First we found some junk.....

...and we made this, our junkyard set for "Don Q".

Then....we took that all down and hauled it away!Time to move the theatre seats!

......this takes lots and lots of manpower...er...MET power!

...to get it to end up like this!

Now it's ready for set designer & MET Company Member, Joann Lee to get started on "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" set!!

And guess what else???  No more pesky pillar in the middle of the stage this season!!

Brian Irons as Don Q of La Mancha

“Since I was a kid the story of Don Quixote has been one of my favorites.  Man of La Mancha was the first real piece of theater I was ever introduced to.  I have always wanted to do some kind of adaptation or re-telling of the story, so when we were throwing ideas around for the summer show at lunch on the met’s annual winter retreat in January I casually mentioned a  Don Quixote adaptation.  It was then that I learned that you don’t throw ideas around in front of Julie Herber unless you are prepared to back them up.  She jumped on the idea and the concept of Don Quixote in the junk yard was developed.  We wanted to keep it modern and urban, while at the same time trying to relate to issues affecting the world today.  That is one thing so fascinating about Don Quixote is that its message translates for any generation.  People are always seeking hope and striving to be more than what they are and that is what Don Quixote represents.   It is that message of hope that our Don Q brings into the desolate La Mancha Junkyard.   The creation of the play has been an amazing experience.  It was literally being created as we went along.  The characters developed in the script as I witnessed them developing on stage.  It is both an exciting and terrifying experience to be in rehearsal and not know how the play ends, but it makes that moment when it all comes together that much sweeter.  We all made discoveries together.  It was not just the writer, or the director, or the actor.  In true MET style, we worked as a team.  It was a collaborative effort from day one and an interesting one.  Julie and I are both story tellers, but we tell stories very differently.  I use words whereas Julie tells stories through visuals and movement.  As director Julie has taken my written words and added her own visual spin incorporating dance, movement, and poetry, making the project truly unique.”

Don Q addresses Mambrina

Don Q and Mikey Cervantes

Sancho talks with one of Mikey's gang

]]> http://www.marylandensemble.org/blog/thoughts-from-playwright-sarah-shulman/feed 0 http://www.marylandensemble.org/blog/a-message-from-tad http://www.marylandensemble.org/blog/a-message-from-tad#comments Mon, 19 Jul 2010 17:33:25 +0000 jherber http://www.marylandensemble.org/blog/?p=1739

Tad, Gene & Lena enjoying a little family time!

Wow! What a great year at the MET!  We opened our season with the East Coast Premiere of “Dusty and the Big Bad World” and finished our season with TWO MET originals!  Both Canterbury and Planet Claire did exceptionally well- both at the box office, with the reviewers, and artistically!

In addition- we took a major step forward this year.  Two years ago, we attempted a $2000 campaign for our sound computer- and we raised that in 3 days!  This year, we were successful in TWO $20,000 campaigns!  Our Annual Fund raised $20,000 at the end of last season, and the Frank Greene Fund challenge has met its goal of $20,000!  Thank you all, so much for your help!

Next season promises to be a good one!  From the crazy-good hit “Spelling Bee” all the way through “A Clockwork Orange” we will continue to bring gutsy theatre at a great price!

Thank you all for such a great season at the MET!

And, what a great summer line up!  From the Comedy Pigs, to long form improv masters Waiting to be Called Over.  Our special, three night ENCORE presentation of “A Canterbury Tales” to Lisa Burl and Gary Mahmoud’s insane World Premiere comedy The Larry Project (get it? Lisa+Gary=LARRY)!

Then, on to our Community Collaboration with FCC and Hood College with Sarah Shulman’s (MET ensemble member) Don Q!

Rounding out- The Comedy Pigs 17th Anniversary show!

Come join the fun!

Peace,

Tad

Thomas & Reed rehearse a sketch for this weekend's show!

Reed, Tres and Frankie go over lines for new sketch!

From Comedy Pig, Anne Raugh:

“Hey, kids!  What’s more fun than a barrel full of monkeys?

Well, actually, probably a lot of things.  I mean, monkeys are not exactly the cleanest creatures you could cram into an enclosed space; and they’re smart enough to resent being chased down and stuffed into a barrell against their will.  And I’m thinking ”Oh, what fun!” would probably NOT be the words running through my mind if I was the one who had to pry the top off of that mess after a couple of hours and release a small hoard of angry primates.  And you know who’s going to get stuck with the nasty job of hosing out that barrel, don’t you?  That’s right!”

- Yours, Truly.

“….Sorry, I seem to have gotten off track. Let’s try this again.

Hey, kids!  What’s more fun than a barrel’s-worth of free-range monkeys - assuming those monkeys can’t talk, or act, or sing, or do any more than the most rudimentary dance steps?

That’s right – it’s the Comedy Pigs! Come see us perform monkey-defying feats of song and sketchery in The Comedy Pigs Variety Hour and a Half, this Friday and Saturday!  You’ll laugh, you’ll applaud, you’ll be glad there are no questionable barrels involved, and most importantly you will re-affirm the proper place of the Human Being as top rung of the Fun Ladder.

Do it for yourself; do it for your species; do it for $16.50 and $3/beer.”

Don’t miss The Comedy Pigs Variety Hour and a Half.  One weekend only!  Click here for more info or tickets!!

Karen Paone as an alien in "Planet Claire"

We are winding down our Mainstage Season with one more weekend of “Planet Claire”.  We have been thrilled with a run of sell-out crowds.  If you haven’t seen the show yet…you have 3 more chances before Claire blasts off.  We hope you can join us.

Instructors Ashley Hall, Shannon Hamilton & Julie Herber are busy with Fun Camp 2010, our summer theatre camp for kids.  This 2 week theatre camp explores theatre and all of it’s elements, and culminates in a final performance.  That’s a lot of fun jam packed into 2 quick weeks!

Jackson shows off his costume design

Rehearsal’s for “Don Q” (MET”s original modern adaptation of Don Quixote) is currently in rehearsal with a cast of over 30 actors from MET’s Ensemble School, FCC, Hood and the tri-state area!  We are transforming the basement black box into a junkyard where our Don Q can fight windmills, talk to the birds, and share his dreams with 2 rivaling gangs!  Very exciting!

Make sure to check out our website for an entire list of summer offerings including COMEDY, CANTERBURY & QUIXOTE!!   Our mainstage season may be over…but there’s gonna be a whole lotta theatre going on!!

Summer intern, Lenny, familiarizes himself with MET website

Tell us a little about yourself:

Well, to start off my name is Lenny Janes. I’m Tad and Gené’s nephew. I currently live in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and I’m going to be a senior in high school this coming semester. I’ve been in love with theater for several years now, hence my being interest in interning in the first place with the MET, and although while I’m here Tad’s mission is to talk me out of a theater career, I do believe that I’ll be persevering through this internship and will pursue a career in acting before and after college.

Why did you choose to spend the beginning of your summer vacation with the MET?

Let me repeat myself, I am very interested in pursuing a theater career in and out of college, and working here at the MET will not only be one fantastic learning experience, but it will be something I really intend on emphasizing in my college resumé. Also, I’m looking forward to seeing some really great shows while I’m here, and stuff as much knowledge in regards to acting as I can into my brain.

How’s it going so far?

I couldn’t have imagined it to be any better. Staying in the town of Frederick alone is worth the trip. The downtown area is incredible. Working at the MET has been quite the experience as well. I’ve learned more in a day at the Maryland Ensemble Theater than I have in entire semesters of any classes or programs.

What is the craziest thing you’ve done as a MET intern so far?

As a matter of fact, today I get to go see a reading up in Washington D.C. for congress of a play regarding politics, and I figure recent events. I wouldn’t necessarily label this under ‘wild & crazy’, but it is definitely a once in a life-time event, and I am beyond excited to go and see it.

Most surprising thing?

I was surprised that I was trusted to take phone calls at the MET for a little over fifteen minutes.

Most fun?

Definitely seeing Planet Claire & The Comedy Pigs. Hands down. ‘Nuff said.

See any MET shows since you’ve been here?

Planet Claire, Rime of the Ancient Mariner, and a Comedy Pigs improv sketch. For all of them, I offer my recommendation that anyone in the area come and see them, all fantastic shows.

Lenny gives MET 2 thumbs up!

Mak readies himself while waiting at this week's tech rehearsal

From behind the scenes...a peek at Rime of the Ancient Mariner!

We are so excited to support company member Mak Nichols in his quest to fulfill his lifelong dream of presenting this one-man show.  It has been no small feat to memorize and mount this literary masterpiece..and we’re sure you’ll be moved, delighted and inspired by the outcome!  We hope you join us in supporting Mak, Melissa and the Animal Welfare League of Frederick County (which will receive a portion of proceeds from the production).  ”Rime of the Ancient Mariner” will be performed:

June 3 @ 8pm

June 6 @ 2pm

June 10 @ 8pm

June 13 @ 7pm

For Tickets or more information, call the box office at 301.694.4744 or order online here.

Mak earlier this season rehearsing for our "Retro Prom" dance!

Company Member, Mak Nichols, will be appearing in a special presentation of “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” at MET June 3-13.  Here are a few words from Mak about his journey to this one-man venture:

“Back in the distant past, 1967, I was a senior in high school taking an English class. We were studying literature and for a test the teacher had us memorize a verse from any one of the poems we were reading. I choose a verse from “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”, I believe it started with “He prayest best who lovest best all things, great or small”. I had never memorized anything like poetry before, except some song lyrics, and I was surprised that I could do it. So I challenged myself to memorize the complete poem. So I typed the poem out on the family typewriter, pretty much hunt and peck as males did not learn typing back then, and over the next year i slowly memorized the poem. Over the following years I would return to reciting the Rime for my own amusement, never quite letting go and even memorizing others. I never thought much of performing it, I was either too young and after 1990 I was too big, having gained 150 lbs. Last winter, after loosing the weight for medical reasons, I thought to myself that if I ever was going to do the Rime, it had better be soon, at 61 my memory was not going to get any better. Former company member Melissa Baughman, had told me of her interest in the poem, so I went to her and asked if she was interested in directing it. She was enthusiastic and as the MET has the MET X program for just this sort of thing, I mentioned to our Artistic Director my interest in using that system  to produce the poem. As the theme of the play is to respect all living things, making the local Animal Welfare League of Frederick County a beneficiary of the presentation.”

‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’, is the longest major poem by the the English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge, written in 1797–98.  It relates the events experienced by a mariner who has returned from a long sea voyage.  ”The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” is said to have been inspired by several historical sources. These include Captain James Cook’s voyages, the legend of the Wandering Jew, and especially Captain George Shelvocke’s 1726 A Voyage ‘Round the World, in which he describes how one of his shipmates shot an albatross that he believed had made the wind disappear. Other sources claim that the poem was inspired by a dream of Coleridge’s friend, Cruikshank, and still others believe that Coleridge wrote the strange, sensually-rich text under the influence of opium, as he did his famous “Kubla Khan.”