|
>>NEWS
AND REVIEWS
New Ground production features local playwrights
By Jeff Dick, "The Rock Island Argus"
jdick@qconline.com
Five one-act plays
about living in the Midwest, sometimes even in the
Quad-Cities, make up the theme of "Living Here: New
Plays from New Ground."
New Ground Theatre
artistic director Chris Jansen invited local
playwrights for their take on life in these
environs; each play runs
about 20 minutes.
Ms. Jansen wanted to
work with some local writers and felt the "local
angle" would be a good one to explore. "We got five
very different
plays," she said.
Here's a synopsis of
the quintet:
-- "And So To Bed" by
Julie McDonald offers a glimpse of key moments in
a couple's relationship, including the birth of
their first child, their
daughter's wedding and their 50th wedding
anniversary. Each scene is set
in the bedroom.
-- "About Earnest" by Jeffrey Shumaker looks at an
unemployed musician
living the bohemian life in the '70s who looks to
Oscar Wilde's "The
Importance of Being Earnest" for inspiration --
often quoting from the
British humorist's play.
-- "Yard Sale" by Melissa McBain (who also stars) is
the story of an
elderly woman getting ready to move into a nursing
home, selling off
some of her stuff and reliving what it all means to
her. "It sounds
maudlin but it's kind of funny," Ms. Jansen said.
-- "With Ah! Bright Wings" by Anne Boaden is about
an eccentric mother
and her very conservative daughter who come to terms
with their
relationship. The playwright stars in the most
dramatic play of the group.
-- "Fudge!" by Chris Jansen is "a little allegory
about doing arts in
the Quad-Cities. I was in a ?mood? when I wrote it,"
she said. Lora
Adams, who starred in New Ground's most recent
production, "Bad Dates,"
stars along with area stage veterans Pat and Patti
Flaherty playing a
married couple. "They're not on stage together
nearly enough," Ms.
Jansen said.
Susan McDonald
directed "And So To Bed" and "Yard Sale"; Chris
Jansen
directed the other three plays, including her own.
William Campbell of
St. Ambrose University's Music Department wrote the
music for the plays as well as the between-act
segues.
Providing
theatergoers with never-seen-before works requires
"a leap of
faith," Ms. Jansen said. "If a play has a
reputation, it's safer. But
I'm pretty proud of New Ground audiences; they give
us the benefit of
the doubt."
BIO BOX
What: New Ground Theatre's "Living Here: New Plays
from New Ground"
When: June 21, 24, 28 and July 1 at 2 p.m., and June
22, 23, 29 and 30
at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Nighswander Theatre, 2822 Eastern Ave.,
Davenport
Tickets: $12, or $10 for students and ages 55 and
older. Tickets are
available at the door.
More information: (563) 326-7529 |
