The Cook County High School One-Act took an impressive second place at subsections on Feb. 1, 2014. The cast of The Undercurrent did not place in the top two to continue on to state, but they performed at their very best at the section competition on Feb. 8. Congratulations to Cy Fortunato, Selien Morowitz, Mikala Schliep, Emma Nalezny, Sam Kern, Erica Marxen and Brenna Hay for representing the dramatic arts of Cook County High School. Job well done!
The stage has been swept, the set has been changed and rehearsals are in progress for the next production. The Grand Marais Playhouse is excited to begin work on the community youth play Our Town by Thornton Wilder.
From the website www.thorntonwilder.com comes this description: “Our Town explores the relationship between two young Grover’s Corners neighbors, George Gibbs and Emily Webb, whose childhood friendship blossoms into romance, and then culminates in marriage.
Actors in the Cook County High School One-Act Play The Undercurrent gave riveting performances at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts on Thursday, February 6. A tense family dinner—fraught with undercurrents—is performed by cast members (L-R) Selien Morowitz as Ma Fishyer, Sam Kern as Emil, Emma Nalezny as Annie, and Cy Fortunato as Pa Fishyer.
When Emily loses her life in childbirth, the circle of life portrayed in each of the three acts of Our Town— growing up, adulthood, and death—is fully realized.
This timeless drama of life in the mythical village of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire, has become an American classic with universal appeal. Thornton Wilder’s most frequently performed play, Our Town appeared on Broadway in 1938 to wide acclaim, and won the Pulitzer Prize. From the very beginning, Our Town has been produced in amateur and professional theaters around the world.
Wilder offers a couple of chairs on a bare stage as the backdrop for an exploration of the universal human experience. The simple story of a love affair is constantly rediscovered because it asks timeless questions about the meaning of love, life and death. In the final moments of the play, the recently deceased Emily is granted the opportunity to revisit one day in her life, only to discover that she never fully appreciated all she possessed until she lost it. ‘Oh, earth, you’re too wonderful for anybody to realize you,’ she says as she takes her place among the dead.”
A visit from Miss Page, a special investigator for the Morals Court (played by Erica Marxen) causes more tension in the family. The play, written by Fay Ehlert in 1946, is compelling yet today.
Our Town runs for one weekend only, March 6 – 9. Thursday – Saturday, 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 adults and $5 students. Sunday, March 9 is donation day (pay what you can for your ticket).
There’s still time to complete the Playhouse Survey at grandmaraisplayhouse.com. We need to hear from you! Please take a moment to complete the survey. Grand Marais Playhouse Artistic Director Sue Hennessy provides this behind-the-scenes look at Grand Marais Playhouse activities.
Our Town
intergenerational
cast includes:
Stage Manager
Bob Carter
Dr. Gibbs
Braidy Powers
Mrs. Gibbs
Diane Stoddard
George Gibbs
Cy Fortunato
Rebecca Gibbs
Robin Henrikson
Mr. Webb
Dick Swanson
Mrs. Webb
Beth Farone
Emily Webb
Brenna Hay
Wally Webb
Sam Kern
Howie Newsome
Finn Garry
Joe Crowell
Sam Seitsema
Professor Willard
Kevin Kager
Woman in the balcony
Linnea Henrikson
Man in the auditorium
Aurora Schelmeske
Lady in the box
Amelia Roth
Simon Stimson
Karl Olson
Mrs. Soames
Jan Healy
Constable Warren
Mark Abrahamson
Si Crowell
Jaymie Kirk
Sam Craig
Lucy Callender
Joe Stoddard
Jeff Kern
Woman among the dead
Wellesley Howard-Larsen
Choir member/town person
Abbey Stoddard
When meddlesome neighbor Mrs. Floyd (played by Mikala Schliep) learns of Annie’s legal troubles, she takes it upon herself to share the news, causing even more heartache for the Fishyer family.
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