By Amy Nicholson

Old-fashioned comedy, catchy show tunes and happy endings are all part of the show "Lucky Stiff," opening at Heritage Theatre in Perry this weekend.

Jacob Thompson of Deweyville is directing the show, which he saw for the first time about 10 years ago. "It is fun and fresh," he said.

Thompson said he caught the bug for acting and directing a little later in life than most. Although he had played the part of an orphan in a production of "Oliver" at the age of 8, and participated in high school choir, he didn't re-enter the theater arena again until he was 21.

"The theater has a unique way of entertaining, educating and enlightening people. Some shows leave a mark on your spirit. Others help you relax," Thompson said.

"Lucky Stiff" is more along the lines of pure entertainment, he said.

Thompson believes the lighthearted storyline is just what audiences are craving during current tough economic times.

"I like to see the vision that I have unfold on the stage. It's not something made with my hands like other art mediums, but it is still something to be proud of," he said of the directing experience.

The cast has 10 characters, five principal actors, four actors who play several more minor characters, and one actor playing a dead guy for the duration.

The plot

As the plot unfolds, lead character Harry Witherspoon, a shy shoe salesman from England, receives word that a distant uncle has been shot and killed. He has left his estate of $6 million to Harry, but only if Harry follows his instructions.

Harry is told that his uncle would never miss a vacation for anything, not even death, and his final wish was to take a trip to Monte Carlo.

In "Weekend at Bernie's" fashion, Harry hauls the corpse around in a wheelchair, irritated by the things he must do, but also liberated from his boring life and excited to be on an adventure.

If Harry, played by Brett Johnson of Layton, fails to carry out his uncle's wishes, the $6 million will go to a charity that benefits dogs.

Sarah Johnson, who in real life is married to Brett Johnson, plays the part of Annabel Glick, a sweet charity worker who shows up on Harry's adventure, determined to watch his every move and take the money if he makes a mistake.

The Johnsons met while singing in a show choir at Utah State University. The two married 10 years ago and have three sons, ages 7, 4 and 1.

Both enjoy acting and try to do at least one show per year despite their busy family life.

"Theater is our hobby. We try to get away and do it whenever we can," Sarah Johnson said.

The play is a fun one, she said: "It has a little twist and a fun ending you'd never expect."

Playing together

Another couple, Bree Hoskisson and Derek Hendricks of Roy, are also cast in the show. The two have been dating for the past five years and frequently appear in shows together, participating in about five shows each per year.

Hoskisson plays Rita, a hard-edged chain smoker from New York who totes a gun and is determined to get her hands on the $6 million she says was stolen from her.

She pulls her brother, Vinnie Di Ruzzio, a quiet optometrist played by Hendricks, into the plot and spends a lot of time pushing him around.

Hoskisson is currently pursuing a musical theater degree at Weber State University, and Hendricks earned his associate's degree in theater from Western Wyoming Community College.

"We have a song together. It is the first time we've gotten to sing onstage -- just the two of us," Hoskisson said.

 

the original story can be found here.

By J. Michael Call

Utah musical theater lovers may have already heard Clinton native J. Michael Bailey sing the moving number “Bring Him Home” from the megahit musical “Les Misérables.”

But now audiences from Utah and beyond will have a chance to hear him sing not only that number, but all of Jean Valjean’s songs. Bailey has been selected to play the leading role in the Utah Shakespeare Festival’s upcoming production of the epic musical.

“It’s been something I’ve wanted to do for a long time,” Bailey said. “Now I get to own the role for up to six months, and it’s quite a thrill for me.”

After conducting a national casting search in New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles, artistic directors David Ivers and Brian Vaughn announced Bailey’s selection this week. They were familiar with Bailey’s work as he was in the festival’s 2009-10 acting company. Bailey played Jaggers in the premiere of the musical “Great Expectations” that season at the Cedar City festival.

In considering Bailey for the role of Valjean, the festival flew Bailey to Las Vegas and had him sing through the entire score.

“We needed to know if J. Michael had the vocal strength and range to withstand the demands of this show, and he nailed it,” said Ivers in a press release.

Bailey, who lives in North Salt Lake, grew up on a small farm in Clinton, where he played football and rode horses. He was 18 when he saw his first production of “The Phantom of the Opera” and fell in love with the theater. He studied musical theater at Weber State University and now has over 20 years of experience acting and singing all over the state.

In addition to the festival, the actor with the melodic baritone has appeared in numerous concerts and theatrical productions along the Wasatch Front. Bailey was the Demon Barber of Fleet Street in “Sweeney Todd” at the Egyptian Theatre in Park City. He was recently the Cowardly Lion in Grand Theatre’s production of “The Wizard of Oz,” in which his wife, Mary Anderson Bailey, played the Wicked Witch of the West.

WSU audiences will also recognize him as Capt. Hook in “Peter Pan” and John Wilkes Booths in “Assassins”

Bailey also appeared for three years with a small group of other performers in the Broadway-style Valentine’s concerts at WSU. Bailey’s performance of “Bring Him Home” during those concerts always won enthusiastic applause.

Based on Victor Hugo’s classic novel, “Les Misérables” is an epic and uplifting story about the survival of the human spirit. It focuses on the struggles of ex-convict Jean Valjean as he searches for meaning, love and redemption in 19th-century France.

“I am so grateful that the festival is trusting me to play Jean Valjean,” said Bailey, who is the father of three children. “I feel a strong attachment to Valjean because of the passion and sacrifices he’s willing to make for his child. ‘Les Misérables’ is the ultimate love story with justice, redemption, forgiveness, truth and hope; what more could an actor ask for?”

The musical includes some of theater’s most memorable songs: “I Dreamed a Dream,” “On My Own,” “Bring Him Home” and “Do You Hear the People Sing,” among others.

Written and composed by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg, with lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer, “Les Misérables” is the world’s longest-running musical. It will be playing in the festival’s Randall L. Jones Theatre from June 23 to October 20. The show may be extended, Bailey said, depending on audience support.

For more information or to buy tickets call 1-800-PLAYTIX or check online at www.bard.org.

The original story can be found here.

By J. Michael Call

Weber State University's giggle-inducing production of "Xanadu" has made some people smile on a national level.

The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival has announced its national awards for 2011, and the WSU musical earned some kudos.

In each of 21 categories, the KCACTF awards recognize one outstanding show and several distinguished achievements for productions showcased at the eight regional festivals held across the country in January and February. WSU hosted the Region 8 presentation last month on the Ogden campus.

"Xanadu" earned three distinguished recognitions, including Distinguished Production of a Musical. The lighthearted romp back to the '80s was directed by Jim Christian, director of musical theater studies at WSU. Christian earned Distinguished Director of a Musical and Distinguished Choreography for the show.

"We were pleasantly surprised, it's always nice to receive things like that," Christian said. "We had an audience member who came and saw it at the festival. She came up to me the next day and said, 'That was the most delicious piece of literary bubble gum I have ever chewed.' "

Others Region 8 awards included Rene Michelle Aranda, who won the Outstanding Performance by an Actress as Willy the Space Freak in Los Angeles City College Theatre Academy's "The Unseen Hand." The college's production also was awarded Distinguished Performance and Production Ensembles.

Brigham Young University's production of "The Elephant Man" also won awards, including Distinguished Performances by an Actor, which went to both Darick Pead as Frederick Treves and Graham Ward as John Merrick. Jennifer Chandler also earned a Distinguished Performance by an Actress as the cellist/narrator for that same production.

For a complete list of winners, visit http://kcactf.blogspot.com/2012/03/kennedy-center-american-college-theater_04.html

A Grand show

Christian first fell in love with the zany "Xanadu" when it premiered on Broadway in 2007. He vowed then and there to bring the show to Utah audiences. WSU was the first Utah theater to premiere the musical, written by Douglas Carter Beane, with music and lyrics by Jeff Lynne and John Farrar. The show sold out when it played on campus in November in the Browning Center's black-box Eccles Theater.

Because of budget cutbacks within the KCACTF, Christian won't be taking the show to Washington, D.C., next month for the national festival.

But he isn't quite done with "Xanadu." Utah audiences will have another opportunity to see Christian's vision of the show as he directs a new production of "Xanadu," opening in May at the Grand Theatre in Salt Lake City.

"It's an absolute joy to work on," Christian said. "It's a very clever script and it's got music that is caught in the hearts of everybody who lived through the '80s. It's just one of those little confections of a show."

That Grand Theater production will feature many of the same elements that were used in the WSU show, as well as some of the same actors, including WSU senior Sean Bishop as Sonny.

Sonny is a chalk artist living in 1980 Venice Beach, Calif. Discouraged over his sidewalk mural depicting the Greek Muses, Sonny becomes despondent and suicidal. He needs help and inspiration, which comes in the form of a Greek muse named Clio, who rises with her sisters out of his sidewalk creation to help Sonny find Xanadu. The musical fondly spoofs the 1980 movie starring Olivia Newton-John, as well as the 1980s version of "Clash of the Titans."

Other returning cast members include Shelby Andersen as wicked muse sister Calliope, Maggie Goertzen as Urania, and Stephanie Jameson, who will take on different role and serve as Christian's dance captain for the show.

"It's going to be really fun to explore the show in the Grand Theatre space just because of the big open proscenium. There will be all types of different things that we will be able to do because of that," Christian said.

 

The original story can be found here.

By Ben Fulton

The Salt Lake Tribune

First Published Mar 14 2012 03:04 pm • Last Updated Mar 14 2012 03:04 pm

Similar to Emile Zola’s Germinal, John Sayles’ "Matewan" and Elia Kazan’s "On the Waterfront," "The Cradle Will Rock" is a classic of working-class drama and literature. A classic, except for the fact that some people still know nothing about it.

Marc Blitzstein’s 1937 story of Larry Foreman’s attempts to unionize workers in "Steeltown, USA" in opposition to Mr. Mister sounds almost cartoonish in its outline, but impressed Orson Welles so much that he directed it as part of the Federal Theatre Project’s series of works that began as a program of the Works Progress Administration to employ unemployed artists, actors and theater writers during the Depression. The WPA, in turn, was so alarmed by unabashed political message behind Blitzstein’s drama that they tried to shut it down. Weber State University’s department of performing arts has selected "The Cradle Will Rock" both for its superlative qualities that stand alone, matched with its current relevance to the Occupy movement.

Trent Cox, director of this production, stated in press materials that the hand of German dramatist Bertolt Brecht guided his hand. "Ninety percent of the show is either sung or has musical underscoring—a great challenge," Cox notes.

‘The Cradle Will Rock’
When » March 23-31, 7:30 p.m. with 2 p.m. matinee March 31.
Where » Eccles Theater at Val A. Browning Center for the Arts, Weber State University, 3848 Harrison Blvd, Ogden
Tickets » $8-$11. Call 1-800-WSU-TIKS or visit www.weberstatetickets.com for more information. 

Original Article can be found here.

OGDEN — Utah Opera’s upcoming “The Elixir of Love” puts a Western spin on Gaetano Donizetti’s Italian classic opera, and the Ogden Opera Guild will present a sneak peek of the show this week at Weber State University.

The preview presentation begins at 1:30 p.m. Thursday in the Browning Center’s Garrison Choral Room (Room 134) on campus, 3848 Harrison Blvd. Admission is free.

The reimagined rendition tells the tale of a timid ranch hand named Nemorino, who can’t get up the nerve to declare his love for a sassy cowgirl who goes by the name of Adina. When a rival appears on the scene, Nemorino uses a magic elixir to give him the courage to find romance.

The guild will present a shortened version of the show, with several resident Utah Opera artists participating. The artists include baritone John Buffett, soprano Jennie Litster, mezzo-soprano Sishel Claverie, tenor Andrew Penning and pianist Daveth Clark. The presentation is made possible through a RAMP grant.

Utah Opera presents “The Elixir of Love” March 10-18 at Capitol Theatre in Salt Lake City. Tickets are $16 to $85, available through ArtTix or by calling 888-451-ARTS (2787).

 

The original article can be found here.

Story by J. Michael Call, Standard-Examiner staff 

Weber State University is about to embark on a mammoth journey as it prepares to host the weeklong Region 8 presentation of the 44th annual Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival.

“It’s like eating an elephant,” quipped Jim Christian, director of musical theater studies at WSU. “But it’s a really great opportunity for us.”

The festival, beginning Tuesday on the Ogden campus, is a massive undertaking involving several universities and colleges in Utah, Southern California, southern Nevada, Arizona and Hawaii. The event serves as a springboard for universities going on to compete at the national festival in April at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

Gregg Henry, KCACTF artistic director, is grateful to WSU’s faculty and staff for its willingness to take on such a gargantuan event.

“It’s such a many-tentacled beast that it is sort of an act of extraordinary generosity for a school to open its doors to 1,200-plus people over the course of a week and give us a place to celebrate student achievement,” Henry said.

The regional festival includes 11 full-scale productions, as well as a number of 10-minute plays, scenes, workshops, scholarship competitions, exhibitions and a variety of other activities. The majority of activities will take place in the Browning Center and Shepherd Union Building.

The Region 8 festival is the largest in the nation in terms of the sheer numbers of productions it involves, Henry noted. It also offers up a wide spectrum of theater.

“It’s pretty thrilling,” Henry said. “It’s an enormous benefit for the students who participate to just get to see the full spectrum, whether it’s new student writing or classic musicals or a classic play reinterpreted, or whatever it may be.”

Participating productions and universities include “Xanadu” (Weber State University), “The Elephant Man” (Brigham Young University), “The Bald Soprano” (Scottsdale Community College), “Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead” (Citrus College), “The Unseen Hand” (Los Angeles City College), “Cesar and Ruben” (Santa Monica College), “Eurydice” (Utah Valley University), “Suddenly Last Summer” (California Lutheran University), “The Dramatization of 365 Days” (California State University Fullerton) and “The Cover of Life” (Concordia University).

The festival provides not only an excellent opportunity for students, but also for Top of Utah theater lovers who want to see some top-notch productions. Individuals can register for either the entire festival or a day pass.

‘For die-hards, it’s a pretty exciting chance for exposure to the range and richness of the work being done in the region,” Henry said.

That’s show biz

Behind the scenes next week, WSU technical director John Bizzell will be diligently scrambling with his crew to make sure festival participants have the most seamless experience possible. “Seamless,” it should be noted, is a relative term — as anyone who has ever been involved in theatrical production understands.

While audiences are watching one show on stage, Bizzell will be managing an entirely different production backstage. He probably won’t get to enjoy the shows from the audiences’ vantage point, but doesn’t seem to mind.

Some of the casts and crews, many of whom have never seen or used WSU’s facilities before, will have only a few hours to unload their sets, costumes and props, adjust lighting and sound, set up their scenery, get into makeup and costumes and, perhaps if they’re lucky, even run a quick rehearsal.

“And the craziest part is that people want to do it,” Bizzell said with a chuckle.

Bizzell has been coordinating the festival with the various universities involved and trying to accommodate their individual needs as much as possible.

“We have to worry about not having log jams at the loading dock and making sure that people understand that this is how the facility operates and works and what they can and can’t do,” he said.

For example, one of the shows, Utah Valley University’s production of “Eurydice,” uses water onstage. The play is a modern spin on the Greek myth.

“Water is always a problem,” Bizzell said. “Not only do we have to get the water in, but we also have to get those people’s clothing dry between shows, because they are doing two or three shows that day.”

Meanwhile, Santa Monica College wanted to be able to dig a hole onstage in its production of “Cesar and Reuben” by Ed Begley Jr.

“It took quite a few emails to try and square away what they were meaning,” Bizzell said.

Like WSU’s theater department, California State University Fullerton is also a college that “thinks big,” Bizzell said. He anticipates that its ambitious production of “365 Days,” based on the book about the real-life experiences of a Vietnam medic, will require a lot of maneuvering and well-executed logistics to get things just right.

“Our technicians are going to get a real good run for their money. While they’re going to get worn out, I think they are going to enjoy it,” Bizzell said. “It is always interesting meeting all these people and finding out how other places work. It’s going to be interesting for us, too, because we have gone to so many festivals now, we get to see the other side of it finally. I’m looking forward to that.”

On its own turf

Indeed, WSU is no stranger to the KCACTF scene, having participated in several previous festivals.

“Weber is a powerhouse in the region and they always have been,” Henry said. “I’m actually looking forward to seeing them on their home turf.”

Henry cited previous WSU productions, such as “The Musical of Musicals, The Musical,” “MacBeth” and “Sleepy Hollow” as examples of WSU’s outstanding representation at previous KCACTF competitions.

“They are blessed with a really strong faculty and, obviously, they attract some really terrific students,” Henry said.

The current crop of students includes the cast of the hugely popular production of “Xanadu,” the fun-filled musical romp through bad ’80s movies. That show is being presented tonight and Saturday in three encore performances (see our 10-Day Planner in the centerspread for details), as well as three times Wednesday during the festival itself.

In addition to his work as festival liaison and “fire chief,” as he refers to role, Christian has also been back in rehearsals this week getting his “Xanadu” cast back on it wheels. He credits the collective effort of the WSU faculty and staff for their work preparing for the festival.

“There are just so many things that go into it — the productions, the workshops, the staffing, the transportation, the hotels, the food, the facilities — it’s a massive undertaking,” Christian said. “The biggest challenge is capturing the overarching vision of the entire thing all at once and being able to subdivide it down into workable components from moment to moment.”

With some theater magic and a lot of hard work, Christian, Bizzell and Henry expect festival participants can anticipate some rich, exciting and rewarding experiences next week on the Ogden campus.

“It’s a celebration,” Henry said. “And in this day and age, for a group of like-minded individuals to get together and celebrate the fact that they are achieving the arts as their life, that’s an act of bravery.”

PREVIEW

 

• WHAT: Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival
• WHEN: Tuesday-Feb. 11
• WHERE: Browning Center and Shepherd Union Building, Weber State University, 3848 Harrison Blvd., Ogden
• TICKETS: Weeklong passes for all events and workshops, $95; single-day passes, $35
• REGISTRATION: Visit www.kcactf-8festivalinfo.org to register. A registration table will also be set up in the lobby of the Browning Center. Visit www.kcactf.org for general information about the festival.

 

HOW TO GO

Want to see a show at the regional competition of Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival?

First, you’ll need either a $35 day pass or a $95 festival pass. Understand that Weber State University’s Browning Center will be a flurry of activity, and that seating is first come, first served.

The three theaters in the Browning Center will be running shows from the participating universities simultaneously during the festival. On Wednesday, for example, WSU presents “Xanadu” three times in the Eccles Theater, Brigham Young University performs “The Elephant Man” twice on the Austad Auditorium stage and California Lutheran University stages “Suddenly Last Summer” twice in the Allred Theater.

Festival attendees who want to see a specific performance should arrive 30 to 45 minutes early for that particular performance. Afternoon shows will be easier to get into, said John Binkley, Region 8 KCACTF chairman, because many of the students attending the festival will be involved in workshops and other festival activities during the day.

Seating is limited, depending on the size of the theater.

“Obviously, it would be easier to see a show in the Allred than the Eccles since the Allred seats 300 and the Eccles seats about 150,” Binkley said.

Binkley also noted that the shows in the larger Austad Auditorium will actually seat only 120 for the festival since the theater is being converted into a black-box-type theater, with the audience seated on the stage and the curtain drawn.

THE SCHEDULE

Eleven full productions are presented during the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival next week in the Browning Center on the Weber State University campus, 3848 Harrison Blvd., Ogden.

There are several other events and activities for festival participants. Visit www.kcactf-8festivalinfo.org/page6.html for a complete online schedule.

• Utah Valley University’s (Orem) “Eurydice,” 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tuesday, Allred Theater.

“Eurydice” portrays the ancient Greek story of Orpheus’ famous trek into the Underworld to bring his love, Eurydice, back from the dead. The myth is traditionally told from Orpheus’ point of view. However, this version by Sarah Ruhl is told from the viewpoint of the leading lady.

• Weber State University’s (Ogden) “Xanadu,” 11 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Eccles Theater.

Based on the cult film, “Xanadu” tells the story of a Greek muse named Kira who comes to Earth in 1980 (disguised in roller skates, leg warmers and an Australian accent) to inspire what the gods call truly great work and discover the meaning of the universe’s greatest secret: the gift of “Xanadu.” Kira meets the artist Sonny, who needs her help in achieving his greatest dream: a fantastical roller disco.

• Brigham Young University’s (Provo) “The Elephant Man,” 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Austad Auditorium stage.

Throughout history there have been individuals who inspire others. Joseph Merrick — dubbed “The Elephant Man” — lived with a hideous and debilitating disease. Found in a freak show, subjected to cruel crowds, then admitted to a London hospital for scientific observation, Merrick lived surrounded by ugliness. This production of the Tony-winning play by Bernard Pomerance uses inventive staging, masks, movement and music.

• California Lutheran University’s (Thousand Oaks) “Suddenly Last Summer,” 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Allred Theater.

“Suddenly Last Summer” by Tennessee Williams is a one-act play that opened off-Broadway in 1958 as part of a double bill with another of his plays. Willliams wrote it after beginning a period of psychoanalytic treatment, and it may have served as a type of exorcism of his inner demons. The famed playwright explores the nature of insanity, desire, voyeurism and the inherent danger in humanity’s search for truth. The play is intended for mature audiences.

• Concordia University’s (Irvine, Calif.) “The Cover of Life,” 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Austad Auditorium stage.

When three young war brides in rural Louisiana move in with their mother-in-law while their husbands fight in World War II, Life magazine sends its top female reporter to do a “women’s piece” about them. What the reporter finds changes her and the women forever. Filled with charm and fun, “The Cover of Life” is a deeply affecting story about the struggle for self-worth and love.

• California State University Fullerton’s “The Dramatization of 365 Days,” 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Eccles Theater.

Based on the book by Ronald J. Glasser, the play follows the real-life experiences of a medic in the Vietnam War. The story focuses on the interaction between one badly burned soldier and the doctor’s conficted attempts to save his life.

• Brigham Young University and the SCERA Center for the Arts present “The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey,” 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Allred Theater.

This is a concert staging of the moving tale of Jonathan Toomey, a reclusive carpenter in a small Appalachian village. Toomey’s life is changed when he meets an eager boy and his widowed mother who are searching for a new Christmas crèche.

• Los Angeles City College Theatre Academy’s “The Unseen Hand,” 12:30 p.m. (female cast), 2:30 p.m. (male cast), 5:30 p.m. (female cast) and 7:30 p.m. (male cast) Feb. 10, Austad Auditorium.

This 1969 science-fiction work by Sam Shepard is said to have influenced Richard O’Brien’s stage musical “The Rocky Horror Show.” The play takes place in a desert wasteland in Southern California. The pop-influenced piece features three broken-down cowboy desperadoes, a space alien refugee, a cheerleader and more.

• Citrus College’s (Glendora, Calif.) “Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead,” 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Feb. 10, Eccles Theater.

Wonder whatever happened to the beloved “Peanuts” gang? This parody follows the gang a decade later, addressing the dramas and angst of their adolescence. Drug use, suicide, eating disorders, teen violence, rebellion and sexual identity collide and careen toward an ending that is both haunting and hopeful.

• Santa Monica College’s (California) “Cesar and Ruben,” 12:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. Feb. 11, Allred Theater.

“Cesar and Ruben,” a musical by Ed Begley Jr., chronicles the life of the civil rights leader Cesar Chavez through music, imagery and a conversations with slain Los Angeles Times reporter Ruben Salazar, who often wrote about Chavez. The show mixes humor and drama, music and dance, history and personal struggles, with songs in both English and Spanish by Sting, Ruben Blades, Peter Gabriel, Carlos Santana and more.

• Scottsdale Community College’s (Arizona) “The Bald Soprano,” 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. Feb. 11, Eccles Theater.

“The Bald Soprano” is a romp through language and the futility of meaningful conversations. The play tells the story of the Smith family as it follows and is followed by its Englishness through “stultifying eroticism, bewildering impropriety and ghastly anti-climaxes.” The production uses emerging technologies such as voice-modulating software and other digital age gadgetry.

— Information provided by the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival

A perky Greek Muse is pulling on her leg warmers, strapping back on her roller skates and brushing up her Australian accent as "Xanadu" returns to Weber State University next week.

The musical will be presented in three encore performances prior to its entry in the 44th annual Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, which WSU is hosting for the first time this year.

"It's awesome!" said WSU senior Breanne Briggs Welch, who plays Clio/Kira in the jukebox musical based on the 1980 cult-classic movie starring Olivia Newton-John.

"You don't really get a chance to do this with a show unless it's competing in something," Welch said. "You don't get to let it sleep for a little bit and then see what else you've learned in the last two months, or what you would have done differently. You get a fresh take on it. I think it's going to be really fun to go back in and to see what else comes out of it."

The public also has a second chance to find out what other "Xanadu" zaniness awaits as Welch and the rest of the cast return to the stage.

"Xanadu" will be performed three times during the Feb. 7-11 festival, which serves as the regional competition for the national contest in April at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. To help pay for production costs, the cast and crew is staging the encore performances prior to the festival.

"Xanadu" tells the story of Sonny, a chalk artist living in 1980 Venice Beach, Calif. Sonny, played by WSU student Sean Bishop, is discouraged and a little suicidal until Clio and her eight Muse sisters rise out of his sidewalk chalk creation. Clio -- disguising herself as an Australian roller skater named Kira -- is trying to help Sonny find his own personal Xanadu. However, forbidden love, evil sisters and angry gods get in the way.

Jim Christian, director of musical theater studies at WSU, directed the regional premiere of "Xanadu" in November. The 2007 musical was a surprise smash on Broadway, where Christian first fell in love with the show and determined that he would bring it to WSU.

He did just that, and the result is a fun-filled romp through bad '80s fashions and a satirical -- but affectionate -- nod to the movie that is counted by some as one of the worst movies ever made.

WSU's production sold out during its November run, and Briggs and her castmates were thrilled to learn over the Christmas holiday that they would be returning to a place called "Xanadu."

They have redubbed the show "XanaTWO" and will be getting back together next week for rehearsals.

The production will be essentially the same, Welch said, except for some lighting changes to accommodate other shows that will be performed in the same theater during the festival. Welch is hoping to bring some fresh energy to her character, who spends the majority of the show on roller skates.

"I was really cautious about the skating the first time around, so I think I'm going to be a little bit more adventurous with the skating," she said. "I have been roller skating a couple times, and it's just like riding a bike. It's like, 'Oh yeah, I remember this,' and all of your old muscles come alive again."

Briggs is not only getting her skating muscles in shape, but she and her castmates are also tuning up their vocal chops to perform an infectious score that includes Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra hits such as "Xanadu," "Magic," "All Over the World," "I'm Alive" and "Suddenly."

The musical not only spoofs "Xanadu," but also "Clash of the Titans," another '80s cheesefest, which starred Harry Hamlin as the Greek hero Perseus, who must do battle and match wits against a cast of monsters and Greek gods. The film is notable in that it starred several acclaimed actors, including Laurence Olivier, Maggie Smith and Burgess Meredith.

One of the funniest moments in the musical comes when Clio has been summoned to appear before the panel of unamused gods for some non-Muse like behavior with the mortal Sonny. What follows is a hilarious rendition of the Newton-John's hit "Have You Never Been Mellow," complete with some giggle-inducing costumes as the snake-headed Medusa, a Cyclops and a centaur get in on the fun.

The encore performances and the festival itself are an opportunity for the public and festival participants to get in on the fun as well.

Briggs is looking forward to the festival and the chance to interact with university students from the nine other participating colleges.

"We have great spaces for all the shows. Our Browning Center is just filled with theaters that are ideal for the ACTF," Briggs said. "Everyone is pretty excited. It's always fun to be able to show off your work to people who are doing the same level of theater as you."

In addition to the encore performances next week, "Xanadu" will be performed three times during the festival at 11 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 8.

The festival is a ticketed event, with weeklong passes for all events and workshops available for $95 and single-day passes for $35. However, only full conference registrants are guaranteed tickets to all of the plays, while day-pass ticket holders take their chances on seats being available.

Visit www.kcactf-8festivalinfo.org to register or visit www.kcactf.org for more information.

Story by J. Michael Call

Weber State University student Sean Bishop is in his own personal Xanadu, thanks to some '80s-style short shorts, a cast that cracks him up and a director who is no stranger to muse-like behavior.

In the regional premiere of the zany jukebox musical "Xanadu," opening next Friday at Weber State University, Bishop stars as Sonny, a chalk artist living in 1980 Venice Beach, Calif. Discouraged over his sidewalk mural depicting the Greek Muses, Sonny becomes despondent and suicidal. He needs help and inspiration, which comes in the form of a blond, feathered-hair Greek muse named Clio, who rises with her sisters out of his sidewalk creation to help Sonny find Xanadu.

" 'Xanadu,' basically, is happiness. It's finding you own nirvana. It's a personal thing," Bishop said. "No one can give you Xanadu, you have to find your own Xanadu."

Clio, played by WSU senior Breeane Welch, disguises her true identity by changing her name to Kira, donning leg warmers and roller skates, and speaking in an Australian accent that sounds suspiciously like Olivia Newton-John's. She helps Sonny get his '80s groove back, but in the process, the two fall in love -- helped along by two of her evil sisters. That angers her father Zeus ... yes, that Zeus.

"Hermes, the messenger god, comes to tell Kira that Zeus is pissed and that she is going to be damned forever in the netherworld for falling in love with a mortal and creating art," Bishop said.

Why would Zeus be such a stickler for rules?

"There's a line in the show that says a muse can never pronounce her 'museness' to a mortal -- because how would there ever be an artist's ego?" Welch explained.

The first act ends as Sonny pleads with Kira not to leave him -- pulling off one of her skates in the process. Clio/Kira is clearly a conflicted Greek muse at a hysterical crossroads as Sonny and the rest of the cast belt out the Electric Light Orchestra hit "Don't Walk Away."

It's a muse thing

If this is all starting to sound familiar, it's because the musical is a fond spoof of the 1980 movie "Xanadu," starring Olivia Newton-John. The movie is a frequent contender on lists of the worst movies of all time, but nevertheless has become a cult classic.

The 2007 musical was a surprise smash on Broadway, where Jim Christian, director of musical theater studies at WSU, first fell in love with the show. WSU graduate Andre Ward was in the original Broadway cast and Christian was attending a performance when, suddenly, the wheels were in motion, and Christian knew he had to someday direct the show.

"Ten minutes into it, I was like: I cannot wait to get my hands on this thing," he said.

"For people who hated the movie, they will love it. For people who loved the movie, they will love it," Christian said. "For people who don't know the movie, it won't matter because it's just clever and takes the '80s and that whole vibe and merges it with mythology. That premise alone is ridiculous enough to get people started."

Although the film was a commercial bust, the album "Xanadu" was a certifiable success and includes memorable hits such as "Magic," "Xanadu," "All Over the World," "I'm Alive" and "Suddenly." Those songs are resurrected in the musical, along with other Newton-John and ELO hits not in the movie, including "Have You Never Been Mellow" and "Evil Woman."

Throw in Clio's eight muse sisters, a few of whom Bishop said are "blatantly men"; costumes reminiscent of both the '80s and ancient Greece; and a plot twist that satirizes another iconic '80s stinker "Clash of the Titans"-- and you have a recipe for delightful insanity.

Oh, and did we mention the roller skating?

Multitasking on wheels

It's not easy being a muse, especially when you are trying to learn a script, talk in unfamiliar accents, sing your heart out and roller skate at the same time. But Welch is approaching the task with a perkiness and attitude that would make Sandra Dee proud. Her character is on roller skates nearly the entire show, and Welch is grateful to her castmates who have endured a few knocks and bumps along the way.

"Most of the cast (members) don't wear roller skates until the last numbers, and they were steady on their feet and good anchors for me," she said.

Scenic designer Van Tinkham is currently busy with his crew, transforming the Browning Center's Eccles Theatre, a black box theater, into a disco skating palace. Welch is grateful the show is being staged in that theater instead of the Allred Theater, where the orchestra pit would have presented an additional obstacle.

"It kind of takes out the element of falling off the stage," she said.

Bishop was a little more familiar with a pair of skates, he said, having grown up in Delta where one of the only things to do was going to the local roller-skating rink. However, the skating was daunting when rehearsals began.

"It's really fun, but we were a little scared at first," Bishop said. "We were all just falling down constantly and didn't understand how we were going to keep our balance. And then we were blocking things and Jim would tell us we were going to move up on this platform on our skates and we would just go cross-eyed and have heart attacks. But he would just believe in us and coach us and we would have skating rehearsal every week, so that really helped."

Christian, who did his share of skating in his earlier days until an injury threw out his back, said the cast has risen to the challenge.

"The cast has totally stepped up and everybody has learned it," he said. "The difference is like night and day. The first thing they do when they get to rehearsals is they want to throw their skates on."

Who loves short shorts?

Now that they have passed the skating hurdle, Bishop, Welch and the rest of the cast are working to make the magic and laughs come alive for audiences. One of their favorite numbers is the duet "Suddenly," when Clio/Kira is working her museness on Sonny to help him fulfill his dream of opening a roller disco.

" 'Suddenly' is really fun because Bre and I are just completely insane and make each other laugh the whole time," Bishop said.

But comedy can be hard work, especially for a guy who loves to laugh and even bought a pair of colorful short shorts for his audition. That's how badly Bishop wanted this part.

"I've been saying the whole time this is the most fun I have ever had. This has truly been just a delight," Bishop said. "The most fun is watching everyone else, but it's also the bane of my existence, because they are all so funny and I have to not laugh at them. Jim's a pretty big stickler about that. He wants us to have as much fun as possible, but I know that if I crack and laugh at somebody onstage, I will be punished."

Even if he is "punished," it's apparent Bishop will still be in Xanadu, along with his co-star -- they are clearly doing something they love.

"Xanadu is wherever you are the most happy and with those people whom you choose to surround yourself with," Welch said. "I think it has a lot to do with making choices so that you end the way that you want to. It's kind of that classic cliche of following your dreams and whatever makes you happy, and that the arts are everywhere in the world and should be honored and celebrated."

 

When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays, Nov. 4-19, 2 p.m. matinees Nov. 5, 12 and 19.

Location:

Browning Center's Eccles Theater
3848 Harrison Blvd.
Ogden

Admission: $8-$11.

Tickets: WSU box office

Upcoming:

Fri, Nov 4 - 7:30 pm

Sat, Nov 5 - 2:00 pm

Sat, Nov 5 - 7:30 pm

Tue, Nov 8 - 7:30 pm

Wed, Nov 9 - 7:30 pm

Thu, Nov 10 - 7:30 pm

Fri, Nov 11 - 7:30 pm

Sat, Nov 12 - 2:00 pm

Sat, Nov 12 - 7:30 pm

Tue, Nov 15 - 7:30 pm

Wed, Nov 16 - 7:30 pm

Thu, Nov 17 - 7:30 pm

Fri, Nov 18 - 7:30 pm

Sat, Nov 19 - 2:00 pm

Sat, Nov 19 - 7:30 pm

 

Pictures and story found here

WHO: Weber State University Department of Performing Arts
WHAT: Student Achievements at American College Theatre Festival Region VIII
WHERE: Los Angeles, California
WHEN: February 2011

Weber State University Department of Performing Arts students and faculty recently attended Region VIII American College Theatre Festival in Los Angeles. The production "Under Construction" was accepted for presentation at the regional festival but was not selected for the national festival at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in April.

Chris Shenefelt's play REALITY FALLACY has been selected as one of four finalists for the John Cauble Award for Outstanding Short Play and will be presented at the Kennedy Center in April (see separate release).

Two actors were selected for the final round of the Irene Ryan Acting scholarship competition which is a great honor considering there were hundreds of students who audition and 16 finalists are selected. The actors were Stephanie Purcell (partner Carleton Bluford) and Marza Warsinske (partner Tyson Baker).

Marza Warsinske was honored with the regional Classical Acting Award.

Kalyn West was honored as one of five actors in the festival for her work in "Under Construction," as was Austin Archer for his choreography for the same show.

Jaime Frank was selected as a regional finalist for his set design of "Under Construction;" and Tyson Baker and Austin Archer were also selected as finalists for their sound design for "Our Town."

For more information about the students at Region VIII ACTF contact Tracy Callahan, tcallahan@weber.edu.

From the Standard Examiner:

LOS ANGELES — Weber State University theater students who worked behind the scenes are currently competing in the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival at the Los Angeles Theatre Center. The regional competition began Tuesday and concludes on Saturday.

The students and their productions include Sean Bishop (costumes), Austin Hull, (scenic design) and Josh Mortensen (lighting design) for “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”; Hull (scenic design), Kait Bennett (makeup) and Michell Casteel (sound) for “Five Carols for Christmas/Jingle Jacks”; Katrina Dransfield (costumes) and Andy Davis (makeup) for “Our Town”; and Bishop (costumes), Jaime Frank (scenery), and Nicole Finney and Derek Walden (sound) for “Under Construction.”

http://www.standard.net/topics/features/2011/02/10/theater-news