|
|
|
Theatre & Box Office |
Reprinted with permission of The Times of Northwest Indiana. Brooding over 'Brodie' BY TIM SHELLBERG Hit play teaches audience which qualities to look for in friends "The most destructive character in the play is also the most attractive," she said. "It's really about what happens when you make choices based on a glittering and attractive personality rather than thinking about the person's principles." Opening today and running through Feb. 19 at Valparaiso's Chicago Street Theatre, "Brodie" tells the story of the title character, a teacher at an all-girl's school in Edinburgh, Scotland, in the 1930s, who wins the hearts of her pre-teen students. Yet her liaisons with a pair of male teachers and support of the likes of Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini lead to her demise. Based on the 1961 novel by Scottish-bred writer Muriel Spark, who drew from her own childhood experiences for her story, "Brodie" was a hit on the big screen in 1968, with Maggie Davis taking home an Oscar for Best Actress for her role as the title character. In 1998, the play was revised for the stage by Jay Presson Allen. "Brodie" is part of the theater guild's 50th season, in which they are reviving a handful of their most successful productions. The play first graced their stage during their 1984-85 season. "When we looked over the list (of possible plays to revise for the season) and I spotted 'Miss Jean Brodie,' I knew I wanted to do it," Weiss said. "It's one of my favorite works of fiction as a book. It's very complex, and with everything that's going on in the world today, I thought this was a good time to put this play on." Starring as Brodie is Donna Blanchard of Merrillville. She is joined onstage by Allison Vodnoy, of Chesterton, as Sandy, one of her prized pupils; Chesterton's Steve Rohe as Mr. Perry, a reporter; and Anne Nicholls, of Crown Point, as Sister Helena. Weiss' production of "Brodie" mixes seasoned theater veterans with a handful of younger newcomers to their adult-geared productions. "Being able to blend our older performers with our younger performers has become more and more of a mission for our theater," she said. "We have theater classes for kids and we have expanded our children's theater season, and this creates more opportunities to get those kids on the stage." Due to some sensitive material "Brodie" is not recommended for younger, sensitive audiences. Next up for the Community Theatre Guild is a children's production, "The Pied Piper of Hamelin," which is scheduled to open Feb. 25 at Chicago Street Theatre. "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" is running at Chicago Street Theatre at 8 tonight, Saturday, Feb. 11, 12, 18 and 19 and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday and Feb. 13. onstage |
|
|