seveneightfive » theatre http://www.seveneightfive.com Topeka's art + entertainment magazine Sun, 05 Sep 2010 18:03:35 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 the leader role http://www.seveneightfive.com/arts-entertainment/performance-art/the-leader-role/ http://www.seveneightfive.com/arts-entertainment/performance-art/the-leader-role/#comments Tue, 20 Jul 2010 17:24:18 +0000 admin http://www.seveneightfive.com/?p=1408 Governor Mark Parkinson has agreed to make a cameo appearance in Topeka Civic Theatre’s (TCT) upcoming opening night gala production of “Arsenic and Old Lace” on September 10. The gala is a fundraiser for the theatre to primarily support educational programming for the 75-year-old theatre.

“Year after year, the gala has always been a special event for the theatre, as we have so many organizations attend to show their support of our programming. But, this year is extra-special with a celebration of our 75th anniversary, and most importantly with a cameo role being performed by our Governor,” said TCT Artistic Director Shannon Reilly.

Arsenic and Old Lace is a classic comedy by Joseph Kesselring and is considered one of the most beloved plays in the history of American Theatre. The plot involves two charming and innocent sisters who run a boarding house. Unfortunately for the sisters, they accidentally poison their guests with elderberry wine. Added to this are the antics of their brother who thinks he is Teddy Roosevelt and another brother who is a malicious killer on the loose. The whole plot ties together for a divinely inspired comedy. Governor Parkinson will perform the role of Gibbs during the September 10 gala performance. After the September 10 performance, another actor will step into the role for the remainder of the run through October 2, 2010.

“The TCT Gala is the first performance of our 75th Anniversary Season and we are so happy to have the support of Governor Parkinson,” said Reilly, “we look forward to having him on our stage.”

Topeka Civic Theatre is the nation’s oldest continuously operating community dinner theatre in the nation. Since 1936, the theatre has been producing shows for individuals and groups of all ages and interests from across the nation. For more information, please visit www.TopekaCivicTheatre.com.

[July 2010 | Topeka Civic Theatre press release | photo by Matt Porubsky]

]]> http://www.seveneightfive.com/arts-entertainment/performance-art/the-leader-role/feed/ 0 grassroots theatre http://www.seveneightfive.com/arts-entertainment/grassroots-theatre/ http://www.seveneightfive.com/arts-entertainment/grassroots-theatre/#comments Fri, 02 Jul 2010 01:56:40 +0000 kerrice http://www.seveneightfive.com/?p=1264 Under the direction of Craig Fisher, a new theatre ensemble, Ad Astra, will take their love and desire for theatre and art and produce new and interesting works that ask questions and encourage thought.

Their debut performance of “Eurydice” does just this with its sad-happy disorientation.  Described by New York Times critic Charles Isherwood as “devastatingly lovely – and just plain devastating” “Eurydice” is the theatrical tale of the Orpheus myth Eurydice.  Playwright Sarah Ruhl retells the Greek myth of Eurydice, Apollo’s daughter (the god of light) and wife to Orpheus, from her point of view, and set in modern times.

This play is intensely about relationships, both familial and romantic – and the company is about exploring all forms of human connections via theatre,  according to director Craig Fisher and actress Kat Keyes.  The play is a beautiful love story of a husband and wife, and father and daughter.  It’s about remembering the love we have for those closest to us.

Ruhl is a widely produced playwright and Ad Astra Theatre Ensemble felt it was time for Topeka to be introduced to her work.  Fisher and Keyes described Ruhl’s plays as “whimsical, fantastical and beautiful.  There is a simplicity about the play that makes the emotions so much more important.”

The summer production of “Eurydice” is July 8 – 11 in Warehouse 414’s gallery, (414 S.E. 2nd Street, downtown Topeka).  Tickets are $5 at the door and seating begins at 7 p.m., with curtain at 7:30.  Warehouse 414 seats approximately 50, so we advise you to arrive as close to 7 p.m. as you can for the best seats (or a seat at all).  Light snacks and beverages will be available for sale and dress is casual.

The ensemble chose Warehouse 414 as their theatre house due to the fact that the bulk of “Eurydice” is set in Ruhl’s underworld, which is described as almost whimsical and perhaps what Alice might have seen through the looking glass.

“The space that Chris Grandmontagne has at Warehouse 414 is beautifully adorned, and lends well to that landscape,” said Fisher.

Ad Astra Theatre Ensemble believes in the transformative power of theatre – what it can do for community and ultimately the human spirit.  The not-for-profit hopes to raise awareness of lesser known and performed shows and strengthen local avocational artists.  Proceeds from their shows help pay for production and royalty costs. Any profit is then used to support local artists producing similar works and to encourage more theatre throughout Topeka.

The grassroots theatre company was born in 2010.

Cast List:

Directed by Craig Fisher
Starring:

Kat Keyes- Eurydice
Ryan McCoy- Orpheus
Shaun Marcotte- Father
Brandon Durkes- Nasty, Interesting Man
Sarah Hazen- Loud Stone

Dylan Van Sickle – Big Stone

Katy Wright- Little Stone

Learn more www.adastratheatre.com

Next performance: “The Last Five Years” August 12 – 14 at Helen Hocker Theatre

[ July 2010 | Kerrice Mapes | photo courtesy Ad Astra Theatre Ensemble ]

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]]> http://www.seveneightfive.com/arts-entertainment/grassroots-theatre/feed/ 0 elusive happiness http://www.seveneightfive.com/arts-entertainment/performance-art/theatre-reviews/elusive-happiness/ http://www.seveneightfive.com/arts-entertainment/performance-art/theatre-reviews/elusive-happiness/#comments Sun, 27 Jun 2010 13:30:14 +0000 Nathan http://www.seveneightfive.com/?p=1219 College. Alone, it’s a simple word, yet remarkably daunting and complex when placed into context. Which ones will you apply for? What will you study? In-state or out-of-state? Four year, community college, or trade school? Dorms or apartment? Go Greek? The questions are incessant. For families that are having to deal with such a transition, the pressures are tremendous and the expectations are overwhelming. The student is subjected to the uncertainty inherent to being emancipated from their parents, making individual decisions and meeting new people and colleagues. The parents are subjected to the uncertainty of being emancipated from their child, hoping that they succeed on their own, while making the correct decisions along the way.

“The Pursuit of Happiness”, written by Richard Dresser and performed in the Oldfather Theatre at TCTA is where we find the family of Annie (Erica Fox) and Neil (David Timpany) and their daughter Jodi (Rachelle Matthews), all who are facing the many dilemmas that come along with that transition.

Jodi, having been exceptional in high school, feels that college isn’t the right fit for her after graduation, and balks at mailing her enrollment application by the deadline. Unsure of her direction, she wants to make a difference in the world and forge her own path, but is unsure if she can obtain happiness for herself by attending college.

Annie, on the other hand is positive that Jodi will never be happy unless she attends college and experiences everything that she didn’t during her own days at college. Assuming that Jodi is as excited as she is, Annie is overbearing in her efforts, all the while pushing Jodi further away from the idea of college.

Neil gets caught between the duo, attempting to be supportive on both fronts. He understands his daughter’s desire for a hiatus, but also wants her to apply and pursue scholarly endeavors. Finally resigning himself to the position of a lone spectator, he allows Jodi to come to her own conclusion lovingly and sportively, contributing quirky anecdotes along her path.

Realizing that Jodi’s chances are slim on the late application, Annie takes matters into her own hands and meets up with an old college acquaintance, “Spud” (Raymond Remp Jr.), who happens to work in the applications office. Annie tries to call in a favor, but finds that Spud has idolized her since college. Taking advantage of him and his position, Annie takes things into her own hands, but regrets everything directly afterward.

Tucker (David Greenbaum) is the co-worker Neil approaches and tries to befriend after six years acquaintance. In his attempt, though, Neil finds Tucker to be incredibly eccentric. This character is essential to the play, being the comic relief throughout the turmoil running throughout and Greenbaum steps up and nails it.

With a cast of only five, the play relies on character interaction, which is done very well by the cast. Each character is honed by each actor, keeping true throughout, which is important in a play of this nature.

Adam Jenks is creative and thorough with his set and lights, allowing vision to the small space through severed walls, complete with insulation, and the extrapolated spaces aside the main facade.

In this play, it was every character’s prerogative to be happy. The antithesis was the theme in each character’s plight throughout, with each wishing, needing, or doing something to turn things around. When they did, though, things only got progressively worse. So… What IS happiness? Happiness is conceptually intangible. No matter what their fashion or status in life, an individual can never truly be happy.

Pessimistic as it may sound, there’s always a better paying job, or a fancier, more expensive car, or higher status/clout at the Country Club. One needs to stop and smell the roses sometimes to truly appreciate everything with which they have been blessed. When one does, then and ONLY then can one be truly happy. There ARE rose bushes in the landscaping around TCTA, so be sure to breathe deep on the way past to the Box Office to get your tickets for your chance to enjoy and appreciate “The Pursuit of Happiness” for yourself.

“The Pursuit of Happiness” runs June 25 – July 3. Check TCTA’s website for a schedule.

[June 2010 | Nathan Schroeder | image courtesy TCTA]

]]> http://www.seveneightfive.com/arts-entertainment/performance-art/theatre-reviews/elusive-happiness/feed/ 0 bring on the laughter http://www.seveneightfive.com/arts-entertainment/performance-art/theatre-reviews/bring-on-the-laughter/ http://www.seveneightfive.com/arts-entertainment/performance-art/theatre-reviews/bring-on-the-laughter/#comments Fri, 28 May 2010 15:12:55 +0000 Lyle http://www.seveneightfive.com/?p=922 For you TV addicts, think of it as 30 Rock, only minus 50 years and with a lot more F-bombs. Or for those old enough to remember, The Muppet Show without puppets or Dick Van Dyke without Mary Tyler Moore—again with a healthy dose of swearing. Either way, tonight Topeka Civic Theatre and Academy opens their production of Laughter on the 23rd Floor, a gem from the master of stage comedies, Neil Simon.

Inspired by Neil Simon’s experience working for Sid Caesar’s Your Show of Shows, the play revolves around the writing staff for an early-50s comedy variety show. The production is a non-stop string of zingers and one-liners that come so quickly, they seem ready to trip over each other as the writing staff competes to be the funniest one in the room in order to please their insane boss, Max Prince. Things begin to spiral out of control as the NBC executives cut down the show’s time slot and budget, causing Prince to fall further into a substance-induced paranoia while the writers flail trying to hold things together. A little McCarthy-era fear is sprinkled into the background to put a little scare into all the players involved, leading to some of the play’s more raucous moments.

For the most part, the cast delivers its lines with great timing and a deadpan wit that play in perfect contrast with Ted Shonka’s laugh-out-loud, off-the-wall (and through-the-wall) portrayal of Prince. Walt Boyd does a great job as needling hypochondriac Ira Stone, so much so that it’s difficult not to want to strangle him yourself. The entire cast plays well off each other and, more importantly, they’re damn funny. Laughter on the 23rd Floor is an show you definitely won’t want to miss.

The show opens tonight and runs through June 19. Check out TCTA’s website for show and ticket information.

[by Lyle Vaughn | Photos courtesy of TCTA | May 2010]

]]> http://www.seveneightfive.com/arts-entertainment/performance-art/theatre-reviews/bring-on-the-laughter/feed/ 0 catch curtains at tct http://www.seveneightfive.com/arts-entertainment/performance-art/catch-curtains-at-tct/ http://www.seveneightfive.com/arts-entertainment/performance-art/catch-curtains-at-tct/#comments Thu, 01 Apr 2010 17:11:41 +0000 Lyle http://www.seveneightfive.com/?p=551 It’s a musical. And a murder mystery. And a comedy. And it’s ending this weekend, so if you’re hoping to catch Curtains at the Topeka Civic Theatre, you’ll want to head out sooner rather than later.

Curtains centers on an acting company in Boston, set in the late 1950s, performing what is perhaps the world’s hokiest musical, Robbin’ Hood, a take on the classic tale set in Kansas in during the Wild West days. You following that? Anyway, the star diva bites the dust on opening night, and the resulting investigantion leads the entire company to be locked in the theatre until the mystery can be solved. Throw in a detective just as interested in helping the production improve as he is in solving the mystery, a snide theatre critic (played by Topeka’s own theatre critic, Phil Grecian) and a couple mouthy producers, and you’ve got a fun, funny romp that blends musical, comedy and murder mystery into an entertaining metatheatrical evening.

Overall, the actors pull together an entertaining show, with plenty of laughs—though beware some of the production might get a little bawdy for the younger folks, or those with especially sensitive virgin ears—and entertaining, well-performed musical numbers. The play-within-a-play concept isn’t nearly as hard to follow as it sounds, and the mystery elements will keep you guessing the whole time—unless, of course, you’re one of those types who always sees the twist coming five minutes into the show (and if that’s the case, to hell with ya).

Tickets are still available for the weekend shows by visiting the Topeka Civic Theatre website and calling the box office at 785.357.5211. While you’re there make sure to enter the art raffle in the lobby to support TCT’s upcoming (and astounding) 75th season, with work provided by the Friends of Tinkham-Veale.

See it soon, before it’s curtains for Curtains.

[story: Lyle Vaughn / photo: Marc Rapp]

]]> http://www.seveneightfive.com/arts-entertainment/performance-art/catch-curtains-at-tct/feed/ 0 Twilight Of The Golds http://www.seveneightfive.com/arts-entertainment/performance-art/twilight-of-the-golds/ http://www.seveneightfive.com/arts-entertainment/performance-art/twilight-of-the-golds/#comments Sun, 28 Feb 2010 04:43:47 +0000 Nathan http://www.seveneightfive.com/?p=112 Homosexuality, bigotry, ethical responsibility for genetic research… How much have we really progressed as a society to know what power these stereotypes have and how they do or do not effect our everyday lives? Subliminal choices and ideas push and pull us in every decision from gays in the military to something as simple as what kind of chapstick we use. In the long and short of it, the problems associated with this issue are on a scale unfathomably greater than any of us care to admit. Phobias run rampant, assumptions based solely on how one carries themselves or what another wears affects even simple gestures and greetings in everyday living. But what if you could eliminate the problem completely? What if there were a way to tell one’s sexual preference before they ever even existed to perform the societally viewed faux pas. This is the question weighing on the shoulders of the Golds. A family who finds out the child that they are expecting has a 90% chance to become “like his uncle.” If you could terminate the pregnancy before the child was even born knowing this, would you?

David Gold is played by Brian Roster. Being called “different” by his own family, Phyllis and Walter Gold, played by Linda Boyd and Robbie Ramos.They try to give him everything they can, and love him as much as they feel comfortable allowing themselves to, yet tension is still terribly apparent throughout. Although the desire to provide and the sense of commitment is instilled in the parents, the lack of understanding and tolerance for their child’s behavior and decisions is not.

Kat Keys plays Suzanne Gold-Stein, David’s sister and wife of geneticist Dr. Rob Stein, played by Jay R. Hurst. Rob tends to show uneasiness toward Suzanne’s brother, harbors a general frustration directed at her and her need for family, all the while trying to defend his genome work in a way to not label himself as a “Nazi.”  He believes his research is well-founded and for the greater good for humankind, but it seems to only wave ethical red flags.  Susanne on the other hand, shows both sibling love and understanding to David and then, when he starts telling his stories, she shows dejection and ignorance towards his passion and morality. Upon the knowledge of the test battery conducted by Rob on her unborn fetus, tests come back completely normal except for one thing. Suzanne is confronted with the decision of aborting her pregnancy or living with the chance that their child may be homosexual.

Adam Jenks is the set/light designer, who creates a modern feel of a NYC apartment flat layout with only the use of a sectioned cloth scrim wall partition. Using light manipulation from both sides, he allows transparency through back lighting as well as front lighting for narratives.

The lack of mics attribute to some minor projection issues, most times becoming the most noticable in intimate moments. This in turn takes away from the gravity of the moment at times, even in the smaller venue that is the Oldfather Theatre at TCTA. Let this not deter you from viewing this show in its entirety, no matter what implications or hardships you may foresee… The percentile has been calculated, make the correct decision and see this show.

]]> http://www.seveneightfive.com/arts-entertainment/performance-art/twilight-of-the-golds/feed/ 0 because laughing does matter http://www.seveneightfive.com/lifestyle/fun-stuff/because-laughing-does-matter/ http://www.seveneightfive.com/lifestyle/fun-stuff/because-laughing-does-matter/#comments Sun, 07 Feb 2010 02:54:27 +0000 admin http://www.seveneightfive.com/?p=605

Laughing Matters

TCTA’s Own Improvisational Comedy Company

Live entertainment, cheaper than a movie…and you can drink!

Join the fastest growing audience in Topeka for a night of fast-paced improvisational comedy that you won’t forget. LAUGHING MATTERS is packing the house and is a Topeka favorite. Each show is a blend of outrageous comedy sketches and audience participation games. You won’t want to miss a single exciting evening with this troupe of zany comics.

Buy tickets now!

  • April 9 & 10, 2010
  • $10 / Doors open at 7, show starts at 8

Laughing Matter Improv Comedy Troupe on April 9 & 10, 2010 as they bring the battle of the sexes to the stage with one unique night of comedy!

As an added bonus, the newest members of Laughing Matters will be making their debut that weekend, so be sure to cheer them on!

As always, the TCT Club will have your favorite drinks, snacks, and desserts available for purchase throughout the show!

Other Show Dates:

  • May 15, 2010
  • August 20 & 21, 2010

Tickets $ 10.00. Doors open at 7 pm. Show starts at 8 pm

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