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News media articles, reviews, press releases for ArtReach plays
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This page (Page #12) has great articles from newspapers and school newsletters.  Check out all these great comments about ArtReach popular titles: Sword in the Stone & Knights of the Round Table, The Wizard of Oz, A Thousand Cranes, Thomas Edison.

Family : Manly, Magical Days of Yore, ArtReach's 'Sword in the Stone'
The Laguna Playhouse Youth Theater Spins an Imaginative Version of the Arthurian Legend

SPECIAL TO THE LA TIMES

LAGUNA BEACH - In the Laguna Playhouse Youth Theater's "Sword in the Stone," a man becomes a fish, a boy turns into a sparrow and a sword pierces a boulder swiftly and effortlessly.

These slices of fancy from Arthurian legend are appealing enough, but it's their Middle Ages setting that's even more toothsome to modern viewers--a once-upon-a-time era in which knights were valorous, ladies were virtuous and chivalry was its own reward.

"Merlin, the ageless sorcerer and teacher serves as Arthur's mentor."
ArtRech's Sword in the Stone King Arthur Play for Kids
ArtReach's Sword in the Stone & Knights of the Round Table - Brentwood Theatre, UK

But this mostly involving production is no spun-sugar "Sword." The two one-acts were created years apart by Kathryn Schultz Miller and presented together by Youth Theater director Joe Lauderdale for the first time. Sunday's matinee performance was manly enough to hold young audiences, including a large showing of school-age boys.

Though this production and Disney's 1963 animated version are spinoffs from T. H. White's book, Miller's work is strikingly different from the movie, an entertaining but mostly featherweight film that--as Christopher Finch described in his book, "The Art of Disney"--"totally misses the tone" of White's story.

The biggest difference can be seen in Merlin, the ageless sorcerer and teacher who serves as Arthur's mentor and adviser throughout his life. Instead of Disney's testy, bungling eccentric, Miller's Merlin is wry, intense and cloaked in mystery. He reserves his considerable magic to school his young pupil and guide him through difficulties during his reign. Lauderdale handles the moments gracefully while encouraging children to use their imaginations; his use of swirling silk to suggest wind and water were especially effective.

Tim Dey leads the cast admirably as Merlin. At 33, Dey is the oldest in the show (the other actors range from 15 to 18) and he has considerable stage experience; his Fagin at the playhouse's production of "Oliver!" last year was incredible. Dey's Merlin is just as memorable, brooding and just dark enough to be intriguing, with a dusting of dry wit.

"Encourages children to use their imaginations."
Sword in the Stone Playscript Dragon Sword in the Stone performance
ArtReach's Sword in the Stone & Knights of the Round Table - Brentwood Theatre, UK

As Arthur, Brad Bredeweg handles nicely the task of aging his character from a wide-eyed youth to an aging king. Michael Tryon starts out a bit flat as Lancelot, but gathers steam quickly. Jenny Rees' Guenevere is comely and has a pleasant touch of sass.

Well-schooled by fight choreographer Rand Hudson, the cast presented several stirring fight scenes complete with clashing swords and rousing battle cries against a dramatic backdrop of sound and light.

The piece's first act follows Arthur, a feisty 12-year-old squire to his older brother Kai, as he is groomed by Merlin to assume the crown of a troubled England. The famous scene in which Arthur pulls Excalibur from the stone and hence earns the throne binds the two acts together; it closes the first and is repeated in the opening moments of the second.

Act 2 carries on the story, relating some of the high and low points in Arthur's life, including his alliance with Lancelot and his Knights of the Round Table, his marriage to Guenevere and his trials at the hand of the sinister witch Morgana.

"Stirring fight scenes complete with clashing swords."
Knights and the Round Table play for young audiences Knights of the Round Table play for kids
ArtReach's Sword in the Stone & Knights of the Round Table - Brentwood Theatre, UK

Of course, it takes a fair amount of talk to pass on the wisdom of the ages, and while Miller's dialogue contains some beautiful and sometimes funny passages, by the middle of the second act it started to wear thin with young viewers. The problem is compounded by the fact that in Act 2, Miller has tried to compress decades of Arthur's rule into less than 40 minutes. And she often shifts tenses; some events are presented as if they are happening currently, others seem to be recollections shared by Merlin and Arthur.

However, because Miller intended each of the acts to stand alone, you can't blame her for occasional unevenness; perhaps Lauderdale could have eased the flow by trimming and blending the two scripts more.

David Hudnall's lighting design and David Edwards' sound design back up the action effectively, especially in the battle scenes. The six weeks that Hudson spent working with the cast were fruitful; the conflicts are exciting and the movements surprisingly graceful. (And yes, in case you were wondering, the swords are real. The edges are blunted but the tips, as evidenced by a flesh wound or two among the cast, are sharp.) Brigitte Harper's costumes ran mostly toward the coarse fibers typical of the Middle Ages, with the exception of Merlin's beaded collar and cape lining.

After the show, Lauderdale invited audience members to sit in with cast members and crew in an open discussion he calls StageTalk. The program will also be offered after the evening shows Friday and Saturday.

"Beautiful and sometimes funny passages."
Knights and the Round Table play for Junior High Students Knights of the Round Table Play for young audiences
ArtReach's Sword in the Stone & Knights of the Round Table - Brentwood Theatre, UK

"Sword in the Stone" is the first of four shows to be presented in the Laguna Playhouse Youth Theater's 1994-95 season. Also scheduled are "White as Snow, Red as Blood," an adaptation of the Snow White story by Virginia Glasgow Koste (Feb. 10 through 19), Thomas Olson's adaptation of Johana Spyri's "Heidi" (April 7 through 16) and Louis Sachar's "There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom" (June 9 through 18).

* "Sword in the Stone," Laguna Playhouse Youth Theater, Moulton Theater, 606 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach. Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. (714) 494-8021. Tickets: $10 for adults, $7 for children 4 to 13. Children under 4 are not admitted. Running time: Two hours with one intermission.

Presented by the Laguna Playhouse Youth Theater. Adapted by Kathryn Schultz Miller. Directed by Joe Lauderdale. Fight choreography: Rand Hudson. Sets: Jacquie Moffett. Costumes: Brigitte Harper. Lighting: David Hudnall. Sound: David Edwards.

Junior High School Students Perform ArtReach's The Wizard of Oz
Altoona Mirror, PA

The Altoona Area Junior High School Drama Club will present "The Wizard of Oz."

A senior citizen preview will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20. Public performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21, and Friday, Nov. 22, with a matinee show at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23. All performances will take place in the Altoona Area Junior High School auditorium.

L. Frank Baum's classic novel comes to life in "The Wizard of Oz." Young Dorothy Gale is swept away by a cyclone from her Kansas farm to the magical land of Oz.

"Young Dorothy Gale is swept away by a cyclone."
The Wizard of Oz play for Junior High Students Middle School Kids in ArtReach's The Wizard of Oz
ArtReach's  "The Wizard of Oz." - Altoona Area Junior High School Drama Club

There, she encounters a host of whimsical characters: good witches, bad witches, animals that talk, scarecrows that walk, and things magical to behold.

To find her way home, she must journey along the Yellow Brick Road to see the mysterious and all-powerful Wizard in Emerald City.

Along the way, she makes new friends, but must also brave many dangers, including the Wicked Witch of the West, who will stop at nothing to get her hands-on Dorothy's magical ruby slippers.

"An important lesson: there's no place like home."
Cast of Wizard of Oz Play Flying Monkeys in Wizard of Oz
ArtReach's  "The Wizard of Oz." - Altoona Area Junior High School Drama Club

To make it home safely, Dorothy must learn an important lesson: there's no place like home.

With more than 70 actors and almost 25 crew members, "The Wizard of Oz." is sure to be entertaining and fun for everyone.

The show is being directed and produced by drama club faculty advisers Stacy Palilla and Jordan Giordano, along with assistants Lindsay Smith, Lucy Craig and Ashley Cover.

General admission tickets will only be on sale at the door and will cost $10 for adults and $5 for children/students. Doors open 45 minutes before each show.

"More than 70 actors and almost 25 crew members."
Large Cast Play for Middle School students wizard of Oz
ArtReach's  "The Wizard of Oz." - Altoona Area Junior High School Drama Club

Courtesy photo Surrounded by Munchkins, Dorothy and Toto encounter Glinda the Good Witch who tells them that in order to have their questions answered they must travel to Emerald City to see the Wizard of Oz. Rehearsing for the Altoona Area Junior High School's production of "The Wizard of Oz" are (from left): standing front -- Mallory Ganz (Toto), Charlotte White (Dorothy), Campbell Fleegle (Munchkin Burly), Kayla Wolfe (Munchkin Curly), Munchkin Joe (Tenley Keefer) and Grace Pensyl (Glinda).

DHS OAP presented moving performance of ArtReach's "A Thousand Cranes"
Devine High School, Devine News TX

You could have heard a pin drop as the Devine High School One Act play set the solemn scene of Hiroshima, where the main character Sadako (Ariana Russell) suffered the long lasting effects of the atom bomb which fell ten years prior to this scene. Russell and the entire cast and crew did an excellent job of handling such difficult subject matter.

The audience enjoyed comical and playful banter in some of the opening scenes between Sadako (Russell) and Kenji (Jose Guardiola) as they raced "on the playground."

When the story took a scary turn, doctors at the hospital (Jose and Amada Guardiola) did a good job of portraying the confusion and hysteria as the child Sadako was diagnosed with leukemia.

"You could have heard a pin drop!"
High School Performance of Sadako Play
Devine High School, TX - ArtReach's A Thousand Cranes

Team members who helped put on the production of A Thousand Cranes are (back row, left to right): Patti Taitano, Miguel Palma, Jo Taitano, Gabby Romano, Abbey Paulson, Ariana Russell, Amada Guardiola, Emilie Dudley, and Charlize Benavidez; front row (left to right): Paige Williamson, Shi Mercer, Paige Reyna, Jose Guardiola, and Jillian Courtade.

Jose Guardiola played three roles in the play, a difficult feat, and did a good job of transitioning from character to character.

The carefully orchestrated lighting by crew members Emilie Dudley and Paige Williamson, and sound effects by Charlize Benavidez and Paige Reyna did a great job of setting the solemn tone of the play.

Grandmother played by Abbey Paulson also did an excellent job portraying the grandmother's spirit, the character which delivers the news that the little girl is passing away from the effects of the bomb.

In one of the most tender moments of the production, grandmother (Paulson) explains to the little girl that the atom bomb has made her very sick, even though it took years for her to become ill.

"But it's been ten years since the bomb fell," Sadako says, "How can that be grandmother?"

"The bomb continues to fall, Sadako," grandmother said.

Stage manager Jillian Courtade, makeup artist Miguel Palma, stage assistant Josephine Taitano, costume construction by Madeline Steubing, alternate Gabby Romano, and director Patti Taitano also did an awesome job bringing this play to life.

PCC play 'Cranes' is all about hope
By Nicky Hamila For the Arizona Daily Star

Betsy Kruse Craig has the ultimate teaching tool: Theater.

Craig has been instrumental in bringing theater for children to the Pima Community College stage.

Based on a true story, it's about a young girl named Sadako Sasaki who lived in Hiroshima. She was 2 when the atom bomb was dropped on the city, and 12 when she was diagnosed with leukemia from the radiation.

"Kids have a voice that is powerful."
A Thousand Cranes
Pima Community College, AZ

It touches on culture, war, self-empowerment, empathy.  And that's just for starters.

Japanese legend holds that if a sick person folds a thousand cranes, the gods will make the person healthy again.

Sadako starts folding cranes in hopes she will recover. It's a task she can't complete — she lives long enough to fold 644 cranes. Her classmates fold the rest and bury them with her.

"She is the icon for hope and peace," Craig said. "I think it's important for kids to understand that they have a voice and that their voice is powerful."

The play also teaches about war and its ravages.

"There have been children throughout history that have had to go through war," Craig said. "I think it's important for kids to know how other children have lived in countries of war. . . . For a piece like this, it teaches you about culture and history and sympathy and empathy."

And that makes "A Thousand Cranes" a play of a different sort.

"It's less of a play," said Craig, "and more of an epic poem."

PREVIEW
"A Thousand Cranes"
• Presented by: Pima Community College Theatre Arts.
• By: Kathryn Schultz Miller.
• Director: Betsy Kruse Craig.
• When: 7 p.m. Fri and Sat; 2 p.m. Sat and Sun through Oct. 5.
• Tickets: $6.
• Information: 206-6986.
• Running time: 60 minutes, with no intermission. 

Florida Rep Takes an Electrifying Look at the Man Behind the Lightbulb
Broadway World: Commissioned ArtReach's 'Thomas Edison: Fire of Genius'

Florida Repertory Theatre announced that its popular Lunchbox Theatre Series continues this month with an electrifying look at one of America's most famous icons, Thomas Edison. Perfect for kids of all ages, Thomas Edison: Fire of Genius plays Jan. 20 & 21 at 11am in the Historic Arcade Theatre. The $12 admission price includes the performance, lunch and a post-show workshop.

"Edison takes the audience on a journey."
Thomas Edison play for young audiences Thomas Edison: Fire of Genius playscript for school touring
ArtReach's Thomas Edison - Florida Rep, Ft. Myers

Commissioned specially for Florida Rep in 2006 by renowned children's theatre author, Kathryn Schultz Miller, Thomas Edison: Fire of Genius examines landmark events in the great inventor's life and shows us how he became a legend. Edison himself takes the audience on an inspirational journey through his childhood full of woes, the invention of the light bulb, and even chronicles his years spent in Southwest Florida on the banks of the Caloosahatchee River. A fast-paced and zany look at Edison and life at the turn of the 20th century, Fire of Genius gives audiences a rare glimpse into the life and times of "The Wizard of Menlo Park." Edison's journey teaches children that "genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration."

In addition to the Saturday morning performance designed to give families a day at the theatre, the Lunchbox Series features a special performance on Friday, January 20th that is custom-designed as a field trip opportunity for schools, day cares and other groups interested in supplementing their arts curriculum. Both performances include a bagged lunch from Florida Rep's restaurant partner, the Morgan House, a post-show discussion with the actors and an interactive workshop with the Edison & Ford Winter Estates' Wild Wizard.

"Lunchbox Series features a special performance."
Thomas Edison Play for Kids History play for kids schools touring
ArtReach's Thomas Edison - Florida Rep, Ft. Myers

The production features Florida Rep's acting intern company, Julianne Avolio, Taylor Murphy Hale, Robert Mitchel Owenby and Hallie Wage. These young theatre artists are making their professional debut with Florida Rep, and will spend the season working in many different capacities, but chiefly performing with the Children's Theatre Series.

Florida Rep's Education Director, Rachael Endrizzi (And Then They Came for Me; 13 the Musical), directed the production, and was joined by an expert team of designers - all of whom are residents in their field at Florida Rep. Chris Simpson, the company's technical director, served as the scenic designer, Florida Rep's Assistant Costume Designer, Judith Skyles, designed the costumes, Kate Smith designed the sound, and Props Artisan, Jenn Williams, designed the many inventive and imaginative props that bring Edison's many inventions to vivid life.

Thomas Edison: Fire of Genius by Kathryn Schultz Miller plays in the Historic Arcade Theatre on Friday and Saturday, January, 20 and 21 at 11am. Tickets are $12 and available online at www.floridarepeducation.org or through the box office at 239-332-4488.

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