Musings about OTC's 1998 Season
Photo: Elizabeth McGuire, Carleton Carpenter and Robert Boardman in "An American Daughter"
A theatre season has been likened to a roller coaster ride. You get in the car, fasten your seat belt and begin the slow anticipatory, anxiety-ridden chug to the top of the first crest. Then suddenly you're off on a wild exhilarating, lurching ride that's over before you know it. Just before the Oldcastle roller coaster left the gate Producing Artistic Director Eric Peterson and Associate Artistic Director Richard Howe took a few minutes to make some observations about their hopes and dreams for this year's ride.
Peterson began by commenting, "We think this season will be more sheer fun than any in a long time." "We've negotiated a new contract with Actor's Equity Association that will enable us to do larger shows in a more cost effective way," added Howe. "An American Daughter, Moon over Buffalo and The Little Foxes are all larger productions than our audience is used to seeing."
Peterson is delighted to be directing his first Wendy Wasserstein play, An American Daughter. "She's one of the smartest playwrights we have," he says. "She writes bright, sparkling dialogue and no matter how serious the issue being discussed, she's never too far from a joke. It's a wonderful cast," he adds. "The audience will see some brand new faces and some old favorites. It's especially exciting to have Carleton Carpenter back."
This season's musical, Nite Club Confidential, is one show Howe is definitely looking forward to. "We look for different, unusual musicals and this certainly fits that category," he said. "It has fun with the film noir genre. It's like a night club act with a story line; a little Humphrey Bogart, a little Tony Bennett." He is also enthusiastic about working with Director Susan Streater. "She did such a wonderful job choreographing And the World Goes 'Round last year. We're really pleased to have her back."
Oldcastle is doing something new for the mid-season with back-to-back farces. "Judging from the huge success of last season's Bedroom Farce, we decided to try this," said Peterson. "Moon over Buffalo is a very funny play by Ken Ludwig, who wrote Lend Me A Tenor, one of our biggest hits; and Taking Steps is by Alan Ayckbourn, the author of Bedroom Farce." Peterson adds, "In sheer number of tickets sold, Ayckbourn is the most popular playwright we've ever produced."
Reviving a previous production is something like visiting an old friend, or sometimes an old lover. Such is the case with Peter Lefcourt's erotic, thought-provoking pas-de-deux, Sweet Talk. "It's one of the most talked about plays we've ever produced," Peterson says. "When we did it four years ago it had a very short run and many people didn't have a chance to see it, Ever since we've been asked when we were going to bring it back. Well, here it is!"
The final production of the season, Lillian Hellman's American classic, The Little Foxes, is one show Howe thinks will be a highlight. "It's not often that we get the chance to do a big, lavish period piece," he said. "And it's an ideal choice for the student matinees that we offer through our Stage Doors program. In fact it's required reading for Mount Anthony students." He adds, "The Hubbard family is so much fun to watch; they're just so greedy and dysfunctional. There's a reason why stars such as Tallulah Bankhead, Anne Bancroft, Elizabeth Taylor and Stockard Channing have chosen to do this play onstage, and why Bette Davis made the classic film version."
Apparently audiences agree with Peterson's and Howe's enthusiasm for the 1998 season. "Ticket sales are way ahead of any previous year," observes Peterson. "People seem to be excited about this combination of comedy, music and drama." All right everyone fasten your seat belts and keep your hands inside the car at all times. Here we go! For reservations or more information contact the Oldcastle Box Office at 802-447-0564.
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