Spring, 2006
One very interesting trend that has popped up in recent mainstage shows is the use of auditioners who aren't cast in regular roles in a show in an add-on capacity.  In ANATOMY OF A MURDER, actors were pulled from the audition list to be jurors, sitting in the audience and delivering a verdict at the end of the trial; the jury foreman was rotated between them.  And in THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW many auditioners became ushers, dressing in costumes like in the show and serving as a Greek chorus to the goings-on, ad-libbing very much like a typical midnight audience for the movie version.  These "extra" performers have since involved themselves in other shows, so this auxiliary participation has its long term value; may it continmue.  *****  Wayne Erreca's original script, THE FALLEN IN COUER D'ALENE, was an intriguing blend of elements from GASLIGHT, the French New Wave cinema, the theater of John Guare, and even the Robert Aldrich classic, WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE?, which had earned his uncle, Victor Buono an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.  Wayne's significant other, Sandy McClain did a fascinating turn as a character that had to assume two accents that were not her own; she joined the DON'T DRESS FOR DINNER ensemble, Stephanie Young, Ashleigh Hanchett, Justin Harris, and Dan Jablonsky, all of whom stretched their acting muscles, playing dramatic material far beyond anything they had previously done.  This same group also had minor roles in ANATOMY OF A MURDER, so rehearsal schedules were tight and demanding, with 7 day weeks necessary later on, as opening night loomed nearer.  I think the end result was worth it, though.   **** ROCKY HORROR was a winner in all respects, recreating the original stage show brilliantly, while paying homage to the cult film version.  The house was decorated with replicas of classic movie posters, cleverly doctored by Roland Woodring, to substitute cast members' names for some of the originals.  Brett Nichols did a dazzling interpretation of Dr. Frank'n Furter, and Sarna Salzman was a perfect Magenta.  Micha Thomas was fascinating as Janet, going quite believably from engenue to wanton.  Chris Horvath as Rocky, Lesley Tye as Columbia, Rob Stow as Brad, Jeff Curtis as Riff Raff (like Steve Morse in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, he shaved his head immediately following the closing performance), and Al Lien as Dr. Scott were also memorable.  Statuesque Katie Slenk was wisely kept in the foreground during the TIME WARP number, and was visually striking.  Newcomers included Todd Springer, an old friend from Camp Roy-el, Beverly Cady, a veteran of the Northwestern Michigan College NMC Players, Becca Walton, ditto, and Elitza Nicolaou, who acted in Timothy (Hall) Grey's recently filmed second movie, now in the editing stage.   To top things off, director Brian Dungjen's wife, Michelle gave birth to their first child the same day they were striking the set at the close of the run.  **********  The trio of one-acts I put together a year ago (THE HAPPY JOURNEY by Thornton Wilder, which Karen Cross directed, THIS PROPERTY IS CONDEMNED, which I directed, and GLORY IN THE FLOWER, done by Chris Cooke) came off well, with a terrific closing Friday house, respectable houses on other nights, and a comment by playreading veteran, Margaret Schaal that their performance enhances their appeal in print.  Unlike last year's trio, this group shared actors, creating complicated rehearsal schedules.  The top floor of the Talbot's Building served some of the rehearsals well  (Ed Mulcahy used one of the rooms to rehearse the upcoming MUSICAL COMEDY MURDERS OF 1940).       My assistant director, Margaret Anne Slawson and I had a challenging task, transforming 24 year old actress, Tina O"Rourke into 13 year old Willie.  Tina is a talented but inexperienced actress with a very different personality than her character's, so the building process was gradual, but the end result was gratifying.  For Tina it all came together the night her brother was in a minor traffic mishap; the emotion she was feeling about him was transferred to her performance, where it stayed.  When she began playing to an audience she gained more confidence and didn't stumble over lines she knew perfectly well.   With the help of Al Lien, Wendy Roberts, and Ed Mulcahy we put together a blueboard railroad track and a railroad crossing sign.  The program's pre-show big band era music came from my recent trip to a Borders store in Chicago, which always has stuff the local Borders here doesn't.  A special find was an old Peggy Lee  mid 40's number, WAITIN' FOR MY TRAIN TO COME IN, which became my play's signature song.  The show's technical crew, as in DON'T DRESS, were all hand picked by me, with Heather Seidner, who had worked on shows in the 90's, returning to us in the recent staged reading, WHAT WILL BE IN THE FIELDS OF TOMORROW?, where I found her as a last minute replacement for the very busy Ashleigh Hanchett, who, by the way, will be our hair chair next season.  Abby Alexander, who until a year ago was one of the Playhouse children's theater program's best kept secrets, really came into her own in this show.  Luis Araquistain. the TCCT coordinator, always knows how to use his available talent well.  Abby divided her time between performing (often paired with another strong talent, Kendall Laskowski) and backstage jobs (running sound or even managing the TCCT office when Luis was working upstairs).  Spring of a year ago, she was in the chorus of the musical, CAROUSEL, and followed that with a smashing performance downstairs in the title role of THE INSANITY OF MARY GIRARD.  I added her to the DON'T DRESS crew, where her eagerness, intelligence, overall helpfulness and winsome personality made her an instant favorite of director Stephanie Young.  When Stephanie became the one-act stage manager, she upgraded Abby's duties, having her fill in as assistant stage manager and even call the show one night.  You can be sure the two of them will work together again.  Chris Cooke updated his play (written in the 50's) to the present, and created a disco setting, with the late, great Lou Rawls performing YOU'LL NEVER FIND.  We took the first two plays to Northport on Palm Sunday, where we were received by a modest but appreciative house; on the trip back, cast members Kelly Long and Kimberlee Hodek  had an accident similar to that suffered a decade ago by the late Marci Hall, but fortunately they were  not seriously hurt (the show has made them best friends, even as Stephanie and Ashleigh last fall).  Jamie Cox made an appearance playing one of the dancers at the Paradise Bar, as did I; it was a role a bit closer to my personal life than most I have played.  The end reswult of this production:  Karen Cross will direct Noel Coward's comedy, HAY FEVER next season, and we have a dandy group of potential on stage/backstage people for any director or stage manager who wishes to use them.   ******  The NMC dance department had a dance concert, ALIVE INSIDE, which featured work by the talented and extremely active Becca Walton, who recently divided her time between stage managing two college drama shows (and acting in one of them) and assistant directing and performing in GLORY; like Abby, she's a girl to watch.   Miriam Pico sang with her musician brother Cris doing instrumental for this and a later concert the following Thursday, BRING IN THE SPRING over at East Hall (weather kept the concert indoors).  The latter jamfest featuring 10 bands included Dede Alderman and her husband (who were profiled in the Record-Eagle the same day for their environmental activities).  She had played percussion in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST; she did a variety of music here, including an Irish song.  Claire (WEST SIDE STORY) Posner's sister, Esther also performed, singing a song in Portugese, a language in which she is fluent.  A welcome surprise was a visit by Ashley Frost, Miriam's old WEST SIDE STORY pal, who joined the Young Amerifcans after high school and later performed in Japan.  She is starting a six month job as an ensemble member at the Round Barn Theater in Napance, Indiana.  The shows shw will be doing include CAMELOT and FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (she will undoubtedly play one of Tevya's daughters in the latter show).  ******  Two dramatic shows had back to back runs at NMC in April:  TALKING WITH, directed by student Anthony Ascione-Schwastek, and DEADLY ERNEST, directed by student, David Graves.  The first show featured a wonderfully sophisticated recital by Jamie Moyers and fine work by Esme Bloomquist and Becca Walton (more onstage roles for Becca, puh-leeze!) and some interesting new faces, one of them a nice cross between a young Susan Sarandon and Martha Plimpton.  Anthony had to step in for an actress who dropped out at the last minute, and did RODEO in a long black wig; this was an unusual reversal of the usual NMC Player trend of having gals in guy parts, and Toni (as he billed himself) did well.  ********    A, MY NAME IS ALICE, which had previously been done here by Tempest Productions and again by its successor, Michigan Ensemble Theater was resurrected by Theatre North at the Trillium with satisfying results.  The delightful Kerry Secrist, all too seldom seen these days, was back in fine form, and Nan Worthington was hilarious as the lady who has poems "for women only",  Christy Anderson made this a momentary farewell to her performing as she starts a new job with Hagerty insuirance.  We wish her well whatever path life takes her on.  After the run, the group did a number from the show for the Rotary show.  ******  TC on Broadway, a performance by the Traverse Symphony Orchestra, featured OTP veterans Nancy Brick, Phil Callighan,Andrea DeGregorio (who has been teaching TCCP children's theater classes), Jeremy Evans, Hayley Norris, and Cynthia Van Maanen.  They did 2 shows in early March at Lars Hockstad.  ******* Tanya Donahue, an NMC graduate who played the daughter last year in OUR TOWN for the Leelanau Players and worked tech and taught theater classes at OTP  has been enjoying her position as Director of Dramatic Arts at Interlochen/Pathfinder which she obtained last fall.  It doesn't allow her time to perform up here, but her photo gets regular exposure in NMC advertising.  She worked briefly at Just Imagine, directing a children's play and serving as entertainment director before landing her current position.  We wish her the best.   *******  Odd coincidence:  THIS PROPERTY IS CONDEMNED dealt with a girl who feeds herself out of a restaurant's trash.  A recent TUMBLEWEEDS comic strip featured an Indian running a hamburger stand that raised his price for pemmican burgers.  When a cowboy objects, he is invited to visit a soup kitchen in town.  The Indian adds, "I hear the dumpsters are often pregnant with goodies."  To which I can only say, "bon appetit!"

Hedges MacDonald5