Grants Pass Now

Spring at Barnstormers Theatre brings with it The Fox. The play is written by Allan Miller and is an adaptation of a novella by D. H. Lawrence. Rose Wingenbach directs this production, bringing with her over 30 years of acting experience and a BS degree in Theater Arts.

Rich in symbolism and heavy with emotion, The Fox brings to life the tale of two women trying to survive on their own in the harsh reality of farm life and during a time when most thought a man was as essential to survival as a decent shotgun. Rénon Tanner-Eye slips into the role of Nellie March with an almost uncanny ease, presenting an intense look into the character of a woman who isn’t afraid to work like a man, but dreams of having the time to pursue her passion for painting. Jill Banford, played by Amy Fox, fusses about the house with the more delicate chores, regularly expressing concern for Nellie and needing reassurance that they will remain together. When a young man named Henry (played by Brad Hosley) unexpectedly shows up at the door, Jill’s worries grow when she manages to convince herself that Henry may be after more than just a place to stay while on leave from the war. The rest of the story unfolds on March 21st for the those who wish to know the ending as soon as possible. The procrastinators have until April 5th.

The intensity of The Fox will be tamed by the antics of the crew of Fred Carmichael’s Done to Death. The director/ringleader of this play is Keith Fuller, has worked for over 20 years as a musician, but over the last five years some eagle-eyed theater regulars have spotted him in such plays as To Kill a Mockingbird, Little Shop of Horrors, and Fiddler on the Roof. Done to Death is a combination of mystery and comedy. It is the story of five famous mystery writers who are asked to write for a television series, and they do it with a level of enthusiasm that ranges from mild to falling-out-of-your-chair hilarious. With these characters you get a touch of everything. There is sophistication. There is class. There is youth, vibrancy, and old age, but more importantly, there is murder. And not just your every day murder, these cleverly played out scenes will… well, be spoiled if you knew the rest, so pay a visit to Barnstormers on May 2nd and see what the spoof is all about. Repeat performances will be given through May 18th.

For those that like to plan ahead, All in the Timing by David Ives, Directed by Susan Russell, begins June 13. Barnstormers gives us a glimpse into this play with their following quote: “With wit, charm, and adroit word play, this potpourri of vignettes ponders some nagging metaphysical questions: Is there a perfect line for sparking a romance? Can three randomly typing chimps create Hamlet? How would Trotsky cope with the pickaxe he’s discovered in his head? David Ives’ answers are part Plato, part Monty Python, with a splash of Marx Brothers!”

For ticket information, visit http://barnstormersgp.org/tickets.htm. Tickets are not available online. Barnstormer’s Theater Inc. is wheelchair accessible. There are a limited number of headsets available for the hearing impaired, so reservations for these should be made one week before the date of the performance you wish to see. Season tickets are available, as are season memberships. Theater buy-outs are allowed on all non public performance dates and are great for fund raising events, as tickets may then be sold for an amount over cost, allowing your organization to keep the “change”.

For the artistically inclined, Barnstormers is currently looking for someone to design a logo or banner. A pair of season tickets will be rewarded to the person whose design is chosen. For more contest information, please visit this page: http://barnstormersgp.org/auditions.htm -Gina Locke

David Carmack Lewis is a storyteller, and his medium is oil on canvas. His knowledge comes from having studies arts, design, and illustration at the Virginia Commonwealth University, Studio Arts at Virginia Tech, along with painting and printmaking in Cardiff, Wales. However, what sets Lewis apart is his unique ability to paint scenes which impart the feeling of having just missed seeing the main character. One is left to come up with his/her own reason of why the person left, which means that every viewer’s imagination becomes part of the painting as they add their own perspectives to the stories Lewis tells. The use of warm illumination combined with intense shadowing imparts the idea of being gathered around an old fashioned camp fire, but on occasion a sign of modern times will be found, such as a warning sign or water tower. This leaves one to wonder where the story begins and where it ends. Lewis possesses the ability to capture, in one moment of expression, the common thread that links all periods of history and all different cultures. The paintings of David Carmack Lewis have been displayed at well over forty-five auctions, solo, juried, and shared exhibitions. His paintings are now on solo exhibit at the Firehouse Gallery until Feb. 29.

It’s also that time of year for the annual Black, White, & the Blues Auction! This exciting auction is held annually to benefit the Rogue Community Art Galleries and the Grants Pass Museum of Art. Many individuals and businesses have donated gifts to the silent auction segment of this event. These wonderful items are on display at the Firehouse, and bidding on them is simple. It goes in five dollar increments, and you simply write you name, number, and the amount of your bid on the notepad attached to the item you desire. No matter what your tastes, there is an item that will appeal to you. There is a $200 gift certificate from Gates Home Furnishings. The Brewery has given a dinner for eight certificate, which is a $300 value. Jeff Cunningham, an artist who specializes in Saggar Fire, Pit Fire, and Raku pottery, has donated a Saggar Fire Vase. For the more practical minded, Smith & Whitmire, attorneys at law, have generously offered a Revocable Living Trust, which is an $1800 service. There are children’s toys, unique clothing and accessories, wines, gardening tools, bath baskets and much more. There is even a gift basket loaded with golf accessories…all in pink just for the ladies.

The live auction, complete with blues music and a dance party, takes place at The Lodge at Riverside on March 1st and is open to those who are 21 years of age and older. The items to be auctioned live, which include paintings, wall hangings, and other various works of art, may be previewed at the Grants Pass Museum of Art from now until Feb 29th. While you’re visiting the museum, be sure to check out this month’s display - an interesting collection of teapots created by artists from around the country. This feature will continue through March 28th and shows off the works of artists such as Tom Hatton (http://www.tomhattonceramics.com/index.asp), Brent Johnson, Bonnie K. Morgan.

For more information or tickets to the Black, White, and the Blues Auction and dance party, call 955-7339. The cost is $45, which goes directly to supporting the arts.

To bid in the silent auction and view the David Lewis Exhibit, visit the Firehouse Gallery at the corner of H and Fourth Streets in the Historic City Hall, Grants Pass. The gallery is open 11:30 am-4:30 pm Tuesday-Friday, and 11am-2pm Saturdays. For more detailed information, contact the gallery at (541) 956-7489 or you can reach the office at 956-7339.

-Gina Locke

The show must go on. But in the case of Cabaret at Barnstormers Theatre, opening night went on with many empty seats which were initially thought to be due to an advertisement deemed too racy for Grants Pass audiences.

Director Daniel Grossbard introduced the play on opening night February 2nd, noting that 15 ticket reservations were cancelled after people saw the ad in the Daily Courier featuring the 2 romantic leads and a shirtless man wearing nothing but suspenders above the waist. It was later realized that ticket reservations were cancelled due to variety of circumstances, including the recent inclement weather. It was merely a coincidence that there were so many empty seats during one of Barnstormers’ most controversial productions.

The musical Cabaret was written by Kander and Ebb, the same duo who brought the scandalous Chicago to the stage. The play is exactly what you remember from the ‘70s Bob Fosse-directed movie starring Liza Minneli. It’s filled with scantily-clad ladies, gay men, and Nazis, and most of it takes place in a cabaret theatre, complete with tables featuring phones in which the dancers can call tables soliciting drinks and “dates.” It takes place in depression-era Berlin and the story includes an unusual romance between one of the dancers and a traveling American writer, an unplanned out-of-wedlock pregnancy, and a resulting abortion. Managing Director, Susan Russell, says that there was definitely a little concern in the Artistic Committee when this play was first considered. She said that when the group finally decided that Cabaret would be part of the season they thought they might “risk offending a few of our patrons since more enlightened adults no longer consider the topics taboo.”

Reactions in the small theatre seemed initially quiet as some of the more controversial topics unfolded. But by the middle of the play, the theatre-goers were thoroughly engrossed in the story’s humor and magic. Some patrons congratulated Grossbard at the end, telling him how brave he was to put on such a show. He seemed surprised by this commentary, considering his statement before the show, noting his hopes that it would touch people and that the political and romantic themes were still relevant today. The often-conservative Rogue Valley may be changing. The day after this “brave” opening night performance, Medford hosted two sold out performances of comedian George Carlin, who sold both shirts and posters at the show featuring over 2400 filthy words.

Ashland resident, Prairie Smallwood, saw the play on opening night and did not understand what the fuss was about. “Their version of Cabaret, in addition to being well done, conveyed the turmoil of the early WWII times vividly and with passion. This was not an attempt to shock Grants Pass, but an attempt to bring to light a notable time in history.” She openly praised the actors, singers, and the theatre itself stating, “It was accomplished with a style and panache that only Barnstormers could produce.”

Other positive endorsements poured in, such as standing ovations for each performance and a great review from the Grants Pass Daily Courier. Patrons have spoken highly of the directors, the quality of the production, and the issues tackled throughout the musical. Many who have seen the show have even asked about getting tickets to see it again. According to Russell, this success took hundreds of volunteer hours and a lot of flexibility. The production endured a cast flu bug in early January and a constantly changing musician roster. “Most productions are miracles of interdependence. This was no exception,” she says. According to Russell, she spoke to a 90-year-old patron after the show who said, “Honey, I grew up with burlesque. You aren’t showing me anything risqué.”

Russell notes that while Barnstormers has often had a reputation for doing “safe material,” it was the goal of the Artistic Committee to do a more balanced season to include light comedies and mysteries but also dare to do “plays and musicals that challenge the audience to confront issues such as prejudice, sexuality, sexual awakening, etc.”

Cabaret runs through February 24^th.

A Christmas Carol at Barnstormers

Share with your family the classic holiday story of A Christmas Carol while supporting Grants Pass community theatre at the same time. This cautionary tale will begin its run at the Barnstormers Theatre, at 112 N.E. Evelyn, on December 7th.

This year slow down from the holiday craziness and create some new holiday memories by introducing the kids to the wondrous spectacle that is live theater. Whether it’s your first time to Barnstormers or you’re a season ticket holder, you’re sure to enjoy this classic tale of Ebenezer Scrooge as he discovers the true meaning of the holidays after being visited in the night by 3 ghosts. Director Madeline DeCourcey explains, “Scrooge’s journey is a reflection, not necessarily on being a good Christian, but, at its core, on being a good person.”

DeCourcey started out as an actor on the Barnstormers’ stage when she was in high school, playing Annie Sullivan in The Miracle Worker. She went on to major in theatre at Illinois Wesleyan University where she learned that, although she loved being on stage, she also liked “telling people what to do and having them do it.” After college, she returned to the Rogue Valley to teach at Brighton Academy, where she has directed Revenge of the Space Pandas and On Time. She is simultaneously working with her students now on The Tolstoy Story Play which opens only a week after Christmas Carol. If her work and her animals were not enough to keep her busy, DeCourcey is also writing a screenplay, in which she hopes to someday direct. She says it is a “quirky comedy about grief.”

A Christmas Carol rehearsal at Barnstormers

Barnstormers chooses its selection based on a board-elected Artistic Committee. The committee discusses recommendations from the community and personal favorites, in addition to reflecting on monthly play readings to decide which shows to produce. DeCourcey was asked to find this season’s family selection, initially recommending The Velveteen Rabbit, but then deciding that Christmas Carol hadn’t been seen locally in five years, she recommended it as not only the family selection, but also the holiday production as well. DeCourcey was thrilled to be asked to direct the play, as it is one of her all time favorites. She loves the story of “one man’s miracle rebirth from a narrow view to a broad, compassionate view.” She likens it to finding beauty in the cold harsh winter where beauty is often so much less prevalent than the spring and summer months. She loves that it is an “absurd spiritual journey” that explores the importance of giving in a time of commercialism.

A Christmas Carol utilizes the Barnstormers’ turning stage and over 40 actors, about half of which are children, making this a huge undertaking. Ironically, DeCourcey loves peace and quiet in her personal life, but the director takes the chaos of such a large production in stride, noting that the experience thus-far has been “awesome” and that “the cast is amazing.” Although she is thoroughly enjoying each and every cast member, she makes special mention of how much she has enjoyed working with Russ Lloyd, who plays Scrooge, and Tricia Devets, who plays Mrs. Crachit. Both actors have been staples in local theater for many years. Lloyd has served as actor and director for a number of local productions at Barnstormers and beyond. He is also a playwright and Board President of Barnstormers. Devets was recently seen in Barnstormers’ Brighton Beach Memoirs and is joining her children on stage for this production.

Barnstormers is Oregon’s oldest continuous community theater, established in 1952 and in the same building since 1961. Come experience this quaint, historic landmark that has produced over 200 plays. With only 88 seats, every seat’s a good one. In addition to A Christmas Carol, there are many other things to enjoy at the theater, including play readings the first Sunday of the month and occasional classes in everything from stage movement to technical work. You can also buy out the theater for family reunions, business gatherings, or fundraising. The theater is always looking for volunteers as well. And if you don’t have time to volunteer, tax-deductible donations are gladly accepted, whether costumes, props, or set pieces. As a non-profit theater, Barnstormers will also accept cash donations which help maintain the facilities.

Local artist e’ bender-webb

When e’ bender-webb gets creative, one never knows what to expect. To date, his works of art include poetry, pottery, and unexpectedly beautiful sculptures forged of steel and other metals. From whimsical creatures to solid designs, e’s talents are born of a life ripe with adventures and education, along with his desire to bring joy to others. As a veteran who has seen the ravaging effects of war, he sometimes expresses reflections of those experiences through the work of his hands. To date, five of his pieces have been chosen for display at the National Vietnam Veteran’s Art Museum in Chicago, Illinois. During an interview, e’ explained his thoughts about these pieces and others created in a similar style.

This coming holiday season, the Firehouse Gallery, located in Historic City Hall at the corner of Fourth & H Streets, will offer the opportunity to see e’ bender-webb’s works and those of other local artists at the gallery’s annual holiday art gift sale. Visitors will find a variety of artwork such as jewelry, paintings, vases, figurines, and more. This special event begins November 28th and will continue through December fifteenth. The presentation includes works by Virginia Andrade, Gwen Childs, Samuel Santi, and other talented artists. Gallery Hours are Tuesday through Friday from 11:30am-4:30 pm, and 10am-1pm on Saturdays.

To enjoy more artwork by e’ bender-webb, look for the sculptures which will soon be installed along the Rogue River Highway as part of the city’s beautification project. Keeping with his theme of giving back to the community, he also donates pieces to the Black, White, and The Blues auction, with proceeds going to support the Wiseman and Firehouse galleries, along with the Grants Pass Museum. If you’d like to treat yourself to a stimulating visual experience, take an online tour through e’’s gallery at http://ebenderwebb.com/.

Enjoy BB King performing, compliments of YouTube.

“Pepticon, Pepticon sure is good, you can get it anywhere in your neighborhood!” This simple jingle may not sound like a gateway to fame and fortune, but when a young man named Riley B. King sang it for WDIA radio in 1948, it proved to be the breakthrough for a music career that still shows no sign of stopping. From his first R&B hit in 1951, titled “Three O’Clock Blues”, to the 2007 release of the DVD “Standing Room Only”, the Pepticon Boy now known as B.B. King continues to share his talent with appreciative audiences around the globe.

King’s left handed vibrato and smooth guitar moves may have given him six decades of success thus far, but to say that life for this popular blues artist started out rough is an understatement. He was born September 16, 1925 on a plantation in Itta Bena, Mississippi. By the time he was four his parents were separated. When he was nine, his mother died. Barely five more years had gone by when his grandmother passed on, leaving him to earn his living alone as a cotton farmer. However, music had permeated his childhood, and he dreamed that it would one day earn him a decent salary. Tired of cotton and frustrated with playing songs on the street for mere dimes, King decided to hitchhike his way to Memphis, Tennessee. Not only did Memphis boast a high population of talented musicians, it was also the home of B.B.’s cousin, the famous blues man named Bukka White.

It was a wise decision. Bukka spent months helping B.B. improve his techniques and by 1949, King’s first recordings were being marketed. At first, his popularity seemed confined to Memphis, but when he recorded “Three O’Clock Blues”, America paid attention. Soon King was touring nationwide and although he wasn’t growing rich, he was definitely growing a large following. They remained loyal, and by the next decade B.B. King was doing what was almost unheard of in the 1960’s - he was gaining an ear among young white listeners. Unfortunately, his success came with a cost and by 1966, his second divorce tookplace. He picked up his beloved guitar and recorded a song written years earlier by Darnell Hawkins, named “The Thrill is Gone”. The song was released in 1969, and by 1970 proved to be a diamond rising out of the ashes. To this day, “The Thrill is Gone” remains B.B. King’s most popular hit song.

One of the most often asked questions about this musician is this: “Why does he name every single guitar Lucille?” The answer comes from a little town in Arkansas named Twist. It was the mid 1950’s, and B.B. was performing at a dance hall. A fight broke out between two men in the crowd and in the struggle a kerosene stove was pushed over, starting a fire which quickly emptied out the hall. In the rush to get outside, B.B. forgot to bring his guitar along. He then did what most people would consider insane. He rushed back inside the still-burning building to rescue the instrument. When it became known that the fight started over a woman called Lucille, King found it a worthy name and chose it for his guitar. Forty years later the instrument is still Lucille, and the Gibson guitar with gold hardware, a maple body, and an ebony/cherry finish is as inseparable from King as she was that day so long ago in Twist.

While natural talent obviously performs an immense role in his long list of musical accomplishments, King’s style is also influenced by the skills of other talented musicians. Bukka White, T-Bone Walker, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and other names synonymous with the features of Delta blues have all played a part in shaping the sound that keeps songs like “To Know You is to Love You,” “Sweet Sixteen,” and “Black Blues” playing across the nation. In turn, other artists take cues from King. Some of those who credit him for contributing to part of their sounds include Peter Green, Eric Clapton, and the Butterfield Blues band. Over the years, this winner of fourteen Grammy Awards has shown himself to be as diverse as his song lyrics. For example, in “B.B. King and Friends-80″, appearances are made by stars that include Roger Daltry, Gloria Estefan, Sheryl Crow, and Daryl Hall. Neither age nor stylistic differences can stand in the way of good sound when B.B. King is present.

Singing the blues with Lucille and others is how most people know B.B., but others know him for his generosity. “Help the Poor” isn’t just another song title, it’s a part of what King is doing to help children in schools across America. His donations help support “Little Kids Rock”, a not-for-profit organization that seeks to bring musical education into elementary schools, providing free musical instruments and trained instructors to children who might otherwise be unable to afford them. Proceeds from his one and only Christmas album go to benefit the medical treatment center and research institute known as City of Hope, to which he has also donated material for the City’s silent auction. At the age of 82, B.B. King still performs on a regular basis and has approximately 65 shows booked within the coming six months. The Rogue Theater at 143 S.E. Street will welcome this legendary musician to Grants Pass on January 9, 2008. To order tickets by phone, call (541) 471-1316. For online purchases, please visit http://www.roguetheatre.com/bbking/ Tickets are also available at the following locations:

Grants Pass

Blue Moon Antiques & Collectibles, Oregon Outpost, The Music Shop, and Larry’s Music.

Medford

Larry’s Music, and Musichead.

Ashland

CD Or Not CD, and The Music Coop.

AND WE HAVE A WINNER!!! Congratulations Susan Goracke, of The Daily Courier, you have won two tickets to BB King!!!