Review: 'Blackbird' doesn't flinch
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Thanks to all who came out last weekend and helped make BLACKBIRD our highest attended opening weekend EVER. The first reviews are in and critics are purring...
Only two weekends left so make sure you catch the "bird" before it flies away for good. Don't let this be the one that got away!
Remember, Thursday is $10 student night.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
The First Review Is In!
5 stars out of 5 from Chris Curcio, KBAQ radio!
SUPERLATIVE “BLACKBIRD” PRODUCTION OPENS STRAY CAT SEASON
”BLACKBIRD”
Stray Cat Theatre, Tempe Performing Arts Center
Tempe, AZ
Leave it to our smaller theaters to bring interesting plays to town when the major companies ignore these works. Stray Cat Theatre opens its season with the local premiere of an acclaimed English play, “Blackbird,” by David Harrower. The production is a winner although it won’t appeal to all theatergoers due to the play’s controversial theme.
“Blackbird” is based on a real situation. Ray seduced Una, a 12-year-old girl, and was imprisoned. After his jail time, Ray begins to right his life. Many years later, Una, now a troubled adult, shows up unannounced at Ray’s work to confront him about their past.
At first, your hate is directed at Ray but as the 80-minute, one-act play evolves, the fast moving and revelatory script shifts and changes as your disgust moves back and forth between the pair. At the end, the playwright never answers for you who are at fault; that’s your decision. Was it Ray, the then middle-aged guy enraptured with Una, or was it the flirty and sexually mature girl who longed for a trusting relationship? Una hoped the intimacy would provide the love and trust she never got from her parents.
It’s a fascinating dialogue and Harrower is adept at shifting the audience hatred as mistrust between Ray and Una provides insightful details about the relationship. Harrower doesn’t answer who suffered most although there is no excuse for a man sexually seducing a girl. Una’s attack on Ray is traumatic, though, and opens the question of her stability both before and after the liaison.
Ron May’s superlative production provides a better interpretation than a previous production I saw. With his designer, he’s crafted a cramped, confining, and inhospitable break room that is ideal for the confrontation. His cast is wonderful in the two roles.
His cast both approaches their roles with a natural hesitancy since the pair would be tentative in such an awkward confrontation. There’s much realistic chatter but also genuine emotional outbursts at key moments during the strained meeting. David Vining’s Ray is just right. Initially he’s ashamed and remorseful but as Una attacks, he grows more confrontational and physical in his reaction to her. Nina Miller’s Una is no less flawless. At first, she’s hesitant, slow to place the burden on Ray, but ultimately she releases a stream of hatred and fears caused by Ray’s action. As the issues haunt her, her life is influenced. Miller evolves from a shy flower to a dominant champion of placing the blame as she sees it.
“Blackbird” is an uncomfortable experience but the story is fascinating and timely. “Blackbird” continues through October 10. For tickets, call the Stray Cat Theatre box office at 480-820-8022 or order online at www.straycattheatre.org.
Grade: A
SUPERLATIVE “BLACKBIRD” PRODUCTION OPENS STRAY CAT SEASON
”BLACKBIRD”
Stray Cat Theatre, Tempe Performing Arts Center
Tempe, AZ
Leave it to our smaller theaters to bring interesting plays to town when the major companies ignore these works. Stray Cat Theatre opens its season with the local premiere of an acclaimed English play, “Blackbird,” by David Harrower. The production is a winner although it won’t appeal to all theatergoers due to the play’s controversial theme.
“Blackbird” is based on a real situation. Ray seduced Una, a 12-year-old girl, and was imprisoned. After his jail time, Ray begins to right his life. Many years later, Una, now a troubled adult, shows up unannounced at Ray’s work to confront him about their past.
At first, your hate is directed at Ray but as the 80-minute, one-act play evolves, the fast moving and revelatory script shifts and changes as your disgust moves back and forth between the pair. At the end, the playwright never answers for you who are at fault; that’s your decision. Was it Ray, the then middle-aged guy enraptured with Una, or was it the flirty and sexually mature girl who longed for a trusting relationship? Una hoped the intimacy would provide the love and trust she never got from her parents.
It’s a fascinating dialogue and Harrower is adept at shifting the audience hatred as mistrust between Ray and Una provides insightful details about the relationship. Harrower doesn’t answer who suffered most although there is no excuse for a man sexually seducing a girl. Una’s attack on Ray is traumatic, though, and opens the question of her stability both before and after the liaison.
Ron May’s superlative production provides a better interpretation than a previous production I saw. With his designer, he’s crafted a cramped, confining, and inhospitable break room that is ideal for the confrontation. His cast is wonderful in the two roles.
His cast both approaches their roles with a natural hesitancy since the pair would be tentative in such an awkward confrontation. There’s much realistic chatter but also genuine emotional outbursts at key moments during the strained meeting. David Vining’s Ray is just right. Initially he’s ashamed and remorseful but as Una attacks, he grows more confrontational and physical in his reaction to her. Nina Miller’s Una is no less flawless. At first, she’s hesitant, slow to place the burden on Ray, but ultimately she releases a stream of hatred and fears caused by Ray’s action. As the issues haunt her, her life is influenced. Miller evolves from a shy flower to a dominant champion of placing the blame as she sees it.
“Blackbird” is an uncomfortable experience but the story is fascinating and timely. “Blackbird” continues through October 10. For tickets, call the Stray Cat Theatre box office at 480-820-8022 or order online at www.straycattheatre.org.
Grade: A
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
The Face of Foothills Model Search
My delicious, brilliant and hysterical friend Daynalyn Wain is one of the top 50 finalists for the Face of Foothills Model Search for Arizona Foothills magazine! The winning model, who encompasses the style, substance and sophistication of the luxury publication, will serve as the Face of Foothills through December 31, 2010. Please help me help her get to and stay in the top 10. Voting is unlimited and goes to 10/22, so vote often!
VOTE HERE
She loves Eddie Izzard. Need I say more?
VOTE HERE
She loves Eddie Izzard. Need I say more?
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Stray Cat Theatre presents: Blackbird
I have a wee part in a fantastic play opening on 9/25!
BLACKBIRD by David Harrower
Directed by Ron May
Presented by Stray Cat Theatre
He went to jail. She went home.
One of the more talked-about and controversial plays of the past decade, David Harrower's Blackbird has been featured on many American and London critics' top 10 lists and received the 2007 Olivier Award for Best New Play. Based on a true story, this powerful, volatile piece begins when Una shows up unexpectedly at the office of Ray, forcing Ray to come to terms with the effects of their past relationship. Una pulls him into a brutal encounter that is gripping, surprising and utterly unforgettable. How better to kick off a season Stray Cat style than with a pull-no-punches evening of theatre you aren't soon to forget? **Please Note -- This production contains strong adult content.
Performances:
September 25 - October 10
Thu-Fri-Sat @ 8PM Sun @ 2PM
Regular Price:
$20/Adults
$15/Students
$15/Seniors
$15/Military
Thursdays:
Always $10 Student Night
(valid ID Required)
Sundays:
$12 for Everyone
132 E. 6th Avenue
Tempe, AZ 85281
BONUS!
Catch Blackbird at a discount: 2-4-1 tickets to any performance Opening Weekend ONLY.
Use online Coupon Code BBOP241.
Come for a night of intense theatre, stay for my melodious voice and traffic-stopping silhouette. :D
BLACKBIRD by David Harrower
Directed by Ron May
Presented by Stray Cat Theatre
He went to jail. She went home.
One of the more talked-about and controversial plays of the past decade, David Harrower's Blackbird has been featured on many American and London critics' top 10 lists and received the 2007 Olivier Award for Best New Play. Based on a true story, this powerful, volatile piece begins when Una shows up unexpectedly at the office of Ray, forcing Ray to come to terms with the effects of their past relationship. Una pulls him into a brutal encounter that is gripping, surprising and utterly unforgettable. How better to kick off a season Stray Cat style than with a pull-no-punches evening of theatre you aren't soon to forget? **Please Note -- This production contains strong adult content.
Performances:
September 25 - October 10
Thu-Fri-Sat @ 8PM Sun @ 2PM
Regular Price:
$20/Adults
$15/Students
$15/Seniors
$15/Military
Thursdays:
Always $10 Student Night
(valid ID Required)
Sundays:
$12 for Everyone
132 E. 6th Avenue
Tempe, AZ 85281
BONUS!
Catch Blackbird at a discount: 2-4-1 tickets to any performance Opening Weekend ONLY.
Use online Coupon Code BBOP241.
Come for a night of intense theatre, stay for my melodious voice and traffic-stopping silhouette. :D
Thursday, September 10, 2009
The Little Dog Laughed
I auditioned for this play Tuesday night, for Nearly Naked Theatre. It's written by Douglas Carter Beane, the cat who wrote To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar and is quite the wicked comedy. It's about a Hollywood actor named Mitchell who is gay and his agent who is trying to keep him in the closet. Mitchell is nailing this gay prostitute who is also sleeping with a woman. Hilarity ensues!
This was one of the rare occasions where I didn't get a chance to read the play beforehand. The director handed me a monologue and scene for the girlfriend part and I scurried off to a corner to look them over. I preformed the monologue first and got some great laughs. The director then asked me to pair up with one of the guys for the two person scene. Not everyone made it this far after their first performance.
We read over the scene a few times and then we were up. Now, this audition was set up where we were all in the room together at the same time. I hate these kinds of auditions. Normally I don't want to watch anyone else do the scene I'm about to do. This time, though, it worked to my advantage. I watched two couples do this scene and they were both different. So I took some cues from both of them and then added my own spin. I garnered some major rager laughs and felt so at ease and natural up there. It was also helpful to have all those other actors in the room as an audience to play off of.
I felt on top of the world when I left that audition. I felt I really nailed it, I made them laugh, I felt good about the choices I made, and that I made my audition quite memorable. It also helped that I didn't have much emotion invested in it. I found out about the audition two days before and could only get a hold of a synopsis and the first two pages. If I don't get cast of course I'll be bummed but I am really proud of the performance I gave at the audition and that makes it all worth it.
The director is waiting until next week to cast this show as their current show, RENT, closes this weekend and he's concentrating on that. There may or may not be callbacks, he hasn't decided. I'm ready for anything!
This was one of the rare occasions where I didn't get a chance to read the play beforehand. The director handed me a monologue and scene for the girlfriend part and I scurried off to a corner to look them over. I preformed the monologue first and got some great laughs. The director then asked me to pair up with one of the guys for the two person scene. Not everyone made it this far after their first performance.
We read over the scene a few times and then we were up. Now, this audition was set up where we were all in the room together at the same time. I hate these kinds of auditions. Normally I don't want to watch anyone else do the scene I'm about to do. This time, though, it worked to my advantage. I watched two couples do this scene and they were both different. So I took some cues from both of them and then added my own spin. I garnered some major rager laughs and felt so at ease and natural up there. It was also helpful to have all those other actors in the room as an audience to play off of.
I felt on top of the world when I left that audition. I felt I really nailed it, I made them laugh, I felt good about the choices I made, and that I made my audition quite memorable. It also helped that I didn't have much emotion invested in it. I found out about the audition two days before and could only get a hold of a synopsis and the first two pages. If I don't get cast of course I'll be bummed but I am really proud of the performance I gave at the audition and that makes it all worth it.
The director is waiting until next week to cast this show as their current show, RENT, closes this weekend and he's concentrating on that. There may or may not be callbacks, he hasn't decided. I'm ready for anything!
Monday, September 7, 2009
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
an offer you can totally refuse
hey lovely.
so here's the thing...
i know you've read 'blackbird'.
so i know you know there are a few bit parts in there (office people who walk past the clouded window and at the end, the woman's voice - ray's new squeeze).
i have a guy.
i need a lovely lady.
the commitment would only be a few rehearsals, tech week and obviously the run of the show.
i know it's far from the most glamorous option ever, but for something like this - since it's so vital to the show - i need someone i know i can trust.
lemme know whatcha think.
i'll keep my fingers crossed :)
hope all is well.
- r
And so, I will be joining the cast of Blackbird with the one and only Stray Cat Theatre. Being on stage is always better than not being on stage. I will once again get to spend time under the direction of one of my favorite directors, meet some new people, and bust back into the scene here in the desert. Perhaps I will learn a thing or two about dramatic acting. Show runs end of September through begining of October. More details to come!
hey lovely.
so here's the thing...
i know you've read 'blackbird'.
so i know you know there are a few bit parts in there (office people who walk past the clouded window and at the end, the woman's voice - ray's new squeeze).
i have a guy.
i need a lovely lady.
the commitment would only be a few rehearsals, tech week and obviously the run of the show.
i know it's far from the most glamorous option ever, but for something like this - since it's so vital to the show - i need someone i know i can trust.
lemme know whatcha think.
i'll keep my fingers crossed :)
hope all is well.
- r
And so, I will be joining the cast of Blackbird with the one and only Stray Cat Theatre. Being on stage is always better than not being on stage. I will once again get to spend time under the direction of one of my favorite directors, meet some new people, and bust back into the scene here in the desert. Perhaps I will learn a thing or two about dramatic acting. Show runs end of September through begining of October. More details to come!
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Who Wrote Holden Caulfield?
A thought burst in my head
And I need to tell you
It's news that I forethought
Was it just a dream
That happened long ago?
I think I just forgot
Well it hasn't been the first time
And it sure does drive me mad
That's when I say there's a boy who fogs his world and now he's getting lazy
There's no motivation and frustration makes him crazy
He makes a plan to take a stand but always ends up sitting
Someone help him up or he is gonna end up quitting
I shuffle through my mind
To see if I can find
The words I left behind
Was it just a dream
That happened long ago?
Oh well...
Never mind
Well it hasn't been the first time
And it sure does drive me mad
That's when I say there's a boy who fogs his world and now he's getting lazy
There's no motivation and frustration makes him crazy
He makes a plan to take a stand but always ends up sitting.
Someone help him up or he is gonna end up quitting...
Who Wrote Holden Caulfield? - Green Day
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