Stage Banter: The Arena Stage Blog

"Race: It's Complicated!" A Conversation With The Actors

by Travis LeMont Ballenger, New Play Senior Producing Fellow

As you may know, there has been a ton of conversation about diversity recently. Most of this conversation has been behind closed doors and in private convenings. Now we want to take it all out. On January 4th at 7:00pm we'll have a conversation with the cast members from Stick Fly and The Fantasticks. Our topic: Race on stage. What does it mean to have a mixed race cast for a traditionally all white show? What is the effect of having an upper class Black family? Let's talk about all of it.

Join us at the Lincoln Theater and be a part of the conversation.

 

DCTS talks to the Fantasticks' Laurence O’Dwyer and Jesse Terrill

by Janine Sobeck

Joel Markowitz and the DC Theatre Scene just posted a podcast interview with The Fantasticks' "funny men," Laurence O'Dwyer (Henry) and Jesse Terrill (Mortimer).  Hear all about their experience with the show - and what it was like for Laurence to step in as a replacement during tech week - by clicking HERE.

 

 

Arena Sings! And other holiday adventures...

Stefanie Barish, Media Relations Fellow

The holiday season can mean lots of things, but I’ve learned in the past month that when you work in communications, the holiday season means appearances, appearances, appearances! 

For the past couple of weeks I’ve been busy preparing for an upcoming Arena event – we’re singing at the National Christmas Tree! This Saturday, December 19, members of the Arena staff and two cast members from our upcoming production of Stick Fly will be singing as part of the National Christmas Tree Evening Music Program at President’s Park. Our performance time is 7:00 p.m. and you don’t want to miss it. We had rehearsal last night and let me say, our staff members are very talented.  

To give you a little sneak peek, our own Director of Publications will be representing The Fantasticks and singing a beautiful rendition of Try to Remember, two of my fellow fellows will be serenading each other with Baby, It’s Cold Outside, Amber Iman, who is starring in Stick Fly, will be belting out the holiday classic, The Christmas Song, and the entire group of fifteen will be singing my personal favorite, the long version of We Wish You a Merry Christmas, figgy pudding and all.  

Another upcoming event the communications team has been preparing for is our upcoming Family Fun Days at The Fantasticks. What makes it fun? Well, we’re having a juggler, a stilt walker, and a magician who will be there to entertain before the show. Plus, there’s free popcorn for all and balloons for all the kids. Our first Family Fun Day is for our Monday show, December 21^st at 7:30 p.m. and our second Family Fun day is for our noon matinee on Tuesday, December 22^nd. If you come on Tuesday, you’ll even have a chance to meet the cast after the show!  

Finally, we did have an appearance in early December at the Alexandria Scottish Parade on December 5^th. You may have missed us since it was snowing/raining/sleeting all morning and what I remember as being sub-zero temperatures. There were five of us, marching through the slush, giving out sapphire beads, showing off our homemade red scarves and clever banner (thanks to April, our marketing fellow, and Ronee, a senior new play producing fellow, for their handy work with felt). Despite the fact that most of us lost feeling in various extremities, it was a lot of fun seeing children's eyes light up when we handed them the beads, there was probably also a lot of smiling going on, but it was hard to see underneath the layers of clothing everyone had on. It was especially nice when people shouted out to us when they recognized our name, so thanks to those of you who cheered us on or even offered hugs while we trekked through the streets. 

So it’s been a busy few weeks here in the communications department as we’ve been preparing for all of our holiday fun and I look forward to seeing all of you at our upcoming events. Feel free to bring us some figgy pudding, especially since I have no idea what that is…

Talking with Tom

by Christin Siems, Dramaturgy Fellow

Tom Jones co-wrote The Fantasticks more than half a century ago with his friend Harvey Schmidt, and although he doesn’t travel around the country to see all of the thousands of Fantasticks productions, he came to Arena Stage last Wednesday to enjoy director Amanda Dehnert’s “abandoned amusement park” version.

Now, post-show discussions are always interesting.  But a post-show discussion with the LIVING AUTHOR is… wow.  So cool.  

Tom came with his wife, and they were both so charming.  Here’s a fun fact: Tom’s wife’s older sister originated the role of Luisa in the original one-act version at Barnard College before it opened Off-Broadway in 1960.  I asked them how they met and… there you go.

The absolute highlight of the post-show was when a perspicacious high school student asked Tom: “Why does El Gallo say to keep the wall (that divided the two houses) up at the end?”  Ah, a GREAT question.  Tom said so himself.

It turns out that Tom hates the line.

El Gallo says: “Leave the wall.  Remember—you must always leave the wall.”  Tom told us that when he wrote it, he was really young, and he thought it sounded impressive.  Well, a year or so later he heard it and thought: “This is BAD!  It sounds like the point of the play!”  And the point of the play, Tom told us, is “without a hurt, the heart is hollow.”

Tom wanted to take the line out, but his producer (who really liked the line) said he’d sue him.  So the line remains… but Tom tried to fix it by writing in a stage direction that tells actor playing El Gallo to speak the line “casually.”

Tom also told us that when The Fantasticks received its first production in Russia soon after perestroika and 8 months after the Berlin Wall fell, the producers over there cautiously approached him: “eh, Tom… so about this line… ‘YOU MUST ALWAYS LEAVE THE WALL'... can we, uh… take it out?”  And Tom, knowing full-well the cultural implications, told them: “Take it out! PLEASE!!!”

Another highlight was when Tom praised Laurence O’Dwyer for his portrayal of Henry, the old actor.  Tom originated the role Off-Broadway under the pseudonym “Thomas Bruce,” and gave Laurence his highest compliment: “He was almost as good as I was.”

Tom also spoke freely about his inspiration for writing The Fantasticks, and all of the various artistic influences he and Harvey borrowed from.  For example, did you know the Mute was inspired by the “Invisible Prop Man” character in Japanese popular theatre—a character who the audience agrees “not to see”?  For other borrowed influences on The Fantasticks, go here.

Thank you, Tom, for a delightful post-show.  I don't think any of us wanted it to end.

Tom Jones is coming!

by Janine Sobeck

Yup, that's right!  Tom Jones, co-creator of The Fantasticks, is coming to see the Arena production and has graciously offered to join the cast and myself in a discussion after the show.  So, if you're not busy at noon on December 9th, come over to the Lincoln for the matinee show.  This is an event not to be missed!

What an opening!

by Janine Sobeck

I must say, it was amazing to see everyone overcome their turkey coma in order to make it over to the Lincoln for the opening night of The Fantasticks on Friday.  It truly was a "fantastick" night. 

Here's our final behind-the-scenes video for the show (including some scenes on set!) and if you haven't had a chance yet to read Peter Mark's review, then check it out!

Washington Post talks to Fantasticks director and set designer

by Janine Sobeck

If you didn't happen to catch the Sunday issue of The Washington Post, then make sure that you check out this great feature by Nelson Pressley.  Mr. Pressley spent some time with Fantasticks' director Amanda Dehnert and set designer Euguene Lee (as well as a conversation with original co-creator Tom Jones) about their unique choices for Arena's upcoming production of The Fantasticks.  Discussing everything from the original record-breaking run of the musical, to the amusement park set design (and the fact that the sign comes from the actual abandoned Rocky Point amusement park in Rhode Island), to the use of magic throughout the show - and everything in between - this feature is a great way to get you geared up for the production that is officially opening this Friday.  So dive in and see what we've been up to!

New behind-the-scenes Fantasticks video

by Janine Sobeck

That's right, we have a new behind-the-scenes look at Arena's production of The Fantasticks.  Hear from director Amanda Dehnert, cast members, the musical director and get a few sneak peaks into the rehearsal hall...

Choose Your Own Adventure… A Fantasticks Voyage

by Christin Siems. 09/10 Dramaturgy Fellow

It’s a cloudy, November Saturday… You’ve already escaped an afternoon on your couch with your cats and re-runs of Hannah Montana.

Good for you.

You’ve now made it, out of breath but full of hope, to L’Enfant Plaza metro where a sinister man hands you a spool of thread.  “What kind of clue is this???” you wonder as you peer inside it… Ah!  A note!  What luck.  It reads:

 “Head to the thread between the needle and thimble, then go west to ride the ponies. The girl with the sapphire necklace has your ticket.”

Do you:

A.  Sit around and think about it for hours

B.  Give up and go cry to your cats

C.  Head to the Carousel on the National Mall

 If you said A or B, you’ve FAILED.  Sorry.  Other teams have passed you.  Your cats ran away while you were gone.

 If you said C… You’re in the lead!  And you’ve just been handed a blue necklace with another clue that will eventually lead you to grand prizes from Arena Stage!  Restaurant gift certificates and opening night tickets to see The Fantasticks!!!

It may sound like the stuff of fiction, but ya’ll, the Scavenger Hunt this past Saturday was epic.  EPIC. While I wanted so badly to traipse around the city with everyone and collect the whimsical Fantasticks clues, I had to WORK.  And by “work,” I mean dress-up as “the girl with the sapphire necklace” (Fantasticks character Luisa) and wait at the Carousel for teams to pass through.  Not really “work” in my book… The real Luisa was making magic in rehearsal along with the rest of the cast, and so the administrative staff at Arena had to shed our administrative skin and get down and out… fun.  We might have looked silly, but we had a great time.

I didn’t get much of a chance to talk to the participants because they came blazing through, grabbed their clue, and tore off like tornadoes.  But I did enjoy dishing out hope.  “You’re not far behind!” I told everyone, including the two people on scooters who came at the end.  “Yeah RIGHT” retorted two other participants who said they had looked for me for hours.

Some people are really intense about their scavenger hunts.

But hey, I would be too.  The prizes were great, the weather was only a little bit freezing (I’m a native Texan, so I almost died in my requisite sundress… “all for the art”), and many fliers about Striking 12 and the rest of the fabulous Arena season went out to people all over the city.  You could smell the adventure in the air.  And, mmm, the Carousel’s hotdogs.

Sorry you missed it?  It’s okay. Come see The Fantasticks, take your kids or take a date, opening the day after Thanksgiving. The choice is yours…

Do you:

A:  Stay at home and cry about your missing cats

B:  Dig a hole and hibernate till May

C:  See The Fantasticks at Arena Stage 

Only one of these leads to… adventure….

Warm and fuzzy

by Janine Sobeck

Yesterday I had the chance to sit and watch the first official run through of The Fantasticks.  While there were quite a few bodies crammed into the little rehearsal space it was amazing to watch the magic of this musical - and I'm not just speaking about the actual magic tricks - spread over the room.  The beautiful music, the nostalgic themes, the great characters and, yes, the delightful magic tricks, are all starting to come together in way that leaves a warm glow inside you as you watch.  With only one day left before we move into the Lincoln Theatre (and start to put all the final technical elements into the process) it was a great way to measure the progress that the show is making.

It was also a great way to get the music stuck in my head...