Mr. Baldwin,
I want to let you know what a fantastic experience my family had at The Little Mermaid last Friday, April 23 at the 1pm show. We bought our tickets through a silent auction benefitting the Pakachoag Music School of Greater Worcester. We were driving in from Auburn during school vacation week, and I did not know what to expect for traffic, parking, etc. Further, having attended numerous theatrical productions with my kids (I have 6 year old triplets) including at the Foothills Theater, Hanover Theater and the Wang Center, my kids have sat through everything from really bad Cinderella to really great Annie.
I had prepped my children that the WFT show was not the Disney Little Mermaid (you know how kids today are!), and they understood, but you never know. They absolutely loved the show. LOVED it. Absolutely everything about the experience from getting downtown to the easy parking and a short walk to WFT, to the refreshment setup, the comfort of the theater itself and the staging of the play far exceeded my expectations. Not least importantly, it was all exceedingly affordable. This is important for a family of 6!
I am looking forward to returning next season, especially for the Urban Nutcracker and the Secret Garden. I am so happy that I was introduced to WFT, and I now know that the drive from Auburn is a small price to pay for the experience.
Best Regards,
Jeff LaBonte
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
An old friend responds to The Little Mermaid
Hi Jane and Sue!
I don't know if you remember me, Darcy Long, but I worked in the box office from 1989-1993. I still have such dear and fond memories of the both of you as well as everyone else in the theatre. Working at WFT was one of the best parts of being at Wheelock!
On Friday, I brought my children (plus parents and husband!) to the matinee of The Little Mermaid. I just wanted to tell you how much we all LOVED it. My kids were mesmerized by the costumes, the set, the sea creatures, the mermaids, well, just about everything, and especially your character, Jane! It truly was the best performance they have ever seen! I loved how you have stayed true to your philosophy of diversity and offering theatre to everyone.
It made me so proud to have been a part of WFT at one point in my life! You both are amazing and should be so very proud. I wished I could have seen you both. I still think of you and hope you are well! I hope life has been very good to you over these past years.
I hope to come back to WFT soon!
With love,
Darcy Long (now Darcy Scholz) :)
I don't know if you remember me, Darcy Long, but I worked in the box office from 1989-1993. I still have such dear and fond memories of the both of you as well as everyone else in the theatre. Working at WFT was one of the best parts of being at Wheelock!
On Friday, I brought my children (plus parents and husband!) to the matinee of The Little Mermaid. I just wanted to tell you how much we all LOVED it. My kids were mesmerized by the costumes, the set, the sea creatures, the mermaids, well, just about everything, and especially your character, Jane! It truly was the best performance they have ever seen! I loved how you have stayed true to your philosophy of diversity and offering theatre to everyone.
It made me so proud to have been a part of WFT at one point in my life! You both are amazing and should be so very proud. I wished I could have seen you both. I still think of you and hope you are well! I hope life has been very good to you over these past years.
I hope to come back to WFT soon!
With love,
Darcy Long (now Darcy Scholz) :)
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Great Review in Boston Globe!
Mermaid moves along swimmingly... by Terry Byrne, Boston Globe 20 April 2010
Sharks, jellyfish, eels, and other assorted schools of fish swim freely about in the Wheelock Family Theatre’s beautifully realized production of “The Little Mermaid.’’
Director and designer James P. Byrne taps the talents of every member of his design team to suggest an underwater atmosphere with the simplest touches: huge swaths of translucent turquoise cloth represent waves; Stacey Stephens’s clever costumes bring crabs, eels, and mermaids to life; Karen Perlow’s shimmering lighting creates murky underwater scenes while bright, clear colors indicate the world on land; choreographer Kristen Richnavsky’s fluid movements make us believe the merpeople are floating or swimming about; and J. Hagenbuckle’s musical motifs provide punctuation for the storm, playful splashing, and eerie, deep sea sounds.
Even with all these rich, evocative elements, don’t go expecting Disney’s musical version, with Sebastian the crab and a redheaded mermaid named Ariel. For this adaptation, playwright Linda Daugherty returns to Hans Christian Andersen’s original story, adds more plot twists, and places more emphasis on the struggle between good and evil and the sacrifices that must be made for good to prevail. Perhaps as a nod to
Daugherty captures the mermaid’s love for the human Prince Stefan (David Kaim) and the price she must pay to pursue her love and walk on the land. Unfortunately, she also gets bogged down in scenes devoted to unnecessary exposition and a heavy-handed moral about ecology and the balance of life. Her script touches all the high points of the story, but with little insight into her characters and a penchant for cliches: “Can we ever understand anything we have not lived ourselves?’’ is one line we hear more than once, but it never feels connected to any real emotion.
Byrne (no relation to this reporter) keeps the action moving swiftly between the land and the sea and has wisely cast an ensemble of first-rate actors who rise above Daugherty’s tangled net of words. Margaret Ann Brady nearly steals the show as the Sea Witch, who sent the little boy in front of me cowering with her fearsome threats and the crowd of creepy eels surrounding her, and then had him howling with laughter as she sang the songs of the whales. Johnny Lee Davenport, best known for his performances in Shakespearean plays, is a noble Sea King and caring father, and Ricardo Engermann keeps the comic elements sharp with some terrific slapstick and pratfalls.
It’s hard to compete with the Disney version, but the Wheelock Family Theatre’s “The Little Mermaid’’ rises above the limitations of the script for a production that delivers a convincing undersea adventure.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
MERMAIDS! by Gary Ng
Mary-Liz Murray, Amie Cazel, Marvelyn McFarlane, Andrea Ross, Margaret Ann Brady, and Jane Staab.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Mermaid Fun Facts
The word is a compound of mere, the Old English word for "sea", and maid, a woman. The male equivalent is a merman.
The first mermaid was actually a man. He was the god Oannes from Babylon. He is often shown as a man with a fish's tail. According to written descriptions he had the head and body of a fish but under the fish head is a human head and under the tail are human feet.
Originally the sirens, often depicted as mermaids, were bird-women. This is the source of their beautiful singing voices.
A two-tailed mermaid is the basis for the Starbuck's logo. It has been somewhat edited because some people found the original image too sexually suggestive.
Two important mermaid facts are the symbols of the comb and mirror, which come from the goddess Venus. The mirror is so closely associated with Venus that the symbol for the planet Venus is a mirror (the circle with the "+" under it).
In heraldry the two-tailed mermaid is shown full face with the ends of her tails held in each hand. Both single-tailed and double-tailed varieties symbolize eloquence. If she has her comb and mirror with her then it means vanity.
For a brief period during the Middle Ages mer-ladies with wings were carved on tombstones. These are probably descendents of the bird-sirens used in classical times. They are meant to represent both mourners and guides bringing the spirit of the dead to the afterlife.
Mermaids were noted in British folklore as unlucky omens – both foretelling disaster and provoking it.
Some mermaids were described as monstrous in size, up to 2,000 feet
Mermaids sometimes sing to people and gods and enchant them, distracting them from their work and causing them to walk off the deck or run their ships aground. Other stories depict them squeezing the life out of drowning men while attempting to rescue them.
Mermaids are said to carry humans down to their underwater kingdoms. In Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid", it is said that they forget that humans cannot breathe underwater, while others say they drown men out of spite.
The first mermaid was actually a man. He was the god Oannes from Babylon. He is often shown as a man with a fish's tail. According to written descriptions he had the head and body of a fish but under the fish head is a human head and under the tail are human feet.
Originally the sirens, often depicted as mermaids, were bird-women. This is the source of their beautiful singing voices.
A two-tailed mermaid is the basis for the Starbuck's logo. It has been somewhat edited because some people found the original image too sexually suggestive.
Two important mermaid facts are the symbols of the comb and mirror, which come from the goddess Venus. The mirror is so closely associated with Venus that the symbol for the planet Venus is a mirror (the circle with the "+" under it).
In heraldry the two-tailed mermaid is shown full face with the ends of her tails held in each hand. Both single-tailed and double-tailed varieties symbolize eloquence. If she has her comb and mirror with her then it means vanity.
For a brief period during the Middle Ages mer-ladies with wings were carved on tombstones. These are probably descendents of the bird-sirens used in classical times. They are meant to represent both mourners and guides bringing the spirit of the dead to the afterlife.
Mermaids were noted in British folklore as unlucky omens – both foretelling disaster and provoking it.
Some mermaids were described as monstrous in size, up to 2,000 feet
Mermaids sometimes sing to people and gods and enchant them, distracting them from their work and causing them to walk off the deck or run their ships aground. Other stories depict them squeezing the life out of drowning men while attempting to rescue them.
Mermaids are said to carry humans down to their underwater kingdoms. In Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid", it is said that they forget that humans cannot breathe underwater, while others say they drown men out of spite.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
The Boy and the Mermaid by Bernhard Ingemann (1789-1862)
'Twas on a summer's evening late,
The far moon shone so clear
When a young, a fair-hair'd boy there sate
In a boat his father near.
He heard a distant voice that sung,
"Fair child, come where I live,
For bright gold stars there are among
The treasures I can give.
"These sparkling stars I'll give to thee,
If thou wilt come, fair boy,
And dwell for ever here with me
In these blue realms of joy."
"List, father! Dost thou hear that song?
See's thou yon girl?" "Be still!
See! the boat rocks, the wind is strong;
Let any sing who will."
And the voice sweetly sang again:
"Come, lovely boy, to me;
The moon shines on the crystal main,
Joy waits thee in the sea.
"Oh! thou shalt dance on the moonbeams bright,
And the glittering stars among;
Come sport with me, fair boy, this night.
List, list, what I have sung."
"Hark, father, hark! what her words tell,
She comes for me, oh, see!"
"Be still, be still, the billows swell.
"My boy, hold fast to me!"
'Tis middle night, the moon's rays float
Far o'er the waters wide,
The boy hath glided from the boat
And from his father's side.
The far moon shone so clear
When a young, a fair-hair'd boy there sate
In a boat his father near.
He heard a distant voice that sung,
"Fair child, come where I live,
For bright gold stars there are among
The treasures I can give.
"These sparkling stars I'll give to thee,
If thou wilt come, fair boy,
And dwell for ever here with me
In these blue realms of joy."
"List, father! Dost thou hear that song?
See's thou yon girl?" "Be still!
See! the boat rocks, the wind is strong;
Let any sing who will."
And the voice sweetly sang again:
"Come, lovely boy, to me;
The moon shines on the crystal main,
Joy waits thee in the sea.
"Oh! thou shalt dance on the moonbeams bright,
And the glittering stars among;
Come sport with me, fair boy, this night.
List, list, what I have sung."
"Hark, father, hark! what her words tell,
She comes for me, oh, see!"
"Be still, be still, the billows swell.
"My boy, hold fast to me!"
'Tis middle night, the moon's rays float
Far o'er the waters wide,
The boy hath glided from the boat
And from his father's side.
translated by Anne S. Bushby
The Mermaid by Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892)
The Mermaid
by: Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892)
1
Who would be
A mermaid fair,
Singing alone,
Combing her hair
Under the sea,
In a golden curl
With a comb of pearl,
On a throne?
2
I would be a mermaid fair;
I would sing to myself the whole of the day;
With a comb of pearl I would comb my hair;
And still as I comb'd I would sing and say,
"Who is it loves me? who loves not me?"
I would comb my hair till my ringlets would fall,
Low adown, low adown,
From under my starry sea-bud crown
Low adown and around,
And I should look like a fountain of gold
Springing alone
With a shrill inner sound,
Over the throne
In the midst of the hall;
Till that great sea-snake under the sea
From his coiled sleeps in the central deeps
Would slowly trail himself sevenfold
Round the hall where I sate, and look in at the gate
With his large calm eyes for the love of me.
And all the mermen under the sea
Would feel their immortality
Die in their hearts for the love of me.
3
But at night I would wander away, away,
I would fling on each side my low-flowing locks,
And lightly vault from the throne and play
With the mermen in and out of the rocks;
We would run to and fro, and hide and seek,
On the broad sea-wolds in the crimson shells,
Whose silvery spikes are nighest the sea.
But if any came near I would call, and shriek,
And adown the steep like a wave I would leap
From the diamond-ledges that jut from the dells;
For I would not be kiss'd by all who would list,
Of the bold merry mermen under the sea;
They would sue me, and woo me, and flatter me,
In the purple twilights under the sea;
But the king of them all would carry me,
Woo me, and win me, and marry me,
In the branching jaspers under the sea;
Then all the dry pied things that be
In the hueless mosses under the sea
Would curl round my silver feet silently,
All looking up for the love of me.
And if I should carol aloud, from aloft
All things that are forked, and horned, and soft
Would lean out from the hollow sphere of the sea,
All looking down for the love of me.
by: Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892)
1
Who would be
A mermaid fair,
Singing alone,
Combing her hair
Under the sea,
In a golden curl
With a comb of pearl,
On a throne?
2
I would be a mermaid fair;
I would sing to myself the whole of the day;
With a comb of pearl I would comb my hair;
And still as I comb'd I would sing and say,
"Who is it loves me? who loves not me?"
I would comb my hair till my ringlets would fall,
Low adown, low adown,
From under my starry sea-bud crown
Low adown and around,
And I should look like a fountain of gold
Springing alone
With a shrill inner sound,
Over the throne
In the midst of the hall;
Till that great sea-snake under the sea
From his coiled sleeps in the central deeps
Would slowly trail himself sevenfold
Round the hall where I sate, and look in at the gate
With his large calm eyes for the love of me.
And all the mermen under the sea
Would feel their immortality
Die in their hearts for the love of me.
3
But at night I would wander away, away,
I would fling on each side my low-flowing locks,
And lightly vault from the throne and play
With the mermen in and out of the rocks;
We would run to and fro, and hide and seek,
On the broad sea-wolds in the crimson shells,
Whose silvery spikes are nighest the sea.
But if any came near I would call, and shriek,
And adown the steep like a wave I would leap
From the diamond-ledges that jut from the dells;
For I would not be kiss'd by all who would list,
Of the bold merry mermen under the sea;
They would sue me, and woo me, and flatter me,
In the purple twilights under the sea;
But the king of them all would carry me,
Woo me, and win me, and marry me,
In the branching jaspers under the sea;
Then all the dry pied things that be
In the hueless mosses under the sea
Would curl round my silver feet silently,
All looking up for the love of me.
And if I should carol aloud, from aloft
All things that are forked, and horned, and soft
Would lean out from the hollow sphere of the sea,
All looking down for the love of me.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Andrea Ross responds to Explore Boston Theatre
What is your definition of misery?
Alarm clocks...
What is your greatest fear?
To lose the people closest to me.
What was your first "real" job working in theatre?
Playing Winnie Foster in Tuck Everlasting
Are you a good at waiting tables?
Hopefully, I won't have to find out!
Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Susan B. Anthony- gotta love those suffragettes.
Who are your favorite heroes of theatre?
Bernadette Peters, Kristen Chenoweth, and Andrew Lloyd Webber
Who are your favorite heroes in real life?
Our troops, victims of genocide, and doctors.
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Orderliness...I'm not into systems and methods; I like to be spontaneous and just do what feels right.
What do you consider the most underrated virtue?
Curiosity- at least, with people my own age, it can be disregarded and looked at as being ignorant or intrusive.
Your favorite painter?
Thomas Kinkade/ Norman Rockwell
Your favorite musician?
Van Morrison/ The Script
Your favorite playwright?
Neil Simon/ Arthur Miller
When and where were you happiest?
In my living room when I was 10 years old after I got the news that I was cast in my first professional show as the lead. I was on top of the world!!!
What do you most value in colleagues?
Dedication...it creates a positive atmosphere and pushes everyone to do better.
Is there a class in which you wish you had paid more attention?
Math...not because I need it on a daily basis, but just to feel more confident when I do need to use it.
If you didn't work in theatre, what would you do?
I'd want to either be a surgeon or maybe a stylist- two complete extremes, right?!
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
So far, singing for Prince William and Prince Harry at Princess Diana's memorial concert.
What you'd like to be the world's best at?
Being the best surfer would be rad...
What book would you read more than once?
The Odyssey....I never get sick of it. And, of course, any Harry Potter book.
Who would play you in a movie of your life? Why?
Miley Cyrus....NOT!! I would like to see Anne Hathaway play me; I think she is brilliant.
What sports teams do you follow?
The Sox and the Celtics...always.
Where would you like to spend a vacation?
Honduras. I was supposed to go on a scuba trip there last year, but I got mono and couldn't go :(
What car would you like to be seen driving around in?
Either one of the mini coopers from the original "Italian Job" or a big Range Rover.
What book is currently on your nightstand?
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
If you could see a great production of a classic play, what would it be?
Othello
If you could travel back in time to visit or live in any time in history, when would it be?
I used to say the Industrial Revolution era, but I've realized that it must have been horrible working in those mills! So I am actually going to say the 1920's...the women were so confident and progressive. I think it would be a fun time. As long as I could skip the Depression in the 30's.
What actor will you see in any project they do?
I respect and learn from all actors, but I especially follow the works of Kate Winslet and Tom Hanks.
Alarm clocks...
What is your greatest fear?
To lose the people closest to me.
What was your first "real" job working in theatre?
Playing Winnie Foster in Tuck Everlasting
Are you a good at waiting tables?
Hopefully, I won't have to find out!
Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Susan B. Anthony- gotta love those suffragettes.
Who are your favorite heroes of theatre?
Bernadette Peters, Kristen Chenoweth, and Andrew Lloyd Webber
Who are your favorite heroes in real life?
Our troops, victims of genocide, and doctors.
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Orderliness...I'm not into systems and methods; I like to be spontaneous and just do what feels right.
What do you consider the most underrated virtue?
Curiosity- at least, with people my own age, it can be disregarded and looked at as being ignorant or intrusive.
Your favorite painter?
Thomas Kinkade/ Norman Rockwell
Your favorite musician?
Van Morrison/ The Script
Your favorite playwright?
Neil Simon/ Arthur Miller
When and where were you happiest?
In my living room when I was 10 years old after I got the news that I was cast in my first professional show as the lead. I was on top of the world!!!
What do you most value in colleagues?
Dedication...it creates a positive atmosphere and pushes everyone to do better.
Is there a class in which you wish you had paid more attention?
Math...not because I need it on a daily basis, but just to feel more confident when I do need to use it.
If you didn't work in theatre, what would you do?
I'd want to either be a surgeon or maybe a stylist- two complete extremes, right?!
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
So far, singing for Prince William and Prince Harry at Princess Diana's memorial concert.
What you'd like to be the world's best at?
Being the best surfer would be rad...
What book would you read more than once?
The Odyssey....I never get sick of it. And, of course, any Harry Potter book.
Who would play you in a movie of your life? Why?
Miley Cyrus....NOT!! I would like to see Anne Hathaway play me; I think she is brilliant.
What sports teams do you follow?
The Sox and the Celtics...always.
Where would you like to spend a vacation?
Honduras. I was supposed to go on a scuba trip there last year, but I got mono and couldn't go :(
What car would you like to be seen driving around in?
Either one of the mini coopers from the original "Italian Job" or a big Range Rover.
What book is currently on your nightstand?
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
If you could see a great production of a classic play, what would it be?
Othello
If you could travel back in time to visit or live in any time in history, when would it be?
I used to say the Industrial Revolution era, but I've realized that it must have been horrible working in those mills! So I am actually going to say the 1920's...the women were so confident and progressive. I think it would be a fun time. As long as I could skip the Depression in the 30's.
What actor will you see in any project they do?
I respect and learn from all actors, but I especially follow the works of Kate Winslet and Tom Hanks.
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