Spring, 2004

As the chill of winter gives way to the chill of early spring (summer is still a few months away), a look back at recent shows is in order. CHICAGO was a very solid recreation of the show (Pauline Tyer had directed it 20 years earlier). It brought back to us Christine Smith, who debuted in MAD BAGGINS in the Studio back in 1985 and went on to appear in several more shows for us and for Tempest Productions. For several years she lived in New York, where she served as stunt double for major actresses like Sandra Bullock and for Lorraine Bracco in THE SOPRANOS. She is a student of (and locally a teacher of) martial arts and works in graphic design, and we welcome her back to what we hope are several more performances (her Velma Kelly could easily match the gal in the movie). NO EXIT brought back another old friend, Kasey Kilpatrick's son, Joe (Some of us used to call him "Jody"), joining another old returnee, David (Aggie) Struble. This show saw Jennifer Archibald doing a rare but very effective non-singing dramatic turn (she has since gone back to more familiar territory in DAMN YANKEES). Linda Smith, a recent returnee in PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE, had her biggest and strongest role, playing the lesbian, Inez. Al Lien did his usual effective job directing, with assistant director/stage manager Stephanie Leach making a major contribution (she will direct a one-act of her own next season). Joe Kilpatrick has since stepped into a vacant role in DEATH AND THE MAIDEN, whose performance run has now been postponed until June. THE TEMPEST took advantage of a government grant to create a visually striking version of Shakespeare's play. Its background music by Don Julin and special effects gave the show an almost movie like quality. It featured Jan Dalton, recreating the role of Caliban, which he had done before in the '60's. Other performers of note were Phil Murphy, Mimi Spaulding, Bonnie Deigh, and Maria McCain. Carina Saxon, who previously appeared in TCCT and Riverside Shakespeare shows, made her mainstage debut as one of the sprites/fairies. DAMN YANKEES brings back familiar performers, Sherry McCarty (whose husband, Vic is the current late news anchor on Fox TV), Phil Callighan, and James Hickey in the 3 lead roles and welcomes newcomers Barbara Goodearl and Christy Anderson in two other major roles. Fred Kramer, whom some may remember from long ago as the sergeant in BILOXI BLUES , lends his baritone voice to the role of the coach, Van Buren, which is so often sung tenor. Once again, Madison Ford was cast as a juvenile, then had his role upgraded to an adult (maybe next time they'll just cast him that way to begin with). Christy is slated to appear in our gala show. Our final mainstage offering, like so many shows this year, has had a casting change since auditions, and Jan Dalton will be joining Mike Nunn and Matt McCormack in what promises to be an offbeat but amusing production of a show that has been a proven crowd pleaser both here and abroad. Because of the rescheduling of a Studio show, there will be practically no dark weekends from now until mid June at OTP. Michael Blashill, a veteran of many of our shows, has had a busy theater schedule in Grand Rapids, reviving once again the role of Tony in TONY AND TINA'S WEDDING (one of only 3 productions of the show still being done nationally), and appearing as Jeb Bush (brother of our President) in a staged reading of a political satire written by Grand Rapids playwright, Norbert Hruby. He still finds time to visit his old friends here and to play piano at some parties. For some, the show HAIR never closed. Elissa Presseau, an actress in THE EFFECT OF GAMMA RAYS ON MAN-IN-THE-MOON MARIGOLDS, was profiled as the Rotary Student of the Week in the Grand Traverse Herald. She is the business manager for her high school yearbook, a student council member, and regularly participates in TCCT. She is also a teacher's assistant for a nursery school class, and is looking forward to attending Hope College. My condolences go out to the family of Michelle Alexander, who waited on and befriended several of us from the Old Town Playhouse. She never participated in our shows, but for some she seemed almost as one of our circle and will be missed.
Hedges Macdonald

hedges@chartermi.net