FYI Fulton: Don’t ignore the magic beyond center stage
By Jane Holahan
Updated Feb 19, 2007 15:40
A few weeks ago, I went to see a staged reading of a play called “Any Day Now,” which won the 2006 Fulton Opera House New Play Contest.
Written by David Rush, of Chicago, it’s the story of a college professor, Frederick Miller (Chet Williamson), and one frantic day at the end of his career, when he has to defend himself against charges of anti-Semtitism brought by a student.
It was performed in the fourth floor of the Fulton. Originally, when the Fulton was renovated, the idea was that small theater groups would be able to put on small and more experimental work there.
These days, the space is mostly used for rehearsing of the mainstage productions.
It’s a shame, because the few plays I have seen there, going back to Camilla Schade’s “Emily Sticksentones,” have been some of the freshest and funniest I’ve ever seen in Lancaster. Must be something in the air up there.
Anyway, I sat down with few expectations. I knew nothing about the play and director Charlie DelMarcelle told the small crowd they’d only had a few rehearsals.
There was no set, no costumes, save for a pair of glasses here or a scarf there to differentiate characters, and the cast was reading from their scripts.
But what happened over the next few hours was amazing.
The play grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. It was funny, smart, moving, meaningful and blessedly free of cliches. It had a wonderful energy that I don’t always see in more refined and rehearsed productions.
The best theater I’ve seen in Lancaster often comes from hungry theater companies where creativity has to take the place of fancy sets and special effects, where actors work on instinct and passion.
These actors were terrific. Williamson, whom I’d only known as an author, was a revelation, infusing Miller with intelligence and great humor.
The rest of the cast included Elliot Sterenfeld, Terri Mastrobuono, Brian Martin, Julianne Homokay and Kaci M. Fannin. Everyone brought their brief characters to life and some, especially Homokay, offered performances I will long remember.
Those last three actors along with director DelMarcelle, were all members of the Fulton Family Theatre Ensemble, which has spent the last year working together on a variety of projects with the Fulton’s Family Theatre.
They organized the highly successful ghost tours of the Fulton at Halloween. They have been touring in several shows at area schools. And they have written and performed plays for younger audiences that are connected to the Fulton’s mainstage, like “Last Call at Tur Na Nog,” which coincided with “The Irish and How They Got That Way.”
The sad thing is the ensemble no longer exists.
The Fulton, which is experiencing financial problems, decided they couldn’t afford to keep the group going.
What a shortsighted mistake.
This was a group of actors, writers and directors who had passion, energy and a desire to create, no matter how long and hard the work was. Even in their first year, their strengths were obvious.
They gave the Fulton a fresh sense of possibility. The playwrighting contest, organized by Homokay, a playwright herself, was one great example.
I hope the Fulton realizes that sometimes the best theater is the work done in the corner, away from the mainstage. That the plays written “just” for kids not only open the door for future theater lovers, but can speak to all of us in profound ways. (The Family Theatre series is in trouble, too.)
I hope they realize that intensity is a good thing.
Most of all, I hope they know that an experience like “Any Day Now” is the kind of fresh air every theater needs.
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Jane Holahan is a New Era staff writer. Her column appears every other Wednesday.
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