Lord of the Rings meets Desperate Housewives: Das Barbecü

A performance of  Das Barbecü

The Stonehill Theatre Company and the Department of Visual and Performing Arts present Das Barbecü, a musical comedy with music by Scott Warrender and book and lyrics by Jim Luigs.  Directed by guest artist Peter A. Carey, this re-telling of Richard Wagner’s Ring Cycle operas takes place in present day Texas and is filled with romance, rivalries, and line dancing.  Hilarious scenes spin around two sets of mismatched lovers who meet on the day of their shotgun double wedding and amidst three generations of outrageous characters from two feuding families.  Spells are cast and curses affect the lives of many characters resulting in orphaned children and adulterous affairs.  With 13 actors portraying 30 different characters, Das Barbecü is a fun, tongue-in-cheek look at how one magic ring created from stolen gold can cause controversy throughout all of Texas.  This “Lord of the Rings meets Desperate Housewives” country-western musical is sure to be a crowd pleaser.  Show dates are April 11th, 12th, and 13th at 8:00 PM in the Hemingway Theatre at Stonehill College.  This is a MERIT POINT EVENT.  Tickets are $5 for students and seniors, and $8 for general admission.  Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling the Stonehill Theatre Company Box Office at (508) 565-1458 or at the door.  They can also be purchased in the Commons during lunch and dinner starting April 2nd.

Rachel Wingert '16
Image credit: www.georgevreilly.com 

Moving Pictures

The Stonehill Theatre Company and the Department of Visual and Performing Arts present Sharon Pollock’s Moving Pictures, directed by Patricia H. Sankus.  Moving Pictures is a theatrical tracing of the life of Nell Shipman, who as an actress sang, danced and hammed her way across North America in the early 1900s.  In silent films she was a hit, known as the girl from God’s Country from the title of her most successful film, “Back to God’s country.” She established an independent production company and made movies in which strong women played principal roles, and a holistic view of the natural environment, the animal kingdom, and humankind prevailed.  But as movie making shifted from art to industry, the precepts that guided Nell to success became threats to her life as well as her career.  Her last film script, written under a pseudonym, was produced in 1934.  Her death in 1972 went unnoticed.  Moving Pictures explores the meaning of storytelling in our lives, and the artist’s addiction to creation whatever the cost.  Show dates are November 15th, 16th, and 17th at 8:00PM in the Hemingway Theatre at Stonehill College.  Tickets are $5 for students and seniors, and $8 for general admission.  Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling the Stonehill Theatre Company Box Office at (508) 565-1458 or at the door.

Raychel Wingert 2016 on behalf of the Stonehill Theatre Company

Image credit :http://www.dashe.com/

Urinetown isn't Number Two

I should begin this review by explaining my own set biases. I am a movie critic. I’ve never reviewed a play before. I’m not quite sure what I’m supposed to be looking for and thus may be missing some important stuff. So, I shall just do my best to give a fair and just review that may be lacking in theatrical knowledge.

With that being said, Urinetown was fantastic. It was completely enjoyable, engaging and challenging. I’ll start with the set. Immediately after entering Hemingway theatre, the stage jumps out at you and left me thoroughly awestruck. Hemingway, being a relatively small college’s main stage, is a miniscule set up that could be limiting to such an ambitious show. To circumnavigate the stage’s stifling nature, the set was extended nearly into the first row of seats and used every inch of the area made available to them. This helped to make the show an immersive experience and helped to lose one’s self in the world of the story.

Of course, no show would be able to get off the ground without the players and Urinetown’s lineup was one of quality and talent. Based on the limited number of plays I’ve seen, I would say that the acting was far better than any average college performance. Any minor flubs were minimal, relatively not bothersome and, occasionally, added to the enjoyment of the show as the audience saw the actors realize their mistakes and move past the moment. I must take time, though, to recognize the play’s male lead, Chris Getchell, who played Bobby Strong. Getchell took center stage with charisma, poise, and sharp wit and made a real emotional connection with the crowd. When Bobby Strong finally meets his fate in the middle of the second act, devastation encompassed the crowd as the narrator’s earlier grim promise was fulfilled; this indeed was not a “happy play.”

The narration also must be discussed. The meta narration by Officer Lockstock (portrayed by Sean Racine) and Little Sally (portrayed by Tara Hurley) was a great way to frame the story. Though any given play’s narrator often refers to the audience directly, the narrator, not just breaking, but shattering the fourth wall and discussing plot developments, the structure of the show, and the overall formality of storytelling really helped to distinguish this musical from the rest of the field and explore an unconventional story.

Finally, what I truly appreciate this play for is the story’s subversive message. The idea that corporate greed may be a necessity in our daily practices is a point rarely touched upon by storytellers. Urinetown really challenges the audience to question the lines between good and evil, natural and artificial, and question the relationship between people’s intrinsic rights and what is best for the masses.

-Daniel Perry