Playhouse on Park

Meredith Atkinson, Director of Marketing & Public Relations

“‘Unnecessary Farce’ mocks corruption, curious marital relationships, power abuse and sexist behavior. It may be seen as a necessary antidote to non-farcical real-life news events of recent weeks.” – Chris Arnott, The Hartford Courant

What a month it’s been! One of the (many) things I’ve always loved about the Playhouse is the escape it provides for audience members. If you haven’t had the chance to see the Connecticut premiere of Unnecessary Farce, come join us for one of the final four performances! I’m guessing we could all use a few hours of laughter as a welcome distraction.

Meredith Atkinson

Meredith Atkinson

In honor of playwright Paul Slade Smith, current resident of the city that never sleeps, and West Hartford native, I mixed up a Spiced New York Sour. It’s a New York Sour variation, which is a riff on the classic Whiskey Sour. This is a PERFECT cocktail to serve to your guests next week before an indulgent Thanksgiving meal. And, as if you needed another reminder (I’m lookin’ at YOU, over-the-top gilded store displays), the holiday season is here. This cocktail is a perfect compliment (or antidote) to December festivities.

To make the Spiced New York Sour at home, you’ll need 2 ounces bourbon, 1 ounce fresh lemon juice, and 1 ounce cinnamon simple syrup (click here for the recipe!). Add ingredients to a shaker filled with ice, and shake until well chilled. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice, and top with 1 ounce fruity red wine. (Protip: kill two birds with one stone and buy an inexpensive bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau. It’s young, light, fruit-forward and will go well on its own with turkey and the works!) Garnish with a flamed orange peel for an impressive (and smoky!) finishing touch.

Meredith Atkinson

Speaking of cocktails, laughter, and overall much-needed cheer, Playhouse on Park is hosting two (BYOB!) comedy events next week: Comedy Night & Improv with Franklin’s Peaches & Friends! For tickets, info, or just a friendly voice at the other end of the line, call our box office at 860-523-5900 x10!

Meredith Atkinson, Director of Marketing & Public Relations

You may be wondering why a subscription to Playhouse on Park would be a good idea, and we’re here to help you understand. In honor of our Eighth Season of being in operation, here are eight reasons to be a subscriber, although I’m sure we could think of more! Let’s kick it off with a general “why?:

1. Branch Out

Think about the last time you went to the movies, or loafed on the couch binge watching a new, innovative and addicting TV show. Could you reach out and touch the person you were watching on the screen? Were they that close? It’s a tale as old as time (as Mrs. Potts says): live theater is living and breathing. No option to rewind. No pause button. No post production. Actors and musicians are giving you all they have, and the particular performance you’ve chosen to attend is one-of-a-kind. They tap into emotions that strike a chord with fellow actors and audience members alike. The stage is magic, and Season Eight’s Mainstage Series boasts seven remarkable productions.

2. Same Seats

Creature of habit? Wanna sit in your same favorite seats every time you come to Playhouse on Park? Say no more! When you become a subscriber, your tickets for each production are in the same spot. Don’t forget….the back row is only four seats from the stage in our intimate theater. So really, there’s not a bad seat in the house.

3. Save Time

Not only do you have the same seats, but when you subscribe, you pick the date of each show ahead of time. For instance, our shows typically have a five week run. If Thursdays are best for you, sign up for a Thursday preview subscription. Or, if you like to get your fun in on the weekends, why not buy a First Saturday night subscription? It’s always impressive when you’re able to say you were there on opening weekend!

4. Change Plans

So, now that you’ve got your seats and nights all planned out for the entire season, what do you do when a conflict arises? We totally get it! Things come up, things we don’t plan on, but alas: it’s adulting, y’all. Our friendly box office staff is standing by to help. Give us a call if you need to exchange your tickets for another night in the show’s run. We will try our very best to get you as close to your original seats as possible. You have flexibility as a subscriber.

5. Sneak Peeks

As a subscriber, you’ll be invited to exclusive behind-the-scenes events, along with subscriber appreciation nights.

6. Be Family

Being a subscriber pretty much guarantees you’ll be a part of the family here at Playhouse on Park. We’ll be seeing you at every show of the season, and chances are you’ll also get to know the other subscribers too! Our community is growing and we’d love to have you as a part of it!

7. Save Money

Who doesn’t love saving a buck or two? Individual subscriptions offer a 20% savings over individual ticket prices. Sit down, do a little quick math, and be amazed at the money you’ll save by subscribing.

8. Feel Good

When you subscribe to Playhouse on Park, you’re essentially giving back to the community. We are a non-profit professional theater that aims to bring the highest caliber of talent to Greater Hartford – and Connecticut’s – theater lovers. In fact, Money Magazine confirms this in their latest issue! We deliver in other ways, too, by offering comedy nights, theater education for children, and a reading series for emerging playwrights….just to name a few.

Subscriptions for Season Eight are still available! We also offer subscriptions for our comedy night series featuring awesome comics from around the country. Subscriptions are also great gifts for friends, too. Did we leave any questions unanswered? Give us a ring if you like, or visit our website, http://www.playhouseonpark.org.

Linda Starr, Guest Contributor

Fall, with its comfortable temperatures and back-to-real-life vibe, is always a great time to get out and reconnect with neighbors we’ve hardly seen since Memorial Day. So last week, as Playhouse on Park prepared for its fall production of Little Shop of Horrors, a musical featuring a nerdy florist and a man-eating plant, I set off on the short walk to 268 Park Road to visit with neighbor Suzie Mathes at her family’s unique and flourishing business, Petals and Paws. I was especially eager to learn how the Mathes family decided to sell pet supplies and garden and floral supplies under a single roof. Suzie explained, however, that the combination wasn’t so much a decision as an evolution.The business began, Suzie explained, as Canton Feed and Supply, which provided grain to local dairy farmers, sometimes even swapping the grain for cream. As the area’s population of cattle declined through the years, the company gradually turned its focus to providing high quality food for all types of family pets, from dogs to rabbits to gerbils. Eventually, reasoning that people looking for healthful, chemical-free products for their pets would appreciate the same premium supplies for their yards and gardens, they began to grow that side of the business as well. Finally, in 2004, the Mathes family built and moved into a new building at 465 Albany Turnpike in Canton — and Petals and Paws was born!

The impressively large exotic wild bird section!

Today, the Paws section of the flagship store features an extensive selection of natural, preservative-free pet food (including fridges of raw meat specially formulated for dogs), a huge variety of pet supplies, dog-grooming and dog-training services, and a weekly Yappy Hour for pets and their families. The Petals side offers everything a home gardener needs to create a healthy and beautiful yard and garden, including grass seed, lime, fertilizer, straw, mulch, and more. If you’re neither a gardener nor a pet owner, you can shop for house plants and cut flowers, bird feeders and birdseed — and even treat yourself to some homemade ice cream at the in-store Canton Creamery.

Petals and Paws opened its satellite Park Road store in January 2016. Although smaller than the Canton store, Park Road carries a nice selection of the same high quality, chemical-free pet and garden supplies. The most popular items at the West Hartford location, Suzie noted, are dog food (yes, including fridges full of raw meat) as well as bird feeders and birdseed.
I enjoyed my visit to Petals and Paws and was blown away by how knowledgeable and passionate the family is about all their products. Stop in to this Park Road neighbor when you get a chance. You won’t find any carnivorous plants, I’m afraid, but you can pick up some mums and some treats for Fido. And their Canton Creamery ice cream is available at Hall’s Market, only a short walk down the Road.

To learn more about Park Road businesses and to receive promotions and discounts just by visiting local stores and restaurants, be sure to download the free Park Road app. You’ll find it listed as Park_Road at the App Store on your mobile device.

photos: Meredith Atkinson

Meredith Atkinson, Director of Marketing & Public Relations

With July’s end, so left the cast and crew of A Chorus Line, our Season Seven Closer. Some days it was quiet, but for the most part, there was a different kind of hustle and bustle here at the Playhouse. Our exciting moments included: comedian Mike Jacobs returning to his old stomping grounds for a successful fundraiser, bidding a fond farewell to hardworking summer interns, the meeting of creative (or loquacious? wacky? take your pick!) minds for Play In A Day, and two nights in a row of hilarious improv.

Meredith Atkinson

We are so excited to open Season Eight with Little Shop of Horrors! On a personal note, the music of Little Shop was one of my favorite things as a child. My cousins – the cool cousins, we all have them – introduced me to the movie when I was probably no more than 7 years old, and I was instantly hooked. It was a time of cassette tapes, and among my collection of hits taped off the radio was the Little Shop soundtrack. I should add that all of the cuss words were dubbed over carefully by my older cousin who considered my age and, therefore, impressionable mind. Of course I knew that “sugar” when uttered by Audrey II was really “shit” but that made it all the more funny, I guess.

Meredith Atkinson

So anyway, our cast is in the midst of rehearsals and they already sound amazing! What better way to celebrate the beginning of Season Eight and Little Shop than with a cocktail? My list of favorites gets longer as I grow older, and mixing drinks has been on the list for a while now. I decided to turn to Audrey for some inspiration, riffed on a classic cocktail, and the result was Somewhere That’s Green, a pleasantly floral and herbal mix.

Meredith Atkinson

Meredith Atkinson

If you’d like to make this at home, you’ll need: 3/4 oz gin, 3/4 oz Wild Moon Lavender Liqueur (made in Hartford!), 1/2 oz Green Chartreuse (a delightful herbal liqueur), and 1/2 oz fresh lime juice. Add all of those ingredients to a cocktail shaker, add ice, shake well and strain into a chilled coupe glass. A word of fair warning: one too many of these drinks, and you’ll be channeling Audrey in your kitchen like:So you’re probably better off calling our box office for tickets before you start mixing. We’ll be waiting for your call! 860-523-5900 x10!

Nathan Schachter, Summer Intern, UConn ’19

Aside from the many actors, directors, and designers employed by the Playhouse on Park for each show, there are many people who work daily year-round to keep our wonderful theatre running! I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Mollie Cook, Stage Manager and Box Office Manager, to hear about the day to day routine of running a non-profit theatre.

Tell me about yourself!
 I graduated from UMass Amherst in 2014 with a BA in Theater. I intentionally didn’t try to get a BFA and fail. I love golden retrievers a lot, and soon I’m moving to New York City!

How long have you been at the Playhouse?
    I’ve been working here for six and a half years.

What was your first job here?
My first job was Assistant Stage Manager and Wardrobe Chief for Trapezium. It was the last show of our first season in 2010.

What is your daily routine like here at the Playhouse?
    It depends on what I’m doing because I have  many different jobs here. As Stage Manager and during rehearsals, I may not even be at the theatre. However, on a normal day, I come in at 10. The first thing I do is check my email (and I usually have a lot!). I check the phone for any messages and check the ticketing system for any unprinted tickets to be printed and sorted. I then sit and wait for any customers to come in or call to buy tickets! Basically, I make sure everything goes smoothly in the box office and answer anyone’s questions about the Playhouse.

What is the process like before a show opens?
 As a stage manager, in order to get a show up, I coordinate and make sure everything that’s supposed to happen, happens. It’s hard to describe because there are so many different tasks that come under one umbrella – sending lots of emails, networking with people, emotionally supporting a whole cast and crew. I like to think of myself as the parent of the production, but that’s not a great analogy because it implies a difference in status and it’s not. I consider everyone – actors, directors, designers – to be on the same level doing different jobs.

What is it like being involved both in the office and on a production?
 It’s actually really rewarding because I can experience the full breadth of what theatre has to offer. I really like stage managing but there’s an isolating quality about sitting by myself in a dark booth all the time. I like being in the box office – in the LIGHT – interacting with people. One of my favorite things is when patrons give me honest feedback about the show, but they don’t know I’m also the Stage Manager. Most people wouldn’t get to hear that they messed up a lighting cue or that something went wrong in the show. It’s interesting to have these kinds of interactions being on both side of the business. Both satisfy very different professional interests.

What’s the most challenging part about working for a theatre?
   Artistic personalities! Both of my jobs are about management and being organized. I love arts people, but they’re so focused on their work that often its difficult to figure out the most effective way to communicate to them. I’m not criticizing them; I’ve been in their shoes! I would also consider myself an artist from costume designing shows.

What is the most rewarding?
The best part is when I’m able to figure out how to talk to them! It’s like a piece of the puzzle coming together when everyone gets on the same page to reach a common goal.

Do you have any other hobbies?
 Honestly, no. Another challenge about working for a theatre is that I have very little spare time. I love what I do at work, but when I’m home, I like to sleep, eat, and not move as much as possible. Kathleen (Company Manager and Education Associate at Playhouse on Park) and I love watching Free Form (formerly ABC) on Tuesday nights.

I know that you’re heading into your last few weeks before leaving the Playhouse after 7 years! What do you think you’ll take with you the most from this experience? What do you see yourself doing in the future?
 I’ve definitely acquired a very intense work ethic.  I’ll be able to be self sufficient in any job because of this theatre. I have no idea what I’ll be doing in the future because I want to be a wedding planner, but I also want to open an old dog sanctuary. I may even be in a scientific study for the aquagenic wrinkling of my palms!  I’ll probably stay in theatre because that’s where my training is. I could see myself stage managing Off-Broadway.

By Katie Gorsky, Hofstra ’18, Playhouse on Park Summer Intern

I recently had the opportunity to interview Anna Russell, who has played a significant role in this season’s production of “A Chorus Line.”  Anna is currently one of Playhouse on Park’s summer interns, as well as a cut dancer in the show and an understudy for four characters.

Anna, taken on the night she went on as Cassie!

Tell me a little about yourself!
I was born in Sacramento, California and my mom is a costume designer, so I’ve been involved in theater my whole life.  I started doing theater when I was eight and danced for a while, took a break, and started dancing seriously when I was a freshman in high school.  I just finished my sophomore year at the Hartt School where I’m studying musical theater. 

What is your involvement in this summer’s production of “A Chorus Line?”
I’m a cut dancer, an intern, and I understudy Diana, Cassie, Connie, and Sheila.  I also work in the literary and marketing department as well as the box office.

What is the process like rehearsing and performing as an understudy and cut dancer?
Well being a cut dancer is simple.  You do the opening, get cut, and that’s that.  Understudying is different because I have so many different parts to learn.  I did a lot of color coding my notes and writing things down quickly during rehearsal, and afterwards I would go back and organize it all.  For the big numbers I would primarily write down where everybody was in formation and if there were any different counts or ripples.

Anna, far left (in the snazzy purple legwarmers), performing as a cut dancer

So did you have a chance to practice filling in for different characters in rehearsals?
No, you don’t really get to practice with anyone else.  You just practice by yourself.  I would go in early to practice all the parts before so I knew it all just in case.

Have you gotten to fill in for anyone else yet?
Yes, I went on for Cassie a few weeks ago for two nights.
What was that experience like?
It was terrifying, but also the best feeling in the world.  As an understudy, you never really expect to go on.  You just expect everything to be ok.  And Michelle is the last person I would have expected to get sick, and that’s something you can’t control.  So it was definitely scary because it’s one of those experiences I never thought would happen, but once I got past that, it was amazing and thrilling to actually be in the show for the whole time.

What was the most challenging part of performing as an understudy?
Well I knew all the tracks, so that was fine, and even the group numbers went well because the cast members were so good about getting me where I needed to be, even when I was in the wrong place.  But I think the hardest part is that I’m not even twenty yet, and Cassie is so much older and mature.  So I worked for about four or five hours before the show with Sean, just going over the two main scenes that she has.  We worked mostly on trying to find the emotional depth that she has as an adult because that’s really not me as a person.  I think that was the hardest part, just tapping into that older side of myself and learning to be an adult.

Anna, bottom right, pictured with the Chorus Line cast

Do you have any additional hobbies and interests?
I’ve always loved to read, and I’m also really interested in women’s issues and gender roles.  I would really like to someday use the arts in a way that informs society about the issues that surround women nowadays. I think that it’s really important as an artist to use what you do to aid a cause you believe in, so that is one of my top goals for the future.

Do you have any advice for aspiring actors and singers?
I would say that the biggest thing is to work as hard as you can because your work ethic directly affects how well you do.  It’s also really important to just be a nice person.  There are so many times where I see actors who decide not to be nice people, and it makes me not want to work with them.  And I think that’s true for anybody and everybody you work with.  Also, I believe that you should make sure to take every opportunity that you can, but only if you truly believe in what you’re doing.  If you’re doing something you don’t love, it can be really hard to continue doing that.

Anna performing with cast-mates at Wampanoag Country Club

By Renee Cox, Contributor

Every recent grad has that feeling. That feeling that’s eloquently described in the opening number: “God, I hope I get it!” I’m a recent grad still living that. It’s tough, constantly being at war with the fact that you’re “too young to take over and too old to ignore.” We all have a story that we could share if we were sitting in that audition. A life changing personal experience that shaped us both personally and professionally.

Every year there’s a new generation of fresh faces ready to prove that they’re worth the money. A new crop of people begging to be allowed to do a job. That’s why this show is timeless. It will never matter what year the current actors were born in. As long as we are growing and learning there will always be a moment when we look to the future and wonder what’s in store. This is why Playhouse on Park is the perfect place to do this show.

The Playhouse has made a serious commitment to arts education. In fact, its co-artistic directors are educators! The cast of a Chorus Line is mostly made up of students and recent graduates, acting alongside two seasoned equity actors. Playhouse no Park is a place of growth and learning, a place of discovery and confidence-building.
And the learning doesn’t stop at the stage: Playhouse on Park finds new ways to educate and engage audiences of all ages. So, when you come out to see A Chorus Line and are dazzled by the amazing choreography and bold directorial choices, be aware that you are also witnessing the passion and talent of recent graduates who have been given the opportunity to shine as a professional who loves their craft.

photos courtesy Joel Abbott