Author: Charleston Stage

Featured: Gale Ray painting the faux fireplace in the Banks’s house on Cherry Tree Lane.

 

Q1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where are you originally from and what is your involvement in the arts?

I’m from Meridian, MS, and have lived in Charleston for 19 years. Before coming to Charleston, I lived in Savannah for 8 years. I earned my MFA in Fiber Arts at the Savannah College of Art and Design. I taught at the college for 2 years then pursued a career as a fiber artist. I developed a fabric that was part clear and part solid which I painted and assembled in layers to create three dimensional tapestries. My focus was on creating man-made and natural passageways or portals. I exhibited and sold my work in high-end juried craft shows throughout the country namely the Smithsonian Craft Show, Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show, American Craft Expo in Chicago, the Washington Craft Show and all the major American Craft Council craft shows.

In 2000 I changed direction studying faux painting with Nicola Vigini in San Antonio Texas and Faux Effects International in Vero Beach. My focus was on plaster finishes, Venetian plaster, mother of pearl plaster, glaze patinas, wood graining and furniture. One of my faux grained doors adorns the East Bay Street entry of the Edmondston-Alston Museum House.

Recently I have been concentrating on painting oil on canvas with a focus on Low-Country landscape. My style is minimal, color field painting with emphasis more on atmosphere than image. My paintings can be seen on line at www.galeray.net.

 

2) How long have you lived in Charleston and what do you enjoy most about Charleston?

I love living in Charleston with my partner of 27 years who is a professional violinist. I have a son who lives in Orlando with his wife and my 2 grandsons. I enjoy biking, yoga, going to the beach, doing yardwork and attending concerts. I love seafood, oyster roasts and going to Charleston’s wonderful array of fine restaurants. I enjoy getting from one place to another while experiencing expansive marsh views and subtle color changes. Charleston is a true inspiration for an artist.

 

3) How did you come across Charleston Stage and volunteering for the company?

My partner and I were walking down Warren Street one day several weeks ago and I was drawn into the studio as I watched a set being built. Josh Wetzstein, Charleston Stage’s Technical Director, greeted me and I said I would love to help paint. We exchanged info and here I am… having fun painting. I’m having a wonderful time helping paint the set for “Mary Poppins”.

Thank you to Josh Wetzstein for calling me and for Jessica Nova (Charleston Stage’s Shop Carpenter) for giving me directives on what needed to be painted. I have enjoyed hanging out with the cast and crew and all the other artists who help produce the show.

 

If you would like to learn more about the Backstage Volunteer Opportunities with Charleston Stage, click here.

 

 

 

 

Q1: How familiar were you with “Mary Poppins” before starting this rehearsal process?

I’ve definitely seen the movie before. But it’s been so long, I honestly don’t remember. But I saw the show on Broadway in 2007 and it was absolutely stunning. “Step In Time” is a particularly unforgettable number and I’ll probably remember seeing Bert’s proscenium walk for the rest of my life.

It’s also been very helpful to be able to peruse the collection of P.L. Travers’s stories that my fellow cast member Carin (Mary Poppins) has. It’s made piecing together backstories and motivation for Bert much easier and certainly enjoyable.

 

Q2: What’s it like playing the iconic role of Bert?

Bert is challenging for an actor like me, who feels more comfortable and effective in roles where the character is more subdued and possibly cerebral, as Bert is very extroverted and expressive; a true jack of all trades. That’s not to say he doesn’t have quite a lot going on underneath, but he’s certainly comfortable in his own skin and not afraid to lead a parade through the park or dance across the rooftops. It’s exciting and challenging because it forces me to be someone quite unlike myself, which I think is always valuable for a performer.

 

Q3: What’s been your favorite moment of this entire rehearsal process with “Mary Poppins”?

It’s probably a tie between the production numbers “Jolly Holiday” and “Step In Time”! Both of these numbers are so exciting to perform in! Though really any moment in the show where the ensemble is greatly involved and we get to re-rehearse, each time finding different ways to connect and play off of each other, is really, really fun, and I think what makes the show memorable.

 

Q4: Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from?

I’m a Texan, through and through. I was born in Midland, TX, home of oil and high school football, and moved to Keller, right outside of Ft. Worth, just before I turned six. Keller is where I grew up and the place I call home.

 

Q5: Where did you recently graduate from college?

I went to Ole Miss in Oxford, MS, and graduated in May 2015 with a BFA in Musical Theatre. I owe much of my development in performance, including my studying habits as an actor, my voice training, and my discovery of my love of tap (really the only sort of dance I think I do very well at all) to their wonderful theatre department and staff.

 

Q6: What are some of your favorite past roles you’ve played?

In high school, I got to play Bat Boy in “Bat Boy: The Musical”, and it’s the first role I played in a musical where I discovered what I wanted to do with my life, so it has a very fond place in my heart. I also played Clive Paget/John Jasper in “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” at Ole Miss which was a BLAST. He’s just so silly and dark. It’s a role I hope I get to play again.

Weirdly enough, I also really enjoy working with puppets. I was in a production of “Avenue Q” with Ghostlight Repertory Theatre, a student-run group on the Ole Miss campus, where I got to play Nicky, Trekkie Monster and a Bad Idea Bear, and lent a hand in helping construct the puppets. That’s a production I’m very proud to have been a part of. Also, getting to control the Audrey II puppets in “Little Shop of Horrors” for Charleston Stage this past fall was one of my favorite experiences.

 

Q7: Are you excited about flying, tap dancing upside down in “Mary Poppins”?

More than anything. I absolutely can’t wait. I’m also very much looking forward to seeing and hearing the crowd react. I’m hoping it’ll give them an experience they’ll never forget.

 

Charleston Stage’s “Mary Poppins” runs April 6 – May 1, 2016, at the Historic Dock Street Theatre. For tickets, call (843) 577-7183 or purchase online by clicking here.

 

 

 

 

Featured From Left to Right: Charleston Stage Director Jesse Siak with veteran Shear Madness Director Bob Lohrmann on the set of Shear Madness at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.

This past November, Charleston Stage Director Jesse Siak spent 3 days in Washington, D.C., to “train” for directing Shear Madness this month. Even though much of Shear Madness is improvised (from time to time the audience votes on what happens next and actors have to react)— it requires enormous preparation. Leading the training was Bob Lohrmann who has performed every male role in the show and directed it for the Kennedy Center for over 30 years!

“When I first met Bob,” admitted Jesse, “I was intimidated. What does a 26-year-old director like me have to say to this guy who’s been a part of the Shear Madness family for longer than I’ve been alive? Then something great happened. Bob made me laugh. Then I made him laugh. We were thick as thieves from that point on, discussing the show’s logistics, tricks, improvisations, challenges and his greatest successes and even some things that had fallen flat. Each day I would wake up at my hotel, do some homework at breakfast then race to meet Bob at the theatre where we would talk for hours about this show that has been running non-stop in Washington and Boston for more than 30 years and has been produced around the world. I feel honored to be bringing this unique show to Charleston for the first time. After our talks, I’d race back to my hotel, grab some dinner and then head over to the Kennedy Center to see the show each night to see which choices the audience would make that night and how the cast would respond to them. Though the basic script is only 40 pages long there are an additional 130 pages of potential plot changes and endings depending on what choices the audiences makes (The audience votes throughout the evening on what happens next). Though it was scary to realize I would soon be directing this amazing show, I also realized that if you’re about to do something artistic and it doesn’t scare you at least a little, what’s the point? If someone like Bob had not taken some big chances on Shear Madness years ago, it would never have seen the light of day. Since its premiere in Boston in 1980, millions of patrons have laughed out loud and fallen in the aisles delighting in the hilarity of the show.”

Shear Madness opens next week for a three week run Mar. 11 – 27, 2016, at the Historic Dock Street Theatre. For tickets, call (843) 577-7183 or purchase online at CharlestonStage.com.

 

 

 

 

We recently sat down with DJ Edwards, Charleston Stage’s Audio Engineer and Sound Designer for A Christmas Story, asking him about the steps he takes in designing sound for particular scenes in this production. DJ responded, “To capture the ‘lost in the jungle’ feel for one of the Ralphie dream sequences in A Christmas Story, Director Julian Wiles asked me to create jungle noises that would introduce the sounds of exotic animals which might scare Ralphie and his friends in this particular scene. So, I designed an ambience which was announced with the sounds of a tiger’s roar, an elephant’s trumpet and growl and the call of a loon. As the animal noises fade out, the audience hears jungle birds and insects that play throughout the rest of the scene.”

“All of these cues are executed by Logan Teder, one of the TheatreWings apprentices in my sound class,” say Edwards. “Logan has used all of his knowledge from the past few months to be my right-hand-man, running the sound cues and fixing any problematic microphones throughout the show. I’m working behind the sound board during each performance of A Christmas Story, so having someone like Logan there to help is crucial. The TheatreWings program is as beneficial to me as it is to our high school apprentices.”

To experience DJ’s sound design firsthand, you can still catch a performance of A Christmas Story running this Thursday through Dec. 20th at the Dock! Click here to purchase tickets.

 

 

 

 

The iconic leg lamp from A Christmas Story has to be one of the most bizarre and recognizable props in movie history. The Christmas Story leg lamp first appeared in radio personality Jean Shepherd’s short story My Old Man and the Lascivious Special Award That Heralded the Birth of Pop Art -one of the many short stories in his best-selling book In God We Trust: All Other Pay Cash! – from which A Christmas Story the movie was based. Shepherd said he got the idea for the lamp after seeing an illuminated Nehi Soda commercial from the 1940’s.

When the Christmas Story movie was made, the task of bringing the leg lamp to life fell to movie production designer Reuben Freed. He made sketches of several possible designs and one caught the eye of author Jean Shepherd who, when he saw it, said “that’s it!” and the rest is history. Unfortunately none of the three original lamps made for the movie survived. All three were broken in the course of filming. But you can still buy replicas of the lamp and give yourself your very own “major award” – thousands of leg lamp replicas are sold each year. For more information on the legendary Christmas Story leg lamp and how you can order your very own visit achristmasstoryhouse.com.

 

 

 

 

One of the funniest moments in A Christmas Story is when the hound dogs, owned by the Bumpus family next door, break in and devour the Christmas turkey at Ralphie Parker’s house. These dogs are notorious for hounding Ralphie’s father by eating the Parker’s mail and one of his shoes. “We knew it was essential to find a way to portray this iconic scene. Since we didn’t have any hound dogs audition,” explained A Christmas Story director, Julian Wiles, “we had to be creative. We learned from our friends at Pet Helpers that they had a beautiful hound dog name Vincent at their shelter. So Victor Clark, who plays Ralphie’s father, and I headed over to the shelter to do a photoshoot with Vincent, a massive but incredibly friendly blood hound. Since we already planned to use a number of projections in the show, adding photos of Vic and Vincent seemed like the perfect solution. Despite his humongous size, Vincent is a sweet and obedient dog and our two actors (man and man’s best friend) got along great. I photographed some fun shots, as you can see featured in this blog. To make the pictures look like old family photos that you might see from the 1940s, we converted them to black and white. Sound Designer DJ Edwards added some barking sound effects and the Bumpus hounds came to life!”

 

Ralphie in this year’s live production of A Christmas Story is played by Miles Kendrick, a sixth grade theatre major at Charleston County’s School of the Arts. Some folks might remember Miles because three years ago he played Ralphie’s little brother Randy. “It’s kind of weird playing the big brother now. I enjoyed playing Randy, especially getting to put oatmeal all over my face and hands” says Miles. When asked how he got started in the theatre, Miles says it was his big sister, Sophie, who got him interested. Sophie had performed with Charleston Stage in A Christmas Carol and Peter Pan and was a member of Charleston Stage’s TheatreWings High School Apprentice Program. She is currently a freshman at DePaul University in Chicago studying Communications. Miles’s first role was as an Oompa Loompa in Charleston Stage’s SummerStage production of Raold Dahl’s classic Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.  “I love Raold Dahl,” says Miles. “I just finished his autobiography and my goal is to read all of his books. Right now I’m reading The BFG.” When asked what his favorite part of acting is, Miles says “What I really like about acting is becoming characters who are nothing like me and doing things I would never do in real life.”

Miles, a member of Charleston Stage’s Performance Troupe, has also appeared in Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.

 

 

 

 

Featured: The real Frank Abagnale, Jr., now a resident of Charleston, SC.

 

Q:  Tell us how Catch Me If You Can became a book and later a movie.
A:  Actually it was Johnny Carson who suggested I turn my story into a book.  I had appeared on the Carson show several times, and he put me in touch with an agent and at 27, my story became a book.  It is still in print and there are editions in more than 39 languages.

Featured:  (Left to Right)  Frank Abagnale, Jr. and TV host Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show, 1978.  The segment, scheduled for six minutes, lasted 20.

 

Q:  What about the movie?
A:  It is absolutely an amazing story—one that perhaps should be its own book!  Again, after an appearance on Johnny Carson, Norman Lear and Bud Yorkin bought the rights and the rights were sold and resold over the years moving from studio to studio until finally years later they found their way to Dreamworks with Steven Spielberg slated to direct.  It was worth the wait.

 

Q:  Did you get to meet the stars?
A:  Yes, I spent a lot of time with Leonardo, visiting him at his home where we went over in great detail my past, my habits and mannerisms.  He was fun to be with and a great host.  Tom Hanks was also very kind to me and my family, always in a good mood and a lot of fun to work with.  By the way, I made a cameo in the film.  I’m the French police officer that arrests Leonardo.

 

Featured:  (Left to Right)  Steven Spielberg, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks and
Frank Abagnale, Jr. in a publicity shot for Catch Me If You Can (the movie) in 2002.

 

Q:  Were you involved with the musical?
A:  I wasn’t directly involved although I was invited to an earlier showcase when the show was being put together and later of course, I attended the opening as well as many productions around the country.  I’m very excited we will now have one right here in my back yard.

 

Q:  How accurate is the film and musical to your real life.
A:  I’d say it’s about 80% accurate.  Spielberg told me as this was getting started that you can’t squeeze five years of someone’s like into a two hour film without taking out some details.  The film changed my family structure, some of my impersonations, omitted prison time I served in Sweden and my escape from Federal custody.

 

Q:  Have you remained friends with the FBI Agent who caught you?  He’s called Hanratty in the film and musical?
A:  Oh, yes, his real name is Joseph Shea, and we’ve remained in touch over the years, and he’s gotten to see me turn my life around and watch my children grow up.

 

Q:  While you’re famous for your exploits from age 16-21, you’ve had a great “second act.”  Can you tell us a little bit about that?
A:  I and my wife of 38 years now make our home in Charleston.  I am also the proud father of three sons and grandfather of four.

After serving 5 years for my youthful exploits, I was paroled and for the past 39 years, I have been a consultant to the FBI helping train thousands of agents at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, and in the 56 Bureau field offices across the country.

My work has evolved over time.  Initially I worked with high security printers around the world on secure items such as passports, checks, car titles and birth certificates.  For the past ten years, I’ve worked with The 41st Parameter (www.41st.com) on technology that combats cybercrime.  Today this technology is used by eight of the ten largest U. S. Banks, all the major airlines and many retailers from Amazon to Neiman Marcus.  The 41st Parameter was recently sold to Experian to take this technology worldwide.   I currently work on retainer to companies like Intuit, LexisNexis and Experian.  I have also written five books on crime.

 

FUN FACT:  The photo above features Frank Abagnale, Jr. speaking to all 50 state Attorneys General at the winter meeting of the National Association of Attorneys General in Washington, DC on Tuesday, February 24, 2015.  Mr. Abagnale also was the keynote speaker at the summer meeting of NAAG held in Fort Lauderdale.  Mr. Abagnale talked about cybercrime, fraud and other white collar crimes.

 

Charleston Stage’s production of “Catch Me If You Can: The Musical” runs April 3 – 26, 2015, at the Historic Dock Street Theatre.  For tickets, call (843) 577-7183 or purchase online by clicking here.  See you at the Dock!

 

 

 

 

 

This season, 30 young actors are currently taking the stage in key roles in A Christmas Carol and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.  “All of the young performers in these two productions come from Charleston Stage’s Education Programs,” says Marybeth Clark, Associate Artistic Director and Director of Education.  “Most have had several years of classes in acting, singing and dancing and all audition and were accepted into Charleston Stage’s Performance Troupe.”  Performance Troupe meets in weekly workshops to further develop youth actor’s talents.  Each August members of Performance Troupe are asked to audition for Charleston Stage’s MainStage and Family Series productions.  Two of this year’s performers are indicative of the dedication, hard work and talent of our Troupe members.  Fourth grader Boris Pekar who is playing Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol is in his first year of Performance Troupe.  Last season, Boris starred as Prince Eric in SummerStage’s The Little Mermaid Jr.  “The hardest part of playing Tiny Tim is learning to use a crutch and the accent,” says Boris.  “I’m most excited about having a big part and being in a MainStage production.”

10-year-old Sophia McCoy is currently playing the role of Gladys Herdman in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and is already a seasoned pro having performed as Molly in last season’s holiday production of Annie.  “I love playing a naughty orphan kid so I can be mean,” says Sophia.  “I hope I’m a nice person offstage, and being mean onstage is different for me.  Sometimes it’s hard to act mean because I don’t want to hurt anybody.”  Sophia has been a member of Charleston Stage’s Performance Troupe for 2 years.

To learn more about Charleston Stage’s Education classes, please visit http://www.charlestonstage.com/education.html. Registration for 2015 Spring classes is now available online!

 

 

Q:  Tell us about yourself.  Where are you from and how did you get involved in theatre?

JESSE: I am from Hendersonville, NC.  I always enjoyed doing voices and performing plays in our back yard.  When I was ten, my mom decided to do something about this and enrolled me in classes at Flat Rock Playhouse in Flat Rock, NC, so that I could find a creative outlet for all my craziness.

 

Q:  Where did you attend school?

JESSE: I went to Catawba College in Salisbury, NC.  There, I received by BA in Theatre Education.  I have been training in theatre since I was ten at Flat Rock Playhouse in Flat Rock, NC, as well as South Carolina Children’s Theatre in Greenville, SC, under the instruction of Betsy Bisson.

 

Q:  You’re a second year Resident Actor.  How has your experience been as a Resident Actor and what are your thoughts on this program?

JESSE: My experience has always been pretty incredible.  I think the Charleston Stage program offers so many opportunities for artistic growth.  From performing in 6 plays each season to teaching classes for Charleston Stage’s TheatreSchool as well as in-school workshops, you are continually growing and learning.  My favorite roles have included Henry in Next to Normal, Watson in Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure, Wilbur in Charlotte’s Web, and most recently, Dr. Frederick Frankenstein in The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein.

 

Q:  You are also the Coordinator for the TheatreWings Apprentice Program.  What is TheatreWings?

JESSE: The TheatreWings program offers many different ways for high school students to expand their knowledge and love of the theatre arts.  The students are broken into “Concentrations” where they attend weekly classes and learn about specific areas of theatre.  The concentrations are:  Acting, Sound Production/Design, Costume Production/Design and Stage Management.  Each TheatreWings student must also be a member of at least one backstage crew during the Charleston Stage season.  Their backstage roles include, sound technician, stage management, wardrobe, and deck crew. As the TheatreWings Coordinator, I am trying to build a program where our students become multi-faceted in all the theatre arts.  We want to show them that theatre isn’t just about acting, and that many parts working together makes the theatre world go round.   I want them to be more professional students, and my goal is to fully prepare them for continuing theatre in higher education.   TheatreWings is a college prep course, and I want to send our apprentices into the world as prepared, respectable, and knowledgeable people as they can be.

 

Q:  Tell us about your directorial debut for Charleston Stage in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.

JESSE: This has been a great experience.  It is wonderful working with such professional and talented students.  Many of these students have been in Charleston Stage’s Performance Troupe for several years.  Performance Troupe is our upper elementary and middle school acting training class that teaches about acting, dance, singing and general theatrical practices.  At this stage in the process, I have found that my cast has tremendous work ethic, technique and talent.  Some people say that directing is mainly about getting a great cast together… I don’t agree entirely, though having such an incredible group really helps!

 

Q:  What roles are coming up next for you with Charleston Stage?

JESSE: I am currently playing Jacob Marley/Butcher/Fezziwig/Topper in A Christmas Carol and will be playing Benjamin Cohen in The Underpants.