ARCHIVED MATERIAL 2003-2004
4/15/05
Los Angeles Times - CRITICS' CHOICE!
Hello! We are thrilled to be posting in full the review for "MRS. CAGE" from the Los Angeles Times, which ran April 15, 2005. The schedule of remaining performances and ticket information are below the review. Please come! Judith
Theater Review
SUBURBAN RAGE IN "MRS. CAGE"
By David C. Nichols, Special to The Times
This much we know: On Aug. 4, Mrs. Martin Cage, wife and mother of lawyers, witnessed the fatal shooting of grocery box-boy Billy as he grappled with a purse snatcher. The purse's owner, Phyllis Dean, continued to bewail her stolen bag. Mrs. Cage then retrieved the thief's dropped gun and shot Phyllis between the eyes.
What we will never know rolls like moving doggies through "Mrs. Cage" at Two Lights Studio Theater. Nancy Barr's 1990 look at suburban ennui gone lethal receives a gripping revival with Judith Weston, who originated the title role in its premiere and revisits it as though for the first time.
"Mrs. Cage," filmed for "American Playhouse" in 1992 with Anne Bancroft and Hector Elizondo, studies this disparate hausfrau as closely as interrogator Lt. Angel (the superbly invested John Burton Jr.). On Nancy Deren's scrim-boxed set, "Mrs. Cage" suggests a Saul Bellow nightmare visited upon early Edward Albee. Lt. Angel subtly prods Mrs. Cage to unfold the frustrations of a lifetime, as she tries to iron over how, when, where and why it all went awry.
Barr's script, vaguely tame by today's lights, still arrests us as it veers from macabre humor to chilling rage and sudden pathos. As co-directed by Weston and Karen Aschenbach, the spirit of Shirley Jackson hovers overhead. The staging makes virtues of limited means, notably Robert Primes' footlights and Kim Garcia's sound cues.
Burton is an able foil for Weston, who inhabits Mrs. Cage's skin with an alchemy that approaches Kim Stanley. Meredith Flynn doubles in the role, which gives "Mrs. Cage" fans an alternate take. Still, to miss Weston's indelible turn would be a crime.
MRS. CAGE by Nancy Barr
Friday and Saturday evenings 8:00 PM, thru May 7, 2005
For reservations, 310 392-2444 or TwoLightsRes@aol.com.
Suggested donation: $10
Running time: one hour and ten minutes
Two Lights Studio Theater 3402 Motor Ave, Los Angeles (entrance in back)
For directions go to Directions to the Los Angeles Studio.
Judith Weston and Meredith Flynn alternate in the role of Mrs. Cage. The role of Lt. Angel is played in all performances by John Burton, Jr. The director is Karen Aschenbach; set design by Nancy Deren; lighting consultant Robert Primes; sound design by Kim Garcia.
Please come! For reservations, email TwoLightsRes@aol.com.
6/15/04
Announcing Round 8!
I LOVE YOU…AND OTHER HALF-TRUTHS
Friday and Saturday Evenings, 8 PM
July 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 30, 31
"AFTER LOVE" by David Willis
DIRECTOR: David Willis
ACTORS: Poppy Davis, Joel King
"THE AUTHOR'S VOICE" by Richard Greenberg
DIRECTOR: Mike Dow
ACTORS: Henry Maguire, Jamee Damron, Sean Foley
"BROTHER" by Mary Gallagher
DIRECTOR: Matia Karrell
ACTORS: Gina Hieber, Binky van Bilderbeek
"PERFECT" by Mary Gallagher
DIRECTOR: Karen Aschenbach
ACTORS: Amanda Sickler, Renee DeBevoise, Eric Peter-Kaiser
SET DESIGN: Nancy Deren
SOUND DESIGN: Kim Garcia
COSTUME DESIGN: Nancy King
PROGRAM DESIGN: Kaz Brecher
LIGHTING: Wayne Pere
STAGE MANAGEMENT: Jeremiah Ocanas, Marianne Porter, Michelle Santilli
A fantastic group! I'm very excited.
"I Love You…and other Half-Truths" will be performed on Friday and Saturday evenings, at 8:00 PM, on July 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 30, and 31, at Two Lights Studio Theater (detailed directions on Directions to Los Angeles Studio page). To make a reservation, email TwoLightsRes@aol.com or call 310 392-2444.
After this wonderful program, the next production will open in late October - "Mrs. Cage" by Nancy Barr. For the production of "Mrs. Cage" there will be two casts, appearing on alternate weekends: cast A will be Judith Weston and John Burton, Jr.; cast B will be Meredith Flynn and an actor yet to be selected; the director will be Karen Aschenbach.
Please check out the signposts of our rapid growth in the FURTHER POSTINGS - and look at the photos of our productions (see below for Gallery links). And - if you are interested in joining us - be sure to read the GUIDELINES below.
Judith
info@judithweston.com.
5/5/04
Dear People,
As many of you know, from March 2002 through November 2003, we mounted seven Classroom Productions at the Two Lights Studio Theater - with exhilarating success. We've been taking a break for a few months, but lately there has been interest in getting started again... So we're getting ready to go back into the fray!
Round 8 of the "Classroom Theater Project" at Two Lights Studio is envisioned as a program of 3 or 4 one-act plays. (Although if anyone were to come forward with a feasible plan to put up a full-length play, I'd also consider that.) My plan is to select the plays and the directors, and to cast the actors, by the end of May. The month of June will be rehearsals, with an opening night of July 2nd, running Friday and Saturday nights for four weekends.
So right now I'm soliciting the following:
1) ideas for plays
2) applications for the co-director slots
3) volunteers to work on sets and stage management, light booth, sound, etc.
Please check out the signposts of our rapid growth in the FURTHER POSTINGS - and look at the photos of our productions (see below for GALLERY links). And - if you are interested in joining us - please read the GUIDELINES below.
Judith
info@judithweston.com.
12/15/03
Since "Flower Murderer" closed (after a triumphant seven-week run of mostly full houses, and a rave review in the LA Weekly), I've taken a short breather from the break-neck pace of our production schedule. But we should be ready to start up again before long!
Please check out the signposts of our rapid growth in the FURTHER POSTINGS - and look at the photos of our productions (see below for GALLERY links). And - if you are interested in joining us - please read the GUIDELINES below.
Judith
info@judithweston.com.
9/1/03
We just closed "Dreams and Nightmares" (see below) - it was a lovely success - very wonderful work. And we're getting ready to open our most experimental work to date - a one-person show, "Flower Murderer."
Sabrina Stevenson is the writer-performer. She is also the lead singer of local LA underground punk rock group "Third Grade Teacher" (Pinch Hit Records). Sabrina's been attending my classes - scene study and the Actor-Director Lab - for a year and a half. During that time, besides her work on scenes and monologues, she became captivated by an exercise in which I ask students to create a story - improvised or written - around a newspaper photo with the caption clipped off. The first time she brought in a "photo exercise," the class was spellbound. Week after week, she'd bring in a new vignette to every class. The other students eagerly awaited each presentation - usually saved for last at the end of the evening.
Very soon I found myself saying to her, "You've got to put on a show." "Flower Murderer" will be the culmination of that imperative! Elizabeth Orne was instrumental and invaluable in the early stages of the development of the production. In recent weeks, I have taken the reins as director. Dorka Hegedus is lighting designer, Kim Garcia is music designer, Michaela Von Schweinitz is light board programmer and operator, Amanda Sickler is sound operator, and John Hoskins is the Person Generally in Charge of Everything.
"Flower Murderer" will be performed on Sunday evenings, at 7:00 PM, on September 28, October 5, October 12, October 19, and October 26, at Two Lights Studio Theater (detailed directions on Directions to Los Angeles Studio page). To make a reservation, email TwoLightsRes@aol.com. or call 310 392-2444.
Judith info@judithweston.com.
7/1/03
We are in rehearsal for a new Round of One-Acts. Titled "Dreams and Nightmares," it opens July 18, and runs Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 PM, until August 9. Reservations can be made at TwoLightsRes@aol.com. (Requested donation: $10.) Location is the Two Lights Studio Theater, 3402 Motor Avenue, Los Angeles (entrance in back).
The program is as follows:
The Battle of Bull Run Always Makes Me Cry, by Carole Real
Co-Director: Brad Tanenbaum
Actors: Ruthie Frank, Kim Garcia, Morgan Vukovic, Ryan Williams
Peace in Our Time, by Larry Cadman
Co-Director: Elizabeth Orne
Actors: John Hoskins, Joel King
I Dream Before I Take the Stand, by Arlene Hutton
Co-Director: Mike Dow
Actors: Sean Foley, Amanda Sickler
Company Man, written and performed by Michael Alan Wright
The magnificent crew for this production includes Meredith Flynn (stage manager), Mary Pringle (assistant stage manager), Michelle von Schweinitz (light and sound operator), Dorka Hegedus (lighting design), Nancy King (costume design), Kim Garcia (sound design), Kaz Brecher (postcard design). As before, the Artistic Director and Co-Director on all productions is me, Judith Weston.
3/16/03
On March 1st we opened Round Five, an evening of three one-act plays called "Isn't It Romantic?" -- which has been a smash hit! There are only four more performances (Friday and Saturday, March 21, 22, 28, and 29) so if you want to come, you'd better hurry and make your reservations at TwoLightsRes@aol.com. It's been standing room only! This time we are proud to present original work - "Benjamin Splits," a one-act play by Seth Jaret, plus two other wonderful plays. The actors are: Christopher Backus, Samantha Bahramian, Jean Bradshaw, Max Bretos, August Caimi, Ruthie Frank, Margo Hara, Todd Malta, Adam Sneller, Binky Van Bilderbeek, Johanna Watts, Ryan Williams. The directors are Kaz Brecher, Jocelyn Jansons, Seth Jaret.
We are officially open to proposals from "members" of our intrepid band for the next round of - One-acts? A full-length play? Musical? Let me know your ideas! Please read the GUIDELINES below.
Judith info@judithweston.com.