REVIEW: TRUSTUS THEATRE'S STUPID FUCKING BIRD

Trustus Theatre opened Aaron Posner’s Stupid Fucking Bird down on Lady Street on February 9th, under the direction of the theatre’s Executive Director, Jessica Francis Fichter. This play, which is advertised as “kinda based on” Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull, is a 2.5-hour experience that is “kinda” a comedy that explores family, love, unfulfilled potential, freedom, destruction, and art (all present in the source material on which it was kinda based). Trustus’ production is a winning moment for the theatre with a talented ensemble, adventurous technical execution and a team that not only had a deep understanding of what they wanted to try to do, but the expertise to make it a reality.  

Chekhov’s play is not essential to the audience’s engagement with Bird. Academics (read: theatre nerds) will enjoy the fun game of compare-and-contrast that this work allows, but the non-historian will be plenty occupied with experiencing the characters’ journeys, interacting with the actors in an environment without a fourth wall, exploring a dialogue regarding the authentic self and inviting their brains to ask, “what is art, why do we make it and why is it vital…or is it?”   

Stupid Fucking Bird concerns a stormy front of romantic and emotional entanglements amongst a family and their friends gathered at a large beach house. Conrad (Patrick Dodds) loves Nina (Cassidy Spencer), but Nina pines for Trigorin (Laurens Wilson) who is dating Conrad’s mom, Emma Arakdina (Erin Wilson). But wait, there’s more! Conrad’s platonic pal Mash (Martha Hearn) languishes for Conrad, and Dev (Cameron Muccio) swoons for Mash. The term “love triangle” doesn't suffice to explain the plot. Perhaps the geometrists in the crowd can do the math.  

As with all Chekhov and related materials, there must be an estate. Enter Dr. Eugene Sorn (Hunter Boyle), for whose attention all of these lover-friends are wrestling. Sorn is the only character who doesn’t have a love interest and is quite often the only sensible person in the room. Sorn’s questioning of whether we are ever our authentic selves is a particularly salient moment in the play.  

While there is a lot of frustration in watching these characters chase their misguided obsessions, the rewarding part of the Stupid Fucking Bird is the opportunity to engage in a discussion about art. Trustus is no stranger to material that has asked Columbia audiences to engage in this conversation (i.e. Yasmina Reza’s Art and Stew’s Passing Strange), and this type of work starts the dialogue within the walls of the theatre that evolves into colorful debate once you’ve cozied up to a bar afterwards.  

Trustus’ Bird has an excellent cast - not a weak link on stage. These are talented actors tackling challenging material, and they are in complete ownership of the proceedings. Patrick Dodds’ has played a wide range of roles since his first appearance at the theatre in 2011, but his portrayal of Conrad has probably been one of the most demanding jobs he’s taken on - and he delivers. Dodds succeeds in making us believe in his journey from obsession to destruction. His monologue towards the end of the first act, combined with the tech that was used, is jarring in the best kind of way.  

Erin and Laurens Wilson, in the roles of Emma and Trig, are a grounding and necessary presence for this cast which otherwise portray forlorn nihilists who refuse to stop thwarting themselves. Cameron Musccio makes a welcome debut on the Thigpen Main Stage with his Dev being an incredibly endearing straight-man-who-gets-the-laughs. Cassidy Spencer and Martha Hearn, as Nina and Mash respectively, turn in anchored performances. Hunter Boyle as Dr. Sorn exhibits more control and firmness than we’ve seen in recent years, and it is a delightful change of pace that leaves us hoping to see Boyle explore more roles like this - because it’s really really good.  

The production team deserves high marks for a finely-tuned scenic,  lighting, media, and sound design package. From moons that seamlessly cross the entire stage, to the simplicity of scene titles - Matt Pound has used different media outputs to make something quite complicated seem seamless. Paired with Marc Hurst’s sizzling lighting and Teddy Palmer’s use of the space as an abstraction of frames - these elements truly make you feel like you’re watching a production that was tailored down to the last stitch. We would also like to note that there is even a Shen Yun poster hidden in the mix (which can lead to a tangential conversation about art after the show). 

Though some music levels could be increased to improve audience-immersion throughout and tattoos could be better covered-up (or not covered?) as to not distract, Stupid Fucking Bird is a tight vehicle for the actors, designers, and audience. This is probably due to the work of Director Jessica Francis Fichter. We are very glad her voice is more prominent in Columbia’s theatre scene these days and look forward to more.  

If you’re into light comedic fare that intends to entertain by way of jazz hands, this is no play for you. However, if you’re just the slightest bit adventurous, enjoy conflict and the promise of a post-show arts salon: trust Trustus with this play. This is the kind of work that the theatre’s co-founders intended the theatre to produce, and true to form - whether you actually like the play or not - this is the only place you can experience work like it in these parts. Stupid Fucking Bird runs through February 24th at Trustus (520 Lady St.), and you can get your tickets to make up your own mind about this production at www.trustus.org. 

(edited 2/11/24)

REVIEW: The Great American Trailer Park Christmas Musical at Trustus Theatre

December 1st started a month that’s jam-packed with holiday programming from performing arts organizations in Columbia. Though most of these offerings are squeaky-clean traditional fare, the curtain went up on Trustus Theatre’s third production of The Great American Trailer Park Christmas Musical on Friday - and it is definitely for those who wish to be on the naughty list this year. Next to the legacy of The Rocky Horror Show at Trustus, Betsy Kelso and David Nehls’ Trailer Park franchise is probably the theatre’s second-runner-up for the most productions, having found a home on the theatre’s stage five times in the last thirteen years.The show will run through December 17th, and it is completely sold out, save for some standing room tickets that you may be lucky enough to get your hands on. So, this review is simply for posterity, or perhaps to give the theatre some pull-quotes that they can use in their marketing of the show next season (should they decide to bring it back).

Under the hysterical direction of Robin Gottlieb and Music Director Randy Moore, The Great American Trailer Park Christmas Musical tells the story of Armadillo Acres’ very own Grinch, Darlene (Brittany Hammock), whose neighbor Rufus (Kevin Bush) is a certified Christmas Nut. After Darlene shocks herself on a cable-splitter, she suddenly loves Christmas, and is possibly falling in love with Rufus. However, with the entry of Darlene’s “breastaurant” owning lover, Jackson (David Fichter), the plot thickens. Darlene shocks herself again, Jackson buys the trailer park and decides to kick everyone out, Rufus drinks too much 99 cent gin, there’s a BIG fart joke, and everything gets tied up with a big bow on top for a very satisfying ending. It’s a simple and predictable plot for sure, but what makes these musicals so appealing is the Greek Chorus of Betty, Lin and Pickles (played by Vicky Saye Henderson, Lauren Roberts and Bella Coletti respectively). This trio glues the proceedings together, and breaks the fourth wall at the very top of the evening - so it's clear that we’re all experiencing these shenanigans together, and the rules are: there are no rules. It’s fun, it’s hilarious, it’s bawdy and it clearly resonates with Columbia audiences.

This production boasts one of the strongest local ensembles in recent history, and you can tell that they are not only a group of craftspeople, but that they were also directed to play and explore within the rules of the storytelling - and the end result is exceptional fun. Trustus Company Member Brittany Hammock, clad in neon leopard print and donning a hilarious 1980s glamour-shot-worthy perm, expands her comedic range in this show, proving why she is one of Columbia’s most trusted musical theatre talents. Hammock has dipped her toes into comedic roles in recent history, but this one requires a full commitment to the outrageous, and she keeps us laughing with her cutting dialogue and fully-realized physicalization. As soon as Darlene appears with a “Paradise By the Dashboard Light” entrance, we instantly know this woman because we can see she is a walking Floridian cigarette (though she’s not a smoker, but you get the idea). Company Member Kevin Bush as Darlene’s foil, Rufus, pours heart into the the character and the audience can’t help but pull for him the entire night. His solo number “Black and Blue on Christmas Eve” demonstrates Bush’s command as a singer and comedian, and summons plenty of guffaws as he wears a derelict Santa suit while holding a bottle of 99 cent gin. Rounding out this half of the cast is David Fichter as the dislikable Jackson. While he’s not an obvious soloist like his castmates, Fichter’s velvet-track-suit-with-gold-chain-wearin-kinda-guy portrayal is perfectly oily and right at home in this ensemble.

Now to that glue we were talking about earlier, our Greek chorus: Betty, Lin and Pickles. These characters appear in both iterations of the Armadillo Acres saga, and they’re probably the reason people like these shows so much. In the role of Lin (short for Linoleum) is Lauren Roberts, and we are so glad to see a talent like hers come to Columbia stages. Having logged some hours doing exhausting shows at Carowinds, Roberts is a powerhouse with great vocals and timing. Bella Coletti as Pickles was facing a tall order when she came into this role, as it has been played by some of Columbia’s great young talents prior to this production. She was right at home in the role, and has joined a rather sacred sisterhood. We will hope to see more of Coletti and Roberts on our local stages as they have proven their mettle by so successfully bringing to life, in their own way, characters that have lived in the Trustus gestalt for over a decade. Welcome to Lady Street, ladies.

In the case of Vicky Saye Henderson as Betty, we’re not sure that the stories from Armadillo Acres would have had such a stronghold at Trustus without Henderson leading the proceedings. Seeing Henderson in this role is a masterclass in character creation, and living in the moment on stage. She has lived in this character for thirteen years, and it is a joy to witness it. As soon as she came on stage at the top of the show, one could feel the audience perk up. Sources say that Henderson will be moving North in the near future, so whether or not her final bow on the 17th will be the last time we see her on the Trustus stage - her time as Betty has been a helluva comedic ride and deserving of the standing ovation that occurred on opening night when she took her bow.

The production team gets high marks for their cohesive designs that serve the play, provide effective tempos to push the story forward at all moments, and their work gets just as many laughs as the script.  Corey Langley (Scenic Design), Teddy Palmer (Lighting Design) and Matthew DeGuire (Property Design) worked together to create an Armadillo Acres on stage that felt truthfully lived-in. Every detail seemed carefully considered to provide a sense of place, right down to the Florida billboard that veils the band upstage during the performance. Sound Designer Matt Pound and board operator William Kervin dialed in the audio with extraordinary precision. The band actually got to rock, the vocals were as clear as a crystal statue of Tammy Wynette, and the sound effects added to the production with cinematic presence that got a lot of laughs. One has to giggle when considering a sound designer sitting at home with headphones on, trying to find the most effective fart sound.

Speaking of sound, Music Director Randy Moore has also worked on every Trailer Park production since 2010. In his position he has to drive the show and, in turn, is just as responsible for the comedic possibilities. His sense of humor is obvious everytime the band has to signal a character’s changing viewpoint or a curveball that’s thrown into the plot. He also got the cast and band to unite under the umbrella of 80s rock and 90s country music. The performers bring us a touch of Reba with a dash of Garth, and it sounds great.

For those of you who secured tickets to the show, you’re in for a good time with a great team. However, after seeing a couple of people leave at intermission due to being offended, we would recommend you check in with your sensitivities. If you can’t handle a Christmas show with the word “fuck” in it, you might want to give them to a friend who enjoys National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (this musical is like Randy Quaid’s character multiplied).

For those who didn’t get tickets, we hope you’ll look out for “on sale” dates when you see them from our local performing arts organizations in the future. Buying early is better for everyone, the interested-patron and the presenting organization. Since you won’t get to go to the trailer park this Christmas, you can still enjoy the classic songs of Irving Berlin, get spirited away with Ebenezer, or take in that classic ballet where a girl gets drugged at her daddy’s dinner party and falls in love with a guy who eats nuts. You’ll find something to do here in Soda City because, as the residents of Armadillo Acres sing, “FUCK IT, IT’S CHRISTMAS!”

The Great American Trailer Park Christmas Musical runs through December 17th at Trustus Theatre. You may call the box office and ask to be added to the waiting list in case there are any cancellations (which will undoubtedly happen): 803-254-9732.

Giving Thanks: The Jasper Project Board of Directors Share What They Are Thankful for in the Midlands Arts Community

“Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity: It must be produced and discharged and used up in order to exist at all.”

- William Faulkner

We asked the Jasper Project Board of Directors and Jasper Magazine Editorial Staff to share what they are most thankful for from the Midlands Area Arts community and here’s what some of them said.

I will be forever grateful to Anastasia Chernoff for encouraging me when I thought "I'm not good enough" and for Bohumila Augustinova's continued encouragement and inclusion in all things art. Columbia has a wonderful arts community with amazing talent and I am happy to know so many of them.

-          Diane Hare, Jasper Board Secretary

I am thankful for the USC art department annual holiday art sell - I always get something really cool from the art students and staff. 

I am thankful for the restaurants and businesses that let Jasper Galleries show artwork in their spaces.  Shout out to:  Motor Supply, Harbison Theatre, Sounds Bites, Bourbon, and the Meridian building.  

I am thankful for Cindi and Bob who are very generous all year with their time, talents, and donations to keep Jasper Project going for the Midlands.

-          Bert Easter, Jasper Galleries and Projects

This is such an easy question that it’s difficult.  I am thankful first and foremost for having so many gifted friends who are so easy to admire.  Sometimes I forget that not all lives are filled with rich conversations and deep laughter, so I must take this moment to heartily congratulate myself on the quality of my associations.  But if I have to be specific, and I feel I do, I must thank Trustus Theatre for opening their arms and hearts and doors to me—doors to opportunity, to a life in the theater, to a wider arts community, to moments of great joy.  I’m thankful for Trustus Theatre who continually strives to bring lively and poignant shows to Columbia. I’m grateful for both the ridiculously talented actors who bring these performances to life and to the passionate staff & crew who make Trustus so perpetually welcoming and warm. Without Trustus my life would have been very different and much, much, much smaller.  But now, in my second act, it’s Jasper and Muddy Ford Press who have given me a sense of validation and Things To Do that I find worth doing.   If you’re reading this—and you cannot deny that you are—you are very likely one of the people who has made my life a good one, and I’m thankful for you. 

-          Jon Tuttle, Jasper Play Right Series Manager

I am thankful for First Thursdays. Being able to go to a free monthly art and music event is really special. 

-          Bekah Rice, Jasper Digital Manager, Sundays with Jasper, Projects

I am truly thankful for the vibrant arts scene in Columbia SC which ranges from classical to cutting edge!  For a city of this size, the breadth, depth, and quality of our arts and entertainment industry is truly amazing. I am grateful to Jasper Magazine for the way it covers all of what’s going on in this space.  And of course, I am grateful that The Palmetto Opera can be part of it all!

-          Paul Leo. PRS Community Producer and Opera Liaison

I’m thankful for Trustus Theatre who continually strives to bring lively and poignant shows to Columbia. I’m grateful for both the ridiculously talented actors who bring these performances to life and to the passionate staff & crew who make Trustus so perpetually welcoming and warm. 

-          Christina Xan, Jasper Board Treasurer, Galleries and Projects

I’m thankful for this job at Harbison Theatre at Midlands Technical College, a place that allows me to be a creative programmer as well as to support the local arts community. What a gift when your work brings you so much joy. 

I’m thankful for Jasper Magazine.  Jasper has introduced me to so many new friends and artists.  People who I now consider my chosen family.  What a gift to have this beautiful publication to showcase the myriad of artists and arts opportunities in the area. 

I’m thankful for my latest theatrical opportunity and the NiA Company for taking a chance on me with their production of Riff Raff.  What a gift to perform and to challenge yourself as an actor. 

-          Kristin Cobb. Jasper Board VP, Harbison Theatre ED 

I'm thankful for the vibrant and active venues in our local music scene; from the locals-friendly mainstay Art Bar to the seemingly endless supply of touring acts (with local support, yay) that Carlin Thompson has been booking into New Brookland Tavern, the opportunity to see even bigger acts at The Senate and even smaller ones at Uncle Festers, Foxfield, Curiosity Coffee, and more. In my 30 years of being involved in the local scene, I think this may be the most active period I've ever seen. 

-          Kevin Oliver, Jasper Magazine Music Editor

I’m incredibly thankful for this cohesive community of artists and arts patrons. I especially appreciate three sets of people including the restaurant owners and managers who allow Jasper to hang the art of Columbia-based artists on their walls, which supports both artists and the Jasper mission. Thank you Motor Supply Bistro, Sound Bites, and Bourbon Columbia.

I’m also very thankful for the advertisers in Jasper Magazine who are, in fact, more sponsors than clients. They recognize that advertising in Jasper is less a business decision and more a decision to support our entire community of artists via the work of Jasper. Believe me, we know who our friends are, and we support them as much as we can, too. Thank you, Columbia Museum of Art, Harbison Theatre, Trustus Theatre, Workshop Theatre, Palmetto Opera, and University of SC Department of Theatre and Dance.

Finally, I’m thankful for the friends and colleagues who have gone to the trouble of joining the Jasper Guild. From the Artist Peer level at $25 all the way up to the Hero level at $1000, your support is a vote of confidence for those of us on the Jasper Project Board and the Jasper Magazine Editorial Staff. The money helps us fulfill our mission, yes, but the gesture continues to us keep going and moving forward for the past 11 years.  

-          Cindi Boiter, Jasper Project ED

REVIEW: The Rocky Horror Show at Trustus Theatre Really Does Have Something for Everyone

What better way to kick off October and Trustus Theatre’s 38th season, “(Un) Familiar,” than with a familiar classic that explores what once were (and sadly for some might still be) very unfamiliar topics?

Cult classic The Rocky Horror Show at Trustus Theatre was, as expected, a great time had by all, and yet very different from the show longtime fans might have come to expect. A sold out showing on Friday, October 7th, the crowd was a mix of veteran fans ready to participate and soon to be new fans squirting each other with tiny water guns. Many viewers were decked out, ready to sing and dance along to the classics they know and love. Director, choreographer, and international award-winning performing artist, Terrance Henderson, has brought refreshing life and transformation to the Rocky Horror legacy.  

With this show, Henderson succeeds at making space for everyone. In his note to the  audience, Trustus veteran Henderson says he looked at the cult classic from his “unapologetically Black and Queer perspective honoring some of [his] own cultural languages and traditions.” Taking inspiration from “Black feminine and gender fluid beings, Black queer, Black trans, Black intersectional and FREE people” Henderson overtly celebrates duality, a classic attribute that is very much at the heart of the show. This blatant duality, arguably the point and purpose of the show, has been criticized for perpetrating harmful stereotypes while also mocking them, both hurting and celebrating the LGBTQ community. But Jasper was not moved toward criticism. In fact, we found that Henderson’s approach, and the alterations he made to the show, felt like a  better, more imaginative Rocky Horror and, most importantly, more inclusive.  

The casting choices for the show were excellent and reflected Henderson’s vision well, with almost every major character in the show being Actors of Color. The vocal talent of the cast members was beyond impressive and well matched by the live band in the theatre’s loft space lead by music director Chris Cockrell.  

Katrina Garvin (Magenta, Usherette), a member of the Trustus Company, mesmerized the audience singing the opening number “Science Fiction Double Feature.” Fellow company member, Samuel McWhite (Riff Raff), induced chills as he descended the staircase singing his solo in “Over at the Frankenstein Place.” It was hard to believe Mel Driggers (Columbia), was new to performing at Trustus, clearly belonging on that stage, and holding their own. Veteran of the role, Walter Graham’s incredible costume changes and perfectly over the top portrayal of Frank N’ Furter received roaring applause and gasps throughout the night while company members Michael Hazin and Katie Leitner kept the audience laughing as Brad and Janet.

 We won’t spoil any other surprises for you, but we can guarantee you will have a great time! 

The Rocky Horror Show will be performed at Trustus Theatre through October 29th.

Trustus’ True Crime Rep: Charlie Finesilver Traces Mystery Behind Local Psychiatrist Turned Serial Burglar

Charlie Finesilver

Last week we discussed the first show in Trustus’ True Crime Rep, where two plays about crime in Columbia’s history will run simultaneously, alternating each night.

The second of the two plays, House Calls, written by longtime playwright Charlie Finesilver, recalls the strange case of Dr. Ian Gale, who died in 2017.

Finesilver started writing when he was in the Peace Corps in Mali, Africa, in order to process what he was seeing and feeling—in the time since, he has had 4 Off-Broadway productions. 

Finesilver finds writing plays preferable to other mediums “because theater gives physical boundaries and limitations that you need to break by using creativity and focus – it makes you reach and think.”

As far as creation, Finesilver notes that when he gets an idea, “The scenes are there. It just writes itself. I just feel like I'm just there for the ride.” But that doesn’t make the process simple. It doesn’t even start, as we might imagine, with pen and paper.

A chance encounter with an article from The State would become Finesilver’s inspiration for House Calls. He asserts that he doesn’t read the news very often, but in one of the few times he picked up a local paper, he found himself staring at a headline, which informed him that former doctor, Ian Gale, had committed suicide. 

“It sounds nuts,” Finesilver said, “But I did feel as though Gale was really watching over me. He was tapping me on the shoulder.” Who was Dr. Gale? A once seemingly stable and successful psychiatrist who, in the 1970s, burglarized over 200 South Carolina homes for apparently no reason.

This “apparently no reason” is exactly what kept Finesilver up at night. The question rang in his head – why? 

With an impetus in place, the script started to swirl in his head. Finesilver searched archives online and conducted interviews with people who knew Gale. He even went on what he calls “The Gale Tour.”

“I started at Clemson and Forest Drive, where Gale was pulled over surrounded by the police in '79. I went to his office. I passed by his house. I drove by several of the houses he picked off in Forest Acres,” Finesilver continues, “It's a rush to actually follow his steps, follow his route.”

Finesilver has brought in director Ginny Ives to achieve his vision for telling Gale’s story, and together they’re sharing it with us through a vibrant cast including Jeff Driggers, Clark Wallace, Kathleen Pennyway, Jordan Postal, Deon Turner, Chris Cockrell, and Sheldon Paschal.

As a writer, of course, it’s always difficult to see how a cast and crew will receive your work. “With anybody doing art, I totally get it. It's your baby. Nobody wants to hear somebody say, ‘Man, your baby is ugly,’” Finesilver jokes, “But I don't get defensive. My ears are open to anything, any kind of feedback that's sensible. I will change the script, absolutely.”

Now, as a team, this group will attempt to tell the confounding rush of a story that is the life and death of Dr. Ian Gale—a true story that often feels unreal.

On that note, Finesilver emphasizes the importance of balancing historical fact and creative vision: “You're thoroughly involved in what you're writing and what happened, the actual events, and you kind of have to be able to stay two or three steps back, and sort of capture the essence without getting too far, where you might lose people, you know?” 

And, of course, a playwright doesn’t want to lose people when there’s a message to tell. 

“This is a psychological thriller about a psychiatrist. I think the audience will walk away wondering about psychiatrists and their complexity,” Finesilver reflects, “Who are they? What do the people who uncover what we’re hiding, keep hidden?” 
You can see Finesilver’s play at Trustus, August 18th – 27th. People can buy tickets for House Calls and Composure—or get both as a package deal and dive into the mysteries of Columbia’s past.

Jason Stokes (L) and Charlie Finesilver (R)

Trustus’ True Crime Rep: Jason Stokes Retells Century Old Columbia Murder in Composure

Jason Stokes, Writer and Director of Composure

In 2020, two new plays were created by local playwrights with the intent to premiere at Trustus, until COVID put a halt in production. Now, the two shows, Composure and House Calls are finally being shared with Columbia as part of Trustus’ True Crime Rep.

The shows will perform in repertory, running at the same time with performances alternating nightly. Composure, by Jason Stokes, premieres first, starting on Thursday, August 11th and running until the 27th.

Stokes is far from new to the Trustus scene, having been part of the acting company at the theater since 2004 — and having been working on screenplays since a young boy.

The story for Composure came from a work presentation on a 1903 case that Stokes attended around 20 years ago. The case? The then sitting lieutenant governor (Jim Tillman) finished session for the day, walked out of the State Capitol building, saw the founder of The State newspaper (N.G. Gonzales) pulled out a gun, and – without warning – shot him dead.

Stokes keeps a journal on him at all times with notes all the way back to when he first heard this story in 2003. When he knew he wanted to craft a play, he went to the Thomas Cooper Library to read books and newspapers and to find little known information that coverage of the trial left out.

“It was frustrating because I wanted to write it, but I didn't know what I wanted to write,” Stokes shares, “When I hit on the idea that the why was more important to me than the what, that’s when the catalyst sparked.”

With inspiration and research intertwining, the script started being fleshed out. Stokes started and finished his first draft four years ago—as a screenplay. It was this screenplay that was read at Trustus and that he’s been molding into a stage play since 2016. With this, though, came a unique challenge – how do you transform something made for the screen to something made for stage consumption?

This transformative process from screen to stage was new for Stokes and did in fact challenge him creatively. “The biggest thing was character consolidation. Because when you're out in the real world and you're doing a shoot, you can hire somebody for a day,” he details, “In terms of scenes, you have to think what you can compress or change to put the characters somewhere that's static yet authentic. You realize you have to find focus through dialogue as opposed to through visuals.”

Stokes has embarked on this path by functioning as director of his own play. “I just don't think that I could hand this piece specifically over to somebody else,” he continues, “I feel that this was a living, breathing thing for me. But at the same time, if someone reads something that doesn't make sense, I want them to talk about it. We can change it.” 

Part of this confidence in the ability to change parts of a script based on the opinions of others comes from having an outstanding team, specifically a wonderful cast. Original and new cast members join together to bring this play to life, including Hunter Boyle, Kevin Bush, Libby Campbell, Stan Gardner, Brandon Martin, Terrance Henderson, Nate Herring, Katie Leitner, Jon Whit McClinton, Clint Poston, and G. Scott Wild.

Stokes asserts that “By the end of the process, if I've done my job and I know my cast have done their job, they're going to know the characters better than I ever will.”

With his wife Marcia Leigh Stokes by his side as Stage Manager, Stokes and his cast and crew have worked together to tell a story steeped in history with roots spiraling far before the gunshot at the
State House even took place a century before.

“It’s a unique challenge anytime you deal with historical fact,” Stokes notes, “You've got to be historically accurate, but you have to make it entertaining, so this process was about balancing what bits of history to keep in versus what to take out.”

Stokes certainly hopes his play, which is very much rooted in what happens when your disagreement with another individual falls far off balance, inspires stories and decisions long after the curtain closes.

“I think today we find ourselves in a world where people believe, ‘If you disagree with me, you're wrong,’ or ‘If they're reporting against me, they're lying,’” Stokes asserts, “So I think what’s important is we learn from our mistakes and move forward and understand that there are going to be things and people that we don't agree with.”

Get your tickets to Composure (and House Calls) on the Trustus site and come back next week for our piece with Charlie Finesilver on House Calls!

Jason Stokes and Charlie Finesilver

Review: Trustus Theatre Presents Marcus, or the Secret of Sweet -- a Play for our Times

Marcus or The Secret of Sweet is the third installment of The Brother/Sister Plays by noted playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney whose work inspired the now Golden Globe-winning and Oscar-nominated film Moonlight. Marcus is a coming-of-age story for the title character Marcus Eshu who is haunted by dreams and memories of his father Elegba that lead Marcus on a path to discovering his secret of sweetness, or key to his sexuality.

The play begins with two powerful images. The first occurs when Marcus’ dreams are dramatized by the full cast and narrated by cast member Chris Jackson while he is showered upon symbolizing a storm soon to come either within Marcus or the impending Hurricane Katrina to his town in Louisiana. The second occurs at the dynamic funeral procession for Marcus’ father where the cast marches around the theatre singing a Negro spiritual to honor Elegba’s death.

The play takes risks as the characters themselves verbalize their own asides, stage instructions and emotions, to the audience. At times in the play, this is helpful and even humorous, and at other times, it can appear condescending. The play also narrates the history of homophobia within the African American community all the way back to slavery, purporting that homosexuality would have been unprofitable for plantation owners, thereby eventually unaccepted and discouraged by black people. There is, finally, the running motif of Marcus’ sexuality perhaps being inherited from his father, embracing the theory of the so-called gay gene.

Marcus’ mother played by Celeste Moore declares in the play, “Ain’t nothing sweet about having a soft son.” The word sweet is a colloquialism used in the town for gay. Marcus labors intensely to unearth his father’s sweetness leading him to long for the affection of his uncle played by Jabar Hankins. Marcus’ dreams intensify the closer he gets to this secret that somehow everyone knows but him.

The cast complements each other well. Katrina Blanding nails her performance as Aunt Elegua with the candor and humor of Tyler Perry’s Madea character. John Floyd as Marcus Eshu is believable and engaging.

Marcus or The Secret of Sweet at Trustus is an education in drama and black culture. The play teaches the process of weathering the storms of internal and external conflict within the paradigms of family and community. 

-- Len Lawson

Len Lawson is the co-editor of the poetry anthology, Hand in Hand: Poets Respond to Race, releasing on February 19th from Muddy Ford Press. https://www.facebook.com/events/398977450447357/

Trustus Theatre Executive Director Resigns

In what most people who follow the Columbia theatre community has seen coming for months, the Board of Directors of Trustus Theatre has announced that the Executive Director, Leila Ibrahim, has resigned, effective immediately.

Ibrahim was hired for the Trustus position after less than one year serving as the Florence Little Theatre's executive director. She applied for the Trustus position a little over 6 months after assuming her post in Florence.

In their official statement, the Trustus board states, "Ibrahim worked closely with the staff of Trustus to further develop business oversight, event execution and sponsorship support. Ibrahim specifically aided in overseeing the launch of a new website and implementing a revenue generating ticketing software platform."

Ibrahim's tenure at Trustus was rocky. Word quickly spread throughout the tight-knit theatre community that there were issues involving missed grant applications, and alienation of patrons, company members, and fellow staffers. Speculation on her departure started as early as last spring.

“We are very appreciative of Leila’s efforts while at Trustus,” states President of the Board of Directors, Harrison Saunders. “She has made great contributions to the organization during her time here and has brought fresh ideas grounded in her deep knowledge of the theatre industry. On behalf of the Board, we all wish her the best in her future endeavors."

The Board plans to explore a full range of options as it considers Ibrahim’s successor. “I'm thankful for my time working with Trustus Theatre and am glad I was able to further develop their operations to support the mission of the theatre,” states Ibrahim.

REVIEW: Anatomy of a Hug at Trustus Theatre

By Jon Tuttle

You know how this will end.  You know when you meet her that Amelia, a thirty-something emotional shut-in, will journey from estrangement to engagement.   And still, in the closing moments of Anatomy of a Hug, when all of the obvious signs have directed you to that inevitable conclusion, you are thrilled.   Kat Ramsburg’s original script is the most engaging Trustus Playwrights’ Festival winner in recent memory and makes for a powerful evening of theatre.

The play ends, as it must, of course it must, with an embrace. But not the one you think, and not the one on the playbill, where Dewey Scott-Wiley, as Sonia, a dying ex-con, hugs daughter Amelia, played by Rebecca Herring. The play begins as these two are reunited through a Compassionate Release program, owing to the former’s late-stage ovarian cancer. Sonia functions through the rest of the play as an hourglass: we sense, as her condition diminishes, the denouement quickly approaching.

And so there is an urgency to the action: the play, you feel, must hurry up to solve the riddle of Amelia.  But it doesn’t. Instead, Ramsburg exploits that urgency by patiently and methodically assembling her characters, and Herring quite marvelously inhabits a young woman suffering from technology-induced autism. Her mother having spent twenty-six years in prison for killing her father, Amelia has been shunted from one foster home to another. Along the way, she has counted on television to provide her with a social circle and a recognizable (or at least predictable) plotline. Her extensive DVD collection is full of friends she can “check in with” and who are “always there when you need them.” In a particular touching revelation, we learn that it was TV’s Roseann who told her about menstruation and that Sex and The City’s Aidan was her first boyfriend.

As a Save The Children-style telemarketer, Amelia is quite adept at constructing compelling narratives that convince strangers to “adopt” children in Burundi for only $35 a month. She is so earnest and knows so little of real emotional intimacy that she can, without the slightest sense of irony, peddle children half-a-world away.   It’s only when a co-worker, Ben, begins courting her that we see how lost she is. Her problem is not that she has walls; she has nothing to build them with.  She simply doesn’t know how to be. As she tells Ben, “I don’t have any other stories” than the ones she lives through on TV.

Ben is played here by Patrick Michael Kelly in an affecting return to Trustus’ stage after several years in New York, and in Ben’s trajectory we sense the underpinnings of the production itself. In the early going, he bumbles onstage like The Honeymooners’ Ed Norton. He is, well, cartoonish—or as Amelia calls him, “like someone in a sitcom—there’s something not quite real about you.”  And that’s because there’s nothing quite real about the staging.

Director Chad Henderson, along with some inventive scene, sound, and lighting design by Baxter Engle and Marc Hurst, plays Brecht for us. The backdrop is a test-pattern, the lights are exposed, and we assume the role of a studio audience even to the extent that we are instructed (by electronic light boards) when to applaud and laugh. At first, that conceit doesn’t work.  It pushes us—Brecht would say alienates us—out of the play itself. We are asked to laugh at lines that aren’t that funny, to applaud beats that don’t deserve it. We are placed, that is, in an emotionally-manufactured setting where we simply don’t know if our responses are appropriate.

Just like Amelia.

Along the way, though, the production changes just as Ben does. Kelly plays Ben as two people: an irritating, schmaltzy showman protecting someone much more wounded and sincere.  About the time we discover ourselves warming up to him, we notice also that our responses aren’t being coached anymore: all the studio trappings have fallen away, and we have been allowed into the world of the play.

Sure there are problems, there must always be problems. Some may find the television studio elements too intrusive. While Brecht insisted that we must always be shown that we are being shown something, his best plays often ignored that advice. As Sonia, the catalyst for Amelia’s ultimate emotional re-integration, Scott-Wiley’s not given much to do except break the damned TV and die (which she does quite movingly. The woman sitting next to me was downright weepy.) And the story she tells about the murder charge that landed her a life-sentence doesn’t quite add up; it sounds more like vehicular manslaughter, the sort of thing you could plea-bargain out of, particularly if you have a daughter who needs you.

And there are times when Ramsburg forgets the thing she does best: knowing what to leave out. She is very good at minimizing exposition and keeping us Here In This Moment, but through the latter third of the play—as Amelia finds her voice—I felt I was once again being coached on how to feel and respond.   Still, the writing here is very assured, and Ramsburg’s play is a threnody for those like Amelia crippled by a culture that artificializes family and belonging and what Arthur Miller called the congealments of warmth.

If the opening night standing ovation is any indication, Trustus’ production has done it considerable justice. Herring’s Amelia is someone we know better than she knows herself, and that’s some trick.  As a woman destroyed by disease and hallucinating on painkillers and flashbacks, Sonia is lucky to have Scott-Wiley. Kelly’s Ben shows us a broken man trying hard to be someone more charming and charismatic than he really is.  And Iris—well, Iris is difficult in that she is a primarily just a functionary, equal parts social worker, DOC case manager, and hospice nurse.  But Annette Grevious ably humanizes her and establishes a presence that quilts these torn pieces together.

At bottom, Anatomy of a Hug is a boy meets/gets/loses/gets girl story.  Like many modern plays, this play gives us two quirky lovers fighting through the obstacles within and without and arriving at last in each other’s arms. And yet it feels new. It allows us to identify with that part of our psyche that is permanently awkward or stunted or doesn’t know what to do with its hands, and, in the end, it grants us compassionate release.

Jon Tuttle is Professor of English at Francis Marion University and former Literary Manager at Trustus Theatre, which has produced five of his plays.  

THEATRE REVIEW: Trustus Theatre production of Green Day's American Idiot, by Kyle Petersen

I was 17 years old when Green Day released American Idiot, their politically-tinged punk rock opera that at the time felt like the most lively and visceral protest music response to the Bush years and the Iraq War. So I was basically who the record was about, with all the buddings of political awareness tied up elegantly with suburban disaffection and adolescent angst. The surge of three chord rock songs and overwrought punk snarl mimicked the adrenaline coursing through my veins, and its rock opera ambition made the music seem as grandiose and important as my emotions felt.

While the album was well-received at the time as a sharp, of-the-moment critique of its time, something which felt mostly absent from the younger generation of artists, looking back on the album now, particularly in its guise as a Broadway musical, which debuted in 2010 and now serves as the finale to Trustus Theatre’s 2015-2016 season, lessens some of that temporality.

In his program notes, director Chad Henderson notes how thrilling it is to “work with this cast and production team to tell this story that, at times, feels like it’s been taken from our collective diaries” while also comparing to the 1967 counterculture musical Hair. That strikes me as particularly apt--as much as Billie Joe Armstrong might have been responding to his frustrations over new millenia Republican nonsense, he’s really working through some very archetypal coming of age themes that have been a part of American culture since the invention of the teenager in the post-World War II era: rebellion, shiftlessness, love, loss, and resignation. And it’s the timelessness of those themes, and how readily and ably Armstrong invokes them in his songs, that really give the album-turned-musical legs.

The Green Day frontman collaborated with director Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening, Hedwig & the Angry Itch) on the book that sketched out just a bit more narrative from the original album, adding minimal lines of dialogue and additional songs to make the three main characters--Johnny (Garrett Bright), Tunny (Patrick Dodds), and Will (Cody Lovell)--more distinct, but other than that it’s the staging and performances themselves that are the real draw here. Utilizing a large cast and an industrial-punk set (designed by Baxter Engle) marked by television screens flickering through images of war, news, politics, and pop culture (both from the 9/11 era and our current Kardashian/Trump moment), this is a jukebox musical at its best. The technical achievement here, given the number of mobile microphones, screens, staging levels, and musicians required, is stunning, borrowing elements from both a live concert and a music video as the show dictates, something absolutely necessary given the relative thinness of the plot.  

Bright owns his aspiring rock star-turned-junkie leading role, conveying just the right notes of youthful earnestness and foolhardy brashness that Green Day celebrates. As one of the central deliverers of Armstrong’s signature vocals, he also distinguishes himself by shifting from the rough adenoidal bray the frontman sometimes uses to a sweeter, more melancholy style that better fits the narrative, particularly on a couple of the crucial acoustic numbers. Both Dodds and Lovell also acquit themselves nicely, turning in great performances as the punk-goes-military recruit dude and (too)-early blue collar father archetype, respectively, as does Michael Hazin as St. Jimmy, Johnny’s devilish alter-ego. The presence of St. Jimmy as a character and Hazin as a performer also provides a necessary counterweight of rock star swagger to the waves of emo-ness that the play at some points almost drowns in. And while the women characters are mostly relegated to the backseat of this boy-centric story, Katie Leitner as Heather gets some quality time in the spotlight as Tunny’s pregnant girlfriend and hits some quality high notes to give the show some diva pizazz, while Devin Anderson plays Whatshername with a magnetic power that absolutely rescues the part from its tertiary role. Avery Bateman also sparkles in limited use as the Extraordinary Girl.

For all the great individual performances, though, this show hits its high points when the large cast is all out on stage together reveling in these songs. The two big medleys from the album, “Jesus of Suburbia” and “Homecoming,” shine particularly bright, as the large house band rockets through them with glee from their perch above the stage (led by music director Chris Cockrell) and the young chorus gets to holler the closest things to anthems produced in their own teenage years. “Nobody likes you/ everyone left you/they’re all out without you having fun” they sing with earnest abandon. We’re coming home again, indeed.

In those moments, I was often surprised by how well most of the songs translated so deftly to the stage, even for folks who aren’t necessarily fans of the band and familiar with the album, thanks to how electrifying it is to see them brought to life. In fact, I would say the more familiar numbers, like the opening "American Idiot," might have suffered a bit more than the theatrical album cuts which already has quite a bit of dramatic flare even before adaptation.

As for those that are or were fans of the album, like much of the cast obviously is, there’s a level of catharsis to living through them that can’t be denied. Seeing them all come out in a long line at the end of the night to take their bow, smiling as much in their eyes as their faces, in all of their rock ‘n’ roll sweat and glory, is to witness something a bit more than just another musical. They’ve really celebrated the power of music as rebellion, as salve, and as salvation, itself. And that's really something.

Green Day's American Idiot runs through July 30th. For ticket information go to trustus.org 

More from Tess DeMint -- TOO MOTHER-OF-THE-BRIDE: ON SHOPPING

This is the second in a series of blogs written by Tess DeMint (aka Professor Ed Madden), a contestant in the 18th annual Vista Queen Pageant, a fundraiser for our beloved Trustus Theatre.

Please support Tess by visiting Trustus Theatre. Each vote costs $10 and all money goes to Trustus Theatre.

Last weekend we decided to go shopping.

At that first consultation with T.O., I had tried on things from the theatre wardrobe, and settled, I think, on a couple of possibilities.  But no shoes there, and still in need of at least one more getup.  T.O. suggested visiting thrift stores, if only to get a sense of what I liked, what might work.

When we were in Arkansas during spring break, we ran across a booth of formal dresses in an antiques mall, all the dresses marked down to $30 and $40.  Maybe a formalwear shop closing up.  Some crazy things, mostly prom dresses.  We decided to check it out.  I slid a big jacket on: too small.  I found a chart for size translation on my phone: it included waist and jacket sizes for men and the corresponding women sizes.  We looked through all the sizes.  Nothing for me there.

That was, of course, before the consultation, before I’d even settled on a name or a persona.  Now I have a better sense of who I could be, what I might look like.

Goodwill, where we started shopping, was full of many things, but not much that seemed useful.  Way too many outfits that looked like tired professional women at work.  I did find a choir robe for $6, which seemed maybe worth buying.  The shoe rack had some scary-cool things, but nothing in my size, nothing in an interesting color.  I noticed my own shoes were dusted yellow—pollen, that film of yellow coating everything right now, the air filled with the sexual life of plants.

At one consignment shop, somewhat high-end, filled with furniture and bric-a-brac, as well as racks and racks of clothes, we had a little more luck.  There was a ruffled pink thing that looked promising.  (I texted Tio a photo. “Drama,” he wrote back approvingly.)  A large woman in orange seemed annoyed we were in her section, and practically pushed me aside with her cart.  She was perhaps unamused by two men giggling over the options on the plus-size dress racks, which could mostly be dismissed as (as Bert put it) “too mother-of-the-bride.”  Not the look for a Vista Queen.

At another consignment store, Second Chances, when we mentioned Vista Queen, the woman behind the counter brightened up, walked us through the store, determined to help us find the right thing.  When I told her what I thought my size should be (based on that internet research and the things I pulled on at the first consult, encased in my fake hips and bosom), she laughed, oh honey you don’t need something that big.  She pulled out a lovely beaded black size 16.  Just pull it on over your clothes, she said, to get a sense of how it fit, how it looked.  It was breathtaking—and breath-taking, too tight.

We checked our watches.  We had dinner plans.  It was our wedding anniversary—eleven years after being unlawfully wed, as I like to say, that long-ago ceremony filled with family and friends, but unacknowledged at the time by state law. While we searched the consignment shop, our minister, who now lives in the Upstate, sent a text of well-wishes from himself and his wife.

One more.  Behind the desk was a flouncy white ruffled dress that slid maybe too easily over my head.  Bert suggested a slit up the side to make it a little less matronly.  We texted a pic to T.O., me in the middle of the shop, the dress pulled over my jeans and green shirt.

He agreed with Bert: too mother-of-the-bride.

I hope T.O. deleted that picture.

Ed Madden is Tess DeMint in the 2016 Vista Queen Pageant

It's the 18th annual Vista Queen pageant at Trustus Theatre and, this year, Jasper will be bringing readers a behind-the-scenes look at the tucking and taping and general mayhem that accompanies the only kind of pageant we could ever support - a mockery!

Meet Tess DeMint, (aka Ed Madden).

You'll be learning more about Tess in the weeks to come.

In the meantime, Tess and Ed have started doing the work that it takes to be a woman. As Simone De Beauvoir  says, "One is not born a woman, but becomes one." Here's a bit of what that involves -- 

I’m wearing high heels as I write this.

I’ve been wearing them the past hour or so as I move about the hotel room, putting away things, washing my face, answering emails.  I’m trying to get used to them, used to how I walk in them, used to how I should walk in them.  On Monday, when I met with Tio for my first drag consultation, he told me I walked like a gorilla, told me that I needed to let my hips and arms move.  He had helped me into hip pads and a dress, after I’d pulled on the obligatory three sets of stockings and tights, after I’d tucked myself best I could.  When he asked me if I knew about “tucking,” I said that I had read about it.  I’m an academic: it’s what I do.  He laughed.  I was the first person, he said, who had ever told him they read about tucking.  It was actually a little scary to read—especially when you see, “This may cause damage to the genitalia.”  Tio assured me that I didn’t have to use tape.

I walked around the room, best I could.  A gorilla.  He said I seemed to be getting better every time he turned around.  Bert said it was a little scary.  Tio told me to wear the heels around the house, to practice walking in them.

A video I found online tells me to look up and straight ahead, not at my feet.  Yes, I have been watching videos on how to walk.  I also watched some Yanis Marshall videos—more inspiration than aspiration, nothing I could imagine doing myself.  (I also think Arnaud Boursain—the tall bearded one—is sexy.)

So I’m sitting in a hotel room in Spartanburg, after attending Bodies of Knowledge, a gender studies conference at USC Upstate, in a pair of very black and very shiny high heels, about two inches high.  (Wishful thinking? Maybe I exaggerate?)  The rest of me looks like the rest of me: khaki pants, a green button-down shirt, some green striped socks.

I’m thinking about gender and heels and movement.  At the conference, I participated in a “queer movement” workshop with the enthusiastic performance artist Leigh Hendrix.  I hadn’t intended to stay for that last session, but I asked Leigh if it would help me be a better Vista Queen.  She assured me it would, if only to think about how my body moves.  We curled on the floor in fetal position.  We moved through the room with our six limbs (arms, legs, head, tail).  We did what felt comfortable; we stopped if it didn’t.  Make a heroic shape, she said.  I stood like the statue of an orator.  Make a male shape, she said.  Arms crossed, legs spread, aggressive stare.  Someone else sat on the floor, manspreading.  Make a female shape.  I stood legs slightly crossed, my hip out, one arm loosely crossing my chest, the other lifted, my wrist bent, my hand curled loosely back, a finger pensive against my chin, a downcast but withering gaze.  Honestly, I felt more Tim Gunn than female.  Leigh looked at me, laughed: you’re ready.

But we weren’t wearing heels.

-- Ed Madden/Tess DeMint

To vote for Tess, um, Ed, please visit Trustus Theatre. Each vote costs $10 and all money goes to Trustus Theatre.

REVIEW: Trustus Theatre's Peter and the Starcatcher

Trustus Theater’s production of Peter and the Starcatcher, by Rick Elice, based on the novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, is a fantastic voyage through the imagination and it’s absolutely not to be missed.  After a hugely successful run on and off Broadway, the adult prequel to Peter Pan is skillfully brought to the Trustus stage by director Robert Richmond. In the age of sequels, prequels, and reboots, Peter and the Starcatcher truly adds to the ethos of Peter Pan, painting a portrait of a boy that longs for a home, a family, and a chance to enjoy a childhood.

The cast of pirates, lost boys, savages, and mermaids is made up of favorite local veteran actors as well as newcomers. Johnathon Monk gives us a tender and melancholy orphan in the boy who will become Peter Pan. Despite being a grown man, Monk is able to convincingly convey a childlike look of innocence and wonder, especially via his evocative eyes. This is a very physical show and whether he is pantomiming running through a jungle or doing the back stroke in the sea, Monk is a delight to watch. Grace Ann Roberts is wonderful as Molly, a plucky 13 year old over-achiever that craves adventure. Roberts gave a very natural and poised performance; I look forward to seeing her onstage again. Hunter Boyle hilariously plays Molly’s nanny, Mrs. Bumbrake. Kevin Bush plays Bumbrake’s love interest, a salty seaman named Alf. Boyle and Bush are both very funny, especially in their scenes together. The standout performance of the night is given by Paul Kaufmann as Black Stache the Pirate. The role seems written for the veteran Columbia actor. Kaufmann’s impeccable comedic timing, voice range, and general joie de vivre are all able to fully shine here. He creates a villain you can’t help but love. The ensemble as a whole is strong and does a great job of creating the world they inhabit.

Much like children at play, the actors create extraordinary places and things with ordinary everyday objects. A rope forms a doorway, a plastic glove becomes a bird. A little imagination goes a very long way here. Richmond proves you don’t need pricey special effects or elaborate costumes to leave your audience dazzled. Though not a musical, we are treated to a few very entertaining numbers under the musical direction of Caroline Weidner. She and Greg Apple provide live accompaniment throughout. The set, designed by Baxter Engle and constructed by Brandon Mclver, opens up the Trustus stage like I’ve never seen before, transforming the space into a massive ship, along with ropes and pulleys that are used to great effect throughout the show. The back wall of the stage looks directly into the dressing room, which I was afraid might be distracting, but wasn’t in the least. In fact it was a nice touch that added to the idea that this show has nothing to hide, that we’re all on this journey together. I enjoyed Matt "Ezra" Pound’s sound design, particularly before the show started where creaking ship and sea noises set the mood nicely. Jean Lomasto’s costumes are reminiscent of children playing dress-up, inventive and interesting to look at.

This is a charming tale, appropriate for children and grownups alike. It tells us an entertaining story of how Neverland became a magical island and why Peter Pan never wants to grow up. It’s sometimes hard to trust people with beloved characters from our childhood for fear we might be let down. I urge you to trust Richmond and his cast, to take their outstretched hand, leave your grownup problems behind you, and go on an adventure. You won’t regret it.

- Jennifer Hill

Photos by Richard Kiraly

Trustus Theatre Announces New Executive Director - Leila Ibrahim, Welcome to Columbia! A Jasper Exclusive --

The new face you see at Trustus Theatre may seem young and enthusiastic, and Leila Ibrahim is both those things and more, but most of all she’s completely confident that she is taking over the job she has always been meant to have—executive director of a ground-breaking regional theatre that is on the verge of making itself known to the greater world of theatre in the southeast and beyond.

Born and raised in Georgia, Ibrahim cut her theatrical teeth working backstage before moving to box office work and then on to theatre administration. After earning an undergraduate degree in business she moved to Philadelphia where she continued to work behind-the-scenes in theatre while earning her master’s degree in Arts Administration. “I went to Philadelphia for the job and the education but I always knew I wanted to come back to the South,” she explains.

Ibrahim took the job of executive director of Florence Little Theatre in February 2015, full of plans and ambitions for what she calls the “robust community theatre” she adored. But when the job came open at Trustus Theatre, she found herself in a conundrum. “I had always heard about Trustus Theatre and what a great reputation they have,” she says. “My plan had been to be at Florence Little Theatre for a while longer and accomplish more. But sometimes when a certain job becomes available you just have to take it. I’m excited to be working with such a progressive repertoire and a board of directors who want to grow this amazing theatre.”

Ibrahim is also excited about working with an artistic director, having worked primarily with a board of directors at Florence Little Theatre who selected the production season themselves. “I have tremendous respect for [artistic director] Chad Henderson,” she says. “Chad and I have strengths in different areas and I think we’re going to work together very well. I’m really good at the business of art, but I’m not an artist myself, like Chad is. I still love being part of it.”

Henderson responds equally enthusiastically. “"I'm looking forward to working with Leila. She comes to Trustus with experience in the areas that, when coupled with the artistic elements, will serve the theatre's goals for the future. I expect we'll have a wonderfully productive relationship as the leaders of this organization. This is truly the start of a new era at Trustus, and there are great opportunities ahead."

---

The Nitty-Gritty on Ibrahim:

She's 31 years old, the same age as Trustus and almost the same age as Henderson  --    "We match!" She says

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Her favorite playwright is Tennessee Williams -- "I love the classics!"

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"But first and foremost I'm a musical theatre person."   --   Her favorite musicals are Rent, Wicked, and American Idiot (on the Trustus schedule for Summer 2016)

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The first play she ever saw -- Of Mice and Men.

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"With any kind of performance I want to be fully entertained, made to think deeply, inspired, and pushed."

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"New art is imperative for a theatre's health. Look at how opera suffered because it went without significant development for so long. We can't let that happen to theatre and we want let it happen at Trustus."

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Civil Blood Makes Civil Hands Unclean: Jason Stokes Premiers Original Historical Screenplay, Composure - by Haley Sprankle

 

Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Columbia where we lay our scene...

The year is 1903. The Tillman family, headed by the Lieutenant Governor for the State of South Carolina, and the Gonzales family, headed by the founder of The State newspaper, are in a known feud. This ancient grudge (that began in the 1880s) broke to new mutiny as Lieutenant Governor James H. Tillman murders NG Gonzales.

That’s where local actor, filmmaker, and screenwriter Jason Stokes’ story begins.

“I first heard about this story at my ‘real’ work (Media Director for the South Carolina Bar) in 2000 during a presentation on the subject by Donnie Myers. I was fascinated by the story in part because of the sensational nature of the crime, but the more I began to research the story I realized that there was much more to it than just a murder and a murder trial,” Stokes explains.  “The Tillmans and The Gonzaleses were two powerful families in the city of Columbia who did not like each other for various reasons. This feud began in the late 1880’s and continued even after the events of January 15, 1903. During that time one side wielded power and opinion in the public press while the other side railed against the Gonzaleses and The State newspaper with every stump speech.”

This Saturday, Stokes presents an original screenplay titled Composure based on this rich piece of Columbia’s history. His cast includes such luminary local talent such as Paul Kaufmann, Eric Bultman, Stann Gwynn, Terrance Henderson, Hunter Boyle, Clint Poston, Katie Leitner, Stan Gardner, G. Scott Wild, Libby Campbell, Kevin Bush, Jonathan Jackson, Nate Herring, and Kendrick Marion.

“I’ve been very fortunate not only to have these talented actors lend their craft to this project but they are also valued friends and colleagues. I promise to anyone in attendance, if the story doesn’t impress you the talent certainly will,” Stokes says.

While Stokes is certainly no stranger to the Columbia arts community, having been seen in productions ranging from Cat on a Hot Tin Roof to Rent, not many know that he is a writer.

“I began writing just after my father passed away in 1989. My mother gave me a notebook to write down memories of my father when I had them but, being an adolescent, as I started writing down a memory or story it would veer away from facts to whatever fiction my mind was dreaming up at the time. So I’ve been writing for the last 27 years (to varying degrees of success),” Stokes said.

After writing about 30 screenplays, some of which have television spec scripts pitched to shows such as The West Wing and Castle, Stokes has developed his own style and writing process.

“Each screenplay is different, but they all seem to start before I really know where they are going. For example, I’ll write a scene that I either have no idea what it’s trying to say in a grand scheme, or I don’t know where it belongs in the story I’m thinking about,” Stokes delineates. “Composure was no different. The surface story was there but to make it interesting and make it build to something that makes people think was the challenge. This being a historical piece I just kept doing more and more research to see if I could find anything new to add to the layers, which took time. I worked off-and-on on the screenplay for about three years, and it wasn’t until I decided to begin with the murder and then bounce back and forth in time during the trial, to add the ‘why’ of the murder, that made it really exciting for me to want to write it.”

Being an actor himself adds a particularly interesting dynamic to Stokes’ work and process, as well.

“As an actor, it’s always a blessing to work on a well written piece of work, Tennessee Williams, Terrance McNally, Jonathan Larson, you want to chew on it as long as you can because really good, juicy dialogue and lyrics don’t come around all the time. So when I write I like to think of the story and dialogue in the vein; Would this be something I would want to sink my teeth into as an actor and rejoice in the fact that I GET to say these lines and tell this story?” Stokes adds.

Don’t miss the two hours’ traffic of the Trustus Side Door Theatre this Saturday, January 16 for free! Doors and bar open at 6:30 with the performance beginning at 7:30.

“Opinion reporting is nothing new, as evident by this story, but with the advent of technology and polarizing news outlets only compounding the divisive nature and climate I think we find ourselves in today, this is a true story that still has relevance and meaning,” Stokes says. “No one story, one person, one political ideology can be measured strictly in absolutes. If the audience can be entertained and enlightened in some way through the events of these gentlemen, then maybe the cast and I will have offered a different perspective in which to view our own world.”

REVIEW: The Brothers Size at Trustus Theatre – by Jennifer Hill

There’s something beautiful happening over in the Trustus Side Door Theater right now, and I’m afraid you’re going to miss it. Director Chad Henderson skillfully brings us The Brothers Size, part two in the Brother/Sister plays by Tarell Alvin McCraney. Part One, In The Red and Brown Water, was performed on the mainstage at Trustus last season and also directed by Henderson. Each play in the trilogy is linked, but can also easily stand on its own. This particular production is a gem, the kind of show that leaves you feeling like you’re a little bit better off for having seen it; your eyes now wider and your heart a little more open. It’s theater at its best and it’s happening in your city.

From the moment I walked into the intimate Side Door Theater, I felt like I was transported to the Louisiana Bayou. The sound of cicadas fill the air, and butterflies in illuminated jars (tap on one and you’ll get a surprise) rest on simple but effective stage pieces designed by Kimi Maeda (a JAY visual artist nominee for 2015). The lighting design by Chet Longley and the sound design by Baxter Engle effectively complete the scene.

The seating is in the round and in this case that means you are part of the stage. There is something magical about being so close to the performers. The energy exchange between the actors and the audience takes things to another level, especially with actors as talented as these. The characters in the play are named after and based off of deities in the Yoruba religion, which originated primarily in southwestern Nigeria. Ogun Size (Jabar K. Hankins) is a hardworking mechanic who shows tough love to his troubled younger brother Oshooi Size (Christopher “Leven” Jackson) who has recently been released from prison.  Oshooi’s friend and ex-cellmate Elegba (Bakari Lebby) is the unknown quantity that sets the play in motion. All three actors are skilled, passionate, and do excellent work here. The raw emotion in Hankins' eyes broke my heart in such a beautiful way, another benefit of being in such an intimate space. The actors tell a highly relevant story to our contemporary moment, examining confinement, freedom, loss of innocence and family.  As I stood to leave I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house. Henderson has created a very physical, very alive piece of work. He has a unique perspective and a talent for creating moments where music and movement come together harmoniously. He and his cast create a story rich in rhythm and beauty.

I urge you to go see this show, not only because it is good but because if we support it then we can have more things like it. And I, for one, want more things like it. Get your tickets now; the show runs through October 31^st.

Five Questions for Chad Henderson - Director of The Brothers Size Opening Friday Night at Trustus

 

From "The Brothers Size"

The Brother/Sister Plays

OSHOOSI SIZE:

            I know I am still on probation!

            I know Og.

            Damn!

            I know I was once in prison.

            I am out and I am on probation.

            Damnit man.

            I ain’t trying to drive to Fort Knox?

            I ain’t about to scale the capital…

            I want a ride.

            I want to drive out to the bayou…

            Maybe take a lady down there…

            And relax

There's a new play opening at Trustus Theatre on Friday that caught Jasper's attention for a handful of reasons. We know that it's part of the Brother/Sister trilogy written by Tarell Alvin McCraney and set in the Louisiana Bayou  exploring Yoruba mythology -- an African belief system, which some claim to be the oldest practiced religion. We saw In the Red and Brown Water last year and were pretty much overwhelmed by this playwright's ability to merge the worlds of the oldest of old Africa, probably what eventually became Nigeria, with something like a new world Louisiana. McCraney's career has been blowing up over the past 7 or 8 years and he is set to be one of the top playwrights around given that he's only 35 years old and everything he touches seems to turn to gold. We'd heard that The Brothers Size was another example of this phenomenon.

We also learned that this unique and promising play is being presented in Trustus Theatre's intimate Side Door Theatre, one of our favorite places to enjoy live theatre in the state. There is an intimacy that comes from being one member of a small audience in a relatively small theatre space with actors who are at full throttle sharing their art, whether the art is theatre, music, dance, whatever. Audiences always (hopefully) become another player in a live performance as they feed back and respond to the energy being offered on stage. (This is why people old and young continue to go to Phish concerts, I finally understand. Yes, there are drugs and herbal pleasures, but the energy itself acts as a drug, as well.) And being in such close communion with both the actors and the other audience members can be a rush and sometimes even a cathartic experience. To say the energy is palpable when you're locked (not really) in the room with a few dozen friends and three intense actors, as you will be in The Brothers Size, is an understatement. Opportunities like this are precious and yet another example of the quiet and unassuming way in which Columbia is an arts nerve center.

Finally, were also were excited to see what new magic Trustus Artistic Director and interim Managing Director Chad Henderson had up his sleeve. We really like Henderson for obvious reasons. (Full disclosure: Henderson is the son-in-law of this writer.) But long before the first flirtation, Henderson, as an artist, had the eye and growing respect of this writer, the Jasper Magazine staff, and pretty much anyone with a discerning eye in the area. In the past few years he has brought us such stellar theatre opportunities as Spring Awakening, Assassins, Next to Normal, Ragtime, and other shows of the kind of quality that make your Columbia, SC ticket price and not having to leave town a bargain. Henderson studied under Robert Richmond at USC, another Columbia treasure. (Richmond spent fourteen years as the Associate Artistic Director of the Aquila Theatre Company in New York and during his tenure there he directed over 50 productions that toured across the US, Off Broadway and Europe.) Richmond's influence on Henderon can be seen in a number of ways, but probably no greater way than in Henderson's confidence in his own ability to take his productions in innovative directions. Henderson looks only for exceptional scripts to which he knows he can add his own signature touches and, in doing so, improve upon an already excellent play. Given that, like McCraney, Henderson is also young, it's safe to say we haven't seen the best of him yet.

That's why we wanted to pin Henderson down on a few questions we had about this extraordinary theatre experience opening on Friday night at Trustus and running through Thursday, October 29th. Here's what we got.

Jasper:  This play is a little different from other performances at Trustus in that it is part of a series, right? Can you tell us how The Brothers Size fits in as the second in a three part series of plays?

Henderson:  The Brothers Size is the second part of a trilogy called The Brother/Sister Plays by Tarell Alvin McCraney. Trustus produced the first part (In the Red and Brown Water) last season, and because it was such a wonderful success we knew we wanted to commit to the whole trilogy. These shows introduce the audience to a pantheon of characters derived from the Orishas of the Yoruban cosmology that are living in the “distant present” and the fictional projects of San Pere, Louisana. The plays are a brilliant mix of poetry, prose, music and movement that explore the universal truths of modern life filtered through a very specific world that the playwright has gifted to the audience and artists who tell his stories. Truly, Mr. McCraney is a voice all his own in modern theatre – and that’s what Trustus is constantly celebrating: the new powerful voices of American Theatre. These scripts are singular due to Mr. McCraney’s writing style that has won many awards over the years. These plays are here and now. Columbia deserves to have this type of fresh and modern theatre at its doorstep, and Trustus is happy to oblige.

The Brothers Size examines the power of family, the fight for survival, the consequence of circumstance, the contradiction of incarceration and freedom, and the deep roots of brotherhood. This production explores human truths through an imaginative production that will leave audiences spellbound – perfect theatrical fare for the Fall.

There are a host of elements that make this production a continuation of this trilogy. The language play is still very present because of Mr. McCraney's style of writing with these plays. The playwright also continues to celebrate the ritual of theatre with his ceremonial proceedings that give The Brother/Sister Plays so much vigor.We get to tune back in with Ogun Size and Elegba, who were characters in the last production. We're introduced to Ogun's brother Oshoosi. Scenic designer Kimi Maeda is bringing the set of the last production into the intimate Trustus Side Door Theatre - audiences will feel like they're exploring the last set they saw as they sit among the houses of San Pere in this production.

But don't worry - if you didn't see In the Red and Brown Water, you can still enjoy The Brothers Size - the story stands on its own legs just fine.

Jasper:  You also have a smaller cast than typical and you’re performing in the smaller Side Door Theatre. It sounds like a very intimate experience. Is it, and how so?

Henderson:  While the scale of the show is much smaller than the last play, I actually feel like this production feels like a bigger show than the Side Door than our patrons are used to. We're utilizing more sound and lighting equipment than we ever have in the Side Door. There's a broader use of the space with plenty of exciting motion.We're also performing this show in the round. This is nothing new as far as theatre conventions go, but in this circle we're able to become part of the community of San Pere. Much like the traditions of West African dance and drum circles, this circle is a safe place for experience and exploration.

Jasper:  Tell us what special gifts or talents each of the three gentlemen in the play bring to this project.

Henderson:  Jabar Hankins is undeniably genuine - relatable. Bakari Lebby will charm the pants off of folks even though his character is full of mischief. Chris Jackson is effortless in his struggle. Together, they are a powerhouse ensemble that courageously battle each other every night to gain unity.

Jasper:  Do you have a favorite scene or line that we can look for?

Henderson:  I'm particularly fond of the 4th scene of Act II where the phrase "You f**ked up!" Is yelled repeatedly. However, each scene is well sculpted by our playwright -Tarell Alvin McCraney. There are surprises around every corner.

Jasper:  Without giving anything away, tell us what you think will be the most surprising aspect of The Brothers Size for the audience.

Henderson:  I expect the experience of seeing a show in the round in the Side Door will be surprising. This show also gives you plenty of opportunities to engage your imagination. We hope that audiences get a chance to play and use their own creativity as they discover the story of Oshoosi and Ogun. Its truly a rich theatrical experience, and audiences get to live inside of it.

REVIEW: Marie Antoinette at Trustus Theatre - by Jennifer Hill

“I was built to be this thing and now they're killing me for it." -- Marie Antoinette

Trustus Theater starts off its 31^st season strong with Marie Antoinette by David Adjmi. In the first act, Director Robert Richmond takes the audience down the rabbit hole to a French rave where Marie Antoinette is the Mad Hatter presiding over what appears to be her own opulent, insane tea party, which sets the pace for the evening. This is not a stuffy historical piece by any means. It’s sexy, provocative, humorous, and it eventually takes you to a very dark place.

Jennifer Moody Sanchez is our Marie, the girl who was plucked from Austria at 14 years old to marry wimpy Louis XVI, played by G. Scott Wild, and then went on to become the Queen of France at the tender age of 19. Moody Sanchez is a strong performer, giving us a Marie that is silly and frivolous, but grows strong with backbone as the play goes on, and ultimately descends into madness during her final days.  Moody Sanchez did some of her best work of the night in the second act as Marie grapples with sanity in her prison cell. It’s a series of intense scenes and Moody Sanchez gives a haunting performance. Props to Robert Richmond for being willing to take it so dark. Bold choices are powerful, especially when a director uses them to create a very consistent stylized world, like Richmond has. That said, I would have liked to have seen more vulnerability in Marie at times, something with which we can empathize and connect.

Sanchez is not alone in offering a fine performance. G. Scott Wild gives us a perfect Louis XVI; an awkward, possibly impotent, man-child. Marie’s ladies of the court, Therese De Lomballe, played by Lindsay Rae Taylor, and Yolande de Polignac played by Ellen Rodillo-Fowler are like those two girls at a party who keep pressuring you to take another shot; the kind of women who tell you “go ahead, buy it in both colors” on a shopping trip, the ‘yes’ women to Marie. I especially liked Rodillo-Fowler in her scene as a creepy peasant and Taylor’s scenes as Therese showing true friendship to Marie. Eric Bultman plays the most striking and sexy sheep anyone would ever want to see. That’s right, he plays Marie’s sheep friend, her spirit animal, and he sometimes informs her of the realities of her situation. Bultman physically nails every beat. The terribly handsome Ben Blazer plays Axel Fersen, Marie’s man on the side. Blazer has a nice natural stage presence that is so easy to believe. Paul Kaufmann plays the Revolutionary who imprisons Marie and her family. Kauffman is a strong actor who makes a nice subtle transformation over the second act, in that he starts out with extreme hatred for Marie, but that hatred slowly turns to pity as her execution draws near. Chris Cook plays Joseph, Marie’s brother, come to get answers for why an heir hasn’t been produced in the seven years since Marie and Louis have been married. Cook is a joy to watch: he has impeccable timing and gives some really delightful deliveries that keep the audience laughing. Cade Melnyk, with a face of a cherub, plays the little Dauphin very well. He happens to be in one of my favorite scenes, a carriage ride depicted using only three chairs. The three actors sell it with perfect timing and movement which results in a very believable and entertaining scene.

Costumes by Jean Gonzalaz Lomasto were a joy. Marie’s frocks are one-of-a-kind pieces of art, as were the wigs by Mark Ziegler and the jewelry by Neely Wald. The lighting design by Marc Hearst was on point; I particularly enjoyed a scene where Marie and Axel watch fireworks in the distance. I really enjoyed what Baxter Engle did with the sound during the prison/madness scenes; an echoing treatment that is very effective. The set, designed by Kimi Maeda and constructed by Brandon Mclver is quite impressive as basically a giant reflective guillotine blade, always there, always reminding us where this is all going to end.

And that’s really what it’s all about, right? The falling of a great star. We build them up to burn them down a la 2007's Britney Spears. Marie herself pretty much sums it up toward the end of the second act, “I was built to be this thing and now they're killing me for it”. Overall, it’s a beautiful production, well played and well executed. (Pun intended.) A feast for the eyes. Get your tickets to the disco mad tea party now as shows will be selling out. The show runs through Oct.3^rd.

Correction: A previous version of this review omitted the contributions of Neely Wald. 

Preview -- Marie Antoinette at Trustus Theatre by Jessica Blahut

Marie Antoinette, a Trustus Theater production, premiers this Friday at 8 p.m.  Though based in history, this modern adaption of the life the last Queen of France promises to be anything but antiquated.

The play takes place during Marie Antoinette’s reign as revolution threatens the monarchy.  As the severity of her circumstances set in, Marie struggles against the lack of leadership from her husband and the end of the lavish, extravagant lifestyle she has come to revel in.

In the title role, Jennifer Moody Sanchez sees the show as being "hip, sexy, and tragic" says the most challenging aspect of preparing for the role has been "charting the emotional, physical, and mental decay of someone that falls from riches to rags. To fall from such a great height is extremely taxing on an actor." The lead in such recent hits as Venus in Fur,  Sanchez believes audiences will be most surprised by "the humanity of a queen, mother and a wife that history only remembers as a celebrity. She was a very giving person. I didn't realize how much she loved children."

Of course we know not to expect a happy ending. “We all know how it ends for her as she walks up to the guillotine, we all know the ending of the show, but the excitement is getting through it,” says Chad Henderson, Artistic Director at Trustus.

Director Robert Richmond, who has earned acclaim for his work at Folger Theater, the Aquila Theater Company, and other productions across the United States and Europe, manages to make history fresh, sexy, and sassy.  Audiences watch a revolution all to the sound track of modern, French hip-hop.

“It’s something really fresh for Columbia, some people think theater is supposed to be straight laced … but not Trustus and not this show in particular.  It’s fabulous, colorful, sexy,” says Henderson

Audiences are encouraged to buy tickets early, as they tend to sell out.  The production will run for three weeks, from Friday, September 18^th at 8 p.m. – Saturday, October 3^rd at 8 p.m. at Trustus Theater on 520 Lady St. in Columbia.

Darling Dilettante—Discussing the Art of Fear By Haley Sprankle

“Do you ever get nervous up there?”

The age-old question for performers—the question of fear.

In just about every production I’ve been fortunate to be a part of, whether I’m the lead or the third white girl from the left, I’m asked this question by a person outside of the performance realm. They ensure me that they don’t understand how actors memorize each element of the show from lines to choreography to even just remembering to smile every now and then. I normally reply with “I used to when I first started, but now it just seems like second nature.”

Most recently, that question of fear prompted me to question myself and the things others around me do, though, and how we do them.

Every day, a banker goes to work. Every day a stay-at-home parent wakes up and takes care of their family. Every day a waiter or a writer or a bus driver or even the President of the United States gets up and fulfills their necessary requirements for the day. These could be things they’ve always done. These could be things they’ve just started doing. These could be things they love, or they could be things they don’t like.

But they get up and they do them, and like most people feel about performing, I couldn’t even imagine doing these things.

With most things people do for the first time, there was probably an initial fear or nervousness.

What if they don’t like my work? What if I mess up? What if?

We can sit back and ask ourselves “What if?” all day long, but we will never know what WILL happen if we don’t try. Sometimes, it will be a little messy. Sometimes, it will be hard. Sometimes, you will do all right. Sometimes, you will do it all wrong.

One thing, however, is common among all these instances—you learn something new about yourself.

I recently came across a Japanese term: Wabi-Sabi. It translates to “A way of living that focuses on finding beauty within the imperfections of life and accepting, peacefully, the natural cycle of growth and decay.”

In every new or old thing you do, there are endless possibilities, but in the end, the best opportunity you have is to take each outcome and turn it into something beautiful.

So why let fear hold you back from trying something new?

Last Friday, Dreamgirls opened at Trustus Theatre and will run through August 1^st. The cast includes veterans to the stage and newcomers alike, all representing a long process of hard work, fun, and love that we have put into this show. For some of us, each night may just be another performance, but for others, one or more performances may be among the most nerve-wracking things they’ve ever done. At the end of each night, though, all we can do is do what we do best—put on a show. Things may not go exactly as planned, but that’s live theatre.

In live theatre, we support each other. In live theatre, we help each other. In live theatre, we build each other up.

In live theatre, we find the beauty within our fear and imperfections, and we turn it into art.

I won’t be afraid or nervous. I will be excited and proud.

Wabi-Sabi.

(Dreamgirls runs June 26-August 1. Go to trustus.org for tickets!)

Photos by Richard Kiraly