Where did we put the money from “The House Of Bernarda Alba”?

Here’s the thing: we are asking you to support The Temperamentals, but if our last Kickstarter Campaign is any evidence, then the money will be carried forward to other events in the Seattle community. For example, not only did our last Kickstarter campaign cover The House Of Bernarda Alba, but it also funded the free Arts Crush even Lawfully Wedded and our next production (with Driftwood Players) called The Hen Night Epiphany.

Your donation to support The Temperamentals will probably fund many other theatre events that enrich the community. And you can get tickets out of the deal. And a tax write off. How cool is that?

Rudi Gernreich

Rudi Gernreich
Photo of Rudi Gernreich by Julian Wasser

Rudi Gernreich (1922-1985) was born in Vienna, Austria and moved with his mother to the United States following the 1938 Anschluss as Jewish refugees, settling in Los Angeles, California. Gernreich was a dancer with the Leslie Horton Modern Dance Troupe from 1942 to 1948 and, when he moved to the fashion world, took that influence with him translating the flexibility and comfort of dance clothes to high fashion. In 1950, having been convicted in an entrapment case himself, he became one of the five founding members of the Mattachine Society with his lover, Harry Hay. He supported the organization financially albeit anonymously, known only as “R.” He is noted for creating the monokini – the first topless bikini – and the thong, and designed the Moonbase Alpha uniforms in the British sci-fi series Space: 1999. He has been hailed as “one of the most original, prophetic, and controversial American designers of the 1950s through the 1970s” and was named one of Time Magazines All-TIME 100 Fashion Icons.

Read more about Rudi Gernreich on Wikipedia and The New York Times online.

The Temperamentals

Rudi Gernreich will be portrayed by Scott Abernethy in Arouet’s production of The Temperamentals in May 2013. Contribute to our Kickstarter campaign today to bring the story of The Temperamentals to the Seattle stage.

Cast and Crew of “The Hen Night Epiphany”

Colleen Carey (Una)

Colleen CareyColleen has been working as a professional actress in the Seattle area for thirty-three years. Favorite recent theatre roles include: Carlotta in The Cherry Orchard, Wife in Edmond, The Fraus in All Through the Night (Gregory Award Nominee) and Angustias in The House of Bernarda Alba. Look for Colleen as Dorothy O’Donnell in the feature film Different Drummers (Winner: Best Screenplay, WorldFest Houston International Film Festival). Release date: April 2013. Thanks to my Dad, Mom, David and Aidan. Also, special thanks to Charles Waxberg for re-forging and transforming my vision. “We don’t live a play. We live a scene at a time.” – Stella Adler


Laura Crouch (Anta)

Laura CrouchSince moving from the midwest where, aside from acting, she worked with the Kansas City Philharmonic and NCAA, Laura has been fortunate to perform on many stages throughout Seattle. These include Seattle Shakespeare Co., ACT, The Bathhouse, The Market Theatre, Driftwood, and Phoenix. She is delighted to be able to add Stone Soup to the list. Some favorite shows include a rock and roll version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Diary of Anne Frank and Auntie Mame. Laura also works extensively in radio and provides voiceovers. She performed a one-woman USO show at The Museum of Flight and joyously “became” Mae West for the opening of the Radio Museum in Bellingham and for Lufthansa Airlines. What a thrill to be able to work with such a wonderfully talented director and group of women. She’s not in Kansas anymore!


Ellen Dessler (Triona)

Ellen DesslerEllen is thrilled to be working with her good friend Roy in her inaugural production with both Arouet and Driftwood. She was last seen in Seattle Musical Theatre’s Legally Blonde as Paulette and Theatre 9/12’s Suddenly Last Summer as Sister Felicity. She has done many shows with ReAct (Izzy in Rabbit Hole, Interplanet Janet and others in School House Rock, Darla in A Letter to Three Wives, etc.), Second Story Rep (La La in Last Night of Ballyhoo, Chester in Bunnicula, Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors, etc), Village Theatre (Evita, South Pacific, Pirates of Penzance, etc.), and many others! She is also proud of her work with Effective Arts, Child Abuse Training with CJTC, and Living Voices. And you can find a few credits on IMDB.


Frances Hearn (Olive)

Frances HearnFrances is delighted to work with Roy again and this wonderful cast. Frances has an MFA from California Institute of the Arts in Drama and a Master’s in Education Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from Seattle University. She has acted in several shows throughout Seattle and Los Angeles. She was last seen in The House of Bernarda Alba, directed by Charles Waxberg and produced by Roy Arauz, playing the role of Maria Josefa. She currently teaches at Seattle Central Community College.


Kelly Johnson (Kelly)

This is Kelly’s 2nd show with Roy Arauz, where she was seen as Hera in Thunderbolts and Dunderheads. She’s a local kid who can be found doing theatre in and around the Seattle area. Kelly would like to thank all her friends and family for their love and support. A big thank you goes to Vandyman who is always ready with a kind word, a shoulder to lean on, a warm hug or a gentle kick in the pants when needed. I love you big!


Roy Arauz (Director)

Roy ArauzRoy gets to play with some of his favorite actresses in The Hen Night Epiphany, and he couldn’t be happier. It’s also very exciting to collaborate for the first time with The Driftwood Player’s Theatre of Intriguing Possiblities program. With a background dance, choreography, and stage management, he now directs around the Puget Sound and is Artistic Director at Arouet. Locally he has worked in various capacities at ArtsWest, The Driftwood Players, Redwood Theatre, SecondStory Repertory Snoqualmie Falls Forest Theatre, Studio East, and Valley Community Players. Recent directing credits: Lawfully Wedded (Arouet), The Music Man (The Driftwood Players), and Anna in The Tropics (Latino Theatre Projects.)


John Epperson (Sound Design)

John Epperson, SeattleJohn is a recording artist. His work appears on many albums, compilations and DVDs as well as television, film and video games. When not making weird noises with synthesizers, Epperson designs sound for theatre. He has previously worked with Arouet, ArtsWest, Driftwood Players, Latino Theatre Projects, Redwood Theatre and Theatre 9/12. John has a website.


Keith A. Gehrig (Co-Producer)

Keith A. GehrigKeith is a 20 year veteran of theater in the Puget Sound area. He has designed lighting for Evergreen Theatre, Civic Light Opera (now Seattle Musical Theatre), Driftwood Players, Tacoma Little Theater, Northwest Savoyards, Seattle Comic Opera, and Gaydar Productions. Also a scenic designer, master electrician, actor and playwright, his day job is running the front office for The Driftwood Players in Edmonds. When not in a theater, he spends his time with his two “guys”, Chazz and Dave.


Roger Huston (Technical Director)


Roger HustonRoger Huston is relatively new to the Seattle area and the theater. He moved here from the DC area, where he was merely a patron, in 2010. He’d been a stage techie in school – many, many years ago. He began volunteering with Driftwood shortly after settling into his Edmonds home. He’s been involved in set design and construction, lighting design, running crew (runs a mean follow spot), and production management. He’s served as the Technical Director for TIPs, and its predecessor Alternative Stage Productions, since the 2011-2012 season. Roger can also be found at Theater Schmeater in Seattle, where he is Managing Director.


Renee Cyr Johnson (Stage Manager)

Renee Cyr JohnsonRenee is thrilled to be stage managing again with Driftwood Players and to be working with Arouet for the first time. She recently staged managed Music Man, Murder on the Nile, and Harvey here at Driftwood. She has also worked at Stone Soup, Greenstage, and Centerstage. She would like to thank all of you for supporting local theatre.


Chrystian Shepperd (Lighting Designer)

Chrystian ShepperdA graduate of UW’s drama department, Chrystian loves playing with lights and has done so at various theatres in Seattle including Annex, Theater Schmeater & Live Girls!, where he also directed. Most recently he was the lighting designer for Driftwood’s TIPS production, The 39 Steps. This is his first experience designing a show for 2 totally different spaces and he’s excited about the challenge of it. Jen- you are my everything, thank you for the constant encouragement and support, you’re a MoonMan! Immer.


Carissa Meisner Smit (Executive Producer)


Carissa Meisner SmitAfter initially training and working in Southern California, Carissa moved with her family to the Seattle area in 2002. Since then she has worked with many different theaters wearing many different hats, including Madrona Children’s Theater and Snoqualmie Falls Forest Theater (choreographer); Arouet, Second Story Repertory, The Phoenix Theatre, Adagio Players, and Seattle Musical Theater (performer), as well as The Driftwood Players where she has performed, choreographed, directed, and produced. She assumed leadership of the struggling Alternative Stages program in 2009 and is pleased to have guided it through a major renovation as The Theatre of Intriguing Possibilities (TIPs). She is pleased to collaborate with Arouet on this special production.


Deanna Smit (Costumer)

Deanna SmitDeanna Smit is so excited to be working on this project! She has an acting background as well as several costuming credits under her belt — most recently including The 39 Steps and The Third Annual Festival of Shorts, both at the Edmonds Driftwood Players with The Theatre of Intriguing Possibilities. Thanks to Carissa!


Jen Cabarrus (Properties)

Jennifer CabarrusJennifer is super excited to be wrangling props for the Driftwood Players and Arouet. Some of the past theatres she has worked with in the Seattle area include Annex, Open Circle and Live Girls! With her day job in the scientific community she is always rejuvenated at the magic of seeing a show come together. CS-thank you for always putting me back on the horse. you’re a moonman!–immer.

Words from a Jesus Freak

We asked our cast and crew to contribute posts on the subject of marriage equality and how they related. This is one of them.

–x–

Hi, I’m a Christian. I love Jesus, pray, take communion, lift up a joyful noise to the Lord in worship and abstain from drugs and premarital sex. I’m an Actor. I curse on stage and wear revealing costumes and I do kissing scenes with men who aren’t my fiancé.

I also believe in Marriage Equality.

Growing up, I was a Christian that I openly admit, am thoroughly embarrassed about now. I wore the Jesus t-shirts (some gems include “Jesus is my boyfriend!” “I’m not afraid to tell the world that I love Jesus.” “I sing for a reason, I sing for Jesus” and last but not least, “Abortion is homicide.”) I listened to strictly Christian music (I’m lookin’ at you, Rebecca St. James) and while others saved up for Warped Tour, I was saving up for CreationFest at the Gorge. I had the Jesus license plate frame that says “Got Jesus?” (Which ironically is still there-those suckers are difficult to get off!) I cringe when I think about my former self. I still love Jesus, but I understand Him a whole lot better now. My best friend from HS told me recently, “I just really have a heart for homosexuals.” My immediate reaction was “People. You mean PEOPLE, right? You have a heart for people.” It was in that moment that I realized we were different. We did everything in the world together, prayed and wept and laughed together. But it wasn’t until that particular moment that I realized: we were different Christians. I don’t think the goal is to get to Heaven, and have Jesus say to you, “You judged all the people I wanted you to hate, good job.” I hope He’ll say, “You loved all the people I wanted you to love, good job.”

I may cringe at the Christian I used to be, but Jesus Christ is still my Lord and Savior, so I often feel like a minority in the theater community. No I don’t live with my fiancé, yes that’s a purity ring on my finger, no I don’t want to smoke weed in the green room and lastly, I can’t rehearse on Easter Sunday. I have been excluded from cast parties, heard whispered insults, the epic backstage discussions as to how all religious people are prudes and bigots and hypocrites and liars—all in front of the one Christian in the room. Don’t they realize that there are different Christians?

I wanted to be a part of this piece because I want our community to realize that not all Christians are the enemy. There are some Christians, like myself, who are different. I’m not praying for you-I’m rooting for you.

The Hen Night Epiphany

Arouet in conjunction with
The Driftwood Players’ Theatre of Intriguing Possibilities present
the North American premiere of
The Hen Night Epiphany
A play by Award Winning Irish Playwright Jimmy Murphy

March 21-April 6, 2013

The Hen Night Epiphany by Jimmy Murphy (poster)Five women. One hen night. Too many secrets.

A heart lifting tale of five women who take to the countryside for a night of fun and laughter that unexpectedly leaves their lives turned upside down. A week before the wedding of her dreams, a woman wonders if some secrets should never be kept, no matter what the cost.

The Hen Night Epiphany promises to be an evening of laughter and tears with a hen night you will never forget.

The cast features Colleen Carey, Laura Crouch, Ellen Dessler, Frances Hearn, and Kelly Johnson. Directed by Roy Arauz. Read more about the cast and crew of The Hen Night Epiphany

Take a look at the rehearsal and production galleries.

What the critics had to say: Review Roundup

Jimmy Murphy is one of Ireland’s leading playwrights having written plays including Brothers Of The Brush, The Kings Of The Kilburn High Road and The Castlecomer Jukebox. In 2008 a version of The Kings Of The Kilburn High Road was produced as a feature film, Kings, and was Ireland’s official entry in the Oscars.

Definition of Hen Night: A bachelorette party, hen party, hen do, or hen night, is a party held for a woman who is about to be married. The term hen party or hen night is more common in the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia, while the term bachelorette party is more common in the United States. Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hen_night

Lawfully Wedded

New plays about marriage. Or not.

Conceived by Daniel Cords
Written by: Greg Bee (poet), Perry Fulfs (musician), Caitlin Gilman (playwright), and Morgan Ludlow (playwright)
Directed by: Roy Arauz, Everett Bowling, and Christine Mosere
Featuring: Jeremy Behrens, Alysha Curry, Bruce Erickson, Addie Keller, Idalia Limon, and Eric Olson. For full profiles, visit The Cast and Crew of Lawfully Wedded.

What is love? What is marriage? What does it all mean? People have widely differing views, and that is the subject we explore in this collaborative piece. Through personal interviews, theatre, poetry, and music we will explore the topic and challenge your preconceived notions. This collaborative production is sure to speak to your heart! Don’t miss this thought provoking and relevant production.

Lawfully Wedded is sponsored by Purr Cocktail Lounge
Purr Cocktail Lounge Logo

Lawfully Wedded is presented as part of Arts Crush, the month-long arts festival in the Puget Sound area.
artscrush red orange stacked logo

What’s Next for Arouet

We are inspired after the success of Bernarda Alba. The next year brings us a work in development, a North American premiere and a Northwest premiere. Mark you calendars, it’s going to be a fun one.

The Marriage Play [working title]

What is love? What is marriage? What does it all mean? Different people have different views, and this will be the subject we explore in this collaborative piece. We have been collecting stories and conducting surveys , and together with three playwrights we will work to create a series of micro-plays and poems between 4- to 5-minutes long that take us through the different views on marriage and hopefully challenge us and our preconceived notions on the matter. Two directors and six actors will stage the show in a continuous series of scenes. The Marriage Play will perform as part of ArtsCrush in October 2012, locations and times will be announced shortly.

The Hen Night Epiphany by Jimmy Murphy – North American premiere

A co-production with the Driftwood Players’ Theatre of Intriguing Possibilities

Should secrets be kept, no matter the cost? Five women come together to clean-up a rundown cottage in the countryside for a night of fun and laughter, but as long-kept secrets are revealed their lives are turned upside-down. The Hen Night Epiphany promises to be an emotional evening of laughter and tear with a hen night (bachelorette party) you will never forget.

Jimmy Murphy is one of Ireland’s leading playwrights. In 2008 a version of The Kings of the Kilburn High Road was produced as a feature film, Kings, and was Ireland’s official entry in the Academy Awards.

Performance Dates and Locations

March 21-24, 2013
The Driftwood Players’ Wade James Theatre, Edmonds
Visit http://www.driftwoodplayers.com for more information

March 29-April 7
The Downstage Theatre (Stone Soup Theatre), Seattle
Performance details TBA

The Temperamentals by Jon Marans – Northwest Premiere

“Temperamental” was code for “homosexual” in the early 1950s, part of a created language of secret words that gay men used to communicate. The play tells the story of the founding of the Mattachine Society, the first sustained gay-rights organization in the United States, and the love story of two of its founders, Harry Hay and Rudi Gernreich.

Jon Marans has been a prolific and recognized playwright since the 1990s. His plays Old Wicked Songs was a 1996 Pulitzer Prize Finalist for Drama, winner of New York Drama League, L.A. Drama Logue Award, included in Otis Guernsey’s Best Plays of 1996-97; Child Child was the winner of the Preston Jones Award and the first of a trilogy (including Jumping for Joy) about the Mavin family; and Opportunity Knocks won the Backdoor Theater Award.

Performance Dates and Locations

May 11-26
The Ballard Underground, Seattle
Performance details TBA

Bringing Closure to The House of Bernarda Alba

It started over a dinner conversation with Charles last fall, when I asked him if he would direct the play. We continued with a heart-stopping, last minute goal reaching Kickstarter campaign, followed by an audition process where we saw the best of the best and we cast the show.

In the meantime, I was thrilled Kim Rosin signed on for set design and Keith Gehrig for lights. After the original costumer had to step down, Kristina Hestenes, costumer and set dresser for Frankie and Johnny … signed on. And of course J.S. Epperson at the helm of sound design. Add Jordan Johansen to the mix as the stage manager, and one couldn’t ask for a better creative crew.

After an intense yet super fun rehearsal period we moved into The Ballard Underground, where we were welcomed right away and made to feel at home.

So how did the run go? On average, we filled 79% of the seats and sold-out three performances, and even had standing-room-only audience on our closing night. For the first time in Arouet’s short history we paid for the production from ticket sales, and as a profit-sharing company we were able to pay our hard working cast and crew.

We heard from people that loved the show, for some it had been the best production of it they had seen. We heard from others that didn’t care so much, but those conversations usually led down interesting conversations that wouldn’t have happened otherwise.

As it is when you have such a great experience, it is difficult to say goodbye to these wonderful characters, not see on a regular basis these 16 marvelous women, and the long chats with Charles in the car before and after rehearsal. Yet we are more energized than ever to continue presenting the works that speak to our soul.

Bernarda Alba featured on KPLU

Special thanks to Katherine Banwell and KPLU for running a beautiful story on our production of The House Of Bernarda Alba. Her interviews and research into the origins of this play make for a touching piece of radio journalism.

Charles Waxberg directs the play. For him the play represents repression that reached far beyond the walls and the women in the Alba family circle.

“It’s important to keep the universality in mind,” he says, “and not to simply dismiss this as a melodrama about women who need men. [It’s more about] being trapped, about having those in power rob you of basic human rights. I’d love it if people left here questioning human rights. What does an individual have a right to do? What are they entitled to do?”

Listen Now!

Katherine Banwell, April 30, 2012, Garcia Lorca’s play exploring the pains of love, denial hits Seattle