Fall, 2005
Looking back over the summer, there was considerable visibility of Playhouse connected people in various performing areas all during the season.  The first ever Traverse City Film Festival had several of us involved in its successful mounting, most notably electrician Al Thompson and Tim Hall, who were heavily participating in the renovation of the State Theater for the screenings there (and let us hope some group can push this project to the next level, where it can be used for screenings and stage shows year round).  I had the pleasure of introducing THE ASSASSINATION OF RICHARD NIXON, a well intentioned film that took itself a bit too seriously, missing the darkly humorous aspects of attempted Presidential assassin Samuel Byck's life (these were captured most entertainingly in the show ASSASSINS); the final irony being the totally botched attempt happening mere months before Nixon's resignation.  It was well made, with a strong Sean Penn performance, but it wasn't a terrifically fun flick, which probably explains its soft boxoffice performance nationally (Michael Moore's decision to revive it for the Festival lends credibility to dissenters who label the event as politically motivated; most of the other screenings were of brand new works that hadn't opened elsewhere, and Nixon was and still is a popular President among longtime conservatives).  *******  Kat Burke, who has taught guitar lessons in our children's theater program, continues to be seen performing at both Friday Night Live and Horizon Books; she recently wed Steve Eldred, and she and Stephanie Leach (who just became Mrs. John Young) rate congratulations from all Playhouse friends. *********Riverside Shakespeare saw the return of Justin Harris (last year's Malcolm in MACBETH), who filled in some vacant roles in MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING at the last minute; he now has moved over to the Playhouse and has roles in both DON'T DRESS FOR DINNER in the Studio and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST on the Mainstage.  I am producing Stephanie's first full length play as director, and I take great pride in my role of recruiting actors for the show (John Plough from Riverside Shakespeare and Ashleigh Hanchett from the improv group, DISTURBING THE PIECE auditioned at my invitation and are part of a very strong cast that includes Linda Smith in her first non Shakespearean light comedy lead and Maria Larrance, a girl who hales from Siberia, in her Playhouse debut).  Stephanie is NOT experiencing the casting problems she had with her one act play, THE BRUTE (currently being revived by a group in Chicago).  ************ Miriam Pico, who began her performing career in the chorus of WEST SIDE STORY and went on to roles in TWO BY TWO and Stage Door Productions' GREASE, as well as doing some of our Gala shows, recently won an award from radio Station WKLT and performs with her own band and Chris Cooke's EAST BAY BLUE, with gigs at Union Street Station, Streeters (she was part of the Hurricane Katrina fund raiser), and Just Imagine (where I occasoionally take my puppet act and song spoof sketches).  Her CD, CITY DREAMS (Traverse is becoming more of a city and less of a small town) is on sale locally, along with her own tee shirt, following in the footsteps of Chelsee Oaks (our last ANNIE).  *****Grace Brauer, last seen at the Playhouse in PROOF (opening nationally as a feature film), is busy teaching dance at The Dance Center, organizing Art Slingers shows that combine visual art with dance exhibitions (the kind of highly athletic dance taught by Michael Wirth over at Northwestern Michigan College and occasionally exhibited at the Playhouse) , with a fundraiser scheduled at the Waterfront Inn, and participating in the Ignorant Art show at the Traverse Commons.  Her first oil painting, BLUE MIND (done 5 years ago) now hangs in my study. *********A major filmmaking effort,  FOLK LORE was completed over the summer by Kingsley's Prometheus Productions (director Jeff Morgan making his feature debut), with Stacey Griffith, Al Lien and yours truly prominently featured, and is in the editing stage.  My scenes as a 9 inch fairy were the last to be shot in a garage on a bright summer morning.  Finding a distributor will be the next hurdle (a big one, as other independents have learned).  ******** West Senior High staged a BEST OF THE WEST revue which revived musical numbers from their shows over the years, bringing back original cast members to recreate their songs.  Amy Baumann and Khaki Pixley (who both did the highly successful GODSPELL at Milliken Auditorium) and Sara Baty were among the returnees.  ***********  Karen Cross directed THE BOY FRIEND at the Northport school auditorium where everyone said goodbye to lead, Maggie Racich (now a college student in Boston and a cast member of a production of Arthur Miller's A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE, which is rare for a freshman at that school), and delighted in the performances of Micah Thomas and (in a hilarious May/'December duet) Al Lien and Jamie Moyers.  Karen is now directing PRIVATE LIVES at the same theater, with Micah joining Bart Ingraham (doing a rare turn at drawing room comedy, after many, many musicals), Rick Korndorfer, and Bonnie Deigh.   The Playhouse did the show in 1987 with James Russell, Leah Spaulding (Mimi's older sister, who was the first in the family to perform on our stage), the late Eric Simon (who passed away the following February), Christina Thomas, and Kathy Watzel (who also left us much too soon), a production directed by Thom Wagner. **********Best wishes to Playhouse executive director George Beeby son, Harrison (who played OLIVER in 1997), as he attends Michigan State University to pursue a journalism career, with an eye toward broadcasting.  The first Playhouse show of the season, THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK (pronounced "Frahnk" if you didn't know) opened successfully, with future parents Brian and Michelle Dungjen launching what promises to be a great run (Michelle directing and Brian very strong as Anna's dad).  Michelle had previously performed in Arthur Miller's PLAYING FOR TIME in California, a drama about Fania Fenelon, a famous French chanteuse who sang in the woman's chorus in Auschwitz.  A very talented youngster, Danielle Naidow debuted for us in the title role, with a strong supporting cast featuring Esme Bloomquist and Elizabeth Stewart, who were so solid in their PRETENTIOUS YOUNG LADIES roles for Jan Dalton last spring, and Don Kuelhorn giving one of his best dramatic performances as the neighbor who shared the Frank family dwelling upstairs.  Larry Hains, last scene as Rose's husband in GYPSY, came back for a role as the store owner downstairs, and Bonnie Deigh returned to her roots (although she insists she's an Irish lassie at heart). Newcomers Lisa Robitsheck (solid as Anne's mom) and Justin Sarns and returning Dan Goodearl (last seen earlier in the summer in the staged reading of AARON'S CROSSING at Horizon Books) completed the cast, with Dan and wife Barbara (who shares Bonnie's heritage) doing props for the show.  Amy Warner, who's usually involved in musicals, was stage manager, and Kerry Moses returning to her occasional job as producer.  ******* Next up on the schedule is BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, directed by Phil Murphy.  84 people showed up for auditions, giving him a lot to choose from.  Tom Czarny, who usually does dramas, will take a musical turn as the Beast, and Phil Callighan is playing Lumiere, who gets to sing the show stopping BE OUR GUEST.  I predict a lot of theatergoers will accept that invitation.       

Hedges Macdonald

hedges@chartermi.net