| Show 6E The Salt Lake Tribune Sunday September 2 1990 Gurney's fCocktail Hour' opens at The Broadway Stage this week By Nancy Melich Tribune Theater Writer AR Gurney Jr's "The Cocktail Hour" comes to The Broadway Stage this week with a preview performance Thursday and opening night Friday at the theater 272 S Main Curtain is 8 pm The play was originally scheduled to open in July but was postponed then recast for the current engagement which continues through September Broadway Stage artistic director William Sargent directs the production featuring Charla Brinkpeter Gene Pack Donna Todd and Kim Weiss Not to be confused with TS Eliot's "The Cocktail Party" Gurney's "Cocktail Hour" is an autobiographical look at the playwright and his family Set in Buffalo NY (Gurney's birthplace) the story centers around John who returns home to inform his parents and his sister that he is writing a play about them entitled "The Cocktail Hour" Discussion ensues sometimes funny sometimes confrontational as this family takes an uncustomemotions ary look at its deep-seatePack and Todd portray Ann and John's wealthy parents Bradley who have been comfortably married for over 40 years Pack a veteran actor of local stages saw the Broadway production (with Keene Curtis and Nancy Marchand) and said it is the only new play he's seen in the last seven years that he's been interested in doing He liked Gurney's clear depictions — sometimes with a satirical bent — of the family and said the author obviously has a clear understanding of the relationships that occurred in the Gurney household Pack said "The Cocktail Hour" is more than just a look at the lifestyle of a WASP family it is about the changes in generations — in particular the difficulty a father and son have in understanding one another Todd last seen in "Ghostman" at the Salt Lake Acting Company describes Gurney's play as a comedy with serious overtones "The dialogue is straightforward and the characters are presented with enormous depth The father is very unbending He's pedantic and he wants his family to behave his way I think everyone will recognize these people and their behavior — all families have vehement quarrels and then after the quarrels nothing really changes a great deal" Gurney's plays reflect his affluent upbringing — his characters live in a upper-middle-cla- d j y- (f - i ' t ' r if ' ' j i ! j full-leng- th including Argentina and Italy Among his most recent works is "Love Letters" written in letter form and coming to the Capitol Theatre in March with Colleen Dewhurst and EG Marshall Gurney is currently writing a musical adaptation of the novel The Snow Ball the story of a wealthy WASP girl and an impoverished Irish boy who find they are perfectly suited for each other once they're dancing He told The New York Times that the new play will focus on his generation as the parents instead of the children "I think I have pretty much mined this vein" he said of the WASP culture "I've said what I've Theater moves indoors at Sundance this week when the musical "Baby" opens Friday at 8 pm in the Sundance Screening Room at the Sundance Resort Sundance Summer Theatre artistic director Jayne Luke said that after 21 years of presenting shows outside in the summer the thought occurred that audiences might enjoy attending shows inside in the fall Valley Roles are open for three females age 16 to 35 and five males 20s to s People auditioning for Cherie the female lead in her early 20s should be prepared to sing a song preferably "That Old Black City i mid-50- Those auditioning for the Magic should role of Virgil (male mid-30s- ) be able to play the guitar Lance Orlando will direct the production scheduled to play Nov 2 3 9 10 16 and 17 at the David and Grace Harman Family Home West if s- I -" I —tribune Staff Photo by Lynn "Baby" at Sundance features Lisa Reynolds and Scott R Johnson Niel-so- n as college students trying to decide whether to marry The Young Ambassadors offer new show at BYU this week Special to The Tribune PROVO — The Young Ambassadors from Brigham Young University will present their most recent show "The Music Makers" Thursday and Friday at 7:30 pm in the de Jong Concert Hall in the Harris Fine Arts Center on the BYU campus 'The Music Makers" is a celebration of American song and dance a tribute to American songwriters The performance will include selections from several different eras including Tin Pan Alley Swing Broadway the '50s and '60s as well as some contemporary music Among the honored composers are George Gershwin Duke Ellington Leonard Bernstein Steven Sond-heiAbba Aaron Copland and Mi chael MacLean The Young Ambassadors an audition-only troupe of singers dancers and actors who tour throughout the United States and abroad recently returned from a tour of Scandinavia "The show was a great success in Scandinavia and now we are excited to perform here in Provo" said Ron Simpson musical director for the Young Ambassadors e This new show is a large musical review that includes a modern intricate stage set It also requires about 300 costume changes during the performance Tickets available at the Music Ticket Office are $5 for students faculty staff and senior citizens and $6 for the public full-scal- at the f flfcrior Club Progressive Fun Night tCvV i- - i tyv Mmm- wanted to say In musical comedy oertainlv emotions have to be more direct I'm trying to move away from the tight form of the drawing-roo- "This is an experiment for us" said Luke "Sundance is known for its environment and autumn is such a beautiful time at the resort I've always felt that the summer shows reach their peak just as we have to end the season so why not offer theater in September and October?" "Baby" was written by David Shire and Richard Maltby Jr both of whom have Sundance connections Hale Center Theater 2801 S Main will conduct auditions for "A Christmas Carol" Saturday from 9 am to noon All roles are open except for Scrooge who will be played by Richard Wilkins John and Adams direct People 18 and older will be asked to give cold readings from the script y and produce an English accent vocalists are also needed Auditions for children 5 to 17 will be Sept 16 from 9 am to noon Children will be asked to present an English accent and read from the script The production is scheduled to run Nov 19 through Dec 23 Ta-ma- Solo-qualit- "The Cocktail Hour" will be pre- sented Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 Dm and Sundays at 6 pm through Sept 30 Director Sargent said a 20 percent discount will be given to any person purchasing a ticket to "Cocktail Hour" who is a 1990-9- 1 season subscriber to a Salt organiza-comedy- " Lake City performing-art- s tion song with accompaniment reon a cassette tape an exact audition time contact BACK! Lake Shore Motor Coach Line Casino Caravans 649-342- SLC Provo 3 Donna's Tours 328-336- 566-143- 7 LeBus 2 4 Smith Transit Jolly Good Times Tours Carefree Bus Lines 967-916- f 1 373-032- 975-020- actors will be paid Auditions will be Saturday from to 3 pm at the farm City Rep presents an adaptation of the Victor Hugo novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame beginning Saturday at 7:30 pm on the Jester Stage 148 S Main Joanne Parker City Rep artistic director wrote the adaptation and serves as director The story set in Paris in the 1400s tells of Quasimodo the disfigured bellringer at the Cathedral of Notre Dame the beautiful Esmeralda the poet Pierre Gringoire and the priest Claude Frollo Stuart Mitchell most recently seen as Oberon in City Rep's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is cast in the title role with Annie Kleczkowski as the gypsy girl Esmeralda James Dale is the Archdeacon Claude Frollo with Zeke Totland as the poet who falls in love with Esmeralda After the opening performances continue Mondays Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm through Oct 26 An additional performance will be offered Halloween Eve (Oct 30) Matinees are scheduled for Sept 15 and Oct 13 and 27 at 2 pm — Nancy Melich Bus tours for groups or individuals to The State Line and Silver Smith Casinos Call for rates and pick-u- p locations corded the school The dance company "Art in Motion" is holding auditions for dancers 1 0 and older on Saturday at 1 030 am in studio 3 of Dance Arts Inc 8685 S 2000 East Sandy Each dancer will be required to perform a ballet and jazz combination which will be taught at the audition Wheeler Historic Farm 6351 S 9th East is looking for people 16 and older to participate in its Haunted Woods Show Oct 10-3- 1 Director Glen Slight is looking for actors (including those who can present an Old English accent) tumblers magicians and musicians who play stringed instruments Selected Shire has participated in the Sundance Institute's Film Composers Conference and Maltby's "Starting Here Starting Now" was showcased at the outdoor theater in the '70s with Maltby in attendance The musical celebration of childbirth was adapted from a book by Sybille Pearson It tells of three couples: college undergrads Lizzie and Danny who are unmarried but soon to become parents Pam and Nick a married couple in their 30s wanting a baby and going through the clinical process of conception and Arlene and Alan a middle-age- d faculty couple their children grown who find themselves expecting again after an amorous evening at the Plaza Hotel The musical was presented at Theatre 133 in 1985 and featured Margaret Crowell and Gene Pack Cast members for the Sundance version include Marvin Payne Janie Wallace Peggy Matheson Kevin Halla-da- y Lisa Reynolds Scott Nielson Chris Brower Kurk Holshue and Teri Taylor Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm Tickets are $10 Weekend packages including theater lodging and brunch are also available For reservations contact the Sundance Resort $1000 CASH two-minu- For SLC Helper 292-790- 0 1 CASINO- 2 472-820- WENOQVER ROOM RESERVATIONS 0 fitateline - HOTEL 1 CASINO CONVENTION CENTER The Best BdFetMTbwn Just Got Better For years the Bonneville Room at the State Line has enjoyed its reputation as the finest buffet in our area People drive to Wendover food in the Bonneville Room After just completing major remodeling the Bonneville Room is once and again open-biggeven better than before er Now you can enjoy an entirely new line-u- p of delicious entrees and Join us at the party where all your friends are! enticing desserts For an elegant buffet try the all new Bonneville Room at the State Line You won't be dissapointed And you certainly won't go away Every Thursday! and older Bring valid ID 'Kaviar CtuS 225 South 200 West hungry -- - ' - bers of a wealthy New York family in AR Gurney Jr's "The Cocktail Hour" Friday From left: Kim Weiss Gene Pack Charla Brinkpeter and Donna Tood portray mem- - Valley City Auditions for children and teens 4 to 16 to be part of the Harmony Express a singing and dancing group from the Winner School will be Wednesday from 6 to 9 pm at the school 6120 S 2075 East Those interested are asked to prepare a 1 T T y —Tribune Stall Photo by Steve Griffin just to sample the fine 21 V world of servants country clubs and cocktails As Alex Witchel wrote for The New York Times Magazine "No matter how adverse their circumstances they make monumental efforts not to raise their voices They are prime ulcer candidates but they never let the strain spoil their backhand And they all know how to mix the perfect martini — which helps make everything more bearable" Gurney a graduate of Yale taught literature at MIT until 1987 His first play "The David Show" was produced in 1968 but it was "The Dining Room" that first brought him fame Since that time many of his 13 plays have been produced in countries around the world Theatrical Production Company a community theater in West Valley City will host auditions for "Bus Stop" Wednesday at 7 pm at the West Valley City Center 3600 S Constitution Blvd (2700 West) West if V ' I Auditions scheduled for plays holiday show dance groups 1 r ' On stage: fBaby' opens indoors at Sundance : U- - ' ' ' --J-TVi rm& W— 111 §tatelne MOTIl iMo i'tlMUH Hill |
