A few years ago, I met up with two of the founders of Modjeska Playhouse, Christopher Sullivan and Joshua Stecker. In the interview below, we discussed the founders’ history and how they decided to start the challenging — especially in an area with very little theatre presence — endeavor of creating a theatre. Even now the Modjeska Playhouse stands as the only performing arts theatre in the city of Lake Forest.  Despite these challenges, the Modjeska Playhouse has consistently released a wide variety of scripted and unscripted shows for Lake Forest and the surrounding communities. Continue Reading
Postmortem fits in quite well with the paradigm of the mystery play. It follows the rules of a typical mystery to the tee. On the one hand, following tradition allows for wonderful dialogue and drama. However, the traditional mystery structure also has weaknesses, and when a show’s direction is almost nonexistent, the weaknesses become very obvious. Even avid lovers of mystery theatre will have a hard time enjoying the Newport Theatre Arts Center’s production of Postmortem. The stakes are so low the authentic gunshots used in the play may be the only thing keeping your attention on the stage.Â
Pictures from the The Dragon Play @ The Chance Theatre in Anaheim July 23rd – August 23rd.
On a lonely farm in northern Minnesota, a husband and wife’s peaceful existence is shattered by the appearance of an unexpected visitor. On a hot stretch of highway in central Texas, a boy befriends a wounded dragon. Spanning two moments in time and space, and blurring the lines between each, The Dragon Play explores what happens when reality and fantasy converge, when desire and duty conflict, and when our deepest secrets show up breathing fire. The result is a smoldering, brutally poetic pair of stories between humans and dragons that scales the soaring highs and scorching lows of enduring love. (taken directly from the chance website)
Keiko Elizabeth as Woman and John J. Pistone as Man Doug Catiller, True Image Studio
J.B. Waterman as Dragon and Keiko Elizabeth as Woman Doug Catiller, True Image Studio
Elena Murray as Dragon Girl and Gasper Gray as Loser Boy Doug Catiller, True Image Studio
J.B. Waterman as Dragon and John J. Pistone as ManDoug Catiller, True Image Studio
John J. Pistone as Man and Keiko Elizabeth as Woman Doug Catiller, True Image Studio
Gasper Gray as Loser Boy and Keiko Elizabeth as Woman Doug Catiller, True Image Studio
Elena Murray as Dragon Girl and Gasper Gray as Loser Boy Doug Catiller, True Image Studio
Gasper Gray as Loser Boy and Elena Murray as Dragon Girl Doug Catiller, True Image Studio
Elena Murray as Dragon Girl Doug Catiller, True Image Studio
When it comes to theater, there wasn’t much Curtis Jerome couldn’t do. He thought of himself as a dancer, but he was also a director, choreographer, set designer, builder and painter, costumer who both designed and created costumes, actor, singer, and even a playwright. Jerome did all of these things with imagination, consummate skill and an immense passion for the craft. He directed musicals at the Maverick Theater over the past five years; large scale, complicated musicals like Chicago, Rent, The Producers, Spamalot, Legally Blonde, and Les Miserables. He was a shrewd judge of talent, casting people in roles they weren’t necessarily comfortable with until he drew out of them talents they didn’t know they possessed. He made better everyone he worked with. It’s a sad, tragic loss for the local OC theater community that Curtis was killed this week in a car accident. It’s a loss that has touched an incredible number of lives. The outpouring of love and respect for Curtis on Facebook has been overwhelming. What better tribute to Curtis than the words of those he worked with in the theater community. Here are some comments posted about Curtis: his talents, his humor, his compassion, his intelligence, and how he made us all better performers.
Tune in every Friday to http://www.kuci.org/ or if you’re in the areas of Santa Ana, Irvine or Tustin turn your radio receiver to 88.9FM @ 4pm – 5pm for the AMB Theatre show in partnership with the Orange Curtain Review.
May 1, 2015 | Irvine, Preview, UCI, Video LikeComments Off on OCR Talks – Interview with Amanda Novoa director and producer of The Service Workers Project: Contra la Corriente/Against the Current : Brown Bag Theatre Company @ University of California, Irvine (EDITED Interview) |
Edited version of the Live Interview with Amanda Novoa director and producer of The Service Workers Project: Contra la Corriente/Against the Current.Â
