NEWSLETTER Vol. 17. No.2 tactics Winter 2009/2010 The ACTORS COMPANY THEATRE Scott Alan Evans, Cynthia Harris & Simon Jones, Co-Artistic Directors What’S T.S. Eliot and his INSIDE: TSE's FUNNY PARTY (continued) ..................2 Funny Party (homas) S(terns) Eliot and the the- T.S. Eliot was born September 26, 1888 in SPRING GALA ater? Sure, there was the huge run- St. Louis, Missouri. His love of literature Save the Date .............3 Taway success of Cats, but beyond and learning began at Harvard, where that, what does the brilliant mind behind he graduated with an A.B. in English TACT Season Recap ..................... 4-5 The Waste Land have to do with theater? Literature in 1909. He became Surprisingly, few people are even aware the secretary for the Harvard TACT/QC Alliance.......5 that T.S. Eliot wrote a single play, let alone Advocate, a literary magazine six of them (and the fragment of a sev- and fell in love with writing FAVE FIVE enth). For those who are aware of Eliot’s poetry. Following Harvard, with Jack Koenig ........6 dramatic work, the play that comes to he studied in Paris at the PA PROGRAM mind most frequently is Murder in the Sorbonne for a year where, What We Did Last Cathedral. While that play is not without after attending lectures by Summer ......................6 its considerable merits, it is rather somber philosopher Henri Bergson, and bears little resemblance to his later Eliot decided to pursue an- MORE BANG for more effervescent work. Eliot’s plays have other degree from Harvard, YOUR BUCKS! ...........7 certainly been overshadowed by his po- this time in philosophy. etry, yet lovers of literature who stop at With a particular interest the page are missing something equally in the philosophical conun- brilliant – Eliot’s dramatic spoken verse, drum of consciousness, a verse so carefully composed that you Eliot’s poetry during his tact might not even realize it is verse. postgraduate years often 1. takt; 2. taet, n. T.S. ELIOT continues on page 2 dedicated to presenting infrequently-seen plays Cocktails & Critics of literary merit with an 2009/10 Season* COMPANY NEWS emphasis on creating TACT welcomes not one but two new as working at various colleges and on “The theatre from its essence: THE COCKTAIL Board Members to the company: Mark View.” A recording he produced and the text and the actor’s PARTY by T.S. ELIOT Eberle and Michele Geist! Mark is a engineered featuring Judy Leclair, principal ability to bring it to life. 7 March to 10 April, 2010 partner in the law firm Augustine & Eberle, bassoon of the NY Philharmonic, will be LLP and Michele is the Director of Human released in February on AVIE records, Infrequently-seen: adj. phrase. Edward and Lavinia Chamberlayne are Resources for Ernst & Young. Both come coinciding with the NY Phil 2010 European unproduced in a first-class throwing a party at their fashionable to us with a love of the theatre instilled in tour. A recording he produced featuring production in NYC within the last London flat. The guests arrive only to them from youth and both have already Robert Langevin, principal flute with NY 15 years. discover that their hostess is no where shown their great energy and enthusiasim Phil, will be released in April, also on AVIE Literary merit: n. laudable to be found and a rather strange man, for their new roles with the company. We (both Judy and Robert, along with three of language of particular interest, who no one knows, seems right at are thrilled to have them both on board! their NY Philharmonic colleagues played uniqueness; or representative of home. Ruthless and compassionate, the recorded music for TACT productions a specific period or era. Mark Alhadeff was the understudy for this “Cocktail Party” embodies the of The Sea and HOME). In March, Daryl With original incidental musical Lovechild at New World Stages and is day-to-day struggle of domestic life will design sound for the Newark Academy scores commissioned exclusively playing Alex MacColbie Gibbs in the while turning the classic ‘drawing room production of How To Succeed... for our production through a upcoming TACT production of The Cocktail unique partnership with The comedy’ on its head. Manhattan School of Music. Party. He’s been multi-tasking his creative Nora Chester recently appeared in TACT’s BUY TICKETS: outlets and has also been shooting and Salon presentation of Waters Of The Moon ONLINE: www.ticketcentral.com editing video for his production company. and is looking forward to the continuation of TACT’s collaboration with the Queens Our 2009/10 season is made IN PERSON: Theatre Row Box Office Daryl Bornstein is consulting on the College MFA Creative Writing program possible with public funds from 410 West 42nd Street (between 9th & 10th) renovation of the sound systems for three over the next semester. She is also busy the New York State Council on theatres in a performing arts complex the Arts, a State agency. BY PHONE: Ticket Central loosening up her pipes in anticipation of in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He’s been 212-279-4200 12noon until 8pm daily playing Golde in Fiddler On The Roof later traveling extensively internationally for in the year… “Oy.” MORE INFO: www.TACTnyc.org work in Brussels and Quebec City as well Tickets $36.25 to $56.25* Price INCLUDES a $1.25 facility fee. COMPANY NEWS continues on page 3 2 WINTER 2009/10 With his intellectual and literary con- formed in Canterbury Cathedral during the Can- nections across London, Eliot began mov- terbury Festival. The resulting verse drama, Mur- ing in high circles. He gained a reputation der in the Cathedral, proved a great success and not only as a poet and critic in his own right, was moved to London, eventually settling at the but as a champion for the works of others, Old Vic. Eliot’s next play, however, were meant to such as James Joyce, whose novel Ulysses was appeal to an even broader audience. With a love serialized in The Egoist. In 1919, Eliot wrote what of Oscar Wilde and Noel Coward, Eliot sought to The many consider his masterpiece, The Waste Land, combine the contemporary social comedy with his a work that was immediately seen as an impor- philosophical and intellectual ideas. Incorporating tant expression of the avant-garde movement, a plot elements of Greek drama, metaphysics, and defining leader in a major literary movement. theology, Eliot worked on refining and perfecting by Despite the international acclaim for his his style throughout the rest of his life. While The poetry, Eliot still found himself wanting Family Reunion (1939) played only five weeks and financially. That was solved in 1925 when fizzled out, Eliot eventually sought and won the T.S. Eliot critical and popular success he desired after WWII he became the literary editor at Faber & Cocktail Faber. This position, which Eliot held until with The Cocktail Party. his death, enabled Eliot to seek out and fos- The Cocktail Party (1949) and the two plays Directed by ter young talent, putting him at the forefront of that followed it, The Confidential Clerk (1953 SCOTT ALAN EVANS a literary movement and making him a role model - TACT Salon 08/09) and The Elder Statesman Party for young writers. (1958), redefined Eliot. No longer could he be accused of being a modernist poet absurdly at- with company members: Mark Alhadeff, Somewhat controversially, Eliot joined the Church of England in 1927. A few months later, tempting to become a playwright; he was a suc- Cynthia Harris, Simon Jones, he became a British citizen. His audience for The cessful West End and Broadway dramatist. Jack Koenig and guest artists: Waste Land, many of whom saw in the poem a For the last ten years of his life, Eliot enjoyed Jeremy Beck, Lauren English, voice for the spiritually lost and discontent, felt personal happiness as well as professional suc- the hint of betrayal. For Eliot, religion was some- cess. In 1957, he married his secretary, Valerie Erika Rolfsrud thing intensely personal, which is reflected in his Fletcher, and the two stayed together until Eliot’s Ben Beckley & Celia Smith later poetry and plays. death. When he died in 1965 of emphysema, El- Around the same time as his conversion, iot’s legacy was already long established, not only Production Stage Manager: Meredith Dixon Eliot’s relationship with his wife grew tumultuous in the plays, poems, and essays he wrote, but in Asst. Stage Manager: Kelsey Daye Lutz and the two separated. Eliot began a relationship the countless writers who got their first opportuni- Asst. Director: Andrew Block with Emily Hale in the early 30’s, although for re- ties through Eliot’s work as an editor. Casting by Stephanie Klapper ligious reasons Eliot would not divorce his wife. Eliot’s works are read extensively both in General Manager: Cathy Bencivenga Vivienne Eliot was committed to a mental hospital classrooms and for leisure. His poems and dra- Associate Producer: Jenn Thompson in 1938, where she stayed until her death in 1947. matic works are exciting and lively on the page, Press Representative: O&M Co. She had suffered for many years from depression but at the same time they deserve to be seen in Props by: Lily Fairbanks and mental instabilities, and the separation with full production. Eliot was a firm believer in the im- Production Manager: Joshua Scherr her husband had been damaging. Throughout portance of the dramatic arts, and he designed his Original Music by Joseph Trapanese his personal troubles, Eliot maintained his career, plays to be seen, not read.