Drama Beat

Check out Chekhov’s “the Seagull” to explore life in the arts

Thursday, 10 March 2011 15:23 Richard Amery

Anton Chekhov may have written in the 1800’s, but his themes are timeless, so Richard Epp is looking forward to directing Chekhov’s 1895’s play “ The Seagull” in the David Spinks Theatre, Feb. 15-19. Getting ready for the Seagull. Photo by Richard Amery
“I’ve directed the other three major Chekhov plays that are still performed ( Uncle Vanya, Three Sisters and the Cherry Orchard,) so now, with ‘The Seagull’ it will be my fourth and all of them,” said Epp who also plays the supporting role of Dr. Dorn.

“I have had a special interest in Chekhov’s works ever since I played Uncle Vanya. He has a way of putting real life characters on stage so it feels like you are watching real life . It’s absolute genius,” Epp said, noting the 12 member cast features a variety of both students and University of Lethbridge faculty members and alumni to properly convey the age difference between the characters.

“ In Chekhov’s plays there is generally a large age difference. Because you have younger characters who are learning from the older characters, having actors (of a wide range of ages) is almost a necessity. You really get a sense of the age difference here, ” he continued.

The Seagull explores the complex relationships and conflicts of an eccentric collection of characters visiting a sprawling country estate. Early on, it is apparent that playwright Konstantin loves his mother Irina, but is jealous of her fame as an actress and depressed about his own lack of success. He is also furious with the celebrated young writer, Trigorin, who is living with Irina and seems to have captured the attention of Nina, the girl he adores. From the moment Konstantin’s play is presented to family and friends, everything begins to go wrong.

“It’s a play about writers and ambition and a life in the arts,” Epp summarized adding that is one of the timeless themes in the play. It also allows him to work with former colleague Dr. Brian Tyson again in a Chekhov play.
“He used to write reviews for the Herald and he’s a retired University of Lethbridge professor. And I worked with him in ‘the Cherry Orchard.’ So it’s great to have him in the cast,” Epp continued.
“I play Dr. Dorn. It’s a supporting role, a character who looks after the old man, played by Dr. Brian Tyson,” Epp added, noting it has been an interesting experience to both act and perform in the play.

Many characters played by one actor in Confessions of a Paperboy

Tuesday, 08 March 2011 21:35 Richard Amery

How do you keep track of 14 different characters inside your head? Just ask actor Adam Beauchesne, who does just that in New West Adam Beauchesne plays many characters in Confessions of A Paperboy. photo by Richard Amery Theatre’s presentation of Calgary playwright Doug Curtis’ one man show “Confessions of a Paperboy,” March 3-12 at the Sterndale Bennett Theatre.

“The biggest challenge is differentiating between them all,” Beauchesne said adding there are a lot of times the characters have conversations with each other, so he must remain conscious of that. He has been rehearsing the play for two weeks, which is a lot to put into a short period of time.

“Because there is a 60-year old war vet who is a lot of fun to play and a distraught housewife and a couple more female characters, but the most fun to play is Chris, the 10-year-old narrator. That is challenging because I’m 24 and have to think back to what it was like to be 10. And it is a fun to play a really smart 10-year-old,” said Beauchesne, who is earned his BFA at the University of Lethbridge and performed in the Kiwanis Music and Arts Festival for 10 years. He now lives in Vancouver where is has appeared in television shows like Fringe on Fox and an upcoming film.

“We’re excited he could come back home for this show,” said director Nicholas Hanson.

Mike MacDonald bringing unique comedy to Lethbridge on the Black Jack Comedy Tour

Monday, 31 January 2011 17:03 Richard Amery

You’ve seen him on the Comedy Channel, and may have caught him in B.C during the Black Jack tour last fall, now catch Montreal born, Los Angeles based comedian Mike MacDonald live at Average Joes when the Black Jack Comedy Tour returns, Feb. 5.

Comedians Mike MacDonald and Matt Billon come to Lethbridge with the BlackJack Comedy tour, Feb. 5. Photo submitted MacDonald (not the same Mike MacDonald as the former Doobie Brothers crooner) has performed at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal and hosted both the Gemini Awards and Just For Laughs 10th Anniversary Special as well as performed all over North America.

“I prefer people go home happy. I don’t want 15-20 people to go home happy except for the one I nailed,” said MacDonald of his easygoing attitude towards hecklers, relating the story of a lady in the front row of a New Years Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Club show in Calgary, who yelled out the punch line to one of his bits.

“ She said ‘I heard that before.’ I told her, you don’t do that — yell out the punch line to a bit. Some people may not have heard it before. But it’s safe to sit in the front row of one of my shows. Some comedians depend on hecklers for a good show, but I don’t,” he said adding , like he did in this case, he’d rather come up with a brand new bit on the spot off the top of his head.

“So that’s what I did. And I said ‘I’ll bet you never saw that one coming, that’s because it’s brand new,’” he laughed adding his routines are constantly changing.

“ I have a bit about remote controls. But sometimes I’ll come up with a new line and I can’t wait to use it. If a promoter wants an hour of comedy, that’s what he’ll get. But if I use two minutes of a new bit, it means another two minutes will have to go,” he said adding he enjoyed the first edition of the Blackfoot Comedy Tour with organizer and comedian Matt Billon, which took them all over British Columbia for 20 shows in 21 days.

“He organized it all. When he called me about this, all I had to do was say yes,” MacDonald said.

“The first tour was great. People were very appreciative. Some of the clubs we played had never had live entertainment of any kind before. And it opened a lot of doors for the future,” he said.
“And Matt is perfect. He organizes everything. If everyone in the business was as enjoyable to work with, things would be so much easier,” he continued.

Importance of Being Earnest will be a lot of laughs

Thursday, 27 January 2011 13:04 Richard Amery

Director Rita Peterson has been looking forward to directing “The Importance of Being Earnest,” for many years. Craig McCue and Renae Snelgrove rehearse a scene from the Importance of Being Earnest. Photo by Richard Amery
“It’s a play about the hypocrisy of the British aristocracy. It just makes fun of it all,” Peterson said adding she has seen the play performed twice and has been waiting for the opportunity to direct her own production of it for a long time.
“It’s a very delightful farce, Some people call it Britain’s greatest farce,” Peterson enthused.

“Oscar Wilde is known for his dialogue and “ the Importance of Being Earnest” has some lovely and likable characters,” she continued adding most people are drawn to the wit and the dialogue of Oscar Wilde’s classic farce.
“I’ve wanted to stage a production of this play for over 20 years,” Peterson said.

The Importance of being Earnest was first staged in 1895. It is a classic British farce, a comedy of manners relating the adventures of of two well -to-do and flippant young m Naomi Snelgrove and Andrew Merrigan rehearse. Photo by Richard Amery en who pretend their names are Ernest to impress the two loves of their lives, who believe men with the name Ernest have numerous winning and marriagable qualities.

“ The cast is having a lot of fun with their characters. They are loving the style and the dialogue,” she coninued.

Two sisters are especially looking forward to being part of the Playgoers of Lethbridge production, Feb. 2-5 at the Yates Centre.
“We were both in ( Lethbridge Musical Theatre’s winter production) Kiss Me Kate together, but we were only in the chorus,” observed Naomi Snelgrove,26, who plays Gwendolen.
“It’s been a lot of fun. We’re always quoting lines at each other and talking in weird accents,” she continued.

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