"A Tuna Christmas" at Palestine Community Theatre

Done.  Over.  Off the boards.  Another one for the books...
Our Bubble's burst....The end of the line...Saya Nora...Twenty one skiddoo...

"A Tuna Christmas" at the Texas Theater in downtown Palestine, Texas was a joy to behold...finally.
Truthfully, I struggled with lines this time around, and as a consequence, so did my cast-mate, Gerry.
If you don't get the right cue line, it's hard to get the right response.  BUT in the end we got it.  The "Tuna Helpers" as we call our dresses, were phenomenal..

Attendance was good, with houses over 200 at times.  It was a pleasure here at the end of things. We were glad it was over and we could get back to our lives.  But we'll miss some of the 22 people we've been in the last few weeks.

Good show, wish I could recommend it, but it's gone.  Red, White, and Tuna anyone?

Tin Woman at Palestine Community Theatre

On October 6, 2017 we will open a new play at the Texas Theater here in Palestine.  Directed by Carol Moore, it's Tin Woman, by Sean Grennan.

Tin Woman is the story, based on a truth, of 5 people- a heart transplant recipient, the heart donor, and the donor's family.  The donor, Jack, is understandably very quiet during almost all of the play due to being...well...dead.  There are flashbacks of him that serve as poignant reminders of his humanity.  Joy, the recipient is in emotional turmoil as happens a lot in this type of surgery; "Why me?"  Jack's family, father Hank, mother Alice, and sister Sammy are in pain.  The loss of a child is one of the most painful things parents can go through:  the grieving process- a torture. This story is the story of their journey of healing, with Jack as silent witness to their torment.

But this is not a ghost story.  It is the story of the living.  It is the story of love and healing and forgiveness.  As the title suggests, both literally and figuratively,  the Tin Woman finally finds her heart.

We're in the final stages of rehearsal rolling up to opening night in a handful of days.  There is laughing, crying, and more than a little hoping... and I'm just talking about the cast here!

Jack...................Brandon Haygood
Joy.....................Katherine Newton
Hank..................Jim Vincill
Alice..................Dr Jan Sikes
Sammy...............Shannon Smith
Nurse/Darla.......Sandy Webb
Stage Crew........John Lamb and Laura Richardson (with subst Kathy Lamb)
Tech Crew.........Roy and Chaudra Dantin
Asst Director.....Sharie Bailey
Director.............Carol Moore

Showtimes are:
Fridays and Saturdays @ 7:30PM--- Sunday Matinees @ 2:00 PM
October 6, 7, 8 and 13, 14, 15
Opening night celebration begins one hour before curtain.

Addams Family Musical 2016

May 23, 2016

Unlike other places, I've intentionally not posted here in quite a while.  Same reason as before:  Every time I do, people get pissed off, and I really don't like doing that.  Not to be a coward about it, but...well...I'm a coward about that.  But we'll try it again all the same.

This summer, the final two weekends of July 2016 to be precise, Palestine Community Theatre will stage "The Addams Family Musical" based on the old TV show.  I was cast as Gomez Addams after a private audition (I was out of the state during the regular auditions).  It will be a challenging part, but I need a mental challenge.

In this blog, I will try to comment, analyze, and kvetch about the production.  Let's see how many people I piss of this time.

January Auditions in Palestine, Texas

OPEN AUDITIONS for PALESTINE COMMUNITY THEATRE's:

Love, Sex, and the IRS      (don't let the title throw you)
by Billy Van Zandt and Jane Milmore

at the Historic Texas Theater
213 W Crawford St, Palestine, Texas
Directed by Jim Vincill

Saturday  January 24, 2015  @ 10:00 AM

Synopsis:
Jon Trachtman and Leslie Arthur are out of work musicians who room together in New York City.  To save money, Jon has been filing tax returns listing the pair as husband and wife.  The day of reckoning comes when the IRS informs the "couple" they're going to be investigated.  Leslie masquerades as a housewife, aided by Jon's fiancee Kate.  Complicating matters further, Leslie and Kate are having an affair behind Jon's back.  Jon's mother drops in unexpectedly to meet her son's fiancee and Leslie's ex-girlfriend shows up demanding to know why Leslie has changed and won't see her anymore.  Like a cross between I Love Lucy and Some Like it Hot!

5 men and 3 women

Leslie Arthur------------musician and Jon's roommate
Jon Trachtman----------musician and Leslie's roommate
Mr. Jansen---------------the Landlord
Floyd Spinner-----------IRS agent
Arnold Grunoin---------Shady character

Kate Dennis-------------the girlfriend
Connie--------------------Leslie's ex-girlfriend
Vivian Trachtman------Jon's mother