Video: Wimberley Players Reflect on 'Stay' by Sheila Cowley, September 13 - October 6, 2013

David McCullars' video with glimpses of the performance and comments by the cast of







production of

Deanna Lalich, Aaron Johnson (photo: Wimberley Players)

Stay

by Sheila Cowley

Sept. 13 – Oct. 6, 2013

Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2:30 p.m.

Reserved Seating $18; Opening Night $20; Students $9 with ID, except opening night.

450 Old Kyle Road, Wimberley, TX -- click for map

A Texas premiere! A gripping psychological drama about a marriage on the brink whose pulse refuses to stop throbbing. It’s the story of dark, complicated relationships and the nature of trust, love, sacrifice, and ultimately letting go. Stay revolves around an eye surgeon who, in a desperate attempt to keep her husband from leaving her, convinces him that he’s been blinded in an accident. As she struggles to keep him, her lies grow and become all too real.

Featuring comments by Will Mercer, Deanna Lalich and Aaron Johnson

with them and Leigh Shelton in scenes from the play

Video by David McCullars 

(Click to go to the AustinLiveTheatre front page)

Stay by Sheila Cowley, Wimberley Players, September 13 - October 6, 2013

by Michael Meigs

The Wimberley Players give Sheila Cowley's Stay a quality production with a strong cast and superb production values. This piece by the Florida playwright had its premiere with the Players Theatre in Sarasota, and its transfer between local theatres ready to try out new work is an encouraging sign that not all such venues are in lockstep with the likes of Arsenic and Old Lace, Neil Simon and the Texas gothic comedies of Jones, Hope & Wooten.

Deanna Lalich is Leanne Abrams, a quietly moody physician separated from Mark, her journalist husband of twenty years, played by Aaron Johnson. He's one of those lost sheep that keeps returning; although he has a new girlfriend, he inevitably gravitates back to the apartment to pick up clothes, books and the mothering of his perhaps-soon-to-be-ex-wife. Early in the opening act Mark deposits a legal document requiring Leanne's signature, presumably necessary for some sort of no-fault divorce.

Flashbacks designated by special lighting effects take us back to the couple's earliest years, when Mark had just gotten his big job and Leanne was on her way to med school. Playwright Cowley explores repeatedly the dynamic between them, with Mark's excited, distracted talk about The Places He'll Go and Leanne's ever-patient tracking and correcting of his schedules. We hear this trope again and again, with Leanne always resorting to a wistful, unsubstantiated, "It'll be all right. . . ."

These two appealing actors work that territory as far as it can be worked, but their relationship never becomes more vivid or understandable. Cowley is asking us just to assume the best and believe that they're real people. Though Leanne turns out to be an opthalmologic surgeon, a wizard in transplanting corneas, we never hear her talk about medicine other than to lament that a girl patient of hers is still waiting for transplants. Cowley has Mark the journalist bubble about the exotic destinations that his media organization is sending him to, and evidently has been sending him to for the past twenty years, but other than that the character doesn't have a thought in his head. The two don't give us any real insight into their de facto decision not to have children, and we hear almost nothing about their history or relationship, other than his bouncing off the walls with enthusiasm like a five-year-old and her solid acceptance of him like an eternally indulgent mommy.

Aaron Johnson, Deanna Lalich (photo: Wimberley Players)

The title Stay voices Leanne's yearning for her husband, and the promotional photo of the blindfolded Mark and the contemplative Leanne suggests the central ploy of this plot. Applying her medicines, Leanne deceives Mark into thinking that he has been in a car accident and has only just roused from lengthy unconsciousness to find himself with eyes blindfolded, utterly dependent upon the wife he would sort of like to stay with if only he wasn't fascinated by his much younger female editor and feeling obliged to stay with that woman, who's pregnant by him.

Read more at AustinLiveTheatre.com . . . .

FOR WHOM THE DONG TOLLS, La Fenice at Butterfly Bar, Vortex Repertory, May 23, 24 and 29,2013

La Fenice, commedia dell'arte

presents
For Whom the Dong Tolls

May 23, 24 and 29, 2013 at 8 p.m.
at the Butterfly Bar, Vortex Repertory Company, 2307 Manor Rd. - click for map

Fresh off their tour to West Texas, La Fenice, Austin's long running Commedia dell'Arte troupe, will return home to debut their latest scenario, For Whom the Dong Tolls at the Butterfly Bar (outside the Vortex) on Thursday, May 23, Friday, May 24 and Wednesday, May 29, all at 8pm. We'll also be bringing some exciting and fabulous special guests!

For Whom the Dong Tolls follows the story of Arlecchino, a carefree fellow who has traveled to Venice to settle a debt with his old friend, Orlando. However, Orlando's father, the world-famous alchemist Dottore, has recently been murdered for his mystical secrets by rival wizard Pantalone. To make matters worse, Pantalone has snatched both Dottore's book of Spells and his beautiful young intern Olivia. Arlecchino, Orlando and Columbina, Olivia's saucy governess, must stage a daring rescue, braving the sword-wielding Capitano and Pantalone's gauntlet of borrowed magics.

Starring Dr. Gian Giacomo Colli, Tate Green, Genevieve Kinney, Aaron Johnson, Kate Meehan and Adam Rodriguez, with music by Bruce Salmon.

Adult themes, unlicensed proctology, singing, dancing, sword play, and bad magic tricks.

(Click to go to the AustinLiveTheatre front page)

DEATH OF A SALESMAN by Arthur Miller, Wimberley Players, February 8 - March 3, 2013

(450 Old Kyle Road, Wimberley, TX -- click for map)

present

Purchase tckets online or call (512) 847-0575

(Click to go to the AustinLiveTheatre front page)

Upcoming, again: Suitors and Tutors, La Fenice at Ruta Maya, June 4-5, 11-12

Received directly:

Suitors and Tutors

June 4 - 5, 11 - 12 at 7 p.m.

Arrive early at 6 p.m. to enjoy happy hour with the cast!
Ruta Maya, 3601 South Congress Avenue

Admission: $5 - $15 sliding scale

Adult material

There are 4 more chances to see the premiere production of Suitors and Tutors, presented by La Fenice!

The Austin Commedia Society, known for its enthusiastic and hilarious modern interpretation of the influential style of Commedia dell'Arte, has reformed under the name of La Fenice, Italian for The Phoenix. Suitors and Tutors, directed by Dr. Gian Giacomo Colli of international Commedia dell'Arte fame, is their first new scenario in nearly 7 years, and can be seen Fridays and Saturdays, starting at 7pm, June 4^th-12^th at Ruta Maya (3601 South Congress Avenue).

Read more and view image at AustinLiveTheatre.com . . . .

Upcoming: Suitors and Tutors, La Fenice commedia dell'Arte, Club Deville, January 15 - 30

Found on-line:



Suitors and Tutors

Club Deville, 900 Red River, 8 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays, January 15 - 30t, $5 - $15 sliding scale admission. Adult material.

The Austin Commedia Society, known for its enthusiastic and hilarious modern interpretation of the influential style of Commedia dell'Arte, has reformed under the name of La Fenice, Italian for The Phoenix. The debut performance of their newest original scenario, Suitors and Tutors, directed by Dr. Gian Giacomo Colli of international Commedia dell'Arte fame, will be held on Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, January 15-30th at Club Deville (900 Red River), indoors or out.

Suitors and Tutors features four of the original members of the Austin Commedia Society, Aaron Johnson, Paul Joiner, Genevieve Kinney, and Kate Meehan, and includes Adam Rodriguez, Esthers Follies alumni and stand up comedian. La Fenice is also thrilled to host Dr. Gian Giacomo Colli as a guest director. Born in Italy to a performing family, Dr. Colli has studied under the God Fathers of Commedia earning an international reputation as one of the great Italian comedians. Currently, he serves as an Associate Professor of Theatre at Franklin & Mary College in Pennsylvania.

True to Commedia dell'Arte's historic roots, La Fenice is incorporating live original music, written and performed by Amanda Kitchens.

Suitors and Tutors follows the murderous Pulcinella as he scours the countryside for the witless Smirildina, the only witness to a heinous crime, who has taken up service with the wealthy and beautiful Isabella. In his bloodthirsty quest, he makes an orphan of Isabella, who is forced to enter the household of her ancient and recently impoverished god father Pantalone, who has his own designs on young Isabella's wealth. Complicating matters is Pantalone's conniving servant Brighella, who has plans of his own. In this fast-paced, mad-cap production, identities will become confused, blood will flow and assets seized as all players scramble to achieve their varied goals.

For their debut performance, La Fenice is excited to renew their relationship with Club Deville, the location of the first Austin Commedia Society production in 1999. Call (512) 539-0358 for reservations.


(EXTRA: follow the blog for Suitors and Tutors)