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ABET Cast The Definition Of Ensemble
News | posted February 17, 2012
Steve Bailey wrote a lovely review of The Oldest Profession and we include it here, in it’s entirety , with his permission.
ABET Cast The Definition of Ensemble
by STEVE BAILEY, Columnist
By the end of Act I, “The Oldest Profession” seems like just a cute play.
By the end of the play, you find yourself strangely moved by it. And once you’ve left the theater, the more you think about the play, the deeper the darned thing gets.
This current production of Atlantic Beach Experimental Theatre begins with a cutesy premise. It centers on five New York ladies-of-the evening, a week before the election of Ronald Regan as President in 1980. From the start, the play makes it clear that this quintet has seen more than a few N.Y. sunsets in their line of work.
So at first, it seems as though we’re getting an ankle-deep play about some over-the-hill hookers making a lot of one-liners about the Regan Era. And if the play stayed at that level, it would be funny enough but forgettable.
But then there’s the hook. [Spoiler paragraph follows.] One by one, each of the women exits from the Earth and the play. And as each one goes, she performs a sparkling little number that shows how sexy she really was.
And it makes you realize that each woman was just doing her best to get through life, albeit in a profession frowned upon by polite society.
Also nicely done is the women’s pretense of handling their job as though it’s as honest-to-gosh business, with ledgers, lunch breaks, and the like. As such, the play makes a light but pointed comment about how the girls’ business, like so many mock businesses in the 1980′s, is done in by exactly such pretense.
This group is the very definition of “ensemble.” Leslie Lyne, Patty Zipperer, Jane Bull, Judy Hulett, and Pam Larson click together as though they’ve been trading gossip over the neighborhood fence for years. It would be nice to single out a stand-out, but they’re all equally delightful. Leonard Alterman also offers lovely support as a jazz man who ushers the ladies to the “other side.”
The best message from the play is that older women are sexy by definition. I’m tired of how society uses sex to sell everything, and then expects anyone over 30 to forget that they were ever under 30. This play is a rich antidoge to that way of thinking.
That said, the play contains adult language and discussions from the start to finish. But if you can’t figure that out from the play’s title, please don’t go out of your way to be offended by seeing this play.
AUDITION NOTICE: After Ashley
Auditions | posted February 16, 2012
AFTER ASHLEY
by GINA GIONFRIDDO
directed by LESLEY NADWODNIK
AUDITION DATES | Sunday, March 18, 1-3pm
Rehearsals begins Mon, April 23 | Performances Dates: May 11-26
Auditions will consist of reading selected scenes from the script.
NOTE: The roles of Justin and Julie may be cast a little older than in the script due to content.
You can read more about this show HERE
AVAILABLE ROLES
JUSTIN HAMMOND | Late teens to mid twenties (plays 14-17). Justin is very intelligent for his age, and hides behind it after tragedy comes into his life. Despite this, Justin is a realist and expects nothing more from everyone else in his life.
ALDEN HAMMOND | Late thirties to early forties. Justin’s father who loves his family, just never took the time to know his family. He deals with tragedy in a very typical manner, looking at the past through rose colored glasses.
DAVID GAVIN | Fifties. Host of a crime re-enactment show. Also a victim of tragedy, David went the show business ladder climbing route and feels he needs to try to be a second father to Justin.
JULIE BELL | Late teens to mid twenties. Modern society may classify Julie as an emo kid, but she is a very literary with Justin’s intelligence and a dash of female compassion.
RODERICK LORD | Early to mid thirties. Roderick is the perfect conglomerate of a remnant hippie, a slimy salesman and an amateur porn star.
Reminiscence Project Wrap Up
Community | posted February 10, 2012
by AINE HEALY-RICHARDSON, Children’s Creative Drama Teacher
Three months after the performances of THE PAST AS A PRESENT, which was the culmination of the REMINISCENCE PROJECT at ABET this fall, the kids and the seniors who took part are still talking about it! Both groups bonded throughout the twelve weeks and close friendships formed within and between both groups.
The kids who took part rejoiced at seeing one another again in January and urged new students to sign up if they are given the opportunity to take part in the program. Some of the women from the Reminiscence Group – strangers in week one – are now in close contact with one another and continue to meet for lunch and recreation regularly including regular trips to ABET to see both adult and children’s productions. The children are thrilled to see them in the front row and hugs and kisses are readily exchanged when members of the two groups meet.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29 at 12PM there will be a showing of the video of “The Past as a Present’ at the Bennie Furlong Senior Center in Jacksonville Beach. All are welcome to come and see this recording and meet some of the people who took part in the program.
Some quotes from the children and the seniors who participated…
I learned that young or old you always have a story, and that the seniors were once kids just like us. I like that the play was about real stories told right to us. — KATY ORUM, student
I learned about history and American culture before my generation. I realize how much I can learn from my elders and their unique experiences. — BRITTANY FORSHAY, student
The last few months have been a learning experience because I have learned about what life as like back in the 1940′s. I loved being a teacher in the play and learning how things were taught back then. I also enjoyed learning about things that were popular back then. Overall this learning experience has been one I will never forget. — MARY-GRACE VON THRON, student
From this experience, I have learned that getting to know the elderly is educational, and fun! I learned about how the bombing of Pearl Harbor affected lots of families and people. Many people were very nervous and scared for the family members being drafted in the war. I also discovered that lotsof families were extremely limited in clothes, food, and toys because of the cost of these resources. So, to end this summary, I would like to say, this whole experience has changed my perspective on the 1940’s and forever will. — EMILY CZERKAWSKI, student
I learned how much work goes into a production….from start (writing the script) to finish (all the many details ofthe play). Every person is important, as well as every part. Everyone must pull together and work hard to put on a great play. — ANNA TOUTAIN, student
I believe the past is worth remembering and worth sharing. Life in our youth was so different. Memories that have faded to the back our minds have been unlocked by our weekly meetings. These wonderful women who I now consider to by my friends have helped me to recall moments in my past that I thought were long forgotten. — IRENE DUVALL, senior
The sponsors and whoever is helping to do this should be applauded for their role in helping to bring us together to share our memories. I deeply appreciate the opportunity to recall some memories that are very dear to my heart and I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience. — DEE TAMMARO, senior
The Friendships that have been formed in this group will be life long. This is a great way to teach children about theatre and where stories come from. — NANCY GRAEME, senior
The memories this group has stirred up are amazing, the stories I have heard from others are poignant, extremely interesting and enlightening. I will never forget the wonderful people I’ve met in the the past twelve weeks. — DOLORES NARDINO, senior
