APRIL - MAY 2000 ----------------------------In this issue--------------------------------------- The Play's the Thing: Shakespeare Today, Happy Birthday Will and Best Wishes on your 436th Year. Voices in Contemporary Theatre: New CD: Broadway's First Take, My Fair Lady at Trinity Repertory Theatre, New Off-Broadway Musical: Abie's Island Rose Rubin's Corner: Disney's Aida, Spotlight on Amadeus Enter Laughing: An ArtSearch Nightmare CyberTheatre Monthly: Links for U.K. readers, CultureFinder's "Meet the Pros" Celebrity Chats" Techie's Corner: Second in Michael Powers series on Platforms Letter from London: Peter Hall's Evening Standard Interview, RSC's Richard II, Mamma Mia! What Clippings -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE PLAY'S THE THING Today's Shakespeare Time magazine has described his stories as "cool" and The New York Times has declared how "in" Elizabethans have been over the past several years. Kids are performing his plays, film directors are churning out new adaptations of his work, and people are even reading his works-all of which can be found online. These histories, comedies and tragedies are produced and adapted more frequently in various media than works by any other writer. And this writer penned-not typed-his last play almost 400 years ago. The writer's name, of course, is Shakespeare-William Shakespeare. The industry around his works keeps festivals and theatres around the world in business-from the new Globe Theatre Centre in London to the countless summer Shakespeare Festivals sprinkled across North America. The relevance and mystique of his stories and characters continue to intrigue performers, directors of theatre and film, choreographers, and composers. So, it's not surprising that the seemingly endless possibilities of Shakespeare's plays are constantly explored. His words and phrases are in use, everyday-adapted by journalists, situation comedy writers, speakers, and theologians. His influence is reflected in words we speak in the English language today. More words have probably been written about this playwright and his works than virtually anyone in the history of the world. His canon of 39 plays (if you include Two Noble Kinsmen written with John Fletcher and Cardenio) has encouraged endless literary and theatrical criticism in the both the scholarly and popular media. Thus, there would be little to say about Shakespeare in this column. But we would be untrue to ourselves if, as theatregoers, actors, directors, writers and observers, we did not take every opportunity to convey the relevance of this writer's work. Shakespeare's plays have an enduring impact throughout the entertainment industry and every aspect of theatre today. That we can see almost any one of his plays live or on film at virtually any hour of the day from almost anywhere around the globe (as the list of Shakespeare Festivals available in the links below will attest) only begins to reveal why what Shakespeare has to say is so important. What we do with this gift will guide us in many ways what we will produce or watch in the theatres of the 21st century. One of the most popular attractions in London, England, today is based on one of that city's oldest arenas-the Globe Theatre of Shakespeare and his acting company. In that "wooden O" audience members see productions stripped of the technical trappings of today's Broadway productions, films, and Internet web sites. When we enter the Globe and settle down to watch a performance as the trumpets sound from the 'tiring house, we are prisoner to the most valuable resource to be nurtured by the contrivances of this ubiquitous playwright-our imaginations. To be forced to imagine is healthy medicine. To think, perchance, is to dream and to imagine worlds well beyond or well within us. Shakespeare's ability to take us to unknown places far from our homelands or to those dark recesses of our own psyches is the source of his power, even in this media-saturated, over-stimulated, chaotic era. We can learn much from these plays in a venue such as the Globe: Words are our strongest tool. The lines spoken are unadorned through amplification, hyperlinks or other technical embellishments. Recycling does pay. The costumes are based on the clothing of Shakespeare's time, outfits donated by the gentry to the players. Human emotion can carry us safely through a sea of troubles. The stories we witness here are more personal and immediate than those filtered through the news media and into our own homes. We emerge somehow cleansed and renewed, stronger for our vicarious experiences with archetypal characters and their sorrows. If we take risks in our participation in this ancient ritual of listening and giving to the players, we are rewarded with a newfound sense of being. We discover how simplicity reinforces reality. The reality in these plays is driven home by a presentation that is true to the text, delves into the psychology of the characters, and challenges us to create our own reality of place for the action. This fuels a kind of existentialist appreciation of the realities we accept everyday-realities often ridden with superficiality and distractions of questionable meaning. From Shakespeare, we can share in realities not unlike our own, the ones we avoid, the realities from which we may try to hide. Finally, we can't deny that Shakespeare's works have provided a framework from which the English-speaking theatre has evolved. To revisit his plays is to recognize aspects of modern characters in those of Shakespeare: Willy Loman (Death of a Salesman) in King Lear, Archie Rice (The Entertainer) in Bottom, Blanche DuBois (A Streetcar named Desire) in Ophelia, and Jimmy Porter (Look Back in Anger) and Simba (The Lion King) in Hamlet. While Shakespeare has influenced much of our theatre experience, the variations and adaptations of his plays will again fuel many companies in production during every theatre season that lies before us. This year is no exception. My words here are no match for the brave new worlds these companies-from London to Alaska and around the globe-will conjure up as they experiment, once more, with the words of William Shakespeare. If it's in Shakespeare, you'll find it on the Web. Editor's Pick: From CyberTheatre Monthly Your Shakespeare Classroom on the Internet! http://www.ulen.com/shakespeare/ complete with a section of lesson plans for teaching Shakespeare. MIT's collection of the texts of Shakespeare's plays http://tech-two.mit.edu/Shakespeare NEW YORK THEATRE WIRE: http://www.nytheatre-wire.com/BAM.htm Shakespeare a la mode: Is there a dumbing down of Shakespeare in order to make it contemporary? By Margaret Croyden. Also see reviews of recent NYC productions of Shakepeare plays on this site. LINKS ABOUT SHAKESPEARE'S LIFE AND WORKS Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Stratford-Upon-Avon, UK http://www.shakespeare.org.uk/ Biography and helpful links http://www.calvin.edu/academic/engl/346/bio.htm Shakespeare Magazine http://www.shakespearemag.com/ The Shakespeare Center Millenium Link Project (mailto:millennium-link@shakespeare.org.uk) gathers and posts details on projects and productions related to Shakespeare. Featured in the web site are endeavors from around the world. Send your Shakespeare project info to: millennium-link@shakespeare.org.uk Other Shakespeare organizations: Shakespeare's Globe http://www.shakespeares-globe.org/ Folger Shakespeare Library http://www.folger.edu/ Shakespeare Institute Library. http://www.is.bham.ac.uk/shakespeare/about.htm Includes a list of Shakespeare productions in the UK THEATRES & FESTIVALS For a comprehensive list of North American and UK Festivals and other pertinent Shakespeare links, visit the Shenandoah Shakespeare web site (http://www.ishakespeare.com/p-l.htm), and check out the other Shakespeare links here. THE GLOBE THEATRE, London http://shakespeares-globe.org/IE-home.htm The Tempest, Hamlet, The Two Noble Kinsmen (William Shakespeare and John Fletcher) ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY http://www.rsc.org.uk/ A Midsummer Night's Dream, Antony and Cleopatra, As You Like It, Henry IV, Part II, Henry IV, Part II, Henry V, Othello, Richard II, Romeo and Juliet, Timon of Athens, The Taming of Shrew STRATFORD FESTIVAL OF CANADA http://www.ffa.ucalgary.ca/stratford Hamlet, As You Like It, Titus Andronicus HUDSON VALLEY SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, Cold Spring, NY http://hvshakespeare.org/ Taming of the Shrew and Measure for Measure SHAKESPEARE IN CENTRAL PARK/NEW YORK SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL http://www.publictheater.org/frames/fr_shakes.htm The Winter's Tale and Julius Caesar THE SHAKESPEARE THEATRE, Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, D.C. http://shakespearedc.org/0001sea.html ALABAMA SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL http://www.asf.net/ASF.html King Lear, The Comedy of Errors, Twelfth Night OREGON SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL http://www.orshakes.org/ Henry V, Hamlet, Twelfth Night, The Taming of the Shrew NEW JERSEY SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL http://www.njshakespeare.org/ Othello, Antony & Cleopatra, Twelfth Night NEBRASKA SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL http://neshakespeare.creighton.edu/ Romeo and Juliet *** YVONNE HUDSON appears in her original one-woman show about the life of William Shakespeare. She presents a number of performance and educational programs about Shakespeare for audiences of all ages. Ms. Hudson is a writer, actress and singer whose career has placed her on both sides of the footlights. In addition to her professional roles with many arts and higher education institutions, her marketing and communications consultancy, New Place Communications, has worked with many theater, music, visual arts and educational organizations. (Her writing, reviews and notes have appeared in American Theater, many arts program magazines, and newspapers.) In Pittsburgh, PA, she was public relations and marketing director for organizations such as Three Rivers Arts Festival and City Theatre Company, a producer of new American plays. In New York, she has been magazine editor and has directed marketing projects at Yeshiva University and, now, New York Law School, just blocks from Broadway in TriBeCa's financial and government district. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VOICES IN CONTEMPORARY THEATRE Broadway's First Take A Series of Historic, Newly-Discovered 1st Recordings of Original Broadway Demos, Premiered on CD, April 11th, on the Slider Music/Stage label and is now available from STAGES BOOKSTORE. Volume I features Hello, Dolly!; Gigi and How To Succeed in Business. Recordings supervised by the Composers. Broadway First Take, a new series of CD releases of historic, first-ever studio recordings of Broadway shows, premieres April 11th on the Slider Music/Stage label. Volume I of the planned six-CD series features newly-discovered, very first recordings of now-classic show tunes from Hello, Dolly!, Gigi and How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. On this album, for the only time in the history of these legendary songs, we hear them recorded with a purity never achieved again -- just as the writers wrote them. The composers/lyricists of the shows were in the studio at these recording sessions. Jerry Herman was there for Hello, Dolly!; Alan J. Lerner and Frederick Loewe for Gigi, and Frank Loesser for How To Succeed. One of America's Most Beloved Musicals, My Fair Lady Is Brought Back To Life In Grand Style At Trinity Repertory Theatre! This adaptation of Pygmalion, by George Bernard Shaw, never looked or sounded as good as it does at Trinity! My Fair Lady by Alan Jay Lerner with music by Frederick Loewe can be considered one of America's favorite musicals. Directed by Amanda Dehnert, Trinity Rep's Associate Artistic Director, My Fair Lady tells the story of Speech Professor Henry Higgins, a man who sets out to create his own version of the ideal woman, and Eliza Doolittle, the poor young cockney girl who finds herself recreated as a "proper lady" and hopelessly in love with the man who recreates her. But, it's the dynamic Trinity Rep style that makes this timeless classic come to life. Once again, at this theatre, something new has been added.....a two-piano score originally created and authorized by Loewe. In addition, this much anticipated production of My Fair Lady features one of the largest casts ever to tread the boards at Trinity Rep. Auditions were held in Boston, New York, and Providence to fill the roles of Eliza Doolittle and love interest Freddy, as well as 16 chorus members. The result is a talented cast that hails from across the country. Trinity newcomer Rachael Warren, a New York actress who has performed in the national tours of Chess, Company and The Who's Tommy as well as roles at A.R.T. and the Williamstown Theatre Festival, can be seen in the title role. She joins veteran Repertory Company members Timothy Crowe as Henry Higgins, William Damkoehler as Col. Pickering, Janice Duclos as Mrs. Pearce, Barbara Meek as Mrs. Higgins, and Fred Sullivan, Jr. as Doolittle. New York actor Michael Hance, who recently performed in Broadway's The Scarlet Pimpernel has created the kind of young man every mother would love to see her daughter marry, in the character of Freddy. The Chorus for this "theatre event" is composed of Trinity Conservatory students and actors from Providence, Boston, and New York. Director Amanda Dehnert calls them "an amazing group of performers." One of history's most popular musicals, featuring unforgettable favorites such as "I Could Have Danced All Night," "The Rain in Spain," and "Wouldn't It Be Loverly," My Fair Lady broke the record for longest running musical on Broadway (previously held by Oklahoma) with 2717 performances from 1956 to 1962. "My Fair Lady is the most extraordinary piece of musical theater I could ever hope to work on," says Dehnert. "The music is brilliant, the Iyrics are brilliant, the book is brilliant. Who could ask for anything more'? With this production, I am hoping to give the audience a chance to experience this brilliance as if for the very first time." This marks another outstanding collaboration between director Dehnert and set designer David Jenkins, the same team who transported audiences with their fabulous productions of Saint Joan, Dario Fo's, We Can't Pay, We Won't Pay!, and Othello. Rounding out the members of the design team are Devon Painter (costumes) Amy Appleyard (lights), and Robert Pemberton (sound). The show runs from April 7 - May 21. Ticket prices for My Fair Lady range from $27 to $42, with discounts available for students, seniors, and disabled. Show times are Wednesday through Saturday at 8 PM, Sunday and Tuesday at 7PM, Sunday at 2PM, and select Wednesday and Saturday 2PM matinees. For specific dates and times call the Trinity Rep Box Office at 401-351-4242. For special group rates of I0 or more individuals, contact Dee Davis at 401-521-1100, x223. There will be two Under 30 Thursdays on April 13th and 20th with $10 tickets for those under 30 with valid ID. Food-for-Thought, a post-show discussion in which audience members have the opportunity to talk to the actors, director, and artistic staff of the production, will be held Saturday, April 9th after the 7PM performance. Humanities Rep, a provocative public discussion with local experts, commentators, and scholars on play-related topics will be held on Saturday, April 22nd after the 2PM performance. Trinity Repertory Theatre is conveniently located in Providence, Rhode Island, just a few blocks off I-95. For more information on the theater or the individual plays, visit their Web site at www.trinityrep.com. Abie's Island Rose a new off-Broadway musical opens at the Jewish Repertory Theatre's Playhouse 91 on Sunday, May 7th (previews begin on April 29th) Off-Broadway's Jewish Repertory Theatre will end its 1999-2000 season with the world premiere of a new musical, ABIE'S ISLAND ROSE opening at Playhouse 91, 316 East 91st St. on Sunday, May 7th (7 PM) with previews starting on Saturday, April 29th (8PM). Presented by the Jewish Repertory Theatre, Ran Avni, Artistic Director, ABIE'S ISLAND ROSE is a four character musical comedy which tells the story of the romance between Abie, a young New York Jewish medical student and Rose, an Afro-Caribbean nurse. The show takes place on two mythical islands: Tornados in the Carribean and Manhattan on the Hudson. The cast features: Heather MacRae (1999 MAC Award Winner whose Broadway credits range from "Hair" to "Falsettos"), Keith Lee Grant (recently appeared in the Lincoln Center production of "Marie Christine"), Steven Rosen and Carla Woods. Director is Doug Katsaros who is also the show's composer. Katsaros is currently musical director and conductor of the Broadway musical "Footloose". With music by Katsaros, the lyrics for ABIE'S ISLAND ROSE is shared by Richard Engquist and Frank Evans, both members of the steering committee of BMI-Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop. Engquist received Burns Mantel's Best Play of the Year designation as well as the Outer Critics Circle Award for "Kuni-Leml", produced off Broadway by the Jewish Repertory Theatre and he also collaborated with Katsaros on "Elizabeth and Essex" and regional productions of "Dennis the Menace". The book for ABIE'S ISLAND ROSE is by Ron Sproat, Emmy nominated as head writer for the ABC cult classic, "Dark Shadows" currently seen on the Sci-Fi Network. Set design is by James Morgan, Artistic Director of the York Theatre, costume design by Daryl Stone and lighting design by Mary Jo Dondlinger. Haila Strauss, who is heads the Dance Department at Marymount Manhattan College and who choreographed "Kuni-Leml' among other shows at the JRT, serves in that capacity for this production. From the Mailbag: I just wanted to share that I went to see a production of Macbeth this weekend, and man was it great. It was a pretty edgy, non-traditional version of the Scottish play. The best way to describe the costumes and settings is Industrial-Gothic. The long, sleek, dark coats worn by the men were trick. Lady M's gowns were simple, yet beautiful. The set consisted of a series of 6 doors ( three facing the audience, three on the left side of the stage facing the right side ) plus an opening on the left side of the stage. The doors facing the stage had windows through which the actors could be viewed, but not heard when the doors were closed. There was also a single barren tree behind the front facing doors, kind of in the corner, representing Birnam Wood. Simple, yet effective. All walls and doors were steel grey. The weird sisters could be likened to residents of an insane assylum, although it was clear that they were powerful sorcerers. The scene where Macbeth returns to them was done in quite a stunning way. They sisters seemed possessed, and they held one another back as they spewed the prophecies of Macbeth's undoing. The sisters were in many scenes, (not "visible" to the characters on stage) and their presence intensified the haunting feeling of the play. It was as though they were watching all events. It was unsettling - but really cool. Anyway, it was an experience from which I gained a great deal... I couldn't wait to share my feelings with you. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RUBIN'S CORNER Disney's Aida Opens on Broadway's The shaping and changing of Disney's Aida, which began in Atlanta and continued in Chicago, finally comes to an end on March 23, when the Elton John-Tim Rice musical opens at Broadway's Palace Theatre. The show stars Adam Pascal, Sherie Renee Scott and Heather Headley, and is Disney's third Broadway venture, after Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King. Aida began previews Feb. 25, after concluding a two-month stint at Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre Jan. 9. Robert Falls directs, Wayne Cilento is choreographer and Bob Crowley provided the scenic designs. The book credit for Aida has been revised with the New York bow; director Robert Falls and playwright David Henry Hwang now share credit with original book writer Linda Woolverton. Hwang was hired as a "creative consultant" shortly after the ill-fated, initial Atlanta production of the musical. Furthermore, a few changes have been made to the Elton John-Tim Rice score since Chicago. According to Newsday, Pascal has a new song, "Fortune Favors the Brave," and "Elaborate Lives," previously sung by Headley, has been reassigned to Pascal. The intention in these alterations is to further humanize the character of Radames. The show marks Falls' first work in New York after winning the 1999 Tony Award for directing Death of a Salesman. Falls made his initial reputation in Chicago, first as artistic director of the now-defunct Wisdom Bridge Theatre, then as head of the Goodman Theatre. Among his landmark Second City productions have been a grandly rethought Hamlet and Galileo -- the latter being the first of a string of collaborations with actor Brian Dennehy that led to the Tony-winning Broadway revival of Salesman. Aida represents Falls' first musical in long memory, though he has directed many operas. Completing the 25-member cast of Aida are Tyrees Allen, Robert Armitage, Troy Allan Burgess, Franne Calma, Bob Gaynor, John Hickok, Kisha Howard, Tim Hunter, Youn Kim, Kyra Little, Kenya Unique Massey, Corrine McFadden, Phineas Newborn, Daniel Oreskes, Damian Perkins, Jody Ripplinger, Raymond Rodriguez, Eric Sciotto, Samual Thiam, Jerald Vincent, Schele Williams and Natalia Zisa. I saw the show at the last preview and although it does not break new ground it is a solid show. The music and lyrics have the potential to span several top ten songs. The scenic design uses rich color along with the lighting to create a top stage product. The pyramid that gave the out-of-town troubles is gone. We now have a straightforward show that is depending on its music and story. The three principal players are wonderful. Heather Headley, in the title role gives one of the best performances in years. The production is playing at the Place Theatre on Broadway. The production is not for young children, but should be enjoyed by anyone who is over 15 years of age. Spotlight On: AMADEUS www.AmadeusOnBroadway.Com DAVID SUCHET a TOUR DE FORCE in AMADEUS Perhaps best-known to American audiences as Hercule Poirot in the popular "Agatha Christie Mysteries" television series, DAVID SUCHET has been wowing critics and audiences alike as Antonio Salieri in Peter Shaffer's AMADEUS, directed by Peter Hall. Don't Miss the Peter Hall Evening Standard Interview in Letter from London Mr. Suchet's road to Broadway began in 1998 when this production opened at London's Old Vic Theatre to rave reviews. From there, the production was mounted at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, again captivating critics and setting box office records, in the Fall of 1999, before triumphantly moving to Broadway in December: "David Suchet's Salieri is a magisterial performance, imbued with melancholy wit and dignified pathos." - John Simon, New York Magazine "The wonderful David Suchet commands the stage with a sarcasm and bitterness you can almost touch." - Jeffrey Lyons, WNBC-TV "A brilliant, thrilling performance from David Suchet." - Jay Reiner, The Hollywood Reporter "David Suchet is Excellent." - Benedict Nightingale, The Times, London "David Suchet gives a lively, engaging performance - he carries the audience in the palm of his hand." - Robert Feldberg, Bergen Record "David Suchet couldn't be finer. On stage almost the entire duration, he's so in touch with this character we feel that he's just making it up as he goes along, and we hang on every word impossibly hoping he'll show mercy." - Roma Torre, New York One MICHAEL SHEEN IS "WHITE HOT" IN THE BROADWAY DEBUT OF THE YEAR! Last December, young Welsh actor MICHAEL SHEEN, hailed by the London critics as "surely the best actor of his generation," made his Broadway debut in the title role of AMADEUS. "Like his Welsh compatriots, Richard Burton and Anthony Hopkins, Michael Sheen will blaze in the firmament for years to come...a brilliant young actor...simply exhilirating." - Michael Coveney, The Daily Mail "Michael Sheen's performance is extraordinarily nimble, with whip-crack timing." - Michael Phillips, Los Angeles Times "Watching the white-hot performance of Michael Sheen, you start to appreciate the derivation of the term 'star.' It is not just that Sheen is often in a state of manic motion; it's that his body temperature would seem to be several degrees higher than that of anyone else. He is so luminous, it is scary!" - Ben Brantley, The New York Times "Sheen, a blazing talent, plays Mozart as a bizarre-looking child-man, his eyes haunted orbs that actually seemed trapped inside a life of unbridled appetites and terrors." - Linda Winer, Newsday "Michael Sheen is fantastic as Mozart. The man has all the makings of a great actor." - Clive Barnes, The New York Post AMADEUS is playing on Broadway at the Music Box Theatre. Don't Miss Peter Hall's Evening Standard Interview -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ENTER LAUGHING An ArtSearch Nightmare Yes, We've all received several copies of that e-mail: "You know you're in Community Theatre when." I'm sure its very funny to those who haven't faced the likes of: NON-EQUITY LISTINGS... OPEN DOOR THEATRE is seeking non-equity actors to work with resident company members on non-traditional production of Romeo & Juliet. The roles of Romeo, Juliet, Mercutio, Benvolio, Capulet, Lady Capulet, Nurse, Gregory and Samson already cast. Looking for actors to play the Apothecary and Citizens of Verona. Show runs from early April through late December. No Pay. BREAKAWAY THEATRE seeking non-equity talent for janitorial services. Understudy duties possible. Day rehearsals. No pay. See details under Equity listings. MAJOR LORT THEATRE announces non-equity generals. Prepare two contrasting monologues. Name of theatre anonymous. Audition dates secret. Undisclosed location. In fact, forget you even saw this. NEW THEATRE seeking passionate, young actors for collaborative theatre project. May or may not be produced. Rehearsal space pending. May or may not be in artistic directors apartment. May or may not be scripted, may be improvised. May or may not just sit around and discuss project. But we'll definitely smoke some mean weed! CITYWORKS looking for actors to participate in outreach program. Day rehearsals and performances. Must provide own transportation. Some pay. Seeking to cast educational one-acts on gun-control, pre-marital sex, STDs, depression, confidence-building, weight loss, racial equality, dealing with divorce, gender issues, cancer, leukemia, rickets, sickle-cell anemia, and lupus. Also seeking to cast 45 min. adaptation of Shakespeare's A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. URGENT! Seeking violin player for non-equity production of PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD. Opens Friday. No phone calls. Just show up with violin. Guitars, flutes, trombones, keyboards also acceptable. LOCAL PLAYWRIGHT seeks non-equity actress for lead in new play, long walks in the park, dinner and cuddling. Possible long-term relationship. Send headshot and resume to P.O. Box 2100, NYC RECENT COLLEGE GRADUATES seek non-equity actors/actress for casting in revolutionary re-imagining of THE BACCHAE. Must be committed to craft and comfortable with nudity and simulated sex acts. Some actors will be required to be close to an open flame, as well as sharp, rusty objects. Experience with live ammunition a must. Please prepare four contrasting monologues and be prepared to shave your head and remove two teeth. Rehearsals will be between midnight and four a.m. at a midtown subway platform. Commercial slime-bags who have sold out their talent for money need not apply. Also seeking part-time grants writer. CHANCE OF A LIFETIME!!! Equity theatre seeks unlimited number of non-equity actors for open-ended run. Excellent pay. Please call between 8:30 and 9:00 am on December 25th to schedule audition. STRUGGLING NON-EQUITY THEATRE seeking committed actors for production of PRIDE'S CROSSING. Pay? PAY? Are you kidding? Pay? Woo-hoo, that's a good one! Pay? Ha, ha. Excuse me, I'm sorry. I'll have to get back to you. Pay. Hee-heh. INDUSTRY RELATED: SEATTLE REP seeks non-equity actors to collect money in parking lot adjacent to theatre prior to curtain. Please send headshot and resume, along with three letters of recommendation. Will call if interested. You have the address. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CYBERTHEATRE MONTHLY UK Readers Albemarle of London's West End Theatre Guide http://www.albemarle-london.com/news.html I don't know how regularly London Theatre-goers visit, but the editor scans this detailed guide to London Theatre & Theatre Shops as well as other performing arts, museums, maps, and ticketing links before each and every trip to the city. As a visitor's guide, this site is an indispensable resource for any theatre-lover traveling to London. British Theatre http://britishtheatre.about.com/entertainment/britishtheatre/index.htm Once upon a time About.com was called The Mining Company. They had a great idea that people could evaluate what made a site useful or cool better than any algorithm of search engine meta tags. At some point they decided quantity was more important than quality, and most of their sites (including Broadway and U.S. Regional Theatre) were discontinued. British Theatre, under the direction of "Guide" Peter "I've got no axe to grind" Lathan, is the exception. Loads of links, good links, to British Theatre resources and bi-weekly articles with a refreshingly non-London-Centric view of performing arts in the UK. The Drama Magazine & National Drama http://www.dramamagazine.co.uk The Drama Magazine will have its own web site from the middle of this month so check this link then. Also note that National Drama now have their own web site http://www.nationaldrama.co.uk/ Irish Theatre Resource http://homepage.tinet.ie/~sfa/ It's the Theatre Central of Irish Theatre: Directory of Festivals, Companies, Dance, Performing Venues, and a Calendar section. Painful graphics, but otherwise terrific. Laura Benanti in CultureFinder Celebrity Chat MONDAY, APRIL 17 at 9:00PM (EST) Laura Benanti, of the new hit Broadway musical "SWING!," holding her first online chat, as part of Culturefinder's Meet-the-Pros Celebrity Chat Series on Monday, April 17 at 9PM. The chat is reachable by accessing CultureFinder.Com. The chat is the latest in CultureFinder's Extreme Culture series, an educational online community dedicated to the arts. Past guests include Marin Mazzie, Luciano Pavarotti, Paul Gemignani, and Keith Lockhart. The transcript of the chat will be posted on CultureFinder.Com. Laura Benanti returns to Broadway after her debut as Maria in "The Sound of Music" opposite Richard Chamberlain, for which she received rave reviews. She has appeared at the Paper Mill Playhouse in "Jane Eyre" and "Man of La Mancha." Workshops include "City of Dreams" (Mary, Ensemble Studio Theater), "Summer" (Charity, York Theater Co.), Julia in ""Time and Again," Esmeralda in Disney's "Hunchback" and "The Royal Family of Broadway" by acclaimed composer William Finn. Ms. Benanti received Paper Mill's first Rising Star Award for Outstanding Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical. "SWING!," opened at the St. James Theatre (246 West 44th Street) on December 9 to rave reviews. "SWING!"" is directed and choreographed by Lynne Taylor-Corbett and supervised by four-time Tony Award-winner Jerry Zaks. "SWING!" features world-class swing dancers, a hot contemporary swing band and acclaimed jazz/pop singers, cutting loose to over 30 new and classic swing songs and dance numbers that reflect the current neo-swing dances sweeping the country today, embracing West Coast, Country-Western, Latin and Traditional Swing dancing. For further information, visit the official website for SWING!: www.SwingOnBroadway.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TECHIE'S CORNER Welcome once again to the Techie's Corner. This month we are continuing our series on platforms. This month we will talk about the most common platform in the theatre, the ubiquitous 4 x 8 stock platform and it's close friends, the small group of "standard " stock sizes of platforms. All platforms consist of three things: the Lid, the Frame and the Legs and bracing. The purpose of the lid is to support the point load of the actor or scenery, distribute it over as large an area as possible and transfer the load to the frame. The single most common lid material is 3/4" thick plywood. While I have seen 5/8" thick and occasionally 1/2" thick plywood used for platform lids the amount of visible sag was unacceptable and safety was severely compromised. For normal theatrical use, non-dancing, the lid must withstand a bare minimum of 50 psf (pounds per square foot). For any kind of action, several actors close together, 100 psf is needed and for dancing 150 psf is an absolute minimum, 250 psf is better. For tap, clog, Riverdance etc. try to imagine the force of three or four dancers coming down at once. Dancers can generate a ten-fold force during a landing, stomp or tap maneuver. For example, three 110 pound ladies clogging in unison can create 110 lbs. x 3 dancers equals 330 lbs., 330 lbs. times ten equals 3,300 pounds of instant impact on a single platform. The exact load rating of any platform is a combination of all three components and is beyond the scope of today's article. However, for the purpose of this discussion, an average platform will safely support about 100 psf in a static load situation. That means a standard 4' x 8' platform will support about 3,200 pounds evenly spread out over the entire surface. Of course that figure assumes that the legs and bracing and the stage floor below the platform are also capable of and designed to support that load. The purpose of the frame is to support the lid and transfer the load to the legs and bracing. The type of frame material and its strength will determine the spacing between legs and braces. The frame should support the weight without bending more than 1/360 of the span between supports or a 1" sag in a 30' span. This is about 1/4" in an eight foot span or 1/8" in a four foot span. So, if you build a platform and it sags 1/2" when your actor stands in the middle, you need to cast smaller actors......opps.......what I meant to say was, you need to use larger framing boards or put the legs closer together. The purpose of the legs and bracing is to transfer the weight from the frame to the floor under the platform and to hold the platform at the desired height and with little or no lateral movement. The methods of legging platforms are so varied that they can and will fill an entire article by themselves. In the United States, the single most common size of platform is the four foot wide by eight foot long unit and the most common framing material is the plain old ordinary, SPF 2x4. Why are these the standard? It is simple economics and convenience. Sheet goods are normally manufactured in the 4' x 8' size. While other sizes are available, they are more expensive per square foot and usually must be specially ordered. A 4' x 8' platform needs no sawing or cutting of the deck or lid material, it comes in that size to begin with. Strangely enough, even in countries using the metric system, sheet goods still are made to what they call "Imperial Measurement" and are 4' x 8'. The measurement is metricized to 1220mm x 2440mm but it still equals four feet by eight feet. It might be interesting in a future article to investigate why sheet goods in those countries stayed at 4'x8'. Was it human scale, economics, convenience? Now what kind of "sheet goods" are we talking about? Generally speaking we are talking about plywood but there are a number of products available with different advantages, disadvantages and cost factors. The following is a brief listing of some materials suitable for platform lids with some of their pros and cons. Some Common Sheet Goods Used for Platform Lids in Theatrical Construction Name Actual size Description Advantages Disadvantages Average Cost as of March, 2000 in US $$ Plywood, 3/4" AC 4' x 8' x 23/32" thick 5 to 7 layers of wood laminated to the nominal thickness. Layers have grain running 90 degrees to adjacent layers. "A" side is smooth and "finish" quality. Strong, will support heavy loads if properly framed and supported. Available everywhere. Smooth surface can be painted and become the show surface. Cost, March, 2000 price is about $32 per sheet. Moderately heavy at 75 pounds per sheet. May have voids inside that can allow point loads to penetrate. $32.00 Plywood, 3/4" BC 4' x 8' x 23/32" thick 5 layers of wood laminated to the nominal thickness. Layers have grain running 90 degrees to adjacent layers. C side is plugged and rough, D side often has surface voids. Strong, will support heavy loads if properly framed and supported. Available almost everywhere. Smooth surface can be painted and become the show surface. Price is usually $3 to $5 cheaper than AC Plywood. Often very curved, usually has voids. 75 pounds per sheet May have voids inside that can allow point loads to penetrate $28.00 Plywood, 3/4 CDX 4' x 8' x 23/32" thick 6 layers of wood laminated to the nominal thickness. Layers have grain running 90 degrees to adjacent layers. "B" side is smooth. About 30% cheaper than AC Plywood Rarely flat, large voids on D side. Must have some other surface for show side such as homosote plus masonite or luan. $22.50 OSB, 3/4" 4' x 8' x 23/32" thick OSB means Oriented Strand Board. Wood is shredded and glued up in a resin with the fibers roughly aligned in the direction of the board. No voids, generally flat, structurally equal to or stronger than 3/4 AC plywood, but about the cost of CDX. About 10% to 15% heavier than equal thickness of plywood, about 85 lbs. Per sheet. Must have a show surface of masonite or luan etc.resin dulls tools rapidly. $22.50 Particle Board, 3/4" 4' x 8' x 23/32" thick, some brands 3/4" true. Particle board is made of wood that is ground up roughly and glued up in a resin. No voids, generally flat,but usually less than the cost of CDX. 20% heavier than equivalent thickness of plywood. Structurally weaker than 3/4 AC plywood. Very hard, screws must be pre-drilled for counter sinks to drive flush, edges and corners break off easily. $19.75 Framing materials for stock platforms are also varied. The most common is the standard SPF 2 x 4. SPF means that the species of wood varies between spruce, pine and fir. The actual size is 11/2" x 3 1/2". The reason it is the most common framing material is that it is the least expensive. Two by fours also are very durable, capable of handling a lot of use and abuse. They are heavier than most other types of common framing. Other types of framing materials are 1 x 6 pine and 5/4" by 4" or 5/4" by 6" SPF. Although 1 x 8 and 1x 12, 2 x 6 and 2 x 12 are also used for platforms, these are usually used for specialty or one of a kind units rather than "stock" units to be used over and over again. One by six is the stiffest, lightest material. Five quarter is the strongest most expensive material. Two by four is the most durable. One by six makes a rather light but strong platform. However it does not stand up well to repeated banging about into and out of storage. The corners are particularly susceptible to being crunched and fasteners are prone to rip out. Two by four frames are very durable, hold fasteners well, rarely can be the finished frame the audience sees. Five quarter tries to get the best of both worlds, light, strong, and durable but it costs the most. Framing patterns are the next item in a stock platform. The single most common is the 8' stile with toggles on 2' centers. The plan view is the same regardless of which material is chosen, see Illustration #1. Occasionally you might come across a platform built with only one or two interior braces but they have a noticeable sag or bounce as an adult walks on them and is totally inadequate for dancing or active theatrical blocking. The reason the particular framing pattern shown in illustration #1 evolved is because it is relatively strong, easy to build and uses the least amount of lumber of any acceptable framing method. While the method serves well, distributes the load evenly, it does have a drawback. The drawback is that it is not the most efficient method of supporting weight. A much stronger and stiffer framing method runs interior member along the long length of the unit instead of across it, see Illustration #2. This style of framing is not as common but is actually superior in most respects. The difference in strength is most noticeable when using 2 x 4 for the framing material. The standard method shown in illustration #1 requires a leg or support at 4' intervals along the sides or 6 legs per unit. The method of framing shown in illustration #2 requires legs at 8' intervals or only 4 legs per platform. It does use four more feet of framing material than the "common" method shown above. Another variation is a frame with only one toggle in the center at the four foot mark. While this variation will support 90% of the loads in theatre use, it will visibly sag or deflect between framing members. I do not recommend this framing method and when using 2 x 4 as a framing material, saves only about $2 per platform. Methods of fastening the frame materials together are varied depending on the type of lumber you are using. Two by fours have been fastened together with 16d common nails for years. One by six or five quarter stock are usually fastened together with 12D nails. A slight variation is to use ring shank or spiral shank nails. The textured shank nails hold much better than the common nails, are just as easy to drive, are available in strings for pneumatic nailers but are about 10% to 15% more expensive. The main drawback is that they are very hard to pull out when you make a mistake. As battery powered screw guns become more common and available, fastening platform frames together with deck screws or drywall screws has become more and more the norm. Screws are roughly 4 times the cost of nails but hold much better, don't work loose and can be easily removed if necessary. A skilled carpenter with a 16oz hammer can drive nails faster than he can drive screws but most ammeter, small or beginning workers can drive screws faster. Fastest of all, of course, is the pneumatic nailer. The nailer is a great equalizer in that the smallest 90 pound woman can drive nails as fast as the largest football linebacker and you can pick your workers for the muscle between their ears instead of in their biceps. Although some people will swear by the use of glue when building platforms, don't waste your money. It really does little or no good in the frame construction. Soft woods like pine, spruce or fir have very open end grain and end grain is a very poor glue surface. On the other hand when you fasten the lid to the frame, glue can increase the platform strength by as much as 20% depending on the number and spacing of nails or screws used to fasten the lid to the frame. The last part of this month's article is a brief description of the "other" stock platforms. Along with the standard 4' x 8' unit there are a number of other stock sizes; they are, in no particular order as follows. 4' x 4', 2' x 8', 2' x 6', 2' x 4', 3' x 8', 3' x 6' and the two triangle half platforms, the 4' x 4' and the 4' x 8' left and right. Framing techniques for these units is simply variations of the 4' x 8' stock unit, see illustration # 3. By using the group of stock platforms shown above, a wide variety of shapes and sizes can be assembled. With the addition of a few special built units the possibilities are endless. One word of warning however. Stock platforms are not the end all be all of theatrical scenery. There are times when the use of stock platforms will cost more in time or money than building units to fit the size and shapes needed. Now that we have looked at the basic platforms, the parallel and the "stock" unit, it is time to move on to more sophisticated and or special use units. Next month we will look at the Triskit and the Texas Triskit. Until next time, keep the green side up, don't sweat the small stuff ........ and remember...... it's all small stuff. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LETTER FROM LONDON RSC Richard II Reviews ... in the Daily Telegraph Great beginning Charles Spencer reviews Richard II at the Royal Shakespeare Company's Other Space. THIS is the start of something big. Over the next 12 months the RSC is presenting Shakespeare's two cycles of English history plays, spanning more than 100 years, from the deposition of Richard II to the establishment of the Tudor dynasty under Henry VII. Steven Pimlott opens the account with Richard II, that medieval jewel of a play, in Stratford's smallest space, The Other Place. Just as the hooker in the Sondheim song believed you've gotta have a gimmick, so Pimlott believes that a director's gotta have a concept. He tends to bend Shakespeare's plays to his own will, imposing a style on them, rather than letting them speak for themselves. Richard II comes across on the page as the theatrical equivalent of a medieval illuminated manuscript. It's very wordy, very poetic, and very beautiful, a long elegy for a lost crown. Actors playing the title role have traditionally seized it as a chance to show off the voice beautiful. Pimlott is naturally having none of that. A sleek, almost brutal, modernism prevails. The Other Place has been stripped right back to basics and painted a dazzling white. The big, public set pieces take place under harsh neon light, the modern-dress costumes are achingly hip, the large acting area almost bare except for a few chairs and Gloucester's earthy grave. Killings are carried out with silenced handguns and a plain wooden box serves as dais, weapon chest and, as we quickly guess, Richard's coffin at the end. Yet Sue Willmington's contentious, self-conscious design somehow works. Yes, the play contains some marvellously sad and self-regarding poetry from Richard, but it is also a subtle and penetrating account of realpolitik, and Pimlott seems to be observing the political process under laboratory conditions. He achieves a superb clarity in the unravelling of a complex narrative, in which almost every character has two names and the audience is faced with such puzzles as Northumberland hieing himself to Gloucester while Hereford is en route to Westminster. There is a similar lucidity about the performances. Samuel West, a specialist in damaged upper- class goods, captures not only the sensitivity, but also the petulance and the massive self-regard of Richard. He delivers the great verse about kingship, loss and mortality with superb precision, never making a meal of it, and delicately signals his character's ambivalent sexuality. The crucial quality he lacks is pathos. There is a coldness in this performance, as in the whole production, that isn't completely true to the elegiac spirit of the play. David Troughton brings both gallows humour and a real edge of thuggery to the role of the usurper, Bolingbroke. He has a commanding stage presence that suggests furious violence within, and there's something dead behind his eyes. Yet in the final scene Troughton also memorably anticipates the awakening conscience and the oppressive care of kingship that will burden Henry IV in the subsequent plays. An abiding, poignant theme of Shakespeare's histories is of the old generation reluctantly giving way to the new, and there are smashing performances here from Alfred Burke as a wheelchair- bound John of Gaunt and David Killick as a Willie Whitelaw-esque York who suddenly comes over like Jack Straw in his eagerness to turn in his son. Adam Levy is a hilarious gung-ho Harry Percy, Catherine Walker a touchingly isolated, drop-dead glamorous Queen, and Alexis Daniel a memorably disconcerting Aumerle. It is an intelligent, satisfyingly rigorous start to a most welcome grand project. ... in the London Evening Standard Quiet loser in polo neck by Nicholas de Jongh For Richard II to appear in a grey, polo-necked sweater and black suit may cause alarm among traditionalists. But in Steven Pimlott's impressive production, played upon an all-white stage bare but for upright white chairs, a rectangular wooden crate and a grave-shaped earth-mound, the decision to opt for contemporary dress proves oddly illuminating. It launches the RSC's cycle of history-plays in provocative style. Pimlott cares little for the supposed divinity of 14th century kings. He concentrates our gaze upon a timeless process, by which a tyrant is inexorably stripped of the trappings and substance of power. Samuel West's initially bland Richard achieves a remarkable emotional impact in scenes describing the king's humiliation, deposition and despair. This boyish monarch infatuated by Alexis Daniel's Aumerle is no psychologically flawed tragic hero or narcissistic tyrant. Instead of being half in love with self-pity he reacts to loss of face and crown by struggling to repress high emotion beneath a facade of smiling irony and mock courtesy. This Richard is a quiet loser, renouncing power in effortful calm, without histrionics, clenching teeth as if rent by pain. He abdicates, nonchalantly placing a flag over the grave, but his slow and tremulous speaking betrays the desolation he battles to conceal. It's this sense of hard-won, fragile valor that makes his Richard so poignant. The performance is contained in the midst of eerie tableaux, chiming bells, and a production converting the play into a prison-reverie recollection of the King's decline and fall: that wooden crate becomes his looking glass, torture chamber and coffin. Bathed in dream-like purple light, courtiers and aristocrats stand in formal, threatening attitudes or sit watchfully on the sidelines. They are timeless, dangerous feuders in whom ancient and modern elements are mixed. David Troughton's saturnine, thuggish Bolingbroke, and Paul Green-wood's Mowbray wear modern dress and wield axes, but pistols with silencers are elsewhere deployed. Adam Levy's Harry Percy is a thoroughly modern paramilitary while West's King switches between lounge suit and the full royal rig he sadly discards. At the preview I attended too many performances lacked definition, character and coherence. Three voice tutors assisted Pimlott, but did not prevent frequent reference to "Jukes" for "Dukes or one performer turning his "r's" into "w's". Yet this Richard II still cuts a revelatory dash. Peter Hall Dinosaur with plenty of roar by Alison Roberts I meet theatre director Sir Peter Hall at the National Theatre's rehearsal rooms, which - with rather cruel irony - are located next door to the temporarily dark Old Vic. For a year the Old Vic was Sir Peter's home, a theatre in which he could happily fulfil his last remaining dream: to found and run a small classical company independent of boardroom hassles and management crises - his final stab at a theatrical ideal, almost 40 years after he founded and ran the present-day version of the Royal Shakespeare Company. It wasn't to last. In 1997, the owners of the Old Vic decided to sell up; a rather shabby scrap ensued, during which neither the Arts Council nor the culture department acted entirely in good faith, and Sir Peter watched his dream slip away. Now, in his 70th year, he's made a freelance career for himself and works largely in America. At the behest of his publishers, Sir Peter has recently updated his autobiography to include this episode. His personal life has never been happier, he writes, thanks largely to his fourth wife, Nicki, "someone whom I could love passionately and yet argue with eloquently". But the new chapter is tempered with melancholy, partly because of the Old Vic and partly because Sir Peter seems suddenly overwhelmed by intimations of mortality. He talks about his "dotage" as though 70 really were the end; writes about the 30-year age gap between Nicki and himself, and the first professional rejections he's ever had to face. "I'm still heartbroken about the Old Vic," he says. "Particularly when I see that theatre standing dark and dank and empty. Historically, it only works when it has a policy and a character." His great friend Peter Brook, the director in self-imposed Parisian exile, says he'd have his own theatre by now if he was French, as a reward for national service. But Sir Peter Hall has never knowingly given up anything without a fight. The notion that he's going to keel over any time soon, is utterly belied by his work rate: the pensionable Sir Peter opens Cuckoos in a new translation from the Italian at the Gate Theatre this week - Cuckoos, by a young Italian writer, which "pushes everything to excess" (and for which he'll receive no payment); and then instantly hikes off to Denver, Colorado, to begin rehearsals on John Barton's 10-play, 15-hour cycle about the Trojan War, a mammoth work called Tantalus. Perhaps his publishers wanted sunset-coloured reminiscence - in reality, the "dinosaur" is still as active, and combative, as ever. He talks about the Dome, for example. Years ago, when John Barton was still working on Tantalus (it took him 15 years from start to finish), he and Sir Peter offered it to the committee in charge. What better way to celebrate the arts than two of our elder statesmen interpreting the myths which gave birth to theatre itself? "They said they weren't having any theatre in the Dome because theatre was historical and belonged to the past," he says, amused. "It wasn't forward- thinking enough." Later, he talks about New Labour with the kind of passion shared by other arts-based men of his generation - Barbican boss John Tusa, for example - and the familiar (sadly, overlyso) arguments are rehearsed. "This Government is so scared of being elitist, I think they have very questionable standards," he says. "I'm all for populism, but standards are very important. For this Government to say they're looking after theatre is preposterous! They say they hate elitism, but they saved Covent Garden - I'm glad that they did, but that's what they're about. They won't let the RSC or the National or the Royal Court go to the wall, but they will let countless regional theatres go to the wall. And that's where they're elitist. They say they're going to carry out some really stringent surveys of regional theatre and if those theatres aren't getting the right access and the right audiences, then they'll close them down." OF course no one wants theatres to close, I say, but they've got a point about access. Theatre really is very middle class isn't it? "So? So? What's wrong?" he replies heatedly, and then pauses a moment. "It isn't middle class. I'm a working-class boy and I think that's balls frankly. Theatre has been pushed into being middle-class because the principle of subsidy was changed by Thatcher. Subsidy used to be about lowering the price of tickets." He thinks the £150 charged by the Royal Opera House for his ticket to see Der Rosenkavalier is "disgraceful". If ticket prices were lowered, the future of theatre would be secured. In fact, he sees a terrific future ahead, particularly as we enter a newly technological age in which only theatre is "unique and active and live and different every night". It's certainly a choice irony that only the Americans - sellers of high-tech entertainment to the world - can afford to stage John is, in fact, spending $7 million on the plays, money which pays for six months' rehearsal time rather than spectacular sets or legions of Greek hoplites. Sir Peter will direct with two associates - Mick Gordon, of the Gate Theatre, and his own son, Edward, an established director with work at the RSC under his belt and his own company in Newbury. This, says Sir Peter, is a real joy: to work with his children (his daughter Lucy has designed the sets for Cuckoos) and to discover more about them in the process. Peter Hall is certainly more reflective than he perhaps once was, but what's remarkable is that he has time to reflect, what with his haring about America and updating books (he's also written a new foreword to the best-selling Diaries). "I've been lucky," he says, in that slightly pessimistic past tense. "I spent 25 years of my life at the RSC and the National. I made one of them and certainly had quite a big hand in the making of the other. I've worked with all the great dramatists, Beckett, Pinter, Schaffer, Edgar, Ayckbourn." Wonderful, I say, a golden age. And there's surely more to come? "Well," he replies, "I can't complain, can I?" Mamma Mia! what Clippings New London MAMMA MIA! cast reviewed in Daily Telegraph, March 22, 2000 Mamma mia, says my mum Charles Spencer reviews Mamma Mia! at the Prince Edward Theatre AT the end of Monday's performance of Mamma Mia! two nondescript middle-aged men with beards shuffled sheepishly on to the stage. They certainly didn't look like pop gods, but pop gods they undoubtedly are, for this was Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, the songwriting geniuses of Abba. Abba were a bit of a joke in their Seventies heyday, largely thanks to their criminally tasteless costumes and the fact that they had won the Eurovision Song Contest. Now it's clear that their work stands comparison with Lennon and McCartney. Andersson and Ulvaeus were on stage to celebrate three million sales in the UK of the hits collection Abba Gold and the first birthday of Mamma Mia!, the record-breaking musical that takes such an enjoyable ride on their back catalogue. I took my old mum along and after a worrying moment when she almost jumped out of her seat at the first deafening notes of the overture she loved every minute. It is absurd to lumber Mamma Mia! with undue cultural significance, for it aims to be no more than a fun night out. Yet it deserves serious praise on two counts. Firstly it proves that compilation musicals needn't be tacky take-the-money-and-run exercises. Catherine Johnson's witty and ingenious script weaves the famous songs around characters you care about, in an involving story about a strong-willed single mum and her 20-year-old daughter who wants to find out who her father is before she gets married. The tongue-in-cheek way in which Johnson sets up Abba songs to advance the Greek-island narrative is a delight. Secondly this is the show that deals a killer blow to the doomy-gloomy, through-sung blockbusters that were so fashionable in the 1980s. Mamma Mia! sends you into the night with a grin on your face rather than an urgent desire to slit your wrists. A new cast has now taken over. Louise Plowright, promoted from her earlier role as best friend, has exactly the right mix of spunky determination and emotional vulnerability as the mother, Donna, not to mention an exceptionally strong voice. Julie Atherton is achingly youthful and genuinely touching as her troubled daughter, and there is strong support from Louise Gold and Lesley Nicol as Donna's mates, growing middle-aged disgracefully. But the splendidly delivered songs are the real stars of Phyllida Lloyd's peppy production. At the end the whole audience is on its feet and swaying blissfully along to the hits. What a pleasure it is to see that girl, watch that scene and dig the Dancing Queen. Canadian MAMMA MIA! Cast Announced Announcing the cast of the North American premiere of Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus' MAMMA MIA! the new musical based on the songs of ABBA Performances Begin May 11, 2000 at the Royal Alexandra Theatre, Toronto David and Ed Mirvish are delighted to announce the Canadian cast for MAMMA MIA!, the new musical based on the songs of ABBA, which will premiere in North America at Toronto's Royal Alexandra Theatre on May 11, 2000, with the gala opening night set for May 23. The cast of MAMMA MIA! is lead by Adam Brazier, Gabrielle Jones, Gary Lynch, Tina Maddigan, Lee MacDougall, Mary Ellen Mahoney, David Mucci and Louise Petre; and features Nicole Fraser, Miku Graham, Sal Scozaari and Nicholas Dromard. Biographical information follows at the end of this press release. The ensemble includes Charles Azullay, Danny Balkwill, Karen Burthwright, Jordan Cable, Nadia Duggin, Kelly Fletcher, Tracey Flye, Howard Kaye, Lisa Kisch, Nadine Roden, David Rosser, Monique Lund, Matt Murray, Daniel Jason O'Keefe, Craig Ramsay, Jennifer Toulmin, Astrid Van Wieren and Shawn Wright. MAMMA MIA! is produced at the Royal Alexandra by Judy Craymer, Richard East and Bjorn Ulvaeus for Littlestar in association with Universal Pictures and David & Ed Mirvish. On the announcement of the Toronto cast, co-producer Judy Craymer said, "We were blessed with an extraordinary company of actors when we opened the show a year ago in the West End. I can't believe lightning has struck twice. Our director, Phyllida Lloyd; Bjorn Ulvaeus and I have been blown away by the amazing Canadian talent assembled for this first production of MAMMA MIA! anywhere in the world outside London." MAMMA MIA! opened at London's Prince Edward Theatre on April 6, 1999, twenty-five years to the day that ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest, and overnight became "London's biggest home-grown hit since The Phantom of the Opera" (London Daily Mail). Acclaimed by Matt Wolf of the Associated Press as "quite simply a phenomenon,"MAMMA MIA! has broken virtually every British box office record and continues to sell out every performance at the Prince Edward Theatre. Described by Bjorn Ulvaeus as "the musical we never knew we had written," MAMMA MIA! ingeniously interweaves twenty-two ABBA songs into a funny and infectious tale of a mother and her soon-to-be-wed daughter. Set in the present on a tiny, mythical Greek island, MAMMA MIA! is a musical love story that crosses continents and generations. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 2000, Mersinger Theatrical Services