitivity and calm with a feeling of down-home, sit-in-the-parlor friendship.

The two played a far-reaching and near-perfect single set, from Doc Watson and Earl Scruggs standards to progressive jazz and classical compositions, and traded some laugh out loud anecdotes between songs. They missed separate Spoleto invitations last year due to the birth of their baby (Juno Jasper!), and the tyke has since spent his first year traveling with mom and dad as they have wrapped their way back around to Charleston.

The music really is a so widespread and varied, from traditional roots to contemporary innovation and international influences, and although self-effacing with no apologies for their banjo-only approach. The two in fact make you realize how the simple stringed instrument can transcend most others.

The only possible flaw is that steady, slightly sad realization that the goodhearted guy-gal spouse bantering of slightly different preferences in similar pursuits just seems a little too good, crisp, and clean, indicative of how produced, choreographed, and scripted, and has been presented many times before.  It is only a brief moment of disquiet, though, before recognizing that although you are not really in a parlor and have been duped a bit by the seeming spontaneity of the performance. And yet, finally, the duo is ultimately so captivating and accomplished you really don’t mind. - Chris Robinson

My Cousin Rachel at Spoleto - Mini-Review

The Columbia arts scene has kept us so busy at Jasper this season that we haven't had the time (or need?) to make it down to this year's Spoleto Festival nearly as much as in years past. It's not because there haven't been some exciting events going on down there -- this year's festival roster was as impressive as ever, from the Westminster Choir's El Nino to Hubbard Street Dance Chicago to the upcoming production of the Gregory Maqoma/Vuyani Dance Theatre.

My Cousin Rachel -- Dock Street Theatre

We did make it down to see a matinee of the Gate Theatre's My Cousin Rachel at Charleston's always inspiring Dock Street Theatre. My Cousin Rachel is a romantic-mystery novel written by Daphne Du Maurier in 1951  and adapted for the stage by Joseph O'Connor -- with more than a hint of the macabre added, at least in this interpretation. The play picks up at the part in the novel after which Ambrose, the owner of a Cornish estate has died following an extended health-related stay in Italy. In Florence, Ambrose fell in love with a cousin Rachel who, after his death, travels to Cornwall to pay her respects to Ambrose's adopted heir, Philip, with whom she soon develops an intimate relationship. The conflict in the play centers around trust -- but not the casual kind of trust, rather a life and death kind of trust. There's a beautiful subtlety to this version of the story interspersed with tense scenes that aptly address the misery of doubt. Of particular interest is the use of carnival masks on familiar cast members when Philip is tormented by dreams while in a feverish sleep.

The Gate theatre out of Dublin brings another fine example of their work to the Spoleto Festival in Charleston. We highly recommend you catch My Cousin Rachel before it closes at the end of the week.

Win Passes to World Premiere of Cinema Purgatorio

Yes, summer is finally making its way to Columbia after a spring that teased far more than delivered and, before you know it, events will thin out, you might not have to wait to get a table at Cellar on Greene, and you may even find a booth at The Whig. Those who know Columbia know that part of our culture is to sort of go underground during the summer months. We’re not sure whether it’s because we’re a college town or whether we’re so perfectly positioned between the mountains and the shore that it’s hard to stay put during summer days – or whether it’s just so damn hot here in July that we just can’t stand it. But we are what we are, and you have to love us.

That said, don’t put away your opera glasses and pearls quite yet. (Pfft! Who has opera glasses or wears pearls to most of Columbia’s events? Show off!) Jasper has several important arts events on our upcoming radar, so don’t pack your bags just yet.

Sunday, June 1^st – Cinema Purgatorio World Premiere

We’re delighted that SC filmmaking team Emily Reach & Chris White of Paris Mountain Scout productions chose Columbia to premiere their latest film, Cinema Purgatorio. You might remember the Whites from their previous feature films Taken In (2011) and Get Better (2012). Not only do the husband-and-wife team of Chris and Emily have strong ties to Columbia, but two of the actors in the film walked right off of Main Street.

While local filmmaker/actor Jeff Driggers plays the pushy documentarian Clark Wiggins, Alex Smith, whose work ranges from the stage to the studio to the screen, plays a pretentious filmmaker named Dos Midler. (Alex is also a staff writer for Jasper, and Jeff won the Jasper Award at Hub City’s Expecting Goodness Film Festival last June. Both were chosen to participate in Jasper’s Second Act Film Festival last October.) In addition, Columbia photographer Sean Rayford will be shooting red carpet photos at the first screening and the reception at Bourbon.

What’s more, the after party at The Art Bar will feature live music by  Shallow Palace and Mel Washington. Tickets to either screening include admission to the after-party.

As a sponsor of Cinema Purgatorio, Jasper invites everyone to come out and support independent filmmaking for the premiere showing on June 1^st at IT-ology.  By purchasing your tickets at this special Jasper site, you’ll also be supporting Jasper Magazine.

But there’s more. Everyone who joins the Jasper Guild this week – at any level – will be entered to win two Gold Pass tickets to the premiere, including passes to the Producer’s Reception.  (Those who join at the $25 level will be entered once; those at the $50 level - twice, those at the $100 level - four times, at the $250 - 10 times.) Drawing will take place on Saturday afternoon, May 31st and the winner will be notified by email and announced on Facebook and Twitter. For more on the Jasper Guild -- see Below.

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Isn’t it time for YOU to join the Jasper Guild?

The Jasper Guild is a group of supporting artists and arts lovers who appreciate not only the vital Columbia, SC arts scene, but the magazine devoted to promoting it. Members of the Jasper Guild recognize the labor-of-love that is Jasper and work to do their parts to ensure that Jasper continues to publish a 100% LOCAL & artist-produced magazine. You’re invited to join us in our mission to make Columbia, SC the Southeast arts capitol by becoming a member of the Jasper Guild. And the next time you open a copy of Jasper you’ll be able to say,

“I helped make this happen and here’s my name to prove it!”

• Apprentice – 1 year delivery of Jasper & your name listed in Jasper for 1 year $50
• Journeyman – above + your name in print in LARGE LETTERS $100
• Master – above + a non-transferable Econobar PASS for 1 year $250
• Centerfold Sponsorship – above + your name/dedication printed on the centerfold $500
• Publisher – above + your choice of 3 books from the Muddy Ford Press catalogue $1000

 “But I’m just a starving artist myself,” you say?

• Artist Peer - Practicing artists in dance, theatre, music, film, visual & literary arts are invited to join The Jasper Guild at a reduced rate & see your name in Jasper for 1 year $25

Join NOW!

Fall Lines Contributors & Events Announced

The Columbia Fall Line is a natural junction, along which the Congaree River falls and rapids form, running parallel to the east coast of the country between the resilient rocks of the Appalachians and the softer, more gentle coastal plain.

It was almost a year ago when I first asked Tony Tallent, Lee Snelgrove, Jonathan Haupt, and Ed Madden to meet with me to talk about the prospects of a  professional quality literary journal based out of Columbia, SC. My hope was for a yearly journal that we could publish as a summer reader in lieu of the July/August issue of Jasper Magazine. In the best of all possible worlds the book would be the same size as Jasper--but with more pages--perfect bound, and free, both to submit to and to take home. I wanted the advice of these gentlemen on whether this was a feasible endeavor. Once we had batted the ball around the room several times and decided it could and should be done, I wanted their help. They delivered it generously.

On June 8th, the city of Columbia will celebrate the launch of Fall Lines - a literary convergence. We chose the name Fall Lines because we wanted to honor our city and the energy that the falling waters of the Broad and Saluda Rivers bring our way. Almost 500 submissions were entered into consideration for publication in Fall Lines. From them, 30 were accepted and seven others came to us via  invitation. In addition to winners in the fields of poetry and prose, Fall Lines will also publish work by the SC Academy of Authors 2014 fellowship winners Nancy Brock and Jo Angela Edwins; three essays from USC Press's upcoming second volume of Aida Rogers' State of the Heart (by Christopher Dickey, Josephine Humphreys, and Ray McManus); as well as poetry by SC Poet Laureate Marjory Wentworth, (sponsored by Roe Young and the Roe Young State Farm Insurance Agency.) Local designer and Jasper art director Heyward Sims designed the cover of the book. It is 98 pages long and, as always, Muddy Ford Press made it all happen.

Thank you to Tony Tallent for bringing in Richland Library as a major partner on Fall Lines, as well as the Richland Library Friends who are generously awarding the cash prizes ($250 each) to the winners of the Saluda River Prize for Poetry and the Broad River Prize for Prose. Richland Library will also offer the book in its entirety as an E-Book through the library system. Thank you to Lee Snelgrove and One Columbia and to Jonathan Haupt and USC Press for partnering with us. Thanks to Tom Mack and the SC Academy of  Authors and to Roe Young and the Roe Young State Farm Agency. Thanks to our advertisers: Trustus, Ed's Editions, Gallery West, and The Whig. Thanks most of all to Ed Madden who, of late, is more often my partner in crime than not. And my dear, dear friend.

It is with great pleasure that we announce the contributors to the 2014 inaugural issue of Fall Lines - a literary convergence literary magazine.

Dig and Delve – Nicola Waldron

April, 1965 – Betsy Breen

Soon – Jonathan Butler

Accidentals – Mary Hutchins Harris

Forgotten – Marjory Wentworth

Militants Ban School Bells in a Town in Somalia – Marjory Wentworth

Taste the Sound – Jennifer Bartell

Davy Crockett’s Last Stand – Nancy Brock

Like – Jo Angela Edwins

Island Time – Josephine Humphries

What I wish I had said to Billy Collins – Brandi Perry

Queens – Alexis Stratton

Almost – Angie Zealberg

Ghost Crabs – Hastings Hensel

Lap – Robert Petersen

Like a little bell he trembles III – Matthew Stark

Pilgrimage – Christopher Dickey

Want a ride? – Aïda Rogers

A Bike – Bob Blencowe

Cancer Voodoo II – Melissa Johnson

The Ache of Beekeeping – Tony Tallent

Ruts – Ray McManus

At Congaree Swamp – Nicola Waldron

My Father’s Chest – Jarred Coffin

Jumping into the Abyss of History, A Prologue – Megan Volpert

you burn me – Susan Laughter Meyers

The Gunpowder Craze – Doug Berg

One Quiet Morning – William Claxon

In May’s Blue Box – Linda Lee Harper

What Tassio Fulgrass Thinks of Life – Susan Levi Wallach

Letting You Die – Marlena Impisi

early November – Laura Rashley

Crazing – Lisa Hammond

Mission – Tara Powell

The Ride Back – Jo Ann Hoffman

Open Windows – Matt Mossman

Fishing for Bream – Ivan Young

Through a Glass Darkly – Debra Daniel

Please join us in celebrating Fall Lines and it's contributors with a signing and reception on one or both of the following dates:

Sunday, June 8th at 4pm at Richland Library, 1471 Assembly Street in Columbia

RSVP on the

Facebook event

Monday, June 9th at 6 pm (readings will start closer to 7) at Gallery West, 118 State Street in West Columbia

RSVP on the

Facebook event here

Pick up your Fall Lines this summer from one of the following primary distribution sites:

Richland Library -- all branches

One Columbia on Taylor Street

USC Press on Devine Street

Jasper Studio at the Historic Arcade

Ed's Editions in West Columbia

Gallery West in West Columbia

Trustus Theatre

HoFP

iF Art

701 Whaley CCA

Nickelodeon

The Whig

Congratulations to the winners and the contributors and thanks once again to everyone whose individual efforts made a very important thing happen. Columbia now has her own literary journal -- Fall Lines - a literary convergence.

-- Cindi Boiter