April 24 – May 24, 2009
RUDIGGORE, or THE WITCHES CURSE!
by Gilbert & Sullivan
Directed by David Fuller
I just booked my first “on stage and scripted” (and memorized, and acted, and…) production in New York! It’s on a modest stage, but with a hearty and solid theater company called Theater Ten Ten (www.theater1010.com/): “Founded in 1955, Theater Ten Ten, New York City’s longest continuously operating Equity Off-Off Broadway Theater.”
The show, “Ruddigore,” is one of Gilbert and Sullivan’s lesser-known pieces, but the reinterperetation behind this version is indeed quite interesting (members and staff of a sanitarium produces “Ruddigore” as an annual musical – “this” year is the 102nd or so – so actors are playing mental patients who are, in turn, playing G&S’s characters).
The thing that truly caught my attention was that there will be PUPPETS utilized in the show, and I will be playing one character who practically relies on her puppet. I’ll be playing the “bridesmaid” Ruth, who is “played by” a mental patient who only feels comfortable communicating through a hand puppet. So, technically I’ll be playing two people, yet three “characters.” In other words, it will be an actress (me) playing a character (the mental patient) who needs a puppet (the puppet Mathilda – in above picture) in order to perform the character of Ruth the Bridesmaid (original G&S creation). There are so many layers, and I’ll just have to find out what makes logical sense to the character and have some fun with the G&S libretto.
Tickets:
Ruddigore credit card purchases at 212-352-3101 or 1-866-811-4111 or at www.theatermania.com Cash only at the door reservations at: 212-288-3246 x300 (24 hour hotline)