The History Of The Actors’ Group (TAG)
2008-2009
| Compiling the history of any organization can be a great challenge, particularly when the core group is small and rather than chronicle events soon after each production was completed, had spent their energy towards merely keeping alive. So is the case with TAG. As it evolved from a creative curmudgeon to new theater kid on the block and then to becoming one of Hawaii's finest community theaters, all TAG could do was focus on its next production, for it had little time for anything else. Hence, this history has been cobbled together utilizing the recollection of participants at the time, dog-eared old files containing memorabilia and other information, photos that fortunately was taken then buried, newspaper articles, and recovered video footage that is often way past its prime if not damaged. Nonetheless, these are the sources to create the history of The Actors' Group, told in a series of posts chronicling time periods unique to its development. |
HSTC once again held its awards at the Koolau Ballroom, where TAG would receive a total of 15 Po’okalas for the 2007-2008 season. Overall Play, “Fences,” and “Merry Christmas, Roberta.” Brad Powell, Best Director of a play, “The Baltimore Waltz,” and “Mass Appeal.” Leading Male in a Play, Brother Gary Morris, “Mass Appeal,” Jim Aina, “Shadowlands,” and Peter Clark, “Reunion.” Featured Male in a Play, Curtis Duncan, “Fences,” Sam Polson, “Shadowlands,” and Philip Andrew (Blaze) Mancillas, “Mass Appeal.” Leading Female in a Play, Wendy Pearson, “Fences,” Hoku Gilbert, “A Kind of Alaska.” For Featured Female in a Play, Laurie Tanoura, “Merry Christmas Roberta.” For Set Design, Laurie Tanoura, “The Baltimore Waltz.” And for Sound Design, “Richard Valasek, “The Baltimore Waltz.”
The Big Move – TAG Finally Leaves Keawe Street
Looking back, at the time, it seemed like the search for a new theater lasted forever. But in reality, from the moment TAG decided to actively look for a new theater (the production of the fundraising play, “From Penicillin To Po’okelas”) in April of 2007, to the eventual move to its new location it took a little over just a year and a few months. Not bad considering during all the years when TAG operated out of the Yellow Brick Studio on Keawe Street – from 1994 to 2008 – the mere thought of finding another place seemed as far away as the moon. But once “Penicillin” was produced, somehow, funds from loyal supporters throughout the years started to come in, and location leads started to be suggested. The TAG board investigated places off of Hotel Street, River Street, and places along Nuuanu Avenue, all of which held some attraction, but mostly had more disadvantages than advantages. The main issues involved the rental price and parking, and in each of those locations the rental costs were too high and parking either too costly or non-existent. Then, there came the lead of the Mendonca Building on 1116 Smith Street in Honolulu’s Chinatown (see photo of an interior shot of the building), owned by realtors and husband and wife, Ernie and JoDee. The Hunts were the process of establishing an “artists loft” on the second floor, wherein living quarters were provided to musicians, writers, and artists, and so the concept of having a community theatre there seemed to be an attractive possibility. While initial meetings between the Hunts and members of the TAG board showed great promise, what the Hunts offered for the available space they had at the time was largely out of the window of affordability. It seemed that the marriage of the Hunts and TAG would not be. But then TAG president elected to counter the offer. He met with Ernie Hunt and openly told him what TAG believed it could afford. In essence, what could the group get for the stated amount they felt comfortable with paying? This proved to be workable for both parties. Ernie considered the offer and took out the building’s second floor blue prints and circle out what he thought they could provide. This elicited a subsequent meeting where the area was pointed out by the Hunts to the TAG board what they would be willing to cordon off for the price that TAG could afford to pay. This eventually resulted in an agreement and the move that was once thought impossible was achieved.
TAG finally finding its new home could not have come any sooner. By the end of the 2007-2008 season, the place had become nearly unusable. Of course, the building had long been condemned, but then the latest debacle was that the sink faucet was no longer working. Fixing the plumbing was considered too costly to do, particularly since it didn’t make much financial sense to pour what little money TAG had for maintenance to repair something when its primary focus was to finally leave the place as soon as it could. So, to make it through the Yellow Brick Studio stretch run, plastic bottles filled with water were placed along the counters of the restroom for people to use when they washed their hands. Looking back the thought of it is gross, but that was how far the theater had declined. So, once the first Mendonca lease was signed by TAG president Eric Nemoto (a two-year lease for which the electricity bill would be a separate cost), the rush to make the great move was on. Ernie and Jodee Hunt had allowed TAG three months of free rent to assist the group with renovating the space. This was vital to the great move, for it allowed TAG to dedicate all of its funds that it had raised towards the renovation. With respect to the renovation, Brad Powell took the lead in redesigning the space that was allotted to TAG, as only he could do. To understand what a process this was, one must understand that the space TAG took over was just that, a space. If anything, it had pillars that were in the way of really creating a performance area. So, Brad, within the restrictions of the renovation budget that TAG had managed to secure, contracted with construction companies to remove the pillars and walls that existed, install a main support beam, and build risers specifically for the space that would be facing the stage. Once, the new theater was rebuilt, the actual moving of the theater had to take place. Board member and costumer, Carlynn Wolfe (see photo), was the leader in what was an arduous undertaking. No one knew how much junk TAG had collected during its 14 years of occupying the Yellow Brick Studio. But it wasn’t just the accumulation of everything, it was the fact that much of what TAG had “was” still useable, and so time had to be taken to sort out first what the theater had, and second whether to keep it or trash it. Once everything was determined, a day for the great move had to be decided on, volunteers had to be solicited, and assigning exactly who does what had to be done. Carlynn was the head of all of this, and when the day came, the move was made as smooth as it could possibly be. In one long day, TAG had vacated its old confines on Keawe Street and moved into its brand new facilities on Smith Street. It was decided at the time by the TAG board, that the old theater name, Yellow Brick Studio, would not continue in the Mendonca Building, and for lack of a better name, it would go forward as the TAG theater. Of course, overlooked in the euphoria of having a new theater, was the fact that the old theater needed to be cleaned out. Yes, TAG had taken much of its props and staging materials to Smith Street, but the greatest eyesore of all, the outside roof of the adjoining buildings, was still littered with a ton of debris and waste accumulated over a near two-decade period. While the great majority of what was up there was inherited by TAG, nonetheless, a board decision mandated that it be cleaned out. But who would do that? To this avoided question, Eric Nemoto and Mike Mazzola, volunteered to do it. TAG rented a big waste bin and hired a company to assist Eric and Mike in transporting most of the debris from the roof, down the stairs, onto the sidewalk, and then thrown into the bin. It took the entire morning to do this, and then after lunch, Eric and Mike spent the entire afternoon laboriously removing the remaining debris and trash, and swept up until by the end of the day, the roof was cleaned entirely of everything that had been accumulated, something that had not been the case since Jon Brekke and Mike Powell first leased the building in the early 1990’s.
The Before And After Shots Of The Roof Top Of The Keawe Street Building
TAG’s Schedule – The Attempt To Find The Optimum Play Dates
The move to the Mendonca Building brought with it the decision to do two shows on Sundays. It should be noted that this decision was indicative on what was, and is, a constant evaluation by the TAG board of directors as to what was the best performance schedule. In the past, up to this point in time, TAG had experimented with opening on Wednesday nights, on Thursday nights, and Friday nights, but the bulk of performances had occurred on Thursday through Saturday night shows, and always on a matinee on Sundays, either at 2:00 p.m. or 4:00 p.m. With the advent of the 2008-2009 season came the thought of what would happen if the theater would hold two shows on Sundays. And so for this year at least, this would be the TAG schedule of performances – basically opening on a Friday night and closing on a second show of a Sunday, with the general bulk of shows continuing on Thursday through Saturday night performances. But evaluating the schedule would become a constant, annual process of consideration. Would it be best to have more plays in a season during less weeks? Could those weeks be made up with double shows on a day to make for one less week of production? Admittedly, there was no crystal ball, and often seasons would ensue on a “try it and see” basis. But always, the constant denominator in TAG’s decisions would always be what was the best way to attract the most audiences in its risers.
The Clean House – The Great Opening Of 08/08/08
Years later, it’s hard to describe just exactly the excitement that surrounded the opening of TAG’s next production, “The Clean House.” It would be the first production in a brand new theater. While the confines of Yellow Brick Studio on Keawe Street, at its onset, held a certain amount of charm, over time what curious luster that it held had long since vanished. TAG’s plays always generated interest from its followers, but even its most ardent fans certainly did not fill the risers because of the sauna like temperatures on account of an area that could not be enclosed and an air conditioner that was inconsistent at best, or because of the occasional rat that would travel across the light bars above the stage, of the aforementioned use of bottled waters to wash their hands in the restroom, and, of course, speaking of the restroom, certainly not because of its lingering smell that no amount of potpourri could mask. But in the new TAG theater in the Mendonca Building, it was the belief that these shortcomings would be alleviated. This, of course, would not be the case, but that is another story. But on the night of August 8th, 2008, 08-08-08, a magical date, a date that TAG artistic director purposely want scheduled to open on this date, the future of TAG seemed unlimited. This unique date was pointed out by both TAG artistic director Brad Powell, and TAG president Eric Nemoto, during the preshow welcome to the audience on opening night, where they both shared their views on the great strides that TAG had made to get to this astounding night. To direct the first TAG play in the new location, Brad selected Jacin Harter (see photo), a great acting and directing talent, who had been involved with the theater at that point, in numerous productions. Cast in this comedy drama was a positively winning cast. Victoria Gail-White played Lane, Jessica Kauhane portrayed Mathilde, Catherine Fong took on the role of Virginia, John Wythe White played Charles, and Frankie Enos was Ana.
The Playbill For “The Clean House”
The Clean House is a comic drama that mixes fantasy and reality as it tells the story of five disparate characters. Throughout the play, characters address the audience to talk about themselves or imagine situations involving the other characters. The story begins as Lane, a doctor in her early fifties, hires a Brazilian woman named Matilde to be her live-in maid. As Matilde and Lane try to negotiate their working relationship, Matilde dreams of her deceased parents and tries to think of the perfect joke. Soon, Matilde meets Lane’s sister, Virginia, a neat-freak who is married but has no children. When they mutually agree that cleaning houses is not Matilde’s forte, Virginia agrees to clean the house in the afternoons without telling Lane. One day, as they are folding laundry, they discover a pair of women’s underwear. Virginia and Matilde are concerned that Lane’s husband, Charles, might be having an affair. Just then, Lane arrives home and announces that Charles is having an affair with a sixty-seven year-old breast cancer patient. Lane becomes enraged when she learns that Virginia has been cleaning her house instead of Matilde. As Matilde prepares to leave, Lane imagines Charles and his lover together. As the first act ends, Virginia enters and announces that Charles and his mistress have arrived. At the beginning of the second Act, Charles performs surgery on Ana, his lover. They then describe for the audience how they met and fell instantly in love. The action then shifts to the moment at the end of Act One. Charles and Ana enter, apologizing to Lane. Since Matilde has just been fired, Ana asks her to be her maid. Lane objects, and Matilde agrees to split her time between the two. When Ana becomes ill again, Charles travels Alaska to look for a tree whose properties might cure her. Lane visits Ana, examines her and both know that Ana’s cancer has returned. Lane takes Ana to her home and cares for her. Ana knows she is dying and wants to go before Charles returns. Matilde thinks up the perfect joke and whispers it into her ear. Ana laughs and the joke gently kills her. Charles returns and grieves over Ana. In the play’s final moments, Charles and Ana transform into Matilde’s parents as Matilde imagines the two of them together. (Mona Oglesby, enotes.com).
John Berger’s “On The Scene” Article On “The Clean House”
Sarah Ruhl (see photo) is an award-winning American playwright, author, essayist, and professor. Her plays include The Oldest Boy, Dear Elizabeth, Stage Kiss, In the Next Room, or the vibrator play (Pulitzer Prize finalist, 2010); The Clean House (Pulitzer Prize finalist, 2005; Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, 2004); Passion Play (Pen American Award, Fourth Freedom Forum Playwriting Award from the Kennedy Center); Dead Man’s Cell Phone (Helen Hayes Award for Best New Play); Melancholy Play; Demeter in the City (nine NAACP Image Award nominations); Scenes From Court Life; How to Transcend a Happy Marriage, For Peter Pan on Her 70th Birthday; Eurydice; Orlando; and Late: a cowboy song. Her plays have been produced on Broadway and across the country as well as internationally, and translated into fourteen languages. Originally from Chicago, Ms. Ruhl received her M.F.A. from Brown University, where she studied with Paula Vogel. She is the recipient of a Helen Merrill Emerging Playwrights Award, a Whiting Writers’ Award, a PEN Center Award for mid-career playwrights, a Steinberg Distinguished Playwright Award, and a Lilly award. She is a member of 13P and New Dramatists and won the MacArthur Fellowship in 2006. She teaches at Yale School of Drama and lives in Brooklyn with her family. (sarahruhlplaywright.com)
The Promotional Postcard For “The Clean House”
“The Clean House” had many people to assist in its production. As stated, Jacin Harter served as the Director. Ariane Fuchs was the Assistant Director. The Stage Manager was Sabrina Sanchez. Jacin Harter also handled the Set Design. The Sound Design was created by Richard and Ian Valasek. Thomas Tochiki handled the Light Design, and also served as the Light and Sound Operator. Caitlin Tong also served as a Light and Sound Operator. Ken Harmeyer, Jim Cote, Theresa Worden, and Caitlin Tong was the team responsible for Set Construction. Carlynn Wong coordinated the costumes. Jim Cote handled Props. And Jeanne Wynne took care of Photography. Special Thanks was extended to: Hawaiian Islands Medical and Laura for the hospital bed and generous support; Keith Patterson and Dann Seki for the Sound Booth; Paula Ho for the sergical robes and masks; Victoria Gail-White for painting the stairwell; Pat Matsueda for help with the program; Laurie Tanoura, Carlynn Wolfe, Liz Kane, and Larry Bartley; and a very special mahalo to the whole TAG Team for helping us move so we could open this show on time!
The Honolulu Advertiser Review Of “The Clean House”
“The Clean House” ran for a total of 19 scheduled performances. It opened on Friday, August 8th, 2008, and closed after its second showing on Sunday, August 31st, 2008. Thursday through Saturday night shows opened at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday performances were at 2:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. The two performance Sunday schedule was the first time TAG decided to do this. It was intended that in a standard 15 performance schedule by adding a second showing on Sundays, the production could realize 19 performances.
The History Boys – Brother Gary Leads A Great Ensemble
“The History Boys,” a comedy drama by Alan Bennett that follows a rambunctious group of clever young men as they pursue higher learning, games, sexual identity and a place at university, was TAG’s next production, and TAG artistic director Brad Powell (see photo) was at the helm once more. The production promised to be a special one as its cast was nothing short of superlative. These included (role in parentheses): Brother Gary Morris (Hector); Jo Pruden (Mrs. Lintott); David Albert (Irwin); Jerry Altwies (Headmaster); James (Kimo) Keawe Bright (Akthar); Jacin Harter (Posner); Josh Imlay (Scripps); Cyrus Legg (Dakin); Michael Malone (Timms); Philip-Andrew Blaze Mancillas (Crowther); Rick Murakami (Lockwood); and Chad Williams (Rudge). The production was met with very enthusiastic crowds and played for a total of 19 performances. It opened on Friday, October 3rd, 2008, and closed on Sunday, October 26th, 2024. Thursday through Saturday night performances were at 7:30 p.m, and Sunday featured two performances. One was a 2:00 p.m. matinee, and the second and early evening show at 5:30 p.m.
The Playbill For “The History Board”
In The History Boys, Alan Bennett evokes the special period and place that the sixth form represents in an English boy’s life. In doing so, he raises—with gentle wit and pitch-perfect command of character—not only universal questions about the nature of history and how it is taught but also questions about the purpose of education today. An unruly bunch of bright, funny sixth-form (or senior) boys in a British boys’ school are, as such boys will be, in pursuit of sex, sport, and a place at a good university, generally in that order. In all their efforts, they are helped and hindered, enlightened and bemused, by a maverick English teacher who seeks to broaden their horizons in sometimes undefined ways, and a young history teacher who questions the methods, as well as the aim, of their schooling. Winner of six Tony Awards, The History Boys was also made into a movie of the same name in 2006. (barnesandnoble.com)
The Cast For “The History Boys”
Alan Bennett (born May 9, 1934, Leeds, Yorkshire, England) is a British playwright who was best known for The Madness of George III (1991) and The History Boys (2004). His work fearlessly scrutinized the British class system, propriety, and England’s north-south cultural divide with results that were simultaneously chilling and hilarious. Bennett attended Leeds Modern School and gained a scholarship to Exeter College, Oxford, where he received an undergraduate degree in history in 1957. His fledgling career as a junior lecturer in history at Magdalen College, Oxford, was cut short after he enjoyed enormous success with the comedy revue Beyond the Fringe in 1960. He coauthored and starred in the show with Peter Cook, Jonathan Miller, and Dudley Moore, and the foursome played to packed houses in Edinburgh, London, and New York City. Bennett’s first play, Forty Years On, was produced in 1968 and starred John Gielgud. It was followed by numerous plays, films, and television serials as well as several pieces for radio. In 1987 Talking Heads, a series of monologues for television, made him a household name and earned him the first of six Laurence Olivier Awards (annual theatre awards established in 1976 as the Society of West End Theatre Awards). The Madness of George III premiered at the National Theatre in 1991, and the 1994 film adaptation, The Madness of King George, secured several Academy Award nominations, including one for Bennett’s screenplay. Bennett’s special talent was his translation of the mundane into tragicomic dramas, and he was able to employ his characteristic light touch even when writing about intellectual heavyweights such as Ludwig Wittgenstein or Franz Kafka. His gift for creating an authentic dialogue for the “ordinary people” of his own background sat curiously beside his ability to portray the manners of middle and upper classes. It was Bennett’s diversity of talent that delighted audiences and led critics to hail him as one of the premier playwrights of the day. Bennett’s play The History Boys garnered both the Critics’ Circle Theatre Award and the Laurence Olivier Award for best new play, and Bennett also received the Olivier Special Award. Set in Yorkshire in the 1980s, the play featured a clash of values between two teachers coaching a class of state-school boys through their university entrance examinations. It succeeded both as a serious-minded critique of Britain’s education system—then and now—and as a superbly comic entertainment. A 2006 film version of The History Boys followed the play, which won six Tony Awards after its debut on Broadway in the same year. Bennett’s later plays included The Habit of Art (2009), which explores issues of aging and creativity through an imagined encounter between the poet W.H. Auden and the composer Benjamin Britten. In People (2012) an aristocratic former model whose wealth is gone must decide what to do with her family’s dilapidated home. Set in the geriatric ward of an embattled Yorkshire hospital, Allelujah! (2018) was viewed as a critique on Britain’s National Health Service. Bennett also published various books, including several novellas and short-story collections. He adapted the eponymous short story from the collection The Lady in the Van (1990) for the stage in 1999 and film in 2015. A best-selling collection of his diaries and reminiscences, titled Writing Home, appeared in 1994. In the memoir Untold Stories (2005), he looked back affectionately at his parents, poignantly reflected on his mother’s descent into senility and her death in a nursing home, and revealed for the first time that he had received treatment for what had been believed to be terminal cancer. Keep On Keeping On, a selection of his diary entries from 2005 to 2015, was published in 2016. (britannica.com)
The Promotional Postcard For “The History Boys”
Brad Powell’s excellent direction was supported by a great crew. Laurie Tanoura served as the Producer. Joana Tavares served as an Assistant to the Director, Liz Kane was the Assistant Director, Mary Ann Shirley-Gray was the Stage Manager, Brad Powell also created the Set Design, Fleur served as the Dialect Coach, Shari Lynn was the Music Coach, Jon Brekke and Michael Wurth handled the Video Production, Mike Powell handled the Video Editing, Richard Valasek handled the Sound Design, Thomas Tochiki was in charge of the Light Design, and also the Light and Sound Operator, Ken Harmeyer was in charge of Set Construction, Carlynn Wolfe took care of Costumes, Jim Cote obtained the Props, Jeanné Wynne handled the photography, Emmett Yoshioka created the Piano Recordings, Karen Malone was the Computer and Projector Operator, and Laurie Tanoura created the Program Design. Special Thanks were accorded to Francis Altwies for the paintings on the set, Manoa Valley Theatre for costume pieces and advice, Pat Matsueda for help with the program, William W. (Woody) Woolcock for the use of his 1974 R75/6 motorcycle, nicknamed Melodious Thunk (Melody for short) for the video, Waianae Satellite City Hall for the loan of the green chairs and Ethan Okura for the use of the projector and the TAG Team for their volunteer work!
The Honolulu Advertiser Review For “The History Boys”
Behind The Scenes Photos Of “The History Boys”
It was during the time leading up to the production of “The History Boys,” that TAG lost one of its most active board members, Richard McWilliams (see photo). Richard had acted in numerous TAG productions, but beyond that he was always there to help in any way he could. His greatest contribution to TAG, something that would become far reaching and effective, was the creation of the TAG email list. In this day and age of ever increasing online capabilities, people forget that there had to be a beginning to every TAG innovation. Richard was the one who suggested that an email list of people who attend could be started and through the list the latest developments about TAG could be communicated. Richard started from scratch, likely with is own email. This list would eventually grow into over 2,500 (by 2020), and it remains one of the main tools to communicate with TAG’s followers. To commuicate to the audiences of “The History Boys,” director Brad Powell included in the play program a personal message to a dear friend of TAG. “TAG would also like to express our sadness for the passing of another great friend, Richard McWillams, who brought much to our theatre as an actor and volunteer. He will be missed. Farewell Richard, farewell.”
Ultio Venia – The Apex Of The Angels Versus Demons Plays
“Ultio Venia” or “UV” as everyone eventually referred to it, began with filmmaker Jeff Katts again. Given the great success of the previous year’s “Dream Saviour,” Jeff asked if Eric would write and direct another Soul Saviour dark night and offered up a treatment concept, The Demonic Revenge, as a possibility. Eric and Jeff met on this in the early spring of 2008 where Eric decided he’d do it and that actors would be recruited from a combination of: a) TAG actors he knew; b) beginning actors in his acting class with the model and talent agency, ADR; c) actors that Jeff might refer; and d) others they would find along the way. He subsequently went to the TAG board in July to approve the production during the week immediately after The History Boys closed, which was scheduled for October 26th, 2008. In rewriting the script Eric purposely introduced many more characters on the premise that more in the cast would manifest into more friends and family ending up in the risers. The objective, after all, for dark nights was to make extra money. In fact, the increase in characters went from around a dozen to 26 all told. True, some parts were so small that actors could’ve been used to double up on roles, but why bother? The more characters, particularly new actors who would be given their first taste of the stage, meant the likelihood that more friends and relatives would come out and support the play. This proved tactically prophetic. “Ultio Venia” – a play about a couple who inadvertently assists in the exorcism of a young woman who is possessed and draws the wrath of the dark side, which brings demons to arrange a game with angels for their souls – played from October 28, 2008 to November 1, 2008 (five performances) to very good audiences, 30-40, and on the last night 60. And beyond that the mixture of actors and crew came together incredibly well, becoming a creative family, with everyone professed they had the time of their lives. A lowdown on the production cast and crew follows. From TAG came Sam Polson (Agaliarept), Frankie Enos (Anahita), Jan McGrath (Narrator), Curtis Duncan (Haniel), Ona Marie (Ruth/Armatt), Mane (Deumos), Thomas Smith (Todd), Mike Mazzola (Mr. Flynn), Omar Williams (Big Dawg), Jeanne Wynne Herring (Photos), Thomas Tochiki (Lights), Liz Kane (Stage Manager/Voice Of Mrs. Emery) and Maseeh Ganjali (Dealer). The ADR actors included Deanne August (Lilly/Succubus), Candy Condos (Naamah), Brandon Toma (Ryan), David Baquiran (Eddie), Aaron Madriaga (Thug 1), Karl Olsen (Thug 2), Mahealani Alvarez (Nurse) and Debby Shin (Julie). Through Jeff came Renee Garcia (Reina), Mark Ganialongo (Jared), Debbie Pearson (Maybel) and Sherry Eatmon (whose “Soul Saviour” inspired songs were used for the preshow, intermission, and curtain call). Others Eric recruited and who also popped up included Curtis Washburn (Pastor Peter), Alana Souza (Jessica/Stagehand), Frank Vargo (through Debby, Man/Monster), Jake Shin (through Debby, Orderly/Stagehand), Kelvin Ngo (through Debby, Orderly/Stagehand), Hala Abdulhaq (through Renee, Stagehand), Carol Egan (through Jan, choreographer), and Gary Okuda (projection and sound). UV utilized the projector and scrim that was part of The History Boys, which was the plan, and was greatly bolstered by the following: a) rewriting the script to induce pure drama and give a greater role to Curtis D. (the overall star); b) changing the title from “Demon Revenge” to Ultio Venia (which in Latin means “Revenge Grace”); c) Jeanne’s haunting photography; d) Gary’s incredible work in putting together the montages with music; e) the awesome music, which was from Gretchen Nilsen’s collection, that was used in Dream Saviour; f) rehearsing off site, Chaminade (via the help of Brother Gary Morris) and Kennedy Theater (via Thomas S.) and actually pulling it together in two manic rehearsal days at Mendonca (10/25 & 10/26); g) fantastic performances by all, particularly Renee (who made every rehearsal), Curtis D. (who was his usual outstanding self), and Deanne (who became the perfect sexy foil); h) Liz’s astute stage managing; and i) Eric’s direction in an absolute organized fashion. The result was a resounding multi-media success. As Jeff said during the closing night party, “I can’t recall any play that incorporated dance (Deanne, Mane, Candy), photo/video montages, singing (Renee), and of course, acting.” In addition to the creative successes, the production brought in $1,500, which was more than most regular productions brought in (TAG was still a struggling operation at the time). Overall, at its completion, “Ultio Venia,” was considered the most inventive (perhaps even outlandish), most talked about, the most remembered, and by far, the most successful of all the dark nights produced by TAG.
The Play Poster For “Ultio Venia”
Curtis, Frankie, Mane, And Sam, Stand Over Thomas And Renee In “Ultio Venia”
The Combination Playbill Cover And Director’s Notes For “Ultio Venia”
The Honolulu Advertiser Promo Of “Ultio Venia”
“Ultio Venia” – The Complete Play In Its Entirety
Ring Of Fire – Nancy Moss’ Drama About The Effects Of The Iraqi War
Brad Powell would follow his excellent directing of “The History Boys” with excellent directing of playwright Nancy Moss’ newest play, “Ring Of Fire,” and he brought with him two members of his “History Boys” cast. Cyrus Legg would return to play the lead role of Frank Corelli, and Chad Williams would play the kung fu instructor, Mark Limm. Amanda Palacios, making her theatrical debut would portray Gina Corelli, Frank’s wife, who goes on to have an affair with Mark. Jenn Harris, would play Bonnie Earle, an enlisted man’s wife who dreams of going to Paris, and Su Yates as the secretary Diane Sims, would round out the cast.
The Playbill For “Ring Of Fire” (Note: Opening Night Was Actually Friday, December 5th)
Supporting Brad Powell in bringing Nancy Moss’ play to life were (roles are in parentheses): Laurie Tanoura (Producer); Joana Tavares and Jacin Harter (Assistant Directors); Josh Harris and Danielle Jones (Stage Managers); Brad Powell (also Set Design); Carlynn Wolfe (Costumes); Laurie Tanoura and Andy Alvarado (Set Dressing); Jacin Harter (Sound Design); Thomas Tochiki (Light Design, Light and Sound Operator); Andy Alvarado (Set Construction); Brad Powell (also did the Photography); Laura Tanoura (Program Design); and Aaron Bui (Martial Arts Instruction). Special Thanks were given to Josh Harris and Chad Williams – U.S Army, Amanda Palacios – U.S. Navy, and all the rest of our military personnel for serving the great United States of America!
The Honolulu Advertiser Review Of “Ring Of Fire”
“Ring Of Fire” attracted consistent audiences and ran for 19 performances. It opened on Friday, December 5th, 2008, and closed on Sunday, December 28th, 2008. Thursday through Saturday night shows began at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday shows were at 2:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
The Promotional Postcard For “Ring Of Fire”
This is taken from the “Ring Of Fire” playbill about playwright Nancy Moss: In 2002, The Actors’ Group produces Nancy Moss’ play ANNA, about the poet Akhmatova., with Frankie Enos in the title role. ANNA won a Po’okela for Best Original Script. Nancy’s play, HOSTAGE WIFE, 2005 winner of Abingdon Theatre”s Wolk Award, was produced by Kumu Kahua Theatre, directed by Harry Wong, this past May. Her play, THE LAST OUTPOST, also set in Iraq and directed by Jason Kanda, won Kumu Kahua’s Residents’ Award and ran at Marks Garage in 2005. Her musical, INFINITE JEST, played at Tenney Theatre in 1998 and had a New York showcase in 2002. A retired Iolani teacher, she lives in Honolulu.
Inside Out – Tillotson And Murray Take TAG Onto The College Campus And A Look Into A Fascinating World Not Ever Seen Before
Richard Tillotson, who would become a very pivotal member of TAG’s Board of Directors, was also a very good writer, and with respect to the stage, also a playwright. It would be his original comedy drama, “Inside Out,” a very intriguing look into the competitive world of college grant proposals and the people who write and administer them, that became TAG’s next production. It was an original look into a world rarely seen. To bring his story to life, was one of Hawaii’s most talented theater artists, actor/director Eden-Lee Murray.
The Playbill For “Inside Out”
“Inside Out” came with a bevy of talented actors, all who possessed prior stage experience. These were (roles are in parentheses): Walter Eccles (Gordon Taylor); Mark Gilbert (Anthony Marino); Jacin Harter (Martin Arzinetti); Stu Hirayama (Victor Tho); Cindy Ramirez (Aparna Sandor); Elizabeth Wolfe (Elizabeth Shipton); and Richard Valasek (Hiram Baxton).
Eden Lee Murray (see photo) is a professional actor / director /producer / artist-educator. Since coming to O‘ahu in 1992, she has directed or performed in every major venue on O‘ahu, earning sixteen Po‘okela Awards for her work. From 2009–2016, she served as Education Director at the Hawaii Theatre Center, producing, directing, performing, and teaching at that beautiful historical venue. For ten years she ran the Hawaii Young Actors Ensemble, the pre-professional training program in classical theatre for high school students from across O‘ahu. Over the years a number of her students have been featured in Hawaii Shakespeare Festival productions. Eden Lee has had featured roles on Lost and Magnum P.I., and recently portrayed Edna Allyn —first librarian of Hawaii—for the Mission Houses Museum Pupu Cemetery Theatre. With HSF Eden Lee has performed in Antony and Cleopatra, Henry V, Pericles, The Tempest, Richard III, A Winter’s Tale, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (invented language!) and as The Fool in King Lear, and Falstaff twice—in Merry Wives of Windsor and Henry IV, Part 1. She is delighted to tackle Pompey-the-Pimp and another role in this production—see if you can find her in the second one. (Hawaii Shakespeare Festival 2023)
Supporting Director Murray were the following crew members (responsibilities are in parentheses): Laurie Tanoura (Producer); Sabrina Sanchez (Assistant Director and Stage Manager); Eden-Lee Murray (Set Design); Carlynn Wolfe (Costumes); Karen, Richard, and Ian Valasek (Sound Design); Thomas Tochiki (Light Design, Light and Sound Operator); Andy Alvarado (Set Construction and Dressing); Jeanne Wynne Herring (Photography); Greg Howell (Wigs and Hair); and Mary Ann Shirley-Gray (Props).
The Promotional Postcard For “Inside Out”
In support of the production of “Inside Out,” Special Thanks was accorded to Thomas Sorensen, Leena Dela Cruz and Haunani Hess at INspiration for loan of the furniture, donation of rehearsal space from Church of the Crosswords, balloons from Flyin’ Hawaiian Balloons, studio time from Pacific Music Productions, skateboard from Halen Yacapin, sari from Diane Boons, plants from ACT, Rose Wolfe for general assistance with just about everything, Cambodian voices from Mr. Hongly Khuy, Frances Altwies for the understudy bank, and Mira Savara, for being the production’s Indian Cultural Consultant.
The Honolulu Advertiser Review For “Inside Out”
“Inside Out” ran from its opening night on Friday, January 30th, 2009, through its closing day performances on Sunday, February 22nd, 2009. Thursday through Saturday shows began at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday performances were at 2:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. These totaled 19 shows in all, which attracted consistent audiences, making this original play having its world premiere, a very successful TAG production indeed.
From The Honolulu Advertiser’s TGIF Publication
World Buffet – A Dark Night That Brings A Smorgasbord Of Laughter
The dark night was initiated out of necessity. Because in the early days it seemed that TAG was always just a few months ahead of its financial cliff, dark nights were a way to come up with added income while using the existing staging of a regular season play. In the case of “World Buffet,” the next TAG production, it had to come at a time when TAG’s finances really needed it. After all, it was the second dark night staged during the 2008-2009 season. The other being “Ultio Venia.” At the helm once again was TAG president Eric Nemoto (see photo) again, who, by this time, was kind of becoming the theater’s dark night king. “World Buffet,” was inspired by Eric’s love of travel and his related love for food. He would dine on pasta in Italy, crepes in France, fish in Japan, octopus in Greece, breadfruit in Samoa (Tim Horton doughnuts in Canada – since as one Canadian told him, there’s no such thing as Canadian food), and even cod in Iceland. In effect, he loved eating the food that was known for the regions that he visited. Inherent to this, then, the story of a U.N. committee created to stage the world’s biggest potluck was born.
The Program For “World Buffet”
The origins of this production was initiated by Carlynn Wolfe, who at the time was TAG’s treasurer. Because the financials of some of the prior productions at the close of 2008 were less than stellar, Carlynn asked Eric if he could stage another dark night, to make up the loss of income. This was an idea that Laurie Tanoura, Frankie Enos, and Brad Powell all agreed I could do. Over the holidays Eric wrote the script. It should be documented that the original dark night Eric thought of writing was “Juniper Lane,” but somehow, he just wasn’t inspired to do it (a decision that turned out to be the right choice as “Juniper Lane” would become another successful dark night years later).
The Promotional Flyer For “World Buffet”
The Wacky Cast Of Wacky “World Buffet”
The casting, which Eric achieved through a variety of ways, ultimately ended up to be perfect. From his day job of being Chaminade’s Associate Director of Enrollment Management and Director of Financial Aid, he selected Curtis Washburn to play William Nilly. From having been in a cold reading at Kumu Kahua Theatre with him, as well as directing him in Ultio Venia, he chose Maseeh Ganjali to play the spoiled and sarcastic Michael Al Sadih. Also from Chaminade, he selected Stacy Adora to play Mara Stuart. Because she had been TAG’s photographer for numerous productions, Eric asked Jeanne Wynne Herring go play Louise Hilgart. Jeanne, in turn, brought Jimi Wheeler and Sandra Bollozos-Fraticelli to play Alex Mina and Ida Sawyer respectively. TAG’s own Frankie Enos was selected to portray Sophie Trudeau. From Eric’s acting class came David Baquiran to play Rajeeve “Ricky” El Swaify, Kelehua Kawai to play Henrietta Ojuwan, and Karl Olsen to play Ted Calley. Rounding out the cast swas the photographer, Victor Conch, who Eric chose TAG’s Thomas Tochiki to portray.
From The Honolulu Advertiser’s TGIF Publication
“World Buffet” was essentially a DIY production. Eric created and printed the play program, and his only crew member was Thomas Tochiki, who ran the lights and sound when he wasn’t briefly appearing on stage. There were some people to thank though. Eric accorded Special Thanks to: Joyce Powell for reservations and intermission goodies; Frankie Enos for opening and closing night parties; Carlynn Wolfe who was the volunteer coordinator; Laurie Tanoura for managing the TAG website and the World Buffet email blasts; volunteers Regina Barker, Barbara Dinoff, Tony Acosta, Jr., Richard Goodman, and Jared Duldulao, for watching the front door and manning the wine table; Brother Gary Morris for the use of Chaminade’s Loo Theatre for the off-site rehearsals; Mark Ganialongo for providing the invaluable dialogue audio-tapes; Jeanne Wynne Herring for the cast photos and publicity shots; PGC for loaning the set chairs and allowing their conference center for a rehearsal; Maseeh Ganjali for helping with rehearsals; and Daniel Randall for song selection and technical support.
“World Buffet” – The Play In Its Entirety Courtesy Of Maseeh Ganjali¹
It might be humorous to think about it now, but “World Buffet” was probably the very first TAG production to achieve a sponsor. This occurred when Eric got Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) to donate a bucket of chicken to be used for both on and off stage purposes for each of its three shows. In return, KFC was listed in the play program, as well as promoted to the audience by Eric himself, who would thank the company during the pre-show announcement.
The TAG Logo – Richard Tillotson Creates A New Design
The tenure of Richard Tillotson (see photo) as an active member with TAG was significant in terms of his many contributions to TAG’s growth. He was a very dependable and productive member of its Board of Directors, was a playwright for one of its regular season plays (“Inside Out”), was the person who first established TAG’s public service announcements (PSAs), and would later be the first person to first suggest that TAG’s new theater (after the Mendonca Building in Chinatown) could be in The Shops at Dole Cannery. But in addition to these contributions, Richard also suggested that TAG’s logo could use a makeover. Sifting through the records of “World Buffet,” there were letters sometimes with the old logo as its heading, and sometimes with the new logo. So it is believed, that around the time when “Inside Out,” and “World Buffet,” were playing on the Mendonca stage, the new logo had been developed. It was Richard, a career ad-man, who redesigned the TAG logo, which spelled out the group’s name but emphasized the acronym that the theater had become known as, and incorporated a color design that incorporated yellow, a tribute to the fact that TAG had been born in the original Yellow Brick Studio.
The Old Logo Versus The New – TAG Achieves Its Signature Look
A Lesson Before Dying – A Different Play For MLK
TAG’s next production was a late comer with respect to filling the schedule of an African American play produced in honor of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, and while the previous productions had either been one of the works of August Wilson, or, the very well known classic, “A Raisin In The Sun.” Instead, it was a play by Romulus Linney, that was adapted from the novel of Ernest Gaines, “A Lesson Before Dying.” Set in the fictional community of Bayonne, Louisiana, in the late 1940s, A Lesson Before Dying tells the story of Jefferson, a twenty-one-year-old uneducated black field worker wrongfully accused and convicted of the robbery and murder of a white man, and sentenced to death by electrocution. At his trial, Jefferson’s court-appointed defense attorney argues that Jefferson lacks the intelligence to plan a robbery, and that, even if he had been involved in the killing, sentencing him to death would be like putting a hog in the electric chair. In spite of this so-called defense, the all-white jury finds Jefferson guilty. To compound the horror of his situation, Jefferson internalizes the attorney’s racist depiction of him as a dumb animal. Determined that Jefferson will die with dignity, his godmother (“nannan”), Miss Emma, turns to Grant Wiggins, a black teacher at the local plantation school, and asks him to teach Jefferson to be a man. Although convinced that there is nothing he can do, Grant reluctantly agrees to visit Jefferson in jail. Over the next several months, while Jefferson awaits execution, he and Grant forge a bond that enables both men to regain their dignity, reconnect with their community, and learn “the importance of standing.” (cliffsnotes.com)
Playwright and novelist Romulus Linney was born on September 21, 1930, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The only child of Dr. Romulus “Zach” Linney III and his wife Maitland (nee Thompson), Linney was the great-grandson of North Carolina Congressman Romulus Zachariah Linney I. Linney spent much of his childhood in Boone, North Carolina, and Madison, Tennessee, but moved with his mother to Washington, D.C. after the death of his father in 1943. Linney graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1949 and attended Oberlin College. During his time as a student in Oberlin, Linney acted in a number of productions staged by the Oberlin Dramatic Association under the direction of J. Stanton McLaughlin. After graduating with his Bachelor’s of Arts in 1953, Linney began a Master’s program at Yale University’s School of Drama majoring in acting but left in 1954 after being drafted into the Army. He was primarily stationed at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii. While on leave in Japan, Linney observed Japanese Kabuki theater and became interested in Noh theater. Linney was honorably discharged after two years and returned to Yale to complete a Master’s of Fine Arts degree with a major in directing in 1958. He used Japanese influences in the staging of Eugene O’Neill’s play, “Marco Millions,” his thesis production. While in college and graduate school, Linney performed as an actor in summer stock including the Williamstown Theatre Festival, the New London Barn Playhouse in New London, NH, and the Pelican Players in Panama City, FL. Following Yale, Linney went to New York City where he worked as a stage manager for Elia Kazan at the Actors’ Studio and studied writing with Hiram Hayden, founder of Atheneum Press, at The New School. Hayden optioned the novel Linney was writing in class, and “Heathen Valley” was published in 1962. A second novel, “Slowly, By Thy Hand Unfurled,” was published in 1965. A set of short stories, “Jesus Tales,” was published in 1980. Over his lifetime, in addition to these three novels, Linney authored four opera librettos, twenty short stories, and 85 plays which have been staged throughout the United States, in Europe and Asia. His plays include “The Sorrows of Frederick,” “Holy Ghosts,” “Childe Byron,” “Heathen Valley,” and an adaptation of Ernest L. Gaines’s novel, “A Lesson Before Dying,” which has been produced in New York and in numerous regional theaters. Many of his plays dealt were set in Appalachia (“Tennessee,” “Holy Ghosts,” “Sand Mountain,” “Gint,” and “Heathen Valley”), while others focused on historical subjects (“The Sorrows of Frederick,” “2”). In 2010, he wrote a libretto for an opera based on his first play, “The Sorrows of Frederick,” with music by Scott Wheeler, commissioned by The Metropolitan Opera and Lincoln Center Theater. He also completed a full-length play about Alzheimer’s disease, “Over Martinis, Driving Somewhere,” which received a workshop at New York Stage and Film in the summer of 2010. Among Linney’s many awards were two Obie awards, one for sustained excellence in playwriting; two National Critics Awards; three Drama-Logue Awards; and fellowships from the Guggenheim and Rockefeller foundations, the New York Foundation for the Arts and the National Endowment of the Arts. He was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters which conferred upon him its Award in Literature, Award of Merit and its highest award, the Gold Medal. He received an honorary doctorates from Oberlin in 1994, from Appalachian State University in 1995, and from Wake Forest University in 1998. He was a member of the Ensemble Studio Theatre, the Fellowship of Southern Writers, National Theatre Conference, College of Fellows of the American Theatre, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and the Corporation of Yaddo. Linney had been chair of the MFA Playwriting program at Columbia University’s School of the Arts and Professor of Playwriting in the Actors Studio MFA Program at The New School in New York. Linney was the founding playwright of Signature Theatre Company, which named a theater in his honor in the new Signature Center, which opened in 2012. On his birthday September 21, 2012, Appalachian State University in Boone, NC opened his archives for researchers and scholars. Linney married three times and had two children, actress Laura Linney with his first wife, Ann Leggett Perse, and writer and editor, Susan Linney, with his second wife, Margaret Jane Andrews. Both marriages ended in divorce. In 1996, Linney married his third wife, Laura Callanan, and the two remained together until his death. Linney died of lung cancer at the age of 80 at home in Germantown, NY on January 15, 2011. (appstate.edu)
The Playbill For “A Lesson Before Dying”
To direct “A Lesson Before Dying,” TAG selected one of its most active and dedicated members, Laurie Tanoura (see photo from the play program). By this time in TAG’s history, Laurie had already established herself as TAG’s go-to person for every production, the person responsible for coordinating every play, re-designing the website, sending out publicity notices, getting the playbills printed, etc., etc., etc. So, the director for “Lesson” was certainly in the hands of someone very knowledgeable about the theater’s workings. Taken from the playbill, the following was Laurie’s biography at that point in time. Laurie’s main role at TAG is as Production Manager and has produced Antigone, Fences, Merry Christmas Roberta, Mass Appeal, Shadowlands, A Kind Of Alaska & Reunion, History Boys and Ring Of Fire. This is her Directorial debut at TAG. She also directed Last Of The Red Hot Lovers in a dinner theatre setting on the mainland several years ago. Laurie’s most recent acting experience was her role as Roberta in TAG’s Merry Christmas Roberta, for which she received a Po`okela as Featured Female. Most recent acting credits include Gunfighter and M. Butterfly at Manoa Valley Theatre, Twentieth Century at Diamond Head Theatre, and Fanny & Belle and Kamau at Kumu Kahua Theatre. Kamau was a part of the Hawaiian Delegation and was invited to perform at the Pacific Festival in American Samoa in the summer of 2008. Other acting credits include The Dining Room, Man Of La Mancha, The Odd Couple, Arsenic And Old Lace and The Girl In The Freudian Slip.
To bring “A Lesson Before Dying” to life, Laurie cast a number of excellent actors. These were in order of appearance: T. Mike Dazé played Deputy Sheriff Paul Bonin; Mary Ann Shirley-Gray was Miss Emma; Chad Williams portrayed Grant Wiggins; Doug Stiles played Sheriff Sam Guidry; London Stanton played Jefferson; Katie Gray was Vivian Baptiste; and D. Omar Williams portrayed the Reverend Ambrose.
Cast Photos From “A Lesson Before Dying”
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin Review Of “A Lesson Before Dying”
Laurie was supported by a great crew while handling much of the work herself. Her Assistant Director was Jim Hesse. She took care of the Set Design. The Costume Design was the responsibility of Carlynn Wolfe. Laurie also created the Sound Design. The Light Design was created by Thomas Tochiki who also worked as the Light & Sound Operator. The Assistant Light & Sound Operator was Lee Gray. The Set Construction & Dressing was in the hands of Andy Alvarado. Jeanne Wynne Herring took care of the Marie Kuroda, Liz Kane, and Jimi Wheeler, worked as Stage Managers. Laurie also accorded Special Thanks to Sara Ward at Manoa Valley Theatre for props, Ann Timbreza for the loan of the bench, Catherine’s Closet for costumes, and Martin Dunsmuir and Marie Kuroda for set work. “A Lesson Before Dying” ran from Friday, April 3rd, 2009 (opening night) to Sunday, April 26th, 2009 (closing). It played for 19 total performances. Thursday through Saturday performance were at 7:30 p.m. On Sundays, there were two performances, a 2:00 p.m. matinee as well as a second show that had an early evening performances that began at 5:30 p.m.
Blue/Orange – Hints Of A Need To Look Elsewhere
For the last production of the 2008-2009 season, the great tandem team of David and Loren K.D. Farmer (see photo) were tapped by TAG to direct Joe Penhall’s “Blue/Orange,” a comedy drama that was an incendiary tale of race, madness and a Darwinian power struggle at the heart of a dying National Health Service. David would come to direct and Loren would serve as his assistant director. Together, they also handled the Set Design, Sound Design, and Scene Shot Photography (David). For the other areas of production, they were supported by following (assignments are in parentheses): Carlynn Wolfe (Costume Design); Thomas Tochiki (Light Design and Light & Sound Operator); Andy Alvarado (Andy Alvarado); Jeanne Wynne Herring (Headshot Photography); and Thomas Tochiki, Kaliko Palmiera, and Marie Kuroda (Stage Managers). David and Loren also extended Special Thanks to: Little Village Noodle House; Restaurant Epic; Duc’s Bistro; and Vino Italian Tapas & Wine Bar. Additional Music Credits were accorded to: Phillip Glass; soundtrack from Godfrey Reggio’s 1988 experimental documentary film Powaqqatsi: Life in Transformation, the second film in the Qatsi trilogy (Powaqqatsi is a Hopi word meaning “parasitic way of life” or “life in transition”).
The Playbill For “Blue/Orange”
Society is curious about psychiatry. In Kevin Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and the recent British television series Psychos, dramatists explored the meaning of mental illness and its treatment. The writer Joe Penhall tackled the subject of psychiatric care in the community in his award winning play Some Voices, and he follows it with his new play Blue/Orange. The play questions our criteria for the involuntary detention of patients under the Mental Health Act and raises doubts about the labelling of people with personality disorder. Christopher is in hospital against his will, and we witness the final day of his one month’s evaluation period. The junior doctor, played by Andrew Lincoln from the acclaimed British television series This Life, tries hard to impress in his first ever psychiatry job. The consultant, played by Bill Nighy, initially questions whether black people diagnosed with psychiatric conditions are victims of a society that mistakes cultural differences for mental illness. However, more sinister aspects of his personality are soon revealed, leaving the audience guessing as to whether his actions are directed towards career advancement, are based on his own prejudices, or are truly in the interest of the patient. The debate intensifies, constantly challenging and frustrating the audience, while cleverly breaking the escalating tension with humorous moments. Blue/Orange succeeds in raising the possibility that ethnic minorities are victims in the current psychiatric system, which was never designed to meet the needs of minority groups. Roger Mitchell has directed an intelligent, character driven story about race, madness, and a Darwinian power struggle at the heart of a dying NHS. (paraphrased from a stage review from pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
The Honolulu Advertiser For “Blue/Orange”
Joe Penhall (b. 1967, see photo) is a British playwright and screenwriter. Born in London, his first major play was Some Voices for the Royal Court Theatre, London, in 1994. It has twice been revived off Broadway. Penhall won the Laurence Olivier Award, the Evening Standard Award and the Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards for Blue/Orange, a play about the dynamics between a young black schizophrenic man and two psychiatrists in a London mental hospital. It premiered at the National Theatre in 2000, directed by Roger Michell, with Bill Nighy, Andrew Lincoln and Chiwetel Ejiofor in the cast. Penhall adapted Ian McEwan’s novel “Enduring Love” for a 2004 film starring Rhys Ifans and Daniel Craig, and wrote the screenplay for BBC2’s BAFTA nominated four-part dramatisation of Jake Arnott’s East-End gangster novel “The Long Firm”. His next play Dumb Show, a comic attack on the excesses of tabloid journalists, was first performed at the Royal Court Theatre, directed by Terry Johnson in 2004. Penhall has said that after writing Blue/Orange — a ‘huge dark play’ — he wanted to write a ‘small light play’. Landscape With Weapon, about a brilliant young engineer who invents an innovative and devastating weapon of mass destruction, was first performed at the National Theatre in 2007, directed by Roger Michell. Penhall adapted The Road by Cormac McCarthy for the screen in 2009. The film was directed by John Hillcoat and starred Viggo Mortensen. He also wrote the BBC Two detective series “Moses Jones.” (nordiska.dk)
The Postcard For “Blue/Orange”
The production was benefitted from having a great cast. London Stanton played Christopher, Thomas Smith portrayed Dr. Bruce Flaherty, and Jeanne Wynne Herring was Dr. Robin Smith. It opened on Friday, May 29th, 2009, and ran for a total of 19 performances, playing at 7:30 p.m. for Thursday through Saturday night shows, and on Sundays, with two shows, a 2:00 p.m. matinee, and a 5:30 p.m. early evening show, for which the production closed with its second performance on Sunday, June 21st, 2009.
At the close of its first year at the Mendonca Building, TAG was already starting to question the benefits of the new space. The occasional rat that would appear “visually” over the top of the stage back on Keawe Street, was now replaced with the “sounds” of herds of rats scuttling above the ceiling in Mendonca. The overworked and faulty air conditioner had continued in Chinatown, and was possibly even worse, particularly since it would cost TAG an additional $400 to $700 a month in electricity costs. And the promise that TAG could use the beautiful grassy garden area for fundraisers, was essentially a bait and switch deal, for the board was told, yes, TAG could hold a fundraiser, but, no, we couldn’t step on the grass. It should be noted that the move to Mendonca was absolutely necessary, and truth be told, had TAG never moved there, it might have never moved at all, and quite possibly, TAG would have folded. Still, things happened while TAG was at Mendonca that it certainly wasn’t happy about. Of one particular note as it applied to “Blue/Orange,” was cast member Jeanne Wynne Herring finding that someone had defecated right in front of the entrance to the building. Being the trooper as she was, Jeanne took it upon herself to clean up the awful mess rather than kick the can down the road. Bravo. In retrospect, however, it was yet another situation (perhaps the most disgusting of them all) that continued to pile atop the proverbial camel’s back that was TAG’s feelings about Mendonca, which would soon break.
¹This video was edited by David Hunt utilizing decades old footage saved on multiple DVDs. The fact that the majority of the play is visible is a credit to his diligent work. Admittedly, however, there are cuts in the footage when originally filmed which means that portions of the play have been lost to time. Viewers are advised that the play was eventually filmed and produced as a movie and can be viewed on a number of online movie platforms. For more information on this, see the YBS/LegacyVision Film movie page on World Buffet.
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