Perseverance Theatre welcomes Frank Delaney and Leslie Ishii

joshuaFeatured, Press Releases

Juneau, Alaska – Perseverance Theatre is happy to announce that Frank Delaney has joined the organization as the new managing director, and Leslie Ishii will serve as interim artistic director while the board conducts a search for a permanent leader for the role.

After completing his M.F.A. in acting, Delaney worked as an actor and fight choreographer throughout the Midwest. Currently back in Anchorage, he was last seen onstage at Cyrano’s as Torvald in A Doll’s House, Part 2. Delaney’s regional acting credits include Rochefort in The Three Musketeers with Shawnee Summer Theatre; MacDuff in Macbeth and Egeon in The Comedy of Errors, both with Cincinnati Shakespeare Company; and Lord Aster in Peter and the Starcatcher with Perseverance.

“We’re all excited to bring one of the most dynamic Alaskan theatre leaders into the PT family,” said Joe Bedard, board president, Perseverance Theatre. “Frank’s thoughtfulness and warm, personable ways are always evident as he works through problems and opportunities alike.”

Ishii, AEA, SAG-AFTRA, SDC, is a proven leader in American theatre, having served in many capacities, including stage director and actor with appearances on Broadway, film, and television. Her years of organizational experience include serving as co-chair, organizer, and board member for the Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists’ fifth and sixth national ConFest; founder and co-director for the National Cultural Navigation Theatre Project for the sustainability of theatres and artists of color; co-facilitator of the launch of the Theatre Communication Group’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Institute; and core faculty for artEquity.

Over her 10-year relationship with Perseverance, Ishii has served as a teacher, consultant, and director. She last directed Hold These Truths for the theatre during its 2016-17 season and is slated to direct Vera Starbard’s Devilfish this August.

“I’m thrilled and excited to have Leslie Ishii join PT as interim artistic director,” said Bedard. “Leslie brings an energy and a passion to her artistry that can only be eclipsed by her drive to respect, to learn, and to deeply understand the myriad of cultures and perspectives she encounters in her work.”

Delaney takes over the role of managing director from Joshua Midgett, who served in the position for one season. During his time at Perseverance, Midgett thoroughly revamped the theatre’s budgeting and bookkeeping practices and leaves the theater in a stronger place.

“Outgoing managing director Joshua Midgett came into a situation with urgent fires to put out and helped us fortify the financial position to make administrative practices more streamlined for staff,” said departing artistic director Art Rotch. “Now, with Frank Delaney, PT has a very mission-driven managing director who is deeply committed to making professional theatre by and for Alaskans a dynamic reality. Frank is a great person to keep Perseverance on its journey so it can be all it can be for its communities. If all goes well with Frank and his yet-to-be identified artistic partner, PT will have overcome a pretty big challenge on its way to a new future.”

“It has been wonderful to have been welcomed back home to Alaska and I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve this theatre and this vibrant arts community,” said Midgett. “I look forward to supporting the work of Frank, Leslie, and future Perseverance artists in whatever way I can.”

A job description for the permanent artistic director position has been drafted by the search committee. View the job description, as well as updates and more information on the search, on Perseverance’s website.

About Perseverance Theatre

The mission of Perseverance Theatre is to create professional theatre by and for Alaskans. Perseverance values community engagement, cross-cultural collaboration, professional rigor, and regional voices, and is committed to creating theatre that represents all that is great about Alaska, and bringing great live theatre to Alaskan audiences.

Perseverance believes that professional theatres play a vital role in training and cultivating the next generation of artists and audiences. Its education department produces extensive training programs, including Summer Theatre Arts Rendezvous (STAR), Young Company, mainstage student matinees, and season-long internships.

Perseverance has premiered more than 70 new plays by Alaskan and national playwrights. The theatre is committed to developing artists, volunteers, audiences, and programming reflective of the Alaskan community, and to deliver the finest professional theatre anywhere.

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A PDF of this release is available at this link.

Perseverance Theatre announces winners of our 35th Annual Travel Raffle

Julie CoppensUncategorized

Paitton Reid of Soldotna had the winning ticket and will receive the Grand Prize—two round-trip tickets from Alaska Airlines, plus $2,000 in cash—in the Travel Raffle, Perseverance Theatre’s annual fundraiser, which concluded Tuesday, June 18, with a drawing celebration co-hosted by The Island Pub on Douglas. This year’s raffle, with a dazzling array of prizes donated by corporate sponsors and other supporters, generated more than $20,000 to fuel Perseverance’s upcoming 41st anniversary season of professional theatre by and for Alaskans.

“I like to say that the best thing about this raffle is, when you buy a ticket you’re automatically a winner, because every dollar goes toward the theatre you love here at Perseverance,” said Erika Stone, director of development and a company artist who performed most recently in the world premiere Whale Song, by Cathy Tagnak Rexford. “On the other hand, it’s great to win a fabulous travel prize, and our donors really came through for us this year. We’re grateful to each and every one; to the staff, board, and volunteers who helped make the raffle so successful, and to everyone who bought a ticket.”

Here’s the list of additional winners, with approximate retail values of the prizes they’ll receive: 

Luke Metcalf of Juneau won the “High Art” package: two tickets on Level One or Level Two Helicopter Tours from NorthStar Trekking, a one-night stay for two at Silverbow Inn in downtown Juneau, and pair of season tickets to Perseverance Theatre’s 2019-2020 season. Value: $1390

Arika Pavadone of Eagle River won “Anchorage Animals”: a one-night stay for four at the Aviator Hotel, an annual family membership to the Alaska Zoo in Anchorage, four passes to the Alaska Sea Life Center, and two passes to the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center. Value: $378

Erin Dufresne of Seattle won “All of the Art”: a pair of tickets to any two performing arts events in the Juneau Arts and Humanities Council’s Season 45, a pair of season tickets to the Juneau Symphony, a pair of tickets for Juneau Dance Theater’s Spring Showcase and The Nutcracker, and a pair of season tickets to Perseverance Theatre’s 2019-2020 season. Value: $980

Mary Lou Madden of Juneau won “Douglas Delights”: a $50 gift certificate to Douglas Café, $50 gift certificate to the Island Pub, $50 gift certificate to Louie’s Douglas Inn in Douglas, and a pair of “Pick 3” show tickets to Perseverance Theatre’s 2019-2020 season. Value: $210

Pamela Garcia of Juneau won “Gill House Getaway”: a one night stay for two at the Oscar Gill House, a $50 gift certificate to Moose’s Tooth, and a season subscription for two to Perseverance Theatre’s 2019-2020 Anchorage season. Value: $632

Ulla Pedersen of Juneau won “Date Day”: Two tickets to a regular feature film, plus popcorn and soda from the Gold Town Nickelodeon in Juneau, two free yoga classes with Rainforest Yoga, and a Heritage Coffee gift basket. Value: $126

Jessica Tullius of Anchorage won “Ride and Relax”: a ride for two on the sky-high Mount Roberts Tram, a relaxing 60-minute private reservation for two in the Halotherapy room at Glacier Salt Cave and Spa, and a one-night stay for two plus breakfast at the Baranof Hotel in Juneau. Value: $450

Toni Dalman won the “Stay for the Salmon” package: a one-night stay and breakfast for two at Alaska’s Capital Inn Bed & Breakfast in Juneau and a $100 gift certificate for Taku Smokeries. Value $496

Sue Kolster of Juneau won “Alaskan Adventure”: a one-night stay for two at the Driftwood Hotel in Juneau, a one-week bike rental from Cycle Alaska, and two adult full-day lift tickets to Eaglecrest Ski Area. Value: $571

Maggie Rabb of Juneau won “Valdez Vacation”: a two-night stay for two at the Robe Lake Lodge and Cabins, a Columbia Glacier Cruise for two with Stan Stephens’ Wildlife Cruises in Valdez, and a framed original painting by late Alaskan artist Ted Herlinger. Value: $786

Brenda Knapp of Juneau won “Juneau Jaunt”: an MGM Matinee Idol-Level membership at Gold Town Nickelodeon in Juneau, two free yoga classes with Rainforest Yoga, and a gift basket from Nugget Alaskan Outfitters. Value: $197

Sandy Horbanuk won the “Perseverance Pal” package: two tickets to any performance in Perseverance Theatre’s 2019-2020 season, a Perseverance Theatre T-Shirt, and a Perseverance Theatre coffee mug. Value: $137

And Adelaide Johnson won “Scenic Skagway”: two round-trip tickets from Alaska Seaplanes, a railway trip for two on the scenic White Pass Summit, plus a one-night stay for two at the Historic Skagway Inn and a $100 gift certificate to Olivia’s Bistro at the Skagway Inn. Value: $1104

From all of us at Perseverance Theatre, thanks again to all these businesses and organizations for donating, and thanks to everyone for playing!

Steve Martin’s uproarious comedy THE UNDERPANTS plays May 17-June 16

Julie CoppensNews

An innocent bloomer blunder brings domestic chaos in Steve Martin’s The Underpants, Perseverance Theatre’s 40th anniversary season finale, running May 17-June 16.

When Louise, a young beauty attending a royal parade, finds that her unmentionables have fallen down around her ankles, she makes a hasty exit and assumes no harm done—but her priggish husband is mortified. How will his dead-end career in Düsseldorf’s civil service ever withstand the scandal? Nosy neighbors, sudden new suitors, and shameless innuendo fill the script gleefully adapted from Carl Sternheim’s 1910 German farce, Die Hose. This bawdy comedy of manners reveals gender politics that are still relevant after more than 100 years.

“I think people will be surprised by Steve Martin as a playwright,” says Teresa K. Pond, the show’s director, who helmed the 2016 Perseverance hit Peter and the Starcatcher and this season’s A Christmas Carol remount at the PAC; she’s also producing artistic director of Cyrano’s Theatre Company in Anchorage. “While he goofs around on screen in movies like Cheaper by the Dozen, his writing is incredibly sophisticated—he’s probably a bit too smart for his own good, if you know what I mean.”

Pond says the physical gags in The Underpants—slamming doors, stray props, characters in ever-more-compromising positions—follow the classic European farce tradition, though Martin’s wordplay, couched in proper Wilhelmine-era dialogue, has a contemporary American edge. “What seems to be timeless,” the director says, “is humanity’s complicated relationship to sex, love, and finding our own voice amidst cultural bias in relationships.”

The Underpants creative team also includes Shelly Wright (costumes), Art Rotch (lighting), and Matthew Allar (set design). The cast features some actors familiar to Perseverance audiences—Shadow Meienberg, Benjamin Brown, Evan Rothfeld, Charlie Cardwell—along with a pair of talented newcomers: Aaron T. Moore as the stuffy Theo, and Kelly Gibson as his fanciful wife Louise.

“This was a different time, a much more innocent time,” Gibson says. “Louise fills her domestic role with joy and pride, not begrudgingly. There is no shame in being ‘just a little housewife’… She truly does long for a family, so when a child hasn’t come along after a year of marriage, she starts to dream elsewhere… Her journey is one of sexual awakening, of the power of free will, of what it means to not only take care of someone else, but yourself.”

Of course, the actor adds, viewers are under no obligation to find a deeper meaning in The Underpants: at bottom, it’s about having fun.

“My wish would be for our audience to walk away with joy, washed-away worries, and a reminder that it’s OK to be silly,” Gibson says. “The Underpants demands ferocious play, in both language and physicality as Teresa said, and the hope is to ignite ferocious laughter from our audiences in return.”

The Underpants concludes Perseverance’s landmark 40th anniversary season in Juneau; in Anchorage, meanwhile, the blockbuster musical Guys and Dolls runs through May 12 at the PAC.

Subscriptions are now on sale for Perseverance’s 2019-20 season, whose Juneau lineup features the Alaska Native play Devilfish, by Vera Bedard (Tlingit, Dena’ina); the new play With, by Carter Lewis; the iconic drama One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and the Tony Award-winning musical Fun Home. In Anchorage, the season will open with The Underpants, and continue with Devilfish, A Christmas Carol, and Cuckoo’s Nest.


Show info

The Underpants, by Steve Martin, adapted from the play Die Hose, by Carl Sternheim
Run: May 17-June 16 at Perseverance Theatre, 914 Third Street in Douglas. There will be Pay-What-You-Can previews at 7:30 p.m. May 14 and 16. Beer Friday, with a pre-show reception sponsored by Alaskan Brewing Co., is May 24.
Show times: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays; additional 7:30 p.m. Wednesday show June 5.
Tickets: $33-$41 for adults, $28-$39 for seniors and military, $19-$27 for students; reserve seats at www.ptalaska.org or by calling 907-463-TIXS (8497). May 19 and 23 performances are Pay-What-You-Can; Juneau Arts Night (50 percent off all tickets) is Wednesday, June 5.
Parent advisory: The Underpants is a fast-paced, naughty comedy with suggestive staging and dialogue, although most jokes will go over kids’ heads; recommended for ages 10 and up.

Above: Actors Kelly Gibson as Louise (from left), Aaron T. Moore as Theo, and Shadow Meienberg as Gertrude. Photo by Julie Coppens, staged at Bustin’ Out Boutique in downtown Juneau.

Suicide prevention play THE WINTER BEAR launches Alaskan tour

Julie CoppensUncategorized

Perseverance Theatre will present The Winter Bear, a play by former Alaska Writer Laureate Anne Hanley, in April in the communities of Anchorage, Buckland, Shungnak, Nome, St. Paul, and Unalaska. Admission to all shows is free.

The play, which has been performed throughout Alaska since 2008, tells the story of a troubled Alaska Native teenager who decides suicide is his best option until Athabascan elder Sidney Huntington shows him how to use traditional culture to work through his despair and find his true voice. The Winter Bear Project is built around the play, providing school workshops in the performing arts and Behavioral Health support through non-profit partners. The mission of The Winter Bear Project is “to change the climate of fear & hopelessness that breeds suicide by broadening awareness, stimulating dialogue, and promoting healing through the performing arts.” 

The show is directed by Perseverance Theatre Artistic Director Art Rotch. The performing company will feature the return of Alaska Native actors Brían Wescott as Sidney Huntington and Skyler Ray-Benson Davis as Duane. In all, twelve company members will embark on the two-week tour.

Major funding for The Winter Bear Project 2019 is provided by Southcentral Foundation, Teck, the Aleutian Pribilof Island Association, Sitnasuak Native Corporation, the Charlotte Martin Foundation, Maniilaq, Kawerak, NANA, and the Rasmuson Foundation through the Harper Arts Touring Fund as administered by the Alaska State Council on the Arts. Additional funding from the Bering Sea Lions Club, Norton Sound Health Corporation, the Nome Arts Council, the Aleut Native Corporation, and the King Island Native Corporation. Communities are providing valuable support in the form of lodging, show venues, and local services.

Locations and dates are as follows: 

April 9, 2019 – Anchorage, AK  | April 11, 2019 – Buckland, AK
April 13, 2019 – Shungnak, AK | April 15, 2019 – Nome, AK
April 17, 2019 – St. Paul, AK | April 20, 2019 – Unalaska, AK

For more information about The Winter Bear Project, visit our website, or follow us on Facebook at The Winter Bear Project.

The Winter Bear. Nenana, Alaska, April 7, 2016

Brash Broadway favorite GUYS AND DOLLS plays March 15-April 14

Julie CoppensUncategorized

 

For some guys, life is a gamble—every day another throw of the dice. New York hustler Sky Masterson seems to be on a roll, but in the game of romance, his luck is about to run out. Will he beat the odds and get the girl, or come up snake-eyes? Perseverance Theatre’s musical dream team presents Guys and Dolls, the brash Broadway favorite based on the street-wise stories of Damon Runyon and featuring the immortal songs of Frank Loesser.

Director Shona Osterhout, musical director Robert Cohen, and choreographer Ricci Adan—partners in crime on Perseverance’s 2014 runaway hit Chicago—have brought together an all-star cast, including Enrique Bravo as Sky Masterson, Allison Holtkamp as the pious Sarah Brown (the unlikely “doll” on whom Sky’s fortunes depend), James Sullivan as the wisecracking gangster Nathan Detroit, and Ericka Lee as his long-suffering fiancé, Adelaide. The creative team includes Paul Spadone (costumes), Greg Mitchell (lighting), and Art Rotch (set design).

“With a cast of all-Alaskan theatre artists (granted, one just recently moved to New York City and we lured him back for another go), this production of Guys and Dolls shows me once again how talented our state’s artists truly are,” director Shona Osterhout says. “When we invest in Alaskan artists, the payoff for our great state’s audiences is grand. And this show is funny, so we get to forget about the state’s budget for a while.”

Guys and Dolls premiered on Broadway in 1950, running for 1,200 performances and winning the Tony Award for Best Musical. Still widely regarded a classic of the Golden Age, the show has had several Broadway and London revivals, and a 1955 film adaptation starring Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons, Frank Sinatra and Vivian Blaine helped make beloved American standards of such songs as “Luck Be a Lady,” “My Time of Day,” “If I Were a Bell,” and “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat.”

The plot of Guys and Dolls hinges on a series of hilarious, high-stakes gambles: As wisecracking gangster Nathan Detroit struggles to find a home for his floating crap game, simultaneously evading both the authorities and his marriage-minded girlfriend Adelaide, the suave Sky Masterson finds himself on the wrong end of his own long-odds bet: Can he persuade the anti-gambling, anti-drinking crusader Sarah Brown to accompany him to a nightclub in Havana… and win her heart, over a few “Cuban milkshakes”?

“Some of the circumstances and language in this piece do read as archaic, especially in this particular day and age,” Osterhout admits, “but these actors are so good at playing fully fleshed-out characters. There’s nothing superficial about the guys and dolls in our production—and because of their depth of character in these roles, we actually have a funnier show, in my opinion.”

Adds the veteran director, “Many times this musical is done with a cast of forty or fifty people—basically, have as many guys and dolls as you want. We have chosen a more intimate staging, with a tighter-knit cast. You will see actors play multiple roles. It’s so fun to watch their transformations.”

Guys and Dolls continues Perseverance’s landmark 40th anniversary season, which began this fall with Thornton Wilder’s iconic drama Our Town and the world-premiere plays Franklin, by Samantha Noble, and Whale Song, by Cathy Tagnak Rexford. Still to come is Steve Martin’s naughty comedy The Underpants (playing May 17-June 16 in Juneau). In addition, Anne Hanley’s The Winter Bear will tour to smaller communities across the state.

Click here for tickets, or call 907-463-TIXS (8497). For single tickets in Anchorage, please visit www.Centertix.com or call 907-263-ARTS (2787).

Run: March 15-April 14 at Perseverance Theatre, 914 Third Street in Douglas. There will be a Pay-What-You-Can preview at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 14.

Show times: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays; additional 7:30 p.m. Wednesday shows on April 3 and 10.

Ticket prices: $37-$49 for adults, $32-$44 for seniors and military, $20-$32 for students. March 17 and 21 performances are Pay-What-You-Can; Juneau Arts Night (50 percent off all tickets) is Wednesday, April 3.

Photos of the cast by Brian Wallace, staged at Juneau’s historic Westmark Baranof Hotel. From left, James Sullivan, Ericka Lee, Allison Holtkamp, Enrique Bravo.

Young Company stages dance fantasy DISCO ALICE: THE WONDERLAND REMIX

Julie CoppensUncategorized

Curiouser and curiouser, and groovier: a classic of children’s literature hits the dance floor in Disco Alice: The Wonderland Remix, an original adaptation performed by Perseverance Theatre’s Young Company, March 1-3 and 8-10 in the Phoenix Theatre (Black Box). Based on the beloved book by Lewis Carroll, this fantastical production for all ages, adapted and directed by William Conrow, features disco-era choreography by Becky Engstrom and Alisha Falberg, psychedelic scenic murals by Glo Ramirez, and whimsical costumes by Ruth Fulwiler.

A dynamic cast of 19 students from across Juneau, ranging in age from 8 to 15, take on such familiar roles as Alice (Sophia Nylen), the White Rabbit (Sydney Hood), the Queen of Hearts (Molly Minick), the Cheshire Cat (Clare Homan), the Mad Hatter (Rachel Wood), and the Jabberwocky (Seth Coppens), a malevolent creature from the Wonderland sequel Through the Looking Glass, making a cameo appearance here. But audiences will see some fresh interpretations.

“She’s adventurous. She’s enthusiastic. She becomes more friendly and kind of sassy toward the end,” Sophia Nylen says of Alice, a role that’s been supremely fun and empowering to play. “She learns that she should not doubt herself. There are many people who say she shouldn’t be herself, like her parents and the Jabberwocky, but she learns to listen to her instincts.”

Strange as it might seem to set a 1865 children’s story to a soundtrack of hit songs by the likes of ABBA, Donna Summer, Kool & The Gang, The Bee Gees, and Blondie, the pop culture aesthetic of the turbulent 1970s certainly fits the disorienting misadventures of Alice and her Wonderland companions. Over the course of the show, the stage-shy tween heroine progresses from “The Hustle” of trying to fit in, to a wide-eyed “State of Independence” as she explores Wonderland, to the punk-rock female rebellion of Blondie’s “Rip Her to Shreds.” A dancing ensemble is always there, challenging Alice and coaching her along.

“The young actors are picking up choreography as if they were seasoned veterans of the stage,” marvels choreographer Becky Engstrom. “From the first rehearsal, when I taught the Hustle line dance, I knew this was going to be a wonderful journey with the Young Company. They really look like they enjoy dancing with each other.”

In addition to such iconic moves as the Bump, the Funky Chicken, and the Hitchhiker, the students had to master new dances that could only take place in Wonderland—for instance, the Lobster Quadrille, sort of a beach party hand-jive with everybody in bright red lobster mitts.

“Bill made it clear that he wanted to keep everyone on stage as much as possible,” Engstrom says. “This meant that the entire performance has to be performed very much like a dance, where it’s crucial to focus on transitions through awareness of body movement. It requires great mental and physical stamina to do a production like this. The actors also have been given many props to use, which adds a greater challenge to learning choreography.”

For adapter/director Bill Conrow, bringing Disco Alice to life has been “exhilarating, and not just for me as the storyteller,” he says. “Our talented cast hasn’t even blinked in the face of the daunting challenge of performing in every scene. The kids are like, ‘What’s next? Bring it on, old man. Hurry up!’ Since January, the cast has been working at an amazing pace, with focus and true grit. We couldn’t be more proud of them.”

 

Show info

Disco Alice: The Wonderland Remix, adapted and directed by William Conrow

Synopsis: When 13-year-old Alice escapes a garden party, impulsively following a stressed-out White Rabbit down a rabbit hole, she enters an enchanted realm full of strange characters and maddening misadventures—all ruled by one very crabby Queen of Hearts. An irresistible 1970s-era soundtrack and a psychedelic design scheme take Lewis Carroll’s classic coming-of-age tale to a whole new level of fantasy and fun.

Run: March 1-3 and 8-10 in the Phoenix Theatre at Perseverance, 914 Third Street in Douglas.

Show times: 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Tickets: $15 for all ages. Seating in the Phoenix is very limited; advance reservations strongly recommended. Call (907) 463-TIXS or follow the ticket link on our website, www.ptalaska.org.

Q&A with the cast: Talkbacks with the Disco Alice company and creators will follow both Sunday matinee performances.

Parent advisory: Disco Alice is a nonstop performance in an intimate space, full of madcap action, loud music, strobe and other dramatic lighting effects that might be frightening for young children or those with sensory issues. Recommended for ages 6 and up.

The Sixth Annual One-Minute Play Festival

joshuaCurrent Projects, News, Press Releases, Productions

March 17th & 18th at The Alaska Center For The Performing Arts

The ALASKA ONE-MINUTE PLAY FESTIVAL (#1MPF) returns to for its sixth year, in partnership with Perseverance Theatre, at the Alaska Center For The Performing Arts. The 6th Annual Alaska 1MPF runs two performances only; Sunday, March 17th & Monday, March 18th at 8pm. All performances are at The Alaska Center For The Performing Arts (621 West 6th Ave, Anchorage AK 99501). Tickets, priced at $20, are available at centertix.com, or by calling 907-263-ARTS (2787).

https://tickets.centertix.com/sixth-annual-alaska-one-minute-play-festival

The 6th ANNUAL ALASKA ONE-MINUTE PLAY FESTIVAL will feature brand new one-minute plays by:

Rudy Ascott, Gregory Aldrich, Caleb Bourgeois,  Joshua Branstetter, Allen Bailey, Amy Cropp, Matt Collins, Nathan Hall, Jason Hodges, Steven Hunt, Matt Jardin, Matthew Kress, Geoff Kirsch, Elisa Hitchcock, Frank Katasse, Heather Laverne, Joshua Lowman, Thomas Moran, Mark Muro, Dawson Moore,  Jill Neimeyer, Andréa Onstad, Amy O’Neill Houck, Richard Perry, John Parsi,  Paul Rios, Heath E. Robertson, Mollie Ramos, Kristen Ritter,  Lucas Rowley, Michael Shaeffer, Carey Seward, Vera Starbard, Holly Stanton, Warren Weinstein Allison Akootchook Warden, & Carl Young

Directed by:

Darryl Akins, Joshua Branstetter, Amanda Cantrell, John Kendall, MaryAlice Lovel Larmi, John Parsi, Paul Rios, & Warren Weinstein

 Curated and led by Dominic D’Andrea & Caitlin Wees

THE ONE-MINUTE PLAY FESTIVAL (#1MPF) is America’s largest and longest running grass roots theatre company, founded by Producing Artistic Director, Dominic D’Andrea . #1MPF is a social barometer project, which investigates the zeitgeist of different communities through dialogue, consensus building and a performance of 50-100 short moments generated by each community. #1MPF works in partnership with theatres and/or social organizations sharing playwright, educational or community-specific missions across the country. The aim is to create locally sourced playwright-focused community events, with the goal of promoting the spirit of radical inclusion. #1MPF represents playwrights of different age, gender, race, cultures, and points of career. The work attempts to reflect the theatrical landscape of local artistic communities by creating a dialogue between the collective conscious and the individual voice.

 In each city, #1MPF works with partnering organizations to identify programs or initiatives in each community to support with the proceeds from ticket sales. The goal is to find ways give directly back to the artists in each community. Supported programs have ranged from educational programming, youth poetry projects, theatre program in prisons, playwright residencies and memberships, playwrights salaried commissions, community access projects, arts workshops and other social and artistic initiatives.

Annual partnerships have been created with theaters in over 20 cities including: New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Trenton, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Boston, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Seattle, Dallas, Austin, Indianapolis, Anchorage, Honolulu, St. Louis and more, with partnering institutions including Primary Stages, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, New Georges at New York City Center, Z-Space, A.C.T., Trinity Rep, Victory Gardens Theater, Cornerstone Theatre Company, The Playwrights Foundation, Boston Playwrights Theatre, Actor’s Express, InterAct Theatre, Mixed Blood, Walking Shadow Theatre, Passage Theatre, Phoenix Theatre, Kitchen Dog Theatre, Salvage Vanguard & ScriptWorks,  ACT Seattle, Perseverance Theatre, Round House Theatre, Honolulu Theatre For Youth and others.

Notable #1MPF contributors have included: David Henry Hwang, Lynn Nottage, Neil LaBute, Tina Howe, Donald Margulies, Nilaja Sun, Tarell Alvin McCraney, Robert Schenkkan, Lydia Diamond, Phillip Kan Gotanda, Kristoffer Diaz, Rajiv Joseph, Samuel D. Hunter, Karen Hartman, Robert Askins, Colman Domingo, José Rivera, Craig Lucas, Mike Daisey, Greg Kotis, Michael John Garcés and over to 1400 celebrated, emerging, and midcareer playwrights.  For more information visit: www.oneminuteplayfestival.com

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World premiere WHALE SONG runs Feb. 1-23 in Juneau

Julie CoppensNews, Productions

A daughter of the Arctic confronts her destiny in Whale Song, a world-premiere play by Cathy Tagnak Rexford (Iñupiaq), performing Feb. 1-23 at Perseverance Theatre, Alaska’s professional regional theatre company. The production, directed by Madeline Sayet (Mohegan), also performs March 8-17 at the Alaska Center for Performing Arts in Anchorage.

Soon after a baby is born in a small Arctic village, her parents learn of a prophecy: In order to restore nature’s delicate balance, Ani will spend her girlhood training for the honor of someday marrying a bowhead whale, leaving humanity and spending the rest of her life with her new mate. Ani wants to do the right thing and fulfill her duty, but as a young adult, she has other loves and other plans for herself. Cataclysmic events in the waters around her, and some difficult discoveries on land, eventually force a choice.

“I’m so honored that this play will premiere in Alaska. That has been very important to me from the start,” says Rexford, a Los Angeles-based member of the Perseverance Playwright’s Circle, with roots in the Arctic village of Kaktovik, as well as Dallas, Texas. “This play is of the Arctic, and while it is a fictional story, it is also a real story—its very marrow is from this land, from these Arctic waters, from our people.”

Rexford adds, though, “This is one story. I don’t speak for all Iñupiat people; I don’t claim to be the authority on any of the subject matter at hand. I heard a story, and I did the best I could to be truthful to it. This story is pretty unusual, but it’s also important at this point in our history. This story is relevant to Alaska, and I hope it can offer another voice, another reflection in the conversation about contemporary issues in the North.”

Actor Erin Tripp (Ani) has felt a deep connection to Whale Song’s protagonist: “She’s headstrong, stubborn, a bit sarcastic… which I’ve been known to be in my life. But she also has a huge decision in front of her, and wants to do the right thing. Which I think we can all relate to on some level… I’m excited for people to not just see how visually stunning this play will be, but also how beautiful the story is. I think it will make everyone think about our relationship to nature and the animals who share the world with us.”

In addition to Tripp, the cast of Whale Song includes Jennifer Bobiwash, Frank Katasse, Evan Rothfeld, Erika Stone, Jane Lind, Todd Hunter, Tai Yen Kim, Ty Yamaoka, and Ashleigh Watt. The creative team includes Asa Benally (costumes), Akiko Nishijima Rotch (scenic design), Art Rotch (lighting design), Rory Stitt (sound design), and Hali Duran (choreography).

“I love collaboration, and Whale Song is the kind of piece that truly requires a solid team to bring its realities into existence,” says director Madeline Sayet, who worked with Rexford and other Perseverance artists on an earlier draft of the piece in 2017. “Many of the climactic moments in the play are hugely complex stage directions, illustrating what needs to be advanced in the story—but not how to do it. We needed to figure out through movement how to stage complex philosophical notions… Luckily our choreographer, Hali Duran, is brilliant, and has made transforming into a whale seem more and more straightforward every day.

“The act of discovering how to stage transformation in a play where half the cast are playing people and half are whales,” Sayet adds, “has reminded me both of how capable we all are of transforming, and of how subtle so many of the lines constructed between beings are.”

Whale Song continues Perseverance’s landmark 40th anniversary season, which began this fall with Thornton Wilder’s iconic play Our Town and the world-premiere play Franklin, by Samantha Noble. Still to come are the musical Guys and Dolls, by Frank Loesser, Joe Swerling and Abe Burrows (playing March 15-April 13 in Juneau, May 3-12 in Anchorage); and Steve Martin’s bawdy comedy The Underpants (playing May 17-June 16 in Juneau). In addition, Juneau will enjoy the Young Company production Disco Alice: The Wonderland Remix, adapted and directed by William Conrow and playing the first two weekends in March. Please refer to our website, www.ptalaska.org, for show descriptions, ticket prices, and other details.

“Pick Three” subscriptions for both cities’ season remaining lineups are still available at www.ptalaska.org or by calling 907-463-TIXS (8497). For single tickets in Anchorage, please visit www.Centertix.com or call 907-263-ARTS (2787).

5 Qs for Ebenezer Scrooge: A Perseverance Theatre EXCLUSIVE!

Julie CoppensUncategorized

Think it’s a busy month for Santa Claus? Try being Ebenezer Scrooge. Charles Dickens’ unlikely holiday hero is everywhere these days, re-enacting his classic Christmas Eve conversion (aided by a few friendly ghosts) on countless stages and screens worldwide—even here in Alaska. We at Perseverance Theatre were lucky enough to snag a few moments with Mr. Scrooge, the formerly misanthropic megastar himself, while the Anchorage cast of A Christmas Carol were making their final preparations for this weekend’s opening at the PAC. He kindly agreed (yes, he’s really kind now) to answer our questions. Heartfelt thanks to actor J. Todd Adams, a stage veteran* taking his first turn as Scrooge this season, for facilitating the exchange.

  1. In A Christmas Carol, we witness scenes from your past that might hold keys to your miserable present, on that fateful Christmas Eve. But what did it, really? When did Ebenezer become Scrooge? 

Thanks for asking that! So many people see me as the epitome of selfish misanthropy, forgetting that I had a lonely, friendless childhood and a distant father. I had a reason for becoming the man you all know, even if the Ghosts eventually thaw my icy heart by showing me all I lost in pursuing that reason so relentlessly.

Belle, my onetime fiancé, hit the nail on the head when she told me, “You fear the world too much” and wish to be “beyond the chance of its sordid reproach.” Poverty puts you at the mercy of others, so I pursued wealth to build a wall around my heart that would protect from the pain and vulnerability of being reliant on my fellow men. Wealth was a means to independence and security in a merciless world, but of course I made the pursuit of it my “master-passion” and was fortunate to be shown the consequences. Thank you, Spirits, for reminding me that I once loved and was loved, and that life is so much more fulfilling when lived in connection to mankind.

  1. Your counting-house clerk, Bob Cratchit, is a deeply sympathetic character in the play, while you, Scrooge, come off as the Boss from Hell. Is this a fair portrayal? What aren’t we seeing? 

Well, in hindsight, I admit that I was a tyrannical boss to a kind and dedicated employee—but try to see my earlier point of view. Without me and my entrepreneurial spirit, Bob Cratchit would have been out on the street. I provided him employment and a means to support his family. As he himself describes me in a toast over Christmas dinner, I am “the Founder of the Feast.”

Of course, when I was young, I had an employer full of love and generosity who showed me that there is no need to make the lives of those dependent on you a living hell. Old Fezziwig taught me what I hope to practice going forward, that kindness and joy and generosity can and should be shown to those who work for and with you.

  1. Tiny Tim. Is he really as adorable as he seems?

He is. And he immediately touched my heart with his cheerful outlook and kind spirit. I would have just felt sorry for myself.

  1. What can you tell us about the young man who’s currently impersonating you at Perseverance Theatre, this J. Todd Adams character—are you sure he’s up to the job? 

Well he’s certainly younger and more dashing than I am, but he’s capturing my surly temperament quite effectively. I suspect there’s a bit of bitterness in his disposition that he has to fight to suppress, so I’m glad he can let it out in playing me. Let’s hope it will exhaust itself and leave him as hopeful and happy as I feel now!

  1. Now that you’ve come around, what advice do you have for those of us who still struggle to be merry at holiday time? We don’t all have the benefit of ghostly visitors, vivid nocturnal flashbacks, and other theatrical effects; how do you keep your own spirits up, when a long, dark winter gets you down?  

Well, as happy a time as Christmas is, it’s easy to let it overwhelm you and cause more stress than joy. I used to say “Bah!” when feeling those things, but now I say “Ah!” Jump in! Sing a song, visit a friend, build a snowman. Give of yourself and you’ll get far more than I ever did when I thought only of myself. Love and connect with family, friends, and even strangers. And remember the magic of Christmas that you felt when you were young. It will make you young again!

Mr. Scrooge, thank you—and break a leg!

*Here’s a bit more about J. Todd Adams, a.k.a. Ebenezer Scrooge, in case you’re curious:

J. Todd Adams is pleased to return to Perseverance Theatre after playing De Guiche in Cyrano de Bergerac last season. He has performed at the Utah Shakespeare Festival (four seasons), Great Lakes Theatre (five seasons), Idaho Shakespeare Festival (four seasons), Shakespeare Santa Cruz (four seasons), North Coast Repertory Theatre, Pioneer Theatre Company, DCPA Theatre Company, PCPA, South Coast Repertory, Mark Taper Forum, Ahmanson Theatre, American Conservatory Theater, Arizona Theatre Company, San Diego Repertory Theatre, Grove Theatre Center, A Noise Within, and Theatre @ Boston Court. His film and television credits include The West Wing, Gilmore Girls, Flyboys, and Warriors of Virtue. He received his M.F.A. in acting from the American Conservatory Theater.

Haunting new play Franklin, by Samantha Noble, to launch Nov. 30-Dec. 16 at Perseverance Theatre

joshuaUncategorized

A scientist and a songwriter hunt for answers in Franklin, a world-premiere play by Samantha Noble, launching Nov. 30-Dec. 16 at Perseverance Theatre, Alaska’s professional regional theatre company. The production, directed by Hannah Wolf (Juneau bred, a 2018 O’Neill Center National Directing Fellow), features original music by Juneau-based indie composer Marian Call.

Anchored in two eras on the same unforgiving Arctic seas, Franklin centers on two determined women forced to share a cabin aboard a modern-day research vessel. Caught bridging the gap between fact and story, art and science, the analytical Caroline and the intuitive Kira find themselves as trapped as the icebound crew of the 1840s expedition to find the Northwest Passage. Echoes from Franklin’s doomed journey lead the women through layers of history towards the lost ships, revealing that the truth can only be found when we listen to all sides of the story.

The cast of Franklin includes Victoria Bundonis (last seen on the Perseverance stage as Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd); Michaela Escarcega (Azteca), Travis Morris, Zebadiah Bodine, Connor Chaney, and Skyler Ray-Benson Davis. The creative team includes E.B. Brooks (costumes), Art Rotch (scenic design), Mike Inwood (lighting), and Lucy Peckham (sound).

Escarcega, a New York-based actor/director making her Perseverance Theatre debut as Kira, appreciates the complexity of the characters Noble has created: as Franklin unfolds, the audience learns that everyone on board harbors secrets and conflicts of their own, mysteries beyond even the fathoms-deep wrecks of Terror and Erebus (both recently recovered in real life). The songwriter Kira, for instance—joining Caroline’s mission on a grant-funded residency—is sometimes torn between honoring her indigenous roots, expressing her own creativity, and simply staying afloat as an artist.

“I can identify with that,” admits Escarcega. “I’m 25, which I guess means I’m going through a quarter-life crisis—and so is my character… Alaska is really a beautiful breathing space for me to be having my identity crisis through my work.”

Kidding aside, the actor says it’s a privilege to bring Noble’s fascinating play to life on the Perseverance stage, with director Hannah Wolf at the helm: “I love Hannah’s passion for new work.”

A Boston-based writer and playwright, Samantha Noble developed Franklin through the Kennedy Center and National New Play Network’s MFA Playwrights’ Workshop. Franklin later received a workshop production as part of Boston Playwright’s Theatre’s 2016-2017 season—but this Juneau staging represents the play’s official debut. The production will travel to Anchorage after the holidays and perform at the Alaska Center for Performing Arts, Jan. 11-20.

Franklin continues Perseverance’s 40th anniversary season, which opened this fall with Thornton Wilder’s iconic play Our Town (running in Anchorage through Nov. 25), and will feature another world premiere, Whale Song, by Cathy Tagnak Rexford (Inupiaq); the musical Guys and Dolls, by Frank Loesser, Joe Swerling and Abe Burrows; and Steve Martin’s bawdy comedy The Underpants. In addition, Anchorage audiences will enjoy A Christmas Carol Dec. 14-29, and several smaller Alaska communities will play host to Perseverance’s acclaimed touring production of The Winter Bear, by Anne Hanley. See below for the Juneau and Anchorage main stage season dates, and please refer to our website, www.ptalaska.org, for show descriptions, ticket prices, and other details.

Subscriptions for both cities’ season remaining lineups are still available at www.ptalaska.org or by calling 907-463-TIXS (8497). For single tickets in Anchorage, please visit www.Centertix.com or call 907-263-ARTS (2787).

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Juneau show info

Franklin, by Samantha Noble

Synopsis: A scientist and a songwriter hunt for answers in the world-premiere play Franklin. Caught bridging the gap between fact and story, art and science, the analytical Caroline and the intuitive Kira find themselves as trapped as the icebound crew of the 1840s expedition to find the Northwest Passage. Secrets, lies, and truths are revealed as the ice breaks around them.

Run: Nov. 30-Dec. 16 at Perseverance Theatre, 914 Third Street in Douglas. There will be Pay-What-You-Can previews at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 27, and Thursday, Nov. 29.

Show times: 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays.

Tickets: $30-$39 for adults, $25-$34 for seniors and military, $15-$21 for students; reserve seats at www.ptalaska.org or by calling 907-463-TIXS (8497).

Sunday Dec. 2 and Thursday Dec. 6 performances are Pay-What-You-Can.

Wednesday, Dec. 5 is Juneau Arts Night, with 50 percent off all tickets.

Q&A with the playwright: A talkback with Samantha Noble and the Franklin company will follow the Sunday, Dec. 2 performance.

Parent advisory: Franklin contains strong language, sexual references, and some violence and is not recommended for children under age 12.

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Perseverance Theatre’s 2018-19 Juneau Season:

Our Town, by Thornton Wilder

Art Rotch, director

October 5 – November 4, 2018

 

Franklin, by Samantha Noble

Hannah Wolf, director

November 30 – December 16, 2018

 

Whale Song, by Cathy Tagnak Rexford

Madeline Sayet, director

February 1 – 23, 2019

 

Guys and Dolls, Music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, Book by Joe Swerling and Abe Burrows

Shona Osterhout, director; Rob Cohen, musical director; Ricci Adan, choreographer

March 15 – April 14, 2019

 

The Underpants, by Steve Martin, adapted from the play Die Hose by Carl Sternheim

Teresa K. Pond, director

May 17 – June 16, 2019

 

Perseverance Theatre’s 2018-19 Anchorage Season:

 

Our Town, by Thornton Wilder

Art Rotch, director

November 9 – 25, 2018

 

A Christmas Carol, by Arlitia Jones and Michael Evan Haney, based on the book by Charles Dickens

Teresa K. Pond, director

December 14 – 29, 2018

 

Franklin, by Samantha Noble

Hannah Wolf, director

January 11 – 20, 2019

 

Whale Song, by Cathy Tagnak Rexford

Madeline Sayet, director

March 8 – 17, 2019

 

Guys and Dolls, Music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, Book by Joe Swerling and Abe Burrows

Shona Osterhout, director; Rob Cohen, musical director; Ricci Adan, choreographer

May 3 – 12, 2019

 

For interviews, photos, and more information, please contact:

Julie York Coppens, Director of Outreach and Engagement

juliec@ptalaska.org

mobile: 907-796-9031

www.ptalaska.org

PDF of Press Release-

PT_FRANKLIN_press_release