TAGLines The Newsletter of the Theatre Arts Guild, Inc. – March 2005 Mary Carrick, President Daena Schweiger, Chair/Editor www.theatreartsguild.com Nancy Drew: Mystery of the Lost Column by Daena Schweiger TAG When I was a kid I used to read Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys. Titles such as Mystery of the N IGHT O UT Hidden Staircase, The Haunted Bridge, The Clue of the Tapping Heels; The Secrets of the Caves, The House on the Cliff, and The Disappearing Floor were a few of my favorites. Six years ago I moved from my home in mid-town to the far reaches of West Omaha, and although my new home The Interrogation of Miriam had more than enough room to accommodate the obnoxious amount of sheer crap I had compiled Thursday, March 3rd in my 30 years on earth, I didn’t feel like hauling it all out to my new digs. So, I decided to purge 8:00 PM anything that I hadn’t touched in the last 10 years. Bye-bye Nancy. See ya Frank and Joe. Don’t Baby D. Inc. let the door hit you on the way out. I can hear you already. “Where the heck is she going with this?” I’ll explain. I have been on the Never Too Late theatre scene since 2000. I came in as a writer, and that’s how people got to know me. I’ve been Wednesday, March 30 fortunate enough since to have shared my time walking the boards with some amazing talent, and 7:30 PM been blessed directing them as well. Consequently, the writing has been somewhat pushed Grande Olde Players aside, like those Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books of my youth. Mr. Roberts So my writing is a little rusty. Heck, I’m A LOT rusty. I agonize writing something as simple as a Thursday, March 31 program bio. In fact, I’ve already read and re-read what I’ve written above at least a half dozen 8:00 PM times, just to make sure it sounds good. Bellevue Little Theatre My job as the newsletter editor is easy. Our fabulous membership does the writing for me (for which I’ll always be grateful). I just cut and paste everything in. Piece of cake. I can handle this __________________________ newsletter stuff, no problem. Except…. well… I have a problem. I have to write a column this month. And not just any column. The FRONT PAGE column. Oops. What in the world am I going to write about? See, this “writing thing” wasn’t in my job description when I signed up to be editor. T HIS I SSUE My job is to cut and paste, remember? On Stage News Hence, we come full circle. “The Mystery of the Lost Column” is this month’s hair raising adventure – just in time for the Ides of March! How will I handle this? Will I call on my friends The Green Room / Auditions George and Bess for help, or will I go it alone, in true Nancy Drew style? My hands are tied, the water is rising, and time is running out. Think, Daena……….. think! Other Good Stuff A-HA! Go back to the first mystery you ever solved, the one you agonized over for hours. That will Theatre Planning Calendar fill the white space! That will finish your column! That will boost your confidence (and your ego). __________________________ They’re coming to take me away, ha-ha! They’re coming to take me away, ho-ho…. Daena Schweiger (Newsletter Editor) currently serves as the Newsletter Chair for TAG and is the Artistic Director of the Shelterbelt Theatre. She made her writing debut with Curse of the Midwife for N EW Shelterskelter 4. Other writing credits include Of The Dead Speak Kindly or Not at All and Busby’s Chair for Shelterskelter 6, The Anniversary Waltz and The Thee Way for From the Shelterbelt with Love; The Weakest Link, The Revenge of Baby Jane, Tell Me What Scares You and The J. Doe Project MEMBERS for Shelterskelter 7; Boum-Chicka-Boum-Boum for From the Shelterbelt with Love 2, The Music Box for Baby D. Inc’s ‘Reunions” and a full-length play titled Love is Strange. There are no new members - Editor’s note: This is what happens when one is forced to work “outside the box.” Hopefully you won’t have to for March endure my insanity in future issues. The views expressed are not necessarily those of TAG or its Board of Directors. No animals were harmed during the writing of this column. In fact, my dog slept through the whole thing… Page 1 On Stage News * The Blue Barn Theatre Presents Mills Masquers present their rendition of the classic musical, Edward II "Anything Goes." The theater is located north of Glenwood, Iowa, on U.S. Highway 275. Director Jeff DeYoung has assembled a cast of March 3 – March 6, 2005 45 for the show. The husband and wife team of Jason and Andrea MURDER. BETRAYAL. POLITICS AS USUAL. The Blue Barn Morrison handle the roles of Billy and Hope, with Melissa Chapman Theatre proudly presents EDWARD II by Bertolt Brecht (English as Reno, Jon Coover as Moonface and Ken Whitacre as Sir Evelyn. translation by Eric Bentley). Edward II, King of England, loves Other main characters include Nancy Wright as Mrs. Harcourt, Gaveston, a butcher’s son. The Queen is in distress. The Ministers Jeanette Stogdill as Bonnie and Jeff Mitts as Whitney. Show dates smell blood. In an age long before “Don’t ask, Don’t Tell,” Edward’s are March 3, 4, 10 and 11 at 7:30 p.m., and March 5 and 12 at 2 p.m. radical love causes civil war. Based on the Christopher Marlowe Tickets are available at Glenwood State Bank, by calling the theater classic, Edward II has been transformed by Bertolt Brecht into a at 527-3600, or online at www.millsmasquers.org. stunning indictment of war and demonstrates clearly that violence begets violence. This Blue Barn production stars some of Omaha’s premier performers including Nils Haaland, Tim Siragusa, Shane * The Omaha Community Playhouse Presents Staiger, Lindsay Lashier, Vince Carlson, Barry Carman, Kevin A Man of No Importance Bensley, Brandon Rohe, Cody Enicke, T.J. Johnson and S.L. Brown. March 3 – March 20, 2005 Directed by Hughston Walkinshaw. Scenic Design by Bill Van Deest. The Omaha Community Playhouse presents the Terrance McNally Lighting Design by Carol Wisner. Costume Design by Amie James. musical A Man of No Importance in the Howard Drew Theatre March Stage Managed by Jackie Woodward. Reservations are required. 3 -March 20. This musical inhabits the world of working class Dublin, Edward II contains strong violence and sexuality and is Ireland in the 1960's. Directed by Susan Baer Collins, the cast recommended for mature audiences. Run dates: March 3 - March 6, includes Edward Baye, Laura Beeghly, R. Tipton Biggs, Keith 2005; Thursdays through Sundays at 7:30pm. Tickets are Buswell, Scott Fowler, Seth Fox, Mark Lanham, Moira Mangiameli, $19/Adults; $15/ Students, Seniors, Military and Groups of 10 or Megan McGuire, Jim McKain, Brian Priesman, Marion Priesman, more. Call 345-1576 for reservations. Judy Radcliff, Paul Tranisi and Bridget Wiley Robins. Musical director James Boggess, scenic design Jim Othuse, costume design * The Circle Theater Presents Georgiann Regan, choreography by Patrick Roddy, sound design by 12 Angry Men Tim Burkhart and stage managed by Steve Priesman. Showtimes are March 3 – March 12, 2005 Thursdays-Saturdays at 7:30 and Sundays at 2:00. For reservations, please contact the Box Office at 553-0800 or The Circle Theater will be presenting 12 Angry Men from March 3rd – www.omahaplayhouse.com. Group discounts available! March 12th. The powerful drama 12 Angry Men will be directed by Rob Baker and will be staged at 726 South 55th Street on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings. Doors open at 6:30pm with dinner * The Omaha Community Playhouse Presents served at 7:00pm and the show starting at 8:00pm. Tickets for dinner The Trip to Bountiful and show are $22 and show only tickets are $12. Students and March 4 – March 26, 2005 seniors get a $2 discount. The menu entrees for this production include Almond Mushroom Loaf, Garlic Chicken and Cheese and The Omaha Community Playhouse presents the drama "The Trip to Bountiful" by Horton Foote on the Mainstage March 4-26. A tender Mushroom Quiche. Cheesecakes, cakes and beverages will also be story of an aging widow who is convinced that returning to her old available. During the trial of a young man accused of his father's home in the town of Bountiful will restore her strength, dignity and murder, a lone juror takes a stand against the guilty verdict handed down by the other 11 jurors as a result of their preconceptions and peace of mind. Directed by Playhouse Artistic Director Carl Beck, the cast includes Tom Blasing, Terry Brannen, Kim Clark-Kaczmarek, prejudices. Set entirely in the jury room, this drama follows the Lois Nemec, Cliff Radcliff, Gary Tesar and Nora Vetter. Scenic heated deliberations between men of varying and diverse design by Jim Othuse, sound design by John Gibilisco, costume backgrounds. Call it "Law & Order" Live but once you’ve seen it live, you may not want to go back to the television version. In short, the design by Lynne Ridge and stage managed by Jeanne Shelton. Showtimes are Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 and Sundays play is an old-fashioned meat & potatoes tragedy, buoyed by one of at 2:00 and 6:30.