Lyle Dye Honored
On Thursday, November 1, 2012 CityRep Theatre hosted a benefit tribute to Lyle Dye Jr. The room at The Castle where the event took place was filled to the brim with the warmth that can only be generated by the heat of love stoked with respect. Everyone had one thing in common: Lyle Dye as a mentor, or as a mentor’s mentor. The event raised some important funds for CityRep but more importantly raised the spirits of everyone who remembers Lyle Dye Jr.
The man is someone you’d walk through fire for, or, in my case, eat it. Years ago when I first worked with Lyle I understood immediately his important contribution to my character as an actress and as a person. Here was a man who never expected you to be able to do the impossible. He did demand your best, and the best only looks impossible!
Ethics, humor, talent, empathy (shhh, that’s a secret) and dedication create a lasting legacy. Lyle Dye has created the legacy here in Oklahoma City, Akron, Ohio, New York City and Johnsburg, New York where he has just been named “Person of the Year.” He has a feather touch in the lives of all of us, and all those we touch as well.
There were many stories at the benefit remembered by many associates here in Oklahoma City. They all have the one thing in common that touches my soul. Lyle Dye Jr. is a man who loves the theatre, loves the people who love the theatre and never compromises his integrity. There is always a smile lurking behind his eyes as he develops each creative soul. Tears blurred the vision of all as he rose to express his thanks and love of every testament he heard and those he remembers from the old days as well as the new days. He remembers every face and every character, and even if he may not remember every actor’s name he remembers their triumph. He is glad to know that we credit him with the triumphs he saw then as well as the triumphs we see now.
His talent is large and evidenced by his great body of work. His heart is large and shown by the continued affection of the community. His soul is large and is clearly seen in the exactness of character each of us creates in the mirror as we imagine his reflection along with whoever we wish to become. So we all love him unreservedly.
Thank you sir, for those wonderful years in Oklahoma City at Lyric and the Oklahoma Theatre Center. Thank you for your contributions in New York, Ohio, New York and everywhere you touch. Your continued efforts are an inspiration to us now and forever. Have good shows back in New York at the beautiful Lyle Dye Jr. Theatre and never forget that you are remembered with love and respect.
Jewel Box Presents a Night of One Acts
The second show in Season 55 at the Jewel Box Theatre consists of two one acts rather than the usual two-act play. The two shows “The Ugly Duckling” by A. A. Milne and “Sorry, Wrong Number” by Lucille Fletcher. Director, Chuck Tweed uses one cast for both shows giving the audience a nice opportunity to see different facets and talents of actors in in one evening.
“The Ugly Duckling” is a favorite for the general audience not limited to children although the kids love anything Milne. The story is familiar to most as the lovely young princess is not considered beautiful until she meets the love that allows her beauty to shine through.
Paul Smith has a wonderfully unique cadence in his speech, but his deliberate and distinctive delivery does not lend itself to dialogue and, as a result “The Ugly Duckling” comes across as choppy. Jackie Smola as Queen is quite amusing, and the young ladies Allyson Rose as The Princess (wallflower) and Rachael Messer as Dulcibella (the pretty one) are both delightful. Clint Kubat plays the Prince and Tony DeGiusti is Carlo the servant, and those scenes with the royals falling in love with no assistance from their lackeys are rather nice. The Chancellor is played by Vincent Johns, and he is slightly stiff in his portrayal. While ordinarily these scenes should work well, the interchanges between Smith and Johns become uncomfortably due to the erratic pacing. Unfortunately without any flow “The Ugly Duckling” misses the mark by a tail feather.
After intermission Tweed directs “Sorry, Wrong Number” with the same cast. And the whole evening turns around. “Sorry, Wrong Number” is a short thriller about an invalid woman confined to her bed and home alone. While attempting to contact her husband, her call becomes crossed with another and she overhears what she believes must be a murder plot. She can do nothing but attempt to get help for the unknown victim from the telephone company and the police by phone.
Smola portrays the invalid, Mrs. Stevens, realistically and skillfully. Tweed’s direction allows her to build the suspense is this thriller with chilling results. Smith’s delivery is perfect for his role as Sgt. Duffy. Messer as several Information Operators is delightful as she develops several humorous operator characters. Rose is also a Telephone Operator as well as Mrs. Curtis and a Woman and each of her characters is also amusing and fun to watch. Clint Kubat as the Attendant and Tony Degiusti, the man from Western Union are both excellent. Vincent Johns develops George nicely. All of the characters are crucial in developing and maintaining the constant state of suspense that poor Mrs. Stevenson feels as her world begins to fall apart. This cast certainly supports the terror needed. Her movements are stiff in the way of a true invalid and her fear is palpable, permeating the stage with her terror. There are no missing tail feathers here!
A Night of One-Acts continues through October 28, 2012. The Jewel Box Theatre is located at 3700 N. Walker in uptown Oklahoma City. The box office is open Tuesday through Friday afternoons to take reservations at 405-521-1786. Also visit the website: jewelboxtheatre.org. “Sorry, Wrong Number” is definitely worth the visit.
“World Changers Exhibit” in Guthrie, Oklahoma
So whatever happened to Utopia Joe? Has he left the great state of Oklahoma and taken his fabulous multi-dimensional art as well as his equally fantastic multi-talented wife with him. Or is he still here somewhere creating new art in new space? The answer is in Gallery Grazioso in Guthrie, Oklahoma.
Gallery Grazioso is located in downtown Guthrie at 301 W. Oklahoma Avenue and for anyone who prefers to begin with mind travel: www.TheGalleryGrazioso.com. However Joe Bohrer aka ‘Utopia Joe’ has work that must be seen in real time to appreciate his new direction. Going in a new direction does not mean that Bohrer has abandoned his old direction; it only means he has added another direction. So, in addition to multi-dimensional and multi-talented add multi-directional to list of Bohrer attributes. This does not necessarily refer to any tendency to be running around in all directions or anything like that, does it? Check it out and decide for yourself.
“World Changers” is the theme of the latest work of Joe Bohrer opening a 12 week exhibit Saturday October 13, 2012 at Gallery Grazioso. The opening night reception begins at 6:00pm with food and wine at 7:00 for the decadent at heart. The “World Changers Exhibits” features that new direction for Joe Bohrer, beautiful significant paintings of symbolic and iconic faces that can change the way the future plays out. According to Bohrer, “The eyes are the portal to the soul. And for me, they are the focal point of what I am doing now. To capture the flash point of a child’s eye, or fierceness of an ancient Native American warrior, or the luster of a geisha girl, begins with the eyes. Whether I use gray tones or bold splashes of color, the eyes are the pinnacle.”
Tiffany Bohrer is the Executive Director of Gallery Grazioso and looks forward to presenting the latest works of her husband at Gallery Grazioso. In addition to her position as gallery director, Tiffany is also well known as “The Tipsy Artist” so it should be great fun to enjoy a glass of wine with them on Saturday evening while taking in the “World Changers Exhibit” and the Native American Flute Music courtesy of Bill Merickel.
The work is portraiture that transcends the portrait of the individual. It is not a portrait of Clint Eastwood in his character from the trilogy of Serge Leone spaghetti westerns. It is the portrait of the ‘man with no name’ that has become an icon of universal Americana. “I am trying to bring the viewer face to face with larger-than-life portraits of powerful images that comes in many different, and often times, unexpected forms.” –Joe Bohrer, Artist.
Bohrer is known as Utopia Joe from the television series on PBS. His work in art and his background in graphics, film, multi-media design in furniture, sculpture and painting as well environmental structuring, draftsmanship and his creative eye make portrait painting a natural progression in the evolution each artist undertakes. According to Tiffany Bohrer: “As the Director of Gallery Grazioso I am thrilled to have this direct and powerful opportunity to promote some of the best artists in Oklahoma and to help them change the world one painting at a time. Joe’s latest series of works represent something very different than anything I have ever seen from him before…a softer side with an enchanting humility translated so boldly that it will be absolutely irresistible.”
The “World Changers Exhibit” will be hanging at Gallery Grazioso through November 12, 2012 and there is plenty of time for anyone to catch the exhibit. Images of Tiffany Bohrer, Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips, Audrey Hepburn, Elton John, Marilyn Monroe and others will be hanging. The gallery is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00am until 6:00pm. Located in beautiful downtown Guthrie, Gallery Grazioso and Guthrie provide a great cultural experience for regular and new visitors. For further information contact Gallery Grazioso at 405-822-0481, or visit on line at www.TheGalleryGrazioso.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GalleryGrazioso. For taking in all the great artistic opportunities in Guthrie from the art galleries, fine restaurants or the Pollard Theatre contact The Guthrie Retreat at www.TheGuthrieRetreat.com.
It is amazing how much fun can be had with a little culture in a little town just 20 minutes away from anywhere you might find yourself Saturday night!
What is a “dramaturg”?
Guest Blogger: Anna Holloway, Company Dramaturg
Oklahoma City Repertory Theatre (CityRep)
In every play produced in a theatre, dramaturgy takes place. It’s the research and background that helps the director and the cast create the world of the play. It includes the history of the play itself—the development of the script, earlier productions, author background and intentions—as well as the material any given production may need to build a believable experience for an audience.
Sometimes dramaturgy is handled as part of the director’s job—she may do months of research in the process of deciding how to present the play. In some companies, the cast of a play will spend a great deal of time in “table work”—rehearsing the play from the script while sitting around a table—and that may include using resources to flesh out characters or determine set and costume design. In other productions, the research is handled by a dramaturg.
Dramaturgs also often handle literary management, and literary managers sometimes function as dramaturgs. Literary management often focuses on the work of analyzing and selecting scripts for production; it may also include providing support for playwrights as they construct a play’s text for production.
In Oklahoma City, several companies either employ a company dramaturg or hire a production dramaturg for each show. Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park and Oklahoma City Repertory Theatre (CityRep) have company dramaturgs, and Oklahoma City Theatre Company usually employs a dramaturg for each production. CityRep has also provided a supervised internship for students interested in dramaturgy.
Don Jordan, Founding Artistic Director at CityRep, likes to focus on dramaturgy for both the cast and for the audience. He has said that “good dramaturgy helps the audience enter more fully into the world of the play.” He’s referring to the lobby display, but also to the research material given to the cast. This material helps the cast to create a deeper, more believable “world” in which the story on stage can unfold. CityRep’s recent production of David Mamet’s November included a display of personal political memorabilia from a former state Senator and information on the history of the Oval Office.
Lobby Display (Dramaturgy) for CityRep’s 2012 production of “November”
Dramaturgy is taught in all the local university theatre programs, often as a part of script analysis. Some schools have coursework dedicated to dramaturgy as part of a degree program in theatre. OU also offers a Master of Arts with a focus in Dramaturgy. In American theatre, the job of dramaturg and/or literary manager is becoming a more common position. Since theatre companies that receive federal money are also required to have an education component, the dramaturg may also be listed as education coordinator.
When you attend a play, look in the program or around the theatre for notes and displays about the writer, the play, the setting, the actors—anything that contributes to your understanding of the play. Someone did the work to make that information available to you. That’s the work of the dramaturg.
Go See “Night of Grand Guignol”!
It’s really great to wake up in Oklahoma and realize that, culturally speaking, everything is getting better. Halloween is around the corner, and while my little circle of friends and I usually spend weekends in October traversing the state looking for the best haunted houses, something a little closer to home starts this weekend. Reduxion Theatre Company’s Night of Grand Guignol!
Seven vignettes and a burlesque show are split between Friday and Saturday nights every weekend this month, with scripts adapted from Guignol plays all written around the turn of the century. Timothy Berg directs, and puts on a great show. The pace is lively and the adaptations of the original scripts keep everyone guessing. Lee Brasuell achieves quite a bit through the lighting design—a necessity for keeping things creepy. Ryan Healy’s original music also contributes to the atmosphere, and Lloyd Cracknell’s costumes are fantastic, especially for the Burlesque! Production Stage Manager Catherine Pitt does a great job with the props design and Berg and Aaron Marcovy work wonders with the scene design.
There isn’t room here to go over each vignette, but there are a few things that definitely deserve pointing out. The first vignette, “Jack,” features a great performance by Susan Riley. Before the Friday show, I heard a lot of buzz about ”The Lighthouse Keepers”. Not only does this vignette demonstrate one of the central themes that make Grand Guinol unique—sacrifice versus selfishness—it is superbly produced and acted by Sue Ellen Reiman and Rachael Barry. My favorite part, though, may be Barry’s heartrending ukulele cover of Danzig’s “Mother,” which is amazing in so many ways. “Chop-Chop” seems a little drawn out, but the payoff is worth it, and Katie Barnett is hilarious as the interpreter.
The Saturday night shows up the ante a little. “The Final Kiss” is legitimately scary, with Jeremy Lister and Susan Riley convincingly portray a very messed up couple. “Tics, or Doing the Deed” is easily the most entertaining vignette, fully of bawdy jokes, spouse swapping and physical manifestations of mental quirks, with great performances by Ian Clinton and Tyler Waits. Also, “A Burlesque Show” is fantastic. The original concept is Berg’s, and the music, dancing and acting are by turns provocative and hilarious. David Fletcher-Hall and Barry do an excellent cover of the Dresden Dolls “Coin Operated Boy”. Clinton and Reiman are the MCs Friday and Saturday nights respectively, and do an excellent job of moving things along and warming up the crowd. The Saturday night shows also feature Twinprov and Zoom, two troupes from OKC Improv, keeping the crowd entertained through intermission and after the show.
And there is a crowd. Both shows that I attended were sold out (seats actually had to be added for the Saturday show). The show runs Friday and Saturday nights throughout October at 8PM, with a bonus midnight show on Saturday the 27th, at the Broadway Theater Definitely make an effort to see both shows. Visit RTC or call 405.651.3191 for tickets.
—Keely Womack
What’s up?
This weekend in Guthrie is up to something — in addition to the Pollard production of “The 39 Steps” and Stranded at the Station appearing at the Vintage 89er Wine Bar, Guthrie is hosting the annual Bluegrass Festival featuring a lot of great entertainers including Vince Gill. Also, Guthrie is holding the Guthrie! Escape Fine Art, Wine & Music Festival. There is a lot to do, see and hear — don’t miss it. Just drive to downtown Guthrie, (about 20 minutes) park and you’ll find the art of great artists such as Harvey Pratt, Cletus Smith, Steve Cast and Destiny Womach to name a few. There will be great music from Stranded at the Station, the Stringents and Bill Merickelamong others. will be wine flowing from some of the best Oklahoma Wineries and excellent food choices from vendors and restaurants from the Boneyard to Kenney’s Pub to Gages Steakhouse to the Blue Belle which has the best fried chicken ever!
Bluegrass, Rock & Roll, Art, Wine, Food, Song, Dance, Art and everyone is happy! Come to Guthrie this weekend for a great time!
Night of Grand Guignol
Reduxion Theatre Company (RTC) pushes boundaries once again as it produces the stage play “Night of Grand Guignol” in Oklahoma City. Grand Guignol (pronounced grahn gee-nyawl) theatre has roots in turn-of-the-20th-century French theatre, with themes exploring horror, sensationalism and seduction, often breaching common sensibilities. Grand Guignol plays lost popularity after World War II, but has recently experienced revivals in cosmopolitan cities like London and Washington, D.C. More commonly known and comparable, but not exact, examples of Grand Guignol-like plays include William Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus and Sweeney Todd.
“Oklahoma City audiences are as progressive as any major city’s audiences and they’re always thirsty for ground-breaking theatre. We think they’re ready to experience Grand Guignol,” said Tyler Woods, Reduxion’s Executive Artistic Director. “Reduxion strives to present the classics in fresh ways, and with this collection of classic French horror and camp, we are presenting a style of theatre that, to our knowledge, has never before been seen in OKC. This October, Reduxion brings Grand Guignol to the cultural doorstep of OKC and it is truly a thrill not to be missed!”
Each performance of Reduxion’s “Night of Grand Guignol” promises to challenge our humanity and titillate the senses. Featuring several vignettes per night, “Grand Guignol” performances cover topics like adultery, perceptions of beauty, mental disorder, love and pain. Reduxion plans an entertaining menu of “The Final Kiss,” “Jack,” “The Light House,” “Guillotine,” “Doing the Deed,” “The System of Dr. Tarr and Mr. Feather” and “Kiss of Blood,” as well as a few special surprises. Paying homage to original Grand Guignol performances, Reduxion’s adaptations include gory special effects, violence, sexuality and risqué antics.
“We’re excited to present this provocative art form to Oklahoma City for the very first time,” said Tim Berg, “Night of Grand Guignol” Director. “Audiences will be treated to questions about the human condition they may never have considered. Boundaries will be tested and possibly broken. Audience members should expect a night of fascination and horror, taking place just an arm’s length away.”
Grand Guignol will run Fridays and Saturdays evenings, October 5-27, with Friday shows differing from Saturday shows. Reduxion recommends attending a Friday and a Saturday performance in order to experience all seven vignettes. Performances include adult themes and are intended for audience members 18 and older; no children, please.
Tickets are $18 for adults and $15 for students, seniors and military with I.D. Show-times are 8:00 pm, with a special midnight performance. A free parking lot is adjacent to the theater. Additional street parking is available. Tickets are available for purchase online at reduxiontheatre.com or at the door, before each performance.
–Reduxion Theatre Company
A Revolution is Coming!
The Reduxion 2012-2013 Season is upon us! The season kicks off on October 5th with “Night of Grand Guignol!” These short vignettes are meant to terrify and titillate with gory special effects and realistic violence. Take in both a Friday and Saturday show to catch all seven vignettes. “Night of Grand Guignol” runs through the 27th. The revolution continues on November 9th with “Richard II.” Guest artist Rex Daugherty stars in the title role in what is sure to be a lively performance featuring live music, dancing and audience participation! Their February production is one of Shakespeare’s lesser known comedies, “Love’s Labour’s Lost.” Set in 1953 Spain, this reinterpretation of Shakespeare’s classic is great for a family night out. The show runs at the Broadway Theater February 8th through March 3rd, followed by the Metro Library System tour. The season ends with “The History of Tom Jones” May 3rd through the 25th. Based on the novel by Henry Fielding, “The History of Tom Jones” promises to be an action packed show about the scoundrel with a heart of gold.
I spoke to Erin Woods, Managing Director at Reduxion Theatre Company about the upcoming season, her original adaptations, and her vision for RTC. I reviewed her adaptation of “Sense and Sensibility” last season and attended the reading of her adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice” at the first ever Jane Austen Festival at the Broadway Theater, and wanted to find out a bit more about her process. Woods acknowledged the difficulty of cutting down such dense stories into a production manageable not only for audiences, but also the actors and director. She writes the play she’d want to perform or direct—fast paced and practical—while staying true to the language and intent of the original work. These principles are evident in both “Sense and Sensibility” and “Pride and Prejudice,” which manage to both convey the stories in a meaningful way and flow smoothly for the actors and the audience. Woods also gave me a little insight into how the Reduxion season is planned. Every season includes two Shakespeare plays, at least one comedy and one tragedy, and “one really different.” Their fifth season, Revolution, creates within these parameters what is sure to be an interesting and exciting season, drawing from their mission “to professionally produce both classical and contemporary theatre, enriching Oklahoma’s cultural, educational and economic climate, attracting artists and audiences from around the world.” Also worth noting is their “Classics for Kids” program, which includes touring productions, student matinée performances of “Love’s Labour’s Lost,” and “Classics Camp,” a two week theatre day camp for teens, as well as other workshops and private coaching.
Woods and the rest of the Reduxion Theatre Company know that to change people’s lives through theatre the first step is to get them to attend. Original productions, unique offerings and a focus on accessibility put them well on their way. While they’ve titled their fifth season Revolution, their impact on Oklahoma’s cultural landscape has been and will continue to be, revolutionary.
Click here for tickets or more information on the Reduxion Theatre Company, or call 405.651.3191.
–Keely Womack
POTEET THEATRE TO STAGE “TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD”
By Shawna Linck, Poteet Theatre Director of Education
Poteet Theatre, located in St. Luke’s United Methodist Church at 222 NW 15th Street in Oklahoma City, is proud to present Christopher Sergel’s adaptation of the compelling drama, To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. Lee’s novel was an instant success when it was first published in 1960. Set in Alabama during the Great Depression, we follow the journey of Jem and Scout as their father Atticus Finch attempts to defend Tom Robinson, a black man framed for a crime he didn’t commit. The lessons that Jem and Scout discover as they watch their community struggle with issues of racism and moral responsibility are timeless, and equally important to members of our communities today.
Poteet’s production of “To Kill A Mockingbird” is directed by Michael Payne, drama teacher at Classen School of Advanced Studies. Prior to his arrival in Oklahoma City, Michael worked professionally at the Dallas Theatre Center, where he was in charge of Education, and also served as Marketing Coordinator for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.
This is Michael’s third time to direct “To Kill a Mockingbird,” and each time has been a different adaptation of this classic story. He feels Sergel’s adaptation is the most authentic, as the story presented is closest to the book. This version also differs sharply from the other two versions he has directed in that the story is not told from Scout’s point of view, but rather from the neighbors’ viewpoints, which allows the audience to fully realize the complete story.
Payne loves the story he has so carefully crafted on the Poteet Stage, having a high respect for playwrights and novelists. He feels that in every production “the playwright is the most important person in the room,” and thus, he goes directly to the text to create every element of his production as faithfully as possible. His representational set fluidly represents the two worlds embraced by the story. Both the southern gothic neighborhood and the courtroom are easily visualized without jarring the audience or distracting from the story by bringing in walls or requiring massive set changes.
This is Payne’s first time to direct at Poteet, and he has been thrilled with his experience. He describes Poteet as “ a professional family all coming together to put up a show.” He notes that the staff and crew at Poteet remind him of Stanislavski’s close knit family, who all knew what they were doing and would work together to create a work of art. He also feels he has a great cast for this truly ensemble piece, who all “know where we are, and work together to tell the story and strengthen it.”
Heading up the talented cast is Patrick Meirick as Atticus Finch, a fictional lawyer whose impact on the legal profession has been formidable. Alice Petry remarked that “Atticus has become something of a folk hero in legal circles and is treated almost as if he were an actual person.” Meirick is new to the Poteet Stage, in fact, he has not been active in theatre for 20 years. His 13 year old son recently became involved in community theatre and Patrick decided to audition with him for the Poteet production. Imagine their surprise when only the father was cast. His son has been very supportive and proud of his father’s work in this production.
Meirick has thrown himself heart and soul into his role. “Atticus is who I’d like to think I am,” Meirick humbly shares. “He is a bottomless well of integrity: brave, kind, modest. He’s everything I aspire to be.” Meirick’s biggest challenge? Getting a handle on Atticus’s famous monologue at the end of courtroom scene. “Atticus talks so much about the strict code of our society, condemning Mayella for flirting with a black man. It’s a code he doesn’t necessarily believe in. I had to figure out how to appeal to the jury’s belief in the code, while maintaining Atticus’s own integrity.”
Other notable performers include Nolia Sweatt as “Scout”, who appeared as the lovable red-headed orphan herself in Poteet’s production of Annie last fall, and Brian Scott, who made his Poteet Debut in The Color Purple, and performed in Poteet’s OCTAFEST contest piece, A Lesson from Aloes.
You won’t want to miss Poteet’s production of To Kill a Mockingbird which opens this Friday, September 14, and runs through Sunday, September 30. Performances on Thursday, Friday and Saturdays are held at 8 pm. Sunday matinees are at 3 pm. Tickets are available online at www.poteettheatre.com or by calling the box office at (405) 609-1023. Tickets are $20 and all seats are reserved.
—Shawna Linck
OUTRAGEOUS POLITICAL SATIRE opens CITYREP’S Season 11
By guest blogger Anna Holloway
The Oklahoma premier of David Mamet’s hit Broadway farce NOVEMBER is the first show of CityRep’s 11th season. A scathing and hilarious look at politics American style, NOVEMBER opens September 7 and runs Friday-Sunday until September 23. Friday and Saturday evening performances are at 7:30 and Saturday and Sunday matinees are at 1:30.
CityRep, the Oklahoma City Repertory Theatre, regarded as Oklahoma’s leading small professional Equity Theater, chose to open the season with this timely comedy by one of America’s greatest living playwrights, David Mamet. The sometimes salty dialog and sharply drawn characters are familiar hallmarks of the Pulitzer Prize winning author’s style. NOVEMBER is one of Mamet’s rare stage comedies, and his broad use of farce plays with the human side of how power corrupts and how human dignity can rise above even political corruption. “It’s absolutely not a partisan play,” Mamet says firmly. “It’s a play about a president. Not this president, or the next.” This even-handed skewering of the foibles of our all-too-human politicians makes for an evening of laugh out loud “I can’t believe he said that” fun.
Marcellus Hankins in David Mamet's NOVEMBER. Photo by Wendy Mutz.
Marcellus Hankins returns to the CityRep stage as embattled President Charles Smith, a lovable rogue dealing with poll numbers that are “lower than Gandhi’s cholesterol” while his speechwriter, played by Kris Schinske, has disappeared on a vacation to adopt a baby on the eve of the election. Chief-of-Staff Archer Brown (CityRep regular Steve Emerson) juggles the President’s ego and insecurities, the responsibilities of the office and the limits of the law in Smith’s unlikely quest for a second term. Political greed, corporate interests and the sensitivities of special interest groups all come into play in the keenly drawn satirical masterpiece.
The play takes place entirely in the Oval Office. Recreating this familiar location in the CitySpace theatre in the Civic Center’s lower level is all part of the fun and audiences will have no trouble imagining themselves inside the White House as the story unfolds on the intimate stage.
Amidst all the laughter and mayhem, CityRep is also seriously continuing its mission of service to central Oklahoma by working to make voter registration information available in the theatre lobby.
Artistic Director Donald Jordan says, “Voting is our great privilege, and a civic duty. So whether you are a “Republi-crat,” a “Demo-can’t,” or like me, just politically indecisive, we hope you’ll come enjoy this funny look at our country’s penchant for wild and wooly politics!”
Contact the Civic Center Box office, 405-297-2264 for individual seats, or call CityRep’s managing director Michael Jones at 405-410-8035 for information on the CityRep season ticket Flexpass. This production is rated “R” for strong adult language and adult themes.
