OK Art Scene and Hurd

Alex Ewald as Edward Ferrars gaxing adoringly at Lindsay Seaman as Elinor Dashwood. Photo courtesy of Richard Lemin, Jewel Box Theatre

One of the most beloved names in literature is Jane Austen author of Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Mansfield Park among other novels.  Her stories reflect her time and her time is Regency.  She was born in 1775 and died at only 41 years of age.  The Regency period is the period where King George III was indisposed enough so that his son and heir to the throne ruled in his stead until George III… Continue reading →

Libby McCormack Wano as the Detective along side one of the suspects, Seth Paden as Professor Plum.  Clue Photo courtesy of Jared Blount, Artistic Director, Pollard Theatre.

What a fright!  There is murder in the air tonight.  A classic Whodunit is in order. Who will die?  Who will cause the death?  What weapon will be used?  In what room will the murder occur?  These are the questions one has when settling down with a good mystery novel.  Or, in playing the classic Parker Brothers’ Game.  The show has a detective form… Continue reading →

Taylor Reich as Elwood P. Dowd conversing with his best friend, the pooka, Harvey in “Harvey” Photo courtesy of April Porterfield

“Harvey” by Mary Chase is considered to be one of the greatest plays to ever grace a stage as well as one of the greatest movies ever made.  It is considered to be an ideal comedy and opportunity for comedians to show off their expressive skills. Caprice Sorg is directing “Harvey” at 3^rd Act Theatre with a troupe of very funny folk.  They have mastered the double take, the deadpan, and the ridiculous in telling the… Continue reading →

Alex Rodriguez as Huckleberry Finn and Maximus White as Jim. Photo by Miki Galloway

“Big River” is a delightful musical adapted from Mark Twain’s classic ‘Huckleberry Finn’ and is a generous example of American development.  The storyline follows young Huckleberry on his runaway journey from the untenable kindness of the Widow Douglas.  He meets up with Jim, a runaway slave and the two young men adventurously travel the Mississippi River on a raft.  Ultimately they both find freedom, adventure and a measure of happiness. 

The adaptation from the Theatre for Young Audiences Edition is comfortably short… Continue reading →

Spending an evening with Patsy Cline–if only it were possible. 

We Waited Whispering Words of Wonder

It is possible.  Yes, Virginia, there is a patsy in your future.

Born Virginia Patterson Hensley in 1932 she took the name Patsy Cline for performance and she made that name famous beyond dreams.  She died in a plane crash when she was only 30 yet in her short life she became one of the most influential musicians of the 20^th century.  She was country and she loved country, but she also crossed over into pop because the quality… Continue reading →

– Scapino (Keegan Zimmerman) as The Boy takes fishing advice from Ruffiana (Allyson Rose) as The Girl.

Commedia dell’Arte was a very popular form of theatre in Europe from the 16^th through the 18th century. A troupe of players would develop specific characters and continually portray those characters through each improvisational production.  Wearing masks, there would be a warrior, a vamp, two young lovers, a wiseman and of course the harlequin  among them and they would play those same characters in every production as they traveled.  George Herman, American playwright first published “A Company of Wayward… Continue reading →

Fans of Jane Austen and her wonderful stories about women.  Her characters are women who struggle in society.  They are intelligent women, but they have no standing in society without marriage.  That was the way of things in the Regency Period.  Women and Girls of the day, and every day ever since have identified with these characters, especially the daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Bennett.  Erin Woods is clearly an Austen fan and her play “Jane Austen’s Christmas Cracker” is a delight.  The play is quite interactive as it is a Christmas Party hosted… Continue reading →

Rob May as Leo Tannenbaum (left) and Caitlin Cairns as Donna Fay Cummings. The Christmas Express photos are courtesy of April Porterfield

3^rd Act Theatre is presenting “The Christmas Express” a delightful little Christmas comedy by Pat Cook.  Living in a charming small town called Holly, the commonly held small town fate has local business suffering and the Depot for the train is certainly no exception. 

The Manager of the Holly Railway Station is Hilda Trowbridge played by Christine Jolly and her assistant/porter is Satch Brunswick played by Joe Burleigh.  Hilda suffers from severe depression and… Continue reading →

David Fletcher-Hall portrays Charles Dickens in the Pollard’s A Territorial Christmas Carol.

There are many changes, a magical new set designed by Jared Blount and Michael Long, and several new cast members as well as a few familiar faces.  pays homage to the previous incarnation of Scrooge by James Ong.  Timothy Stewart directs bringing fresh ideas to the story and paying homage to the traditions that have made “A Territorial Christmas Carol” a highlight at Christmas.

While the new faces bring excitement to the show, it is impossible not to think of faces never to be seen again,… Continue reading →