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Tag: theatre

  • The Life of Galileo delivers a spunky opening night

    The Life of Galileo delivers a spunky opening night

    by Alana Hackman

    It was a full house for the nearly two hour long production and helped feed into the performers liveliness. Cal Poly Humboldt’s Theatre Arts Department presented their fall semester play, “The Life of Galileo,” Nov. 3 in the Gist Hall black box theater.

    I had yet to attend a play at the black box in my time at Humboldt State, and I believe it has to be my favorite location so far. The stage was smaller and a lot more intimate. It was also a lot easier to hear the actors more clearly. 

    Immediately, the prop and set design caught my eyes. Working with such a small space, they were able to create multi-purpose prop designs to be used throughout the entire production, and create separate rooms and energies on such a limited stage. Bookshelves of Galileo’s scriptures and studies that doubled as Roman columns — and even circus tents when flipped around — were genius to me.

    The use of projections and other media really brought the whole production together. Like a silent film, they projected title cards on the castle walls to set the scene, which was a really creative way to occupy the crowd while stagehands moved props for the following scene.

    Even the stagehands added to the artfulness of the play. They were adorned in plague masks and cloaks to blend into the scenes, which kept things interesting during an otherwise liminal transition.

    Everything involved with props and set design was very thorough. Hanging planetary orbs and stars above the theater to back the play’s theme was gorgeous, as well as the creative use of such a small stage. A large brick castle with a spiraling staircase was tucked away in the background, and the use of hidden tables and raised platforms allowed for Galileo to easily bop around the stage. The production had no mics and was fully reliant on the actors belting capabilities, which proved successful. 

    Graphic by Griffin Mancuso.

    The cast seemed much larger than what I have seen in other productions put on by the theater department. The play itself was more comedic than I expected it to be, through youthful banter and sassy characters like Galileo’s pupil, Andrea, played by Jenny Campos. 

    Although I will say the humor does seem a bit dry and for a specific audience, which I myself was not a part of. The one-liners seemed reliant on historical knowledge and for more of an older audience.  One audience member continuously giggled throughout scenes in the first act while the rest of us remained silent, it felt I was missing something, or maybe we all were. 

    It wasn’t until the second act that I fully grasped the commentary of the play itself, a humorous meditation on the historical battle between religion and science, following Galileo returning from his near death experience after his scientific discovery that Earth was not the center of the universe. 

    The lead Galileo (Troy Lescher) had many asides within the show that seemed necessary for witty comments, but I feel they did fall a bit flat. 

    Although it took a bit for me to get into the play, the second act’s circus scene was fantastic. Actress Penny Dellapelle carried three roles in the production and was phenomenal. Her line delivery was hilarious and she really proved to be a firecracker on stage. Especially in her roles as the ballad crier in the circus performance and the snarky philosopher turning down Galileo’s scientific discoveries. The audience’s giggles also seem to reflect my opinion.

    Lake Terre’s playing of the Bursar of the University of Padua was also quite animated and entertaining to watch on stage, especially during his scenes where he was trying to avoid interaction with Galileo. Although, I will say some of his scenes with Galileo kind of skewed the curtain of acting and reality for me. 

    The acting of all cast members was quality work in nearly all of the scenes. Some of the more busy scenes really shifted the veil of reality and performance for me. Watching a group of callow, college-age actors surrounding the obviously decade-older lead threw me off a little bit, and made the production feel more juvenile and high school-esque than I was prepared for. 

    All of the characters within the play were seemingly near the same age, so watching a baby-faced Bursar or philosopher scold Galileo, an obviously older actor, made me snap out of the entertaining theater-goer energy quickly. 

    The production brought a modern commentary on the history versus religion theme. Projections of Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates to describe “elite Italian families of the 1500s” was extremely comical. Also projecting images of COVID-19 deniers when discussing the relationship of science with the priest was super timely and the cherry on top of the production. 

    Overall, the Theatre Arts Department put on a spectacular production and really killed it with The Life of Galileo. Opening night brought lots of energy from the performers and a packed audience. The technical aspects really tightened the show up completely. The production’s ability to play off the recent historical events of science-deniers really lightened the mood in such historically dense productions. 

  • Van Duzer Theatre hosts again!

    Van Duzer Theatre hosts again!

    by Nina Hufman

    This semester, the John Van Duzer Theatre will host a variety of shows, musicians, and speakers. 

    Performances already began earlier this week. On Sunday, the theater hosted Durand Jones and the Indicators, an Indiana based funk and soul band. The show also featured guest performer Keifer.

    Another upcoming performance is the Emo Night Tour on Sept. 8 at 8 pm. According to the Cal Poly Humboldt Center Arts website, the tour will feature DJs playing punk and rock music from bands like Fall Out Boy, Taking Back Sunday, Panic! At The Disco, and My Chemical Romance. Tickets for this event are also free to Cal Poly Humboldt students. 

    “The Emo Night Tour DJs will be spinning all the angst your teenage dirtbag heart desires all night long,” the Center Arts website says. “A special guest band will make you feel like you’re at Warped Tour ‘08 minus all the dust and melting in the sun!” 

    Upcoming comedy performers include Paul Reiser and Aida Rodriguez. Reiser is a comedian, actor, and writer. He is known most recently for his roles on Stranger Things and The Kominsky Method. Reiser’s show is on Sept. 9. Tickets are five dollars for Cal Poly Humboldt Students. Rodriguez is also a comedian, actor, and writer and currently has a standup special streaming on HBO Max. Rodriguez will be at the Van Duzer on Sept. 22. Tickets for her show will be free for students.

    Music and comedy are not the only performances that will come to Cal Poly Humboldt. Cirque Mechanics will be performing their newest show, Zephyr, on Oct. 4. 

    “Cirque Mechanics, although inspired by modern circus, finds its roots in the mechanical and its heart in the stories of American ingenuity. ” the Center Arts website says. “The stories are wrapped in circus acrobatics, mechanical wonders and a bit of clowning around.”

    For performance dates, ticket prices, and additional information, visit the Cal Poly Humboldt Center Arts Website or the Cal Poly Humboldt Featured Events page.

  • Cal Poly Humboldt Theatre presents the return of the 24 hour play festival

    by Sophia Escudero

    Putting on a play is traditionally no quick process. It takes months to take a script, design the set, costumes, and lights, cast actors, direct it, and have something polished enough to perform. The 24 hour play festival, however, turns that notion on its head. From 7 p.m. Friday night to the same time Saturday, a group of theater students wrote scripts and presented them as a series of short plays before an audience.

    The event was entirely student run and organized, and was produced by Cal Poly Humboldt students Austin Maisler and David Fisher.

    Maisler served as a producer, director, light designer, and stage manager. He had heard about the 24 hour play festival in his first year at Cal Poly Humboldt, but nothing came of it due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When campus reopened, the idea for the festival returned.

    “Spring came along and our department chair, Dr. Troy [Lescher] brought it up, like, ‘hey, does anybody want to run this?’” Maisler said. “I didn’t want to run it, I wanted to act in it, but nobody came forward so I talked to David. David and I decided to step forward and run this thing.”

    The process of organizing the festival was, by its nature, chaotic. Scripts were written overnight, and given to directors at 7 a.m. the next morning. The actors were cast less than twelve hours before they had to be off-book and ready to present the scene, and rehearsals were intermittently interrupted by costume fittings and discussions of the script. Lighting was finalized shortly before the house opened, and many people found themselves taking on roles that they had not previously had experience in.

    “This is the first show I’ve ever designed lights for,” Maisler said. “I’m actually in the lighting class this semester, so I just stepped forward, like, I kind of know how to do this, so I’ll just do it.”

    The four scenes, each about ten minutes long, took on themes of college-aged ennui, failing romance, finding meaning in absurdity, and impending doom. Of the four playwrights, two also participated as actors, and one as a director.

    Actor and writer Ben Wimer had not been involved in a 24 hour play festival before in either capacity. He found writing for a 24 hour play festival to pose a unique challenge. As the script is to be presented less than a day after its completion, certain factors had to be considered.

    “I wanted to write something that was simple, but had an authenticity to it, and had dialogue that was easy for the actors to memorize⁠— hopefully, it was easy to memorize⁠— but still gave them a lot to play around with,” Wimer said.

    Mollie Donaldson had participated in a previous 24 hour play festival at Cal Poly Humboldt in early 2020 as an actor, a role she repeated two years later. She considers the festival to be intense, but rewarding.

    “It’s definitely stressful,” Donaldson said. “You’re handed a script at 8 a.m. and told at 7 p.m. that you’re supposed to perform it and block it and have everything memorized. It’s a stressful thing, but one of my favorite things is kind of shocking myself with how quickly I can memorize things.”

  • “Something Rotten” is happening this spring

    “Something Rotten” is happening this spring

    The cast and crew of Cal Poly Humboldt’s spring musical have been meeting for two weeks now, ever since the start of the semester. Rather than fully polished scenes, their rehearsals consist of bare-bones run-throughs, scripts in hand and tape on the floor where the set will eventually be.

    The show is “Something Rotten,” a farcical comedy set in an anachronistic 16th century. The two main characters, the Bottom brothers, invent the concept of a musical and feud with their rival, Shakespeare. The show re-characterizes The Bard as a rocker, not dissimilar to a Freddie Mercury type charismatic frontman.

    “The show is about love, relationships, ego, and anachronism,” said director Michael Thomas. “You’ll see a cell phone or two, there might be a modern toilet plunger.”

    Although “Something Rotten” is set in the Renaissance, the music and dancing are rooted in Broadway tradition. At this particular rehearsal, choreographer Carrie Walpole was working with the cast on the dancing for the track “A Musical.”

    This number will feature the cast tap-dancing, and is best described as a classic musical theater style composition. Another track, “Will Power,” performed by the character of Shakespeare, is unmistakably rock. The Bard croons out his famous lines “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate,” over a driving bass line.

    “It’s more like a rock musical, it’s a very upbeat score,” said Thomas.

    Cast members and crew alike were required to be at Wednesday’s rehearsal for most of the evening. Stage manager Ian Aguilera and his two assistant stage managers Benji Salisbury and David Fisher spend just as much time as the actors, if not more, preparing for and producing the final musical.

    Before the rehearsal had even started, before the director or most of the cast had arrived, Aguilera was at Van Duzer Theater, preparing.

    “Tech and acting are kinda fifty fifty,” said Aguilera, when asked about how much the crew do behind the scenes. “The director’s not here, I am.”

    With the support of the crew literally behind the scenes, the musical’s cast can do their best work. While the actors go over scenes, Aguilera sits at the front of the stage assisting with minute production details and even helping with direction.

    “Something Rotten” takes advantage of its self-aware premise for comedic effect.

    “It’s a musical about a musical,” said Aguilera. “It’s [the main characters] versus Shakespeare.”

    In one scene, the soothsayer Thomas Nostradamus, played by Sammi Pietanza, looks into the future of theater. He says that the characters will break into song and dance, and a glass of wine at concessions will cost an exorbitant amount of money.

    Pietanza’s character acting is silly, joyful, and extremely animated, even at this early stage of production. They said that it’s easier for the director to scale back an overdone performance than to draw more out of a timid one. They were the center of attention on stage, striking wizardly poses and speaking the script with mystical energy.

    “The character [Thomas Nostradamus] is like a human goblin,” Pietanza said. “Like a Danny DeVito kinda trash rat.”

    This energy that Pietanza brings seems emblematic of the production as a whole. It’s a whole lot of passionate people, coming together to make something silly, dramatic, and distinctly musical theater.

    Director Michael Thomas is looking forward to what will hopefully be a live, in person performance of “Something Rotten” in April.

    “People should come see it because it’s a fun, silly evening,” said Thomas. “It’s full of action, it’s colorful and upbeat.”

  • Humboldt State’s Theatre Fraternity Tries a Comeback

    Humboldt State’s Theatre Fraternity Tries a Comeback

    Alpha Psi Omega attempts a comeback with new students and adviser

    Humboldt State University’s theatre fraternity is trying a comeback to campus (or it was, prior to the COVID-19 outbreak). Alpha Psi Omega intends to allow students to increase funding for competitions and student-directed shows.

    Rae Robinson, the faculty adviser for APO, said the return of the fraternity excited her.

    “The first chapter was like 1919 or 1920,” Robinson said. “There have been a few different departments as long as there has been Humboldt State.”

    Robinson said APO was reinstated when she arrived at Humboldt State 14 years ago. APO had a few years of club work, but the group of students interested in the fraternity graduated. APO went dormant.

    “We want to pull all of our performing art students together so we can all support each other better.”

    Jaiden Clark, APO president

    “Those kids graduated, the MFA was dissolved by the university, and it went under the radar for a while,” Robinson said. “Last year we had a new group of incoming students and they said, ‘We want a theatre club again,’ and I said, ‘We have Alpha Psi Omega.’”

    APO President Jaiden Clark said they’re passionate about creating change within the theatre department by unifying performing arts students through APO.

    “We want to pull all of our performing art students together so we can all support each other better,” Clark said. “We want to make more connections with more clubs around the school like the improv club and the circus club.”

    APO’s fundraisers will allow students to determine how the money is used instead of the theatre department allocating funds. The fundraiser money will allow for student competitions and student-operated shows.

    “School-wide enrollment is down, and as far as I understand, the school can’t afford to hire another faculty member to the theatre department. We need the students to feel empowered to do more.”

    Jaiden Clark

    “They don’t give us the money that we need in this department,” Clark said. “Neither have any schools in any theatre department that I have ever been to. So the students are going to pick it up.”

    Clark said the theatre department is low in faculty members, and having a more unified body of performing arts students would better support the students.

    “We lost a lot of faculty all at once,” Clark said. “School-wide enrollment is down, and as far as I understand, the school can’t afford to hire another faculty member to the theatre department. We need the students to feel empowered to do more.”

    Professor Patrick Ulrich, assistant adviser for APO, looked forward to working with the students to reach their goals.

    “I would like to work directly with the students,” Ulrich said. “Making money for their goals, serving their community, getting our name out to everybody and really just having an avenue for an honors fraternity.”

    APO would give the students freedom to advertise themselves how they see fit.

    “It really is in the hands of the officers,” Ulrich said, “who are all students.”

  • Dreams in Between

    Dreams in Between

    Cast and crew of “Dreamers: Aquí y Allá” shed light on complexities of immigration

    The story starts in the blue and red lights that bathe a replica-sized model of a wall. Not just any wall, but The Wall, the most southern one that separates country from country, family from family and the hopes of migrants for better opportunities and life.

    In that obscurity, bodies shift and take steps until they’re center stage and in full view. They face you, you face them and under the spotlight, the stories of immigrants and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival recipients begins.

    “Some of these scenes will break your heart because they show so much humanity,” Co-Director Andrea Carrillo said. “Humanity is such a great big theme within this story. You can’t help but connect and feel compassion for these individuals.”

    The Humboldt State University Theater Arts, Film and Dance Department presents “Dreamers: Aquí y Allá.” The script was written by Andrea Caban, her students, and a collaboration from source material provided by Armando Vazquez-Ramos and the California-Mexican Studies Center.

    • Andrew “AJ” Hempstead, who plays Danny, Papa and Ximena’s dad, folds his arms across his chest during a scene of “Dreamers: Aquí y Allá” in Gist Hall Theater at Humboldt State University. | Photo by Jose Herrera
    • Actors on stage during the final dress rehearsal of “Dreamers: Aquí y Allá” in Gist Hall Theatre. | Photo by Jose Herrera

    Students in the California-Mexico Dreamers Study Abroad Program, DACA recipients and immigrant community members gave testimonials and interviews for the script.

    Troy Lescher, co-director and HSU associate professor, came upon the script in spring 2018 when Caban emailed the script to all 18 California State Universities in hopes they would produce the show.

    “I was blown away by the humanity of the story,” Lescher said. “As soon as I read it I said to myself, ‘We have to do this show at HSU.’ I mean, because of our social justice mission, commitment to minority voices on stage, how timely this issue is and this play had HSU written all over it.”

    The play follows the memories and lived experiences of immigrants and DACA recipients who then obtained advance parole, which gave them opportunity to travel to Mexico and reconnect with their culture and families.

    Carrillo said that they go through time jumps and include the audience as they break the fourth wall in various scenes from start to finish.

    • Alejandro Torres as Francisco, Wendy Carranza as Ximena and Victor Parra as Mateo raise their fists. | Photo courtesy of Michael Thomas

    However, circumstances prevented the play from happening until fall 2019. Lescher reached out to theater arts graduate students Carrillo and Amy Beltrán via email. They said that they were overjoyed about directing the play.

    “For me the biggest thing was to evoke empathy within the community because a lot of the community, as well as in Humboldt County, can be either on the middle ground or can be very conservative,” Carillo said. “These are human beings with their own experiences, their own love, their own families, and that was a big thing for me to show that to them.”

    But just as the directors were compelled to tell this story, so too were the actors.

    Business marketing major and theater arts minor Victor Parra, who plays Mateo, said he knew it was important for him to get involved when he heard about the script.

    “As an actor and artist this is the kind of stuff that catches my attention,” Parra said. “This is the kind of work that I want to do personally.”

    Parra said it’s important to remember that the play is a cumulation of many stories, real stories, and that these are real people who struggle everyday. These were stories close to him because he experienced similar struggles back home.

    “We have to keep working to give spaces for minority voices to be heard, especially voices that aren’t heard very often.”

    Troy Lescher
    Co-director

    “I brought a lot of personal past into this and it was my own decision,” Parra said. “Nobody asked it of me, but because I relate to this.”

    Parra plays Mateo, who in the play fears being deported and leaving his child and mother behind. He said that is what happened to him when one of his parents was deported not too long ago, and he brought those feelings into the production.

    “I envision my own family,” Parra said. “That’s what I just had to bring to the table because it’s so important. We need to say this. We need for our voices to be heard and something needs to happen.”

    Lescher knew that he wanted to encourage and open the production to more students, so he reached out to El Centro Académico Cultural Coordinator Fernando Paz, Interim Executive Director of the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Edelmira Reynoso and Multicultural Center Coordinator Frank Herrera.

    The result was that out of 11 cast members, six of them were non-theater majors and four of them performed for the first time.

    “This story hits differently,” Carrillo said. “It resonates differently with people. It’s such an immediate connection with a lot of Latinx people and people of color. It made sense that we had so many new faces in the theater.”

    Lescher said that the challenges DACA recipients struggle with is a big part of the conversation, because their voices are often unheard or aren’t highlighted in the news.

    “We have to keep working to give spaces for minority voices to be heard, especially voices that aren’t heard very often,” Lescher said.

  • Preview: ‘Heathers, The Musical’

    Preview: ‘Heathers, The Musical’

    After power shutoffs stole the spotlight, ‘Heathers, The Musical’ finally gets its chance to win over audiences

    In the bright lights of a packed makeup room actors sit and focus on their reflections. They quickly prepare and apply different layers of blush, eyeliner, eyeshadow and lipstick specific for their characters.

    Half-way through, Rae Robison, the director of the show, enters the frenzy of excitement and announces “five minutes before stage warm-ups” and leaves. The people in the room reply back with whoops, yelps and revel in the last half-hour before the final dress rehearsal for “Heathers, The Musical.”

    • Actress for “Heathers the Musical” applies eyeshadow in the make up room before dress rehearsal begins. | Photo by Jose Herrera
    • Actress for “Heathers the Musical” applies eyeshadow in the make up room before dress rehearsal begins. | Photo by Jose Herrera
    • English major Abigail Camerino applies eyeshadow in the makeroom. Camerino plays Veronica’s Mom in “Heathers, The Musical.” | Photo by Jose Herrera
    • Theatre major Zackary Tucker looks intently into the mirror in the makeup room. Tucker plays the Kurt’s Dad and Geek in “Heathers, The Musical.” | Photo by Jose Herrera

    “I am so excited for tonight,” Gwynnevere Cristobal, who plays Veronica Sawyer, said. “I’m a little tired, but the adrenaline always gets pumping.”

    The theater department prepares for their first full weekend of production from Nov. 1-3, after a slow start due to PG&E’s power outage. The show includes 28 cast members with Cristobal as Veronica, William III as J.D., and Kiara Hudlin, Liz Whittemore and Caitlin Pyle as The Heathers.

    The rock musical follows the plot of the cult classic movie “Heathers.” The show is set in 1989 and the audience goes on a journey with teenage misfit Veronica as she hustles her way into the most popular clique at Westerberg High: The Heathers.

    • Actors perform during a dress rehearsal for “Heathers The Muscial” in the Van Duzer Theater. | Photo by Jose Herrera
    • Robert Williams, as Big Bud, intrudes on English William III, as J.D., and Gwynnevere Cristobal, as Veronica Sawyer, during a scene. | Photo by Jose Herrera
    • Gwynnevere Cristobal, as Veronica Sawyer, gazes into William English III, as J.D., during dress rehearsal in the Van Duzer Theater. | Photo by Jose Herrera

    Cristobal said the show is unconventional and if you haven’t seen the movie, it can be a little intense because it’s a dark comedy. However, she encourages people to come see the show if they’re ready to laugh and make fun of others.

    She also said that the show tries to highlight important issues such as bullying, gun violence and mental health.

    “Understand that what we are saying is real and it’s a struggle in that people aren’t alone in how they think,” Cristobal said.

    “Heathers, The Musical” opens in the John Van Duzer Theater. On Nov. 1-2 there will be shows at 7:30 p.m. On Nov. 2-3 there will be matinees at 2 p.m.

    General admission is $15, but for students and seniors it is $10. Tickets can be purchased online at https://centerarts.humboldt.edu/Online/ or by calling at (707) 826-3928.

    • Gwynnevere Cristobal, as Veronica Sawyer, kisses William English III, as J.D., during dress rehearsal in the Van Duzer Theater. | Photo by Jose Herrera
    • Actress under a spotlight singing “Kindergarten Boyfriend” during dress rehearsal for “Heathers The Musical.” | Photo by Jose Herrera
    • Kiara Hudlin, as Heather Chandler, lays in bed after drinking an interesting concoction during dress rehearsal in the Van Duzer Theater. | Photo by Jose Herrera
  • “Divergence” dancers amaze audience

    “Divergence” dancers amaze audience

    The audience at the John Van Duzer Theatre were fortunate enough to witness a cacophony of kinetic expression in the form of HSU’s annual spring dance concert on April 15, this year titled “Divergence.”

    Students of intermediate and advanced levels were given an opportunity to work in tandem with other students and alum choreographers. They chose music and themes to collaborate in the creation of 10 beautifully executed dances.

    The performances were varied both thematically and visually, yet all seemed to perfectly complement each other. While some dances were more lighthearted and obviously purely for fun, other performances emphasized the many social issues we as college students and young people have, and may experience in our communities.

    One of the more poignant pieces in the performance was titled “1 in 4. It’s been 5,” a dance deriving some inspiration from the recent #MeToo movement and personal experience, and was choreographed by HSU dance professor and choreographer Kyleigh Carlson.

    Carlson derived much of the performance inspired by her own experiences, and wanted the piece to be as empowering as it was a reflection of the horrible abuse and oppression many women experience in their lives, particularly on college campuses.

    “One in four women on every college campus has been sexually assaulted and it has been five years since my attack,” Carlson said, discussing her title choice for the piece. “I believe in dance as a tool for advocacy and as a healing art form. When combining both of these motivators, I believe it can create real change and that is what inspired me to create this work.”

    The audience was initially confronted by the 12 female dancers walking in unison, illuminated by low-level stage lighting until they reached a spot so far downstage that they seemed nearly atop the front row of the audience.

    They spent a good amount of time there just waiting and looking directly at audience members before delving into more movement. Even throughout their choreography, the dancers continually glared in synchronized confrontation toward the audience, forcing us to pay attention, to watch and to be cognizant of them.

    It was intentional to cast solely female dancers as well, as Carlson wanted to reflect her own experiences and was reflective of them, yet still inclusive of every survivor and their own experiences.

    “It was important to me that while I was creating this piece that it be reflective of my story, and yet give room to allow my dancers to grow and develop their stories and experiences too,” Carlson said. “We opened up to each other during our twice-a- week rehearsals and shared our experiences, creating a safe space and community. The bond was important for performing this piece together as a group of strong unified women on stage.”

    Following “1 in 4. It’s been 5,” was a far more lighthearted piece with dance collective “The Dizzy Delightful Dazzling Dancers,” presenting “Friends on Fire,” a piece inspired by “inspiration itself,” according to choreographer Serena Mann, and all set to the iconic power bop “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor.

    Dancers whizzed around stage in jazzercise-themed choreography, all while clad in outrageously fabulous multi-colored unitards and leotards.

    After intermission, the audience was entertained by the amazing choreography and dance, both executed by HSU dance major, Austin Silavong. Both of Silavong’s pieces in “Divergence” were selected to represent HSU at the western conference of the American College Dance Association that occurred March 14-17 this year.

    Silavong’s solo performance “Asunder” was inspired by the “forced conformity so many of us adhere to,” Silavong said, and he encouraged viewers to “break free” of these conformities.

    In preparation for both “Divergence” and showcasing his two pieces in the western conference, Silavong had to extensively rehearse for nearly five hours a week with HSU dance professors and “Divergence” faculty advisor, Sharon Butcher.

    “Dance is a discipline,” Silavong said. “Talent is always a bonus, but to really connect, you need to show up and practice.”

  • A bite of the arts: HSU’s 5th annual 24 Hour Play Festival

    A bite of the arts: HSU’s 5th annual 24 Hour Play Festival

    March 24 marked HSU’s fifth annual 24 Hour Play Festival held in the Studio Theater. The 24 Hour Play Festival is an annual event produced by HSU students and faculty where students are given free reign and agency to direct, write and produce scenes that are then performed for the public 24 hours later.

    The play was organized by HSU senior Madison Glee, featuring original works performed and written by HSU students. The festival was overseen by faculty member and HSU production manager Derek Lane.

    “An Unexpected Visit,” written by Robert Matthews and directed by Irma Gill, was a brief scene focusing on a singular, rather peculiar interaction between characters Saint, played by HSU senior Camille Borrowdale, and her Bulgarian counterpart Sveta, played by HSU freshman Zoe Remund.

    The scene saw both women meet seemingly randomly on a bench of an anonymous college campus and having an increasingly strange conversation. Saint soon realizes that Sveta is a relative from the future and the two share a joint before deciding to just hang out and grab lunch.

    “The overall process for ‘An Unexpected Visit’ began at 7:30 last night,” said Borrowdale, fresh off the stage. “The writers [started] working on their scenes and they wrote all night, their scripts were due at six in the morning and then quickly chose from a group of all us actors who they wanted to cast, and then we just started cramming until right before the performance.”

    Memorizing the blocking, choreography and dialogue of a scene in a 12-hour period is no small feat, especially considering the length of their scene, and that Borrowdale and several of her fellow castmates were in multiple, unrelated scenes.

    “Yeah it was pretty frustrating at first trying to memorize all my lines,” Borrowdale continued, “But it’s really rewarding getting off stage after working all day on this and being done!”

    The whole process seemed to be intentionally very impromptu; with an emphasis on the element of surprise.

    “We didn’t audition for this either,” Remund said, who played Sveta the Bulgarian visitor from the future. “Anyone could have been a part of the festival and we stress that anyone of any level of experience can join us.”

  • “The Tenth Muse” moves audience to tears

    “The Tenth Muse” moves audience to tears

    Now playing at the North Coast Repertory Theatre, “The Tenth Muse” deals with issues of women’s rights, religion, racism, caste systems and the destruction of art.

    “This is a very different type of show,” actor Heather Roche-Waldo said. “It really reinforced what I don’t know.”

    The play is part of North Coast Rep’s La Voz project, a partnership with Centro del Pueblo Humboldt. For the next three seasons, the theatre will feature at least one production by a Latinx playwright.

    Director Carol Lang made an excellent choice this season with “The Tenth Muse.” Created by Mexican playwright Tanya Saracho for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the play is set in an 18th-century convent in Mexico and features an all-female cast of characters.

    The story begins when young mestiza servant, Jesusa (Fiva Pula), arrives at the convent. Jesusa was sent to take care of a nun who is going blind. Once inside, she meets her new roommates, Lady Manuela (Sarah Traywick), an entitled socialite, and Tomasita (Amelia Resendez), a timid indigenous girl.

    The three young women discover a play written by Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz and beginning acting it out to pass the time. Jesusa also finds some of Inés’ written music and a lute to play, which is strictly forbidden inside the convent walls.

    During her days, Jesusa tends to the needs of Sor Isabelle (Queena Delany), a somewhat unruly sister who is losing her sight, while Tomasita helps Sor Filmonena (Michelle Purnell) in the kitchen. Sor Rufina (Heather Roche-Waldo) is a skeptical and slightly cold sister, while Mother Superior runs the convent with an iron fist.

    Michelle Purnell (left) as Sor Filmonena and Heather Roche-Waldo as Sor Rufina in “The Tenth Muse.” Photo courtesy of North Coast Repertory Theatre.

    The all-female ensemble was fantastic, each player highlighting the quirks of her character superbly. Pula lit up the stage with her effervescent Jesusa. Delany was a joy to watch as Sor Isabelle, who is clinging onto her last glimpses of music and art left by her beloved sister Juana Inés.

    Denise Ryles played a powerful and frightening Mother Superior. At a climax in the story she commits such a cruel act, audience members gasped and cried. Ryles said she had to find what she liked about the character to be able to play her.

    “The inquisition is really at their door,” Ryles said. “For that particular time and for women in general, that was serious business. She had to be stern in order to protect everyone.”

    “The Tenth Muse” is a must-see, though you may not walk away with a smile. This play makes both audience members and players question their own actions and realities more deeply.

    “I think that’s really important. To push people’s boundaries of comfort in theatre,” ensemble actor Karen Echegaray said. “Because that’s how we learn.”

    “The Tenth Muse” is playing at North Coast Repertory Theatre every weekend through April 7.

  • Theater review: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

    Theater review: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

    The dark comedy “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” by Edward Albee opened this weekend at Fernadale Repertory Theatre. The play, with only a cast of four, managed to leave a big impression on the audience and ended with a well-deserved standing ovation.

    Eureka resident David Cobb, 55, said he felt the cast really brought this story to life and made it believable.

    “It was a psychic punch to the gut,” Cobb said.

    The story takes place entirely in the home of George, a middle-aged history professor, and his wife, Martha. After a party, the two invite a younger couple, Nick and Honey, over for a nightcap and end up exposing them to an alcohol-fueled display of marital drama.

    The three-act play, which ran about three hours, may be long for some, but the clever, provocative dialogue kept it interesting. Met by (often uncomfortable) laughter and shocked gasps from the audience, it was well-directed and captured perfectly the tension of a marriage riddled with resentment and spite.

    All of the actors were a joy to watch. Honey, played by Holly Portman, was adorably meek with well-timed, humorous outbursts. Nick, played by Travis J. Morris, seemed dull at first. Despite that, he became more dynamic as the story progressed, showing his own dark side.

    However, the standouts of this production were Daniel Baer as George and Ruthi Engelke as Martha.

    Those who have seen the 1966 film adaptation starring Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor would know that the actors had some big shoes to fill. Baer and Engelke did not disappoint and delivered performances as potent as the liquor their characters imbibed.

    A newcomer to the Ferndale Repertory Theatre, Engelke has been involved in theater since the age of four. She said to play the role of Martha, she had to dig deep within herself to find how she identified with the character.

    “It’s like opening up a vein and letting it bleed,” Engleke said.

    “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” will be at Ferndale Repertory Theatre until Feb. 4 and at the Arcata Playhouse Feb. 9 through Feb. 18.

     

  • Pippin opens at NCRT

    Pippin opens at NCRT

    By | Lauren Shea

    Fire breathing, aerial silk gymnastics, a snake and a boy finding significance. These are all in the musical Pippin playing at the North Coast Repertory Theatre in Eureka.

    The musical is about a boy named Pippin trying to find meaning in his life through death, adventure, sexuality and love. There’s excitement around every corner. It’s set in middle times mix with a circus theme.

    Lily Humphreys, student from Trinidad talked about her thoughts prior to the show.

    “I think it will be weird and I’m excited for that,” Humphreys said.

    It’s the North Coast Repertory Theatre 34th season this year. Pippin is the second show of the season. The NCRT is Eureka’s oldest running live theatre venue. You can donate money to help run the shows and there are also volunteering opportunities for the productions.

    Cassandra Rogers from McKinleyville, shared her thoughts after seeing the show.

    “I knew a little about the show before seeing it because I know someone in the cast,” Rogers said. “I thought it was really good and strange. It was really interesting to see them in a different way and act more provocative in the musical.”

    NCRT encourages imagination through stories and experiencing the human experience and gaining a better understanding of people through theatre.They now are planning to team up with Plays-in-the-Parks during the Summer in Arcata.

    Lilli Ensminger from Eureka, talked about her thoughts before seeing the show.

    “I don’t know much about it,” Ensminger said. “But I think it will be pretty interesting from what I have heard about it.”

    The musical plays on Fridays, Saturdays and the last Sunday show at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm at the North Coast Repertory Theater. Tickets ares $16-18.

    For more information, visit http://www.ncrt.net.