Archive: Arts & Entertainment

Bloodline Transports Hangar to the Dawn of Civilization

June 29, 2006 (ITHACA, NY) - Following on its success with last summer’s production of As You Like It, the Hangar Theatre will once again breathe new life into a classic play this summer as its 2006 season continues with Bloodline: The Children of Argos. From July 5th through the 22nd, the Hangar presents a theatrical experience unlike any other in its 32 year history. “In telling an epic story so vast and expansive, this production will be spread out over two parts – like a television mini-series,” explains the Hangar’s artistic director Kevin Moriarty. “In fact, this play is actually comprised of five classic Greek plays by the three great fathers of modern drama: Aeschylus, Euripides, and Sophocles.”

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June 16, 2006 (ITHACA, NY)- Mysterious twists and turns, potential foul play, and dark British humor are all in the spotlight as the Hangar Theatre continues its 2006 season with Sleuth. From June 21st to July 1st, the Hangar presents Anthony Shaffer’s Tony-Award Winning thriller featuring mystery novelist and games-player Andrew Wyke, his wife’s lover, Milo Tindle, and the crew of investigators out to foil their intricate plans. The elaborate game of cat and mouse that ensues will leave the audience guessing, gasping, and—in the end—holding a secret they should keep even after they leave the theatre.

Since its London debut in 1970 and through thousands of performances there and on Broadway, Sleuth has received dazzling reviews from the critics as the progenitor of the modern psychological thriller. Variety described it as “a smart, gripping and civilized murder yarn which also is a slick parody of the popular type of detective whodunit novel of the thirties.” Harold Hobson of the Sunday Times called Sleuth “a play to see, to be astonished by, and to brood over.” The script won Anthony Shaffer the 1971 Tony Award for Best Play.

Rumor has it that the sun has been seen in the Lansing sky, and with summer comes concerts in Myers Park.  This year the concerts are scheduled for Thursday nights beginning June 29 at 6:30pm when the Burns Sisters will perform.  People are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, a picnic and blankets to the concerts.  'It's an intimate setting," says Park Superintendent Steve Colt.  "The backdrop is one of the best in the area.  The sunset, the lake.  You can sit right up close to the band.  The performers like it and the people like it because they're right there."

SMART TALK SMART TALK
By  Nurse Garrel S. Utter

POSSIBLE DANGER: Clayton Johnson looked grave. The town constable for Underbelly, Texas, cleared his throat, resisted spitting on camera, and looked nervously into “Scoop” Johnson’s lens. At the Institute for the Linguistically Impaired, we sat forward in our Fowler Lounge seats and watched the screen just as nervously. We knew we could count on Constable Johnson for a dizzying display of redundancies. He didn’t disappoint.

“The automobile was red in color. Witnesses who saw the incident indicated that said vehicle was proceeding ahead at a high rate of speed, willfully ignoring safety precautions and presenting a possible danger to the local residents.”

We sat back and applauded sarcastically, as if a server had dropped a tray of stemware. Constable Johnson won’t come to the Institute for treatment of his redundancy syndrome, even though we’ve offered it for no charge.

But over schooners of sarsaparilla, we decided that maybe he’s not so dumb. If he had spoken good English and said, “Witnesses reported a red car speeding and endangering residents,” he’d have used only one third as many words. That would have given him only one third as much air time.

Dumb like a fox, we agreed, reaching for something stronger.

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SMART TALK SMART TALK
By  Dr. Will S. Sert

ANXIOUS: At the Institute for the Linguistically Impaired, we hear from professional writers from time to time. A few, a very few, say they are anxious to learn the difference between that and which.

My colleagues and I are anxious about these writers’ language skill, and we wish they were eager to learn how to use that and which correctly. Most never did, but that’s a different lesson.

Since when did we stop feeling eager to do things and become anxious? Maybe the threat of nucular proliferation started all this anxiety.

I’ve been told that a well-known newspaper editor solicits letters with the line, “We’re anxious to hear from you.  ” Well, considering some of the wingnuts who write letters to the editor, I can sympathize with his not being eager.

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June 11, 2006 (ITHACA, NY)- There’s an unprecedented amount of activity in the Hangar Theatre this summer—a Mainstage season of five productions (one of which is actually comprised of FOUR classic Greek plays) and a Kiddstuff series that features eleven shows for the whole family. Thanks to four emerging directors and the Hangar’s Lab Company, there are at least eight more cutting edge productions “wedged” into the season as well. The Hangar Theatre is proud to announce the 2006 Lab Company Wedge Season.

An alternative theatrical space cut out of the Hangar’s lobby, the Wedge is the three-sided realm of the Lab Company’s exciting series of new plays, classic tales, and experimental work. The free-admission shows of the Wedge take place on select nights both before and after Mainstage performances and are helmed by four young artists from the Drama League Directors Project: Arin Arbus, Peter James Cook, Michael Silverstone, and Pirrone Yousefzadeh. The summer is split into four “rotations” for the visiting directors, allowing each to have an opportunity to direct one Kiddstuff performance, two plays in the Wedge—one established play of his or her choice and one original script from the Hangar’s Annual New Play Contest—and also to serve one rotation as the Lab Company Producer, overseeing the overall work of the company.

June 2, 2006 (ITHACA, NY)- Anyone can see live, professional theatre for less than the price of a movie ticket, thanks to the Hangar Theatre's PAY WHAT YOU CAN (PWYC) program. On Sunday, June 11th at 7:30pm, a set of seats have been reserved for "Pay What You Can" patrons to see the world premiere one-man musical Sammy & Me starring Eric Jordan Young.

ANY AMOUNT will be accepted as payment for these tickets. The Hangar is proud to offer PWYC performances, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to experience live theatre regardless of financial resources. This part of the Pay What You Can program is made possible by the theatre's PWYC sponsor, GreenStar Cooperative Market.

ITHACA, NY: Due to sold-out houses and popular demand, the Kitchen Theatre Company's presentation of Michelle Courtney Berry's LABOR has been extended for one additional performance on Sunday, June 18 at 4:00 PM. Tickets are now available at the Ticket Center located in the Historic Clinton House, by calling 607-273-4497 or online at www.kitchentheatre.org. Those unable to get tickets to Berry's completely sold-out run now have an opportunity to see her engaging performance.

June 5, 2006 (ITHACA, NY)- The Hangar Theatre is once again giving area families a full summer of fun with an extended, eleven show KIDDSTUFF series. The Hangar kicks off its 2006 KIDDSTUFF Season on June 13th, with the exciting bilingual adventure, Two Donuts. Two Donuts, which through June 17th, tells the magic realist tale of Pepito, a young Latino boy who tries to instill the beauty of his grandmother’s homeland into the barrio.