Theatre History Overview Part 108 - Pantomime

Pantomime, also called Panto, is a form of theatre that is popular in United Kingdom and is often produced around Christmas, though there are other times it is produced and it has been becoming popular to have pantomime year round. While most people understand the definition of pantomime to be that of miming where a person doesn't talk and communicates only in actions, this is another definition of pantomime in which it is a theatrical entertainment full of comedy and other outlandish fun. The shows are usually based on a fairy tale, so there is a solid story line, though the shows can differ depending on the company or troupe mounting these plays. Some people say that pantomimes are for children, but they are actually aimed at the entire family. There's lots of comedy, drama, audience participation, and more.

The name of pantomime for this theatrical art form and the word pantomime that means to mime likely come from the same movements in history. Ancient pantomime from Rome was a dance performance from a silent performer known as a pantomimus. The pantomimus was a silent dancer and the outfits worn were made to accentuate the dance movements. Sometimes there was a pantomimus in Comedia dell'Arte. However, rather than being known as a pantomimus, this silent dancer was known as a harlequinade.

It is thought the that Victorians are the ones who made sure that pantomime continued from its early days. This is because in the theatre, they got to dress up rather than wear the drab Victorian clothing. This is combined with the characteristics of Christmas mumming where heavily disguised characters perform a play based on the story of St. George and the Dragon.

Pantomimes (pantos) usually have certain types of characters. These characters are a principal girl, a principal boy, a dame, a good fairy, and a villain or a demon. However, pantos may add, subtract, or change characters. The practices of pantomime dames (their costumes can be compared to clowns and to drag queens as they tend to be purposefully colorful and outlandish) usually being played by male identifying actors goes back to Shakespeare and principal boys being played by female identifying actors goes back to the Victorian era. For a long time, it was thought that it was illegal for females to be on stage during Shakespeare's life. There is some research that says that there may have been some females that acted. However, even if they did, it was not common. Thus, males had to play female parts in Shakespeare's plays. Even once females were allowed to act, people realized that it was funny to have males play female roles, especially when exaggerated. The female playing the principal boy (who is usually the hero) goes back to producers realizing that if a girl played a boy in a pantomime, that the usual social rules of the Victorian era that a female had to cover every part of her body with clothing wouldn't apply. A woman being a principal boy meant that the woman could show off a bit of leg or a bit of chest. In order to show off a bit of leg, when the principal boy does something heroic or has a good idea, he slaps his thigh.

The audience participation is a lot of shouting phrases to the actors on the stage. If an actor says, "Oh no, I'm not," the audience shouts back, 'Oh, yes you are!" Another important part of of audience participation is the ghost gag where a ghost appears behind the actors, but the actors don't realize the ghost is there and the audience has to yell, "It's behind you!" The actors don't tend to realize that the ghost is there even after the audience yells, so the audience has to yell louder. The ghost removes the actors off the stage one by one as each actor doesn't believe the audience yelling, "It's behind you!" This comes from Giuseppe Grimaldi, the father of Joseph Grimaldi who is considered one of the most famous pantomime clowns. It is thought that it was because Giuseppe (who wasn't a very nice person, but was a popular clown), got confused when he got ill as he got older and he would be scared of the grim reaper. To scare him, people on the street would pretend that the grim reaper was behind him and yell, "It's behind you!"

Even though panto is unique to the British culture, it is finding it's way into more countries. There have been pantos in Southern California, Southeast Texas, Thailand (ramayana) and Andorra for certain. It has probably been performed in more places. The reason that panto endures is that it is always adapts with modern culture and ideals to where it is can have fun with audiences so the family fun entertainment can stay around.

References:

• Barrow, Mandy. “Mummers - Traditional Christmas Plays in England.” Projectbritain.com, projectbritain.com/Xmas/mummers.htm.
• Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "pantomimus". Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Nov. 2016, https://www.britannica.com/art/pantomimus. Accessed 24 February 2024.
• ---. “Pantomimes - Christmas Traditions in England, Scotland and Wales (a British Christmas).” Projectbritain.com, projectbritain.com/Xmas/pantomines.html.
• Clarke, David. “BWW Reviews: Stages’ PANTO MOTHER GOOSE - a Big Golden Goose Egg of a Theatrical Treat.” BroadwayWorld.com, 27 Nov. 2012, www.broadwayworld.com/houston/article/BWW-Reviews-Stages-PANTO-MOTHER-GOOSE-A-Big-Golden-Goose-Egg-of-a-Theatrical-Treat-20121127. Accessed 25 Feb. 2024.
• Ellacott, Nigel. “It’s behind You - the Development of Pantomime.” Www.its-Behind-You.com, 25 Feb. 2008, www.its-behind-you.com/development.html.
• ---. “The Magic of Pantomime.” It’s Behind You.
• Lipton, Martina. “Localism and Modern British Pantomime.” A World of Popular Entertainments, edited by Gillian Arrighi and Victor Emeljanow, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 7 Mar. 2012, www.google.com/books/edition/A_World_of_Popular_Entertainments/Dj0sBwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1. Accessed 24 Feb. 2024.
• MamaG. (n.d.). MamaG’s TikTok. TikTok. https://www.tiktok.com/@mamagstories
• “Pantomime.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pantomime. Accessed 24 Feb. 2024.
• Rosky, Nicole. “Lythgoe Family Productions Presents CINDERELLA, 11/27-12/19.” BroadwayWorld.com, 28 Sept. 2010, www.broadwayworld.com/los-angeles/article/Lythgoe-Family-Productions-Presents-CINDERELLA-11271219-20100928#. Accessed 25 Feb. 2024.
• ---. “Lythgoe Family Productions Presents CINDERELLA, 11/27-12/19.” BroadwayWorld.com, www.broadwayworld.com/los-angeles/article/Lythgoe-Family-Productions-Presents-CINDERELLA-11271219-20100928#. Accessed 25 Feb. 2024.
• Serck, Linda. “Oh Yes It Is: Why Pantomime Is Such a British Affair.” BBC News, 3 Jan. 2016, www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-34997041.
• Victoria and Albert Museum. “V&a · the Story of Pantomime.” Victoria and Albert Museum, www.vam.ac.uk/articles/the-story-of-pantomime.
• Zanobi, Alessandra. “Ancient Pantomime and Its Reception | APGRD.” Ox.ac.uk, 2019, www.apgrd.ox.ac.uk/learning/short-guides/ancient-pantomime-and-its-reception.

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Theatre History Overview Part 107 - Kitchen Sink Drama

Kitchen Sink Drama is a theatre movement that started in Britain in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It was a form of drama that deliberately left from realism and the well-made play.

In kitchen sink drama, working-class life and popular culture is depicted as it experienced in real life. The characters tend to be young, angry, and disillusioned. The plays are seen as intelligent and self-reflective.

The term kitchen sink drama came from the movement kitchen sink realism or kitchen sink school. This was a movement that started with British painters in the 1950s. The name is derived from a painting by John Bratby that featured a kitchen sink. Kitchen sinks became a symbol for domesticity.

The first truly well-known kitchen sink drama play is Look Back in Anger by John Osborne. Another notable play from kitchen sink drama is A Taste of Honey by Tony Richardson. This play is notable because rather than the protagonist being male, the protagonist is a young female.

While it outside of the main region and main time for kitchen sink drama, the song "Prelude/Angry Young Man" by Billy Joel fits into the genre of kitchen sink. There is a young man that is angry with his working class conditions. Billy Joel has told the story of the inspiration for this song which isn't actually from kitchen sink, but the road manager who inspired the song with his actions had served in the Vietnam War in the 1950s, so the person would have had the ideals of the angry young man of the late 1950s and early 1960s.

If you like what you read here, please consider donating as your donations keep this blog going. You can donate through my CashApp at $BridgetIleneDelaney or my Venmo at @BridgetIleneDelaney If you can't donate, clicking on any of the ads is appreciated. They only generate a few cents per year, but it is still more than nothing.

References

• Dunn, E. (n.d.). Everything you need to know about kitchen sink dramas. Reader’s Digest. https://www.readersdigest.co.uk/culture/film-tv/everything-you-need-to-know-about-kitchen-sink-dramas
• Kitchen sink school. Oxford Reference. (n.d.). https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780198604761.001.0001/acref-9780198604761-e-1886
• MacCabe, C. (n.d.). A taste of honey: Northern accents. The Criterion Collection. https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/4193-a-taste-of-honey-northern-accents
• Prelude/angry young man. One Final Serenade: The Songs of Billy Joel (Billy Joel Fan Site). (n.d.). https://www.onefinalserenade.com/preludeangry-young-man.html#:~:text=Billy%20explains%20the%20inspiration%20and,time%20getting%20along%20with%20others.

Get Yourself Up and Addams to ACTS Theatre in Lake Charles, Louisiana!

A dinner followed by playing a game seems like a normal situation when introducing families to each other. Yet, ther is nothing normal, when you're an Addams. Wednesday Addams (Abigail Clause) has met and fetl an instant attraction to Lucas Beineke (Jarod Cole Becton). Now she and Lucas have to deal with what their parents Gomez Addams (Joseph Comeaux), Morticia Addams (Katelyn "Liz" Bonnette), Mal Beineke (Trent Gaspard), and Alice Beineke (Alex Tyler) will think of each others' families. The entire tale is narrated by Uncle Fester (Jonah Alexander), who also has his own story.

With crazy Grandma Addams and her pet possum.

The rest of the well-known Addams family characters also join the cast. We get to see Wednesday lovingly torture Pugsley (Steven Jordan), Lurch (Jeff Johns) be the dutiful grunting butler, Cousin Itt (Erin Heath [who also plays the monster under the bed]) as the sweet hairy weird monster that the Addams can somehow understand, crazy Grandma Addams (Haileigh Miller) with all of her magic and potions, and even the disembodied hand, Thing (Kaylee Heath).

How does this attraction and family game night go? How does Uncle Fester's story fit in? You can find out by viewing the play on the ACTS stage.

The cast is rounded out with an ensemble of Addams family ancestors who are in a predicament of their own that gets them involved in Wednesdays' and Lucas's situation due to Uncle Fester. Joining the others are Bride Ancestor (Emma Brown), Puritan Ancestor (Andy Casanave), Air Hostess Ancestor (Lauryn Clark), Saloon Girl Ancestor (Catheryn Fredericks), Conquistador Ancestor (Gustavo Gutierrez), Disco Ancestor (Claire Hebert), Flapper Ancestor (Gianna Lewis), Cavewoman Ancestor (April Pettefer), Flower Girl Ancester (Angelika Salazar), Caveman Ancestor (K.C. Thompson), Soldier Ancestor (Ravyn Trahan), and Witch Ancestor (Kris Webster).

The Addams Family: A New Musical Comedy wouldn't be a success if it weren't for the lights, music, costumes, and more.

The production is directed by Kathy Heath. The rest of the crew are Producers (Alex Tyler, Catherine Fredericks), Stage Manager (Zac Hammons), Assistant Stage Manager (Becca Holt), Music Director (Bryce Louviere), Choreographer (Kathy Heath), Stage Crew (Zac Hammons, Becca Holt, Landon Howell, Cast), Torture Rack & Drone Costume Creator (Kyle Brunner), Scenic Painting (Diane Flatt, Catheryn Fredericks, Angelika Salazar, Stacie Hebert, Claire Hebert, Kathy Heath, Becca Holt, Crystar Collins-Molitor, Daisy Fredericks, Elizabeth Morris), Master Electrician (Diki Jines), Lighting Design (Stan Morris), Lighting Execution (Allie Vidrine), Spotlights (Richard Dross, Jennie Stevens, Joshua Macer, Melissa Macer, Crystar Collins-Molitor, Dylan Conley), Microphone Management (Nico Edwards), Music & Projection Execution (Kathy Heath), Costumes (Alex Tyler, Daisy Fredericks, Kris Webster, Kathy Heath), Wig Styling & Makeup Plot (Alex Tyler), Prop Collection (Catheryn Fredericks, Alex Tyler, Kathy Heath, Kris Webster), Poster and Program Design (Kris Webster), Publicity (Kathy Heath, Catheryn Fredericks), Front of House (coordinated by Kris Webster), Reservations (Kris Webster, Markie Hebert, Kathy Heath), and Grouds Maintenance (Walt Kiser, Bobby Guillory, Kris Webster).

A notice of caution for those with sensitivities: a strobe light and a fog machine are used throughout the production. The production runs about three hours including the 15 minute intermission.

You have four more chances to catch this awesome production:

• Sunday, August 13, 2023 at 3pm.
• Friday, August 18, 2023 at 7:30pm.
• Saturday, August 19, 2023 at 7:30pm.
• Sunday, August 20, 2023 at 3pm.

" You can order tickets at The ACTS theatre Ovation Tix site.

Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors, $15 for students, and $10 for children 10 and under.

ACTS Theatre is located at 1 Reid Street in Lake Charles, Louisiana and can be contacted by visting The ACTS Theatre Facebook page. More information can be found by visiting The ACTS Theatre website.

ACTS Is Glowin', ACTS is Showin' . . . . Hello, Dolly!

A woman dressed in a fancy red dress decends a carpeted stairway and the famous "Hello" sung from E4 to G4 is heard while dancing waiters surround her. This is no other than Mrs. Dolly Gallagher Levi, the person who meddles in everybody's business and even has an ulterior motive of her own. The role is expertly played by Sarah Broussard, a stage veteran. She is joined by a cast combined of stage veterans and those new to the stage to put on an excellent show at ACTS theatre in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Hello, Dolly! program and Sarah Broussard as Dolly Levi

Earlier, that very same set was used, but decorated completely differently, to be a feed store owned by Horace Vandergelder (Michael Ieyoub) who employed Cornelius Hackl (Kyle Brunner) and Barnaby Tucker (Parker Sonnier). The simple lighting is perfect for a show set in 1890s New York. And the choreography by Lauren Fontenot is amazing.

Other cast and crew include Cameron Guillory (Barnby Tucker on the 3rd weekend), Allison Schnake (Mrs. Irene Molloy), Becca Holt (Minnie Fay), Cameron Fultz (Ambrose Kemper), Crystar Collins-Molitor (Ermengarde), Kim Thibodeaux (Ernestina), Mark Herber (Rudolph Reisenweber), Jacob Voisin (Judge), Jenny Brunner (Music Director), Erioca Barrios (Ensemble), Meagan Clement (Ensemble), Julie Dyer (Ensemble), Olivia Kirland (Ensemble), Randilyn Lejeune (Ensemble), Trinitee Thibodeaux (Ensemble), John Paul Timpa (Ensemble), Ashley Vidrine (Ensemble), Veronica Welch (Ensemble), Kerry Wilson (Ensemble), Amanda Yellott (Ensemble), Walt Kiser (Director), Stan Morris (Lighting Design), Alloria Watson (Lighting Execution), Melissa Guillory (Dresser), and Caleb Roux (Microphone Management).

The production also wouldn't be possible without the following:

• Producers: Kyle Brunner, Kris Webster
• Stage Crew: Zac Hammons, Landon Howell, Anthony Wegria, Cast
• Set Design: "The Crew"
• Set Construction: Diki Jines, Gale Materne, Walt Kiser
• Scenic Painting: Diane Flatt, Lisa Sonnier
• Costumes: Anne Monlezun, Michael Ieyoub, Jenny Brunner, Fiore Lundja, Kris Webster, Veronice Welch, Sophia Thibodeaux
• Wigs: Dorothy, Abigail Petterfer, Sophia Thibodeaux
• Prop Collection: Katy Cole, Lisa Sonnier, Diane Flatt, Jenny Stephens, Kyle Brunner, Kris Webster

There are seven more chances to see this incredible show.

• Sunday, June 11, 2023 at 3pm
• Friday, June 16, 2023 at 7:30pm
• Saturday, June 17, 2023 at 7:30pm
• Sunday, June 18, 2023 at 3pm
• Friday, June 23, 2023 at 7:30pm
• Saturday, June 24, 2023 at 7:30pm
• Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 3pm

Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors, $15 for students, and $10 for children. Tickets are available at the ACTS Theatre Ovation Tix Site.

ACTS Theatre is located at 1 Reid St, Lake Charles, LA 70601. ACTS Theatre can be contacted at (337) 433-2287.

I've been doing A LOT of healing - We'll be back to theatre content soon!

We'll be back to theatre content soon, but just to give y'all an update on what's been going on and why I've not even been able to write:

My body is doing A LOT of healing.

Back on October 18, 2021, I was found in an Altered Mental State in the hotel where I was staying. I was brought to Lake Charles Memorial. The doctors there put a leadless pacemaker in my heart (that's one that goes inside of your heart). I didn't really know this happened because they did not truly get my consent. They took advantage of me being in an altered mental state to get me to "sign" for them to do the operation. (Note: Don't trust Dr. Young or Dr. Thompson at Lake Charles Memorial, though I'd really not trust any of them there). The pacemaker was malfunctioning. Basically, every day that I was in the hospital after coming out of the Altered Mental State and out of ICU, I would tell the doctor assigned to me that my feet were vibrating and both doctors wouldn't believe me. Also, I was never assigned a cardiac team which is supposed to be done when you have any type of a heart operation, including a pacemaker. I got off of Norvasc, which had horrible side effects on me and also off of Protonix which closed my throat.

They also insisted that I was diabetic. I didn't think and purposely say it, but it came out of my mouth, "Are you sure I'm diabetic." So, after giving myself insulin for a few months, I finally got the doctor that I was seeing to take a look at all of my records of my blood sugar and what I ate and insulin injections and she said, "I don't think you're diabetic. Eat like normal and quit using all insulin products." I was so relieved that she tested my blood sugar two more times when I ate like I normally would and it was found that I'm not diabetic. Lantus was giving me really low blood pressure.

I had to write 30 letters about the pacemaker. One went to the doctor (really nurse practitioner) that I was seeing as she wouldn't listen to me, one went to my sister's former doctor who is really nice, and 28 went to cardiologists from Houston, TX to New Orleans, LA. I was contacted by one in Houston and scheduled to see another. Dr. Amish Dave put the pacemaker into OVO mode which is supposed to make it so it is just like a constant EKG. The pacemaker still made my feet and other body parts vibrate along with making a really weird feeling in my ears. I don't remember when it was that I finally switched local doctors, but I know that when I did, I still had the pacemaker (A Micra AV) and my doctor looked in my ears and asked why it was all brown and she couldn't see. I could only tell her that I didn't know. But, I do know the pacemaker was making my ears feel all funny like the canals had this weird lining all around the edges. I bet the pacemaker was making the wax line the edges of my ear canals with all of those vibrations.

Dr. Mihail Chelu turned the pacemaker off permently. It was supposed to be that way, anyway. However, the thing NEVER turned off. It kept vibrating. I finally got to see Dr. David Burkland who came into Lake Charles from Houston. He wasn't comfortable with doing the operation, but he told me who I needed to see! So, immediately after that appointment, I called to make an appointment with Dr. John Joseph Seger. I went to that appointment which seemed a bit strange, but it was only because it took quite a long time. Yet, that was also good that somebody was paying attention! I got an, "Okay, it can come out."

Between this appointment and the operation to get the pacemaker removed, things got much worse and I starting worrying. The pacemaker started really hurting in my chest. It had never been comfortable, but it was HURTING and SO PAINFUL. A medical/antiseptic smell was coming from my chest. I could easily smell it. Radar, my little service dog, could easily smell it, too. She was constantly poking her nose at my chest and letting me know that something was wrong. (It's not like she wasn't trying to tell me that something was wrong before that, because she definitely was, but I couldn't do anything other than what I had been doing as local doctors weren't listening to me and were even trying to make me feel guilty for their ignorance and negligence).

On June 22, 2022, the pacemaker was removed! I was SO HAPPY, though even after the anesthesia wore off, I had some major dizziness for awhile and my feet still had MAJOR tingling in them. I read about how it takes nerves a very long time to heal. Well, that pacemaker REALLY messed up my nerves. Even as I am writing this, my nerves still tingle. It's mostly the nerves in my feet, but the nerves in my ears still often have a funny feeling and sometimes the rest of the nerves in my body feel a bit odd, too. That usually stops once I'm up and moving around. I can tell my nerves have gotten much better, though. At first, my feet REALLY tingled. It was SO STRONG that it was very irritating. Then, about three months in, the tingling stopped being so strong all of the time, but it was still REALLY STRONG when I woke up in the mornings. My nerves would feel "blinky" or "buzzy" before calming down. Now, the tingling is mostly even throughout the day, and I can mostly just stand what is happening. However, I will be so glad once my nerves fully heal.

Oh, and the other thing that the pacemaker did was give me HORRIBLE brain fog! Like, I know that 2*9=18. Easy. It's very easy now. But, with the brain fog, my mind would do things like think, 2*8=7, even though I KNEW it was wrong. It was so hard to think and it was so hard to catch typos. Sure, I still make typos, but now, I catch them more often. Back with the pacemaker, I might see one of three after I had written something. Now, I tend to see them all after they happen, and my own typos still drive me crazy. It's good to have my brain back. It does its normal non-stop thinking stuff, which honestly, makes me quite happy. I like having my brain back.

Also, I broke my collarbone back in August 2021 and while the main part has healed, it still gets very sore. I read how it can actually take years for a collarbone to fully heal, and so far, it seems like that's what mine wants to do. Because of this, I actually sleep in a recliner that I have in this hotel room (the plan is to get a room and a bathroom in where I live so then I can actually start living in my house and I'll be SO GLAD when that happens!) Yes, this is because of the insurance company I had not paying the full amount for my house to be repaired after Hurricanes Laura and Delta.

There's Growing Tallow-ant in Port Arthur, TX! - Don't miss Grease with the Teen Cast

A group of students that go to Rydell high sit around a picnic table and they gossip about teacher and other students when one very cheerful student comes cheering into the crowd. That student is Patty Simcox, played by Madison Goudeaux. Every scene in which Godeaux starred, the perkiness of her character showed. She also had great facial expressions and body language that could be read in the audience from her on the stage.

With Frenchy and Radar (and, yes, she watched the show) after the show!

The rest of the cast was good as well. There wasn't a single person who made the show into a negative experience when they were on stage.

While Godeaux was certain a major standout in talent, Kamri Howeth as Betty Rizzo and Addison Hernandez as Sandy Dumbrowski certainly were also stand out performers.

It was appreciated that the music was balanced so that most of the time the cast could be heard singing or talking over it as many times this is not the case in community (or even college and professional) theatres.

The onlyl negative in the show was that at times when cast members were not facing out towards the audience and at times perhaps not sure of their lines, they were difficult to hear.

The set was great with a balcony that was easy believable to be both inside of a high school and also outside of a high school. The lights underneath the balcony made it so it was easy to believe it to be a hallway, a gym, and an outside balcony at the points that it was needed to be any of the things.

The brick design was a great idea, though it would've been nice if the bricks looks a bit more like they had a brick texture. However, none of that took away from the show. They were not distacting and when it was dark on stage, it couldn't be seen that the texture was missing.

The shading of the bricks was excellent and did make them look as though they were worn.

The rest of the teen cast is Sarah Howlett as Miss Lynch, Ethan Foreman as Eugene Florczyk, Peyton Griffin as Jan, Caily Hardy as Marty, Ivan Chanchavac as Doody, Danny Swarers as Roger, Logan Eymard as Kenickie, Logan Williams as Sonny LaTierri, Angela Baker as Frenchy, Carson Lewis as Danny Zuko, Andy McCall as Vince Fontaine and Teen Angel, Stephen McDowell as Johnny Casino, and Kiera Howington as Cha-Cha DiGregorio.

The ensemble consisted of Lorelei Austin, Taylor Bui, C.J, Drago, Arwn Ewart, Yoseli Gonzalez, Ethan Hardy, Yakera, Victor Johnson, Brianna Parent, Cheyanne Parent, Chloe Phillips, Paytlee Picou, Bailee Proctor, Laura Spencer, Khloe Tanner, and Josie Zeto.

The crew is made up of the following:

• Director: Debbie Pletcher
• Assistant Director: Andrea Eymard
• Production Manager: Kay Lené
• Vocal Director: Jon-Michael Wallace
• Choreographer: John Gray
• Assistant Choreographers: Bethany Thomas, Rhiannon Pletcher
• Technical Director: Rhiannon Pletcher
• Stage Manager: John Pletcher
• Assistant Stage Manager: Nathan Eymard
• Light Board Operators: Yolanda Avery, Emme Moreno
• Sound Board Operator: Carolee Ewart
• Costumes: Becca Howington, Carolee Ewart, Jean Heubach, Cast and Crew
• Property Manager: Kay Lené
• Property Assistant: Jean Heubach
• Set Construction: John Pletcher, Nathan Eymard, Cast, Crew, Board Members
• Publicity: Debbet Pletcher, Andy McCall
• Programs/Posters/Flyers: Jean Heubach
• Lobby Decorations: Yolanda Goudeaux
• Online Box Office: Jona Gilchrist
• Box Office: Debbie Pletcher, Carl Heubach
• Concessions: Carl Heubach, Richard Lene
• Star Grams: Junior Board

You can catch a viewing of Grease with the teen cast at:
Port Arthur Little Theatre
4701 Jimmy Johnson Blvd,
Port Arthur, TX 77642

Tickets can be bought at their online ticket sales site.

Tickets for Students (elementary through collage are $11 with a $1 service fee).
Tickets for seniors (62 and up) are $13 with a $1.65 service fee.
Tickets for the general population are $15 with a $1.70 service fee.

The teen cast has performance at the following dates and times:
Sunday, August 1, 2021, 2:30pm
Saturday, August 7, 2021, 7:30pm
Friday, August 13, 2021, 7:30pm
Sunday, August 15, 2021, 2:30pm

Please make sure to arrive at least 20 minutes ahead of showtime to guarantee that your seat is reserved!

Playwriting - Theatre Teaching Resources for Social Distancing

In these uncertain times due to the SARS-COV-2 virus that causes COVID19, if you are looking for theatre lessons because your school has managed to switch to online classes or if you would like to teach your own children about theatre, please remember, the Theatre Geekery blog is a FREE resource.

Here are some of the posts about playwriting.

• The Inciting Incident
• The Basic Structure
• The Dramatic Premise
• Character Biographies
• Creating Characters Starting with a Piece of Nature
• Creating Characters by Combining Characteristics of People You Know
• Giving Your Characters Names
• Creating Characters by Having them Monologu About Backstories
• Creating Characters by Having them Monologue Backstories
• Creating Characters by Treating Them Like Imaginary Friends
• Storyboarding
• Dialogue as Action
• People Watching
• Eavesdropping

There are plenty of other posts. Just use the "Search this Blog" feature in the left sidebar of a post.

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You can also give a one-time support by tipping at my my Ko-fi page. It is much appreciated and allows me to continue writing my blog instead of doing drudge work in order to make the little bit of money I can to afford to take time to write.

What a nICE Performance!The Snow Queen in Lake Charles for six more performances.

A rose grows between the houses of two good childhood friends, Gerda and Kai. They tend to the rose together and then go to play. When it gets cold, they make sure that the rose is safe and warm inside. They read a story abut a Snow Queen and Gerda's grandmother tells them about the Snow Queen's mirrors and how one broken and could change the views of a person. Later on, Kai has gone missing because he fell victim to the broken mirror. He, somehow, found his way to the Snow Queen. All Kai could do was try to solve a riddle and constantly do math to try to solve it.

These events happen during The Snow Queen, a new musical by Haddon Kime, Kirsten Brandt, and Rick Lombardo. Performances are currently happening at the Lake Charles Little Theater. Gerda, who is the main character in the music, is played by Hunter Becton. She is a great actress and is thoroughly enjoyable to watch. However, the stand out start in the play is definitely Cole Becton. He has to show a wide range of emotions during the play and seems to accomplish them with ease. Taylor Novak-Tyler also does a great job of being distant, icy, and uncaring as The Snow Queen.

Other actors are Katie Becton (Grandmother, Robber Mom), Louis Barrilleaux (Prince, Reindeer, Troll, Crow), Heather Foreman (Princess, Garden Witch, North Witch), Lilly Brady (Rose, Robber Girl), Timothy Smith (Troll King, Old Crow), Cagle Kaough (Flower, Lady Crow), Crista Corbello (Flower, Pigeon), Everly Spears (Flower, Pigeon), Supratik Regni (Troll, Robber, Crow), Antonio Dre (Troll, Robber, Crow).

The set was excellently made. The houses seemed warm and the rest of the set was painted perfectly to look like snowy mountains. There was an excellent use of icicle lights to make a melting effect when snow and ice was supposed to be melting.

Crew for the show are the following people: Bacot Wright (Director), Dan Sadler (Assistant Director, Music Director), Heather Partin (Costumer), Gregory Leute (Stage Combat), Robert Grider (Light Operator, Dramaturge), Liz Trahan (Program). The set was constructed by Louis Barrilleaux, Dan Sadler, James Johnson, Bacot Wright, Katie Cole, and Gregory Leute.

There are quite a few differences from Hans Christian Andersen's story, but the general plot is followed. Expect to see a new story rather than one that completely follows the story by Andersen. Also, do not confused the play with any of the movies or specials with the same title, even if they are based on Andersen's story. This is also not Disney's Frozen, even though that story is very loosely based on Andersen's tale.

The play is in Lake Charles for six more performances. The dates and times are as follows:

• Friday, February 14, 2020 at 7pm
• Saturday, February 15, 2020 at 7pm
• Sunday, February 16, 2020 at 2pm
• Friday, February 21, 2020 at 7pm
• Saturday, February 22, 2020 at 7pm
• Sunday, February 23, 2020 at 2pm

You can buy tickets online at The Lake Charles Little Theater Vendini site. You can also buy tickets by calling 337-433-7988

For more information, visit The Lake Charles Little Theater website or e-mail