August 2007
March 2010
On Stage
Stage Talk by Carol Viescas
Menu of this month's listings, stories and columns
Siglo de Oro Drama Festival — The 35th annual celebration of the Spanish language dramatic arts from Spain’s Golden Age runs March 3-7 at the Chamizal National Memorial Theatre, 800 S. San Marcial. Professional and collegiate theater groups come from Mexico, Spain, the Dominican Republic and New York City to perform classic works by Spanish master playwrights such as Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Felix Lope de Vega y Carpio, Pedro Calderón de la Barca and Agustín Moreto y Cavana. All performances begin at 7 p.m.; seating begins at 6:30 p.m. Admission: $5 ($2 students, seniors over 62 and military). Information/tickets: 532-7273, ext. 102 or nps.gov/cham.
The Siglo de Oro Drama Festival is the only festival in the world completely dedicated to presenting works drawn from Spain’s Golden Age, generally considered as spanning the late 15th century to the late 17th century. Akin to Shakespearean England, the age was highlighted by the writing by great Spanish authors.
Plays average 90 minutes long, with “ratings” ranging from G to PG-13.
• Wednesday, March 3 — “Entre clasicos anda el juego,” presented by Escuela Superior de Arte Dramático of Murcia, Spain.
• Thursday, March 4 — Casa con dos puertas mala es de guardar,” presented by Perro Teatro of México City, México.
• Friday, March 5 — “Marta the Divine,” presented in English by University of Massachusetts in Amherst.
• Saturday, March 6 — “Con quien vengo, vengo,” Escuela Superior de Arte Dramático of Murcia, Spain.
• Sunday, March 7 — “El caballero del milagro,” presented by Teatro Circulo of New York City.
‘Souvenir’ – El Paso Playhouse, 2501 Montana, presents Stephen Temperly’s comedy about the notoriously bad soprano Florence Foster Jenkins through March 6. Directed by Ivan Sandlin. Showtimes are 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets: $10 ($8 seniors, $7 military/students). Information: 532-1317, elpasoplayhouse.com.
The two-character play is set in a Greenwich Village supper club in 1964, where Cosme McMoon, a mediocre pianist who teamed up with Jenkins in 1932, sentimentally recollects her life. Jenkins was a wealthy socialite who despite her utter lack of musical talent, became the talk of New York and a cult favorite with her hilariously off-key recitals with McMoon. Her bizarre career culminated in a sold-out performance at Carnegie Hall in 1944, and she died a month later.
‘Rabbit Hole’ — No Strings Theatre Company will presents David Lindsay-Abaires’ 2007 Pulitzer Prize-winning play Feb. 26-March 14 at Black Box Theatre, 420 N. Downtown Mall, in Las Cruces. Directed by Ceil Herman. Performances are 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Sunday, March 7 and 14, and 7 p.m. Thursday, March 11. Tickets: $10 ($9 students and seniors over 65, $7 all seats on Thursday). Information: (575) 523-1223 or nstcbbt@zianet.com.
The play is a tender and sensitive exploration of family coming to terms with the accidental death of their 4-year-old son.
‘The Eurydice Project’ – American Southwest Theatre Company presents its original production through March 7 at NMSU’s Hershel Zohn Theatre. Showtime is 7 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Preview night is 7 p.m. Feb. 18. Tickets: $15 ($10 preview night). Information: 1-800-525-ASTC (2782).
The play retells the classic story: Orpheus must travel to the Underworld to save his bride, Eurydice. Can he save her soul and reunite with his love or is he doomed to lose her forever?
‘The Murder Room’ — Las Cruces Community Theater, 313 Downtown Mall, presents Jack Sharkey’s zany spoof on murder mysteries through March 7. The play has been called a mixture of Agatha Christie, Monty Python and Abbot and Costello. Directed by Ken Eastlack. Performances are 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets: $8 ($7 seniors, students and military, $5 children). Information: (575) 523-1200 or lcctnm.org.
‘Chronicle of Tin-Tan and the pachuquismo’ — The Consulate General of Mexico presents a lecture, musical and dance with Mexican author Carlos Monsivais at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 10, at Chamizal National Memorial, 800 S. San Marcial. Admission is free. Information: 533-3644.
‘Some Girls’ — The UTEP Department of Theatre and Dance presents Neil LaBute’s comedy March 10-14, at UTEP’s Studio Theatre in the Fox Fine Arts Center. Directed by Fernando Alvarez, Jr. Performances are 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Proceeds from the March 10 production benefit the Student Scholarship Fund. Tickets: $8 ($7 non-UTEP students, UTEP faculty, staff and alumni, seniors, military, alumni and groups of 10 or more; $6 UTEP students). All seats general admission. Information: 747-5118 or theatre.utep.edu.
A young man’s career as a writer is blossoming and his beautiful, young fiancée is waiting to get married and rush off to Cancun by his side. What’s the natural reaction? Get cold feet and start calling old girlfriends. Contains adult language and situations.
‘Dona Rosita’s Day of the Dead’ — American Southwest Theatre Company brings the popular “Dona Rosita” back at 8 p.m. Friday, March 12, at NMSU’s Hershel Zohn Theatre. Tickets: $15 (Ticketmaster).
The one-woman show is the brainchild of writer/creator Rodrigo Duarte-Clark and actress/comedienne Ruby Nelda Perez. The comedy explores life, death, and everything in between through the eyes of Rosita, the colorful restaurateur with a penchant for storytelling.
‘Be My Baby’ – El Paso Playhouse, 2501 Montana, presents Ken Ludwig’s contemporary comedy about a middle-aged couple who travel to America to adopt a baby March 19-April 10. Directed by Jan Wolfe. Showtimes are 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets: $10 ($8 seniors, $7 military/students). Information: 532-1317, elpasoplayhouse.com.
Roald Dahl’s ‘Willy Wonka’ – Kids-N-Co. presents a musical of “pure imagination” based on Dahl’s book “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” March 20-April 11 at Kids-N-Co. Performance Space, 1301 Texas. Directed by Vanessa Colon. Performances are 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. Sundays. Tickets: $7 ($5 students, children, seniors and active military) at the door. Information: 351-1455.
Words and music are by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newly, with the stage adaptation by Leslie Bricusse and Timothy A. McDonald. Five golden tickets have been hidden in five Wonka chocolate bars and the five kids who find them are invited to tour Wonka’s secret candy factory and meet the maestro of sweets himself.
‘Arritmia’ — Telon de Arena of Juarez presents an original play depicting the problems of old age and how these problems affect family members at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday, March 25-28, at the Chamizal National Memorial, 800 S. San Marcial. Admission: $10 ($7 seniors). Information: 532-7273.
‘Cast Party’ — UTEP’s • Music Theatre Company presents an evening of scenes from opera and musical theater at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 26, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, March 28, in the Fox Fine Arts Recital Hall, featuring chorus members of El Paso Opera’s “La Vie de Boheme” and “Porgy and Bess.” This presentation, conceptualized by senior performance major Joseph Quintana, explores the antics of an opera cast at its cast party after a performance. Tickets: $12 ($8 seniors, military, non-UTEP students; $5 children and UTEP faculty, staff and students).
‘Smokey Joe’s Cafe’ — Alamogordo Music Theatre presents its Spring 2010 musical celebrating the songs of Leiber and Stoller March 26-28 and April 1-3, at Flickinger Center, 1110 N. New York, Alamogordo. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets: $10. Information: (575)442-8661 or alamogordomusictheatre.org.
The music of the 1950’s and 60’s comes alive with classics like “On Broadway,” “Jailhouse Rock,” “Love Potion #9” and “Stand By Me.” “Smokey Joe’s Café” is the longest-running revue in Broadway history.
‘Cowboy Mouth’ — The UTEP Department of Theatre and Dance presents the semi-autobiographical one-act by Sam Shepard at 7 p.m. Sunday through Tuesday, March 28-30, at UTEP’s Fox Fine Arts Center’s Basement Theatre. Directed by Samantha Nava. Admission by donation. Information: 747-5118 or theatre.utep.edu.
Co-written by Shepard and Pati Smith, the dark, thought-provoking play features the Patti Smith character as a person obsessed with death who finally flips into periods of bizarre fantasy. The Shepard character, Slim, struggles with the meaning of art and the role of that artist. For mature audiences only.
‘La Cage Aux Folles’ – The award-winning musical version of the comic collision of gay and straight worlds is April 9-May 16 at UTEP Dinner Theatre. A gay nightclub manager and his drag queen partner pretend to be a straight couple when the manager’s son brings home his fiancée and her ultra-conservative parents. Written by Harvey Fierstein and lyrics and music by Jerry Herman. Showtime is 7 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday; dinner matinee performance is 1:30 p.m. Sunday, April 25; non-dinner matinees are 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 2, 9 and 16. Tickets $26-$38 dinner shows; $12-22 non-dinner matinee. Information: 747-6060.
Auditions & classes
‘Everything Theater’ camp — Kids-N-Co’s spring break “just-for-fun” theater camp for ages 8-14 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, March 15-19, at Kids-N-Co. Education and Performance Center, 1301 Texas Ave. Includes acting, improvisation, make-up, prop making, puppets, script writing, theater games and more. Cost: $150, class size limited. Information: 351-1455 or kidsnco.org.
UTEP Summer Theatre and Dance camps — The UTEP Department of Theatre, Dance and Film will host its 2010 summer camps June 7-25. Registration begins March 30. Information: 747-6213.
Scholarship and documents available on line beginning March 15 at theatredance.utep.edu.
Summer Acting Camp is 9 a.m. to noon for ages 7 to 12, and 1 to 4 p.m. for ages 13-18, Mondays through Fridays, focusing on the acting and rehearsal process. Technical Theatre Camp is 9 a.m. to noon for ages 13-18, focusing on the technical aspects of the theatre. All theatre camps end with a live performance for family and friends. Tuition: $200 per camp. Information: Adriana Dominguez, 747-6213 or theatre.utep.edu.
STAGE TALK by Carol Viescas
“The Candy Man makes everything he bakes satisfying and delicious. Talk about your childhood wishes. You can even eat the dishes.”
Even though it was nearly 40 years ago when the original movie version of “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” came out with Gene Wilder in the title role, I still remember every word of the song made famous by Sammy Davis Jr. OK, OK, I wasn’t still in grade school. I was in college. But who wouldn’t love this Roald Dahl story, child or adult?
As it turns out, nearly 80 El Pasoans showed how much they love this classic story when they turned out to audition in January for 20 roles in the musical-play version of the story directed by Vanessa Colon for Kids-N-Co.
“I was surprised at how many people are fans of this little production. When we had 78 people at the audition, I was like ‘WOW!’” Colon said.
“To say that casting the show was hard is an understatement,” Colon added. “It was the most difficult thing ever. I had kids show up with as much passion for this book/play as I did, and gave a super audition but did not make the show. It’s hard to disappoint kiddos, but you learn to grow tough skin.”
But the result, Colon said, was “almost an all-star cast.” Most regular KNC theater-goers will see the stars of past shows playing big and little roles — “Little Red, Frodo Baggins, Little Women, the Space Panda kids, just to name a few,” Colon said.
Indeed, the reason Colon chose the play was because of her own fascination with the piece.
“I have been a fan of Roald Dahl since the fourth grade. My teacher, Mrs. Nye, introduced me to the books, and I have loved them ever since,” said Colon, who graduated from UTEP in 2007. “Dahl just has a great rhythm and inventive vocabulary in his dialogue. The sarcasm will appeal to adults, and the funny words and characters will appeal to the little ones. This is my first musical I am directing in addition to being musical director. I’m so happy I was given the opportunity to do this show, because it has been a part of my life for such a long time. Thanks, Mrs. Nye!”
But the fact that her entire cast loved “Willie Wonka” also proved a challenge.
“It is a fairly large cast, and everyone has their own vision of their chocolate factory,” said Colon, who also directs the show choir for KNC.
The other challenge was to build a set that had to represent ten different places.
“We go to Germany, Brazil, America, and, of course, the chocolate factory, which has five rooms of its own,” Colon said. “The set has to be versatile and fun. It has to be 20 different places and still be mysterious. Lucky for me, I have Kevin (Mullin, executive and artistic director of KNC) and Tito (Arenal, technical director), who can bombard me with great ideas, and I get to choose.”
But even with the challenges, Colon said, the musical has been pure joy to direct.
“I love the music; everyone does,” Colon said. “I haven’t even had to teach the music, because our cast comes in knowing it pretty well. I just had to polish it. Also, I have always wanted to be friends with an Oompa Loompa. Now I have eight of them.”
Carol Viescas is a veteran of
community theater and teaches
journalism at Bel Air High School.
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