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Showing posts from 2010

Adapting Austen for the stage

Jen Taylor Jen Taylor’s adaptation of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility opens tonight (June 3). This is Taylor’s second adaptation for Book-It Repertory Theatre: she previously adapted Persuasion for the company. Her other credits at Book-It include performances in The House of Mirth (Lily Bart), Giant (Leslie Lynton), Pride and Prejudice in 2004 (Elizabeth Bennet), and In A Shallow Grave (Widow Rance). She’s performed locally with New Century Theatre Company, ACT, Seattle Shakespeare Company, Intiman Theatre, Seattle Children’s Theatre, and The Empty Space Theatre. Taylor works extensively as a voice-over artist on radio, television, and in video games. This is Book-It's fourth presentation of Jane Austen's work: for those not familar with her novels, what makes Austen a good fit for Book-It? Not only did Jane Austen create delightfully complicated characters and charming, compelling stories but her language is what I really treasure. Book-It al

Contralto Rudinoff plays Hildy strong and sassy

Matt Owen and Sarah Rudinoff in On The Town. Photo: Chris Bennion, courtesy of the 5th Sarah Rudinoff returns to the 5th Avenue Theatre this month in a musical with “Town” in the title. “And then I tell people that Billie [Wildrick] is in it too, and they say ‘wait, didn’t we see you in this?’ I told Billie that we need to do Our Town the Musica l next,” said Rudinoff. To set the record straight, Rudinoff and Wildrick co-starred in the 5th’s fabulous remount of Wonderful Town in 2006. Four years later, the two very funny ladies are back for Bernstein’s On The Town at the same theater. Rudinoff plays Hildy, a rather lonely female cabdriver. Luckily, she gives a lift to an appealing sailor on the town for the day. For Rudinoff, it’s a chance to play another one of the “strong and sassy” ladies created by writers Betty Comden and Adolph Green. With the action of On The Town taking place in New York during World War II, Comden and Green’s wisecracking Hildy be

Chester Gregory stops in Seattle for Dreamgirls (and a little lobster mac)

Backstage at  Dreamgirls , the women make lightning fast changes into fabulous costumes with increasingly bouffant wigs. Chaz Lamar Shepherd (Curtis) and Chester Gregory (James Early Photo Credit: Joan Marcus, courtesy of STG But they are not the only ones who need to quick change in record time. Chester Gregory can testify that he has almost as much interaction with the dressers for his role of James “Thunder” Early, the R&B star who gives the “Dreamettes” their first big break and who undergoes his own rise and fall in the wildly changing music scene and costume styles of the 1960s and early 1970s. “There’s twelve costume changes plus wigs,” he said over the phone. “For one scene, I’m very high energy, then I run off stage, change the costume and the wig, and come back on as though I’ve been sitting around in this new outfit for hours. And I have to do this complete change of mood in ten seconds! It’s fun and challenging at the same time.” When the sho

Creating play without words: Robopop rehearsals

Robopop actors: John Abramson, Erin Pike, Micky Rowe and Libby Matthews Photographer: Laurie Clark Photography Heidi Ganser and Ben Zamora are Seattle-based theater artists. She designs costumes, he designs lighting, and they are engaged. But before Ganser can start planning their summer wedding, the pair are plunging into a completely different type of production, one where the current rehearsals are creating the story. “It started as conversation: if we could do anything in the world, what should we do? A robot musical!” said Ganser. “We thought about turning Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots into a live show,” said Zamora. “But after contacting the Flaming Lips, we found that somebody else already had the rights,” Ganser added. In fact, Aaron Sorkin ( West Wing) has been reportedly writing a Broadway-bound musical based on the group's 2002 album. Not wanting to let a good idea get away, Ganser and Zamora decided to create their own robot musical perfo

Weagant stages roller derby comedy

Balagan Theatre . After performing as an acclaimed Trudy the bag lady in The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe , she's back as the director of the roller derby comedy/drama The Jammer opening March 11 at the Capitol Hill theater. How did you come to direct The Jammer at Balagan? Balagan has become my second home since returning to Seattle a year and a half ago. I joined the company after performing in Arabian Nights and I created and co-host their monthly late night cabaret, Schmorgasborg . Christine Nelson and Nick Edwards Photo: Andrea Huysing Seattle actress Terri Weagant works on both sides of the footlights at Last year I directed a short piece in Balagan's Death/Sex. It really whet my appetite for this aspect of production. As a company we planned this insane ten play season and I was invited to direct one. I wanted to find a fun, fast-paced, stylized piece that would allow a group of actors and myself to just com

Chad Jennings returns to Seattle in South Pacific

Chad Jennings was set to walk away from acting when his “day job” boss encouraged him to go to one more audition at the 5th Avenue Theatre. That led to a role in Sunday in the Park with George and, much to Jennings’ surprise, an even better paying gig in the national tour of South Pacific . A graduate of Western Washington University, the Yakima native had found regular roles in Seattle’s busy theater scene, working at Wooden O, Village Theatre, and Seattle Children’s Theatre, among others. But, like many actors, the older he got, the gaps between jobs and the low pay began to be less appealing. Without a big breakout role, Jennings started looking for other work. “Basically, I’d given up,” said the 36-year-old Jennings, “and decided to get a ‘real job’ that ended up being right across the street from the 5th Avenue. I was doing tech support, which was a great fit for my skill set. I’m decent around a computer and I enjoyed talking to people.” Jennings was set fo