Enrollment begins Monday, Dec. 5 at 12 noon. The theatre doors will not be open prior to 11:30 AM.
Due to limited space, we strongly suggest that someone come to register the students in person. If that is not possible, fax or e-mail forms will be received, but please know it may be more difficult for these students to secure a space in the class due to the logistics of the day. Faxes and e-mails received BEFORE 12 noon will be put at the back of the line.
No registrations will be accepted prior to 12 noon.
To keep the process as fair as possible, we cannot allow one person to register multiple students UNLESS those students are siblings.
If you are enrolling siblings, please submit one complete form for each student.
To speed up the process, please have your form completed upon arrival.
Anyone who has even been around any aspect of community theatre knows the expression “many hands make light work.” While that may or may not be true, it certainly resonates with our season opening production of My Fair Lady. The show’s elaborate costumes are under the design of Janet Kile. Janet has worked with all the theaters in the Midlands and surrounding areas throughout the last two decades. She has worked both on and off stage. According to Janet, she has a preference for the off stage component which allows her to, “bring the show to life with color and texture.”
And that she does! One of the popular scenes of My Fair Lady involves the horse race at Ascot. Men don their white gloves and spats while the ladies of the era showcase elaborate hats. The lack of color — restricted to black and white — is also critical for the Ascot look. As such, Janet gathered a group of costuming crusaders with hopes of creating perfect Ascot hats for the production. Not only did she want the look to be just right — she wanted to have fun while doing it! On Labor Day, while many enjoyed the sun and surf, Janet and her team of wonders had a tea party in the lobby at 1012 Sumter Street and did their very best to exemplify how, when working together, the load becomes lighter.
Janet, alongside Nan Weaver, Jean Lomasto, Nancy Dunlap, Sandra Willis, Jillian Carey and Becky Patrick (who also doubles as a cast member), enjoyed high tea while crafting the afternoon away. Feathers, ribbons, gemstones, flowers, accoutrements galore — you name it. If it was black and/or white and could be affixed to a hat — indeed it was! With a primary purpose of working mightily on one the show’s iconic looks, Janet was sure to make sure that the bedazzling bonnet brigade enjoyed their afternoon — complete with cucumber sandwiches, deviled eggs, petit fours and, of course, tea! The luncheon was catered by Ripley Thames.
“Hats off” to all of our wonderful volunteers who made the afternoon so much fun. And, of course, we also “tip our hat” to costumer Janet Kile.
With the discovery of so many rich musical pieces, I now had the building blocks to fully construct my narrative. Coming up with character names was a cinch because I could use the names of the characters that originated the songs in the original productions, and then apply these names to my newly created dramatis personae. However, my next step was the most important of all: developing and adapting the characters storylines so that everything worked together in one show.
At the forefront of the “drama” section of my story are 2 female leading characters: Margo (the mature, worldly, yet insecure star) and Eve (a young ingenue Production Assistant that is seemingly sincere). Here were my two ladies that had been inspired by all of the works mentioned at the beginning of this writing. It seemed appropriate to choose the names from the most famous work, All About Eve. Finding two actresses to portray these complex women was actually the easiest part of casting, believe it or not. For Margo, I had to look no further than my own sister, Dell Goodrich (Stand By Your Man). For Eve, I spotted what I was looking for immediately in Mary Joy Williams (Nice Work if You Can Get It). Other characters I included are a playwriting couple, inspired by Karen and Lloyd Richards in All About Eve, Maggie and Bert in42nd Street, and Georgia and Aaron Fox in Curtains (whose names I chose to use). These roles were perfect fits for Megan Douthitt (Mary Poppins) and Corey Langley (The Addams Family). I now needed to select an actor to portray the director of the “show within a show” and love interest to Margo, Mack Sanders, inspired by Bill Sampson from All About Eve and of course Mack Sennett from Mack & Mabel. After a wide search, I finally found the ideal actor for the role: Bill LaLima (Les Mis), who’s warmth and humor shine throughout the story. One more major character needed to be cast: the acerbic, witty, and pantomath critic influenced by Daryl Grady from Curtains, Feldman from The Magic Show and Addison DeWitt from All About Eve, who’s name I knew I had to use. Bob Blencowe (Spamalot) agreed to join the cast.
With these theatrical stock characters in place, I knew I could easily develop my narrative. But, I needed additional characters, of course. To approach these personalities, I first looked at what songs needed soloists, and constructed from there. To sing the beautiful “Lion Tamer” from The Magic Show, I immediately thought of Town newcomer Robin Saviola. Her character, who is also inspired by Maggie from 42nd Street as well as Birdie from All About Eve would be named Cal, after the soloist from Magic Show. To sing the quintessential title song from Applause, the lovely and talented Allison Allgood (Sugar) came to mind. This character became a combination of the original soloist form Applause, Bonnie (who was portrayed by Bonnie Franklin. In like-fashion, all of the ensemble members of the original production went by their own names as a cheeky homage to their real-life gypsy status); and Gittel from Seesaw, who originated the hilarious “Nobody Does It Like Me.” To give credit to Applause, I named the character “Allison” after its actress and made her the bartender/owner of Backstage Bar. To be the soloist in the big dance number in the show: “It’s Not Where You Start” from Seesaw, Anthony Matrejek (Nice Work If You Can Get It) was a natural choice. His character, David, would be a combination of Duane from Applause and most importantly, David from Seesaw (a Tony Winning Role for Tommy Tune). To play the tap dancing bartender, Phoebe, Samantha Livoti, was selected. This character is partly inspired by a minor character from All About Eve, but will be featured much more prevalently in Backstage. A new addition to the utilized classic theatrical keynote is the character of the leading lady’s mother, Belle, whom is being portrayed by the great Kathy Hartzog (Driving Miss Daisy). Belle arrives a few times throughout the course of action in Backstage to keep her daughter, Margo, in check and administer to her a healthy dose of reality.
The remaining actors and actresses in the show include Nate Stern (The Addams Family) as Christopher, an aspiring director and member of the ensemble of the show within a show. Emily Northrop (Sugar) will portray Cathy, a struggling actress that gets to amuse and move the audience. Josh Kern (Grease) is back as Jerry, the leading man of the show within a show. Lisa Akly (The Little Mermaid), Tracy Davenport (White Christmas) and Town newcomer Rachel Rizzuti, play Broadway performers Wanda, Angela, and Jill, respectively. Rebecca Goodrich Seezen (Spamalot) will join Jennifer Davis (Spamalot) will bring to life the roles of Donna and Dina, two Broadway singers and dancers that get to “sparkle” with their soulful and upbeat songs. William Ellis (The Little Mermaid) will join Jalil Bonds and John Dixon (in their Town debuts), as ensemble members Herbie, Brick, and Oscar, respectively. These three gentlemen are clever and witty throughout the show. Town veterans Kristy O’Keefe (Peter Pan), Emily Clelland (The Little Mermaid), Roxanne Livingston (Nice Work if You Can Get It), and my lovely cousin Agnes Babb (Mary Poppins) will take the stage as featured dancers Arlene, Bambi, Nicki, and Marjorie, respectively.
The cast and crew of Backstage! Photo credit: William Refo
We hope these three blog entries have given you a little insight into how this show was conceived, constructed and put together. It’s been fun and we look forward to seeing you tonight! Visit www.towntheatre.com or call 803-799-2510 for tickets.
And don’t forget the pre-show reception at 7:15 PM!
Now came the task of determining which songs to include in this revue. Obviously, Applause’s entire score could be utilized. However, I wanted to select just the right songs to aid in the construction of the plot. I decided: “Applause,” “Welcome to the Theatre,” and “One Halloween” were the most stringent and pertinent tools to use. The title song from the show is a brilliantly written piece exploring the motivation that drives performers to perform. (Perfect, right?) Originated by the late, great Bonnie Franklin, “Applause,” cleverly asks, “What is it that we [performers] are living for?” “Welcome to the Theatre,” first introduced to audiences by Lauren Bacall, presents a means for a seasoned star to educate a new one about what working in the theatre is REALLY like. (Again, spot on for Backstage.) “One Halloween” is a harrowing soliloquy in which the young ingenue gets to let her guard down and explore a multitude of suppressed emotions dating back to childhood. (I could tell you in what context I am using this song in the show, but that would spoil the plot too much. )
Seesaw was another Broadway musical that I wanted to include in Backstage. The show, originally presented by Michael Bennett in 1973, tells the story of Gittel, a struggling dancer that works odd jobs to earn a buck until she gets her big break. Her stress is increased when she falls in love with a young man that has just arrived in New York, looking for a fresh start. The numbers in Seesaw deal less with performing, but with life in the city. While some of these descriptive songs obviously exhibit some character emotion (“Nobody Does It Like Me), others are better utilized as
Michele Lee in Seesaw.
a chance for the characters to workshop some performance ideas (“My City” and “It’s Not Where You Start”). I wasn’t even aware of Seesaw until I became a fan of the television series, Knots Landing,and learned that its leading lady, Michele Lee, had received critical raves for her performance as Gittel. Upon hearing one of Ms. Lee’s solos, I was hooked, and downloaded the entire cast recording.
Seesawand Applauseare both seldom-done, not oft-remembered musicals that were highly successful when they premiered in the 1970’s, but have not seen much action since. Keeping with that time frame and theme, I found many shows that were show business related. Several, like The Magic Show, The Act, and Barnum were largely prosperous. Some, like Mack & Mabel, So Long 174th Street, and Rachael Lily Rosenbloom…And Don’t You Ever Forget It, were considered flops, but contained some well-written, memorable tunes. I chose to use some songs from each of these shows except Rachael Lily Rosenbloom.Its score was never recorded ~ it closed before it opened ~ yikes!
I still needed a few more great selections so I expanded my search. From the 1950’s, I found Me and Juliet, a lesser-known Rodgers and Hammerstein gem about a Broadway troupe. From the 1960’s, Little Me, the brilliant screwball musical about Hollywood in which Sid Caesar played multiple characters. The 2000’s brought forth a resurgence of show business musicals, including: the murder mystery, Curtains; the relationship centered The Last 5 Years; and the biographical A Class Actand The Boy from Oz. Still seeking two heartfelt confession pieces for my two leading females, I found such songs in Evitaand Grey Gardens. While neither of these is based on show business on the surface, they feature characters that either worked in the entertainment industry or dreamed about it.
With the exception of Evita and The Last 5 Years (both of which have been done in recent years in Columbia); and Grey Gardens(which will be presented this season at Trustus), all of the musicals from which I have chosen songs either have never been produced in Columbia or haven’t been produced in several years. To boot, several of the aforementioned shows are largely forgotten, but I believe that their songs and stories are simply too good to be banished to theatre oblivion.
More to come from Charlie — but don’t delay! Get your tickets for Backstage at www.towntheatre.com. A complementary reception will be held beginning at 7:15 PM. Curtain time is 8:00 PM!
In 2014, I had the pleasure of directing a concert presentation of Stephen Sondheim’s Follies as a fundraiser for Town Theatre. It was an exhilarating, rewarding, creative and, above all else lucrative experience, that not only showcased over 30 of Columbia’s most talented singers and dancers, but exposed audiences to a number of Sondheim’s seldom heard (in Columbia) masterpieces.
In the Spring of 2016, I approached Town’s Executive Director, Shannon Willis Scruggs, about another potential project for the Summer. I was itching to not only direct something again, but to also again reap the numerous benefits for both Town and the community that I had with Follies. I had a few specific musicals in mind, but Shannon suggested a more artistically stimulating idea: what if I found a common theme among several different musicals and crafted a story of my own, using the characters and motifs from these shows as a starting point. An idea dawned on me: show business! There are so many entertainment industry musicals with similar themes, characters and story lines. I had a plot constructed in my head in minutes. I would take the standard, often-used keynote of an older actress threatened by a younger one and place it in a context that would allow other performers to present entertaining and humorous anecdotes about life in the entertainment world.
Ruby Keeler, George Brent and Bebe Daniels in 42nd-Street (1933)
The aforementioned keynote plot had been utilized in any number of plays, musicals, screenplays, and stories. Early movie musical star, Bebe Daniels, at the tender age of 32, was the “older” actress made to feel insecure upon the arrival of the pert, younger Ruby Keeler in 42nd Street. Vocally untalented Jean Hagen was green with envy toward the lovely Debbie Reynolds in Singin’ in the Rain. On a totally different level, the seasoned Susan Hayward fought tooth and nail against the rising star of Patty Duke in Valley of the Dolls. But perhaps the most famous story line that falls into this common motif can be found in both a motion picture and later a Broadway musical, both based on the same short story: “The Wisdom of Eve” by Mary Orr.
Anne Baxter and Bette Davis ~ All About Eve
The movie is of course All About Eve and the musical is Applause. In both adaptations, the fabulous Margo Channing struggles to maintain her dignity, sanity and career when the young Eve Harrington infiltrates her world. The 1950 film deservedly won the Academy Award for Best Picture, and featured exquisite performances by Bette Davis as Margo and Anne Baxter as Eve. The 1970 musical won the Tony Award for Best Musical and allowed the usually dramatic actress, Lauren Bacall, a chance to sing, dance, and hold her own as a new Musical Star. Even more impressive, in my humble opinion, was the performance of the brilliant Penny Fuller, who seemed to take the character of Eve to a multitude of additional levels. When Bacall had decided her time with the successful musical had come to a close, she was replaced by none other than Anne Baxter, who was eager to portray Margo this time.
Anne Baxter and Penny Fuller ~ Applause
These musicals and films rank among my favorites, and for good reason: they each narrate a similar show business fable characterized by age, jealousy, revenge and envy. As a performer, how many times had I been an eyewitness to backstage drama. Obviously, such drama would be a cornerstone in the plot that I began to construct. But, there’s more to show business than just drama: there’s passion. Performers, as all artists do, create because they are driven by a force that they cannot control. Rue McClanahan described the call to act on stage or film “a religious experience.” Rightly so, if you ask most artists, they’ll usually explain that they put in the time, work and endurance simply because they must. Their lives aren’t complete without fulfilling that urge to express themselves. As the original cast of A Chorus Line stated: “can’t regret what I did for love.” It was then that the second part of my plot dawned on me: allow my characters the chance to share stories, experiences, anecdotes, and general feelings about their lives in “the biz.” More than just recollecting, I also wanted to give my characters an opportunity to have some fun: workshop ideas, sing songs that they’ve always dreamed of singing. Where else would be the perfect place for my characters to accomplish these tasks other than a bar? More specifically, a bar owned by, run by, and catered towards actors. A bar that was constructed on the stage of an abandoned theatre in Brooklyn. A bar with a simple name, like “Backstage.” And why not make the name of this bar the title of the show? Most of the action will occur there anyways, and doesn’t that word bring to mind everything I am hoping to convey through my story? So there you have it: the show will be entitled Backstage: A New Musical Revue.
James Gregory grew up watching stand-up comedy on programs like Jack Benny, Milton Berle and the Ed Sullivan Show. After some nudging from his friends, he started doing open mic stand-up in Atlanta and things just took off. Today he performs his down-home stories of food, funerals and funny relatives to sold-out theatres, casino’s and corporate events working 48 weeks of the year. He’s also a regularly invited guest on national radio shows, like The Bob & Tom Show, Rick and Bubba and The Big Show with John Boy and Billy.
Early in his career he earned the moniker, “Funniest Man in America,” but, he’s quick to tell you, “At that time there were only 13 states.” His jokes are squeaky clean as, he says, “My mother wouldn’t let me tell them if they weren’t.” It’s the kind of show you could feel comfortable bringing your date or your grandmother.
What’s really unique about Gregory is his appeal to people of all ages, races, creeds and colors. It’s not unusual to see three generations rolling in the aisles. He comes off as that funny uncle that everyone gathers around at family reunions, because he has the best stories – and so reminds people of their own families.
While his routines include such Southern subjects as covered-dish suppers, road trips to Stuckey’s, and the healthy aspects of fried foods, it’s a mistake to consider him a regional comic. Says Gregory, “To me, Southern comedians are guys who get onstage and talk about pickup trucks, rifle racks and cow-tipping. I don’t talk about the South; I just deliver my material with a Southern accent. My comedy is based on the real life-the people I grew up with. My notions about food came from them. They all eat fried foods and many of them are in their eighties. Meanwhile you read in the news how some health nut kicked the bucket jogging on the way home from the health food store.”
He says, “People come to a comedy club to laugh. It seems like the new thing in comedy today is ‘stream of consciousness’ or ‘cerebral’ material. I doubt if a husband and wife ever looked at each other on their way to a comedy club and said, ‘Gee, I hope this guy is going to be real cerebral tonight.’ I think they say, ‘He sure better be funny.'”
You could image that after 30 years, a comedian might become a bit jaded. Not Gregory. When he hits the stage, he comes alive like someone just plugged him in, and his fans adore him. After each show, he truly enjoys meeting with fans and signing autographs. He says, “We’re living in such a cynical age, sometimes people don’t believe me when I tell them, ‘I’m really glad to be here’ during my show. But it’s true. I owe them all a debt of gratitude. If not for them, I wouldn’t get to do what I most love.
People wanting to see James Gregory at The Town Theatre, Saturday August 6th can find tickets and information for the shows at www.towntheatre.com or by calling 803-799-2510.
Someone should really speak to the Human Resources Department in this place! Have you seen the outfit that Morticia is wearing? I am sure it is not in line with our dress code policy. And while we are at it, I hope someone talks with Gomez about his choice of humor; he may need to attend sensitivity training. Both Pugsley and Wednesday need to be reminded of the workplace violence prevention policies and that they are not allowed to bring torture weapons or explosives to work. I am absolutely positive that Fester is having an inappropriate relationship with a co-worker, but he claims they’re not actually dating. In fact, every single person in this organization: living, dead (and undecided) is probably breaking some rule or regulation in one way or another!! But wait ~ HR actually approves of this?
Why, YES! Yes, it is true that with any company these types of problems would keep any HR Director busy all day and probably pulling their hair out. But when you are talking about the fantastic musical theater production, The Addams Family, these are just fun parts of the plot. What is even better is that each of these characters, and the rest of the ensemble, are wonderfully quirky and a delight to watch on stage. None of this happens by accident, it only happens when you have a remarkable team come together to deliver a quality performance.
I have spent most of my adult life working as an HR professional; first in the military, and now for a state agency. Human Resources is an important function for any organization because people are the most valuable treasure in that organization. I had a boss that said “Love Thy Treasure” and he meant take care of your people. But HR is challenging as I am sure you can imagine. People have lives. They have problems and concerns and it often falls to HR to help. So there is a great deal of responsibility to work here. Sometimes such responsibility wears even the most positive, cheery, optimistic person thin and they need a break or refuge. Theater is mine.
Photo courtesy of Facebook. James (R) hanging out with some of his fellow ancestors backstage.
My first theatre role was as Michael in Peter Pan, complete with the footy pajamas, more than 30 years ago. I fell in love with being on stage and performing. For me, having the chance to entertain an audience and see immediate reaction just charges the batteries! As I traveled and moved in the military, small community theatre shows were my hobby and I enjoyed every opportunity to act, especially for my fellow Soldiers. When my family moved to Columbia and I was planning to retire from active duty, I was so excited to find such a vibrant theatre community in the area. The reputation for Town Theatre to produce quality family-oriented shows that celebrate both the familiar traditional shows and the new genre fresh from Broadway and the Touring companies was certainly a draw for me.
I have now had the privilege to be in three of Town’s shows: Disney’s Tarzan, Singin’ in The Rain, and now The Addams Family. Each one has been a fabulous experience. But The Addams Family has been truly special. For one, I joined the cast late as a replacement. From the very first rehearsal I was warmly received and it felt like I had been part of this group all along. When you spend hours each day over several weeks, you become a tight knit group. Each dance rehearsal we could see each musical number coming alive (or at least un-dead) and you can’t help but want to sing the songs. As this show came together you find yourself laughing at the laugh lines and jokes, as with any comedy show. However, what was different was you still have folks laughing days and weeks later even after hearing the same line numerous times. Not because the writing is so clever, but because the delivery and adaptation of the characters by these actors is so well done.
I guess this is the point from an HR professional’s perspective. It’s about the people. The cast and crew and leadership are what you want in your organization. They are caring, generous, capable, professional and serious about their craft. This group of volunteers give of themselves for others to have an enjoyable, memorable experience. I am proud and honored to be part of this team. So much so, that I have actively encouraged my day job office mates to come check out the show. It’s doubly satisfying to entertain one group of colleagues by singing and dancing on stage with another and give both groups some insight into this HR Director’s personality.
If your company was fortunate enough to have the kind of talent that is behind The Addams Family at Town Theatre, it would likely be one of the companies that are featured as “Best Place to Work.” It’s a great chance to have a night out with your co-workers. It makes for some fun conversations around the water cooler on Monday. So, consider it a team building exercise highly recommended by HR.
Dori (R) with friend Tassie Collins. Photo courtesy of Facebook.
Guest blog by Dori Rueger
When I found out that Town Theatre was going to be doing The Addams Family, I knew I had to audition! Creepy and kooky were two things right up my alley. I actually walked in to audition for Pugsley Addams. Yep, I wanted to be the Addams’ son. (I didn’t think I would actually get it, but I needed to try for me.) So, on January 17, 2016, I drove to Town Theatre for auditions. I was extremely nervous. I had some friends with me — Tassie Collins and Danny Niati — they were my rocks for this audition. They kept me calm and even helped me with the dance routine. (And — it is so cool that they are sharing this show with me on stage!) Finding out I was cast was an even bigger moment for me. I was actually seeing a show when I felt my phone buzz. I was so excited that I wanted to tell everyone, but since the cast list wasn’t posted, I had to wait. It was an excruciating few days to say the least. When I could share the news, I shouted it from the mountain top. I had people telling me how excited they were and how they all wanted to come and support me. It was an amazing feeling. My journey had started.
I rehearsed more than I ever had ever rehearsed before. It made me smile every time I saw the people with whom I was going to share the stage get more into their own characters. With every line dance and bunny hop, we moved closer to an amazing show. Even with all of this practice, I was still terrified. I hadn’t been in a production since I was in high school. Would I mess up or fall on my face? Would I forget where to stand or how to move? Opening night was fast approaching.
My heart was pounding as I waited for the crypt doors to open and make my way onto the stage. As I walked out, the lights were so bright! In a flash, the opening number was done. It was the most amazing feeling in the world. Not being on stage — not the rush of performing. That feeling that was lifting me up was the support I had received from my cast mates — their pats on the back, their nods of encouragement. The cast of this show truly has become a second family to me. Every person started as an individual, but has come together to make this show something of which we are all very proud.
I am proud to say that I am a part of such an amazing cast and crew. I am proud to have been given the opportunity to perform and to be seen. I am proud that people have put their trust in me and support me. I’m also proud to say that you… yes you… you need to follow your dreams. You need to get out there and do what makes you happy. You need to try new things. If it doesn’t work out the first time, don’t give up. No one should ever have to ask, “what if?”
So as we launch into our third week of shows, I can only tell you how much I am enjoying being an Addams. And I know you will enjoy seeing us too! Snap snap!
Dori (R) as a Medieval Maiden. Photo courtesy of William Refo.
I’m relatively new to Columbia theatre, but not new to Columbia – at least not anymore. Having called our state capitol home for almost seven years now, I’ve seen productions at pretty much every theatre in town. You might say I’m a rabid theatre goer, or more specifically, I was until I once again found my roots and got back on the stage a year ago.
As a child growing up on the Texas Gulf Coast on a little island called Galveston, I enjoyed performing. I was blessed to have grown up in a musical family and blessed with a musical prodigy for a mother. A love of music and theatre was instilled in me, literally from birth. In elementary school I was a ham; in high school, I decided I wanted to perform for a living. In college I pursued that objective. Then life took me in a different direction and I was absent from the stage for over three decades. While I made it a habit to see live theatre as often as possible, I realized the spotlight wasn’t what I missed. It was the people…
I don’t have children of my own, but having been past the 50-year mile stone for a few years, I look back and realize the role of Gomez is not my first stint at being a dad on stage. I had a couple of stints in college and one or two paid gigs where I explored the idea of fatherhood. But it is the first time I’ve understood being the head of the family-in this case, The Addams Family. What I’ve come to understand, though, is that only now do I have the years under my belt to better understand what that means.
I’ve joked about reading in the Town Theatre Newsletter, The Intermission, the write up about the show, and seeing the words “at the helm is Clayton King.” When I expressed my shock at reading those words, I received a message from the theatre apologizing if I was offended. My quick assurances were that, quite to the contrary, I was humbled. Humbled and a little bit afraid, actually. I’m the father – the head of the household and my brain generally doesn’t work that way. I think in terms of the group – the people, the show, the whole effort.
So why does any of this matter?
Well, anyone who performs in any capacity will tell you applause is gratifying. Those same performers would be lying if they said applause doesn’t matter – it does. But the applause is affirmation of a production, and productions require hard work from everyone involved – the production family.
As a business owner and active church singer, I’ve been asked during the last year how (or why) I devote so much time and energy to theatre. On the assumption my outgoing personality seeks attention, most believe it is because I seek the limelight. While that is partially correct, it doesn’t begin to cover it all.
Theatre is a collaboration of an amazing order. Yes, performers must memorize lines and learn songs, and find ways to naturally bridge the two. But there are many people who work together to make the magic of theatre happen.
Gomez and Morticia tango. Photo credit: Helen Hood Porth.
There are those people in black – the crew – who make scenery appear and disappear. Generally speaking, there are far fewer of them than cast members, so their work is exponentially harder! There are musicians and musical directors who must learn the entire score and work with individual cast members and the entire company to learn and fine tune the work. Costumers are tasked with creating the very clothes we wear, and helping performers bring their characters to life. There are scenic designers who construct sets, and sometimes rebuild sets, to accommodate specific needs in the show. Lighting designers develop and enhance a production look by (literally) casting it in a certain light. And, ultimately, the director of a show leads everyone in a single direction to accomplish the goal of a successful show. This poor soul actually has to be the bridge between actors, producers, administrators, and more to bring forth a specific vision. Harmony is the best word I can think of to describe that goal.
So yes, I’m currently the father, at the helm of The Addams family. I am privileged to share the stage with some amazingly talented people. I walk on sets and under lights that compliment what I’m doing. To be honest, I’m surrounded by people who make me look good. And hopefully, I am able to respond in kind. But ultimately, for me at least, it’s the collaboration and the sense of accomplishment where my satisfaction is derived. It’s the discipline of rehearsing for months. It’s the joy of having struggled with a line or a lyric and then getting a high-five from a cast mate when you conquer the challenge. And most of all, it’s the sense of family. Let’s be real for a moment; when you spend two or three months with a group of people, you’re family. You fight, you laugh, you hug, you cry, then, usually, you laugh again and bask in the satisfaction of knowing you all made it through to opening night.
The Addams Family has been this kind of experience for me. I am thankful my Town Theatre debut was one where I got to be the dad. And if audiences are moved to applaud, that’s all the better.
Pictured right: Hartzog (L), Castille (center) and Scruggs (R) in the original production of The Honky Tonk Angels.
Town’s current production of The Honky Tonk Angels is a step back in time — not only will you hear some of your favorite country tunes, you will also drive down the highway with two of the show’s original performers — and meet a new cast member along the way! Town last produced this show in 2002 and then again in 2005 with Kathy Hartzog, Shannon Scruggs and Lori Castille as the angel trio. Shortly after the 2005 production, Castille moved to California so the duo was in need of a new pair of wings. They found that in Alexa Cotran — a music student at the University of South Carolina.
Left to right: Ditching the dictaphone to free herself from her advancing boss is Kathy Hartzog; Town’s newest angel, Darlene Purvis, is taken by Alexa Cotran; hopping on the bus to escape her housewife life in the role of Angela Bodine is Shannon Willis Scruggs. Photo credit: Helen Hood Porth
“Alexa is a great addition to the angels,” said Hartzog. “She has just the right amount of innocence that is needed for her character, but then can turn on a dime to become a sassy country singer in Act II.” Cotran has enjoyed the small cast experience after starring in Town’s most recent production of Nice Work if You Can Get It. “Kathy and Shannon have been very welcoming. We work well together — one of us able to pick up where another person leaves off.”
Scruggs appreciates the opportunity to perform her HTA role almost 11 years later. “It is always neat to get to re-do a role. It is particularly fun to ‘hang out’ with Angela again — especially now that I have real-life experience as a housewife and what sometimes feels like a litter of kids. Though, I must say my sweet husband is nothing like this Bubba character I am married to in the show!” Hartzog best explains the characters that audiences will meet. “They are not cartoonish, but they are larger than life.” Scruggs agrees. “You might see a little bit of yourself in each one of these ladies. They have big goals coupled with understandable fears; yet they know that, with a little help, they can follow their dreams.”
The production team includes Allison McNeely as the director with Scruggs as choreographer. Music direction is by Sharon McElveen Altman with Lori Stepp as costumer and Danny Harrington designing the set and lights.
Come see the angels — on stage at Town February 19 to March 6. Tickets are available at www.towntheatre.com or by calling 803-799-2510.
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