Daily Rehearsal: Making the angels for ‘Angels in America’

Daily Rehearsal: Making the angels for ‘Angels in America’

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1. ALERT: the start time has changed for all performances of that play with the longest title ever: The Strange and Terrible True Tale of Pinocchio (the Wooden Boy) As Told By Frankenstein’s Monster (the Wretched Creature). It’s now 7:30 pm at the Neo-Futurarium. 

2. GOODBYE FAIR RIVERDANCE. “One measure of success for any theatrical enterprise is the number of satirical jabs it has inspired over the years,” writes Hedy Weiss about the group’s final Chicago visit as the tour wraps up its last US run. So basically, Riverdance has done well.

3. From all the articles that get published about seating and clapping and watching theater you’d think that the experience of viewing is more important than the actual production. Well, it’s definitely half of it. Here’s the latest. My submission? Oracle — sorry guys, I’m claustrophobic.

4. Take a look at the thought process behind the costume design for Angels in America at Court. Costume Designer Nan Cibula-Jenkins took some creative licenses with the idea of an angel: “Our angel flies like most other production but she does not have traditional ‘wings’…”Her ‘wings’ are more abstract, and as a result, more evocative than the usual feathered appendages. The actual appearance of the angel relates very clearly to the angel atop the Bethesda Fountain in Central Park in NYC ( an important image in the plays), only a little more ethereal than the actual sculpture.” There’s also a great slideshow of previous iterations of the show.

5. Writer’s Theatre’s 2012-13 season will consist of Hamlet, directed by Michael Halberstam with Scott Parkinson in the title role; John W. Lowell’s The Letters, directed by Kimberly Senior; Sweet Charity, directed by Michael Halberstam; David Greig’s Yellow Moon, directed by Stuart Carden; and David Ives’ modern adaptation of Corneille’s The Liar, directed by William Brown. “As we gear up for the transition into a new home, Writers’ Theatre is launching its 21st season at an unprecedented level of sophistication and scale,” said Artistic Director Michael Halberstam in a statement. “From Shakespeare to Coleman, Fields and Simon to Corneille and Ives at Tudor Court, we embrace the full spectrum of a classical repertory, then dive into two searing contemporary pieces from John W. Lowell and David Grieg at our intimate bookstore space. The season starts with Hamlet, which opens in September.

Questions? Tips? Email kdries@wbez.org.