The Halftime Report: "Red Death" Reviews

We are halfway through our run of "Red Death" for the Kansas City Fringe Festival, and people are saying some really great things about it. Last night, our show drew a huge crowd, and I was absolutely stunned, watching the line of people enter the theatre to see our show. It was a long line, and we had to hold the house. It's an amazing thing, knowing that people are eager to share in something you've helped create.

So here are a couple of reviews. And, of course, ticket information for our remaining three shows: https://kc-fringe.ticketleap.com/red-death/dates


Robert Trussell, Kansas City Star:

Those who have attended performances at KC Fringe though the years expect to see something unusual, but few of us have seen anything quite like “Red Death.”

This one-act chamber opera from composer Daniel Doss and writer Bryan Colley offers a concise 40 minutes of vivid gothic horror filled with impressionistic images. The show, directed by Tara Varney and choreographed by Amy Hurrelbrink, is almost as much dance theater as it is opera.

This adaptation of “The Masque of the Red Death” by Edgar Allan Poe tells the tale of Prince Prospero, who retreats to his castle for a night of revelry with his entourage and servants while a plague ravages the countryside.

According to the program, Colley’s libretto borrows not only from Poe, but from the Roman poet/philosopher Lucretius Carus, Renaissance essayist Michel de Montaigne and Ecclesiastes in the Bible, but I confess that I’m too meager a scholar to comment on Colley’s choices. I can say that his libretto is loaded with compelling images.

Doss’ lush score, performed by pianist Michalis Koutsoupides, is darkly romantic, often returning to a haunting waltz-time motif. The music is so compelling that you can easily imagine what it would sound like performed by a full orchestra.

Tenor Nathan Granner plays Prospero with Shakespearean flair and his voice, as usual, is mesmerizing. Soprano Devon Barnes is impressive as Prospero’s unnamed servant, whose perception of the futility of existence draws her magnetically toward death.

Many Fringe shows are bare-bones affairs but this one shimmers, thanks to a delicate, evocative lighting design by Shane Rowse and elegant costumes designed and created by Varney and her collaborators. A cadre of dancers create dreamlike stage pictures.

In essence, this piece is a 19th-century meditation on death, but the combination of music, dance, creative lighting and inventive costumes will linger in the viewer’s memory.

 

Detailer, KCStage.com:

A very strong performance of an effectively creative adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Masque of the Red Death.

I am not an opera fan, but this presentation could convert me. First, it’s in English, it began with the spoken word, and the company gave out printed lyrics for those of us not used to listening to opera.

But the printed words weren’t needed to understand Nathan Granner. His voice was strong and clear, and his character was compelling. Gorgeous singing. That alone was worth the time.

Devon Barnes had a lovely voice when singing low and soft, but some of her higher sections had a piercing quality to me. Her physical reactions, particularly to the Uninvited Guest, were emotionally effective. Her acting came across as truthful, the emotions coming from within.

Bryan Colley’s libretto and Daniel Doss’s music were quite impressive. They captured the story succinctly, getting us in the spirit, enjoying the characters, and building to the climax. The entertainment at the ball provided emotional variety, and gave the individual dancers a moment in the spotlight, which they deserved. Michalis Koutsoupides accompanied with just the right volume, not drowning out the voices as too often happens in musical productions.

Tara Varney’s direction and Amy Hurrelbrink’s choreography created a powerful experience. The movement was natural, provided a variety of stage pictures that evoked emotion and added visual interest, and covered the audience well. The dancing enhanced the mood and the story, and it gave a fascinating visual behind Nathan’s powerful singing. Dancers Chelsea Anglemyer, Josh Atkins, Amy Hurrelbrink, Tyler Parsons, and Tiffany Powell blended beautifully as an ensemble, and also embodied unique personalities. They listened actively and carried out business that made the scenes realistic without pulling focus. The choreography allowed each of them moments to be featured. At one point their frantic, almost jerky, movements gave the impression of many more dancers than there were. This was an effective contrast to the fluidly slow movements, particularly when Coleman Crenshaw as the Uninvited Guest drew attention merely by his intense stage presence.

Bryan Colley designed a sparse setting that allowed Shane Rowse’s lighting to set the mood. One window lighted in red in one corner, a white-lighted clock in the diagonal corner, a bench with just enough props to give the dancers realistic business on one side and allow them ways to create pictures on different levels—that was perfect to set the tone and give space for the story to unfold. The patterned lighting changes were very effective, and the white light always pinpointed the main action. Tara Varney punched the ending with an evocative image.





ChaimEliyahu, KCStage.com:

The Fringe, bless its heart, brings us lots of work-in-progress: artists taking advantage of the chance to stage new work, to see how new scripts play before live audiences: simply staged, cut to suit the Festival's crowded schedule — gems in the rough. But here's one that I'd call a gem, cut and polished, all its facets working together: "Red Death" is an operatic diamond. I blame opera’s social trappings for burying its roots as popular entertainment. Bugs Bunny parodies, if not direct personal experience, leave us with nightmare fantasies of being trapped in swollen Wagnerian productions that just won't end. Never fear! "Red Death" packs its powerful punch in record time: I clocked Friday's opening performance at just 32 minutes. This will leave you time to admire Bryan Colley's libretto, available on the "Red Death Lyrics" sheet on a table by the Off Center Theatre door. Its story is adapted mainly from Edgar Allan Poe's familiar "Masque of the Red Death, with credited infusions from more esoteric sources (Lucretius, Montaigne and Ecclesiastes). This gem is set by composer Daniel Doss and brought to brilliant musical life by two outstanding singers — tenor Nathan Granner and soprano Devon Barnes — with pianist Michalis Koutsoupides filling in for the orchestra. But opera is the original multi-medium, and director Tara Varney, ably supported by choreographer Amy Hurrelbrink, has marshaled an artistic team that has these three musicians surrounded and outnumbered. Varney's family, with Hurrelbrink's help, has costumed a cast that includes five fine dancers. Chelsea Anglemyer, Josh Atkins, Tyler Parsons and Tiffany Powell join the choreographer herself in animating that silent threat that's inspired Granner's Prince Prospero to attempt their protection as guests in his party. Dance sequences flow smoothly into and out of the singing as the dancers support and advance the action. Actor Coleman Crenshaw needs no words — only his sinister, masked presence — to spoil the fun as the Uninvited Guest. But no spoiler alert is needed: even if you've somehow missed reading Poe, the title itself reminds us of the inevitable. Colley has brought his economical art not only to the libretto, but also to the stage setting, subtly enlivened by Shane Rowse's dramatic lighting. The lyrics sheet spells out his scheme rather more distinctly than it has felt in performance. Varney's direction brings all these elements and actors together in a performance that embodies the essential power of opera. Which you experience this week, quite cheaply and without any dress code. You will not leave the theater humming any of Doss's tunes. But you will be impressed by what a company of hard-working artists can do with a little space and a little of your time as their audience.

Fringeful: Why I'm Participating in Four Productions at Fringe this Summer

Really, it's not like I said yes to every project all at the same time. But, somehow, here I am, participating in four shows at Fringe this year.

I knew we were doing "Red Death," of course. It's been in the works for a very long time. (In fact, Bryan talked to Daniel about it about ten years ago, but the project got pushed to the back burner, like they often do.) Then, in February, after a staged reading of a short play I wrote, Kevin King, having recently seen me in "Carrie the Musical," asked if I'd be part of the revolving cast of his show, "Bad Auditions." He said he'd work around the show schedule of "Red Death," so no worries.

Last fall, I started as a co-director of an incredible ensemble called Project Pride, an LGBTQIA and straight, allied teen theatre group, started by Coterie Education Director Amanda Kibler. Our devised-by-the-teens show, "Queerios," was in March, and Amanda decided to re-mount it for Fringe.

So that's three shows.

Then, I heard MoJo Invocations was looking for submissions for their production, called "Free to Be KC," based on the soundtrack of my childhood, "Free to Be, You and Me." I submitted a story-poem about tolerance and acceptance, "The Cute Little Woman, Young Jacob, and Me." They're including it in their show.

Four shows, one Fringe, one exhausted, but happy, Tara.



"Red Death": https://www.facebook.com/events/818883604788578/  Ticket info: http://kc-fringe.ticketleap.com/red-death/





Project Pride presents: Queerios! "Things are getting better for queer kids, and it’s because of gutsy people like the teenagers who wrote this. A ticket to Queerios is a 2-for-1 deal: a scandalously charming hour of theater and an exhibition of contemporary queer youth courage." (Camp Magazine)http://kc-fringe.ticketleap.com/project-pride-presents-queerios/

 

Here's an article about "Bad Auditions." I'm thinking of adding some more hyphens to my personal "title." (I will be in the Friday, Saturday, and Tuesday performances.)  http://www.examiner.com/article/bad-auditions-mixes-comedy-with-audience-participation-for-fringe-festival






"Free to Be KC": http://kc-fringe.ticketleap.com/free-to-be-kc/

The KC Star's article on Project Pride presents: "Queerios!"

I am so proud of these young people, and I am so grateful to be part of this project. They are inspiring, generous, and compassionate. The future is in good hands.


The full article: http://www.kansascity.com/entertainment/article726366.html

The Coterie’s new Project Pride will perform at KC Fringe. Appearing: members (from left) Josh Metje, 15, Blue Springs; Claire Davis, 18, Lee’s Summit; Christian Williams, 17, Kansas City, North; Leanna Varney, 15, KC; and Leah Brownlee, 18, KC.JILL TOYOSHIBA/The Kansas City Star

    

   

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/entertainment/article726366.html#storylink=cpy

        

Before rehearsal at the Coterie (with the backdrop of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), Amanda Kibler (right) educational director and co-director of Project Pride, talks with the cast. | JILL TOYOSHIBA/The Kansas City Star

    

Before rehearsal at the Coterie, the cast and co-director Tara Varney (left) burst out laughing during an improvisational game called "What are you doing?" The game is meant to free up their creative impulses and help them not think too much but react quickly. | JILL TOYOSHIBA/The Kansas City Star

    

 

    

    

 

 

 

 

 

ONSTAGE

Project Pride will perform during the KC Fringe festival — 5 p.m. Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday and 7:30 p.m July 25 — at the Off Center Theatre in Crown Center. Tickets are $10. Call KC Fringe at 816-359-9195 or visit KCFringe.org.

The festival runs Thursday through July 27 at various venues. Read more about it in Thursday’s Preview section.
 

JOIN THEM ONSTAGE

Project Pride meets in November, December and January to create its shows. Auditions are in October. The troupe is open to all LGBTQIA (the I stands for intersex; the A for “allied” or asexual) and straight teens who are supportive of the community, in grades eight-12. No previous theater experience is needed. Interested? Email Amanda Kibler at akibler@coterietheatre.org.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/entertainment/article726366.html#storylink=cpy

"Red Death" on KCUR

We had the great fortune to be contacted by the beautiful and talented Julie Denesha from KCUR, wanting to do a story on our play. She's an absolute doll.


http://kcur.org/post/new-opera-red-death-premiere-kc-fringe-festival









All photos by Julie Denesha.

Rehearsing "Red Death"

This has been an unusual rehearsal process. For various reasons, like schedules and location availability, we were forced to rehearse the dancers separately from the singers for a long time. Also, early on, the dancers were only available to rehearse when I had to work. Amy Hurrelbrink, who has been in several of our past shows (Lingerie Shop, KHAAAAN! The Musical, Sexing Hitler, Chicken Heart) is the choreographer for this show, and I trust her, and the dancers, completely. But I felt disconnected. And she felt disconnected, because although she had rehearsal recordings of the music, for a long time, they did not include the vocals, so it was hard for her to know what was instrumental, and when people were going to be singing. Of course, that's a detail that's rather important, but there was no way to reconcile that until after the singers knew the music.



Also, Amy killed Tiffany and Josh.



Fortunately, everyone healed nicely.

At the same time, it dawned on me that the script was not the script. This is opera; the script is the music. Daniel Doss was furiously composing, but of course that takes time, and at some point, it occurred to me that I couldn't really start my job of directing until after he was done.

Daniel showing Devon something very technical that I most likely do not understand. Opera singers peak mostly Italian, even when they're speaking English.

 

So I had to put my time into other things, like designing and building costumes.



And borrowing juggling balls from my brother.

We've finally been able to transition into having the entire cast in the same place at the same time. And we discovered that we had to alter some of the pieces in order to fit the puzzle together. There's no picture on the box to guide us in this process.



Look! A singer is singing and dancers are dancing, IN THE SAME ROOM.

 

The last couple of rehearsals have been an exciting, and sometimes frustrating, time of discovery. Collaboration really gets my creative heart pumping, and everyone is throwing out ideas to try. Some work, some don't, but the point is, everyone gets invested in the story we're telling. It's exhilarating.

And sometimes, silly.

"Red Death" will be presented at Off-Center Theatre, in Crown Center, as part of the Kansas City Fringe Festival.

The cast:
Nathan Granner
Devon Barnes
Chelsea Anglemyer
Josh Atkins
Amy Hurrelbrink
Tyler Parsons
Tiffany Powell
Coleman Crenshaw

Show dates and times:
Friday, July 18 at 8:00 pm
Saturday, July 19 at 3:30 pm
Monday, July 21 at 7:30 pm
Wednesday, July 23 at 7:30 pm
Thursday, July 24 at 6:00 pm
Saturday, July 26 at 9:00 pm

Tickets are $10, with a one-time purchase of a Fringe button for $5. (Keep the button! It gets you into all Fringe events.) Tickets (and buttons) are available at the box office, or you can order tickets online: http://kc-fringe.ticketleap.com/red-death/

 

My Lesson in Fundraising

This post is embarrassingly late, but if you were inside my life, you'd know that this really is the first chance I've had to sit down and compose my thoughts for mass consumption.

Two weeks ago, we held a fundraiser - our first ever - for our new show, Red Death. It's an opera, based on Edgar Allen Poe's short story, "Masque of the Red Death." Bryan wrote the libretto, and Daniel Doss, is composing the music. I'm directing and producing.

This isn't my first time at the Fringe Festival rodeo, so I'm not ignorant about budgets and such, but the further we got into this project, the more never-before-seen expenditures came up. It was already going to be our most ambitious (read: expensive) show to date, even without things like piano rental and tuning. Of course, Bryan and I (and everyone else) isn't in this for the massive piles of cash (that don't exist), but we don't want to go into debt either. And most importantly, we want to pay the people who are bringing this show alive. A fundraiser seemed to be the only option.

If you've never held a fundraiser, let me tell you a few things I learned about the process:

1. It's hard. There is a tremendous amount of planning, shopping, requesting/begging, wheeling/dealing, promoting, organizing, loading in, setting up, running the thing, striking, and math involved. It is physically and mentally exhausting and anxiety-producing. Thank Everything for friends like Jill (http://www.classymcgraceful.com/), who's done it many times before, knows what all needs to be done, then works her butt completely off (don't trip over it, there, on the ground) to help us make it happen. And held my hand at the craft store and Costco as I went wild-eyed and boggle-minded and stopped being able to form clear sentences.

2.  It's expensive. It's a great example of having to spend money to make money. If you don't have food and activities and entertainment, people won't want to come. All that stuff costs money, so the first goal of the fundraiser is to pay for the fundraiser itself. Which is a little Inception-y.

3. My family rocks really hard. Every single one of them pitched in to help. My niece performed (her debut!), my brother worked the raffle table, my dad worked the silent auction table, my mom worked box office, my nephew worked the photo booth with Bryan, and my sis-in-law worked the craft table. They are amazing.

The most important thing I learned about this experience came at the end of the evening, when Jill started wrapping the evening up and thanking people for coming. I was suddenly struck by what really happened: All the people in this room, and several who weren't but contributed online or by handing me a check, believed in us, and believed in our project. They believed enough to spend time and money, and did so willingly. Happily. I'd been feeling guilty and weak about asking for money (and donations for the auction/raffle), but all these people jumped up to help. Because they wanted to. Even people who contributed to the project, in one way or another, and I had their names on a "Do Not Accept Money from These People" list at the box office, insisted on paying. Even people who worked that night contributed money. Even people that I've never even met attended, paid for tickets, paid for auction items, put money in donation baskets, and bought raffle tickets.

And, very suddenly, I realized that I wasn't begging. I was giving people an opportunity to help us.

I have this idea that I should be able to handle "It" - every "It" -  all on my own, and that asking for help is a sign of weakness. But it's not. These people wanted to help. They wanted to be there. They wanted to support us. We gave them an opportunity to show us that, and when they did, I was moved to tears by it. (To anyone who knows me, this shouldn't be a big surprise, but I swear, it's genuine.) It's a pretty incredible feeling to know people believe in me, and my work.

Thank you, everyone. Thank you so much for the auction and raffle donations, for the monetary contributions, for the gift of your time and work. Mostly, though, thank you so much for this lesson in support and gratitude. I am deeply moved.

If you're interested in more information about the show, including dates and times, pop over to Bryan's website: http://www.jupiterkansas.com/red/. Also, there's an online donation button there. Just in case you were wondering.

"Red Death": A New Opera by Bryan Colley and Daniel Doss

Many of you are aware that, since 2008, Bryan and I have produced an original play every year at the Kansas City Fringe Festival. Since Fringe is a beautiful testing ground for new and different material, we've tried to challenge ourselves every year to do something we've never done before. We've done comedy, drama, satire, campy musical, staged an old radio play, and some productions that sort of defy categorization.

This year, it's opera.

WAIT! Don't be scared. It's very audience-friendly opera. Intimate opera. It called Red Death, and it's based on Edgar Allen Poe's short story "Masque of the Red Death." Bryan wrote the libretto, and local composer Daniel Doss wrote the music. And it takes my breath away. It is sweeping and intricate and haunting and creepy. Operatic tenor Nathan Granner stars as the "dauntless and sagacious" Prince Prospero, who believes he can escape the disease ravaging the country by locking himself and a bunch of friends in his castle to party on, with Devon Barnes as his servant, who tries desperately to talk some sense into him. Amy Hurrelbrink is choreographing and will join dancers Chelsea Anglemyer, Josh Atkins, Tyler Parsons, and Tiffany Powell onstage.

It is, by far, our most ambitious production to date. Costumes are being designed and built. The set is bigger and more intricate than anything we've attempted before.

These things cost money. So does hiring an accompanist to play Daniel's intricate music. So does renting a piano. So does publicity and marketing (flyers, print ads, etc). So does paying actors, which is very important to me.

So, we've had to face the difficult decision to ask for help in producing this show. Financial help. We've never done this before. It's hard to ask people for money. But if this show is going to be everything that we dream it can be, we have to. Otherwise, production standards will necessarily be lowered. I hate that prospect more than I can say.

On Saturday, we are holding a fundraiser, Masks for the Red Death: A Poe-pourri of Talent and
Activities. It will be held from 7-9pm in the Fellowship Hall (north entrance) at St. Peter's UCC, 700 E. 110th (corner of 110th and Holmes). St. Peter's is a huge supporter of local arts, and they have been extremely kind to us.

We will have entertainment, food, a silent auction, a mask-making "craft buffet," and a photo booth. Individual tickets to the fundraiser are $15, or 2 for $25. Kids,12 and under, will be admitted free. More info at the Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/709107682466497/

 

If you want to help our project, but are unable to make it to the fundraiser, Bryan has an online donation button on his website: http://jupiterkansas.com/

 

Please consider donating. You'll get your name in the program, and our deep gratitude. Maybe I'll sing you a song too. I take requests.