Rosina Reynolds on Noël Coward
In Part 1 of our three part interview series, we talked Noël Coward with one of the stars, Rosina Reynolds, who plays Judith Bliss in Hay Fever and Florence Lancaster in The Vortex. Next up are directors Sean Murray (The Vortex) and Rob Lutfy (Hay Fever).
Here’s what Rosina had to say….
What draws you to Coward? Coward has always been a particular favorite of mine. What couldn’t you ask for….style, fabulously complex characters, brilliant language, clever repartee, and you get to wear gorgeous costumes.
Why do you think he is an important playwright? Coward is one of the great figures of English theatre, his plays rank in the classical tradition of Congreve, Sheridan, Wilde and Shaw. Harold Pinter had a huge regard for Coward, and considered him a big influence. There are similarities in their construction of language. Pinter wrote that watching Coward taught him that a playwright can have two characters saying one thing while clearly thinking about and meaning something else.
How do you feel these two roles work together? How is presenting a repertory exciting for you as an actor? Challenging? Judith and Florence are women with similar stories but hugely different ways of living their lives…a kind of ying and yang of women. To explore both of them at the same time is a gift…to explore the polar opposites presented by these two women. Will it be challenging…you bet…but isn’t that why we do it?
Have you worked on a Rep before? Quite a while ago. I’m looking forward to the challenge.
How will you prepare for these very different roles in different eras? Rehearsal, rehearsal, rehearsal. And rehearsal. Costumes and wigs will inform greatly.
What is your own experience/background with Coward either in acting or directing? I have been in Hay Fever twice, both time playing Myra Arundel. I was Amanda in Private Lives (San Diego Critics Circle/Craig Noel award for Best Actress) I have directed Fallen Angels and Blythe Spirit.
How do you feel about being back at Cygnet? It’s like coming home.
Announcing Season Thirteen
From a fish falling out of the sky in the year 2039, to a “sweet transvestite”, to one stupid established men review : a terrible fake sugar daddy site. And we’re excited to share it with you now. Without further antici…pation, here’s our 2015-2016 season!
DOGFIGHT
Music and Lyrics by BENJ PASEK & JUSTIN PAUL
Book by PETER DUCHAN
Based on the Warner Bros. Film and Screenplay by BOB COMFORT
Directed by SEAN MURRAY
July 16th – August 23rd, 2015. Opening July 25th, 2015.
It’s November 21, 1963. On the eve of their deployment to a small but growing conflict in Southeast Asia, three young Marines set out for one final boys’ night of debauchery, partying and maybe a little trouble. But when Corporal Eddie Birdlace meets Rose, an awkward and idealistic waitress he enlists to win a cruel bet with his fellow recruits, she rewrites the rules of the game and teaches him the power of compassion. Winner of the Lucille Lortel Award for Best Musical and praised by countless critics, Dogfight takes audiences on a romantic and heartbreaking theatrical journey that stays with you long after the performance. Featuring Dave Thomas Brown (Shakespeare’s R&J, Spring Awakening) “Superbly crafted, gratifyingly intelligent, richly observant, and immensely enjoyable. This is musical theatre at its finest.” – Backstage
HAY FEVER (Performed in Rep with The Vortex)
By NOËL COWARD
Directed by ROB LUTFY
Semptember 23rd – November 8th, 2015. Opening October 3rd, 2015.
Retired stage star Judith Bliss, her novelist husband and their two bohemian adult children have each invited houseguests for the weekend. But as the Blisses indulge their artistic eccentricities in a hilarious whirlwind of flirtation and histrionics, the guests begin to wonder if they’ve landed in a madhouse – and if they can survive with their own wits intact. Set in an English country house in the 1920’s, Noël Coward’s hilarious comedy of bad manners has been a favorite amongst theatregoers ever since it first dazzled London’s West End in 1925. “An evening of intoxicating escape” – The New York Times
THE VORTEX (Performed in Rep with Hay Fever)
By NOËl COWARD
Directed by SEAN MURRAY
September 24th – November 8th, 2015. Opening October 3rd, 2015.
Nicky Lancaster brings his elegant fiancée, Bunty, home to introduce her to his famous mother, stage actress Florence Lancaster. Nicky is shocked to discover that Florence has taken a much younger lover, and when Bunty ditches Nicky to run off with his mother’s boy-toy, both are forced to confront the truth about themselves. Noël Coward’s first commercially successful hit, The Vortex premiered in 1924 in London, and its scandalous subject matter of drug abuse, repressed homosexuality, nymphomania and Oedipal jealousy made Coward an overnight sensation. Hay Fever and The Vortex will feature Rosina Reynolds (The Glass Menagerie, Noises Off) “The Vortex (1924) is the play that turned Noël Coward into a star….Almost nine decades later, it still packs a powerful punch.” -The Telegraph
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
Adaptation and Lyrics by SEAN MURRAY
Score by BILLY THOMPSON
Directed by SEAN MURRAY
November 27th – December 27th, 2015. Opening December 5th, 2015.
Cygnet Theatre invites you to start your own family tradition with one of ours. This season welcomes the return of theholiday classic adapted from Charles Dickens’ timeless tale of hope and redemption. This re-imagined, fully staged production features original new music, creative stagecraft and puppetry, and live sound effects. Step into a Victorian Christmas card for a unique storytelling experience that is sure to delight the entire family! “Critics Choice” in 2014 – UT San Diego
WHEN THE RAIN STOPS FALLING
By ANDREW BOVELL
Directed by ROB LUTFY
January 14th – February 14th, 2016. Opening January 23rd, 2016.
Alice Springs in the year 2039. A fish falls from the sky and lands at the feet of Gabriel York. And it still smells of the sea. It’s been raining for days, and Gabriel knows something is wrong. Fifty years earlier, his grandfather, Henry Law, predicts that fish will fall from the sky heralding a great flood which will end life on earth as we know it. In an intricate, multi-layered story that spans four generations and two continents, When the Rain Stops Falling explores patterns of betrayal, abandonment, destruction, forgiveness and love. This powerful drama unfolds with humanity, surprising humor and hope, as the past plays out into the future. “The Best New Play of Year” in 2010 – Time Magazine
RICHARD O’BRIAN’S THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW
Book, Music and Lyrics by RICHARD O’BRIEN
Directed by SEAN MURRAY
March 10th – May 1st, 2016. Opening March 19th, 2016.
A satirical tribute to the science fiction and B-list horror movies of the 20th century, the show centers around two naïve lovers, Brad and Janet. Seeking shelter from a thunderstorm in an old castle, they find themselves thrust into the laboratory of the cross-dressing mad scientist Dr. Frank ‘N’ Furter and his motley crew. Stripped of inhibitions — and their clothes — Brad and Janet embark on a wild, unforgettable journey of pleasure and self-discovery. Reality, fiction, and camp collide in this mash-up of comics, rock and roll, and late-night horror flicks. “A musical that deals with mutating identity and time warps becomes one of the most mutated, time warped phenomena in show business.” – The New York Times
STUPID F**KING BIRD
By AARON POSNER
Directed by ROB LUTFY
May 19th – June 19th, 2016. Opening May 28th, 2016.
In this irreverent, contemporary, and very funny remix of Chekhov’s The Seagull, award-winning playwright Aaron Posner wages a timeless battle between young and old, past and present, in search of the true meaning of it all. An aspiring young director rampages against the art created by his mother’s generation. A nubile young actress wrestles with an aging Hollywood star for the affections of a renowned novelist. And everyone discovers just how disappointing love, art, and growing up can be. With music, meta-theatricality, and mad humor, playwright Aaron Posner beats The Seagull to a bloody pulp. “Bitterly sardonic…Ferociously funny” – Stage and Cinema
Purchase single tickets here.
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Virtual Peek Backstage @ Social Media Night
This January we held one of our traditional Cygneture events at the theatre for our patrons, bloggers, Twitter fans, and media. During a fun and engaging night at Sons of the Prophet, our staff, cast, and crew participated in live tweeting and provided some behind-the-scenes facts about the show as it progressed through the night.
Check out these fun facts and recaps from the night
and join us for the next one!
- As we were assembling the deer decoy, the office dog, Uli, wasn’t sure what to make of it. At least we made the playwright, Stephen Karam, laugh.
2. The actors took some awesome backstage photos. Dylan, who plays Charles, also participated in the first Social Media Night for Spring Awakening. Do you see a pattern with Dylan?
- Close to home: The voiceovers in the show were actor Faeren Adams (Ensemble), who voiced the automated phone message at the bus station, and the sound designer’s mother, who is an actual nurse, voicing the overhead paging system in the hospital waiting room scene.
- The image of St. Rafqa in the upstairs bedroom is a religious icon from the Maronite Oder of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Lebanon.
- Our Costume Designer (and also our Development Director) Veronica Murphy scored some lucky finds. One of the hardest things to locate in San Diego is a big bulky coat (since 60 degrees is near-freezing). She searched everywhere for a coat for Gloria, played by Maggie Carney, with no luck. We got a last minute donation and it fit her perfectly!
- In the last scene, Joseph is wearing a Nazareth Cross Country t-shirt, which was his high school team. It was given to us for free by the actual Nazareth High School Athletic Department in Pennsylvania.
- Joseph’s character, Sons of the Prophet’s playwright Stephen Karam, grew up in Scranton, PA. and ran cross-country. He also lived down the street from an actual Douaihy family.
- Double throwback fact: Two young Cygnet actors are currently playing Charles in different productions of Sons of the Prophet. Dylan Mulvaney, who plays Charles at Cygnet, was last seen here at the theatre in Spring Awakening as Ernst. Braxton Molinaro was last seen at Cygnet Theatre in Assassins as John Wilkes Booth. He is currently playing Charles in a production at the Blank Theatre in Hollywood, CA.
Join us for the next Social Media Nights for My Fair Lady (March 13) and The Whale (May 22). You never know what you might learn about the show and its cast!
Behind the Scenes of the San Diego Premiere of The Motherf**ker with the Hat
Have you ever wondered what it takes to bring a production to life? The journey from the very first read through of the script to opening night is a creative collaboration process like no other. Bringing a production to life takes a team of well-trained and committed artisans whose names rarely appear on the marquee. While once a year, they are recognized during award season, they mostly trail behind the scenes to ensure what happens on stage helps tell a story, express the director’s vision and create a lasting impression on the audience. The creation of a play is a fascinating journey that relies on the talent and creativity of a team of dedicated theatre artists. It’s a true hands-on endeavor. We had a chance to sit in on the recent Designer Forum for The Motherf**ker with the Hat and learned a lot about the process of making theater magic. These creative artists pulled back the proverbial curtain and gave us a peek inside. Here are some highlights.
Rob Lutfy (Director) “Theater is basically problem solving. I knew I wanted the entire play to have a strong caffeinated feel and I worked with the creative team to achieve that in many different ways. One was to keep the momentum, tone and energy going throughout the entire production starting with the curtain speech to turn your f**king phones off and including all the scene changes.”
Craig Wolf (Lighting Designer) “Stylistically, the job of lighting is to bridge the gap between the set and the cast. We specifically lit and energized the scene changes to capture that caffeinated quality Rob wanted.”
Matt Lescault-Wood (Sound Designer) “I call this a mix tape show. I wanted the music to reflect the characters and the neighborhood (New York’s Hell’s Kitchen). I found a lot of 60s Puerto Rican music, as well as Jazz/Hip-Hop/Fusion that captures the energy and lifestyle of these people.”
Shelly Williams (Costume Designer) “My first task is to create a scene timeline to get the progress of these characters lives straight. They are modern-day people and I wanted their costumes to be grounded in reality and reflect the passage of time with subtle changes. People will naturally carry over small elements of their wardrobe into the next day. Because the actors are involved in scene changes, there was not much time for total costume changes anyway. When shopping, I try to think what the character would buy when they go shopping and create a closet for each one. Each item is selected and fashioned after deep research on the character as well as input from the actor.”
Rob Lutfy “At some point in the creative process, you have to let go and it becomes the actor’s play. You provide a roadmap for them to follow and they you step away and let it breathe. Enjoy learning about the design process? Come to our next free Designer Forum, DATE. You’ll gain a new respect for the craft of making theatre and the craftspeople who make it their life’s work.”