Colony
Curtain Call!
The Newsletter of the
Colony Theatre Company: Winter 2004
Colony
to Present The Drawer Boy by Michael Healey as the fifth show of the
season
A heartfelt comedy hailed as "a new classic" by TIME Magazine
At the end of most Colony
seasons, we deliver a surprise, a post-holiday gift for our
subscribers.
Committing to only four shows at the beginning of a season allows us
the
flexibility to plug in that special something that comes along that we
just can't resist. The 2003-04 Season was designed just that way, with
the fifth show of the year previously announced as a TBA, but it is now
time to reveal the surprise and magical ending to our spectacular,
award-winning
season, and we couldn't be happier to anno unce it to our subscriber
family
first.
The fifth show of our 2003-2004
Season will be Michael Healey's The Drawer Boy, a Canadian import about
the bonds of friendship and the undeniable power of storytelling. The
Drawer
Boy looks in on the lives of two aging bachelor farmers in 1972 rural
Ontario.
World War II veterans and lifelong friends, the farmers share a quiet
and
uneventful life based on stories and routine. Their lives are comically
disrupted when a young, energetic actor from the big city shows up on
their
doorstep wanting to live a nd work with them as research for a play
about
farming. As the actor immerses himself, the farmers' darkest secrets
become
part of the actor's play and the lines between theatre and life, and
memory
and reality, become blurred. Heartbreak and levity mix in this
award-winning
play about storytelling and how it transforms our lives.
The Drawer Boy will be directed
by Colony veteran David Rose (Our Country's Good, The Man Who Came To
Dinner,
Fuddy Meers), who says "this is the best play I've read in the last
several
years and I can see why audiences worldwide have embraced it." The
play,
since its debut in Canada in 1999, has won four Dora Awards
(recognizing
outstanding achievements in Toronto theatre), including Outstanding New
Play and Production, as well as the Chalmers Award and the 1999 Govenor
General's Award for Drama. Since then, it has toured across Canada and
has been produced to critical acclaim all over North America and
Europe.
We are proud to be producing the Los Angeles premiere of this
world-wide
smash hit new play.
TIME Magazine hailed The
Drawer Boy as one of the Ten Best Plays of 2001, calling it "a new
classic,"
lauding it as "beautifully written, with sly and unexpected edges."
Variety
echoed those sentiments, saying the play has "heartfelt honesty and the
kind of storytelling good theatre is all about." This element of
storytelling
is what drew Rose to the piece: "The author understands how stories and
storytelling are woven into the fabric of everyone's lives. We all tell
stories of how we came to be, who w e loved and the things we've lost
along
the way." He also feels this play is a perfect fit for our Colony
audiences.
"It is rich, poignant and full of humor. These men are like brothers
who
have developed a profoundly unconditional friendship in this remote
place
which is challenged by the arrival of a strange youngster from the
city.
He becomes a catalyst for these men to re-examine how they live their
lives.
It ends with a redeeming portrait of growth and change that reflects
the
power that art has to help all of us remember what is really important
in life. In this way it is a quintessential Colony show."
The Drawer Boy will begin
previewing on April 6 and will run through May 8, 2004. Your tickets
that
currently read “PLAY 5 To Be Announced” will be honored for The Drawer
Boy. The Drawer Boy is appropriate for ages 12 and up.
Tickets for The Drawer Boy
will go on sale to the public on March 6, but we are now offering a
special
6-play subscription package that includes The Drawer Boy and all of
next
season for one low price! Call our Box Office at (818) 558-7000 to get
your tickets today!
Urban
Legends Revealed
March 21, 1947. New York
City. The police receive a tip that famous recluse Homer Collyer is
dead.
Brothers Homer and Langley Collyer had lived for years in virtual
seclusion
in their elegant 5th Avenue mansion. News of the police investigating
possible
foul play involving New York’s most famous misanthropes turned the case
into the first full-fledged media circus of the twentieth
century.
The story of the Collyers,
however, goes much deeper than their strange end and their curious
public
image. In Mark Saltzman's world premiere play Clutter: The True Story
of
the Collyer Brothers Who Never Threw Anything Out, opening on February
7 and playing through March 7 and directed by Rick Sparks, the
playwright
examines not just the creepy circumstances in which the Collyer
Brothers
surrounded themselves, but their complexities, their history, and
possibly
even their motivations for shutting themsel ves off from the rest of
the
world.
Homer and Langley Collyer
were famous before they were infamous. Born the sons of a wealthy and
beloved
New York doctor and his equally famous wife, they grew up in luxury,
living
the happy family life, until 1909, when their parents decided to
separate,
a rare occurance at the time. The separation took its toll on the
brothers,
who apparently turned to each other for emotional support, shutting
themselves
off from the rest of the world.
After their parents died,
Homer and Langley continued to live in their luxury mansion, and,
despite
their wealth (estimated at more than $100,000 at the time), they
stopped
paying their bills. Their water, electricity and gas were shut off.
Legend
has it that Langley attempted to generate power inside the mansion
using
an automobile engine. In 1942, when the police attempted to evict the
brothers
for failing to pay the mortgage, Langley reluctantly paid it (in one
$6700
payment) and then retreated even further, boarding up all the windows
and
cementing himself as New York's most famous recluse.
But the real story of the
Collyer Brothers emerged only after the news of Homer's death. When
police
arrived at the mansion on that day in March to investigate the tip,
they
found they were prevented from getting into the house by walls of junk,
piles upon piles of stuff that were built up, blocking any entrance.
Police
were eventually forced to enter through a second-story window, and what
they discovered inside has become one of the most famous stories of the
twentieth century.
The story of Clutter touches
on the possible motivations for Homer and Langley's strange obsession,
but, mostly, Clutter examines the relationship between the brothers and
their delicate support system which shielded them from the world
outside.
The play strips away the gossip and the newspaper reports and looks at
two human beings who suffer real pains, pursue real dreams, and
experience
real joy. It is a touching, tender story, not of two crazy nutcases,
but
of two misunderstood people, who have a story to tell, as we all
do.
The play also features a
parallel story-line of the relationship between two police officers,
also
brothers, who are assigned to investigate the case. Only Homer was
found
inside the mansion when police broke in, prompting a city-wide search
for
Langley, and the obvious question of whether Langley was responsible
for
Homer's death. The two police officers experience an emotional journey
of their own during the investigation and the search for Langley, as
the
universality of brotherly love is illustrated on another level.
But no matter how touching
any relationship in this story is, there is no getting around the real
interest in the Collyer case. To this day, there are stories of
"hoarders"
and "clutterers" (there's even a Clutterers Anonymous) and the people
that
just cannot throw anything away, for whatever reason. And every single
time one of these stories comes out, the Collyers are mentioned. Their
story, although seemingly unique, continues to be repeated, though
never
quite to the same fantastic degree.
The Collyer’s story is a
truly fascinating one, whether you're interested in the touching
details
of how the brothers cared for each other and what drove them to their
mind-boggling
obsession, or you are just wildly curious about how anyone can
accumulate
that much junk and can’t help but wonder---why? One thing is for sure:
after seeing this play, you’ll never look at your junk-filled closet
the
same way again.
Tickets for Clutter are on
sale now and may be purchased by calling the Colony Box Office at (818)
558-7000 x15. Clutter is appropriate for ages 12 and up.
2004-04
Season Announced
It's usually a good sign
when you have to schedule a play around a director's busy regional
directing
calendar. Such is the case with Lillian Groag, author and director of
the
second show of our 2004-2005 Subscription Season, Ladies of the
Camellias.
Such a scenario, combined with the other formidable directors we are
proud
to feature next season, prompt us to dub 2004-2005 as the Season of the
Director.
That's not to say the plays
we have lined up for you next season are shabby either. Quite the
opposite.
We've got an Edgar Award Mystery Winner, a Tony-Award Winner, and a
play
based on a beloved and classic novel, among others. The powerful
stories
these plays have to tell, combined with the talented hands that will
guide
them onto our stage and into your hearts, make us extremely proud to
announce
the titles and directors for our 29th Season. Colony Producing Director
Barbara Beckley comments, "I'm n ot sure if I'm more excited by our
season
of shows or by the quality of accomplished directors whose unique
visions
will be realized on our stage! This is a remarkable season for any
theatre
company to put together. I know our subscribers and audiences are in
for
five exceptional evenings of theatre all guided by directors whose
passion
and talent promises them a lot of laughs, tears, surprises, and the
kind
of goose bumps one can only enjoy during a live theatrical experience."
The season will open with
a bang with the Los Angeles premiere of a thrilling new telling of the
classic story Around the World in 80
Days, based on the popular
Jules Verne novel, adapted by Mark Brown. It is the vibrant, hilarious,
and spellbinding adventure of Phileas Fogg, as he races to traverse the
globe in 80 days in order to win a bet. The audience is carried along
the
breakneck ride as Fogg encounters every kind of obstacle, from human to
animal to mineral. In the end, it is a play that demonstrates that the
journey is in fact more important, fun, and meaningful than the
destination.
Directing this epic adventure
will be Los Angeles director Stefan Novinski, who recently dazzled LA
audiences
with his production of The Skin of our Teeth at the Evidence Room. LA
Weekly
highlighted Novinski's accomplishments last year in their 2003 year-end
Best of Theatre wrap-up: "Director on a Streak: Stefan Novinski found
just
the right balances of contrary tones in a series of productions through
the year, starting with Edward Kemp's adaptation of Faulkner's As I Lay
Dying at Hollywood's Open Fist Theater. Novinski somehow held the
play's
morbidity and humor in check, allowing Faulkner's grim compassion to
come
through. In Thornton Wilder's The Skin of Our Teeth at Evidence Room,
Novinski
got to the epic biblical grandeur behind Wilder's farcical family saga
of catastrophe and recovery. Finally, it was a blend of elegiac and
whimsical
tones that marked his tender production of Scottish playwright David
Grieg's
existential comedy, The Cosmonaut's Last Message to the Woman He Once
Loved
in the Former Soviet Union, back at the Open Fist." Novinski will bring
his unique ability to blend epic grandeur with whimsy to The Colony's
production
of Around the World in 80 Days, slated to open on June 9, 2004.
Next up will be Ladies
of the Camellias, written and directed by Lillian Groag. In this
compelling and hilarious piece, we are transported to 1894, where
political
unrest is brewing outside a major Paris theatre, but inside two of the
greatest rivals in the history of the stage---Sarah Bernhardt and
Eleonora
Duse---are girding for their perceptive, quick-witted and legendary
(but
imagined) encounter. Ladies of the Camellias takes wit to a new level
as
the forces that shape history are actually overshadow ed by the egos of
two titanic divas as the play examines the lines that are drawn between
art and life, and the stage becomes a ribald playground for wit,
sword-play,
and social commentary.
Directing her own play will
be nationally renowned director Lillian Groag, whose impressive
directing
credits include the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the Old Globe Theatre,
Actors Theatre of Louisville, Mark Taper Forum's Taper Too, New York
City
Opera, Berkeley Repertory, Milwaukee Repertory, Seattle Repertory,
Glimmerglass
Opera, the Sundance Institute Playwrights Lab, the Virginia Opera, and
Opera San Jose, just to name a few.
October, 2004 will bring
to The Colony the Tony-Award winning smash hit musical Grand Hotel,
The Musical, with book by Luther Davis; Music and Lyrics by
Robert
Wright and George Forrest and additional music and lyrics by Maury
Yeston.
This musical extravaganza is set in Berlin in 1928 in Europe's most
opulent
hotel at one of history's most thrilling and dangerous times. The
musical
interweaves several storylines in a whirlwind of music and dance.
Winner
of 5 Tony Awards in 1990, Grand Hotel features vib rant characters,
including
a debt-ridden baron-turned-thief, an aging ballerina, and a businessman
discovering the advantage of corruption. Failure and ambition, loss and
love, death and birth are themes that swirl through the revolving door
into a grand theatrical experience unlike any other.
Directing Grand Hotel will
be Peter Schneider, a creative mastermind with an impressive resume.
Best-known
for his long tenure at Walt Disney, Peter oversaw the rebirth of the
animation
industry and was responsible for getting over 20 movies made, including
Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Beauty and the Beast, Lion King and Toy Story.
Peter also served as the President of Disney Theatricals, where he
produced
Aida and The Lion King on Broadway. What most people don't know is that
Peter started his professional career in the theatre and was very
active
in the off-off Broadway movement in the early seventies, directing at
Circle
Repertory Theater, the WPA theater, and Playwrights
Horizons.
For 5 years, he was the Managing Director of the St. Nicholas Theater,
one of the premiere theatres in America for developing new writers, and
he was the Associate Director of the 1984 Olympic Arts Festival, a 10
week
Arts festival that changed the face of the Arts in Los Angeles. We are
thrilled and honored to have such a pedigreed theatrical professional
make
his Colony debut with this grand and luminous musical, Grand Hotel.
Grand
Hotel will begin previewing on October 13, 2004 and will play through
November
14, 2004.
A change of pace will follow
Grand Hotel, as the comic thriller Accomplice
by Rupert Holmes
will be the first show of 2005. In this classic Edgar Award-winning
whodunit,
the trick is finding out who's doing what to whom. See if you can
outguess
all the surprising twists and turns fueled by the fiendishly clever
writing
of Rupert Holmes, author of The Mystery of Edwin Drood and, yes, the
Pina
Colada Song!. You won’t want to miss this truly original mystery.
Directing Accomplice will
be yet another veteran of the theatre, Simon Levy, who directed the
recent
smash hit revival of Master Class at the Fountain Theatre, where he
also
serves as the Producing Director/Dramaturg. Simon has become best-known
for his successful stage adaptations of F. Scott Fitzgerald's pieces,
including
The Great Gatsby, Tender is the Night and The Last Tycoon, all produced
at The Fountain. His recent directing credits include Lee Blessing's
Going
to St. Ives at the Fountain Theatre, and Uncle Vanya at the Actors
Co-op,
both named Critics’ Choice by the Los Angeles Times. Other local
credits
include the smash 2002 production of After the Fall, which ran for 7
months
and won 4 Ovation Awards, Night of the Iguana, and Summer and Smoke.
Accomplice
will start knocking 'em dead on February 9, 2005 and will play through
March 13, 2005.
The fifth show of our season,
scheduled to play from April 6, 2005 to May 8, 2005 is still To Be
Announced. We are savoring the opportunity to discover a
thrilling
new piece or unearth a forgotten gem to present to you as the final
show
of the season. But no matter what, it will be the perfect capper for an
already amazing year.
To subscribe to our spectacular
Season, please call our Box Office at (818) 558-7000 or visit our
website
at www.colonytheatre.org.
Colony
Wins Best Play for Second Year in a Row
The Colony took home the
honor for Best Play in a Larger Theatre for the second year in a row at
the 2003 Ovation Awards, held on November 23, 2003 at the Orpheum
Theatre
in downtown Los Angeles.
The Ovation Awards annually
honor the best in Los Angeles theatre and in 2002 we were proud to take
home the Ovation for Best Play in a Larger Theatre for our
critically-acclaimed
production of The Laramie Project. This time, it was our production of
Toys in the Attic that took home the top prize, beating out such
competition
as the Ahmanson Theatre, A Noise Within, and La Mirada Theatre for the
Performing Arts.
Nancy Linehan Charles, nominated
for her stellar performance in Toys in the Attic, also walked away with
an award for Best Featured Actress in a Play.
A
Congressional Audience
This past November, Producing
Director Barbara Beckley joined Julia Rodriguez-Elliott of A Noise
Within
and Alan Ziter of the San Diego Performing Arts League as they
testified
at a hearing conducted by the California Legislature’s Subcommittee on
the Arts.
The purpose of the hearing
was to examine the State’s support of the Arts and Barbara was
hand-picked
to participate by State Senator Jack Scott.
Special Performances
In partnership with the Los
Angeles Radio Reading Service, The Colony now offers Audio Description
for one performance during each production. The service provides a rich
description of the show giving our visually impaired patrons the full
Colony
experience.
Audio Description Dates:
Clutter -
Feb 21, 3 PM
The Drawer Boy -
Apr 24, 3 PM
Each production also features
two Talk-Back performances, after which the cast, director, producer
and
other artists gather with the audience to discuss the show. This
program gives the audience a rare opportunity to interact with the
artists
who create at The Colony.
Talk-Back Performances:
Clutter -
February 13 & February 26, 8pm
The Drawer Boy
- April 16 & April 29, 8pm
To exchange your tickets
for any of these performances, call the Box Office at (818) 558-7000
x15
and ask for Audio Description Saturdays or Talk-Back Performances.
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