2008 Woodie Awards
"Inspecting Carol" brings unconventional holiday cheer to BHC
Glen Sovian
Issue date: 12/3/07 Section: Entertainment
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"Inspecting Carol" opened on a bright note to greet the holiday season.
Theatre Brookhaven's production of the Christmas-themed comedy is written by Daniel Sullivan and directed by Michael Clack, its technical director. This hilarious hit was originally commissioned by Seattle Repertory Theatre in 1992.
The show runs from Dec. 6 to Dec. 9.
"Carol" focuses on the pathetic Soapbox Theatre Company, a small theater company teetering on the verge of bankruptcy. The company runs into problems with its annual cash-cow production of "A Christmas Carol." For its lack of artistic content, the National Endowment for the Arts considers taking away its grant and plans to send out an inspector to evaluate the production.
The company's only survival plan is to please the NEA inspector, who can arrive at any time. When a woefully untalented actor Wayne (Sean Ball) auditions for the play, the production director Zora (Carla Parker) mistakes him for an undercover NEA agent, and decides to hire him. Wayne even reworks the play to his own radical adaptation. Mayhem ensues, particularly when the real inspector shows up.
"It's been fun to work on since day one," Clack said about the second play he has directed since joining Brookhaven two years ago. "They [cast members] bring in so much on their own."
It is a particularly difficult play to stage, requiring frequent changes of scenes, lighting, music, voiceover and props, Clack said.
"It's a challenging show," he said. "There are a lot of pieces that have to happen. And everything has to be fast paced."
Despite the challenges, Parker, a Dallas elementary school teacher, said she was delighted to be cast in the festive comedy as Zora.
"Zora is a funny character with a lot of anger issues," Parker said. "I enjoy walking in Zora's shoes. But when I get through, I have to remind myself to step out of the character."
Besides Zora and Wayne, "Carol" characters are Mary Jane (Stephanie Doyle), Larry (Mathew Stepanek), Karen (Sheryl Guth), Phil (Adrian Godinez), Lucy (Nazin Hormozi), Dorothy (Michelle Neumann), Sidney (Stephan Watkins), Bart (Oscar Chacon), Walter (Garrett Johnson) and Betty Andrews (Dr. Darise Error, theater professor).
The supporting staff includes Melinda Lacy for set designs, Charles Self for lighting, Brandon Roye for sounds, Michael Robinson for costume and makeup and Jane Quetin for prop designs.
"The cast is fantastic," Ball said, who plays the outlandish Wayne. "It's really interesting to see how people interpret their characters."
Ball, a theater sophomore, has previously acted in a number of Brookhaven and high school productions.
"Quite possibly this is the most entertaining comedy I've done. It's a really good show," he said.
"Inspecting Carol" is particularly appropriate to jump start everyone's holiday cheer in style.
"Hopefully, it puts people a little in Christmas spirit," Clack said.
Tickets to the play are available for $8 for general admission and $6 for students, staff and seniors. For more information, students can call the Brookhaven Box Office at 972-860-4118.
Theatre Brookhaven's production of the Christmas-themed comedy is written by Daniel Sullivan and directed by Michael Clack, its technical director. This hilarious hit was originally commissioned by Seattle Repertory Theatre in 1992.
The show runs from Dec. 6 to Dec. 9.
"Carol" focuses on the pathetic Soapbox Theatre Company, a small theater company teetering on the verge of bankruptcy. The company runs into problems with its annual cash-cow production of "A Christmas Carol." For its lack of artistic content, the National Endowment for the Arts considers taking away its grant and plans to send out an inspector to evaluate the production.
The company's only survival plan is to please the NEA inspector, who can arrive at any time. When a woefully untalented actor Wayne (Sean Ball) auditions for the play, the production director Zora (Carla Parker) mistakes him for an undercover NEA agent, and decides to hire him. Wayne even reworks the play to his own radical adaptation. Mayhem ensues, particularly when the real inspector shows up.
"It's been fun to work on since day one," Clack said about the second play he has directed since joining Brookhaven two years ago. "They [cast members] bring in so much on their own."
It is a particularly difficult play to stage, requiring frequent changes of scenes, lighting, music, voiceover and props, Clack said.
"It's a challenging show," he said. "There are a lot of pieces that have to happen. And everything has to be fast paced."
Despite the challenges, Parker, a Dallas elementary school teacher, said she was delighted to be cast in the festive comedy as Zora.
"Zora is a funny character with a lot of anger issues," Parker said. "I enjoy walking in Zora's shoes. But when I get through, I have to remind myself to step out of the character."
Besides Zora and Wayne, "Carol" characters are Mary Jane (Stephanie Doyle), Larry (Mathew Stepanek), Karen (Sheryl Guth), Phil (Adrian Godinez), Lucy (Nazin Hormozi), Dorothy (Michelle Neumann), Sidney (Stephan Watkins), Bart (Oscar Chacon), Walter (Garrett Johnson) and Betty Andrews (Dr. Darise Error, theater professor).
The supporting staff includes Melinda Lacy for set designs, Charles Self for lighting, Brandon Roye for sounds, Michael Robinson for costume and makeup and Jane Quetin for prop designs.
"The cast is fantastic," Ball said, who plays the outlandish Wayne. "It's really interesting to see how people interpret their characters."
Ball, a theater sophomore, has previously acted in a number of Brookhaven and high school productions.
"Quite possibly this is the most entertaining comedy I've done. It's a really good show," he said.
"Inspecting Carol" is particularly appropriate to jump start everyone's holiday cheer in style.
"Hopefully, it puts people a little in Christmas spirit," Clack said.
Tickets to the play are available for $8 for general admission and $6 for students, staff and seniors. For more information, students can call the Brookhaven Box Office at 972-860-4118.
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