"Our Town" at the Cheapeake Shakespeare Company

Fall seems to be the season to revisit classic American Theater – The Chesapeake Shakespeare Company is currently staging Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town” at the outdoor ruins of the Patuxent Female Institute Park behind the courthouse in Ellicott City.  Most theater fans have seen the show more than once, and it really takes that to appreciate the depth of the show’s central themes. Artistic Founding Director Ian Gallanar, who directed this production, said it best for Tony Sclafani’s preview article in the Howard County Times.

Gallanar's memory of "Our Town," he says, was that, "It was a sweet little play about a young couple" and the inherent sweetness of the townsfolk. But this time out, he found it was nothing of the sort.

"I found it to be a very powerful play about how fast time moves through our lives and how our lives go from one place to another without us taking any time to look at what's around us."

Patuxent Female Institute Park
Ellicott City, MD

Staging the show in the park where the ruins of the old girls’ school serve as a stand-in for the town requires audiences to physically go from one place to another and creates a visually exciting presentation.  I found no “old hats” in sight here – just particularly beautiful period costumes designed by Marilyn Johnson and orange glow stick necklaces handed out at the admissions gate that made audience members visible in the dark.

Walking up the hill from the parking lot was a great warm-up to following the story around all evening. The House Mangers gathered everyone at the starting point of the show, Gallanar gave a casual welcome spiel and invited audience members to “eavesdrop,” and the show began.

During the two intermissions on opening night, hot chocolate, hot cider and snacks were served by vendors in woodsy animal costumes (we were, after all, in the woods).

For more about how Gallanar adapted “Our Town” to the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company’s fall “moveable” production and the excellent quality of the direction and acting, see my review article in the Howard County Times.

The Chesapeake Shakespeare Company’s “moveable” productions accommodate smaller audiences than traditional stage settings and sell out quickly. For more information, go to www.chesapeakeshakespeare.com.

"I Never Sang for My Father" at Laurel Mill Playhouse

Ed Higgins, Hillary Mazer

After finishing the summer one-act festival (see feature article) with an interesting crop of unknown works, the Laurel Mill Playhouse is revisiting classic American Theater for one more weekend with “I Never Sang for My Father” by Robert Anderson. Baby boomers may remember Gene Hackman’s Oscar-nominated movie performance as Gene Garrison, the son caught in a life-long web of father-son conflict who can’t turn his back on filial duty.

         The show is very well played by Donald Neal, Ed Higgins, Maureen Rogers, Hillary Mazer, Rob Allen, Shenna Ross, and Henry Green. 

          The following is a quote from my review that came out in the Laurel Leader, which doesn’t appear to be available online, but is likely hanging on the bulletin board at the theater.

Ed Higgins, Henry Green, Shenna Ross, Maureen Rogers, Donald Neal

          “Edgy and earnest, “I Never Sang for My Father” doesn’t really have a resolution, just an end to Gene’s mental snapshots but not to his yearning for paternal love. It does raise provocative questions about filial duty, while providing a showcase for some fine acting, and the folks at Laurel Mill Playhouse are up to it.”

          The final performances are Friday, and Saturday, at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. (Oct. 14-16). For more information, go to www.laurelmillplayhouse.org.