Page 117 - ThePhoenix1995-96

NEWS Anton Chekov's The Cherry Orchard opens at Alumni Hall sonas and relationships to bring One thing which is unique to By GRANT RICE News Edilor alive on stage. the WMC production of The The fall semester theatre Rehearsal began in late No- Cherry Orchard is its set design. workshop will present The Designed by Ira Domser, a Cherry Orchard; written by Anton Dramaturg's raised platform in the shape of a Checkov and directed by Dr. Ron large X. reaching into the orches- Miller, during the first two week- Discussion tra pit, has been built above the ends of March. stage. Long pieces of rope have The four act play was chosen The Cherry Orchard is set in been suspended from ceiling to by Miller, associate professor and Russia in the early 1900s. How floor to with colored red and head of department, for his class do the WMC students, presum- green lights dancing upon them. to perform. ably not Russians living at the Actors have had to learn many The theatre workshop is a time of the last czar, play the things, from waltzing to how to three thousand level class de- needed roles? clean a rifle. Along with voice signed for experienced and ad- The answer: Talk to the and singing lessons, the company vanced actors to further their dramaturgs. They research the has gone through a lot of hard learning and acting skills. time period and can, if needed, work. Auditions were held during provide the players with a de- The production has been a dif- late November for possible cast tailed outline of what it was like ficult one to prepare props for, members. About 20 WMC stu- to be a Russian citizen at that due to the lime period in which it dent tried out for positions and 17 time. The dramaturgs also brief takes place. were chosen to fill the roles. the director on the play ant its A wagon, along with pistols This poignant comedy which history. and antique wooden furniture will past directors have considered a WMC's dramaturgs, students be utilized to bring The Cherry tragedy, is based in turn of the Eric Lyga and Rebecca Wagner, Orchard alive. century Russia. will join director Ron Miller, Characters such as Charlora The theme of the play is a History Professor Con Darcy and Ivanova are easy to identify with changing world with landed aris- actors, for a discussion on The and humorous. tocracy who are stuck in the past Cherry Orchard and early 20th Opening night is Friday, and not willing to adapt or change Century Russia after the March March first at eight p.m. Shows their old ways, a common theme 3rd show at Alumni Hall. The continue Saturday and Sunday. of Checkov and other playwrights post-show discussion is open to The second weekend of March of the time. the public. begins early with shows on "This production is an excel- Thursday through Saturday, all lent challenge," commented vember, shortly after auditions, shows begin at eight. Miller on its difficulty. and has continued until today. A Tickets are available at the Translated by David Mamet, large amount of time has been set door: $8 for adults, $3 for se- Here Jeff Trumper and Sue Oxley wallZ during an Act III rehearsal the play offers a unique challenge aside from students performing to niors, children under 12 and stu- Actors have had 10 leorn many totems for this challenging prOduclion. for actors with a variety of per- pull off a challenging play. dents with I.D. Professor Theatre on the Hill Model United Nations to perform begins season held in Boston 16 WMC students represent Brazil Western Maryland College's Theatre on the Hill, the profes- "Greater Tuna," opens in July. A Monday Night Music series will sional summer theatre company in lampoon of life in the extremely delegation's faculty advisor and feature the concert premiere of residence at Western Maryland small town of Tuna, Texas, this New.fA.lsi.flam the instructor for the lanuary- eight selections by music faculty College, has scheduled five shows farce centers around a host of A delegation of sixteen term course that prepared the stu- member' Garth Baxter on March for its 1996 season, including the wacky characters. "Much of the Western Maryland students and dents for the conference. Neal 4, an p.m., in Big Baker Chapel Baltimore- Washington premiere of fun will be watching two Theatre one student from Carroll Com- said that while at HNMUN, Th'e program, free and open the musical comedy, "Ruthless!". on the Hill actors as they get the munity College recently repre- WMC students "compete with the to the public, will include in- Open auditions for the season chance to shine in 20 different sented the Republic of Brazil at best schools in the country" from sights and explanations of the wiil be held in March at Western "Iuna'crotes," Mr. Domser said, the Harvard National Model which the students "gain confi- compositions by the composer, Maryland College and at noting that both "Ruthless!" and United Nations (HNMUN) in dence." Mr. Baxter, also an instructor at Baltimore's Theatre Project, ac- "Grearer Tuna" were long-running Boston. Additionally, Neal com- Carroll Community CoJlege. cording to Ira Domser, Theatre on smashes in New York. The conference was attended mented that HNMUN gives stu- The concert will feature per- the Hill producer. The season concludes with the by over 140 colleges from around dents "a sense of the level of frus- as Canada, as well formances by WMC faculty "It's a great season with some- August "The opening Secret of the Broadway in the country Latin America. The tration in decision-making, policy-making Japan, Garden," is not easy." hit, and members Douglas Crowder, thing for everyone," he said. "It's which a young girl and her wid- "Students don't appreciate baritone, and David Kreider, our most exciting and entertain- owed uncle pull together as a four-day endeavor consisted of [policy-making] until they're in- piano, and Rebecca Jones ing season yet. We're going to family through the healing power meetings of the UN committees. Trout, plano, Wendy have a lot of fun." of the late aunt's magical garden. The students attempted to rep- volved in it," explained Neal. Scheinberg, soprano, Michael "Ruthless!" an uproariously resent their respective nation- "It's difficult to get things wicked musical about a little girl Based on the children's classic of state's point-of-view regarding accomplished in the interna- Britt, organ, and the Carroll the same name, this treat for the who would 'kill' (and does) for issues relative to the specific tional arena," Junior Randy County Chamber Singers, as whole family includes a score the lead in her school play, opens committee. Ryner agreed with Neal, "it's well as Mr. Baxter and a guitar written by Pulitzer Prize winner the season in late June. This ex- For instance, the Economic incredible for the UN to achieve quartet from The Peabody Con- tremely funny showbiz parody Marsha Norman and Carly and Social Council Commission something." servatory of Music. Simon's sister Lucy. on Science and Technology for Senior Holly Roback, one of Mr. Baxter is a published com- tells the story of Tina Denmark, In addition, Theatre on the a third-grader with talent, a big Development addressed the is- the head delegates, affirmed poser and his works have been Hill will present "The Princess smile and way too much ambi- sues of the transfer of energy pro- that HNMUN was "a good ex- performed throughout the United and the Pea" for younger audi- tion. She wants to play Pippi duction technology and intellec- perience" and that "Harvard States and Europe. ences on selected Saturday after- tual property rights. runs a good conference." Monday Night Music is a se- Longstocking in "Pippi in Tahiti," noons and "The Fab~lous Post but when she is cast as the dog In these meetings, students In addition, Roback stated ries featuring performers from the Show Revue" for late-night en- and Pippi's understudy instead, abided by the standards ofparlia- that HNMUN offers students "a college's music department fac- tertainment on some Saturday she takes matters into her own mentary procedure, adjusted by firsthand experience, an ulty in a concertllccture setting hands to get the coveted part, Mr. evenings. Harvard, as a means of conduct- insider's view to the work the exploring topics that might not be Courtesy of Public Information ing business UN does, how conferences op- covered in the usual classroom Domser said. Another sidesplitting comedy, Dr. Charles Neal was the erate, and how delegates act." Courtesy of Public Information