Volume 6, Issue 3 // February 21 - March 13, 2019 YOUR LOCAL, NON-PROFIT, INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER culture New Medford Theater! Page 18 FOOD Hawaiian Food for Wintertime Page 19 outdoors A Bigfoot Trap? Page 20 VOTING NOW OPEN! 2 / WWW.ROGUEVALLEYMESSENGER.COM FEBRUARY 21 - MARCH 13, 2019 / THE ROGUE VALLEY MESSENGER / 3 The Rogue Valley Messenger PO Box 8069 | Medford, OR 97501 CONTENTS 541-708-5688 roguevalleymessenger.com FEATURE page SCREEN page [email protected] Oregon Shakespeare The road has been long and travelled well (in a Porsche THE BUSINESS END OF THINGS Festival’s Director of Literary Development 7 911 and a ’66 Volkswagen 17 WEB MASTER Tammy Wilder and Dramaturgy Amrita Van) from New York to OUR FINANCIAL WIZARD Sara Louton, Ramanan talks about California to Vermont to Advanced Books the challenges and Wyoming to Canada to Taos DISTRIBUTION Coleman Antonucci opportunities for equity and most recently Ashland, ADVERTISING MANAGER Sasha Armstrong and inclusion on Oregon. And wherever OUR WORDSMITHS, ETC. the stage. Goldman goes, he can’t help himself from making films. PUBLISHER & EDITOR Phil Busse MANAGING EDITOR Sara Jane Wiltermood PRODUCTION MANAGER Donna Brosh CALENDAR EDITOR Jordan Marie McCaw CULTURE page SPORTS & page COLUMNISTS Rob Brezsny, Dan Smith There is a little bit of OUTDOORS: and Tanya Reasor betrayal. A little bit of GO HERE FREELANCERS Catherine Kelley, Nolan Kenmonth, loss. Some sex too. But, 18 20 Nick Blakeslee, Vanessa Newman and Josh Stirm Looking to capture a a whole lot of love. Bigfoot? Collings Mountain GET IN TOUCH Fragments is the first Trail in Applegate is set to production for the newly spring (pun intended). A MAIL [email protected] formed Rogue Theater great early spring hike, and MUSIC [email protected] Company opening equipped with traps for EVENTS [email protected] March 7 in Ashland. Sasquatches. ADVERTISE [email protected] SALES DEADLINE: 5 pm Thurs Profile .............................................................................. 5 Food & Drink ..............................................................19 EDITORIAL DEADLINE: 5 pm Thurs CALENDAR DEADLINE: 12 pm Thurs Feature ........................................................................... 7 Drink Local ..................................................................19 CLASSIFIED DEADLINE: 4 pm Thurs Don’t Smoke the Messenger ................................. 8 Sports & Outdoor .....................................................20 Deadlines may shift for special/holiday issues. Our Picks ........................................................................ 9 Go Here ........................................................................20 ABOUT THE COVER: Live Music and Nightlife ........................................10 Profile: Rick Brown ...................................................21 Curly (Tatiana Wechsler, left) Events ...........................................................................11 Wellness .......................................................................21 glimpses the violence and Sound ...........................................................................16 Don’t Smoke the Messenger ................................22 resentment lurking in the mind of Screen ...........................................................................17 Free Will Astrology ...................................................22 Jud Fry (Michael Sharon). Culture ..........................................................................18 Rec Room ....................................................................23 Photo by Jenny Graham, OSF Art Watch.....................................................................18 4 / WWW.ROGUEVALLEYMESSENGER.COM FEBRUARY 21 - MARCH 13, 2019 / THE ROGUE VALLEY MESSENGER / 5 PROFILE Eve Smyth & Kate Sullivan Co-Directors, Ashland Children’s Theatre INTERVIEW BY PHIL BUSSE RVM: How much is an audience is an integral component to this about process theatre. It isn’t really theatre without and how much about them and, we have to say, that’s when production? Meaning, the magic happens. That’s when all how much does the the process work seems to synthesize end-result, the stage time and time again, that’s when we productions, really see kids rise. They’re telling a story, matter, or is it the and the audience is there to meet them, journey to get to that to unwrap the gift that they’ve been point? working hard to create for this moment. ES: Wow, good one. In RVM: When did you first get on stage? our opinion, it’s both, Eve: My first stage was my front porch in perfect balance. The where I performed many an extensive process is so full; learning interpretative ballet, but my first techniques of voice and audience was in the fourth grade when PHOTO CREDIT: KEITH HENTY movement, delving into I played Rumpelstiltskin. Rogue Valley Messenger: The adage is At Ashland Children’s Theatre we see character development, Kate: My first on stage role was in the never act with dogs or kids! Can you so many kids and teens find their voice sequencing, timing, connecting and third grade, when I played Christopher make a good counter-argument? and learn how to stand in themselves playing off your scene partners, Robin in the school play. My big moment Yes! Especially if you’re working with through theatre. It’s incredible. They listening, finding emotional shifts and was pulling Winnie-the-Pooh out of the a kid who is pretending to be a dog, then feel so validated and seen. In our improv narrative beats, being responsible to honey jar; I did a pratfall that took me you get the best of both worlds. Okay, we classes we spend time making mistakes— show up, on time, with your work done, off stage and into the audience’s lap. I can’t really speak to the dog part, but kids and celebrating them. Yep, that’s right. trying new things, being flexible and was hooked. are amazing to work with. They live so Take the risk, make a mistake, and often rock solid—there’s so much. But having much closer to the imaginary world than that very mistake is a gift. That mistake most adults, so they are able to access becomes what your improv scene is the door to that world and take you right about, or the happy accident that reveals through it with them. They’re curious something new in scripted work. And about what stories have to offer and how sometimes; it’s just a mistake. But that’s they can be a part of them. all it is, and we move on. Theatre is a RVM: You host improv classes for 4 – collaborative art form. Everyone is in it 6 years olds. In some ways, that seems together and at ACT we are big believers like the perfect age, as young kids are in building ensemble and support among almost always game for make-up and our students. We build a community, we spontaneity. lift each other up—and they feel it. ES: Yes, our Make Believe Explorers RVM: What would you say are the CCA$HCAA$$HH class is a fun romp for sure. We ask top two lessons or take-aways from students “if you could be anything in a children learning to act? story, what would it be?” The responses Connection. Theatre improv, and acting, FOR YOUR OLD GOLD, cover a vast range—it might be a puppy, are really built on one initial premise— a dragon, the driver of the Titanic (we’re offer and accept. This encompasses a SILVER & DIAMONDS not kidding), or a rock. The possibilities lot if you think about it. Give and take, are endless. (Though, of late, we’ve had a speak and listen, take turns, share, wide variety of animals that are rainbow pay attention. It’s about building a F ather S on J ewelers colored and sporting unicorn horns.) connection. & We see shy children really open up as Fun. When you’re having a good time they become their characters, bouncy you can take the risks that will further 126 East Main St. kids become focused. They are living your creativity. their dream. We also give attention to Through connection and fun, we see Medford listening and sharing the story with the students discover that they contain more 541-774-8900 other actors and the audience. than they realized. We believe strongly RVM: Adolescence, especially early in the power of theatre to enhance a teenage years, can be such a time of child’s self- confidence, self-expression uncertainty and even embarrassment. and ability to collaborate with others. We We Repair It would seem like being on stage see them learn to take their own space on We Offer would accentuate that. Or, is this good stage and in the world and feel the value ALL Types of “therapy”? in that and in themselves. Jewelry... plus (Most Custom Watch Battery Brand s ) Work! & Installation FatherAndSonJewelryMedford.com 6 / WWW.ROGUEVALLEYMESSENGER.COM FEBRUARY 21 - MARCH 13, 2019 / THE ROGUE VALLEY MESSENGER / 7 FEATURE A Sanctuary for Shared Experiences Director of Literary Development and Dramaturgy Amrita Ramanan BY JORDAN MARIE MCCAW Late American stage becoming more self- producer and director aware, especially Zelda Fichandler once a c k n o w l e d g i n g said art is community, their privileges and as well as a personal biases,” she says. experience, spurned “I constantly am from the ideas and figuring out how dreams of the individual. best to encourage Oregon Shakespeare this practice without Festival’s Director of someone feeling Literary Development completely defeated and Dramaturgy Amrita in the process.” Ramanan acts this out She adds, “I daily through her work. additionally had Ramanan arrived to