As an amateur actor, my daughter Morgan and I are often seen on stage together in community theaters in the area.
This how that got started: Morgan attended a summer camp at the Driftwood Players in Edmonds, WA. This group of talented teenagers performed Calamity Jane and they did a great job After this summer play was over, she expressed an interest in being on stage as an amateur actor more often.
When auditions for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow were announced, she wanted to audition. She also reminded me that I had been on stage in my younger years through high school, college and several summer projects. Perhaps I was interested in auditioning as well?
I firmly believe that the best way to raise is kids is lead by example. So I agreed. We both received call-backs and were cast in the play: Morgan as a story teller, organ player and ensemble member, and myself as story teller, "Nails" the dog and "Baltus Van Tassel" weatlhy Dutch farmer and father to Ichabod Crane's love-interest "Katrina". Directed by Gregory Magyar, the show ran 14 times just prior to the halloween season to many sold out performances.
We had barely finished with that show when auditions for Yes Virgiia, there is a Santa Claus were announced, again at the Driftwood Players. Unlike Sleepy Hollow, Yes Virginia... was a Main Stage production. This means there were two full acts with an intermission, a bigger costume budget, a full set and more performances. After auditions, both Morgan and I found ourselves cast in various roles. Morgan potrayed a "dockworker", "copy girl", "thief", "blind woman" and a "church goer". Both as the thief and the dockworker, she had the rare opportunity to be in on-stage fights, one with a knife the other in hand-to-hand combat, for which she received special training by a theatrical fight coach.
As "Mr. Schuller" the mailman, and "Red" the Marxist worker, I had learned a Russian and a German accent. I alo portraited "Mr. Chambers", Otho" the bartender and "Street Corner Santa". And I had the honor of assisting the real Santa in his cameo appearance :-). Directed by Alyson Soma, the play was well received by the critics and was praised in local publications "The Herald" and the "Edmonds Beacon". All performances were very well attended and many of the 16 shows sold out.
Next both of us were cast in the always popular The Sound of Music at the Northwest Savoyards in Everett, followed by the Original American musical Oklahoma!, at the Driftwood Players. Both Morgan and I were in the ensemble, learning our dance steps and expanding on our singing skills. Both shows proved popular with audiences and nearly all of Oklahoma's performaves sold out.
Next Morgan became part of the technical crew at Northwest Savoyards for their production of Guys 'n Dolls and I was cast in a world premiere play: Alison in Wonderland, at the Historic Everett Theater. Allison is a story of a woman caught in a midlife crisis between a teenage daughter, aging parents, a close aunt with Alzheimers', and a husband who all but ignores her.
Next for Morgan's was the lead Sandi in Grease. And I performed as Dr. Wyatt in Agatha Cristies murder mystery Witness for the Prosection followed by Mr. Jacobs in a short play with the unlikely title of Ms. Polly's Institute for the Crimanally Damaged Ladies Puts on a Show. This past October we were both again on stage again in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow at the Driftwood Players.
To learn more about theater craft, I volunteered to be the producer for the The Grand Christmas Story of the Andy Landy Clan, a play for which Morgan was the Assistant Stage Manager.
Our next two project were The Wizard of Oz (Professor Marvel and The Wizard) at the Nortwest Savoyards and Oliver! (Dr Grimwig, Policeman, Chairman) at the Kirkland Performance Center.
Together with a friend I have also started a Dnner Theater group named Play With Your Food, which is part of The Driftwood Players. If you're looking for a great evening entertainment for your party, fundraiser, restaurant or corporate event, give me a call at 206-234-5660.
Community theater is alive and well. Although with the advent of DVD's, cable TV with video on demand, million dollar production movies in the cinemas and of course the internet, attendance at some theaters has dropped off some, many, many people still come to enjoy live theater and support the arts.
I hope you come and see us soon in our most current show. Or even better, come and act with us and become a community theater volunteer yourself!. If you'd like to see us perform, I sometimes have discount tickets available. Give me a call at 206-234-5660 or email me.
