'Wings' & 'Wonderland' Press
Last night was our last performance of "Scenes in Wonderland" and "Wings", the two, one-act shows that our theatre group did this fall, both of which I directed. The production came out quite well and all the performances were very good despite little variations that come with live theatre. I would have liked bigger audiences, of course (we averaged about 50 each night), but it seems we were a critical success and provided a memorable evening for those who attended.
We had good press in our local paper, the Bowie Blade-News, thanks to David Emanuel, who has been a great supporter of our efforts. He wrote two pieces in the Blade, one a preview of the shows, the other his personal reflections after seeing the shows. For my own self-aggrandizement and for the record, I'm reproducing both articles here (without the accompanying photographs). I don't like to reproduce copyrighted material, but the URLs for direct links don't work well, and I don't know that they will be available indefinitely.
The first piece was published on 19 October 2006; the second is from 27 October 2006.
'Wings' and 'Wonderland' take flight at St. Matthew's : Unique, contemporary shows a first for the Bowie area
By DAVID EMANUEL Staff WriterSt. Matthew's Musical Theatre Troupe is tackling two truly unique musicals as the group celebrates its 10th anniversary and 21st production – "Scenes in Wonderland," a recent original hour-long comic opera and the very rarely performed "Wings," a 75-minute, emotionally stirring drama about an elderly woman who suffers a stroke.
The shows feature musical direction by Isaac Borocz and Jeffrey Shaumeyer.
"These are two completely different shows and one of them is what I consider a world premiere," said Mary Jennings, who has parts in both shows. "I don't think the Bowie area has seen anything like this before."
"Scenes in Wonderland" is a recent work by New York composer Seymour Barab, setting words taken verbatim from the "Alice" books by Lewis Carroll.
"The result is a light-hearted opera with narrator," said Shaumeyer. "We imagine a drawing-room entertainment in an Edwardian country house performed by a gathering of friends and family."
"And this is one of the most challenging things I've ever done," said Becky Unkenholz, who plays Alice. "I think I'm a little more nervous with this show as compared to all the others. It's so different."
In nine scenes, performers literally put on different hats to sing and act the absurd nonsense poems originally recited by such familiar characters as the White Rabbit, Mock Turtle, Humpty Dumpty and even Alice herself.
"Wings," however, takes viewers into an entirely different world. (In fact, some are suggesting that the show has themes too emotional for very young children to handle.)
The show spotlights the troupe's founding director, Jacqueline Gerard, in what Shaumeyer calls a tour-de-force performance. (Gerard is on stage for practically the entire show.)
Gerard plays Emily Stilson, a woman who, in her youth, was a daredevil wing-walker and aviator.
Now an elderly woman, she suffers a stroke and draws on her inner courage to overcome the resulting speech aphasia and reassemble the fragments of her life as she starts her "next great adventure," in the words of Shaumeyer.
Much of this show, especially the ending, is left up to interpretation by the audience.
Even the title is open for discussion – does it simply refer to her illustrious life as a wing-walker, is her life finally taking flight, or is she now an angel who has gotten her wings?
First produced at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago in 1992, "Wings, The Musical" was hailed as "evocative and deeply meaningful" by the New York Times.
The show features music by Jeffrey Lunden, with book and lyrics by Arthur Perlman, all based on the play "Wings" by Arthur Kopit.
"It's a show with some really interesting, atmospheric, evocative melodies and story, and amazing sound effects that I think will surprise people," said Shaumeyer.
The show itself is about courage, yet the show has moments where you're never quite sure if events are happening, have happened, or are all in the main character's head.
"I don't think audiences have seen or heard anything like this before," said Shaumeyer. "Several people have screened the show, some of the people have had family members who have suffered strokes, and they have all said it is very difficult, yet compelling, to watch a show like this. It has mature themes and is emotionally intense, but is very real to what they know loved ones have experienced."
" 'Wings' is a very challenging show – both of the shows are," said Jennings. "These are not your average musicals. These are very, very different shows, something audiences may not be used to. But anyone who really loves and respects theatre, and appreciates the dramatic aspect of it all, will really be in for something special. We understand this is truly a vehicle for Jackie, and that she finally gets to show off her dramatic ability and with all she's been through, it's truly miraculous."
For Gerard, being able to sing again really is something special.
"I am really psyched to be doing this and psyched to be able to sing again," she said. "My doctor and my therapist told me two years ago, because I have a paralyzed vocal chord, that I would never sing again. Well, I wasn't going to hear anything of the sort. And I've gotten better, and here I am singing again, and I am really very interested in how the audience reacts to a show like this."
"Audience members are going to get a variety smorgasbord of theater with these two shows," said Shaumeyer. "And they will see pretty much the same faces, with totally different characters, in both shows. This will be an evening to remember."
St. Matthew's Musical Theatre Troupe is a nonprofit organization dedicated to amateur musical theatre production and performance for the benefit of its community.
Published 10/19/06, Copyright © 2006 The Bowie Blade
'Wonderland' and 'Wings' will wow you : There's still one more weekend left
By DAVID EMANUEL Staff WriterThere are two remaining performances at St. Matthew's United Methodist Church of two shows that for one ticket price of $7 will be worth it in so many ways.
The church's theatre troupe is presenting two what I shall call "experimental" one-hour musicals – New York composer Seymour Barab's "Scenes in Wonderland," an operetta of sorts, followed by the incredibly dramatic "Wings," by Jeffrey Lunden, about a woman who has suffered a stroke.
"Wonderland" pulls verbatim nine different short stories from "Alice in Wonderland" and sets them to new heights. The show features a lilting how-does-she-hit-those-high notes Becky Unkenholz as Alice, and other familiar characters such as Chuck Hastings as the White Rabbit and his real-life-wife Karen as the mouse and knave.
Special mention must also go to Christin Vare, for her hilarious (and my favorite) number, titled, appropriately enough, "Duchess." The scene involves the duchess, a baby and a cook. That's all I'll say. (And Mary Jennings, well let's just say she "nose" how to play a certain part.)
As for "Wings," well, it's very hard to describe, and it's certainly nothing to sneeze at.
The challenge for me throughout this mature, adult-themed show was: How can I tell people to spend money on a show that will likely depress them? Or, might cause a walk-out, as did three people on the night I attended? Was it too heavy for them? Too "out there"? I guess we'll never know, but the one thing I do know is that this truly was a tour-de-force for the show's lead, Jackie Gerard, who is on stage pretty much the entire time.
You simply cannot take your eyes off her presence (just watch how she completely "becomes" Emily) or your ears off her voice (or the incredible sound effects that are a vital part of this show).
What makes the show even more powerful is the personal triumph behind the actress in the lead role: With a paralyzed vocal chord, doctors said years ago Gerard would never sing again.
Well, perhaps they should cough up seven bucks and see this unbelievable, some would even say miraculous, former patient.
It's a show that will challenge you not just with its theme (am I really sitting here watching a musical about a woman who had a stroke?), but also with its atonal, discordant, yet somehow evocative and stirring music.
There are really no songs you will leave the theatre humming, (with the exception of the absolutely touching song near the finale, "Snow," between Emily and her nurse/caregiver/friend Amy played with such tenderness by Jane Thessin) yet there are moments – sudden, simple, heart-breaking moments – as when at one point Emily says "there's something wet in both my eyes" – that you will not forget.
And there is something very real about the show. (Some audience members said this is exactly what it is like, as they recalled after the show some family members who suffered from a stroke.)
Emily Stilson may forget who she was, but I shall always remember Emily Stilson and Jackie Gerard's stunning performance.
St. Matthew's Musical Theatre Troupe is a nonprofit organization dedicated to amateur musical theatre production and performance for the benefit of its community.
Published 10/26/06, Copyright © 2006 The Bowie Blade
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on Monday, 30 October 2006 at 18.37
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Obviously a resounding triumph. Any producer would kill for reviews like that! Congratulations!