Welcome to The Park Players

Much Ado About Nothing at Homewood Park,

reviewed May 24th 2010 by Daniel Hurst

I enjoyed myself so much that I didn’t even take notes. So I gotta wing it. Improv typing?

All I really want to say is that the Park Players version of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing was pretty darned terrific. It’s way cool to go to Homewood Park and watch good theatre under an open sky. It’s even better with a full house – and that’s what they had. The townsfolk are discovering that our Park Players are inexpensive and F-U-N.

It was especially cool to see the finished performance after I got to watch the audition process. It’s a bit like meeting a magician’s normal, unassuming rabbit and then – four months later – getting to watch how he twained that wascal. I assume Director Hannah Wilkerson had everything to do with that. Also, whoever is responsible for making it look like the cast is having fun and keeping an eye on spreading that fun to the audience: Keep it up. The Park Players share a contagious kind of joy with the women of Sanspointe.

Without exception, the entire cast did very well, but there were a couple of standouts. Kenny Morris was completely fearless as Benedick – over-the-top slapstick and silly while still maintaining a sweet disposition. His scenes involving ever-likeable Clay Boyce (as Don Pedro) and the expressive Cris Morriss (as Claudio) were especially memorable. In concentrated roles, Beth Ashton (as Cinder) radiated mordacity – a good word, right? – and Martha Crotty (as Antonia) provided an unexpected and excellent thump of fiery intensity. Kudos to everyone for making the dancing scenes look fun, rather than forced.

At the show on Saturday, I came a little late and it was so full that I had to sit aaaaall the way down front. There were also at least a couple of “enthusiastic” audience members somewhere behind me less-than-quietly making running commentary. Surprisingly, instead of being annoyed, I kept laughing about it. Back in Shakespeare’s day, I assume the crowds were raucous. And the groundlings (stinkards?) would have been much louder and more involved.

Sitting down front made me want to hiss and boo every time Don John, Cinder, and Borachio came on stage. Or throw tomatoes. Or hold my hands up in with an enthusiastic thumbs down. Or to WOOOoooo out loud every time Claudio and Hero or Benedick and Beatrice got all lovey-dovey. Or to shout out in agreement what an ass Dogberry is.

How drunk would you have to get an otherwise very well-behaved Birmingham crowd to do this sort of thing? They’ll do it at the Rocky Horror Picture Show with Brad and Janet – but I guess that’s a different thing entirely. But does it have to be? Maybe plant three or four or more groundlings in the audience as an unexpected part of next year’s Park Players show? Set ‘em up with rude and boorish cues for entrances or exits for certain characters. Let ‘em boo. Heck, let ‘em throw stuff. How fun would THAT be, once the audience realizes what’s going on and they’re only adding to the fun of the show? Why not sprinkle in a little more “enthusiasm”? The audience always is at least half the reason for going to a show, anyway, whether it’s quiet or noisy.

Much thanks to Hannah Wilkerson and the Park Players for dodging Alabama rainstorms and putting together a great theatre experience. I’m looking forward to the upcoming performance of Noises Off.

Taming of the Shrew at Homewood Park,

reviewed August 21st, 2009 by Daniel Hurst

Our local guerilla troupe is at it again. I last saw the Birmingham Park Players do their rendition of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged). This time around, they’re doing The Taming of the Shrew. Ah yes, kiss me, Kate!

I love that Homewood Park contains a dedicated area for performances. Stone steps and a grassy hillside built into the park in front of a stage. Like it was meant to be. But it must be criminally underused. What else could we do with it?

Maybe the most fun of seeing shows here is watching the park users walk, bike, skate, skip, and play behind the stage, craning their necks, staring, and curiously peeking around at what’s going on. I’m sure many of them come to the park every day or every other day and there sure-as-heck isn’t usually Shakespeare. It feels like you’re in the “in crowd” – at least a little – when you show up for this kind of transformative happening. And there was a big ol’ beautiful crescent moon behind the stage for the first half-hour of my performance.

The play is worth seeing. Director Clay Boyce ensures that his version of the Bard stays entertaining for all ages. As with his earlier work, highbrow goes out the window. Slapstick, silliness, audience participation, crotch humor, mimickry, wordplay, romance, accents a-plenty, and mostly excellent pacing keep this play moving along for younger viewers (or adults with an internet-coddled attention span). You’re guaranteed to laugh, whether you’re six or you’re a tax accountant. It’s also fun to pay attention to the entrances and exits of the actors around the long, winding paths to each side of the stage – many laughs come just from anticipating what’s coming next.

Two standouts, for me, were Wesley Glass as Tranio and Kate Jenkins as Biondella. Once you start to notice him, Glass is hard not to eyeball whenever he’s on stage. And Jenkins does a fantastic job of frantically running back and forth from front to back and back again with big-eyed enthusiasm. Both might could stand there stone straight and still probably make me laugh.

If I had any complaint, it’s just that the dynamics could get an adjustment. No one in the cast was too loud, but several cast members were too quiet. The whole thing could go up one notch and be just fine. I recognize that performing outdoors is acoustically difficult.

Just like the park is probably underutilized for performances, I’d like to highlight that the play is FREE for anyone under sixteen. One adult + one child = $15. One grandmother + five grandkids = $15. One teacher + ten students = $15. Someone should advertise this at local schools and after-school type organizations. It’s a fantastic way to reward kids participating in non-profits or for academic performance. Also, a fine treat for those who might never have seen Shakespeare.

If you’re an adult, I wonder if you can remember the first few times you saw Shakespeare’s plays? Even a little exposure might have saved you from a lifetime of only craving what’s on TV. Plays are better ’cause they’re in person. And you can look at whatever you want. In my humble opinion, an “Under 16″ crowd could benefit from a little more exposure to this kind of live event.

I wish that other arts organizations in Birmingham would adopt this policy. One thing I’ve noticed is that I’m always going to shows that are half (or more) empty. Performances are simply better when it’s a fuller house. It feels like something cool. It’s fun to hear other people laughing and getting into it. The actors, dancers, and performers have more fun. Heck, it’s fun just to people-watch.

So, why would you Scrooge out about your tickets? Give them away to kids. This might have all kinds of good effects. It might encourage (paying) parents or adults to come to more shows. It may encourage those kids to become actors, singers, or whatever. And most importantly, it might create demand in those kids for a whole lifetime.

Plus, it’s just funner to attend if the audience is more than just ten old “patrons” and me. Y’all should think about it. In fact, I wonder whether a policy of free or cheap “day of” tickets would encourage bigger audiences. My guess is that you often know in advance whether there are going to be a mess of extra tickets to stuff. Find a way to give ‘em away. Don’t let your trees fall in the forest with no one there to hear.

Someone in charge should do some thinkin’ on this.

Shadowlands
July 10 -19 at Deerfoot Community Bible Church (Trussville)
Reviewed July 10 by Paul McCracken

First of all, a disclaimer: My son is in the cast. As his father, I thought he was wonderful. As a director and fellow actor, I thought he was pretty damn good.

Shadowlands, based on the true story of the unlikely romance of crusty English professor C. S. Lewis and American expatriate Joy Gresham, is a powerful play. Jessie Bates carries off the difficult role of Lewis with magnificent aplomb. He is imminently believable as the confirmed elderly bachelor who is set in his ways and happy to be so. Bates delivers Lewis' theology with sincere passion and delivers his emotional awakening in a way that reveals astounding depth. Sheila Snoddy's performance as Joy is equally remarkable. Her portrayal has just the right balance showing the whirlwind that struck Lewis' life when he met Joy yet at the same time Snoddy does not overplay the part. She has the remarkable ability to play an over-the-top character in a manner that accurately depicts the person while at the same time she does not go so far as to turn the role into a farce.
Also worthy of high praise is David Gregson's performance as Warnie, C. S. Lewis' brother with whom he lived. Here a role that could be a minor comic relief or a filler to deliver plot points. Instead, Gregson plays with a subtle touch that enhances the entire show. He maintains a proper British deportment and at the same time gives a performance with important nuances. Brothers Nathan and Caleb Denard give excellent performances as Joy's son Douglas at four years apart. An ensemble of other actors: Tanner McCracken, George Maronge, William Brisky, and Susan Joy Denard do an excellent job of filling in a number of additional roles. Their performances significantly enhance the story. A special word of praise goes to John McGinnis' performance as Christopher Riley, Lewis' atheist friend. It is his role to present the viewpoint opposite of Lewis' optimistic theology and McGinnis is able to portray a potentially unlikeable character as a charming rogue instead of a caricature. Director Clay Boyce deserves great credit for assembling an talented cast and molding them so as to present a powerful script in a powerful manner.

A couple of technical notes of commendation. Shadowlands is presented in a church worship center but the set is well-designed and makes good use of the available space. Also, the lighting design is especially effective, using subtle changes to depict a shift of location or of time.
While Deerfoot Community Church is not centrally located in the Birmingham area, it is easily accessible off of the Deerfoot Parkway exit of I-59 near Trussville. Believe me, this show is worth the drive.

Blackpool and Parrish at Alabama School of Fine Arts, Letter to the editor on July 20th,, 2007 by Susan Martin

Play entertaining, even lighthearted:

I attended the opening-night performance of "Blackpool and Parrish" presented by the Park Players at the Alabama School of Fine Arts. Since then, I looked daily for a review in The News. On Wednesday, I read what I believe to be one of the most astounding reviews I have seen in recent years.

I found the play to be entertaining, even lighthearted in places, with thought-provoking lines about good vs. evil sprinkled throughout just to mix it up a little. The actors appeared comfortable on stage and performed the lines to, in my belief, near perfection.

I would urge people to take the time to attend a performance and judge for themselves. I feel the review was extremely harsh and did not give a true critique of "Blackpool and Parrish."

Susan Martin

Galleria Station

Reviews

Much Ado About Nothing at Homewood Park,

reviewed May 24th 2010 by Daniel Hurst