WELCOME BACK TO THE PLAYERS

Hello, hello, hello! It's been over a year since our last post. Some significant updates: Trine is now a full-time student at The New School in NYC where we wish her all the best success! I finished at Smith in December of 2008, and this past June I welcomed my first child Finn into the world. As you can imagine it's been a busy year for me personally and simultaneously our previous ensemble were all moving on to new and exciting activities as young adults which meant that last year was a lull, a necessary fallow time for the fields to replenish, and this year the North Star Players are kicking back into action! We have a new time slot - 10:00-11:30am on Tuesdays. We have an open focus as we get to know each other and create our new ensemble. We'll be studying viewpoints, Composition, elements of the Suzuki method, LeCoq techniques, multi-media techniques, taking field trips to see local performances, playing games, reading scripts, and generally having a blast while we decide how to shape ourselves for the coming year. Expect to see a mainstage again next spring, possibly another one-act festival sooner. If you haven't come to class before, now is an excellent time to join!!! Hope we see you at class or in the audience. Cheers!

Triumphant Opening Night

Well, there it is. The waning thrill of a spectacular evening of performance and storytelling. The adrenaline seeps out of you, much the same as it does once you've reached the peak of the cliff you're rock-climbing, or moments after a life-threatening event has passed by leaving you undamaged... or only slightly so. It is a deeply satisfying ebb. Although the heights of energy and aliveness from the night are wearing off, there's the truly contented sensation of a job well done. Tonight's performance was a triumph of ensemble and artistic craft. I am fully aware of how egotistical this may seem since I am one of the directors, but I was so proud of my beloved actors (and stage manager!) this evening. They played to a house filled to far beyond capacity (and all with word-of-mouth advertising I might add) and although it was full of friends and family I sometimes find that those who love us are the hardest audiences to surprise - they may clap for whatever we do, and be truly supportive of our endeavors, but to genuinely surprise and delight those who know us best - that is a real accomplishment. Laughter was thick in the air and tears ran unchecked. I may be waxing poetic, but tonight had an aura of magic to it. To my adored co-director Trine, I send the cheers of the crowd, the roar of their standing ovation, and the warmth of the endless embraces. Bravisimo!

If you weren't part of our packed audience tonight, make your reservations now for the four remaining shows this weekend - you will be delighted!

Saprema,
Ellen

this makes me yelp.

Hello, Trine here, one of the directors of the show we aren’t allowed to say the name of. I know I haven’t posted before, but I never had anything I really needed to say… before now. This up coming show is coming to be amazing (I’m not just saying it because I’m working on It. No. It really is.) And due to the weird circumstances of scheduling there is absolutely no way that I can see this crazy cool show. How, you might ask, does a director miss their own show? It is due to other once in a life time family affairs. (Which I am also excited for, but sad all the same.) Well, what are these “affairs” you say? A member of my family is getting married Sunday (rehearsal Friday), and I am bridesmaid (I’m a first timer there). Also my wonderful sister after four years very hard dedicated work will be graduating from U-Mass this up coming Saturday followed by a dinner.
So you see there is really no way for me to see this super sweet play, which is so sad that every time I remember I can’t be there I let out an involuntary yelp of pain. I would love if you would see it goes! Or take my seat, and tell me what you think. This show will have you laughing, perhaps crying, and wanting to munch upon almonds the whole ride home. So give it a watch for me!
Signed the director who wishes she were there every night,
Trine Boode-Peresen.

Ahh, Theatre in the Springtime

I feel as though it's been ages since I've posted anything. Let's see... we've had an interesting year so far: during the fall we had several conversations as a class/company about whether people wanted to continue to participate in theatre at North Star and if so, in what formats; we talked about commitment and discipline and fun; we reviewed elements of Suzuki method, especially the sitting and standing statues and some of the walks; we did compositions* inspired by scenes from Sarah Ruhl's "Melancholy Play;" we played games and did Viewpoints; we wittled our numbers down and also welcomed new members to join us. Trine and I were both incredibly busy at our respective colleges and with the play "Commedia dell Smartass" (by Sonya Sobieski) which our company the Serious Play! Theatre Ensemble was presenting and in which Trine was one of 4 performers and also my husband Dan and I were co-directing. This busyness put a bit of a strain on North Star theatre, but we managed to pull it off! I think we can all say that the fall was productive and fun. We even succeeded in presenting some excellent one-acts, orchestrated entirely by the students (and Trine!).

The spring semester so far has flown by more quickly than we expected, busyness continued ("Commedia" opened in early March), but the North Star Players have survived Trine's and my crazyness and we're picking up the pace now in anticipation of putting up our annual mainstage production at... North Star! Yes, for the first time in years, our main production will take place in our own North Star building. With some work and creativity the large rehearsal room will be transformed into a wonderful little black box theatre. Check here and at the North Star Players website for upcoming details about this year's production.

As an aside, I have long championed spelling theatre as 'theater.' I felt that folks I knew who used 'theatre' tended to be a bit presumptious and I preferred the down-home, nitty-gritty feel of 'theater.' However, I have finally been convinced that 'theatre' is a more universal spelling and therefore a better spelling. A colleague recently reminded me that the U.S. is the only place that spells theatre as 'theater' and that in fact I was being presumptuous by insisting on 'Americanizing' the spelling of this word. So I've switched over. It's not flip-flopping, it's being open to others' perspectives and the possibility of adapting to new (or old) ideas. Something else that I champion. :)

That's all for now, and do check back to see what we're up to!

*for more information about Viewpoints and Composition read Anne Bogart's "A Director Prepares" and especially Bogart's and Tina Landau's "The Viewpoints Book."

Holiday Potluck Composition!!!

Our first "Melancholy Play" composition will be shared with families and friends at the North Star Holiday Potluck on December 8th (at North Star!). This is a Saturday from 6pm-8pm. Please comment here to confirm your availability. We will work this composition again Monday 11/26 during regular class time.

Our First Theater Field Trip?

Take a look at the info below and let's chat about whether we all want to/can go to this play!

At PACE:
Thursday, September 27, 8pm
Friday, September 28, 8pm
Saturday, september 29, 8pm
Sunday, September 30, 2pm

THE BLACK JEW DIALOGUES

What's so funny about two American minorities that have slavery, the KKK, and chicken livers in common? That's what you'll find out in this extraordinary two-actor play on the history and absurdity of prejudice and racism within the context of the American Black-Jew experience. The Black Jew Dialogues combines aspects of theatre, sketch-comedy, improv, video, and spoken-word. In The Black Jew Dialogues, Larry Jay Tish and Ron Jones (who wrote the script) take the audience on a hysterical and poignant ride through three days they spent together in a cheap hotel room discussing their own experiences, the history of their people, and why there has been a growing riff between the two groups since the early 70's. Their dialogue begins in the Egypt of the Pharaohs and travels through Africa, colonial times, to present-day America.

$15 General / $10 Students, Seniors, Members & Unemployed

More PACE Auditions

WEST SIDE STORY AUDITIONS

PACE is planning a production of West Side Story in the Spring of '08.
When?: Sat Sept 15 at 12pm
Where?: UMass Amherst - Theater Department in the Fine Arts Center - Room 204
(There will be signs)
Needed: Males & Females ages 14 and up - for singing and dancing roles
Prepare a musical theater song and dress appropriately to move.

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OLEANNA AUDITIONS

PACE's production of David Mamet's OLEANNA directed by Jeannine Haas will
take place in November.
When? Sunday, Sept 16, 6pm-9pm
Where? At PACE, 41 Union St, Downtown Easthampton
Needed: 1 male, 40s and 1 female, 20s.
Prepare a short contemporary monologue.