RSS FEEDScene » Entertainment
Poisoned again
Updated: Saturday, October 17, 2009
After seeing NBHS play, New Artists bring 'Arsenic and Old Lace' to Bandon
BANDON — Most community theater groups try to stay away from shows that have been done recently.
But it was a recent local production that inspired Bandon’s New Artists Productions to take on “Arsenic and Old Lace,” which opens tonight at the Sprague Community Theater.
The group took seven of its students and some of their parents to see the play in March at North Bend High School, leading some of them to lobby directors Dan and Anita Almich for their own chance to do the play.
“We don’t let them choose them all, but we do like to involve them in the process,” said Dan Almich. “This is one they really wanted to do, the older kids. They were all really excited about it.”
Almich was already thinking about doing the play since showing it at New Artists’ summer camp last year, but plans solidified due to popular demand at this year’s camp, he said.
Both the movie and the North Bend production contributed to actors’ understanding their roles, cast members said.
“It was interesting to see how they did it and how we could apply it,” said Russel Hay, 16. “It definitely helped.”
Jeneveve Winchell agreed.
“It gave me a lot to work on,” she said. “They did a wonderful job. I don’t think I appreciated how hard it was until I came here and started trying it.”
Tessa Fuller, 11, said her challenge is to become an elderly woman for her role, but she imagines herself doing it as a movie star.
“You have to calm down, think about the play and your character and people like your character, and how to present yourself like them,” she said. “I’m perfecting my waddle.”
Hay, who plays the villain, acknowledged he’s less menacing than his North Bend counterpart.
“It’s hard. You don’t want to do overdo the evil, but you don’t want to underdo the evil,” he said. “We have to be careful because we do have families and little kids coming. We don’t want to totally scare them. I’m sure I’ll creep some people out.”
The play
Innkeepers Abby (Tessa Fuller) and Martha Brewster (Destyni Fuller) want their guests to enjoy some peace. The elderly sisters have an unusually proactive way of bringing it to them: poison.
There are 11 bodies buried in their Brooklyn cellar, thanks to their homemade elderberry wine laced with arsenic, which they charitably serve any lonely, unattached older man who shows up at their door. It’s a good thing, they believe, but still they keep it a secret.
But the secret comes out when their nephew, Mortimer (Jeneveve Winchell) discovers body No. 12 in their living room.
Already dealing with a brother (Robin Hill) who thinks he’s Teddy Roosevelt digging the Panama Canal in their cellar, Mortimer decides there’s too much crazy in the house. He tries to keep his fiancée, Elaine (Liza Skeie), away to little avail — she lives next door with her father, Rev. Harper (Nicholas Zamora).
It gets worse when his other brother, Jonathan (Russel Hay), arrives. After escaping from an Indiana prison with his accomplice, Dr. Einstein (Thaddeus Miller), Jonathan plans to continue his dirty work at his aunts’ house.
Luckily, among the frequent visitors of the Brewster house are the local police (Zeta Hay, Autumn Moss-Strong, Kinzi Silburn and Daniel Undell).
The cast also includes David Vincent and Emma Wampler.
BANDON — Most community theater groups try to stay away from shows that have been done recently.
But it was a recent local production that inspired Bandon’s New Artists Productions to take on “Arsenic and Old Lace,” which opens tonight at the Sprague Community Theater.
The group took seven of its students and some of their parents to see the play in March at North Bend High School, leading some of them to lobby directors Dan and Anita Almich for their own chance to do the play.
“We don’t let them choose them all, but we do like to involve them in the process,” said Dan Almich. “This is one they really wanted to do, the older kids. They were all really excited about it.”
Almich was already thinking about doing the play since showing it at New Artists’ summer camp last year, but plans solidified due to popular demand at this year’s camp, he said.
Both the movie and the North Bend production contributed to actors’ understanding their roles, cast members said.
“It was interesting to see how they did it and how we could apply it,” said Russel Hay, 16. “It definitely helped.”
Jeneveve Winchell agreed.
“It gave me a lot to work on,” she said. “They did a wonderful job. I don’t think I appreciated how hard it was until I came here and started trying it.”
Tessa Fuller, 11, said her challenge is to become an elderly woman for her role, but she imagines herself doing it as a movie star.
“You have to calm down, think about the play and your character and people like your character, and how to present yourself like them,” she said. “I’m perfecting my waddle.”
Hay, who plays the villain, acknowledged he’s less menacing than his North Bend counterpart.
“It’s hard. You don’t want to do overdo the evil, but you don’t want to underdo the evil,” he said. “We have to be careful because we do have families and little kids coming. We don’t want to totally scare them. I’m sure I’ll creep some people out.”
The play
Innkeepers Abby (Tessa Fuller) and Martha Brewster (Destyni Fuller) want their guests to enjoy some peace. The elderly sisters have an unusually proactive way of bringing it to them: poison.
There are 11 bodies buried in their Brooklyn cellar, thanks to their homemade elderberry wine laced with arsenic, which they charitably serve any lonely, unattached older man who shows up at their door. It’s a good thing, they believe, but still they keep it a secret.
But the secret comes out when their nephew, Mortimer (Jeneveve Winchell) discovers body No. 12 in their living room.
Already dealing with a brother (Robin Hill) who thinks he’s Teddy Roosevelt digging the Panama Canal in their cellar, Mortimer decides there’s too much crazy in the house. He tries to keep his fiancée, Elaine (Liza Skeie), away to little avail — she lives next door with her father, Rev. Harper (Nicholas Zamora).
It gets worse when his other brother, Jonathan (Russel Hay), arrives. After escaping from an Indiana prison with his accomplice, Dr. Einstein (Thaddeus Miller), Jonathan plans to continue his dirty work at his aunts’ house.
Luckily, among the frequent visitors of the Brewster house are the local police (Zeta Hay, Autumn Moss-Strong, Kinzi Silburn and Daniel Undell).
The cast also includes David Vincent and Emma Wampler.
Arsenic and Old Lace
New Artists Productions
Sprague Community Theater, Bandon
Dates: Oct. 16-25
Times: 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays
Tickets: $10, $8 seniors, $5 students.
New Artists Productions
Sprague Community Theater, Bandon
Dates: Oct. 16-25
Times: 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays
Tickets: $10, $8 seniors, $5 students.
User Comments
The comments above are from users of theworldlink.com and do not necessarily represent the views of The World or Lee Enterprises
Comment Policy
The World welcomes your comments about stories, and we encourage a robust dialogue on this site. All comments must meet reasonable standards of decency and civility.
Please follow these basic rules:
Comments will be approved throughout the day during business hours. After hours and weekend comments may not appear until the following business day. It may take a couple of hours before comments are approved.
The World generally does not edit comments, but we reserve the right to edit any comment that does not meet our standards.
The World welcomes your comments about stories, and we encourage a robust dialogue on this site. All comments must meet reasonable standards of decency and civility.
Please follow these basic rules:
- No defamatory comments about individuals or businesses.
- No deliberately false information.
- No obscenity or racially offensive language.
- No harassment, verbal abuse, threats or personal attacks.
- No information that invades another person's privacy.
- No business solicitations or charitable solicitations.
Comments will be approved throughout the day during business hours. After hours and weekend comments may not appear until the following business day. It may take a couple of hours before comments are approved.
The World generally does not edit comments, but we reserve the right to edit any comment that does not meet our standards.