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

Young Company performs CRUSH Oct. 20-22

Julie CoppensUncategorized

Cole (Zain Haider Mufti) and Aspen (Nina Rautiainen), who may or may not be an extra-terrestrial with bad intentions, share a romantic moment amidst the famous billboards of Pin Cushion.

You’ve met the good folks of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire; time to face the evil aliens of Pin Cushion, California. Our fall Young Company production—a quirky, somewhat creepy but heartwarming take on Our Town—performs one weekend only on the Perseverance main stage, in repertory with… that other play. Our own Julie York Coppens directs a lovable cast of Juneau students ages 11-17 in a play you have to believe to see. Don’t miss it!

Show times:
4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20
7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 21
7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 22

Tickets:
$5 for youth, $12 for adults
(907) 463-TIXS
Get tickets

In addition, visiting Crush playwright Stephen Gregg will teach a series of FREE writing workshops for youth:

Jump-Start Your Play!

Bark (Hunter Hill, right) tries to explain that the new girl in school is, in fact, an evil alien bent on destroying the town.

So you’ve got an idea in your head that wants to be on stage—a story to tell, a new world to explore, a one-of-a-kind character or two just waiting to be brought to life. How do you turn a good idea to an actual script? And then how do you turn that script into theatre? Stop wondering and start writing, with help from one of the best. Bring your imagination and your preferred writing implements, because we’re going to do some extreme scripting.

1-3 p.m. (ages 9-13) and 3:30-5:30 p.m. (ages 14-18)
Friday, Oct. 19 at Zach Gordon Youth Center, 396 Whittier Street in Juneau

1-3 p.m. (ages 10 and up) Saturday, Oct. 20, at the Douglas Public Library,
1016 Third Street in Douglas

Participants in the Library workshop will receive free admission to Saturday’s 4 p.m. first performance of CRUSH. And also, snacks. Join us!

OUR TOWN Play Guide now available

Julie CoppensUncategorized

Here’s a link to our eight-page Play Guide for students, educators, and anyone else interested in getting to know Thornton Wilder, this play, and this Perseverance Theatre production a little better. Thanks to everyone who contributed, especially Maya Bourgeois (our real-life stage manager, who also happens to be a publications goddess), and to our friends at the Wilder Family LLC (www.thorntonwilder.com).

https://indd.adobe.com/view/37e1b601-21ef-4f5a-98a7-f6eba41852c5

A role for everyone in ‘Our Town’

Julie CoppensUncategorized

Great plays like Our Town can be powerful conversation starters. We invite you to share your thoughts about this production on our Facebook page (you’ve Liked us, right?) and other online channels, talk about it with your friends and neighbors, reach out to our new director of outreach and engagement, Julie Coppens (juliec@ptalaska.org), or join us for one of the free events below. As George says to Emily, mid-revelation over a couple of strawberry sodas in Morgan’s drugstore: “So I guess this is an important talk we’ve been having.” Thanks for taking part.

Theo Houck and the cast of PETER AND THE STARCATCHER (Fall 2016) take audience questions after a performance.

Post-performance talkbacks

These informal Q&A’s, immediately following certain performances and lasting about twenty minutes, feature guest panelists with company artists and staff. Patrons can drop in for any and all talkbacks, regardless of which performance they attend. 

  • Sunday, Oct. 7: Loss and Renewal in Our Town. This talkback following the 4 p.m. Pay-What-You-Can performance will focus on the play’s third act, in which Thornton Wilder approaches death, the afterlife, and the universal human experience of loss as no other dramatist had before. Join palliative-care professionals and others who help the Juneau community through our real-life end-of-life dramas, along with some cast members who are living with grief themselves, and explore how plays like Our Town can carry us through.
  • Friday, Oct. 19:What Our Town can Teach. Thornton Wilder always considered himself a teacher more than a writer, and his Our Town characters have a lot to say about teachers, school, and learning. At this talkback for guest educators of the Juneau Arts & Humanities Council’s “Artful Teaching” program, director Art Rotch and Our Town company members will discuss the play’s enduring educational value, and how to make the classics relevant for today’s students.
  • Wednesday, Oct. 24: Whose Town? How do we define “our town,” historically and in the present moment? Who gets to tell that story? In Thornton Wilder’s time, not everyone had a say: there’s not much diversity in the play’s original cast of characters, but we hope our all-Alaskan production will help audiences see Our Town from a fresh perspective–one that’s inclusive and compelling. Join us for Juneau Arts Night (half-price admission for all, thanks to our partnership with the Juneau Arts & Humanities Council), as company members and a diverse panel of community leaders unpack the play’s social themes.

And there’s more:

Beer Friday, 7 p.m. Oct. 12

Held the second Friday of most show runs in our Phoenix (black box) space. Enjoy a selection of fresh beers before the evening performance and at intermission, courtesy of Alaskan Brewing Company, while engaging in some dramatic conversation with friends, neighbors, and Perseverance staff.

Film screening: O.T.: Our Town, 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17

Join us at the Gold Town Nickelodeon for this award-winning documentary film from 2002, about a remarkable production of the play at Dominguez High School in Compton, California. If you still think Our Town is about a bunch of white people in an America long past, these teen-agers will change your mind. Admission is Pay-What-You-Can, with proceeds supporting Perseverance’s education and outreach programs.

Crush, by Stephen Gregg, Oct. 20-22

You’ve met the good folks of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire; time to face the evil aliens of Pin Cushion, California. Our fall Young Company production—a quirky, somewhat creepy but heartwarming take on Our Town—performs one weekend only on the Perseverance main stage, in repertory with… that other play. Don’t miss it! In addition, visiting Crush playwright Stephen Gregg will teach a series of writing workshops for youth and adults at Perseverance Theatre (Oct. 16), Zach Gordon Youth Center (Oct. 19), and the Douglas Library (Oct. 20); event details on our Facebook page.