Journals

AN INTERVIEW  directed by Hedges MacDonald Asst. Director - Denny Everett Mentor - Phil Murphy Costumes - Nancy Albrecht The Attorney..... Mike Kelly                  The attendant .... Tim Hall

HOT LINE
directed by Ed Mulcahy
Asst. Director - Gary Bolton
Costumes - Donna Hood
Ken .... Dom Ramazetti               Dr. Russell...  Mindy Cohen-Loomis
Marty ..... Michael Axford                      Dorothy .... Paula Hall
Delivery Boy.... Chris Horvath

CENTRAL PARK WEST
directed by Sarah Hampton
Asst. Director - Chris Wendel
Phyllis ......Diana Morgan                       Carol......Anne Norris
Howard.................. Rick Korndorfer           Sam............. Mike Nunn
Juliet................ Nicole McKay

Producer for Death Defying Acts - Wendy Kalish, Stage Manager - Amanda Baltrip, Props - Jeanne Remick

The directors wish the thank all those that auditioned and to congratulate those that are cast. It was a difficult process to select from the talent that came to the auditions. The first read-through is Wednesday, February 20, 6:30 in the Studio.

Death Defying Acts is a unique pairing of three one-act comedies by noted playwrights Woody Allen, David Mamet and Elaine May.  It was a long running Off-Broadway hit during the late 1990’s.  This show will feature three directors – Sarah Hampton, Hedges MacDonald and Ed Mulcahy – each directing one of the three scripts.

The production has roles for up to twelve adults – eight men and four women.  Performance dates are slated for April 19-20, 25-27 and May 2-4, 2002.  

 On February 18 and 19 the Studio Theater will audition the first program of one-act plays of the new millennium.  Short plays have a tradition in our smaller space, and the current trio, packaged under the title, "Death Defying Acts", offer an entertaining variety of comedy, scripted by 3 of the most popular contemporary writer/directors of the stage and screen. The  program will offer 3 local directors the opportunity to make their Playhouse debuts in this capacity.  Woody Allen's "Central Park West" (Director, Sarah Hampton; assistant director, T.J. Berden), David Mamet's "An Interview" (Director, Hedges Macdonald; assistant director, Denny Everett), and Elaine May's "Hotline" (Director, Edward Mulcahy; assistant director, Gary Bolton)  present a very adult but highly amusing series of situations involving a dozen characters.  "Hotline" requires  2 leads, one of each sex (the play is based on an old Mike Nichols/Elaine May comedy routine, which has been expanded to five roles in this version), and "Central Park West" needs 2 couples in their late 40's plus a younger woman in her 20's.  The other 5 characters are flexible in terms of gender, including the 2 character "An Interview", which offers its cast members a little sass.  Some of the language is extremely adult in nature but those interested in performing challenging material are encouraged to come to auditions.   Performances will be April 19 to May 4. 

For Further information:      Hedges Macdonald    231.933.7262    hedges@traverse.net

Hedges MacDonald, Director

04-11-02
My initial foray into directing ("An Interview" by David Mamet, one of the three Death Defying Acts) is at the same time, a new experience and an old one. Working on the other side of the stage is certainly a new challenge, but doing a two character Mamet one act is not.  20 years ago Tom Olkonnen and I performed one of Mamet's very first plays, "The Duck Variations" in the Studio Theater under the one time only direction of music director Joe Rice.  My current play was written 20 years later with a very different setting, but the artistic demands are similar, and the struggle to pull everything together offers me considerable deja vu.  Mike Kelly is our T.O. (Tom's longtime nickname), while Tim Hall (brother of the fondly remembered Marci, for whom our Playhouse elevator is named) is a much more physical second lead than I was, although I was only five years older than he is now. 
The trio of plays, aside from offering three new directors an opportunity to do a show, offers an unofficial merger (or whatever you wish to call it) between the OTP Studio Theater and Tempest Entertainment, the company run by Tim and Paula Hall, who staged "Tony and Tina's Wedding" at the Park Place two summers ago.  Many Playhouse performers have done roles in their shows, but this is the first time they have done one of ours.  Paula is doing a role in Elaine May's "Hotline" that May originated with famed actor/director Mike Nichols, when they were part of the Compass Players in Chicago, a group from which the original company of Second City evolved.  Mamet's theatrical roots also include Second City, where he briefly worked as a busboy. Most of our cast of "Hotline" are first time people, including Mindy Loomis.   The third play offers Diana  DeMarco Morgan and Rick Korndorfer a long desired opportunity to act in the same play together, and the end result promises to be hilarious.  "Central Park West" by Woody Allen takes the often dubious art of profanity and turns it into high comedy.  Familiar Playhouse thespians Mike Nunn and Ann Norris and Tempest veteran Nicole McKay are providing able support for a script that literally  ends with a bang.     One of my personal satisfactions in doing this show is the opportunity to recruit capable people to participate backstage.  Al Thompson, a longtime participant but recently absent from production is back designing lighting for the first time in awhile.  I was also pleased to welcome back Casey Wolf, last seen around "Two by Two", but on hiatus for the last several months.  Her contributions are invaluable, especially after my assistant director Denny Everett was given the nod to do a part in CURIOUS SAVAGE. There have been many hands stirring this frothy  soup tureen of humor, but all efforts, large and small, promise to contribute to a memorable evening of theater.