My Husband and I saw the show Grace and Glorie last Friday night and we enjoyed the show immensely! Although I had to persuade my husband to come to the show he was so impressed and glad he went!
It was charming and witty! O we loved it! He laughed and he cried.
What a wonderful show it is, we want to thank you all for making it possible. I look forward to the season it looks like a wonderful summer filled with fabulous shows, I'll see you for "Little Women" can't wait.
Your Humble Fans!
Nancy and Jim Grubb
Angola, Indiana
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And we thank you, Nancy and Jim. Folks like you are the reason we do theatre......
Showing posts with label Grace and Glorie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Grace and Glorie. Show all posts
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Grace and Glorie closes with a Talkback
The short but sweet run of Grace and Glorie closed last Saturday with a moving performance by Donna Schulte and Gloria Logan in the two title roles. This performance also included the first of the talkbacks of the summer.
Talkbacks are held immediately after the final curtain on the first Saturday of each production's run. After I introduce the actors, designers and crew members, I open the floor for any questions the audience might have. There are the usual "Where are you from?" and "How long have you been acting?" type questions. But many of the sessions dig a little deeper. This comedy definitely has an emotional core that is very real which sparks further comment.
We were fortunate to have the production sponsored by CHC Hospice. We could not have had a more appropriate sponsor for this show about a citified, novice care giver arriving to help an old mountain woman die. At the Talkback, Debbie Reeg of Hospice spoke quite eloquently about how well the play caught the dynamics of hospice care that they see every day. I asked her if she would mind writing it up to share on the blog. Here is her letter:
Charles,
I wanted to share my feelings from the recent production. The performances were superb!!!! The way the actresses captured what we see and do every day caring for our Hospice patients was so realistic. It was very moving. Having been part of Hospice for 25 years. I was emotionally touched .
Our initial visit to the patients home is often very similar to the production. A lot of resistance and questioning why we are there, and what is Hospice. Quite a few of our families carry with them a lot of the dysfunction as you portrayed in the production.
Soon our patients, family/caregiver become so dependent and attached to the Hospice teams visits that the staff soon become part of the family.
Thank you so much for allowing us to assist by sponsoring this production and further educating the community about Hospice and the special gift it gives to the patient and family.
Debbie Reeg,
Director, Community Health Center Home Health,
Hospice and Maternal Infant Health Program
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We were also very pleased that Eleanor Shaw, the artist for the Grace and Glorie poster, came to see the show that night. She praised the show--and the actors praised her drawing of the "granny cottage," where the show is set. Reproductions of all the posters that our local artists created are available in the gift shop on the lower level of Tibbits.
Immediately after the talkback, the set crew attacked the set. All the props were put away, costumes hung up or in laundry piles, the pump that had pumped real water was disassembled and the walls came down. All was accomplished in less than an hour so as to make way for the set and light hang of Little Women.
Talkbacks are held immediately after the final curtain on the first Saturday of each production's run. After I introduce the actors, designers and crew members, I open the floor for any questions the audience might have. There are the usual "Where are you from?" and "How long have you been acting?" type questions. But many of the sessions dig a little deeper. This comedy definitely has an emotional core that is very real which sparks further comment.
We were fortunate to have the production sponsored by CHC Hospice. We could not have had a more appropriate sponsor for this show about a citified, novice care giver arriving to help an old mountain woman die. At the Talkback, Debbie Reeg of Hospice spoke quite eloquently about how well the play caught the dynamics of hospice care that they see every day. I asked her if she would mind writing it up to share on the blog. Here is her letter:
Charles,
I wanted to share my feelings from the recent production. The performances were superb!!!! The way the actresses captured what we see and do every day caring for our Hospice patients was so realistic. It was very moving. Having been part of Hospice for 25 years. I was emotionally touched .
Our initial visit to the patients home is often very similar to the production. A lot of resistance and questioning why we are there, and what is Hospice. Quite a few of our families carry with them a lot of the dysfunction as you portrayed in the production.
Soon our patients, family/caregiver become so dependent and attached to the Hospice teams visits that the staff soon become part of the family.
Thank you so much for allowing us to assist by sponsoring this production and further educating the community about Hospice and the special gift it gives to the patient and family.
Debbie Reeg,
Director, Community Health Center Home Health,
Hospice and Maternal Infant Health Program
--------------------------------------------------
We were also very pleased that Eleanor Shaw, the artist for the Grace and Glorie poster, came to see the show that night. She praised the show--and the actors praised her drawing of the "granny cottage," where the show is set. Reproductions of all the posters that our local artists created are available in the gift shop on the lower level of Tibbits.
Immediately after the talkback, the set crew attacked the set. All the props were put away, costumes hung up or in laundry piles, the pump that had pumped real water was disassembled and the walls came down. All was accomplished in less than an hour so as to make way for the set and light hang of Little Women.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Biography of Tom Ziegler--
Here is a brief bio for Tom Ziegler, author of Grace and Gloire
Tom Ziegler’s Grace and Glorie (first presented in workshop at The Shenandoah Valley Playwrights Retreat as Apple Dreams in 1990) went on to a successful Broadway run starring Estelle Parsons and Lucie Arnez. Hallmark Hall of Fame filmed it for television with Gena Rowlands as Grace and Diane Lane as Glorie. The play has had numerous productions nationally and internationally, including a sold-out run in Vienna. Mr. Ziegler has written a new translation adaptation of Carlo Goldoni’s Servant of Two Masters, which was produced at Washington and Lee University Theatre in Virginia. Other works include the musical Glory Bound, Home Games, and The Ninth Step. A native Chicagoan and a product of Chicago’s famous Second City, Mr. Ziegler migrated to the warmer climate of western Virginia where he teaches playwrighting and scene design at Washington and Lee University in Lexington. Thirty years later he’s following his love for education and is glad he took what he calls the best advise he was ever given….”take the job”. He claims, “that’s the main thing I do. I never say I’m a writer. I think of myself as a teacher who writes.” And aren’t the best teachers all storytellers at heart?
Tom Ziegler’s Grace and Glorie (first presented in workshop at The Shenandoah Valley Playwrights Retreat as Apple Dreams in 1990) went on to a successful Broadway run starring Estelle Parsons and Lucie Arnez. Hallmark Hall of Fame filmed it for television with Gena Rowlands as Grace and Diane Lane as Glorie. The play has had numerous productions nationally and internationally, including a sold-out run in Vienna. Mr. Ziegler has written a new translation adaptation of Carlo Goldoni’s Servant of Two Masters, which was produced at Washington and Lee University Theatre in Virginia. Other works include the musical Glory Bound, Home Games, and The Ninth Step. A native Chicagoan and a product of Chicago’s famous Second City, Mr. Ziegler migrated to the warmer climate of western Virginia where he teaches playwrighting and scene design at Washington and Lee University in Lexington. Thirty years later he’s following his love for education and is glad he took what he calls the best advise he was ever given….”take the job”. He claims, “that’s the main thing I do. I never say I’m a writer. I think of myself as a teacher who writes.” And aren’t the best teachers all storytellers at heart?
Monday, June 16, 2008
Grace and Glorie
Gloria Logan and Donna Schulte in the 2001 production of Grace and Glorie.
We started work on Grace and Glorie last Monday--just a week ago. The ladies arrived already knowing large segments of the script. I am very glad they didn't wait until rehearsal started; with only the two characters, there are massive amounts of lines to learn.
After our production here at Tibbits in January of 2001, Gloria and Donna did the show again, produced by Duo Damas Productions (which is Gloria and Joanne Winkleman Hulce---yes, the mother of Amadeus actor, Tom Hulce.) The physical production of Grace and Glorie is from that production.
One of the things we all love about this play is that each time we revisit it, we find it richer than the time before. I love the fact that a number of times in the script, the playwright, Tom Ziegler, did not take the easy way out- the typical movie of the week scenario--NOBODY dies. And for all the talk about death--it's not a show about dying, it's a show about living. And it's funny. I know people hear that it is a show about a dying woman (sponsored by Hospice, no less) and they don't give it a chance. They need to trust us. Why would we pick a bad play when we get to do so few scripts in our lives? If you liked Steel Magnolias, you will love this show.
So for the past week we have been in Diane Godfrey's dance studio rehearsing like mad, while The House At Pooh Corner is in the theatre. And on Monday, we had three shows in rehearsal, for the Little Women cast began to learn their music at one of the local Elementary schools.
We have now moved on stage. Since the set was built to travel, it was put up very fast. We have had the first tech rehearsal--where it's more about getting the phone to ring properly and other sound and light issues than it is about acting the show. Yesterday was the first dress rehearsal. It never ceases to amaze me how putting on costumes affects the show (and how actors act)more than anything else. It's something about looking in the mirror and seeing that "different" person that helps so many actors get a clearer vision of the role they are creating. It was a very good rehearsal. We will do it twice today---and then it's Magic Time.
We all hope to see you at the Tibbits for the great little show that is Grace and Glorie.
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