“Mindgame” Starts To Take Shape

Mindgame has been rehearsing for the last three weeks.  We are about to unveil this show Wednesday, February 10, 2010 to our first preview audience.  Before that can happen however, the crew must take the Boeing-Boeing lights, sets, sound equipment and props away and start fresh on Mindgame.  Below is a rare glimpse into that world.

Mindgame Light Hang

-Yes! That is the white back wall of the theatre.

-Yes! That is the Mindgame set leaning up against the wall.

-Yes! At this stage the floor does look Macaroni colored.

-Yes! Those first four rows are covered so that we don’t get paint on them.

-NO! At this time, I am not going to show you what the set looks like put together.  I don’t want to give any secrets away.  You need to come to the show and see for yourself.  Tickets are still available by contacting the box office at 248-377-3300 or online at ticketmaster.com

See you all at the show!

~Travis W. Walter

Boeing… Boeing… GONE!

Well, it is sad to say, but…….Boeing-Boeing has closed!  We all had a wonderful time working on this show and had a BLAST listening to the audience reactions.  If you came to the show you know what I mean when I say it was wonderful to see that many people together sharing the experience of live theatre.  This show also featured a fun curtain call that was even mentioned in some of the reviews.  If you missed it here are some photos.

Air Hostesses A-Go-Go!

The Air Hostesses came back in go-go boots and the whole cast danced to a french version of “These boots are made for walking.”

The Cast Shaking It!

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Even Bertha got into the act with her white boots.  It is always exciting to see a great cast have a lot of fun!  A big thanks to Stephanie Wahl for her wonderful choreography.

Bertha Lets Loose

Thanks to everyone who came to the show for your kind words, wonderful word of mouth and standing ovations!

~Travis W. Walter

Beauties From Above, Part 3 of 3 (The TWA One)

Katie Hardy is our guest blogger today!  She gives us some inside info on what it is like to be Janet Hawkins, the obnoxious American with some nasty habits. She doesn’t reveal too many secrets, so if you want to see what all the fuss is about come to Meadow Brook Theatre before time runs out.  Boeing-Boeing only runs until the 31st of January.  Don’t be the only one on your block missing out on this great show.

~Travis Walter

Miss Janet Hawkins as portrayed by Katie Hardy

Oh Janet, Janet, Janet.  She is the stereotypical American that the French love to hate (and let’s face it who can blame them!) When we began rehearsals I was leery of making Janet too self-assured and unlikeable. However, as a good friend of mine told me a few weeks ago, “Katie, this show was written by a Frenchman. You’ve been there; remember how much they didn’t like you? Well … keep that in mind.” And I have. Finding ways to make Janet annoying was not especially tricky; however, finding ways to make her likeable in the midst of everything else was the challenge.  After our first read-thru, I struggled to understand why Bernard would even want to be with this woman and after many hours of questioning that very thought I came to the following conclusion…

Janet’s voracious sexual appetite may very well devour every man within a 100 yard distance.  Now, most women would not see this as a redeeming characteristic, but to a man – especially the kind of man with three fianceés- well let’s just say he finds this trait so likable that it’s enough to put up with her groan inducing cuisine, almost obsessive gum chewing, and a voice that could make angels cry.

Over the years I have had the opportunity to play many different roles, yet Janet is without a doubt my favorite. I have had an amazing time being onstage with so many talented actors and getting to bring this fabulously over the top character to life. Every single one of us has a fantastic time onstage every night and you as an audience make it even more enjoyable. So keep coming to the show and keep laughing!

~Katie Hardy

Beauties From Above, Part 2 of 3 (Air France)

Today we have a wonderful blog from Julianne Somers who plays the French Air Hostess, Jacqueline, in Boeing-Boeing. She gives us a little more insight on what it was like to be an Air Hostess in the 60’s as well as how much fun acting in a show like this can really be.  Many thanks to Julianne!

~Travis Walter

Julianne Somers as Jacqueline

It’s been absolutely delightful playing the French stewardess Jacqueline. I get to share the stage with five charmingly hilarious characters and play out a ridiculous, sexy, slamming doors farce.  It’s electrifying when our story is met with laughter and applause from the audience.  The journey of Boeing-Boeing from beginning to end is like riding a roller coaster. “A bumpy one.”

Like I said, I play the French stewardess/air hostess. Back in the 50’s and 60’s air travel was much different than it is now. Only the rich could afford to fly.  Travelers would dress up for the flights. Men wore suits and women, dresses, accessorized with gloves and hat.  Months ago, when I began thinking about my character, I thought of what it would be like to be a stewardess back in the 60’s.  It was a glamorous yet strict profession. The criteria for hire, as Bernard states in the play, was that of a 50’s renaissance woman, and I must reiterate ’50’s renaissance’ not to be confused with a modern renaissance woman. Bernard says, “apart from being beautiful, they have to be healthy, good at cooking, good at nursing, witty, wise, and friendly.” Having said that, I do feel that it took a strong, independent woman to pursue this career back in the days when housewives were the norm.  The fact that all three air hostesses in this play have strength and personality supports my point. That, however, does not negate the fact that Boeing-Boeing is highly chauvinistic. The show gets away with it because it makes fun of that very fact.

I’ve had a ton of fun working with both the cast and the crew of Boeing-Boeing. I love getting into the mind, body, and spirit of Miss Jacqueline each night. Not a bad way to make a living.

~Julianne Somers

Beauties From Above, Part 1 of 3 (The Lufthansa)

Stephanie Wahl weighs in about what it is like to play the ever-exuberant German Air Hostess, Judith, in the hit comedy Boeing-Boeing. Each role in this show is dynamically different from the next, but Judith’s abundant personality is certain to please all audience members.  Thanks, Stephanie, for your insight!

Come fly with us!!!

~Travis Walter

Stephanie Wahl as Judith in Boeing-Boeing

I was just elated when I got the call from Travis offering me the part of Judith in Boeing-Boeing. I knew everything about the situation was going to be great…and I was right! Besides the funny script, I’ve am honored to work with a fantastic cast, a wonderful director and to be at a great theatre.

I’ve been lucky enough to have worked with Danny Goggin in several of his Nunsense creations – two of which I got to perform here at Meadow Brook, and although they are great too, it was a welcome challenge to play the passionate, dramatic Judith in Boeing-Boeing.

One of the best things about Judith is her passion. She can be a little over the top and dramatic because of the way she is written. By the time we see her in the play, the situation has definitely begun to ramp up towards frantic and her personality just adds to that. I have to say, since she’s not a historical figure set too far in the past, I didn’t do heaps of research for the part. Of course I worked on a German accent, and I have seen movies from the period, even some french bedroom farces, and luckily with the holidays, I’ve been doing a lot of travel and got to watch flight attendants hard at work! They really are the heart and soul of a flight, keeping you happy and comfortable at high altitudes!

So, all that to say I’m having a great time along with my fellow cast-mates and hope everyone who comes has a great time too!

Cheers!

~Stephanie Wahl

Building Boeing-Boeing

Meadow Brook Theatre's Shop Staff Build the Boeing-Boeing Set

Meadow Brook Theatre’s next offering, Boeing-Boeing, began preview performances last night.  A very vocal audience confirmed that the show was indeed a ‘Great Time’!  Many people commented on how wonderful Brian Kessler’s set was designed, so I thought I would talk a little bit about it.

When designing for a farce it is essential not only to have a ton of doors, but also to make sure that the set seems to be a bit more intimate than most of our other sets.  This ensures that the coming and going and slamming of doors will be more believable and will keep the pace moving along nicely.  Once Brian had the basic floor layout of the design done.  I was invited to his office and I stressed the importance of having a ‘Tighter’ set.  This is where his computer genius came into play.  He was able to pull up on his computer the last set design of a farce that we had done (last year’s Kong’s Night Out) and placed it on top of his Boeing-Boeing design and made sure that this new design would be much smaller than Kong. In fact when you come to see the show you’ll notice that the actors feel like they are a lot closer to you, the audience, and that’s because they are!

Mondrian Painting

I also spoke to all of the designers and used the image of a Mondrian painting as inspiration for the entire show.  The concept allows the use of primary colors for each of the three Air Hostesses and keeps everything and everyone else monochromatic.  You’ll notice this concept immediately upon entering the theatre.  However when you see the Air Hostesses in their costumes, designed by Liz Moore, the whole concept will come together.

It was an exhilarating treat to work on this show and everyone from the crew, to the actors, to the office staff have worked extremely hard to ensure that it will be a success.  I hope you can all come to see it.  If you can, please come soon and bring friends with you.  Word of mouth is our biggest tool nowadays to sell tickets.

For more information and to get tickets visit our website at www.mbtheatre.com or contact the box office at 248-377-3300.

See you at the theatre!

~Travis Walter, Interim Artistic Director

An Inside Look at A Christmas Carol, Part 6 (Mister Bah Humbug Himself)

Thomas D. Mahard is our guest blogger for our final installment of A Christmas Carol blogs.  After being in the show for quite some time… he celebrated his 1,000th performance of the show at the beginning of the run this year, but now as Ebenezer Scrooge.  He is doing a magnificent job portraying the unfeeling miser and if you haven’t seen him yet, you only have until Dec 20, 2009 to do so.  A giant THANKS to Tom and all of our guest bloggers for the inside info on this beloved holiday tradition.

~Travis Walter

Thomas D. Mahard as Ebenezer Scrooge

After only 24 years of acting in A Christmas Carol, I’m finally getting the chance to play a role I’ve wanted to play my entire career.  I’ve performed the role 4 times as an understudy, so I entered the rehearsal period with a solid working knowledge of the words and blocking, as well as having some ideas of things I wanted to try.  Terry Carpenter (our esteemed director) was very open to all my ideas, and we incorporated many of them.

Playing the role of Ebenezer Scrooge requires a great deal of stamina especially when we start doing 9 and 10 show weeks.  Consequently, I used much of the rehearsal period like a workout session, trying never to coast and always trying to stay in the moment.  I knew that the harder I pushed myself in rehearsals, the easier it would be once I got on stage.

So many people think of Scrooge as a sort of cardboard cutout figure.  He is greedy and mean in the beginning, and generous and happy at the end. In order for the audience to connect with him, however, he must be real.  He must have redeeming qualities so that they will root for him in his fantastic journey towards redemption.  Although I revere the work of all the past Scrooges (and have shamelessly stolen all their best bits) it has been most important for me to make the part uniquely my own.  I had to take that cardboard image the audience has of Scrooge, and flesh him out with my own real emotions, my own humor, my own sense of pain and loss, and my own sense of joy.  Only if the audience can accept Scrooge, can associate with his pain and fears and longings, can they truly feel the joy and ecstasy of his redemption, and leave the theatre with that warm glow of the true meaning of Christmas.

~Thomas D. Mahard

An Inside Look at A Christmas Carol, Part 5 (My Future’s So Bright… I’ve Gotta Wear Stilts?!?)

The last and… tallest of the spirits in A Christmas Carol weighs in with his two cents about playing an ominous figure, walking on stilts and the thrill of being able to perform during the holidays.  This excellent blog reminds us that it is never too late to change our lives.  Wonderful work, Patrick!

~Travis Walter

Patrick O'Connor Cronin as The Spirit of Christmas Future and Thomas D. Mahard as Ebenezer Scrooge

Portraying one of the spirits of A Christmas Carol at Meadow Brook Theatre is truly an honor. Seeing theatrical productions at MBT was actually one of the first things that threw me into the whole “I want to be an actor” state of mind. I’ve been seeing shows there since I was at least six or seven years old. And having a high school teacher for a mom, who would use almost any excuse to take her students to a play (whether it pertains to the studied material at the moment or not) certainly didn’t hurt. Yeah! That’s right! Sorry St. Hugo I feel bad for making you think I was sick all of those times. What!? I was learning things! Research if you will. Who wants to read The Three Musketeers when you can watch them live on stage? I always did learn more by observing anyway.

Preparation for my role of Christmas Future is quite simple actually. Less than the seven habits of highly successful ghosts actually! (attempt at a joke that would pertain to the masses ten years ago… sorry)
#1 DON’T FALL! YOU’RE ON STILTS! Doing so would make everyone uncomfortable. This only happened once during my three years actually. During the first tech rehearsal of my first year was the occurrence. It didn’t really hurt anything but my pride, though the chuckle of a few friends in the tech crew watching someone looking like a drunken skeleton hit the deck was less than fun for me.

#2 DON’T ADD ANY LINES! Oh did I mention I don’t have any lines? Sneezing or clearing my throat would make the Specter seem less than effective I would wager. Since the spirit looks like Death, it probably wouldn’t look good to have a coughing fit while Scrooge has “learned the things I have shown him.”

#3 REALIZE THAT KIDS AREN’T ADULTS! During the student matinee performances some children are actually chilled to the bone when I show up on stage. This always makes me feel quite affective and pleases me a great deal! It’s funny how much we can learn from children. They merely sit back and take it all in for the most part. While others (adults) have the need to have an answer. “He’s on stilts!” Is always a phrase I hear during high school and adult audiences. I won’t take it too personally however. How many skull faced eight and a half foot tall people do we really run into every day at Costco anyway?

All in all, with all joking aside. I believe my character shows Scrooge (Thomas D. Mahard) the way things could be. I firmly believe that the future is not written in stone as the name “Ebenezer Scrooge” is illuminated on the tombstone. Personally my take on Future is somewhat a selfish one. Since I also play Young Scrooge in the play, it makes it easier to connect with the character Scrooge as an older man. I feel that Future is trying to light a beacon not to follow, but to stay away from. Scrooge could so easily end up being just another tortured soul roaming in the dark if he doesn’t change his ways. Hey. Let’s not let that happen.

Also. Let me end this blog in saying how much of an awesome thrill it is to be able to share the stage/offstage with so many talented people. It throws a smile on my face that I actually get to go to work everyday during this holiday season, and get to do what I love the most! Thank You Meadow Brook!

~Patrick O’Connor Cronin

An Inside Look at A Christmas Carol, Part 4 (No Time Like The Present)

Today’s guest blogger is Paul Hopper.  He has played MANY roles in A Christmas Carol over the years, but is currently playing The Spirit of Christmas Present.  In his blog he shares a lot about becoming ‘Christmas Present’… feeling his joy… learning about what ‘family’ means… and sharing a dire warning for the future.

~Travis Walter

Paul Hopper as The Spirit of Christmas Present and Thomas D. Mahard as Ebenezer Scrooge

Many people have asked me over the years “What’s it like to be Christmas Present in A Christmas Carol?”   “Are you indeed a ghost?”  “How do you prepare for such a role?”  “Who is he to Scrooge?”  And “What does it all mean?!!!”.  My answer to those people who have approached me either before or after a show or on the street or at a restaurant or in a grocery store was always, “I have no earthly idea”.  This was because the answer would be so long winded that it would erode the magic that is A Christmas Carol and cause them to have a fit of yawning, or faint in their soup, or in the worst case, convulsions.  I shall attempt, at this time, to answer some of these queries with the fervent hope that your eyes, dear reader, do not begin to droop.

Oh, I do understand, my friend.  Whenever an actor talks about his craft it is only marginally exciting to another actor.  And in my 37 years in this profession, whenever I have discussed a particular nuance of a character or a scene, I have been known to leave even my fellow thespians asleep or to have them run screaming from the room.  So with your indulgence and in the hope you have an adequate supply of No-Doz, here goes.

Simply stated, Christmas Present is the embodiment of the joy that is Christmas. (Well, that was concise and to the point.  Do you feel the wind building?) The love, the hope, the good will toward your fellow man, and the charity you feel and wish for all people is encased in this character.  About this point, if they’re still conscious, people ask “Why does he laugh so much?”  The love that he feels for everyone, including Scrooge, is so all encompassing; there is no other expression that can convey it.  There is no other release for that joy.  Other Actors have asked me, “How can you laugh that full and that long?  Whenever I try it on-stage my diaphragm hurts for a week!”  My immediate response is “I have no earthly idea.”  What I’m thinking is “That’s because you’re forcing it and not feeling it.”  When you let it fill you, there is no pain.  There is no technique. There is only love, only joy.  It is my dearest wish for all people to know that joy, that charity, that love just once in their existence because it can be life altering.

Present shows Scrooge the effect that this all encompassing love has on those in his life, the people of London, Crachit, and his nephew Fred, and how those closest to him harbor no ill will toward him and indeed are grateful to have him in there lives.  Even though he is a sour old curmudgeon, they both offer up a toast to him.  He is a part of them.  All he has to do is open his heart enough for them to be a part of him.  Family.

When Present’s time is nearly gone, he leaves Scrooge with a dire warning, the image of the two children Want and Ignorance.  Want represents for me the understanding that there are untold millions in this world a lot less fortunate than I am.  I believe that if I woke up this morning with change in my pocket, I am richer than 80% of the world’s population.  Ignorance, for me, is not an expression of a College education or a Masters Degree.  It is intolerance.  If you have neither idea nor any desire to understand what another person is going through, what their life is like, you become closed off, self centered, selfish, intolerant, and inevitably angry.  Ignorance is the trait to beware most of all.  It will lead to doom.

In my humble estimation, when I learn of all the goings on in our present world, I feel that Want and Ignorance are no longer little children but are currently teenagers.  God help us if they should ever reach adulthood.

Is Christmas Present a ghost?  No.  I think of him more as a spirit.  I believe he is more in the vein that Dickens actually phrased him.  The Spirit of Christmas Present, in every sense of the word.

“Why does he look so much like Santa Clause?”  Again, Dickens.  What better image to use to express the joy that is Christmas than the image of Old Saint Nick.  He’s such a Dickens.

~Paul Hopper

An Inside Look at A Christmas Carol, Part 3 (A Look Back Before Moving Forward)

For our third installment of the A Christmas Carol blog… we look back on Scrooge’s life with Sara Catheryn Wolf who plays the Ghost of Christmas Past.  Sara lets us know about what it’s like to have compassion for such a ‘humbug’ and the struggles of forgiving yourself.  Visit www.mbtheatre.com for more information and for tickets to see A Christmas Carol.

~Travis Walter

Sara Catheryn Wolf as the Ghost of Christmas Past

I love playing the Ghost of Christmas Past. Every year I find something new in the role. Every performance offers a new discovery- what is the best about Past is that she has to react based on Scrooge’s needs; why she must show certain scenes, what she hopes to accomplish by showing them. It’s easy to say that the spirit is trying to change him, but that is a kind of cop out. She’s doing more than that. She isn’t just trying to let him see the evil of his ways, she’s trying to help him forgive himself as well in a way. She’s not trying to just get him to be compassionate about others, she also wants him to be compassionate to himself as well. It’s hard to look back on your life sometimes and forgive yourself, embrace your humanity and reach out to others if you feel you’ve been failed by so many, and I think the spirit wants Scrooge to take that risk again. Money was a safe spouse in many ways- he could control it, it wouldn’t leave him, he could rely on what it had to offer. But the problem with money was that it alienated him from others. I think the spirit asks him to take risks, to face what hurts and see that he can survive it. He needs this lesson before he can even face the other two spirits, I think.

To prepare for the role, I read the book. And if you’ve read the book, you’ll see that the spirit is written as androgynous, neither old nor young, but both at the same time. Obviously we’ve taken some liberties with the spirit in form, but that allowed me to break with the archetype a bit more. I don’t think necessarily about her femininity, the dress and hair can do that for me. I was able to do the make-up plan myself to make her just a touch less human, something dreamy and a bit unreal. Ultimately, I had to find the compassion in myself for my fellow man. I imagine Scrooge sometimes as a moron that cuts you off while driving, as the head of a huge bank that throws people out on the street when they can’t make their payments on time, etc. It’s hard to have compassion for those people, and they are the ones that need it the most. Sometimes though, I imagine Scrooge as my own Dad, and the need to save him becomes more immediate and connected. Of course, my Dad is no Scrooge, he’s quite the opposite, but it’s a terrific “as if”- a tool we can use as actors to evoke a response in ourselves.

It’s also a tremendous pleasure to perform it for you folks. Your energy is such a part of what we do on stage. It is much more fun when you’re there, so come on out and see us!

~Sara Catheryn Wolf