As Village Players reopens, love (and virus protocols) are in the air

 

From unexpected storms and fires to sudden illnesses and tragic deaths, producers of live theater have faced and responded to numerous crises over the past several decades. Sure, they may have had to temporarily pause performances for a day or two, immediately recast a role, or cancel the remaining run of a show. But not since the early 20th century have producers faced a major pandemic, especially one that shut down much of the world for a year and a half. So not only could their shows not go on, entire seasons had to be scrapped and theaters had to lock their doors as COVID-19 raced across the country.

In response – and to keep connected to their audience base – some producers offered theater-starved patrons fresh content via video. Others eventually moved outdoors with socially distanced performances. But now, as many companies throughout Metro Detroit begin announcing their seasons (all the while keeping their fingers crossed they’ll actually happen), one brave community theater, The Village Players of Birmingham, is among the first (if not the first) to unlock its doors, dust off the stage and invite patrons back into its performance space.

It was not an easy decision to make.

“It required several meetings of the Safety Committee, their recommendations to both the artistic and business boards, and approval of the boards to proceed with the upcoming slate of shows,” explained Stephen Sussman, the Players’ artistic board president. “There were several months of meetings and planning before proceeding.”

The Safety Committee, Sussman said, consisted of the troupe’s house and grounds chairperson, various long-time members, a doctor, a nurse (also members) and Sussman, an architect who is familiar with all aspects of the physical plant. “Using guidelines established by the CDC and State of Michigan, we decided it was safe and appropriate to start to have indoor live performances.”

Business as usual would not be the case, however. The first row of seating was removed, for example, to create more physical space between the stage and audience seating. But that’s not all. “(The) cast and crew are required to be vaccinated and show proof of vaccination,” Sussman explained. “When offstage, cast members are encouraged to wear masks. All audience members are urged to wear masks when in the playhouse. There is no gathering inside during intermissions and after performances for the audience to greet cast members; that is done outdoors. And we are suspending all afterglows for the time being.”

The Village Players tested the waters last month with a production of the musical “Godspell” that ran for one weekend only. Although one might think it would have been difficult to cast thanks to COVID-related hesitancy, Sussman said that wasn’t a significant factor. The real challenge was to find cast members who were able to rehearse and perform during the summer. “This is always a challenging time to find actors and participants due to vacations, travel, and other summer activities.”

There was a minor concern, however, with the vaccination requirement during auditions that was addressed. “The result was a fabulous show that was of high quality and that the audiences absolutely loved,” he said. “(Patrons) were thrilled to have live performances back.”

Sussman was also pleased with the box office numbers. “Ticket sales were surprisingly good for a summer show that ran for only one weekend - Thursday through Sunday -  and was not part of the original slate. And since this was an additional show to welcome our members and patrons back, we consider it a huge success.”

Also successful were the new COVID protocols. “I’d guess we had about 98 to 99% compliance,” Sussman continued. “Almost everyone wore a mask during the show and were very cooperative. There were a few people – very few – who resisted wearing a mask. They claimed they were vaccinated, however. I presume those that weren’t comfortable simply didn’t attend. So short of having an actual mandate, I think we are comfortable with the policies we have currently in place.”

After such promising results with “Godspell,” The Village Players now turns its focus on its next show, which will be the first to run a traditional, multi-week schedule since the theatre shut down mid-run in March 2020 because of state-mandated COVID restrictions. And if the title rings a bell, it should.

“Shakespeare in Love” was the production shuttered after only three performances, and its return this month makes total sense to Sussman. “It is a fantastic show, and since the set was still in place and the majority of the actors were even now interested in performing it again, it was an easy decision to start the season with this restaging,” he said.

A few actors needed to be replaced, however. Not because of COVID concerns, but due to moving away or scheduling conflicts. “No one that was available refused to participate.”

For director Holly Hellsten Conroy, neither wild horses nor a mutating virus could keep her from returning to the show. “‘Shakespeare In Love’ is my baby,” she explained. “I’d worked on it for more than two years prior to that first production. So much of my heart is in this project; there was no way I’d drop the ball. Beyond my own love of the show, the enthusiasm of our cast and crew to return to the stage sealed the deal.”

And with safety protocols in place, Conroy said she feels safe. “Any hesitancy I might have felt disappeared once I received my second vaccination.”

Because the world has radically changed, so too has the working environment. Rehearsals and performances are now part of an experimental brave new world to which actors and audiences alike will have to adjust and make allowances. “Although our actors will not be wearing masks onstage during performances, we’ve allowed them to wear masks during rehearsals for their own comfort,” Conroy said. “Obviously, with part of the face covered, I’m apt to be directing what I hope is there. Fortunately, the two principal characters in our production are played by a very talented married couple – Ashley and Patrick Lane – who have no need of masks.”

Actress Lane, who plays Viola, had few qualms about returning to the show. “I have the same nerves that I am sure many have when jumping back into group activities,” she said. “It feels strange to be in groups and close to people again, when for so long we held back from those activities. However, after the initial nerves, I have felt very comfortable and grateful for the experience!”

Why? “(Both the production team and the Safety Committee) are constantly updating and changing the policies to ensure that we are following the state’s guidelines and recommendations in real time. There are physicians as part of the safety committee who have firsthand experience and knowledge of COVID, so that helps make me feel very well taken care of in this setting.”

But what happens when audiences enter the mix? “There is always the slight fear that the more people you encounter, the greater the risks are, but again, I feel very confident in the producers and the safety committee to ensure that everyone is being informed and taken care of in every way possible,” Lane said.

Similar reactions are found among the tech crew. “I was never hesitant to get involved,” said props mistress Suzie Skibicki. “I was part of our production before we were shut down by Covid last year and was thrilled to be able to return to my post for a full run of the show. I am eager for our patrons to share a live theater production with us,” she said.

So too is Ashley Lane. “We need theater!” she exclaimed. “I think the world needs art and human stories now more than ever. We need to come together and remember that at our core, we are all the same. We laugh, we cry, we are all human! There is a lot of division in the world, and I believe that theater unites us. So I hope that this production can bring a little bit of unity to our corner of the world right now.”

But that’s not all. “Our industry has been hit in a devastating way from COVID, as many industries have been, and I feel as an artist it is my job to bring stories back to our audiences, in a safe way of course. Especially in such times of uncertainty and anxiety, sharing the human experience through a play is extremely healing.”

But will audiences show up? “I am concerned that patrons will fear attending an indoor event and we might have small audiences,” director Conroy said. “It’s such a splendid show and everyone has worked so hard on it, it deserves sold-out performances.”

Patrons will be asked to wear masks, even if they’re vaccinated, although the theater won’t police it, Conroy noted.

And if they do show up, what will patrons be treated to? A romantic comedy, according to board president Sussman, that’s even funnier than the Oscar-winning motion picture it’s based upon. “We have a wonderfully talented cast, and there are beautiful period costumes, live Renaissance music and dancing, sword-fights and even a dog!”

In other words, there’s pretty much something for everyone in The Village Players’ production of “Shakespeare in Love.”

And who couldn’t use a good laugh these days?

Shakespeare in Love
The Village Players of Birmingham
34660 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham
Sept. 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, and 25 at 8 p.m.
Sept. 12, 19, and 26 at 2 p.m.
Tickets: $20 (plus a $1 processing fee for each ticket order)
Purchase online at www.birminghamvillageplayers.com or by calling the theater box office at 248-644-2075.

Note: Anyone with questions regarding the Players’ COVID policy can find the most up-to-date information on its website at www.birminghamvillageplayers.com.

Above photo caption: Romantic sparks fly on and off the stage as married couple Ashley and Patrick Lane star in "Shakespeare in Love."  Photo: Joseph Lease

About The Village Players:
The Village Players of Birmingham, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit community theater, presents high quality dramatic, comedic, and musical productions. Everyone is invited to participate on stage, backstage or as an audience member in the theater's main stage, youth theater, and Playwrights at Work productions and programs. The Village Players have been entertaining the community from its location at 34660 Woodward Avenue in Birmingham since 1926.

A powerful, affecting theatrical team up

 

They had me at Payton and Kelley. Richards and Hill. Briggs and DeBruyne. Theatre Nova and The Ringwald.

Since the 1970s, comic book fans have been treated to the occasional intercompany crossover in which DC produced a story featuring Superman with Marvel’s Spiderman, while Marvel and IDC mixed it up with the X-Men and Star Trek. (Yes, that really happened.) Part of the fun for the reader was seeing how writers and artists of one company would mix with their peers and/or characters of another to churn out a story that could be enjoyed by fans of both.

A somewhat similar phenomenon occurred across the Detroit-to-Lansing corridor since at least 2005 when the late, lamented BoarsHead Theater joined forces with Plowshares Theatre Company to co-produce “The Story,” which was quickly followed by other team-ups with Meadow Brook Theatre and (the equally late and lamented) Performance Network. And it wasn’t long before a handful of other theaters joined in the fun.

As a theatergoer, I always looked forward to these events, since the cross pollination of talent served to introduce audiences in one market to the creative wizardry of another. They also enabled budget-wary producers to share costs that allowed two companies to offer quality shows to their specific audiences they might never otherwise experience. (If, for example, Performance Network and BoarsHead hadn’t co-produced Kim Carney’s “Moonglow,” most theatergoers in Metro Detroit might never have been treated to the wonderment that was the amazing actress, Carmen Decker.)

It was a win-win for everyone, including the multitude of actors, designers and directors whose options for work increased because of this exposure to management teams outside their traditional venues.

Unfortunately, such joint efforts seemed to have fallen by the wayside in recent years – and the pandemic shutdown certainly put a stop to them altogether. But an email I received a few weeks back gave me hope that team-ups and crossovers will make a comeback as theaters begin to slowly reopen their doors to the public.

The good news is that the first such effort is well-worth seeing. Given the show’s pedigree, I assumed the production would be well cast and creatively staged. What I didn’t expect, however, was how such an OK script could become so much more powerful and memorable because of their efforts.

For three weekends beginning June 5, Ann Arbor’s Theatre Nova and (the still-in) Ferndale’s Ringwald Theatre began “on-demand” performances of the musical “A New Brain,” courtesy of Broadway on Demand. It can be accessed any number of ways online through June 20. The production is the best of both worlds, as it’s staged as a play, but produced as a movie, which brings the power of the performances up close and personal in a way that would never happen sitting three (or 20) rows from the action. And that made all the difference in how I responded to the production.

Creator William Finn initially conceived “A New Brain” not as a musical, but as a series of songs he wrote after being released from the hospital following his near-fatal collapse on 45th Street in New York City. After workshopping what started as a concert-style production, Finn teamed with frequent collaborator James Lapine on the book, and together they merged the songs with a storyline to create a 90-minute (or so) musical that launched off-Broadway in 1998 for an almost five-month run.

It’s a somewhat-autobiographical tale. Children’s television songwriter Gordon Schwinn is frustrated creating silly songs for a demanding adult man dressed as a frog. While having a not-so-pleasant lunch with his best friend and agent, Gordon’s brain decides to painfully introduce him to a heretofore-undiscovered arteriovenous malformation, sending Gordon face first into his meal. Later, at the hospital awaiting brain surgery, Gordon reveals his biggest fear: dying with his greatest song still inside his head. And it just so happens that his boss, Mr. Bungee, still needs one more tune for the next show. Immediately.

There’s much more to it than that, with most of the plot and story revealed through song rather than dialog. Sometimes, though, you might scratch your head and wonder why a homeless lady keeps showing up, or why the show occasionally feels like a patchwork of songs that kinda/sorta don’t feel connected. Or why the characters seem a bit shallow, one-note or cartoony, with motives that aren’t always clear.

But none of that is the fault of Theater Nova or The Ringwald. What they are responsible for, however, is director Vince Kelley and his cast taking Finn and Lapine’s material and making it – well, sing!

And sing they do. Diane Hill as Gordon’s neurotic mother, Mimi, has two numbers that sizzle. The first, “Mother’s Gonna Make Things Fine,” is Mimi’s initial reaction to her son’s hospitalization. But with the realization that Gordon’s surgery could be fatal – and outside her ability to fix – she decides to head over to Gordon’s apartment and clean. It’s a heart-wrenching performance, as Mimi’s emotions bubble up and explode – and it serves as a reminder of just what a kick-ass actress Hill is in such roles.

Then there’s Jamie Richards as Mr. Bungee, the tyrannical producer and star of the children’s television show that employs Gordon as a songwriter. One image burned into my memory bank is Richards as a contemplative Mr. Bungee, sitting in his darkened studio, a cigarette dangling from his lips. As played by Richards, his number, “Don’t Give In,” is especially revealing. (Richards is another whose character work is always top-notch.)

A pleasant surprise was the inclusion of popular actor Steve DeBruyne in the production. His is a voice I could listen to all day, and he has plenty of fun with the role of Doctor Berensteiner. And I absolutely laughed out loud at an aside inserted into the script in which he plugs with a quick wink and a nod his own theater company. (That would be The Dio – Dining & Entertainment in Pinckney; check it out when it reopens.)

Others in the cast are Jason Briggs as sympathetic (and handsy) nurse Richard, who knocked me out in “Ain’t Misbehavin’” at the Jewish Ensemble Theatre in 2019. Here, he’s the show’s comic relief and the lone voice of compassion, and he lights up the stage whenever he’s the focus of a scene. Arielle Crosby likely has the strongest, sweetest and most polished singing voice in the show, and she’s a delight in the role of Lisa the homeless woman. Alaina Kerr is perfectly annoying as the waitress whose jabbering helps initiate Gordon’s attack, and later, as mean nurse Nancy. Then there’s Liz Schultz as manager/best-friend Rhoda, a character who simply helps move the story and songs along but doesn’t really contribute much of importance to the plot. (It’s a fine performance in an otherwise un-notable role.)

Most impressive, however are longtime friends and collaborators Richard Payton as Gordon and Vince Kelley as Richard, Gordon’s boyfriend. The two certainly up their already incredible game here, as we watch both individually and together sort through their strained relationship and come out better at the end. But be forewarned: Keep your Kleenex ready, as the power of video closeups magnifies and personalizes their story far better than a stage play ever could. As the saying goes, they “keep it real” – and as such, their audience has ringside seats as the couple’s emotions seep through the lyrics and dialog, and as a result they create real, struggling, and loving people we can identify with as they work through a scary time in their lives.

Staging, camerawork and editing are very good, with only a few minor bumps and bruises along the way (mostly as one scene moves to the next). But it’s a far superior viewing experience than any Zoom production I’ve seen. And lighting effects are an especially notable part of the storytelling, particularly when it comes to Mr. Bungee. (Pay close attention to find out why.)

Will you be able to hum a tune from the show after turning off your computer? Probably not. But you will remember the journey of Gordon and Roger, thanks to Richard and Vince, who tug and tear your heart before sewing it back together with performances both men should be quite proud of.

SHOW INFORMATION: Remaining show dates on demand are June 12, 13, 19 and 20. Tickets are $25 per person. Purchase tickets HERE.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.theatrenova.org/

Read a preview in Between The Lines: CLICK HERE!

The Ringwald lovingly 'spears' entertainment icons in video murder-mystery

 Have you been missing visits to your local professional theaters as much as I have?

As the pandemic shutdown is now in its second year, theaters across the country are both hopeful that reopening day is not far off, yet fearful their very existence may be in jeopardy before that much-anticipated. For some theaters, this has meant going totally dark and off the radar until it’s safe to invite guests back into their facilities; companies such as Theatre Nova, Open Book Theatre and a handful of others, however, have embraced 21st-century technology and created occasional video and zoom productions to stay connected to their patrons.

And while watching plays on a TV or computer screen isn’t as intimate or as fun as sitting mere feet away from live actors in a darkened theater, tough times require innovation – but what does that means for the industry once the world returns to some semblance of normal? Unfortunately, we won’t know for some time to come. Will the habits of former patrons be changed to the extent that video will now be their preferred entertainment medium? Will customers be slow to return – if at all? Will a mix of live and recorded entertainment packages be the new “thing” for industry producers in the years and seasons to come?

We’ll see. But for now I’m thrilled to get my occasional fix from producers such as The Ringwald Theatre, who continue to offer patrons what they do best and with the talent audiences have grown to love, with only the medium and the method of delivery changed.

So what little treat do the creative and innovative folks at The Ringwald have in store for us this time? How about an original comedy that oddly (but successfully) combines one of TV’s most beloved sleuths and a troubled pop star in a tale that could have been ripped from supermarket tabloid headlines, “Murder, She Podcast: Baby One More Crime.”

In a 21st-century update to the traditional TV whodunnit, famed mystery novelist Jessica Fletcher investigates the strange disappearance and possible murder of Brittany Spears - and once again her old friend, (former) Sheriff Amos Tupper, is at her side. Now, though, they are interviewing witnesses via the internet from inside her home in Cabot Cove where they are recording the latest episode of their weekly podcast series. Assisting them is producer Andrew Lark.

To be honest, much of pop culture flies below my radar, especially anything to do with Hollywood and recording artists. So I’m about as familiar with the trials and tribulations of this faded singing sensation as I am with the lives of my neighbors six doors down – meaning, I know their names and what they do for a living, but that’s about it. Yet, the well-plotted script by the returning team of Vince Kelley and Matthew Arrington provides all the details and background info I needed to follow – and enjoy – the story, thanks in part to the snark, asides and snappy quips that are quite useful in providing this necessary information. (And what’s said is often funny as heck, too!)

What also works extremely well is the use of technology to tell the story. As written, “Murder She Podcast” would never work as a stage play. And so director Brandy Joe Plambeck and video editor Dyan Bailey utilize the creative tools of modern-day videography to effectively move the plot along. Especially fun are Tupper’s dream sequences in which he ponders the details of each suspect’s role in the possible murder of Ms. Spears. (And that’s all I’ll reveal. Why ruin the surprise for you!)

Most impressive, though, are the performers. In typical Ringwald fashion, a few genders are bent to great effect, and together, each actor (bent or otherwise) takes the words the authors gave them, grabs them by their metaphorical balls, and has a blast delivering very memorable (and spot-on) characters.

That’s especially true of Donny Riedel as the “Leave Brittany Alone” girl, Chris Crocker. Compare his interpretation here to the video of Crocker you can find online and you’ll be even more amazed by his stunning performance.

Another standout is the infectiously delightful Nicole Pascaretta as bubbly and wide-eyed younger sibling Jamie Lynn Spears. I don’t know how close on the mark her portrayal is – remember, my knowledge of such people is almost nil – but I loved every minute she brightened my screen!

Also loads of fun is regular Ringwald character actor Joel Mitchell, who is pitch perfect (isn’t he always?) as hardware store cashier Gene Smart, who just might have some light to shed on a purchase that could lead to identifying the killer. And Cory Shorter is delicious as Brittany’s hairdresser, Jeffrey Bean, who may reveal a heretofore secret that could help crack the case. Or maybe not.

Then, of course, there’s Richard Payton, once again donning dress and wig, this time as Jessica Fletcher; Joe Bailey as Cabot Cove’s beloved Sheriff Tupper (seasons one through four only, though, as Jessica reminds him); and Suzan M. Jacokes as put-upon producer Andrew Lark (who often accomplishes more with a devastating expression than any word ever could). These three are a seamless team, each playing to the others’ strengths and obviously having a ball doing so!

And as a result, I had one heck of a ball, as well!

But there’s one more performance I’ve yet to mention, and I’ve saved the most intriguing for last. Of all the actors one could think of to play Brittany Spears, the choice by director Plambeck is one that would never appear on most anyone’s list – not even in the last, oh-hell-no position. Yet the decision to cast Dave Davies in the role was a brilliant one. Not only is he one of the funniest, most talented and nicest guys you’d ever want to know, I’ve now learned you can “doll him up” and make an amazingly cute girl out of him! The only crime committed here was that we didn’t see more of her.

Oh - and one final note: As every movie seems to do these days, make sure you stay tuned after the credits for a bonus presentation. It's an original music video, and you'll love it!

* * * * *

SHOW INFORMATION: Tickets for Murder, She Podcast: Baby One More Crime are available at www.theringwald.com at three different giving levels: $20, $50, and $100 and can be purchased now through Sunday, May 2. The performance will be available to stream through May 10. Once you purchase your ticket, an email will be sent to you which will include links for Murder, She Podcast: Baby One More Crime and a virtual program. The video is hosted on Vimeo. You can watch on your phone/computer/tablet or, if you have the capability, you can stream the production to your smart TV.

NOTE: "Murder, She Podcast: Baby One More Crime" was developed prior to the release of the Framing Britney Documentary. The Ringwald firmly stands in support of the pop icon, and shares this piece of art with love and affection.

PHOTOS: Jessica Fletcher (Richard Payton) investigates the mysterious disappearance of Britney Spears in "Murder, She Podcast: Baby One More Crime," available to stream virtually from April 16-May 2, 2021. Photo by Brandy Joe Plambeck.