Center Theatre Group Blog

Deputy Development Director Patrick Owen toured London and the Edinburgh Festival with Michael Ritchie and CTG donors. This is the blog he shared from the road.

Interested in traveling with other theatre lovers? To learn more about our upcoming donor trip to New York, please e-mail Becky Birdsong at bbirdsong@CenterTheatreGroup.org.

Friday, August 14, 2009
So excited to be in London with Michael Ritchie and Center Theatre Group donors. We kicked off the tour with a wonderful welcome dinner in the wine cellar of an old hotel.  Matthew Bourne was our special guest and it was thrilling to hear Matthew and Michael talk about creating great theatre.  The rest of the itinerary looks amazing…it’s after midnight and I must get to bed.  Can’t believe I am here!!!

Saturday, August 15, 2009
Wow!  An entire day of great theatre in London, great meals and hanging out with some great people.  What could be better?!  CTG Board President Martin Massman took me to see a new production of Peter Pan.  They have constructed a special theatre in the round in a big top tent in Kensington Gardens and the production artistry was amazing.  They project on all sides of the tent so during the flying scenes it is like a virtual reality ride at a theme park.  My favorite was Tick Tock the Crocodile which was a very big puppet with two performers in it.  Much of it was open, articulated fretwork that you could see through and the giant head would reach out into the audience and roar at kids in the front rows.

That was followed by a lovely dinner with the entire tour group and the play War Horse. Once again, puppetry was front and center with these amazing life-size horses that come completely alive on stage and a touching story about family, war, horses and love.  No words I write can do it justice.  I hope it comes to CTG!  Theatre is dark in London on Sundays so tomorrow we go to Buckingham Palace for cocktails…Buckingham Palace!

August 16, 2009

The group spent most of the morning touring London on our own and a group of us walked over to the London Eye. We all loved it with its amazing views of all of London and the surrounding countryside. In the afternoon, we came together for a private tour of Buckingham Palace. This is a tour that the general public cannot take and our tour guide not only shared many inside secrets about Palace life, but he had a wicked sense of humor as well.  When the champagne ended, we all assumed we would leave by the side entrance -the same way we entered. Imagine our total shock when we walked through the front door and into the front courtyard to be faced with hundreds of tourists peering through the gates to get a glimpse of us! They all oohed and ahhed and took our photos thinking that we were real royalty and that gave us all a good laugh.

August 17, 2009

Today was another marvelous day beginning with a private meet-the-artist session with Tom Morris, Director of War Horse. It was great to get so much inside scoop on this amazing production and how it came about. This evening we saw the most over-the-top, in-your-face entertaining musical -Priscilla Queen of the Desert. We were on our feet from start to finish. Michael says he hopes that we can get it for the Ahmanson when it eventually goes on tour. It’s been a real privilege hanging out with Michael, his wife Kate, and their daughter, Charlotte.  Kate talked to us one night at dinner about her life and how the entire Burton-Ritchie family live a life in the theatre.  I am learning so much, making such great friends and having an amazing time!

August 18, 2009

The time is going by too fast!  I hated to leave London, but it is great here in Edinburgh.  The city is positively electric with the energy of the Festivals.  I had not been in my room more than 5 minutes when I experienced my first Fringe Festival event - an open double decker bus going by below my window with a Caribbean marimba band performing on top! And then this morning when I headed out for my morning jog I came across two Fringe events happening in cafes over coffee!  But, I am getting ahead of myself.  We had the most lovely train ride up here through the English countryside, and then we went to see the Gate Theatre’s production of Brian Friel’s Faith Healer.  It was quite an experience to see great actors performing the script of a great Irish playwright. 

August 19, 2009

The day started with a great tour of Edinburgh.  Yves, our Scottish tour guide was funny and informative.  But the main highlights of the day were the lunch and a concert in Usher Hall with Esa Pekka Salonen and Yefim Bronfman. 

It has been great having Judy and Tom Beckmen as the Tour Chairs because they have been to Edinburgh and the Festivals often and know what to do and see, and most importantly…where to eat!  They first discovered Martin Wishart’s restaurant many years ago before it was “Martin Wishart’s ” - one of Edinburgh’s top restaurants.  We went to its most recent incarnation in Leith, the port area of Edinburgh near where the Queen’s Royal Brittainia Yacht is moored.  What a meal!  It would take me hours to describe each tasty morsel we enjoyed or to expound upon the wine pairings, but suffice it to say it was a gourmand’s feast unparalleled!  Even the haggis was delicious - a tiny little haggis dumpling about the size of a malted milk ball covered in a breading - heaven, sheer heaven!  Everyone went off on their own for the afternoon and then we came back together for the concert with Salonen and Bronfman.  While Usher Hall looks totally different inside than Disney Hall it was interesting to note they share one thing in common - a big pipe organ at the back of the stage and seating on the stage around this organ and behind the orchestra.  The concert was spectacular and afterwards we visited Salonen and Bronfman backstage in the dressing rooms - thanks to Judy and Tom’s connections.

August 20, 2009

Today we had a private audience with Joyce McMillan.  To my mind she is a Scottish treasure - very involved in the political world, a writer for the Scotsman newspaper and a lover of the arts, particularly theatre.  She is an incredibly intelligent woman, and warm and witty and down-to-earth.  We learned so much from her about Edinburgh, Scottish and British politics and the Festivals.  June and Gary Hughes said they could think of nothing more delightful to do than to spend the day with her.  But the day just got better when we went to Carol Colburn Hogel’s lovely Georgian town home in the heart of Edinburgh for lunch.  A more warm and gracious host could not be found and she made us all feel so at home plus her Australian cook made an amazing lunch buffet.  From there we had some free time before gathering to see Catwalk Confidential in the Fringe Festival followed by The Tattoo.  But the real attraction of the evening was the “wearin’ of the kilts”.  Michael, Gary Hughes, Ken Kaplan, David Boyle, Eric Garen and I rented kilts and “kilted up” for the evening.  Charlotte Ritchie, Nancy Garen and June Hughes joined in the fun by the “wearin’ o’ the tartans”.  We all enjoyed the experience, and both Catwalk Confidential and the The Tattoo were great performances to see.  We have two days left and I can’t imagine that it can get any better!

August 21, 2009

Today we had exclusive meet-the-artists with 5 different creatives who are involved here at the Festival.  Many people went off and saw Fringe shows and we finished the day with the Royal Ballet of Flanders’s version of Ulysses.    Oh, and then an intrepid group went off to a late night jazz club.  Just a typical day with Michael Ritchie and CTG at the Edinburgh Festival!  Today we start with a drive into the country for scotch tasting and lunch on the River Esk.  Yes, scotch on our corn flakes!  Tonight is our final show, Faust by the Romanian National Theatre.  Everyone - everyone - we have talked to on this trip has said that this is the show to see at this year’s Festival, and one of the artists we met yesterday was the director so we are primed and ready for this 100 cast members, environmental theatre taking place in a wharehouse! 

August 23, 2009

I woke up and looked outside my window to rain-washed streets and a dark cloudy morning sky over Edinburgh on this our departure day.  I can’t believe the trip is over.  It all went so fast.  But that is what happens when you are having the time of your life.  Our final day yesterday was as amazing as all that had preceded it. 

We started with scotch tasting out in the country at the Glenkinchie Distillery.  Tons of fun as was the lunch that followed at the Glasshouse Restaurant, a converted mill, on the River Esk.  I had to wonder if they paid the man who was standing in the river fly fishing so us tourists could “ooh” and “aah” over the picture postcard-ness of it all.  Then in the evening we went to see the Romanian National Theatre’s version of Faust directed by Silviu Purcarete.  It was out by the airport in a large warehouse space and it was a huge vast spectacle.  I really can’t do it justice in print, but we were told it would be one of the highlights of the Festival and it was.  Just to give you a hint - at one point the set broke open to expose a sort of carnival set behind it and the audience got up and walked into this carnival which was a feast of sights and sounds and fireworks and men driving forklifts on which were suspended actors doing acrobatics…and that hardly does it justice - as Michael said, “I loved it!”  

Through a series of coincidences on the way back into town we had three women who were not part of the tour catch a ride with us.  As we dropped them off near their hotel, our tour guide realized that one of them was the concert pianist Elisabeth Leonskaja - only at the Edinburgh Festival can you pick up a hitchhiker who is a world-class musician!  We closed the tour with lively cocktails and a little late night nosh back at the hotel.  There was a warm, convivial atmosphere in the room and it was clear we had all gotten to like one another quite a bit.  Michael said a few words and I realized that what he said was so true - that what we would all remember most is the friendships we had made on this trip.  I can’t wait for the next one!!!

Patrick Varon is a Donor Advisor for Center Theatre Group’s Development Department.

My primary function for Center Theatre Group is that of a Donor Advisor.  Falling under the Development Department, I work with a talented and dedicated staff of fundraisers (actors, entertainers, filmmakers and even a kindergarten teacher!).  Our mission is to raise the money necessary to maintain the size and scope of CTG’s vital education and outreach programming.  Giving to CTG not only funds important programs, but it also entitles patrons to exciting theater benefits and exclusive donor privileges.

Naturally, in the face of today’s grim economic realities, asking for donations is no easy task.  A recent report from the Giving USA Foundation asserts that charitable giving fell last year by the largest percentage in five decades!  In spite of that fact, CTG audiences gave anyway.  Markets were down, pensions were cut and jobs were lost, yet our patrons gave. 

An opportunity arose for the production of ‘Oleanna‘ (Mark Taper Forum, June 6 - July 12).  As it turned out, director Doug Hughes’ assistant in New York was unable to come to Los Angeles for the remainder of rehearsals through opening night.  It was my time to give and without hesitation, I accepted.  Soon I found myself pulling double-duty assisting on a show while still raising money for the theatre.  What occurred to me was that the purpose of this show, like that of all our other shows, is to give our audiences a quality theatrical experience they desired. 

I look back and realize now that I stood in the middle of a transaction that few may ever see or experience firsthand.  I had actively participated in the sacred chain of symbiotic generosity within this theatre and its audience.  All were giving out of a spirit of goodwill and for the benefit of others.  Patrons gave to me because they believed in CTG, I gave to the show because I was inspired to contribute and the show gave back to the audience a fine theatrical experience.  We all believed in each other and we all believed in CTG.

Bailey Pennick is Center Theatre Group’s Press Intern for Summer 2009. She is majoring in English at UC Berkeley.

Our experiences with musical theatre are personal.  We pull for our favorite characters and lament when the curtain finally comes down after the last bows, but the one thing that sticks with us as we walk out of those large double doors are the songs.  As we get into our cars (or walk down the stairs to the subway) it’s hard to shake a song that has entrenched its emotion, lyrics, and melody into our heads.  Whether it is simply catchy or exceedingly grand, a musical number that touches you cannot be forgotten.

If you would allow me to (semi) channel “High Fidelity” for a moment, here are my all-time “top three” Broadway musical numbers to date:

“Somewhere” - “West Side Story” by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim. Performed by characters Maria and Tony

This song is musical perfection.  The rising energy and sweeping use of the string section create a whirlwind of emotion that only Leonard Bernstein can produce.  This heart-breaking musical score starkly contrasted with beautiful lyrics that embody all of the hope and love that Maria and Tony have for each other immediately allows the audience to relate to the character’s forbidden love and what a struggle it would be to truly obtain freedom.  Another aspect of this song that sets it apart from all musical numbers is the fact that it is so short; at less than two minutes long, the overflow of emotion pouring out of “Somewhere” showcases its brilliance.  There is no fanfare, no dancers or fireworks, just two beautiful voices in a perfect moment.  In the same musical number we can experience their feeling of undying hope and the inevitable hopelessness for their love.

Other noteworthy numbers in “West Side Story”: “Something’s Coming” (Tony), “Tonight” (Tony, Maria, Ensemble), “Maria” (Tony)

“And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” - “Dreamgirls” by Henry Krieger and Tom Eyen.  Performed by the character Effie White

What makes this song so outstanding is that it is a love song (or more specifically a torch song), but it clearly focuses more on the empowerment of the singer.  Effie stands as a woman alone; without her friends/former backup singers or her lover, and this song proves that she does not need them.  Starting with just Effie’s trembling voice, the vulnerable lyrics coming out of her mouth transform into a powerful statement of self confidence and righteousness with the entire orchestra behind her: “Tear down the mountains, / Yell, scream and shout. /You can say what you want, /I’m not walkin’ out.”  The amount of power behind her words as she is being left by everyone she knows is admirable and completely unforgettable in this musical.

Other noteworthy numbers in “Dreamgirls”: “One Night Only” (Effie and Company), “Family” (Effie, C.C., Jimmy, Lorrell, Deena, Curtis)

“See Me, Feel Me/ Listening to You” - “The Who’s Tommy” by The Who (Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff). Performed by characters Tommy and Ensemble.

As any good musical knows, a powerful finale is the only way to go and “The Who’s Tommy” is no exception.  As a boy who not only reached maturity, but also gained back his ability to see, hear, and speak, Tommy cries out to the audience (the world) to pay attention to him: To see him!  Feel him! Touch him! Hear him! He has been reborn and he is ready to live his life among people he can finally interact with.  This intense emotional release comes in the form of “Listening to You” the second half of this final number.  The audience can experience the power that Tommy had over his followers as they repeat the same lyrics over and over.  The unison is haunting: “From you I get opinions. / From you I get the story.”  This complete control that Tommy has over the ensemble is mesmerizing.  As a listener, you get trapped in the lyrics being repeated until suddenly you become part of the mob that expects answers from Tommy.  There is a feeling of uneasiness as the show ends because Tommy’s life is clearly not over, instead it’s just beginning.  The fact that this song can make you question about what happens to Tommy after the curtains come down and the house lights come up is very powerful, just as Pete intended.

Other noteworthy numbers in “The Who’s Tommy”: “What About the Boy” (Captain Walker and Mrs. Walker), Pinball Wizard (Local Lads, Cousin Kevin, Ensemble), “I’m Free” (Tommy).

Blogmaster question:

What are your all-time three favorite musical numbers?

Bailey Pennick is Center Theatre Group’s Press Intern for Summer 2009. She is majoring in English at UC Berkeley.

Welcome to the Working Week

The week of June 8-12, 2009 is infamous through the halls of Center Theatre Group: twelve CTG employees were laid off last Tuesday and Wednesday purely for budget reasons.  This was my first week working as the Press Intern.  Most of my previous summer jobs were silly retail or food industry, but not this one.  The first moments working for Center Theatre Group initiated me into the (seemingly exclusive) club more commonly known as the adult work force, and the ugly truth that comes with membership.

With regards to work in general I believe that Elvis Costello said it best, “Oh I know it don’t thrill you, I hope it don’t kill you.”  This cynical sentiment was tested during my first few days.  As I sat at my desk, tearful employees would come through the Press office holding the dreaded brown envelope not ready to say good-byes.  At these moments the signature kindness of the Center Theatre Group broke through the dark clouds with long hugs and heart-broken tears; mostly assuring their friends that this was not the end.  Cutbacks, even necessary ones, always feel personal; especially in an organization that can be seen more as a close-knit family than as a business.  Everyone experienced salary cuts, everyone experienced the pain, and everyone came together to try and survive the storm together.

While the mood throughout the office was less than cheery, I continued to feel welcomed by the entire staff, which was touching and unexpected by me for obvious reasons.  I quickly realized that because I did accept an internship in the theater world, emotions ran particularly high all across the board.  The extremely sad moments were countered by the biting wit maintained by the CTG staff.  In an attempt to keep morale as high as it could be in the events of losing co-workers and friends, dark humored jokes and quips became the norm for office banter.  The consensus was that it was too soon.

As a fresh intern off from college for summer break, I know that I have not been here long enough to weigh in on the true importance of last week’s issues, but I do think that it is too soon to do a lot of things: too soon to have wounds completely healed, to make lay off jokes, to knock on wood.  Too soon to truly notice the absence of the valuable individuals that had to leave.

Mike Sablone is CTG’s Literary Associate, starting left fielder and third-string shortstop for Dark Monday, the CTG softball team.

I was an absurdly lucky kid who got to go to Disney World a lot growing up. My grandfather, many, many, many years ago, won the lottery. And one of the gifts he gave to my family was yearly plane tickets to visit them in Florida, where they would hibernate for the winter. So every year my sister, brother and I would get a free trip. Because of this my parents would treat us to Disney World each year, a phenomenal gift.

I’ve lived in Southern California for three and a half years now, and have never felt the urge to go to Disneyland. But recently a friend said that a group of people were going so I asked if I could tag along to see the park through (somewhat) adult eyes.

Crucial bit of information you need to know about me: I am a complete wimp. I hate scary movies. I hate fast roller coasters. I’m not a huge fan of heights. Which makes Disneyland the best place for me to go, since there are plenty of rides for people like me.

So I spent the day exploring the storybook rides. You know, the ones that tell the old stories you know so well, like Winnie-the-Pooh, Snow White, Pinocchio, and Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.

Here’s the thing. I’ve been on these rides before. I’ve seen these movies, read these books. Not in a long time, mind you, but I think I remember most of these stories.

At least I thought I did. Because each time the safety bar came up at the end of the ride, I was scratching my head.

I had no bloody idea what story they were telling.

Seriously. The Snow White ride? Absolutely, positively incomprehensible. As far as I could tell the Snow White ride is about a woman who hangs out with some dwarves and is chased, for no apparent reason, by a woman who may or may not be a hideous witch. What happens to that woman? To either women? To the dwarves? No idea. The ride just ends.

Winnie-the-Pooh? I think it’s Pooh’s birthday. And then, this part is a bit weird but I’m pretty sure they give Pooh some acid or peyote and proceeds to trip through his party. Don’t worry kids, he comes down from it. At least I think he does, in that the last 20 seconds is back to being “real.” With this ride I couldn’t even understand what the characters were saying. The only thing that was clear was Eeyore, which is amazing as he doesn’t speak until the very end when he moans about his gift. Way to leave em wanting more.

So after a 20 something year hiatus, what did I learn upon my return to Disneyland? That the phenomenal storytelling that Walt Disney always relied on is nowhere to be found in his amusement park.

Also, and perhaps more importantly, I learned that I am a terrible, terrible person to take to an amusement park. Seriously, who wants to go to a happy, fun, delightful place with a dork in glasses who, when exiting a ride loudly says: “Can someone please explain the story I was supposed to be following?”

Even the toddlers looked at me with disdain. Serves me right.

Ana Rose O’Halloran is the Communications Coordinator for Center Theatre Group’s Development Department.

This past week, I cut off 14 inches of my hair for the second time in my life and donated it to Locks of Love. This non-profit organization uses donated hair to create wigs for children who suffer from medical hair loss because of alopecia or cancer. My parents have always taught me the importance of helping others and have donated to non-profits my whole life. They have instilled the importance of lifelong giving in me, which is why I donate my hair and make contributions every few months to my undergraduate university and a homeless/women’s shelter down the street from where I live. I think this is part of the reason why I love working in development at CTG so much. I am able to help raise money for something that I love - theatre. Donating my hair made me wonder what other people who raise money for a living choose to support when they make donations.

A few weeks ago, several CTG staff members held a very successful bake sale to raise money for National Multiple Sclerosis Society. I also conducted an informal survey amongst some of the Development staff and there seems to be several common causes that receive donations from them - alma maters, art organizations, health organizations, human rights organizations, and pet organizations (there are a lot of animal lovers in Devo). Most surprising to me, is that there were several people in our department who donate to CTG! Not only do they work long hours, but they reinvest part of their paycheck into the organization because they believe so strongly in our mission.

A few weeks ago, when I informed the department that I had been growing my hair out to donate it, my boss Liz said that if I wrote a blog about my donation she too would become a CTG donor. So, I am happy to report not only did I donate 14 inches of my hair to a child who needed it this week, but I also cultivated a new CTG donor.

Mike Sablone is CTG’s Literary Associate, starting left fielder and third-string shortstop for Dark Monday, the CTG softball team.

Note: This blog posting got lost in the blogosphere (another word I hate) and since it is part one of my two part exploration of VENICE, I reprint it here, a few weeks after the fact. Stay tuned for part 2. SERIOUSLY, STAY TUNED.

Two days from now (June 26) I head out to Kansas City.

Why Kansas City you ask?

What’s that? You weren’t asking that?

Huh. Ok then. Well, let’s just say, HYPOTHETICALLY, that you were to ask. I would say “Aww. Thanks for asking! That was so considerate of you! I like it when you allow me to give these blog entries forward momentum! It means a lot!”

Then I’d tell you that I’m going out for the first part of our VENICE workshop. About a year ago, after their run of CLAY ended, Matt Sax and Eric Rosen were commissioned to write a new piece for us, and that is VENICE. It’s a musical loosely based on the characters and themes of OTHELLO using a hip-hop score.

Now. First tangent. Note in my last paragraph that I didn’t use the term “Hip-Hopera.” Or “Hip-Hopsical.” Why? Because these are terrible names. I find them demeaning. And useless. And meaningless. So you will never hear me say them. It’s a musical that just happens to use the varied music stylings of hip-hop, rap and spoken word. I’m sorry that I haven’t given you a cute one-word phrase to capture that. I’m wordy. Deal with it.

Back on topic.

Since Matt and Eric no longer live in the same city (Matt in Brooklyn, Eric in Kansas City), they’re joining forces in KC to take a week to work on the script, which is where I come in. So for a few days I’ll hang out with them, listen to what they’ve got so far, and offer (hopefully) constructive feedback.

I will also pretend I’m a voracious meat eater and kill a few plates of barbeque.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the most important aspect of dramaturgy.

Audiences at the opening night performance of Lydia were stunned by the play’s lyricism, rich characters and compelling human drama. Watch their reactions and check out footage from the party with Justin Kirk, Richard Montoya, Lydia playwright Octavio Solis and many more.

Scott Slesinger is an intern in the CTG marketing department.

Can you believe it’s been seven months since 9 to 5: The Musical first premiered at the Ahmanson?  During it’s Los Angeles run, thousands of theatre-goers (myself included) completely fell in love with the show’s relateable characters, toe-tapping songs, and empowering themes as they watched the classic Dolly Parton movie come to life on stage.  I am so excited to see that 9 to 5 has made its way across the country and starts previews on Broadway this week!!

If you’re bummed because you missed the show in LA and thought you’d never have a chance to see it again OR you loved it so much you want to catch it for the second (…or third, or fourth) time, call in sick from work and trek out to New York to catch a performance.  With 17 new songs by the fabulous Dolly Parton, PLUS an all-star cast including Allison Janney, Stephanie J. Block, and Megan Hilty (fyi- my favorite Glinda from ‘Wicked’) and fantastic dance numbers, there’s no reason to skip out on this show.

If you’re bored during your own ‘9 to 5′ routine, go ahead and check out the musical’s super-interactive website where you can upload a pic of your boss for a little round of target practice, download a couple of the show’s stellar tunes (for free!), and even send a “doll-ecard” to your coworkers.

9 to 5: The Musical is currently in previews at the Marriott Marquis Theatre and opens on April 30^th.  We’re so proud of the cast and crew and can’t wait to hear all about their success on Broadway.  Click here to purchase tickets.