Celebrating 25 years of anything is something everyone wants to do with
a bang. But, it's also a time to reflect on the past, and look toward
the future.
Though Theatre Aspen's first 25 years have been nothing short of wonderful, what lies ahead is where the excitement comes lies.
Theatre Aspen - noted for its iconic white tent and theater in the park
- like any nonprofit, has had its ups and downs over the course of its
years.
So, when the board of directors asked Paige Price, who was starring in
last summer's production of "The Last Five Years," to take over the
reins as artistic director, it was with the hopes of a new direction
and heightened enthusiasm.
And, as Paige and staff roll out the fourth program for this summer's
repertory, "Crimes of the Heart," the three they've already released
show that Theatre Aspen has delivered.
Besides an overhaul of how the organization was run (by replacing an
executive director with the traditional nonprofit role of two positions
filled by an artistic director and managing director), the next major
step Price took was to combine nationally recognized talent with the
wide range of skills that already exist here in the valley.
"I wanted actors, like those from the Crystal Palace, to be able to work in the theater with Broadway actors," she says.
The result is productions filled with professional stage presence,
engaging stories and a variety of experience and material to keep the
community, and visitors, entertained throughout the summer.
The four plays are vastly different, but centralized around a theme:
Price calls it "heart." It's the idea of acceptance, and the internal
changes that these characters go through to be one with the community,
and themselves.
In "Rounding Third," two opposite personalities clash when the pair of
men find themselves coaching a Little League team together.
In "Seussical," Dr. Seuss's often-outcast characters from different
walks of life come together to try and find sameness in one another.
In "Crimes of the Heart" three sisters with sordid and troubled pasts
reunite to deal with the newest hardship, in turn finding solace in
each other.
And, in "Little Shop of Horrors" a quirky florist whose blood-drinking
plant brings him fame, a quality he realizes does not necessarily mean
love.
Though the material in "Crimes of the Heart" is dense and sensitive,
and meant for adult audiences, Theatre Aspen did make a family-friendly
playbill with "Seussical." It's a raucous 70-minute romp through
Whoville, featuring many of the famed author's beloved characters. The
colorful costumes, show tunes and engaging cast keep the young ones
entertained, while the acting itself is enough to satisfy adult's
cultural desires. And, that message about finding beauty from within is
a universal one that everyone stands to hear indefinitely.
Horton the Elephant is an empathetic character, Mayzie La Bird is a
scene-stealer, Gertrude McFuzz is everyone's friend and Cat in the Hat
is pure entertainment. Together, with a half-dozen other fictional
folk, they take the audience on a whirlwind tour that reminds people no
one is ever too young to dream.
While the full cast of "Seussical" amply fills the theater tent, the
two outstanding actors in "Rounding Third" do it just as well.
To command a stage with only two people is a feat Kevin Stapleton, a
Broadway actor with appearances in "Law & Order," and Richard
Gallagher, an off-Broadway actor with several credits to his name, do
with such presence and raw emotion that it's easy to forget you're
watching a play and not the literal rollercoaster friendship of two
unlikely friends.
With well-timed comedy, bittersweet tragedy and good old baseball,
"Rounding Third" is less about baseball, and more about the game of
life. From a maniacal dreamer and a baseball-is-life coach, the two
find that although it's the last thing they want, meeting in the middle
is the best, and often-times only, choice. And of course, there's a
little something for sports fans too.
"Little Shop's" bold cast, boisterous singing and technical stage
advancements have lead it to consistent sell-outs, and the dramatic
"Crimes of the Heart" - which also casts Stapleton and Gallagher -
premieres on Thursday, July 24, and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser that
again, addresses a universal theme to which an audience can relate.
In the past, Theatre Aspen has run one play at a time, but with the
opening of "Crimes of the Heart," all four will simultaneously run
through the remainder of the summer. It provides an opportunity to
catch a different show each night of the week, and gives the cast a
break too.
With four solid productions, each draw separate emotions and achieve
individual goals, but as a whole designate a repertoire which
demonstrates Theatre Aspen is on the rise with legitimate theater.
"Our visibility has risen, and I think people that weren't are aware of us now," says Price. "Change is in the air."
christine@aspendailynews.com
