Shakespeare Would Not Approve

If William Shakespeare, renowned English Poet and playwright was alive today to hear the butchering of the English language, he would probably snap his quill pen in half and immerse himself in a large quantity of English ale.

Shakespeare wrote 37 plays. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than any other playwright. Dats cuz he da bomb. Translation: That is because he is the best.

Sometime between the early Modern English of Shakespeare's time and the Late Modern English of today our language went awry. Proper spelling and pronunciation has been hijacked and replaced with slang. According to the website www.urbandictionary.com slang is defined as "The ever-evolving bastardization of the written and spoken language."

Dis can mean "this". Dat does mean "that". A far cry from thee and thou. Surprisingly the website www.allwords.com defines dis, dat, thee and thou. Dis can also mean: to diss, insult. Dat is defined as a colloquial pronunciation of that. Thee and thou are ways to address a person. People speak and write like dis and dat all the time. Thee and thou are usually only heard in a Shakespeare production. Thou should know dat dis mispronunciation is giving me a headache.

Gangstas talk like dis all da time while they're chillaxing with the boyz. Boyz are gang friends. The boyz might have homies. Homies are just friends. Homies might have some peeps. Peeps are just people, acquaintances. Peeps are not those cute, colorful marshmallow treats we see in stores this time of year, at least not for this story.

Aight dats enuff of dat. I can't take it no mo' I could go on, but you git da idea dawg. Any word can be intentionally misspelled or comically misused or combined with another word to make a new word, like they do with celebrity couples. We all know who Brangelina is. Hopefully when it matters the users of these mispelled words are able to use proper grammar when it counts, like on a term paper or job application. In the meantime, let's practice proper English when speaking, texting, tweeting or posting on facebook.

Shakespeare would not approve of the way some of us communicate today. Though I'm sure he would approve of Playhouse on Park's upcoming production of his "Comedy of Errors" Starring Brad DePlanche, Jesse Graham, Vanessa Morosco and Brendan Norton. Mr. Norton was last seen as Sir Mullet in Playhouse on Park's production of "Trapezium".

Comedy of Errors is on stage at Playhouse on Park April 6th to April 17th. Call 860-523-5900 x 10 or visit www.playhouseonpark.org for your tickets. Preview night is April 6th. Tickets are only $15.00. Opening night is April 7th. Come early for a complimentary wine and cheese. Sunday April 10th features a talkback with the cast and director following the show.

You Have Got To Be Kidding Me!

The lights have gone down. The movie has started or the actors are taking the stage. Cue the cell phones, candy wrappers and talkative latecomers and like me, you'll be thinking to yourself, "You Have Got To Be Kidding Me!"

Most people turn their cell phones off, open their candy as quietly as possible and plunk their buttocks in their seats before the show starts. Some people don't. Those people remain anonymous until they too venture out to the theater. A courteous society often wonders if some less than courteous people realize how rude they can be.

"I know people who are well-aware that they are being rude and just shrug their shoulders about it and say that's just who they are." Says Sarah Wesley, Staff Writer for Hartford Magazine, who is writing an article for the magazine on manners and courtesy.

Ms. Wesley and some of her colleagues were recently at Playhouse on Park to take a picture that will accompany the article. She selected Playhouse on Park because she did an article about us for Hartford Magazine several months ago and discovered that we're "So very nice and accommodating." Aww shucks (blushing)

"I thought the location would be perfect for the photo shoot we were doing for our upcoming article on manners and courtesy." Says Wesley of her choice of Playhouse on Park.

Wesley speaks of her inspiration for writing the article, "Several years ago my family and I attended a performance of the Nutcracker in Boston. The people who sat behind us talked through the whole thing and it ruined the whole experience. I was so upset at how someone could be so inconsiderate, especially when we paid so much for the tickets and couldn't wait to bring our daughters to see the ballet. It was after that, that the idea for the article took shape."

The cost of entertainment over the past several years has only gone up. In today's economy many people have scaled back their entertainment dollars. People spend their money to hear the actors speak, not the audience. With all due respect, no one cares about "Aunt Gertie" and her atrocious behavior at the family reunion.

So why has society become less polite? " I spoke to a sociologist about this very question and he told me that it was in part because we'd moved away from being a society that did things to benefit the greater good of the group to a more individualistic-minded one. I agree with him." Says Wesley. She continued by saying "I think everyone is very caught up in what is important to them and sometimes they forget that their actions have an impact on other people."

Most people won't speak up, they just grin and bear it. "I honestly don't think confronting someone about their behavior makes any difference so instead I just try to kill 'em with kindness in hopes that leading by example might help. Sometimes it works and sometimes I just end up frustrated." Wesley confesses.

Of course it's not a good idea for people to keep their frustrations bottled up, so the car ride home can be used to stand up to that obnoxious person. Your fellow theater-goers will likely find your ranting very funny and may add their own interpretation. Such an exercise should make you feel better, because you're not likely to enlighten the rude people. "I'm not sure we can." Wesley admits and provides some helpful advice. "I think we need to encourage the next generation to make better choices."

Great advice, then perhaps one day instead of saying "You Have Got To Be Kidding Me!" we'll all be saying "God bless us everyone!"

Keep an eye out for Sarah Wesley's insightful article on manners and courtesy in an upcoming issue of Hartford Magazine.

Crazy Day at the Playhouse

A photo shoot for an article to appear in Hartford Magazine. EQuilibrium rehearsing for their upcoming show and a fire. More on the photo shoot and Equilibrium later, but first the fire.

The mild aroma of smoke in the Playhouse graduated to a scary matter as the aroma became more prevalent. Master Electrician Tim Hache and I began to search the Playhouse and the neighboring ice cream plant for the source of the smoke. A light haze quickly gave way to a thick cloud of smoke in the ice cream plant. We decided it was time to call the fire department. Tim and I made our way back down to the theater and informed Executive Director, Tracy Flater of the situation.

Scurrying back to the box office, I dialed 9-1-1. I told the operator that we were having a smoke emergency. She instructed me to pull the fire alarm, even described to me what it looked like, thanks lady. I made my way to the fire alarm, telling Tracy what the 9-1-1 operator had told me. Tracy was reluctant to pull the alarm and asked if I would do it. I mustered up the courage and pulled the alarm, much to Tim's dismay. He really wanted to do it. Sorry Tim...Not.

A few minutes later, four fire trucks and three police cruisers and an ambulance populated Park Road. Firefighters raced towards the building, hoses in hand. Playhouse staff and visitors that had congregated outside the Playhouse were ushered away from the front of the building. A.C. Petersen's was evacuated as a precaution.

So there we all stood out in the chilly afternoon air watching the drama unfold and seeing our Park Road neighbors outside their establishments looking on. About an hour later we were given the all clear to go back in. Our fire alarm was reset and we were back in business. The cause of the fire was an old computer in the ice cream plant. There was was no damage and no injuries, just a bit of exciting news to share with family and friends.

"A typical day gets turned upside down at least once." Tracy said of the day's event. "There's always drama at the Playhouse." she added. I concur. In my opinion a good theater is one that provides drama on and off the stage. The events of today sure prove that.

Speaking of on stage drama, next up here at Playhouse on Park is EQuilibrium Dance Theater presents "The Settlement" Artistic Director of the EQuilibrium Dance Theater, Jolet Creary describes the show as "A great combination of stories that are relevant to our times and through our eyes. Taking the idea of hip hop to a new level. Not just dancing but bringing art to it."

EQuilibrium Presents "The Settlement" plays at Playhouse on Park Thursday, March 24 at 7:30pm. Friday, March 25 at 8:00pm. Saturday, March 26 at 8:00pm and Sunday, March 27 at 2:00pm. Tickets range from $17.50 to $22.50 for adult tickets and can be purchased by calling our box office at 860-523-5900 x 10 or online at www.playhouseonpark.org.

Check out an upcoming issue of Hartford Magazine for an article about a lack of politeness in movie theaters and other places. The picture with the article was taken here at the Playhouse. More about about that in an upcoming post.

March Madness

I'll bet you think March Madness is all about basketball. Nope, not even close. March Madness is a term that will be applied to people who miss Playhouse on Park's current production of The Scarlet Letter. If you're mad because you thought I was going to talk about basketball, come talk to me, I'll be at the corner of Get Over It Street and Cry Me A River Avenue.

Why watch a bunch of guys trying to put a ball in a hoop? You could be watching a talented cast of actors in a slam dunk performance of The Scarlet Letter. The story centers on beautiful Hester Prynne and her affair with a prominent man in town. Young Hester is forced to wear the scarlet letter "A" on her bosom, which stands for adultery. Throw in a love child, A husband back from the dead, overwhelming guilt and the relentless pressure from the townsfolk to learn the identity of Hester's lover and you've got two hours of nothing but net!

There are just four more performances of the Scarlet Letter: Thursday, March 17th at 7:30pm. Friday, March 18th at 8:00pm. Saturday, March 19th at 8:00pm. Sunday, March 20th at 2:00pm. Call the box office, 860-523-5900 x 10 for tickets or purchase them online at http://www.playhouseonpark.org/. So avoid March Madness and come see The Scarlet Letter.

In closing I'd just like to say there's no bosoms in basketball. Swish!

The Blog is Back

Good thing you weren't holding your breath, because 232 days is a long time to hold it. I promise never to keep you waiting that long again. Now that I've made that official proclamation, you're probably wondering who I am. My name is James. I am a steadfast volunteer here at Playhouse on Park. My mission is to quench your insatiable appetite for all things about Playhouse on Park. Your mission is to satisfy said appetite with regular visits to our website and blog. I'll provide you with enough tasty morsels to satisfy your hunger, temporarily. You'll want to come back for more and when you do, bring a big plate and loose pants, because I'll be serving up a buffet of Playhouse morsels. The blog is back baby!

Announcing the New Season

It's been a few weeks since my last blog post, I know. But the fact is, Parkville is over, the air-conditioning is fixed and the fire alarm hasn't gone off recently. If you walk into the theatre, there will be no actors chomping down A.C.P's and no lighting guys getting strangled with wire. You will see interns on their Macs, Hillary on the phone, and (if you're lucky) Tracy in a meeting. You will think the theatre is a dying place. You will, however, be dead wrong.

These few weeks of calm actually disguised a very crazy time for PoP's directors: finalizing the line-up for next season! They shoot frantic emails, text urgent messages, engage in loud phone conversations and sometimes even talk face-to-face! They get a new idea, whip out the calendar, and cradle their heads in their hands, realizing they cannot squeeze yet another event into the already packed season. But finally, (finally!) after a summer of waiting and Bated Breath, the new season has been decided. Here are the winners!

Mainstage Productions:

Side by Side by Sondheim, music by Stephen Sondheim, Julie Styne, Richard Rodgers and Mary Rodgers

Brighton Beach Memoirs, by Neil Simon

Art, by Yasmina Reza

The Scarlet Letter, based on the novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Comedy of Errors, by Christopher Marlowe (just kidding, I'm just making sure you're paying attention)

Around the World in 80 Days, based on the novel by Jules Verne

A La Carte Series (a little more edgy):

Equus, by Peter Schaffer

Holiday Cabaret

You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, based on the comic strip "Peanuts"

Chicago (yes, the really famous Broadway musical)

Theatre for Young Audiences:

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, based on the book by Laura Joffe Numeroff

Homeroom, by Andrea Green and Selma Tolins Kaufman

I Think I Can, by Bruce Bowden, Barry Miller and Kathryn Schultz Miller

Full descriptions of the shows are available on Playhouse on Park's website, but I'll give you the scoop on a few things that the website won't tell you.

1. PoP's very own Sean Harris will play one of the three main roles in January's production of Art. It will be hilarious. You will come see it.

2. Not to brag or anything, but having Homeroom as part of the Young Audience series might not have happened if PoP had not hired a literary intern for the summer. In all

seriousness, though, seeing Homeroom on the roster is a testament to all the work I've been doing at PoP. Homeroom fell into our laps here at the Playhouse. I read it, visited the playwright's website, listened to the songs, and got an official copy and written reviews from the playwright herself. I talked with the artistic directors about it, had them read it, and next thing you know, we were calling up Andrea Green all the way in Philadelphia and talking with her about putting on her show. I have a feeling that Andrea is pretty thrilled - and so are we. We have found a great musical for middle and high school kids that touches on a lot of important issues and has a ton of really catchy music. It doesn't get much better than that. :)

3. Be on the lookout for staged readings and workshop productions of new work by Connecticut playwrights. Another product of my labors this summer, these low-key productions will run over a two-day period, with the purpose of introducing a new piece to the Connecticut theatre community. The playwrights we are featuring are really excited about their pieces, and my hope is that audiences can get over the fact that they "haven't heard of it before" and come out to see some great new work.

So that's the scoop from this literary blogger. Enjoy the next season!

Cleaners and Writers

Tuesday was one of the craziest days the Playhouse has ever seen. The interns and volunteers arrived in the morning to an email from the boss that looked something like this: CLEAN THE THEATRE!! So that's what we did. Floors were mopped, trashed was collected, carpets were vacuumed, bathrooms were restocked and plants were watered. The highlight occurred when Hillary and I returned from one of our multiple trips out to the dumpster and the lobby had sort of a funny smell to it. "It smells like cleaning stuff," Hillary said, and not having any other suggestions, I agreed.

Then Hillary had another revelation.

"Wait," she said, "I think the vacuum is in the trash pile." She was right. One of our trusty

vacuums was now sitting guiltily amidst the pile of black trash bags.

"That's it!" I said. "It's smells like broken vacuum!" As soon as David appeared from the storage room lugging another vacuum, our suspicions were confirmed. When asked about the dumpster-destined machine, David replied,

"Yeah, it started smoking a few minutes ago..." Tuesday, July 6, 2010 marked the first day I ever threw a vacuum into a dumpster.

But enough about the interns! Today I'm going to tell you all about Michael Bradford,

writer of The Parkville Project. I had so much fun interviewing Michael; he is

incredibly easy to talk to and offers up loads of information. But first, here's a little background on how he got into the theatre scene:

Originally from Kansas, Michael hitch-hiked around the country as a young man and then entered the navy, where he began writing poetry. While in the navy, he was lucky enough to see an August Wilson play - and from then on Michael knew he wanted to write plays. After serving in the navy, Michael went to UConn for his undergraduate degree and continued on to Brooklyn

College for his masters in playwriting. He received a fellowship at Manhattan Theatre Club, and then UConn hired him as Associate Professor of Theatre History, Dramatic Literature and Playwriting. He also serves as the Director of the Theatre Studies BA program.

Helene did most of the interviews for The Parkville Project, but it was Michael actually wrote the script. An aspiring playwright myself, I asked about Michael's writing process. How did her turen all of those interviews into just one family's story?

Michael had many questions to consider while writing. "How much drama can I add to real people's stories? How much can I manipulate?" Michael made a distinction between the "truth" of the play and a whether or not the story is "true." The "macro-story" (the overarching themes of immigration and separated families) has a lot of fact in it, while the the "micro-story" about Amalia and her family is not factual but very truthful. His goal was to weave many lives together into a larger story about the history of Parkville. "Writing this play was very different from any other play I've ever written," Michael said.

The script itself is highly unique. The play went through at least seven significantly

different drafts, with the script constantly undergoing revisions. Michael and Helene settled on an untraditional plot structure, with no obvious peripeteia (the literary term for the turning point or reversal of fortune). The structure alludes back to the works of Sophocles and Euripedes in ancient Greece, with the cast often acting as a chorus and individuals periodically stepping out to tell their stories.

When I asked how he got the idea for the specific stories of Amalia, Argulio and Eduardo, Michael responded that he had taught an acting workshop in Guemaras, Portugal, the town where Amalia's parents met. One of his students brought in a typewriter that he said had been dropped from the sky in Cuba...and the story began.

So although the craziness has died down since Tuesday, Playhouse on Park is still the place to be. We are expecting a sell-out tonight for our opening and we hope that word will get out about this locally relevant, highly powerful piece of theatre. Enjoy!

A pivotal moment between Eduardo and Amalia in The Parkville Project