Bye Bye Birdie Opens This Week!

When 1960s heartthrob Conrad Birdie is drafted into the Army, a lucky fan will give him "One Last Kiss" on The Ed Sullivan Show in this Tony Award-winning musical and audience favorite.

Here are some reflections from Scott Hayes, director of Bye Bye Birdie!

It seems as if every person in the theatre has some experience with Bye Bye Birdie.  Birdie’s own beginnings were incredibly humble. Composer Charles Strouse and producer Edward Padula worked on the musical Saratoga, where Padula told Strouse he had an idea for a teenage musical.  Strouse teamed up with lyricist Lee Adams with whom he had written weekly revues for an Adirondack summer camp called Green Mansions. In fact, “Put on a Happy Face” came from one of those revues. An actor in a tragedy mask would come out and complain about the world, and another actor with a comic mask would sing the first few stanzas of what would become one of the most recognizable songs in music theatre.  Together Strouse, Adams, book writer Michael Stewart and yet-unknown director Gower Champion toiled along without a fully realized concept until 1958, when Elvis Presley was drafted into the Army.  When it was announced Presley was to give a “last kiss” to a specially chosen Women’s Army Corpswoman (WAC), the musical creators had a concept for their show. 

The musical’s title character was originally named Conway Twitty.  Strouse claimed the production team had no idea that there was an actual Conway Twitty until Twitty threatened a lawsuit, and the name was changed to Conrad Birdie.

The musical had fairly successful out-of-town tryouts, yet arrived in New York with only $245 in advance box office sales. One of the reasons for the poor advance sales was the lack of recognizable stars. Chita Rivera had excelled in West Side Story butwas no box office draw, and her leading men, Dick Van Dyke and Paul Lynde, were almost completely unknown.  The production was a surprise hit, winning four Tony Awards, running for more than 600 performances and spawning the movie version with Ann-Margret and Janet Leigh.  Strouse, Adams and Champion (not to mention Rivera, Van Dyke and Lynde) became music theatre royalty, creating other musicals such as Golden Boy, Applause, Nick and Nora, Rags, Hello, Dolly!, I Do! I Do!, and for Strouse —Annie .


 When I was asked to direct Birdie in the spring of 2010, I was personally and nostalgically thrilled.  I had been introduced to acting during a high school production of Birdie in 1983.  However, as I began analyzing the script I realized the musical had been written so the audience would recognize a spoof on current events—rock and roll as a new genre, and that genre’s effects: the cult of celebrity and a growing chasm between the teenage fans and their parents. Our contemporary audience would not be looking at the musical as it was intended. 

Last July I was leading a panel for a Christians in Theatre Arts conference during which I asked the creators of the musical spoof Altarboyz if they thought the demise of boy bands would hurt the show’s appeal.  They made the point that the male rock celebrity is an enduring American tradition.  Right now, my pre-teen daughters are outgrowing Justin Bieber and, before that, the Jonas Brothers.  A generation prior screamed for the Backstreet Boys, and the list goes back in time—Michael Jackson, Duran Duran, the Bee Gees, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles and, yes, Elvis.  Bye Bye Birdie is at once nostalgic and current, spoofing the past and the present. 

Bye Bye Birdie runs April 29-May 1 & May 6-8 in the Main Theater

Contact the Box office for tickets today!
757.352.4245 or www.regent.edu/theatre
Adults: $15 — Discount*: $12 — Employees**: $10 — Regent Students: $7


*Includes military, senior, student, alumni and child (age 5-18).
**Includes Regent and CBN employees.

Virginia Beach BASH 2011!

Photos by Craig Lawrence


Virginia Beach BASH '11



 The clash of steel, the crack of whips, the grunts of dozens of eager students being punched in the stomach...all sounds you may have heard if you were on Regent's campus from March 25th - 27th.  The weekend was a great success thanks to Fight Masters Ryan, Jones, and Chin as well as special guest, director Richard Clabaugh, Certified Teachers Noyes, Male, Kirkland, Kaleba, Lloyd, and Collin Bressie and his merry band of Interns. Over 70 students participated in this year's BASH and they had a lot to say about the experience!



Ashley Manning attacks a fellow student



Ashley Manning, a first-year MFA in Acting student attended the BASH for the first time this year.  Having had very limited combat experience in the past, she had a lot to learn! Ashley took a variety of classes, including Apache Knife Fighting (with our own Dr. Michael Kirkland), Battle Royale with Martin Noyes from Savannah College of Art and Design, and Swashbuckling with Furniture, taught by SAFD Certified Teacher Casey Kaleba.

Reflecting on her experience, Ashley notes, "I would totally recommend attending the BASH to my peers. Physical confidence is something a lot of actors need but are missing. On top of that, having some combat experience could be the deciding factor between whether you or someone else gets cast in that next role. We have great resources here at Regent. MFAs are required to take this twice but I would feel remiss if I didn't take advantage of it all three years. Some scholarships are even available if money is tight."

Hannah Hughes crosses swords

Hannah Hughes is a 3rd-year MFA who attended her second BASH this year.  Hannah also served as a Journeyman for the BASH. As a graduating MFA, Hannah's taken three semesters of combat classes, including Unarmed, Rapier & Dagger, Broadsword, and Quarterstaff. A couple of Hannah's favorite classes were Cell Block Tango and Laban and Stage Combat - both taught by Jenny Male, from Howard Community College.  She says Cell Block Tango was great "...because it creatively integrated unarmed combat into dance. It also gave us the opportunity to choreograph some things on our own...The Laban Class was really interesting and fun because it took combat beyond technique and into acting. It was fun to explore how different Laban properties affect the dynamics of a fight...and opened my eyes to another realm of kinesthetic discovery in combat....I’d love to see more classes like Cell Block Tango and Laban. Learning correct technique is important, but it isn’t everything. Balancing technique classes with other forms of movement would be a great direction to take the BASH. I have a feeling that would appeal to an even broader range of people as well."

Cell Block Tango
Micaela De Lauro (2nd Year MFA) AJ Lease (1st Year MFA) and Tabitha Ray Strong (3rd Year MFA)



Jared O'Dell - it only looks painful!



Jared O'Dell, a junior Theatre Arts major, attended the BASH for the third time this year.  All of his combat experience comes from previous years at the BASH. Jared believes many more people should attend the BASH because "...it is a great opportunity to learn as well as meet people from all over. Forming relationships is what theatre is about and this was a great chance to practice that. I would love for more undergrads to come out and get some training. These opportunities don't come often and are rarely in the same city let alone the same campus as you live. The training and people are fantastic."

Both Jared and Ashley enjoyed the Scrappy Unarmed fighting class with Fight Master k. Jenny Jones.  Jared says, "...Jones just revolutionized how I think about stage combat with that class and she is a fantastic instructor." And Ashley added "...I learned how geometry plays into the way fights should be choreographed. Her style is slick and completely believable. I've never before seen a stage slap that works from any angle - the illusions she was able to create were remarkable."

Fight Master k. Jenny Jones and Intern Amie Root

2nd-year MFA Zach Bortot attended the BASH for his second time this year.  He has also been trained in Unarmed, Quarterstaff, Broadsword and Rapier and Dagger through Regent's MFA Acting program. This year, Zach participated in Skill Proficiency Tests (SPTs) in three weapons, having earned a recommended pass in the Unarmed test last year.   He passed in Quarterstaff and Broadsword, as well as earning another recommended pass in Rapier and Dagger.  Due to the number of weapon styles he's passed, his status is now “actor-combatant.” Zach took a variety of classes this year including Shaolin staff, Roman sword, broadsword, rapier, small sword, and knife.  Zach says "...I would definitely recommend the BASH to any of my peers – stage combat isn’t just about choreographing fights. It is about telling stories, and as such, the BASH provides ample opportunities for actors to condition their instruments to be put to the best use for professional storytelling. Your body, mind, and spirit will be put to test as you learn choreography, analyze story structure and choices, and work to employ all of this knowledge to action."

 

An exciting addition to this year's BASH was the integration of CTV students in the Roman Sword for the Camera classes.  A fight was choreographed by Fight Master Richard Ryan, whose credits as Fight Coordinator include Sherlock Holmes I and II, Gullivers Travels, The Golden Compass, Dark Knight, and Troy.  Students then performed the fight while it was filmed by CTV students under the direction of Richard Clabaugh, cinematographer for The Prophecy and director of Python and Eyeborgs.  The short films were then edited by CTV and presented for the BASH attendees on the final day.  One of these fights, featuring Zach Bortot and fellow MFA Britain Willcock, is shown below. 

 

Fight Master Richard Ryan

The students who attended this class raved about what an amazing experience it was.  Hannah Hughes enjoyed the class "...because we not only got to work personally with Richard Ryan and Richard Clabaugh, but also because we got the experience of fighting on camera. It was really fun to go back and watch our fights after they had been edited together with sound effects and music....I learned the process of filming a fight on camera, and the importance of selling each moment. I also realized that, as opposed to fighting on stage, you don’t have to get the entire fight correct from start to finish. As long as you have at least one good take of each move, that’s all you need."

Zach add, "I loved it because it really gave us an idea of how the process of developing combat sequences for film and television differs from that of the stage. Fight Master Ryan is a pleasure to work for. He is clear, concise, kind, honest, and very detailed in his instruction. It was humbling to work with someone who is such an expert in the field, and it also forced us to work at the ultimate height of our potential in an effort to meet his expectations...I’ve seen how there is now a greater partnership with the cinema and television department at Regent...I think this is a great learning experience for both groups of students, actors and directors alike. It leads to greater mutual understanding, and overall awareness of expectations in the professional world. I think this growing partnership will only open up more opportunities as it progresses, and could become a very unique feature not offered anywhere else."

Certified Teacher and Regent Professor Dr. Michael Kirkland,
Fight Master Richard Ryan
Cinematographer and Director Richard Clabaugh

Virginia Beach BASH '11 was an exciting and unique experience.  Don't miss out on the action! Make plans now to attend Virginia Beach BASH '12!

Roman Sword Fight

This video features a Roman sword fight choreographed by Richard Ryan, performed by Regent University MFA Actors Britain Wilcock and Zach Bortot. The video was shot and edited by Regent Undergrad Cinema and Television student Tim Kay under the guidance of director Richard Clabaugh.

2011 SHORTS! Festival

The SHORTS! Festival is a potpourri of short plays, sometimes called 10-minute plays, which is the culminating project of the Advanced Directing 2 class. Six graduate student directors had the opportunity to choose plays and work with actors and student designers to bring their vision to the stage. Faculty Advisor Scott Hayes says “The SHORTS! Project has a great synergy between the graduate directing students and two distinct groups of theatre undergraduate students – student designers and student actors…The directors are in a perfect position to shepherd those younger actors…Both the directors and designers also learn valuable lessons in collaboration, management, budgeting, and deadline planning – all vital components of professional work that are beyond the scope of a traditional classroom experience.”

The directors were given an opportunity to share some of their feelings about the pieces they’ve chosen.

Kristi Meyers, a first year MFA student, is directing The Stronger, by August Strindberg. She says, “The Stronger is an interesting challenge for two actors. One of the characters does all the talking, but what the other character does or doesn't do is so telling that the other character has an amazing revelation. I wanted to work on this piece because it is a maze begging to be explored.”

Diana Coates is a second year MFA, directing Bagel Club. Diana “…chose this particular piece because although it's definitely a fun piece and seemingly light, it deals with people who form an organization with positive goals in mind and allow the little things to get in the way of their original purpose. We have so many examples of this in our society today and Bagel Club is just a little reminder of the consequences of such actions.”

Whitney Rappana is also a second year MFA student. Her piece is called Not Enough Rope. Whitney says, “I chose this piece because of the wonderful, ironic humor. It has a nice balance between a serious issue, while still making people laugh.”

Also directing a comic piece is Jeff Fazakerley, a second year MFA. His piece, Mustache and a Mattress “...is a delightful short comedy about a man with a mustache who needs to sell a mattress and a girl that needs a mattress who’s obsessed with mustaches. Through a lot miscommunication and sexual innuendo, we see two delightful people’s lives changed in your run-of-the-mill ghetto mattress store, but not before we’ve had a few laughs in the process.”

Second year MFA Mike Salsbury moves in a more serious direction with Foul Territory. He explains, “God makes man responsible for his choices: if we flee our responsibility for those choices, we are left with hopelessness and despair. Foul Territory is a quirky, fun little show has a very serious point to make in its humor, which is why I chose it as my selection for Shorts!...I hope the audience comes away embracing the validity of hope over any sort of fatalistic understanding of life. If nothing else, I hope these ten minutes inspire dialogue and discussion about its underlying ideas.”

AJ Lease is another first year MFA student. He chose to direct The Best Daddy “… because Shel Silverstein was one of my favorite authors when I was a little boy. I rediscovered his work this year and saw that he also had written some one-act plays. After I read the show… I was hooked again and wanted to get the audience back in touch with their inner child.”

Come out and see some innovative and creative work, and support our student directors, actors and designers!

SHORTS! Will be performed in Theater 128

April 1st and 2nd at 8:00 pm

April 2nd and 3rd at 3:00pm

April 7th, 8th and 9th at 8:00pm

April 9th and 10th at 3:00 pm


Tickets are $7.00, general admission. To reserve your seat, call the Box Office at (757) 352-4245

NOTE: Mike Burnett also serves as Faculty Advisor for the undergraduate designers

Greek Classic Comes to Stage



Zachary Bortot as Jason and
Tabitha Ray Strong as Medea



By Rachel Judy

 

The story of Medea has been told over and over again for hundreds of years. Considered the classic tale of a woman scorned, Medea tells the story of a woman's revenge when her husband leaves her for another woman. Out of pain, anguish, and hatred, she goes on a rampage to destroy everything dear to her husband, including her own children.

The classic Greek tragedy comes to the Regent University stage March 11-13 and 17-20.

Regent's production seeks to combine traditional "Greek Style" of play acting with a more modern interpretation. "This story is told in a highly theatrical way," explained Derek Martin, director of Medea and an instructor in the School of Communication & the Arts. "There is dance, quarterstaff fights and intense character physicality that have all contributed to a highly stylized, movement-oriented type of storytelling."

 

As Martin also notes, the story goes from one emotional extreme to another as audiences follow Medea's transformation from a loving wife and mother to a woman capable of harming her children. "How can a human being flip to such extremes? This is one of the questions our unique production explores," Martin said.

"This is a tale about a wife who has been betrayed by her husband. Because of his actions, Medea gets plunged into a downward spiral of sin and hate, and she ends up doing the unthinkable," Martin continues. "The theme I chose for this production is how the death of the sacred is the birth of the profane. This statement begs the questions, 'What are the consequences of breaking a sacred oath or vow?' and, 'What is the responsibility man takes for even the simplest of his actions?'"

The Medea cast features a number of graduate and undergraduate theatre students. Tickets may be purchased through the Regent University Box Office.

MEDEA opens March 11th

Medea is a force to be reckoned with as she rises from the ashes of a broken marriage. As declared by the Los Angeles Times, this Greek tragedy "taps into primal emotions that frighten and fascinate." It is the classic tale of a woman scorned.

STUDIO THEATRE performances are:

March 11 & 12 and 17-19 at 8pm

March 12 & 13 and 19 & 20 at 3pm

To purchase tickets, call 352.4245 or visit the Box Office during office hours, Monday-Friday from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. For further information or to purchase tickets online, visit us at www.regent.edu/theatre

Derek Martin

Here are some thoughts from Derek Martin, Director of Medea...

You are about to embark on a journey that was first performed almost 2,500 years ago. The Greeks believed that their tragedies were put forward in order to better the human experience; that through catharsis, a person would identify with the plight of the protagonist and therefore change his or her own ways so that he or she wouldn’t fall victim to the same iniquity.
 
Medea is considered the classic tale of a woman scorned. Her husband Jason (of Jason and the Argonauts) leaves her and their children to marry the daughter of the king in order to provide his family with position so that they will want for nothing. Medea, out of pain, anguish, hatred and revenge, goes on a rampage to destroy everything dear to Jason. Finally, she trespasses on the vilest immorality by killing her own children.

As a Christian I was left to ponder the justification of the action, and I found myself bankrupt for an answer. But as I looked deeper, I realized this story presents serious and important moral quandaries: “What are the responsibilities of our own actions, even the most seemingly harmless?” “What are the consequences of destroying the sacred ?”

These questions lead us to my central theme, “The death of the sacred is the birth of the profane.” We can see that Jason’s act of breaking the sacrament of marriage plants a seed of destruction deep within Medea.  She allows pride, hatred and evil to squelch the love in her heart and, ultimately, the consequence of his actions drive her past madness into an almost demonic possession in which she destroys the very things she holds most dear.

We don’t agree with her choices; we abhor them in the realization that she is acting in pure evil. However, we must turn the story around on ourselves and ask if we are quite sure that our actions are truthful and pure at all times. The Bible reminds us, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25). This verse shows us we must be on guard and take responsibility for our actions and words. Furthermore, it is a sober reminder that we are not the highest authority of what is good. The story of Medea illustrates the wreckage left by unatoned sin.

Below is a history of Jason and Medea—the myth from which Euripides pulled this excellent piece of tragic work. Please ponder the themes in this piece. May the difficult things presented in art change us and teach us so that we will not make the same mistakes.

The Myth of Medea

Medea was one of the great sorceresses of the ancient world. She was the daughter of King Aeetes of Colchis and the granddaughter of Helios, the sun god. Jason and the Argonauts were sent to Colchis by his uncle Pelias to obtain King Aeetes’ most valuable treasure, the Golden Fleece. Medea loved Jason and used her magic to help him obtain the Fleece through a series of almost impossible tasks. In return, Jason promised to marry Medea.


Jason fled in the Argo with Medea and her brother, Absyrtis. King Aeetes pursued them. To delay the pursuit, Medea cut Absyrtis into tiny pieces and threw him into the sea. King Aeetes stopped the pursuit in order to gather up pieces of his son for proper burial.

When they arrived back in Iolcus, Pelias would not give up his throne to Jason, even after promising he would if Jason obtained the Fleece. Medea had Pelias’ daughters cut their ill father up into pieces and boil him in a broth. Medea told them that this would heal their sick parent. Jason and Medea fled to Corinth where they had two sons. There, King Creon offered Jason the throne and his daughter Glauce’s hand in marriage. Jason accepted, and Medea got revenge for Jason’s abandonment by killing the king and his daughter with poisoned garments. Medea fled Corinth in her grandfather Helios’ dragon-pulled chariot, taking the bodies of her two sons, whom she murdered to cause Jason further pain.

She took refuge with Aegeus, King of Athens, and bore him a son named Medus. When Theseus, Aegeus’ long-lost son returned, Medea tried to trick Aegeus into poisoning him to secure the throne for Medus. Unsuccessful, Medea fled with Medus from Athens to another land where Medus became king and that land was later called Media.

Source referenced: "Medea." Encyclopedia Mythica from Encyclopedia Mythica Online

Special Presentation by Regent Alums

Ever been curious about the process of writing an original musical? How about how you fund and produce your work once it's written? Come to Screening Room A on February 26th at 7:00pm and find out!

Join us for...

Bruce and Michelle Long will be talking about the process of writing and producing By Grace, and will be available for Q & A after the hour-long presentation.

Synopsis of the musical:

It is 1956 and the world is abuzz with the news of actress Grace Kelly’s impending wedding to Prince Rainier III of Monaco. From the seamstresses at MGM studios creating the wedding dress to Catholic schoolgirls living vicariously through the plentiful tabloid rags, everyone is consumed by the media frenzy. No one is more intent than Grace Kelly’s family and friends who are grabbing their fifteen minutes of fame regardless of the cost to her reputation or happiness. Those surrounding the bride-to-be become more and more consumed with the attention they glean by association. Yet once the nuptials have concluded, and interest in their involvement wanes, the sudden finality of the wedding brings a slap of reality as they taste firsthand the fickleness of celebrity and the loneliness that only fleeting fame can bring.

About the Presenters:

Bruce Long and Michelle Hoppe-Long are both Alumni of Regent University. An accomplished writer and director, Michelle Hoppe-Long has worked in film, television and theatre for the past twenty years, garnering over fifty awards for her outstanding original work, creative design, and exceptional talent in both stage and screen venues, including a 2008 Crown Award for her screenplay adaptation of The List with Malcolm McDowell, released by FOX.

A member of the Dramatists Guild she has received CITA outstanding new play of 2009. Michelle was also co-creator and writer of The Knock Knock Show, a children’s television program airing on the Fox Family channel. She has directed across the country, garnering best director nods from the Southeastern Theatre Conference, and from the North Carolina Theatre Conference for the past seven consecutive years.

Michelle has used her vast experience at both the professional and educational level, investing in the future of the arts as a board member of CITA and NCTC. She works additionally as Director of Fine Arts at a private college preparatory school in Charlotte, North Carolina, her work at which, won her the honor of North Carolina K-12 Educator of the Year for 2009-2010.

Bruce is a stand-up comedian, also involved in producting feature films and theater.
 
For more information about By Grace, go to

http://www.bygracethemusical.com/

Theatre Students Use Laughter for Fundraiser

By Rachel Judy

For Regent University's third-year MFA in acting students, Saturday, Feb. 12, was a night full of laughter and music and doing what they do best—entertaining an audience. The group presented a musical cabaret titled "Love Actually," which featured what they described as "an evening of musical numbers chronicling the comedy, drama and stages of relationships."

The low-key production was designed as a fundraiser for the group of actors who are planning a trip to New York in the spring. The trip will give the new graduates a chance to showcase their talents in front of industry professionals.

Third-year performers included Sean Cowan, Sharon Eyster, Andy Geffken, Chad Gilliland, Hannah Hughes, Nathan Schmidt and Tabitha Ray Strong. Schmidt provided musical accompaniment on piano.

"The New York showcase is an annual event where our third-year MFA in acting students showcase scenes for industry professionals in New York. Every year we've raised the profile of Regent University in New York with last year being our most successful showcase," explained Mark Paladini, professional-in-residence in the School of Communication & the Arts.

"As far as the musical cabaret this past weekend, we chose to use it as a fundraiser mainly because it was fun. It was a fast, easy and fun way to entertain an audience," explained Gilliland. "As we began to discuss the format of the show, we knew we wanted to perform the weekend of Valentine's Day. This led to us settling on our "Love Actually" theme, and we were on our way. We all thoroughly enjoyed the creation of this project, and we were ecstatic that the audiences loved it."

Saturday's performance also featured the Varsity Improv Players (V.I.P.), who entertained the audience with improvisational comedy games. The group is led by School of Communication & the Arts adjunct professor Derek Leonidoff.

 

Local Theater Company Features Regent Alums

The New Theater of Chesapeake is producing You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, featuring Regent MFA Alums Katie Fridsma as Lucy and Christopher Graham as Charlie Brown!

Below is a list of the shows dates and times. If you call the office at 288-0653
you can purchase a ticket voucher mailed to you to be redeemed at the box office for the show of your choice.
The Linda P. Overton Theater at Oscar Smith High School (1994 Tiger Drive, Chesapeake)

February 18th 7pm and February 19th 2pm

TCC The Roper Center for Performing Arts (340 Granby Street, Norfolk)

February 25th 7pm

February 26th 2pm,7pm

February 27th 2pm

One free child per adult (12 and under)

$5 Additional Children

$15 Students

$30 Adults

"Painted Rain" - A Play In One Act

Spring Lab Show - Painted Rain

Directed by Britain Willcock

This is a beautiful play about two orphans and their struggle to find a sense of normalcy in their already shattered world. When their social worker informs them that one of them is going to be adopted, their worlds are turn upside down as they try to embrace what they have before its gone.


Featuring:

B.A. Jessica Myers as Barbara, B.A. Gloria Powell  as Brooke and B. A. Gabrielle Davison as Sammy

COM 128 (The Acting Lab)
Friday Feb. 18th and Saturday Feb. 19th at 8:00 p.m.
Sun. Feb. 20th at 3:00pm

Seating is lmitied, first come first serve, and admission is free.

Regent alum to appear in Musical Reunion

"Reunion: A Musical Epic in Miniature" runs Feb. 9 through March 6, 2011, at Meadow Brook Theatre, on the campus of Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, featuring Regent MFA alum Rob Arbaugh as Tom Trudgett.

“Twenty-five years after the assassination of President Lincoln, a traveling group of actors and singers tells tales of the Civil War and our nation's struggle to remain together. Actual journal entries and letters from eyewitnesses, along with multimedia images of events, combine with songs of the period immerse the audience in the struggle to keep the Union together.”

Congratulations, Rob!

Read more: http://detroit.broadwayworld.com/article/Meadow_Brook_Theatre_Presents_REUNION_2936_20110202