Sondheim Squared

So. A while back I made a commitment to be in a local production of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd. The opening dates changed a bit since the original idea, but now we've got a firm schedule.
Cutting Edge Theatre will present it in Slidell in March 2013.
I will be playing "The Mad Woman" and various other chorus parts, since we don't have a chorus to speak of. This is the stripped-down version. (I play a lovely wood block and triangle in the 'orchestra,' since I do not have musical talent on an instrument to speak of. I play kazoo, but that instrument just doesn't go well with Sweeney.)

I also auditioned for and got cast in Slidell Little Theatre's upcoming production of Stephen Sondheim's Into The Woods. That one opens in January 2013 and runs into February 2013. Since I will be splitting my rehearsal time for both shows, I was cast as "Cinderella's Mother," "Little Red Riding-Hood's Grandmother," and "The Giant" (in Act Two).

So. Sondheim times two. Wow. This is going to be a crazy few months, but I think it'll be worth it.

As for my rehearsal calendar? Too twee for words: All of my Sweeney Todd rehearsal dates are written in RED, and all of my Into The Woods rehearsal dates are written in GREEN.

One weekend down, three to go.

So we opened the show this past weekend; it went very well!

I'm still VERY tired and slightly nauseated from lack of sleep, but that'll fade as the week progresses. I hope.

I'll still have to miss Dragon*Con this year, but I consider it as saving money to stay at a better Con hotel next year. Sounds good. Now- get me into the Hyatt, yeah? SRSLY.

Anyone got a Frakking HUGE Argentinean Flag?

'Cause we could really use one...
We're going to paint one on canvas for the show, but scoring (rent/borrow, what have ye) a real one would be a coup.

Like 10 feet plus tall. Seriously.

There should be some sort of prop clearinghouse website where small/medium theatres could rent/borrow each other's HUGE props and/or set pieces (Audrey IIs, Sweeney Todd barber chairs, Greased Lightning cars, et alia) to cut down on production costs.

But that would probably be too logical for theatre. *sigh*

More controversy in regards to Eva Duarte de Peron

Awwww... See Evita get them while they're young...


Another article about Eva that brings up several valid points about how dichotomous her image is, even today; from the Boston Review: A Descamisada Diva

An article from Stamp World magazine: Evita On Stamps

An Alternate News view of Peronist Politik from Australia's New Dawn Magazine : The Message of Evita

A Salon Magazine Article from 1996: The Mystery of Evita

There are TONS of articles out there. Avoid Wikipedia. I suggest using Google and beginning at the END of the search results instead of the top-ranked searches.

Always, ALWAYS take the information with a grain of salt. And bear in mind that the truth can be found in distasteful places. One of the most thoroughly researched articles I ever found was on a racial extremists' site. I felt sick clicking the link, but the article itself had translated some of the Movie magazines written in Argentina during Eva's film career and gave better insight into how the public viewed her during her transition from film to politics.

New Show- Weber's Evita at SLT

Back to the chorus- I have a feeling there won't be a lot of character work done for us non-named members, but I'm going to haul out my papers on Eva Duarte de Peron and start doing some dramaturgy.
Anyone who's interested can follow the process and get some historical perspective.

First off- the one thing we should never lose sight of as cast members is that this was a frightening and tumultuous era to be living in Argentina for a lot of different social, racial and ethnic groups.
Links to follow later, but there was a reason so many Nazis fled to the protection of Post-WWII, Peron-era Argentina. Mussolini and Franco are mentioned in brief passing during Rainbow Tour, but the true extent of the extremism of the politics of President Peron are never studied in depth.
Seriously, guys, you need to realize that this musical hit new heights of glossiness when it came to the characterization of Eva and Juan Peron.

Links:
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vjw/Argentina.html

http://www.studyspanishargentina.com/argentina/history.asp

http://www.economics.uci.edu/docs/colloqpapers/s07/Alston.pdf

Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella

In 1993, Southeastern Louisiana University held what was to be the last Summer Music Theatre Camp. The program was later revamped in 2001 as the Opera/Music Theatre Workshop.

The show was Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella, originally written as a Live TeleCast Musical in 1957, but subsequently adapted for the stage.

Summer G played Cinderella, Matt R was her Prince Charming. Christina L was the Fairy Godmother, Frances N was the Stepmother, Rebecca B was Joy, the cranky Stepsister, and I was Portia, the sweet but flaky Stepsister. (With a dress like a Crazed English Garden party run amok, my hair in cocker-spaniel-style Ponytail bunches, and a really big bonnet like a Chocolate cake with Mint colored icing/piping.)
SO MUCH FUN! So much drama on and offstage; but I learned important music and theatre techniques from Scharmal Schrock, Gary Bird, Willis Delony, Martie Fellom, Tom Jones, and Larry Gray.

Information from Wikipedia
Cinderella- Musical Comedy
Setting: A Fairy-Tale Kingdom
Written by Oscar Hammerstein II
Music by Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II
Directed by Ralph Nelson
Produced by Richard Lewine

Next: Li'l Abner.

On The Town

In the summer of 1991, (July 31 and Aug. 1-4) Mike Rasmussen and the Slidell Youth Art Board produced its second and final show, "On The Town." Directed by Christal Jenneman with Musical Direction by Lori Dewitt, it starred Allison Gendusa as Ivy Smith; Cora Joffe as Brunhilda "Hildy" Esterhazy; John Kimzey as Chip; David Pickett as Ozzie; Melissa Shutt as Claire de Loone; and Gary Welch as Gabey.

I was lucky enough to play "Hildy's" roommate, Lucy Schmeeler. Girl of Mystery.

Other actors, singers and dancers were Cherie Bonnecarrere, Chad Cashio, Marisa Clifton, John Dunn, Jennifer Gray, Aaron Hoppe, Kathryn Hoppe, Dave Hoyt, Melissa Jenneman, Jaclyn Lamarque, Franz Mickle, Robert Miller, Derrick Mittelstaedt, Jennie Pepe, Heather Rich, Jen Steiner, Marjorie Steiner, Angel Venable and Jeni Webster.

If I left anyone out, please remind me.

Show Info from the Internet Broadway DataBase
On the Town
Musical, Comedy
Setting: New York City. 1944 - wartime.
Book by Adolph Green, Betty Comden; Lyrics by Adolph Green, Betty Comden; Music by Leonard Bernstein.

Next up, Cinderella (1993)