Theatre Charlotte
This is the official blog for Theatre Charlotte, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating outstanding theatre opportunities for the people of the Charlotte region.
Friday, August 31, 2012
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum: Something for Every-Bawdy
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Director's Note: The Odd Couple (Female Version)
If you ask that question in a low serious voice, you may not be able to stop remembering the familiar melody from The Odd Couple TV series.
My introduction to the play was that TV show, where I loved how opposite the two friends were, and how the difference didn’t make a difference. Their situation, their friends, their whip smart dialogue are all indelible. Maybe you’ve compared these iconic characters to friends in your own lives: “You’re such an Oscar,” “He’s a real Felix,” etc. Fast forward to 1985, when the Good Doctor Neil Simon wrote this version to give, at last, an exploration of how women deal with divorce. It also gave us women a chance to play these plummy parts.
At Kent State University (alma mater to me and Executive Director Ron Law), I was enrolled in Freshman English and asked to write down on a little card the top three American playwrights. My professor was looking for Williams, Miller, and O’Neill, and scoffed at my card where I’d written only one name, the most prolific and consistently successful writer of our time: Neil Simon. My respect has only deepened in working on this play.
On behalf of the uncannily good-looking cast and crew, we hope you enjoy peering through the windows into 1985, and our version of this Odd Couple.
—Jill Bloede
Director, "The Odd Couple (Female Version)" at Theatre Charlotte
"The Odd Couple (Female Version)" runs at Theatre Charlotte through June 24. Tickets are available through CarolinaTix at 704-372-1000 or http://www.carolinatix.org/default.asp?tix=59&objId=2571
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Director's Note: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Having worked as a NC public school teacher in elementary and middle grades for 30 years, I have a longtime respect, love and appreciation for young people working through the challenges of those ages. Children are searching for acceptance among their peers. They want to be heard when they speak, to feel smart, to be taken seriously, especially by the adults in their lives. Making their loved ones proud is a driving motivation.
With these themes explored so beautifully in “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” I encouraged the actors playing the young spellers to “find the adult in the child” they are playing, not to be afraid to let the adult show through as they transform themselves to a much younger self. As funny and quirky as they are—Chip, Schwarzy, Leaf, Marcy, Barfee, and Olive deserve respect and credence, just like all our children do. These characters represent so much about growing up, a sweet innocence but also a realistic awareness of so much.
Thank you for going back to school with us at Theatre Charlotte. Welcome to our “feel good” musical where the misfits are the stars and the winners are you. Special gold stars for our four guest spellers for being such a good sport and playing with us on stage.
Dennis Delamar
Director, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” at Theatre Charlotte
Theatre Charlotte's production of THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTAM COUNTY SPELLING BE runs through May 27 Tickets are available through CarolinaTix at 704-372-1000 or http://www.carolinatix.org/default.asp?tix=59&objId=2570
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Theatre Thoughts: Our 85th Season
During its 85 years, Theatre Charlotte has produced over 450 main stage productions which have been seen by over half a million theatre-goers and utilized the services of thousands of volunteers onstage, backstage and front of house. For the 85th season, Theatre Charlotte will present five main stage productions and A CHRISTMAS CAROL.
After several years of trying to secure the performing rights, we finally are able to bring the beloved musical FIDDLER ON THE ROOF to our audiences. The performing rights had been on hold due to a successful multi-year tour which finally came to an end in time. At one time, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF was the longest running production in Broadway history, featuring a wonderful score highlighted by “Tradition,” “If I Were a Rich Man,” and “Sunrise, Sunset.” This timeless musical has always finished at or near the top of our annual audience surveys. Vito Abate directs, with Lisa Blanton choreographing and Ryan Deal as music director.
Our second production of the season is the regional premiere of John Ball’s IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT, adapted by Matt Pelfrey. It is based on the award-winning book that inspired the Oscar-winning film (starring Rod Steiger and Sidney Poitier) and the Emmy-winning television series (starring Carroll O’Connor and Howard E. Rollins). It is an intense adult crime drama that is set in a racially-tense community Alabama in 1962. A white man is murdered and the local police arrest a black stranger named Virgil Tibbs. It is discovered that Tibbs is actually a homicide detective from California and he becomes the community’s main hope in solving the brutal murder. This absorbing drama will be directed by Dave Blamy.
In December, Theatre Charlotte’s holiday tradition, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, is back for the sixth consecutive year. It is the classic tale of hard-hearted Ebenezer Scrooge who is visited by the ghost of his late partner, Jacob Marley and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. This year, A CHRISTMAS CAROL will be directed by Kevin Campbell, who has played Scrooge at Theatre Charlotte for the past five years.
Our January production is just “dad-gum” funny. It is Larry Shue’s THE FOREIGNER and is set in a fishing lodge in Georgia. An incredibly shy Englishman, Charlie Baker, is visiting the lodge and is too embarrassed to talk to anyone so he adopts the persona of a foreigner who doesn’t understand English. When the other people at the lodge begin to speak freely around him, he hears many things he is not supposed to-secrets both frivolous and dangerous. The cast includes the 70-year old owner of the lodge, a fraudulent preacher, his attractive fiancé, and other memorable comic characters. Paige Johnston Thomas, the director of Theatre Charlotte’s STEEL MAGNOLIAS, returns to direct this comedy.
In March, Theatre Charlotte is excited to present the tragicomedy, WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? by one of America’s greatest playwrights, Edward Albee. It is the classic dark comedy in which George and Martha take part in a searing night of dangerous fun and games. The play inspired the award-winning motion picture starring Elizabeth Taylor as Martha and Richard Burton as George. With its razor-sharp dialogue and shocking ending, this was a landmark Broadway play that changed the face of American theatre.
The season concludes in May with AVENUE Q, winner of the Tony Awards for Best Musical, Score and Book. The cast includes puppets and humans and is a funny musical that tells the story of a recent college graduate who moves into a shabby New York apartment out on Avenue Q. It soon becomes clear that this is not an ordinary neighborhood. And be advised: this play contains full puppet nudity.
I think this is a fabulous line-up to celebrate our 85th anniversary season. We hope you agree and join us for all six of our productions. We at Theatre Charlotte are proud of our heritage and excited about our future—as we head toward 100 years of presenting outstanding theatre for the people of the Charlotte region.
Season ticket packages for our upcoming season will go on sale Friday, April 20, 2012.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Around the World with Theatre Charlotte: The Americas
Unlike Fogg and Passepartout, however, Madison is in no hurry to complete a multi-continental race. This means she has been able to stop and see all the sights Fogg and Passepartout missed during their journey—and luckily for us, she is taking Theatre Charlotte along for the adventure by exclusively sharing her stories and photos with us, which we will post here weekly during our production of AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS.
To learn more about Madison, please visit Where The Wind Blows Now, the blog she started to chronicle her travels and help people find inspiration in the beauty of life.
Week 4: The Americas
The Americas--such a big place! From Costa Rica to New York, the Americas have captured my heart.
Costa Rica is everything one would think a hispanic country to be. Beautiful scenery, hot nights, spicy food, and dancing...of course. Spanish is a brilliant language; in fact, learning to speak it was probably my favorite part!
I could only imagine what New York was like when Mr. Fogg and Passepartout were there. I know for a fact it was far from similar to when I bounced along the streets of New York.
Check out what Mr. Fogg and Passepartout missed out:
from new york city...
...to jaco, costa rica!
at it's finest. volcano arenal.
animal sightings in limón.
beach life, here in limón, is quite contagious.
cahuita
cartago, costa rica's former capital city. its town center boasts a beautiful garden oasis.
zacero. this small town hosts interesting topiary arches and figures in its city center.
some of the faces that one will find in zacero.
i must have a thing for cemeteries. i always seem to find one, and once i'm there you can't get me to leave. this cemetery is 600 meters from my house, so i can visit it as frequently as i want.
black crow.
my hammock. where i choose to reside most of the time. let's see where the wind will blow us next...
Theatre Charlotte's production of AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS runs through April 1. Tickets are available through CarolinaTix at 704-372-1000 or CarolinaTix.org.