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GECA to present ‘Steel Magnolias’
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| GECA to present ‘Steel Magnolias’ |
By MaryClaire Foster
Published: Tuesday, October 14, 2008
11:16 PM CDT
Continuing its tradition of bringing theatre to
Atmore and surrounding areas, the Greater Escambia Council for the Arts will take six women to the stage Thursday and Friday
to perform “Steel Magnolias.” [Oct 16 & 17 at Grace Fellowship in Atmore, AL Highway 31.]
“Steel
Magnolias” is an original off-Broadway play written by Robert Harling that focuses on the relationship between a mother,
M’Lynn Eatonton, and her diabetic daughter, Shelby Eatonton Latcherie, who against doctor’s recommendations decides
to have a baby.
The play takes place in Louisiana in a beauty shop and also focuses on the relationship of four other
women including the owner Truvy Jones; an employee, Annelle Dupuy Desoto and Clairee Belcher and Ouiser Boudreaux, two shop
regulars.
The parts of Annelle, Clairee and Shelby will be played by three Atmore residents, Ellen Johnson, Patty Castleberry
and Melanie Bennett.
Bennett
has never acted before, but after being approached by Hursh, who is a friend, to tryout for the part she said her love of
the movie got her to participate.
“I’ve never met anyone who has watched the movie and not loved it,”
she said. “The play is different, but I think everyone will love it just as much.”
Another Atmore resident,
Sherrie Hursh, is directing the play. This is her second time directing. Hursh also spoke of her own fondness for the play
and her confidence that it will be well received.
“It’s incredibly entertaining,” she said. “You
will laugh until you cry.”
Brewton residents Jo Downing and Mitzi Dixon play the parts of Ouiser and Truvy. Sharon
Poulsen of Walnut Hill plays the part of M’Lynn.
Because of the setting of the play, Bennett said she thinks
residents will feel a strong draw to it as Southerners.
“It’s one of those iconic stories,” she said.
“Especially with it being set in the South and being about Southern women.”
Hursh said that the play will
be a particularly fun evening for women.
“It’s a great opportunity for ladies to get together and have
an evening out with the girls,” she said. “Not to say the men won’t enjoy it because they will,” she
said. “They’ll find it hilarious too.”
The play will also be performed in Brewton at Jefferson Davis
Community College’s Neal Auditorium at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 24 and Saturday, Oct. 25.
Tickets for the show
are $8 for adults and $6 for children 12 and under.
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Pictured above: some of the cast of "Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat."
Directed by Phil Johnson. Left to right: Perry Jones as Joseph. Joseph Watson (background) as Judah, John Mascaro as
Levi, Judge David Jordan as Isaacar, and Daniel Johnson as Benjamin.
Greater Escambia Council for the Arts perform for ‘great’ crowd
By
Adrienne McKenzie
The Greater Escambia Council for the Arts performed “Joseph and the
Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” for area residents last week and throughout the weekend at W.S. Neal High School in Brewton.
“It went great,” publicity representative Kate Sherrill said.
“The response was so much bigger than I expected. The audiences were great.”
Sherrill said she was pleased with how many individuals made the drive from
Atmore to W.S. Neal for the show.
“I was shocked and surprised at how many people came from Atmore to
Brewton to see the play,” she said.
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”
was composed in 1976. It took the audience back in time to ancient Israel and Egypt in a blaze of color, according to Sherrill.
There was plenty of lights, music and dancing in the performance.
GECA performers began practicing for the production in the beginning of June.
Atmore native Perry Jones played the lead role of “Joseph.” Ellen Johnson along with Sherrill narrated the show.
Other characters included “Pharaoh,” played by ex-off-Broadway
actor John Mascaro of Walnut Hill, Fla.; the Rev. Mike McMorris played “Potiphar” and Kris Woods played “Mrs.
Potiphar.” “Jacob” was played by Norman Boyd. There were a number of other actors and actresses in the performance,
including a children’s ensemble. Phil Johnson directed the show.
Sherrill said auditions for the next GECA performance will be held in September.
The next performance is tentatively scheduled to be “Steel Magnolias.”
For more information, visit www.gecarts.com.
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Lights, music, dancing: Action By Adrienne McKenzie
The Greater Escambia Council for the Arts are putting on the
final touches of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” which they
will perform tomorrow through this weekend at W.S. Neal High School in Brewton.
“Final preparations are going well,” publicity
representative Kate Sherrill said. “It’s always a little nerve-wracking when you get to the final week of course,
but it’s all coming together. We are happy it’s finally time.”
Sherrill said she expects a big audience at the GECA event.
“Everybody’s helped out with publicity this year,”
Sherrill said. “People all over town have helped me hang posters. I am expecting a large crowd.”
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Joseph and the Amazing
Technicolor Dreamcoat” was composed in 1976. It will take the audience back in time to ancient Israel and Egypt in a
blaze of color, according to Sherrill. There will be plenty of lights, music and dancing in the performance.
GECA performers began practicing for the production in the
beginning of June. Atmore native Perry Jones will play the lead role of “Joseph.” Ellen Johnson along
with Sherrill will narrate the show.
Other characters will include “Pharaoh,” played
by ex-off-Broadway actor John Mascaro of Walnut Hill, Fla.; the Rev. Mike McMorris will play “Potiphar” and Kris
Woods will play “Mrs. Potiphar.” “Jacob” will be played by Norman Boyd. There are a number of other
actors and actresses in the performance, including a children’s ensemble. Phil Johnson will direct the show.
GECA will perform “Joseph and the
Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m. nightly and Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. Each performance
will be at W.S. Neal High School in the auditorium.
Adult tickets are $8 apiece and children 12 and under will be admitted for $6 apiece.
For more information or tickets, call Phil Johnson at 368-3899 or Sherrill at 294-3555 or visit
the GECA Web site at
www.gecarts.com.
“We encourage everyone to come out because it’s going to be spectacular and a lot
of hard work has gone into it,” Sherrill said. |
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GECA to perform in Brewton By Adrienne McKenzie - special
to the standard
The Greater Escambia Council for the Arts put on a show full of laughs and intrigue this
weekend with the performance of “Harvey.”
GECA acted out the play written by Mary Chase at First Presbyterian Church in Atmore Saturday
night and Sunday afternoon and co-director Sherrie Hursh said the play went well, but she was slightly disappointed with the
attendance.
“It went very good,” Hursh said. “But, we still need support from the town
for the arts.”
Residents and guests of Escambia County have two more opportunities to show their support for
GECA as the actors and actresses will perform “Harvey” at The Ritz on Nov. 15 and the Brewton Country Club on
Nov. 17. Both performances are scheduled for 7 p.m.
“Harvey” provides many giggles to the crowd, according to Hursh.
“If anybody is looking for an evening of wonderful laughter, you won't be disappointed,”
she said in an interview last week. “It's a wonderful comedy.”
“Harvey” is a play that was written by Mary Chase and it won the Pulitzer Prize
for drama in 1945.
The story is about Elwood P. Dowd who has an imaginary friend in a 6 and a half foot tall “pooka”
in the form of a rabbit named Harvey.
A pooka is by definition “a mischievous spirit in Irish folklore.” In the play,
Harvey the invisible rabbit is Dowd's best friend. Dowd's sister Veta Louise Simmons is tired of Harvey and his antics and
decides her brother needs to be placed in a sanitarium.
When Simmons and Dowd arrive at the sanitarium, the doctor decides she is the one who needs
help and commits her instead of her imaginary rabbit-loving brother.
When the truth finally comes out, people begin looking for Dowd and his invisible friend. Through
a series of events, the doctor begins seeing Harvey and the sanitarium orderly is not so certain he isn't real either.
The orderly, Duane Wilson, is curious as to what a pooka is and looks up the definition, which
reads, “Pooka. From old Celtic mythology. A fairy spirit in animal form. The pooka appears here and there, now and then,
to this one and that one at his own caprice. A wise but mischievous creature. Very fond of rum-pots, crack pots; and how are
you Mr. Wilson?” This definition provides the thought that Harvey may actually be real.
The remainder of the play is acted out through various laughs and special moments between the
brother, sister and Harvey.
The GECA cast of “Harvey” includes Angelique Owens, “Myrtle Mae Simmons;”
Sharon Poulsen, “Veta Louise Simmons;” Phil Johnson, “Elwood P. Dowd;” Ellen Johnson, “Mrs.
Ethel Chauvenet;” Samantha Zundel, “Nurse Ruth Kelly;” Troy Pierce, “Duane Wilson;” Jonathan
Owens, “Dr. Lyman Sanderson” and “E.J. Lofgren;” Norm Boyd, “Dr. William R. Chumley;”
Pam Dees, “Betty Chumley” and Mike McMorris, “Judge Omar Gaffney.”
“Harvey” is directed by Hursh and Sharon Poulsen. Those in charge of the set construction
include, Mike McMorris, Phil Johnson, Ellis Beachy, Leonard Hursh, Sharon Poulsen, Pam Dees, Sherrie Hursh and Angelique Owens.
Sherrie Hursh is also in charge of the lighting and Ellen Johnson in charge of sound.
GECA members thank First Presbyterian Church, Atmore mayor Howard Shell, Robert C. McMillan,
the Brewton Country Club and Marsha's Menagerie.
For more information, email gecarts@hotmail.com or call 368-3899. |
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‘Hello Dolly' takes to ECHS stage By
RYAN CARTER - special to the standard
It ran on Broadway for 22 years. Now, “Hello Dolly” is coming to the Escambia County
area thanks to the Greater Escambia Council for the Arts.
According to director Phil Johnson, “Hello Dolly” ran on Broadway for 12 years,
was revived and ran another 10 years. Until “The Sound of Music,” he said,“Hello Dolly” was one of
Broadway's biggest money makers.
“Hello Dolly” is described as very funny and the lead character, Dolly, has a magnetic
personality.
Johnson said the musical demonstrates the transforming power of love with all of the main characters
changing once they fall in love.
“Hello Dolly” will feature several dance numbers which is something relatively new
for GECA.
“‘Godspell' was our first musical with dance numbers,” Johnson said. “However,
the dancing in ‘Hello Dolly' is very different than in ‘Godspell.'”
Starring in “Hello Dolly” will be Sharon Poulsen as Dolly, Jerry Janes as Horace,
Laura Davis as Irene, Leonard Hursh as Cornellius, Kate Sherrill as Minnie Faye, Brewton's Stephen Billy as Barnaby, Emily
Moore as Ermanguard and Jeffery Hubert as Ambrose.
Tickets are available now from any cast member and will be available at the door. Due to contract
restrictions, GECA is limited to 300 tickets for each performance with tickets not interchangeable between performances.
Show times are Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. at Hodnette Auditorium
on the Escambia County High School campus in Atmore. |
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Local News for Molino, Bratt,
McDavid, Century & Walnut Hill
Pictured above (L-R): Joseph Watson, Daniel Johnson, Judge Dave Jordan, John Mascaro,
Timothy Huber, Marvin Gehman, and Jerry Gehman, Phil Johnson, and Nathan Lindsey.
July 27, 2008
The Greater Escambia Council for the Arts performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat continues today and Sunday at Neal High School in Brewton.
Composed in 1976, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is a sensory
overload. The show is a Biblical story woven with a colorful cacophony of lights, music, and dancing. You can experience the
dream as you are taken back to ancient Israel and Egypt in a blaze of color. The one remaining performance is Sunday at 2:00
p.m. at the auditorium at Neal High School in Brewton. Tickets are eight dollars for adults, and six dollars for children
under 12.
Rehearsals for the production began in early June with a rigorous schedule
of dance, blocking, and music practices. A difficult show requires talented actors; fortunately, the Escambia county has always
faithfully provided these.
One such talented person is Atmore native Perry Jones, who takes the title
role of Joseph. Alongside Jones are Ellen Johnson and Kate Sherrill who narrate the show.
Other notable characters are Pharaoh, played by John Mascaro, an ex-off-Broadway
actor from Walnut Hill, Fl; Potiphar, played by Rev. Mike McMorris; Mrs. Potiphar, played by Kris Woods; and Jacob, played
by Norman Boyd.
The cast also includes the Hon. Steve Billy, the Hon. Dave Jordan, Marnin
and Jerry Gehman, Timothy Huber, Daniel and Phil Johnson, Nathan Lindsey, and Joseph Watson as Joseph’s brothers. The
chorus also features the talents of Britney and Pam Dees, Delilah Holloway, Sharon Poulsen, Anne and Meg Sherrill, Gilda Stubben,
and Kaitlyn Woods. A children’s ensemble will also be prominently featured. The show is directed by Phil Johnson.
For further information about the show, tickets, or the Greater Escambia Council
for the Arts, call director Phil Johnson at (251) 368-3899, publicity officer Kate Sherrill at (251) 294-3555, or visit
www.gecarts.com.
Submitted story and photos.
Pictured below: The cast of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
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GECA preps for ‘Joseph' this month
The Greater Escambia Council for the Arts (GECA) will be performing
“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” beginning July 25 at W.S. Neal High School in East Brewton.
GECA publicity director Kate Sherrill said there are no spoken
words with everything including singing and music accompaniment.
She added it is a biblical story that follows the life of Joseph,
his brothers and the Pharaoh.
“It is an opera, which means there are no spoken words,
but a lot of dancing, singing and music,” Sherrill said.
In following the life of Joseph the play starts with him being
sold into slavery in Egypt and moves to when he overthrows the Pharaoh.
Sherrill said there are only two main characters in the play
with one being Joseph and the other the Pharaoh.
She added that Perry Jones plays Joseph and John Mascaro is
the Pharaoh.
“As the story follows Joseph he is our main character
played by Perry Jones and the other character emphasized is the Pharaoh being played by John Mascaro,” Sherrill said.
Sherrill and Owen Johnson will narrate “Joseph and the
Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” Phil Johnson is directing the opera.
“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” is
being held in the Neal High School auditorium starting at 7 p.m. on July 25.
There will be two other performances with one being on July
26 at an unspecified time and the last being a matinee on July 27 at 2 p.m.
For more information call GECA at 368-3899. |
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