Theatre - The neXt generation

Introducing the Fight Girl Cast

2012-01-17T15:35:00.001-05:00

Like I promised, here's a little info about the cast of characters, the actors playing them, and, consequently, a little about the story of Fight Girl Battle World. FYI, the play is in many ways an homage to sci-fi, action, and cult films and TV series, such as Star Wars, Star Trek, Firefly, Blade Runner, and others, so it'll be a fun ride. Now, presenting the cast of Fight Girl Battle World!

Rebecca Morris plays E-V, a street prize fighter who also happens to be the last human female in all the known galaxies.

Rebecca is a local actor, performing in plays and movies. If you saw our production of Angels in America this fall, you'll remember her as Harper Pitt. Badass that she is, Rebecca choreographed most of the fights in the show.

Jake Bowden is GENERAL DAN'H, leader of the insurgency against the United Galactic Alliance/Council (UGC), the intergalactic government.

Jake is a student at UNCA studying theatre. In addition to his acting, Jake built many of the set pieces you'll see in the production. Little known fact: He and Charlie went to the same high school, but in different centuries.

Lauren Kriel (that's me!) plays J'AN JAH, Dan'h's Ursalean, gender-bending pilot.

Lauren is graduate of Warren Wilson College, where she majored in theatre/English. As a younger sibling, she's glad she finally gets to be on the winning side of fights (although choreographed).

Bobby Abrahamson is ADON-RA, the last human male in the known galaxies, notoriously known as a vengeful psychokilling space terrorist.

Bobby is a theatre student at UNCA and was recently an administrative intern for NC Stage. Do you know any good jokes? You want to hear this guy's laugh -- it's infectious.

Jason Williams is LC-4, a "robot robot" who was once a robot playwright and soon becomes E-V's right-hand tin can.

Jason does it all. He not only plays two other roles besides LC-4, but he also designed the lights for this production. Jason directs as well, and his next project is As You Like It with the Montford Park Players.

Jessica Lewis is MIKAH MONOCH, a torture-obsessed agent for the UGC.

Jessica is yet another lover of sci-fi. She's a big "Dr. Who" fan and a "Firefly" fan, too. (The list goes on, of course.) She is studying literature at UNCA.

Alison Young plays both ZIMLEK, E-V's bookie/coach on Battle World, and COMMANDER G'BRIL, the UGC's second in command to the president.

Alison is a graduate of Mars Hill College and is a performer of all kinds. She sings, acts, and performs burlesque! Did you see the New Year's Eve eve performance by Bombs Away Cabaret here at NC Stage? If so, then you've seen her do her thing.

Travis Kelley is PRESIDENT YA-WI, commander in chief of the UGC, who initiated the Human Wars, an almost successful attempt to wipe out all human life.

Travis is a sci-fi movie devotee. You might recognize him from local theatre productions around town, or perhaps you've seen him at the Asheville Pizza & Brewing Company, where he works.

Bradshaw Call plays both the ZOOKEEPER, a trained keeper of the most endangered species in the galaxy, as well as the ANCHOR, the glamorous newscaster spreading news to the farthest reaches of the UGC core planets.

Bradshaw is a man of many talents. The spaceships? He built them. The term 'space galactica?' He coined it. Just wait til you hear all the excellent character voices he uses in the show...

We open this Thursday, January 19, so grab a friend or two, don a costume if you like, and get your qwarding blarkbutt down to the theatre to see this show. We've got one hell of show for you.

Gearing up...

2012-01-10T12:04:00.000-05:00


Fight Girl Battle World: January 19-February 4

Here we are in the second week of January 2012, and here at NC Stage, we've hit the ground running in this new year. We're gearing up for our next Catalyst Series production, Fight Girl Battle World by Qui Nguyen, which opens next week. Just yesterday, cast member Rebecca Morris (remember Harper Pitt from Angels? That's her!) and director Charlie Flynn-McIver were interviewed by Dick Kowal on WCQS about the show. Cast members are going all over town putting up posters and getting the word out about the production. The cast also recently filmed some promotional videos in character about the play (which we'll post here once they're done). In the mood for pizza? You might just find a flier for Fight Girl... atop your pizza box from Asheville Pizza and Brewing Company. We're excited about this play, so understandably, we want everyone to know about it. In fact, thanks for reading this! Now buy a ticket and go tell 10 friends to do the same. Joking! But not really.

So, Charlie is directing this production, but the big question is, "Where did you even find this play in the first place, dude?" More on the cast and their work on the production later, because what I have for you today is a link to an article from American Theatre magazine from October 2010. Perhaps you recall lots of social media posts around that time from NC Stage telling you to read an article about Charlie Flynn-McIver and Scott Treadway. Well, the article just after it in the print version of the magazine is about the Fight Girl Battle World playwright, Qui Nguyen, his aesthetic, and his work with Vampire Cowboys Theatre Company. It's worth a read, and it's fascinating!

More to come later on about FGBW and other upcoming productions (Love Child opens in a little over a month!) so subscribe to the blog if you like, or just keep your eyes peeled. Until next time...

Happy New Year!

2011-12-30T12:03:00.002-05:00

I hope everyone’s having a great Holiday, whatever way you celebrate. I also hope everyone’s had a great year. NC Stage has had a tremendous season so far with a production of Hedwig And The Angry Inch and both parts, count ‘em, BOTH parts of Angels In America, and then two companies of Live From WVL Radio Theatre: It’s A Wonderful Life and, of course, The 12 Dates Of Christmas. Dozens of actors, designers, technicians, volunteers and administrators have been making it all happen and more than 5,000 seats have been occupied during all this. All in all one of the biggest seasons we’ve ever done.

And we can’t thank you all enough. If you’ve bought a ticket for one of those seats, given a donation, told or brought a friend, hell, even if you’ve just “retweeted” one of our twitter posts, you’re a big part of the success of NC Stage. If you would still like to make a donation, you still can. And what a great time to get in that last minute tax deduction before the New Year!

But we’re not done for the season! We’re just getting started! Our New Year starts off when Neela Munoz (director, Boeing Boeing) and I team up again as she directs me and her husband Billy (actor, Fully Committed) in Love Child. These are two of the nicest, most talented and funniest people I know and I can’t wait to work with them again.

Immediate Theatre Project returns after their brilliant production of The Glass Menagerie last season with a great new play, Circle Mirror Transformation. And the season finishes up in May with one of the best new comedies of the past several years, In The Next Room Or The Vibrator Play.

We wish you a terrific New Year with lots of laughs and good times. And we hope that some of those good times happen at NC Stage! Be safe out there and watch out for others.

Last minute shopping! Yikes!

2011-12-20T12:36:00.003-05:00

Okay. So it’s just you and me, right? Here’s the deal. I am NOT a procrastinator. Okay maybe I am a little bit but I’ll talk about that later. Truth is, December has snuck up on me as the Fall has been killer busy with over 90 performances at NC Stage and more than 5,600 tickets sold to those events, plus the education program and fundraising, (more on that in a later post). Anyway, I’m just peeking up and it’s December??? The week of Christmas??? How did THAT happen?

So I’m finishing up some work at the office and getting my Christmas shopping done. And I’m looking to you for last minute gift ideas. We’re offering $25 Anytime tickets for any of our mainstage productions the remainder of the season but Angie is already going to those. Heh, heh. There is also some great art out there and I’ve got my eye on a few things. In fact I was recently linterviewed about that in the Mountain Xpress. Check it out!

But I’m looking for something like that. Local, experiential, meaningful. Art or performances? Lessons? Memberships to cultural institutions?

So what’s the best thing you’ve either given or received that can be gotten last minute that you think that special someone I’m related to might really like? Please post a comment! I’m serious!

Charlie

Will you help NC Stage create great theatre?

2011-11-29T15:48:00.003-05:00

After a recent performance of Angels in America, a long time audience member of NC Stage stopped me in the lobby. She said, “I know that people in the theatre don’t make a lot of money and I know this show was hard work, but the experiences I have at this theatre like I did tonight make me realize, yet again, that theatre is important. It really is. Thank you for being here.”

I share this story with you because it’s not just the people on stage or behind the scenes she is thanking. It's all the folks like you who contribute to our Annual Fund that make our work possible.

Anyone who’s attended a free (For)Play reading, participated in a post-show discussion, enjoyed a Happy Hour and A Half reception, or been able to attend for as little as $6 on a Pay What You Can Night has benefitted from annual fund support.

Students in our community benefit from annual fund support as well. Thomas is a student in our “On the Fly” after school workshop for at-risk middle school students. Through On the Fly, Thomas learns self-esteem and creative problem solving while focusing youthful energy during those empty hours after school.

Contributions to our annual fund from members of the community make it possible for us to offer all these experiences and more. Ticket income covers only 63% of the costs of producing our season and providing educational programs in schools. Picture a favorite experience at NC Stage that captured your imagination, made you think or wonder, or simply made you laugh. Now picture only 63% of it!

Will you consider making a gift of $25, $100, $500 or more to help us enrich your life and the lives of young people like Thomas? You can even join the Green Room Society with a gift of $1,000 or more and participate in special conversations with us as we plan the future of NC Stage.

Partner with us to develop local actors, directors and designers, and ensure NC Stage’s position as one of the leading non-profit theatres in North Carolina.

Give online today!

Thank you,

Charlie and Angie Flynn-McIver, and the rest of the NC Stage team.

Previously on Angels in America…

2011-11-04T07:06:00.003-04:00

This is a spoiler alert for anyone who has not seen Part 1: Millennium Approaches. Don't read! But we don't want you to leave this blog empty handed. So here's something I thought was funny.

Previously on Angels in America…

In the last moments of Part 1: Millennium Approaches, Prior Walter, a gay man who has been diagnosed with AIDS, was sleeping fitfully when an Angel crashed through the ceiling of his bedroom. The Angel greeted him as a prophet, announcing “The Great Work begins.”

It wasn’t the first strange thing that had happened to Prior since his diagnosis. Two of his ancestors had visited him in the middle of the night, claiming they were heralds. A flaming book appeared to him while he was at the AIDS clinic, and he heard his perfectly ordinary Italian-American nurse suddenly begin speaking a Hebrew prayer. His cat ran away, his lover left, and the only bright spot left in his life was his old friend Belize. Belize is a nurse, and visited Prior at St. Vincent’s Hospital, where he also works, promising that he will be there for Prior, no matter what.

When Prior’s health began to decline, his lover Louis couldn’t handle the pressure and left him, moving out of the apartment they had shared for four and a half years. Louis works in the Brooklyn Appellate Court as a word processor, where he met Joe Pitt, a law clerk. He and Joe have been having a low-key flirtation, and at the end of Millennium Approaches, Louis and Joe leave Central Park together, presumably to go to Louis’s apartment.

Joe Pitt is a conservative Mormon Republican lawyer who has wrestled with his sexuality for his whole life. He is dissatisfied with his job clerking for Justice Wilson, but feels compelled to stay in Brooklyn because of his mentally unstable wife, Harper. Joe admits to Harper that he has never had sexual feelings for her, and he comes out to his mother, Hannah, during a very difficult phone call to her home in Salt Lake City.

Joe’s mentor is the notoriously powerful Roy Cohn. Roy very much wants Joe to move to Washington D.C. to take a position in the Justice Department, where he can be Roy’s man on the inside, helping Roy combat a committee that wants to disbar him.

Roy is also fighting, more privately, an AIDS diagnosis. When we last see him, he and Joe have a fight that turns physical when Joe refuses to go to Washington, and Roy confesses that he engaged in unethical behavior to make sure convicted spy Ethel Rosenberg got the death penalty. After Joe leaves, Roy collapses in pain, and Ethel herself appears, telling him ”The shit’s about to hit the fan, Roy. Millennium approaches.” Ethel calls 911 for Roy, and an ambulance is dispatched to take him to St. Vincent’s Hospital.

Harper Pitt is married to Joe. She is agoraphobic and stays in their Brooklyn apartment all day, taking Valium and talking to imaginary people. One of these people is Mr. Lies, a travel agent who tempts her with a vacation to Antarctica. During one Valium-induced hallucination, she and Prior meet, bewilderingly. Harper intuits that Prior is very sick, and Prior has a similar intuition that her “husband’s a homo.” After Joe comes out to her, she calls to Mr. Lies in anguish, who offers to take her away. They vanish together.

Hannah Pitt is Joe’s mother. After Joe calls her, drunk, in the middle of the night and comes out to her, Hannah immediately sells her house and flies to New York. Joe fails to meet her at the airport, so she sets out on her own, accidentally ending up in the Bronx before getting directions from a homeless woman to the Mormon Visitors’ Center.

Millennium Approaches ends in turmoil, all of its characters on the brink of some cataclysmic change. The action of Angels in America: Perestroika picks up immediately after Angels in America: Millennium Approaches.

Now, stay tuned for the exciting conclusion of…

Angels in America.

Let's talk about part 1.

2011-10-20T09:28:00.002-04:00

So you just saw Part 1 of Angels In America last week. We’re so glad you came! We’ve had some great responses to Angels In America Part 1 Millennium Approaches. People have been leaping to their feet and stopping us in the lobby and posting on Facebook with things like: “Angels in America at North Carolina Stage Company is one of the best productions I've ever seen...again! Every single performance is exquisite and it's amazing it can be so big in such a small space - BRAVO!!! If you live in Asheville, GO, and if you don't, consider driving up to see it!”

Perhaps you agree. Perhaps you don’t. Either way, we wanted to open up the blog for a discussion. One of the best parts of experiencing a play is sharing your thoughts about the acting, direction, the story, the themes. Whatever. So feel free to post away and join in the discussion with other folks who’ve seen this particular production. But be warned, those of you who haven’t seen it, spoiler alert! (But not to worry. There’s ample opportunity to see both parts in the coming weeks.)

And for everyone’s enjoyment, I looked up some trivia on the interweb about 1985, which is when Angels takes place. Check it out on the previous blogpost. What were YOU doing in 1985?

What were YOU doing in 1985?

2011-10-20T00:39:00.007-04:00

Angels In America takes place in 1985.

What else was going on in 1985?

According to the website http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1985.html

Average Income per year $22,100.00

Average Monthly Rent $375.00

Average Price for new car $9,005.00

1 gallon of gas $1.09

Movie Ticket $2.75

US Postage Stamp 22 cents

IN THE NEWS

The first Mobile phone call in the UK is made by Ernie Wise (First cellular call in US was in 1973 by Martin Cooper)

Live Aid pop concerts in Philadelphia and London raise over 50 million for famine relief in Ethiopia.

Boris Becker becomes youngest winner at 17 to win the men's Wimbledon championships

The Unabomber kills his first victim

Insurance companies begin screening for Aids for life insurance causing outcry by civil liberties groups.

The Food and Drug Administration approves a blood test for AIDS,

The first .Com domain name, symbolics.com, is registered by the Symbolics corporation.

Microsoft Corporation releases the first version of Windows, Windows 1.0.

Compact Discs are introduced to American Consumers

UK Starts screening Blood donations for AIDS

British Scientists discover a hole in the earths Ozone Layer

Actor Rock Hudson, the first major public figure known to have AIDS, dies.

Coca-Cola Company introduces New Coke ( 6 months later they returned to the original formula )

Popular Movies

Back to the Future

Rocky IV

The Color Purple

Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment

Politicians

President Ronald Reagan

Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher

General Secretary of the CPSU Mikhail Gorbachev

Popular TV

Top Songs

Dire Straights – Money For Nothing

Tears For Fears – Everybody Wants To Rule The World

Mr. Mister – Broken Wings

a-Ha – Take On Me

Angels Rehearsal Photos

2011-10-07T11:28:00.000-04:00

The rehearsals of Angels in America have been going on for three weeks already, but they've just moved into the theatre. Cast member Rebecca Morris (Harper) took these photos, and Willie Repoley (Prior) edited them and shared them with us. Enjoy the peek into Tony Kushner's masterpiece and our first play(s) of the Mainstage Season!

Andrew Hampton Livingston as Joe Pitt, Michael MacCauley as Roy Cohn

Willie Repoley, Michael MacCauley, and Angie Flynn-McIver (Director)

Callan White as Ethel Rosenberg, Michael MacCauley as Roy

Callan White as Henry, Roy's doctor; Nathan Crocker as Belize

Dusty McKeelan as Louis, Andrew Hampton Livingston as Joe

Dusty McKeelan as Louis, Michael MacCauley as Roy, Andrew Hampton Livingston as Joe, Willie Reploey as Prior Walter

Dusty McKeelan as Louis, Nathan Crocker as Belize, and Willie Repoley as Prior

Michael MacCauley as Roy

Rebecca Morris as Harper Pitt, Callan White as Hannah Pitt

Vivian Smith as the Angel, Willie Repoley as Prior


Willie Repoley as Prior, Dusty McKeelan as Louis

Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches and Part Two: Perestroika run October 13 - November 13, in rotating repertory. Tickets can be purchased online, in person, or over the phone (828.239.0263). For more information on the play or the repertory schedule, check out our website: ncstage.org or call the box office (828.239.0263).

To our dear Bard-a-thon readers, volunteers, and sponsors...

2011-09-29T15:13:00.001-04:00

A note from the staff and leadership at NC Stage.

I can’t express my appreciation enough to those people who choose to help NC Stage achieve its mission of creating professional theatre and education programming that affects people. At NC Stage we believe, we know, that theatre can be life changing. Plays show us the unfamiliar and make it relevant, and they show us the familiar and make it new. Theatre can also help us grapple with the big questions—religion, politics, existence. We do not pretend to offer answers; instead, plays can be a catalyst to discussion and exploration. And when theatre is used as an educational tool, students are given access to a rich world of imagination, collaboration and creativity that serves them beyond school and helps them synthesize the raw facts and figures taught in core subjects.

Theatre is about telling a story and telling a story is what the world uses to understand the world. So we’re very thankful to have been a part of the creative landscape in Asheville over the past 10 years. When you buy a ticket or make a donation -- be it time or money -- to NC Stage, you become a part of this process of growth in our community and create value in the cultural, economic, social and educational life of Asheville and make the world just that much better.

We thank you for your continued support over the last 10 years and look forward to another 10, 20, 30 years with you!

- Charlie

P.S. - Care to donate? Use this link!

Why I'm excited to see Angels In America again.

2011-09-27T14:48:00.005-04:00

Interview with Angie Flynn-McIver about Angels In America, Parts 1 and 2, and the challenges of directing such an epic play and what's it like to direct the same play for a second time.

Bard-a-thon Fundraising Tips

2011-09-26T15:20:00.000-04:00

The Bard-a-thon is quickly approaching (THIS WEEKEND!), so as the top individual fundraiser in the 2^nd annual Bard-a-thon (2009), I have some tips for y’all…

Who to contact: friends and family (near and far), co-workers, teachers, mentors… really anyone you think might give money, even a couple bucks. The worst someone can tell you is no. We do recommend going to individuals rather than businesses.

Tell them (briefly) what the Bard-a-thon is and WHY YOU’RE PARTICIPATING: This is key. This makes it a personal appeal. Even if it’s simply, “I haven’t read aloud since I was 15 and it seems like a good time,” it gives it a nice touch. If you want to throw in something about how important theatre/reading/Shakespeare/NC Stage is to you, go for it. We are kicking off the Bard-a-thon on the eve of National Arts and Humanities Month, after all.

State your fundraising goal. If your goal is $200 and you’re sending your email appeal to 20 people, it makes it easy for them to see their place as a piece in the fundraising puzzle. (Then, when you get a response saying they’ll give, THANK THEM INDIVIDUALLY. They’ll be more likely to help you out again in the future.)

Mention which plays and parts you’ll be reading. Tell them what time the plays you’re in begin (all plays have a designated start time), and that they can watch in person at NC Stage or online - give them the link! - fo FREE.

If you’re in it for prizes, mention that… but perhaps less bluntly than “I’m in this to win prizes, so give me your money.” Friends like helping friends win things, ‘cause sometimes they share. (Or if they don’t share, they feel a need to reciprocate that assistance in some other capacity in the future.)

In my experience, it’s good to email early (now-ish) and then right before the Bard-a-thon kicks off (Friday afternoon), reminding them they can watch AND donate throughout the weekend. Oh yeah! Tell ‘em viewers can win prizes too!

See you soon!

-Lauren

This Week and Next...

2011-08-05T13:39:00.000-04:00

I Killed My Mother featuring Andrew Hampton Livingston and Melissa Hawkins

THIS WEEK: Declared both a 'Smart Bet' by the Mountain Xpress and a 'Hot Pick' by the Asheville Citizen-Times' Take5 Entertainment section, Theatre Y's production of I Killed My Mother by Andras Visky runs this weekend only at NC Stage as part of the Catalyst Series, and it should not be missed. Translated from Romanian, Theatre Y produced the first English version last year in Chicago to rave reviews. To get a taste for what it's like, check out this trailer, then buy your tickets! Their next destination where the play will be produced is La MaMa Experimental Theatre in New York City in February 2012, so catch 'em here while you can.
August 4 - 7 -- 7:30 PM Thursday - Saturday, 2 PM Sunday -- Tickets: $15

AND NEXT... : NC Stage is going to be dark the week of August 8th, but if you're looking for live theatre, may we suggest the special benefit performance of Honky Tonk Angels at Asheville Community Theatre on Thursday, August 11? Tickets are $20 each and all proceeds benefit our dear friends at Western North Carolina AIDS Project. The work they do is so important for our community, and we want to spread the word about this fun way to support them! For more info, visit wncap.org, or call George at WNCAP at 828-252-7489.
Thursday, August 11 at 7:30 PM -- Asheville Community Theatre -- Tickets: $20

Best of WNC 2011: Step right up!

2011-08-03T11:13:00.026-04:00

Guess what? It's time to vote once again! No, it's not November yet (though there are City Council elections this year), but it is time for the Mountain Xpress' yearly poll: Best of WNC.

We've been voted Best Local Theatre for the past five years, and won some of the best live performing arts events over the years as well. Categories in which you might want to vote for us (or related people) are: Local theatre company, Local actor (male or female), and Live show of 2010: local performing arts event.

As for Best Local Actor (male or female), we have a lot of talented folks grace our stage, so I won't list names here, but if you care to come in and browse some old playbills or ask, "Who was that one actor in That One Intense Show and That Other Neat Play?" we'd be more than happy to help you out.

Eligible for Best Live Show of 2010 (and 2011 so far): Local Performing Arts Event, our 2010-2011 Mainstage Series included the following plays:

Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches by Tony Kushner
Boeing-Boeing by Marc Camoletti
One Flea Spare by Naomi Wallace
The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams (a co-production with Immediate Theatre Project)

With 'Local original production,' they mean productions of "locally written script[s] for a play or other performance," and while our Mainstage Series didn't have any plays that fit that category, our Catalyst Series had a few.

Perhaps you'd like to vote for...

LYLAS Make Funny Long Time by LYLAS
Dogfall by Sanguine Theatre Troupe
Chrysalis by The Redundant Theatre Company Theatre and the Advanced Drama students of Hendersonville High School
Grimm by Dark Horse Theatre
Yugen by Anemone Dance Theater and Legacy Butoh.

Also, Live from WVL Radio Theatre: It's a Wonderful Life by Willie V. R. Repoley and produced by our partner company, Immediate Theatre Project, fits that category, though it wasn't in the Catalyst Series.

We can't do the work we do without the support of our sponsors, so please think of them, too, when you're looking at the ballot. Below you'll find a list of our sponsors for our current 2011-2012 season.

BMW of Asheville
ARC (formerly Imaging Technologies)
Bloomin' Art (florist)
Colorful Palate Catering
Computer Mechanix (computer repair)
Freaks and Geeks Tattoo Sideshow (tattoo parlor)
Jen Lepkowski Photography
Posana (restaurant)
The Southern Kitchen and Bar
Purplecat (web design)
Planned Parenthood

As Jiminy Cricket once said, "Let your conscience be your guide." If you feel our work deserves a 'best of' category, please vote... then tell your friends to vote, too!

Be a Witness to 'Witness'

2011-06-29T16:28:00.000-04:00

Last night I was fortunate enough to go see the final dress rehearsal of the Flay Rock Playhouse production of Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution. Angie's directing it and a number of familiar faces from NC Stage were gracing the stage, so I went in expecting a good show. This was only the second Flat Rock show I've seen, but they've both been outstanding, and also in non-traditional spaces.

My first FRP experience was last summer seeing 12 Angry Men in the Historic Courthouse and Witness is in their new downtown Hendersonville space on S. Main Street, or Playhouse Downtown, as it's called. Its setup is that of theatre in the round, so there's seating on every side of the set, and really, no matter where you're seated, you have a good view of the action. And action there's plenty. I hadn't read or seen any Agatha Christie prior to seeing the play, I'm sorry to say, but, wow, she was a talented writer. And speaking of talent, the ten (or was it nine? There's some double-casting) actors really made the play pop.

Angie asked us not to reveal the ending, so I won't, but, boy, are there a LOT of plot twists. Kind of unbelievable how intricate and detailed Christie gets... it reminded me of a story I heard on NPR about her writing and the writing of some nuns that was analyzed to study the progression of Alzheimer's.

But I'm getting off track... go see Witness for the Prosecution at Playhouse Downtown. You won't regret it. Trust me.

Oooo... trust is a kind of creepy word after seeing that play.

Tenth Anniversary Season Announcement!

2011-06-21T14:56:00.002-04:00

We are excited to announce our 10th Anniversary Season to you, our audience. We've got quite an excellent line up, if I do say so myself, so, without further ado, the NC Stage 2011-2012 Season!

Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches and Part Two: Perestroika -- in REP!

by Tony Kushner

Opening October 12, 2011 and running through November 13, 2011
"Kushner’s great work still has the power to shock, enlighten and delight." -- TimeOut NY

Love Child
by Daniel Jenkins and Robert Stanton

Opening February 15, 2012 and running through March 18, 2012
"BOTTOM LINE: It's like watching two guys with multiple personality disorder on uppers." -- Theatre is Easy

Circle Mirror Transformation

by Annie Baker

Opening March 28, 2012 and running through April 22, 2012

*a co-production with our Partner Company-in-Residence, Immediate Theatre Project!

"Everything is made clear: People know you better than you may think. Many truths are unspoken. Everything will be fine." -- NY Times

In the Next Room, or the Vibrator Play

by Sarah Ruhl

Opening May 9, 2012 and running through June 10, 2012
"[A] spirited and stimulating (sorry) new comedy from one of the country’s brightest young playwrights." -- NY Times

Special Events:

- in August: Hedwig returns! Hedwig and the Angry Inch returns to NC Stage to kick off this celebratory season. Runs August 24 - September 25.

- in November: Get in the holiday spirit with Live from WVL Radio Theatre: It's A Wonderful Life running November 16 - 27.

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Are you excited yet? Itching to find your check book or credit card and give us a call or drop in to purchase your season subscription? Great! Here's the information you're looking for:

- Just as in previous years, we have the FlexPass in two varieties: Prime Time ($98) and Thursday/Sunday ($75).

The Flex Pass subscription model allows you to come to all Mainstage productions, but you're not "locked in" to a particular day of a run. The Prime Time FlexPass allows you to come see a performance on whatever day of the run you so choose, while the Thursday/Sunday FlexPass now lets you choose from the Thursday evening performances or either Saturday or Sunday matinees. Also, you get to reserve tickets anytime you like, so if you want to reserve your tickets now for a show in the Spring, feel free! Plus, if you subscribe before September 1, you get Early Bird perks!

- Also, new this year, our all access pass, the SUPER FlexPass! For $12 a month, you get to see anything you want, as many times as you like*.

The SUPER FlexPass is a monthly subscription (3-month minimum) to NC Stage that, while similar to the Prime Time FlexPass in that you get to choose whatever day you want to see a show, you get to see anything that goes on in the theatre*, not just our Mainstage productions. Neat, right? It's a pretty excellent deal.

*You get to see each show with priority seating the first time, then each subsequent visit to the same production, rush seating (availability day-of) is enforced. This excludes fundraisers.

- For those students out there, you've got a great deal, too: the Student FlexPass for only $36!

If you're a full-time student, you qualify to be a Student FlexPass Holder, which is most similar to our new SUPER FlexPass - you get into everything! Mainstage, Catalyst Series, Special Events... you're in. A great thing to have on hand when money's tight during the school year.

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Fun for the kids, too!

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So what are your thoughts about the season?

Let us know in the comments below.

My View, Your View, Re View...

2011-06-14T16:16:00.000-04:00

Alaska Reece Vance as Laura and Callan White as Amanda in The Glass Menagerie

We're headed into our final week of performances and we've heard good things, nay, great things from both patrons and reviewers alike. Why, just last Friday the Asheville Citizen-Times published its review of the production in the Take 5 Entertainment section, saying:

"Director Hans Meyer's vision is clear to the end and perfectly unites Williams' grand melodrama with the intimate space at N.C. Stage. [...] Knowing that Tom carries with him much of the playwright's own baggage, both the play and this haunting production make you wonder whether Williams ever got any peaceful sleep in his life."

And on Sunday, as folks were leaving the theatre after the curtain call, I heard one patron say to another, "I read The Glass Menagerie in high school and it was nothing like that!" To which the other responded, "This was a good show."

Charlie said this after seeing the show for the first time: "You know who sees a lot of theatre? This guy. Glass Menagerie is one of the finest productions I've seen in some time. Uniformly, superbly acted and deftly directed. Funny, heartbreaking, urgent and vital. You will do yourself a tremendous favor to see it."

So what do you have to say? If you've seen it already and are encouraging friends to see it before we close on Sunday, A) we sincerely appreciate the word-of-mouth and love you dearly, and B) what have you told them about the show? Why is it something they shouldn't miss?

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below!

Penny for your thoughts, Tom?

Shoe Company to City Museum: Warehouse to Funhouse

2011-06-09T14:17:00.000-04:00

Just the other day, I was looking up some information about Tennessee Williams on Wikipedia and found a remarkable and exciting anecdote in the 'Education' section of his biography. "Williams was seven years old in 1918 when his father was promoted to a job at the home office of the International Shoe Company in St. Louis." If you're thinking, 'Wow, Lauren, you're really behind the times, of course Williams drew from his personal experience to write The Glass Menagerie... it's said to be semi-autobiographical,' then you've gone down the wrong lane. I was excited by the actual name of the company his father worked for: the International Shoe Company.

See the thing is, I grew up in central Illinois, so St. Louis has always been a nice little day trip to go see exciting/cultural/historical things in the city, and in 2005, I went to the CITY Museum for the first time with a group of friends. WOW! It's possibly the most fun you'll ever have in any 'museum' in the world. And... it's an old shoe factory. The old factory building of the International She Company, in fact. The very "warehouse" Tennessee refers to in the play that caused Tom such misery (or Missouri?) is now a destination for exploration and excitement. I've told numerous people about it and pretty much whenever I've been in the area, I've brought out-of-town friends to explore it with me. I've been three or four times myself and it seems like there's more to explore every time.

As far as I recall, there's no signifier letting folks know that such a big figure in American literature and theatre once worked there in its warehouse days. However, after some searching, I found a blog mentioning it as well as a news release from the St. Louis Convention & Visitor's Commission listing sights in St. Louis connected with Tennessee Williams for this year's celebration of the 100th year of his birth. While Tom says, "You think I'm crazy about the warehouse?," I'd argue that most people are crazy about the 'warehouse' these days with its current incarnation as a funhouse of history and adventure. From the caves to the slides (made from old shoe chutes!), CITY Museum has so much to explore - both inside the building and out - so I highly recommend the trip when you're anywhere within five hours of it. It boggles the mind to think that such joy comes from a place that caused Tennessee Williams to have a nervous breakdown.

I've posted a slideshow below to give you a sense of what there is available to experience at the CITY Museum. There aren't all that many pictures in the slideshow, but if you Google 'City Museum Pictures' you're sure to see more. Enjoy!

And if you've been to CITY Museum, please tell us your stories! What's your favorite element of it? Or, if you have questions, ask away! As always, I encourage you to check out the immediate theatre project blog, too. Since this in a co-production, we're co-blogging!

Opening Week Quiz!!!

2011-05-31T13:02:00.000-04:00

Hey folks! The Glass Menagerie opens this week, so it's time to decide when to see this sure-to-be excellent production. If you happen to be a slightly indecisive person like me, there's hope - I've created a helpful little quiz to decide for you!

Don't know which event of Opening Week to attend?

Take this quiz to find out which night fits you best!
Enjoy...

1. When you plan an evening out, you get most excited when:

A. ... you get a great bargain while doing something you love.

B. ... it's an extension of your post-workday festivities.

C. ... there's stimulating conversation that plumbs the depths of your curiosity.

D. ... you're celebrating something with friends - birthdays, the weekend, whatever!

2. When you pick up the Mountain Xpress, the first section you look at is:

A. Freewill Astrology

B. Food

C. Commentary

D. Conscious Party

3. Which famous movie quote fits you best?

A. "I have always depended on the kindness of strangers."

B. "As God as my witness, I'll never be hungry again."

C. "You ain't heard nothin' yet."

D. "Hello gorgeous."

4. Of the choices below, what type of animal would you choose?
      A. Badger
      B. Squirrel
      C. Meerkat
      D. Penguin

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Answer time!
If you had mostly A's...
You should attend Pay What You Can Night on Wednesday, June 1! The minimum ticket price is $6. How are we able to do it? Check out this old blog entry for PWYC FAQ. For tickets to this night's performance, you should call the NC Stage box office at 828.239.0263.

If you had mostly B's...
You should attend Happy Hour and a Half on Thursday, June 2! Right when our box office opens at 6 PM, you're welcome to enjoy the delicious (and complimentary) food from the Colorful Palate Catering. Beverages (beer and wine) from our concessions are also complimentary up until showtime.

If you had mostly C's...
You should attend Friday Night Insight on Friday, June 3! We love hearing from folks who've seen the show and thought a lot about it, and this is your opportunity to think out loud and ask questions of the director and cast. Stick around after the show for insight and discussion about the production.

If you had mostly D's...
You should attend the Opening Night Gala on Saturday, June 4! Yes, all of our opening week events are in celebration of finally having an audience to perform for, but Saturday's the official opening performance. Join us in the lobby after the show to meet the cast, sip some Champagne, and celebrate the production with us.

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If you've decided, now it's time to actually get those tickets. You can purchase them online, over the phone (828.239.0263), or in person at the NC Stage box office Monday - Friday, 10 AM-5 PM.

We look forward to hearing from (and seeing) you soon!

Designer Interview: Props! with Jessica

2011-05-26T14:48:00.000-04:00

Note: Not real menagerie. Steuben Glass. (Read: Financially Prohibitive)

As we approach tech week(end), we've got some interviews with designers coming up on the blog for your reading pleasure. Today, we've got an interview with Jessica Kammerud, props mistress for The Glass Menagerie. Enjoy!

Lauren (on behalf of NCSC): So Jessica, when did you first encounter this play, The Glass Menagerie?

Jessica (JK): I know I read it in high school at some point, but this is my first experience working on the play, and I've actually never seen a production of it, so I'm excited to come at it with a fresh set of eyes.

NCSC: What's the most intriguing prop you've found or are still looking for?

JK: The actual menagerie. No question. It's a challenge and intriguing at the same time because if I were to look for real glass animal figurines, it'd be financially prohibitive since they're collector's items and also an acting hazard because of the potential for breakage.

NCSC: So what are you planning to do for the menagerie?

JK: Right now I'm planning on making them. I'll be constructing the animals myself through a resin casting process. I've got some rubber animals from A.C. Moore and I'll be making the casts of either half of an animal, then pouring the resin in. That's the plan. I'll let you know how it works out.

NCSC: Outside of the menagerie, what's been your biggest challenge prop-wise?

JK: Finding the piece of furniture the menagerie is supposed to sit on. Same thing with the table for the Victrola. The challenge is that it needs to be a certain height and shape -- desk height and end table shape -- but tables built recently tend to be shorter. I have found some really nice tables, but they're way beyond our budget. And we can't borrow people's furniture because almost everything is being painted white.

NCSC: Well that must really limit your options... how's that working out?

JK: It's going to look pretty amazing, but it is a bit constricting with regard to borrowing items, as I mentioned. The white of the set and the props is really to emphasize the "memory" aspect of what Tennessee Williams called "a memory play." The only things not being painted white are the things left behind by the absent Wingfield father, the Victrola and the frame of his picture. The white really gives a sense of the blank canvas on which to present the story.

NCSC: So how does the number of props for this show fit in the range of shows you've worked on?

JK: It's pretty average, so not a lot of props, but not super sparse either. However, since most everything is white, I've been able to make some interesting choices about detail since we don't want it all to blend together. It's nice to see just how a simple line can give an item the right flavor. The details of what is on stage is what comes from Tom's memory of his family home.

NCSC: Are you painting the props?

JK: I am. Everything will be white, but not necessarily the same shades of white. Also, we're making decisions about flat paint versus paint with a sheen. It's been interesting to think about whether it'd be more distracting to see flat paint on something you know in your mind is shiny or vice versa. It really gets into the peculiarities of detail. Also, we have to test out what paints work best for which items so it won't flake off on the actors, since the costumes are in color.

NCSC: Well, Jessica, thanks for taking the time to give us an interview, and best of luck with the menagerie and everything else! Keep us updated.

JK: Will do. Thanks!

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So folks, keep checking in to check out what's going on at the theatre. Also, don't forget to check out the Immediate Theatre Project's blog, too.

(We're co-blogging this production, if you don't recall.)

Oh! And get your tickets, 'cause we open a week from yesterday!

The Glass Menagerie: co-produced, co-blogged

2011-05-18T12:00:00.000-04:00

Assuming you're in the loop, you're aware that we're in rehearsals for The Glass Menagerie right now. But did you know it's actually a co-production? It is! Our Partner Company-in-Residence since 2008, Immediate Theatre Project, is co-producing the Tennessee Williams masterpiece that wraps up our Mainstage season. I mention this co-producing stuff because we're co-blogging about the rehearsal process and production, too! Now you'll get to read different perspectives on the play, not just from me. I'll still be writing here for NC Stage, but you should check out ITP's blog to hear what they've got to say. Any particular requests you like us to investigate and report back to you about The Glass Menagerie? We're open to investigative blogging, so just let us know below, in the comments section. Like what you see (either here or at ITP's blog)? Let us know that too! Excited to see it (the production, that is)? Then get your tickets today!

More to come soon...

http://punchingkitty.com/2010/07/16/ever-wondered-what-st-louis-looked-like-before-the-arch/

Rattlesnake - THIS WEEKEND ONLY!

2011-05-13T12:45:00.000-04:00

Rattlesnake opened yesterday! That's right, John Hardy is here in Asheville and we had the first performance last night here at NC Stage. If you haven't heard yet, the Mountain Xpress declared Rattlesnake a "Smart Bet" in this week's issue. If that doesn't do it for you, we've got some familiar faces from our stage - Andrew Livingston and Julia VanderVeen - to vouch for John Hardy and his great work.

"I saw John Hardy play George in Of Mice and Men at the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, VA. He is a truly remarkable actor. He understands the specificity of action and conflict through given circumstances like no other. And he's an interesting human being making him engaging to watch on stage."

-- Andrew Livingston

"Joe Pitt" in Angels in America: Millennium Approaches and "Jim" in the upcoming NCSC/itp production of The Glass Menagerie

Julia as "Gretchen" (in yellow)

"John Hardy is the single person from whom I have learned the most about acting. He is an amazingly committed, giving artist. And Katy Brown, director of Rattlesnake, is the other person whom I have learned the most about acting from in the world. They together took me from being a "performer" to being an artist."

On Rattlesnake: "You will be shocked how one man can transform himself into 16 different characters and tell a very full story, and you will leave the theatre changed. It is an honor for me to even be in the same room as John Hardy and every time I watch him work I learn something and yearn to better myself as an actor and as a person."

-- Julia VanderVeen

"Sister James" in Doubt, "Ophelia" in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, and "Gretchen" in Boeing-Boeing

You heard it! It's one you won't want to miss, so come on down and see it, 'cause it's only here through Saturday. All tickets are $15, but student rush tickets ($10) are available after 2 PM the day of a show. Want to get your tickets? You can order online, call us (828.239.0263), or stop by in person!

Be seein' you...

sssssssssoooooooon.

Goings-on at NC Stage

2011-05-04T13:07:00.000-04:00

Wow! It's May already? Amazing.

Time just keeps blowing by around this place with everything going on.

It's hard to believe that in exactly four weeks, The Glass Menagerie opens! That's right, our final Mainstage production of the 2010-2011 season is quickly approaching. It's actually a co-production with the Immediate Theatre Project, and we're excited about it. It runs June 1-19, so Pay-What-You-Can Night is the first performance -- Wednesday, June 1. Wondering about how PWYC Night works? One of our older posts from the blog really breaks it down for you, so be sure to check that out.

Tickets went on sale to the public on Monday, and this Sunday, May 8, Mother's Day, we have our (For)Play Reading of The Glass Menagerie. If you've never been to a (For)Play Reading before, you're missing out. You get to hear the actors do a read-through of the play before rehearsals actually start. If you enjoy watching the artistic process unfold, we encourage you to come to this initial reading and then buy a ticket to see the fully realized production. For an even more in-depth look, buy a copy of the script at Malaprop's Bookstore, which is stocking all of NC Stage's plays this season. Plus, since it's a holiday and all, we're making this (For)Play extra special and bringing you free coffee and baked goods!

Also, as this week is National Teacher Appreciation Week, we've announced that teachers get free tickets to see this production of The Glass Menagerie for the first week of the run. "[It's] a gesture of gratitude to the hard work of teachers in the community and a celebration of the end of the school year. Equally important, this is a relatively rare opportunity for area teachers and students to see a live, professional production of a play that is often taught in schools." Are you a teacher or have friends who are? Please, pass the word along to them!

So what else? In case you haven't heard, Sugar Shack Burlesque is performing one night only at NC Stage tomorrow, Thursday, May 5. I'm pretty sure that with all the buzz in the paper lately, it's going to fill up quickly.

Then next weekend, May 12-14, we have our second to last (penultimate... I like that word) Catalyst Series production of the season as well. It's a one-man show called Rattlesnake, and it's written and performed by John Hardy, acclaimed actor and director from the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia. Want to see a glimpse of it? Check out the video below!

Also coming up, we have the final performance of our students, both youth and adults, in our Acting Intensives who have taken classes with Michael MacCauley for twelve weeks this spring. That performance is Sunday, May 15 at 7 PM at NC Stage, and it's free!... though we welcome any donations, as they go towards supporting NC Stage's Education Program offerings including in-school residencies, after-school programs, outreach to local schools and colleges, and acting classes.

Whew! Well, we hope to see you in the coming days and weeks around these parts. And if somehow we miss you in May, we'll surely see you in June when The Glass Menagerie opens. Until next time...

It's the End of the World!: Suggested Viewing

2011-04-28T13:32:00.000-04:00

Hurray! More apocalyptic suggestions! Today, our suggestions have to do with movies (or TV shows... or TV movies) that deal with end-of-the-world or post-apocalypse type scenarios. As London was seemingly experiencing the wrath of God in the mid-1660s (the Great Plague in 1664-5 and then the Great Fire in 1666), we figured to get you in the mindset of the characters of One Flea Spare, we'd give you some panic-inducing and slightly terrifying things to watch. [Oh, quick disclaimer: I have seen only one of the movies listed below, but the rest I recommend sheerly because from my research on them got me really intrigued. They're on my list now.]

To kick things off, we have the TV movie The Day After. I initially heard about this from a list of Apocalyptic songs that someone put together for an awesome college radio station near Baltimore. Then I found out that John Lithgow was in it. WHAT!?!??! I've been watching a lot of Third Rock from the Sun lately, so I love that guy. Anyhow, nuclear war, etc. etc. My take on it from reading about people's reactions was that it was like War of the Worlds for the TV generation. Pretty epic. And terrifying. I mean, it's set in the midwest, and as a middle-American, I find tornadoes terrifying, so nuclear disasters just make my brain want to explode with the panic it instills in me. AHH!

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Next we have the recent movie 2012. With the tagline "We were warned," you can imagine the distances this disaster film takes us. O-ver the top. Haven't seen it, but my uncle told me, "Yeah, it makes you re-think the whole living in California thing." I'm not a huge John Cusack fan, so I don't know whether this movie will be at the top of my to-see list, but as it's in the end-of-the-world category, I'm sharing it with you.

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Additionally, we should mention the History Channel's series Life After People. It's been on my list for a while. Take Chernobyl, then expand that across the globe. What would happen after all human life disappeared? Holy whoa, here's a show to speculate on the possibilities. This earth takes a whole lotta upkeep... in the human inhabited bits at least.

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Of course, we would be remiss to neglect the genre of zombie-related apocalypse movies, as there are plenty of those and with zombies seemingly ever present in pop culture lately, so in that vein we have Zombieland. I haven't seen it, but take a look at the cast: Woody Harrelson - excellent in most everything he does; Jesse Eisenberg - did you see The Social Network? Wow. He's one to watch; Emma Stone - talented - I saw her in Easy A and was a little surprised I liked it, but anyhow, she's a good 'un; and Abigail Breslin - remember Olive from Little Miss Sunshine? It's the same young actress but a few years older and she looks like a bada** on the poster. Even though zombies aren't really my thing, I'm definitely going to check this one out. Plus, my boyfriend keeps telling me I need to see it.

In this zombie movie vein, Charlie keeps bringing up 28 Days Later. Yet another movie I haven't seen, but it's done by Danny Boyle and he's one talented fellow, so it's worth a watch.

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And finally, for a slightly more family-friendly end-of-the-world movie, I highly recommend Disney and Pixar's Wall-E. Set in the future, it deals less with a sense of impending doom, disaster, and destruction and more with the aftermath of all that. However, viewing it from present day gives the kidlets (and parents) a chance to think about how present choices and actions affect the future and how to be mindful and make changes in positive ways. It also helps the viewer to find what is meaningful in your day-to-day life.

So, on that happy and hopeful note, have a great Thursday!

As always, we welcome your comments.

"Setting" One Flea Spare

2011-04-22T12:37:00.001-04:00

Our last post had to do with putting the fictional Snelgraves into historical and geographical reality with their would-be neighbor, Samuel Pepys. Today's post is in a similar vein in that it's about taking the description of the setting given by Ms. Wallace, the playwright, and bringing it to the physical reality of NC Stage's space.

Here's the description of the setting:
"A room that has been stripped of all its fine furnishings, except for a couple of simple, though fine, wooden chairs. One small window upstage.

A cell or room of confinement.

The street below the window of the Snelgraves' house."

So how does that all come together and mesh with the ideas of the director and other designers? Well, there are a series of production meetings where discussions occur, ideas are thrown out and others replace them, decisions are made and eventually action must take place. In the slideshow below, you can see the evolution of the set design from model through construction through painting to completion (roughly). In some of the painting pictures, you can see the Scene Designer himself, James Johnson. You can also see how with the design of the set, we made the decision to bring in the seating of our side sections, as the playing space is a bit more confined than usual. (They're great seats, by the way...)

Enjoy the (slide)show! And, of course, feel free to share your thoughts and comments below.