Volume 19, Number 29 Thursday, July 24, 2003 Columbia Came. Discovered. .and Conquered by Maggie Beyer The kids from Columbia College, students in theatrical arts, came to Michiana from as far north as Portland, from Chattanooga in the south, Washington D.C. in the east, the midwest states of Wisconsin and Michigan, Chicago and its suburbs of Hinsdale, University Park, and Bellwood. Some like Zach and Jesse had returned from Serbia where they had participated in the college’s exchange student program and the International New Theatre Festival. Some were recent grads, most of the others sophomores, juniors, seniors, all working toward degrees in some of the fifty relat- ed degrees offered in theatrical arts by Columbia College. They were here to perform in “Once Upon an Island”, a musical adap- tation of an adaptation of Hans Christian Anderson’s story of “The The cast onstage in “Once Upon an Island”, set in Haiti, the musical retells a universal story of love and death, betrayal and truth, oppression and hope. Little Mermaid”, reset in Haiti from Rosa Guy’s “My Love My Love”, then shaped in music and song by Flaherty and Aherns. They had produced the play before, in the college’s New Studio that students call the “black box”, performed it with stand- ing room only, four nights running, to a student audience. But this time was different. They were doing it at the Dunes. Many were awed by the nature they discovered surrounding them. I knew our interview was at a close when they saw a deer peering from the nearby trees and the group rushed over to see it. They discovered that Indiana and Michigan folk were friendly people, kind and helpful, and welcoming to the students, one and all. The community was conquered by the talent they saw on stage. Playing James Lipton as in television’s Actor’s Studio, I didn’t ask for a favorite word, but for a Wow! experience from their lives in theater so far. Heads nodded and agreed: the first standing ovation, that was it. When they knew they were in the right place, doing the right thing, some- Stand up cheers for “Once Upon an Island” thing they loved. If the ovations were a thrill to remember, so was their brought happy smiles for Catherine Slade of Columbia College , and Dani Lane, DAF stay in the Michiana area for all of us. Thanks Columbia College. president, co-producers of the Thanks, Dunes Arts Foundation for making the Michiana Festival of Arts 2003 Michiana Festival of Arts. happen once again. Columbia Continued on Page 2 Page 2 July 24, 2003 911 Franklin Street • Michigan City, IN 46360 219/879-0088 • FAX 219/879-8070 In Case Of Emergency, Dial e-mail: News/Articles - [email protected] email: Classifieds - [email protected] http://www.bbpnet.com/ Published and Printed by THE BEACHER BUSINESS PRINTERS Delivered weekly, free of charge to Birch Tree Farms, Duneland Beach, Grand Beach, Hidden 911 Shores, Long Beach, Michiana Shores, Michiana MI and Shoreland Hills. The Beacher is also Subscription Rates delivered to public places in Michigan City, New Buffalo, LaPorte and Sheridan Beach. 1 year $28 6 months $16 3 months $10 1 month $5 Columbia Continued from Page 1 “It was ensemble acting at its best.” Those were the words of open- ing night patron and veteran Dunes Summer Theatre performer Basil Cross after the show brought the audience to its feet with rous- ing cheers on July 11th. The all-student production played two nights in the Michiana Shores playhouse, two performances that the students will never forget. Neither will the audience that enjoyed them, their talent, energy and professional skill. How does the ensemble come together? Right from the conception, said director/choreograph- er Danny Bernardo. “We had to discover how we were going to tell the story,” he said. “That began our collaboration.” We includes lighting design- (Right) Danny Bernardo, Director and Choreographer, and his production team ensemble- er Jesse Klug and set and costume designer makers: (L-R) David A. Beaupre, Set and Costume David Beaupre. The overall theme had to be cir- Design and Jesse Klug, Senior Lighting Design. cular, they decided, in movement and form because they were telling a story about the circle of life. The ovoid raked stage-on-stage developed that con- cept. There had to be a symbolic tree, growing free because the country wasn’t, set on the island Basil Cross, veteran of where 95% of its area has been deforested. The Dunes Summer Theatre. island was poor so costumes reflected poverty. “We did dumpster diving for three months before the production to get our costumes,” David added. Dances were choreographed with circular motion, a challenge for choreographer Danny Bernado, a dancer himself trained in Russian dance and classes with Twyla Twarp and Katherine Dunham. “I was surprised when Basil Cross could pinpoint some of these techniques when he watched our rehearsal,” Danny said. No prob- lem for Basil. He has seen and been part of it all on stage at the Dunes Summer Theatre for 40 years. As I waited for the actors to assemble for cast call on Saturday evening, I walked through the empty theatre. One of the students said later: “Acting here was so different. The stage was so much bigger, we had wings for exits and entrances,” but the stage was dark and empty then (L) Gemini Wadley (standing) who played Daniel with his two Ti Mounex, Erlene on Friday night, and and seemed a small place to produce so much magic over the years. Melanie McCullough from the original cast who So many people had started careers here in the Youth and Children’s played the part on Saturday. theatre begun by Nora McAlvey and now directed by Joann Saxon. Three of the former students were here this summer direct- ing and acting in the headlining productions. Eric Nordholm was a student from those early years, going on to teach stagecraft at a university in Tacoma, Washington; our own Sally Montgomery, editor of The Beacher, had danced on its stage with internation- al star, Lawrence Novikoff. “When you come down the road through the trees to the theater, you’re entering into a com- pletely different atmosphere than getting off the cement sidewalk Curtis M. Jackson , a in Chicago. It just has to be a different experience,” one of the stu- junior with dents, Zach Laliberte, said. “You can feel the energy on the stage.” theatre major, So many years of theatre history; so many people; and the expe- played Tonton Julian in his first rience still lives. musical. July 24, 2003 Page 3 Open ‘til 6 p.m. Evenings www.littlehousefashions.comElegant Apparel for the [email protected] Conscious Woman Women’s Apparel SIDEWALK DAYS AT THE LITTLE HOUSE (l-r) Zach Laliberte played Papa Ge; Danielle Boyd as Andrea; Gina N. Cornejo as Erzulie; Jonas Smith as Armand; and Cynthia Dorsey as Clearance up to 50% off Asaka. Also in the cast were Amber Whitted as Mama Euralie; William Kurk as Agwe; LaKisha Jackson as Madame Armand; and 10 year-old Kayla Dorcy on stage for the first time as Little Ti Moune. Danny Bernardo said that he felt this musical pro- duction was so welcome now because it has a mes- sage of hope and love at a time when people need the message. “You see yourself reflected in the people’s problems and how they resolve them.” Erlene Dorsey, who played Ti Moune on Friday night after just five rehearsals with only one of those on stage, said of her part that “everyone can relate to how it feels to be in love and rejected, wanting to love and be loved.” Melanie McCullough, who played the role in the Saturday performance as she had down in the earli- er production at Columbia, agreed. As did Gemini Wadley who plays Daniel. “We have all had struggles with family and traditions,” he said. Director Danny Bernardo said, too, that the ensem- ble approach to directing and producing a play is being incorporated more and more in Chicago theater, not just the role of producer and artistic director as stars. His cast echoed the feeling. Just being togeth- er, getting to know each other, was high on their list of what they had discovered and enjoyed most. Gina Cornejo said it for them all: “Everything just came together. You knew that without each and every one of us, it wouldn’t be the same.” Of course, there were some problems. When I saw music director Isaiah Robinson after the Friday night show, I told him I had never heard better sound Sizes 2P - 22W acoustics in the Dunes Summer. He was inside the theater even as we talked on Saturday, re- TENT SALE BARGAINS recording his music cues on 40% off Last Sale Price the electronic soundboard from scratch. Someone had tripped over the cord the night before Meet Us For Lunch And A Style Show and pulled the plug. In the WEDNESDAY, JULY 23 - HANNAH’S, NEW BUFFALO theatre, these things happen Isaiah Robinson, music director. A Columbia and the show goes on. There sophomore with Musical THURSDAY, JULY 24 - TIPPECANOE PLACE, SOUTH BEND was not a doubt in anyone’s Theater major, he will 409409 AlexanderAlexander StreetStreet LaPorte,LaPorte, IN IN 326-8602 mind that he would get it all appear in the Dunes On Hwy 35 - 5 Blocks South of Lincolnway Summer Theatre production On Hwy 35 - 5 Blocks South of Lincolnway together again for the show on TTurnurn RightRight on Alexander of LaCage Aux Folles open- Monday - Friday 9:30 to 7 Saturday 9:30 to 5 Saturday night.