Madison Theatre Guild - 1997-98 Season
- Afternoon of the Elves - August 22-23, 1997
- The Nerd - September 5 - October 4, 1997
- Deathtrap - October 31 - November 22, 1997
- A Very Taffeta Christmas - December 5-21, 1997
- Steel Magnolias - February 19-28, 1998
- Fighting Bob: A Love Story - June 12-20, 1998
By Janet Taylor Lisle, adapted by Y. York
Directed by Roni Harper
Based on a Newberry award winning book about four imaginative preteen girls, this play promises to delight audiences young and old.
Produced by MTG Jr.
Presented at McDaniels Auditorium
August 21, preview at 7:00 pm
August 22 and 23, 7:00 pm
By Larry Shue
Directed by Patrick Fernan
A comedy about a nice guy tormented by the guest from hell.
Produced by Madison Theatre Guild
Presented at McDaniels Auditorium, 545 W. Dayton Street
September 19 - 7:30 pm
September 20 - 8 pm
September 25 and 26 - 7:30 pm
September 27 - 5:00 and 8 :00 pm
October 2 and 3 - 7:30 pm
October 4 - 5:00 and 8 :00 pm
By Ira Levine
Directed by Sam White
Sidney Bruhl is a celebrated writer of Broadway thrillers who's suffering through a dry spell. After a string of embarrassing flops, he's spending time in his comfortable Westport, Conn., home with his nervously afflicted wife, Myra, hoping to be touched with inspiration along the lines of that which resulted in The Murder Game, Sidney's magnum opus.
To make Sidney's slump all the more painful, Clifford Anderson, a student of one of Sidney's writing seminars, has recently sent his mentor a copy of his first attempt at playwrighting for Sidney's review and advice. The play, Deathtrap, is a five character, two act thriller so perfect in its construction that, as Sidney says, "A gifted director couldn't even hurt it."
Using his penchant for plot, and out of his desperate desire to once again be the toast of Broadway, Sidney, along with Myra, cook up an almost unthinkable scheme: They'll lure the would-be playwright to the Bruhl home, kill him, and market the sure-fire script as Sidney's own.
But shortly after Clifford arrives, it's clear that things are not what they seem! Indeed, even Helga Ten Dorp, a nosey psychic from next door, and Porter Milgram, Sidney's observant attorney, can only speculate where the line between truth and deception lies.
Alternating intrigue with humor, and throwing in more than one mind-reeling plot twist, Ira Levin's Deathtrap is a classic suspense thriller.
Produced by Madison Theatre Guild
Presented at McDaniels Auditorium, 545 W. Dayton Street
October 31, November 6, 7, 13 and 14 at 7:30 pm
November 1, 8, and 15 at 5:00 and 8:00 pm
The play within the play
Deathtrap is both the epitome of the classic thriller, as well as a playful insider's poke at the genre.
"A thriller in two acts," says Sidney of his protege's script at the opening curtain. "One set. Five characters. A juicy murder in Act One, unexpected developments in Act Two. Sound construction, good dialogue, laughs in the right places. Highly commercial."
It's an apt description of the play the audience is about to experience.Furthermore, as the narrative progresses, Levin continues to toy with references to his own play, within the context of Clifford's script of the same name.
But Levin -- nor Bruhl, for that matter! -- invented the dramatic structure of the ideal thriller. Throughout the play, Levin cleverly alludes to the collection of other memorable thrillers to which Deathtrap belongs: Anthony Shaffer's Sleuth, Dial "M" for Murder by Frederick Knott, Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution, and Angel Street by Patrick Hamilton, which Sidney credits with infecting him with thrilleritis malignis at the age of 15, the very same age at which Levin himself decided upon the career of a writer.
When multiple sets and many players mean mounting production costs, the advantages of a single set and limited cast are obvious. Sleuth, the play to which Deathtrap is most often compared, took that theory to the extreme: Shaffer utilized a single set and only two actors to create one of the biggest hits of the 1970s, opening on Broadway in November 1970 and running for more than 1,100 performances. Its slim production costs, hardly at the expense of effective drama, are certainly one key to the show's longevity. (Deathtrap, however, would beat Sleuth at its own game, running for nearly 1,800 shows later that decade.)
Perhaps Angel Street, the Broadway hit of the 1940s starring Vincent Price, that Sidney cites as his early inspiration, came the closest to Bruhl's description. Its three principal characters, and two others providing subplots and support (just like Levin's play), all interacting on a single set probably isn't coincidence. (American audiences might know Hamilton's play better for the 1944 film version, entitled Gaslight
Playwright/Background
Ira Levin (b. Aug. 27, 1929, New York City) partly based the role of Sidney, not surprisingly, on himself. A fan of riddles, puzzles and detective stories at an early age, Levin decided on the career of a writer at the age of 15. Educated at the elite Horace Mann school, he went on to two years at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, before transferring to New York University where he majored in philosophy and English. He earned his degree in 1950. In '53, he was drafted into the Army. Based in Queens, New York, he wrote and produced training films for Uncle Sam, before moving into television, penning scripts for Lights Out and The United States Steel Hour.
He made his bright theater debut at the age of 25 with a stage adaptation of Mac Hyman's No Time for Sergeants (1955), and followed it up with the 1960 hit comedy Critic's Choice starring Henry Fonda. Two later works, however, Dr. Cook's Garden (1967) and Veronica's Room(1975), were less successful.
When it came to Deathtrap, Levin thought he might sidestep the risky nature of the stage altogether and turn his idea into a novel. "But it somehow felt as if it just had to be a play," he told New York Newsdayon March 19, 1978. The play took him six years to complete.
Not to say that Levin hasn't had great success with the novel format. He is equally known for his novels, starting with his award-winning A Kiss Before Dying, his first, which he wrote at age 22. Rosemary's Baby, The Boys from Brazil, The Stepford Wives and Sliver are more of his other well-known books. All were made into films, though he has never taken the adaptation assignment on himself, because he has "always felt that it's better to go on to something else rather than rewrite something that you've done already."
Original Broadway production
The original Broadway production of Deathtrap opened Feb. 26, 1978, at the Music Box Theatre, 239 W. 45th St., and ran for 1,793 performances over the course of five years. Produced by Alfred de Liagre Jr. and Roger L. Stevens, it was the longest running non-musical play of the '70s, and remains Broadway's longest running mystery of all time.
Throughout the course of its long engagement -- Deathtrap is also the fourth-longest running non-musical in Broadway history -- many men played the role of Sidney, including: John Cullum, Farley Granger, Stacy Keach, Robert Reed and John Wood. Marian Seldes, on the other hand, portrayed Myra in every Broadway performance, giving her, at one time, the Guinness Book of World Records title for most performances in the same role.
The production received four Tony award nominations, including: Victor Garber, best actor; Seldes, best actress; Levin, best play; and Robert Moore, best director. (That year, the Tony for best play went to Hugh Leonard's Da.)
The 1982 film of Deathtrap, directed by Sidney Lumet, starred Michael Caine as Sidney, Christopher Reeve as Clifford and Dyan Cannon as Myra
By Rick Lewis
Directed by Patrick Fernan and Yvette Ferris, musical direction by Pam Schroeder
A musical featuring the return of a '50s girl group, singing old favorites and special holiday treats.
Produced by Madison Theatre Guild
Presented at McDaniels Auditorium, 545 W. Dayton Street
Thursday December 4th Preview 7:30 PM
Friday Dec. 5th OPENING 7:30 PM
Saturday Dec 6th 5 and 8 PMThursday Dec. 11 7:30 PM
Friday Dec 12 7:30 PM
Saturday Dec 13 5 and 8 PMThursday Dec 18 7:30 PM
Friday Dec 19 7:30 PM
Saturday Dec 20 5 and 8 PM
Steel Magnolias
By Robert Harling
Directed by Margaret Ingraham
Six women in a southern town live life with laughter and tears.
Produced by Madison Theatre Guild
Presented at Oakwood Village
February 19-21, 27-28 at 8:00 pm
2:00 matinee on February 21 and 28
Fighting Bob: A Love Story
Story and lyrics by John N. Schweitzer. Music by Taras Nahirniak.
Directed by Patrick Fernan.Choreography by Katrina Williams.
Robert M. La Follette comes to rollicking life, singing and dancing his way through four decades of Wisconsin history in this historically harmonious original production about the life and times of La Follette and his wife, Belle Case La Follette.
Bob La Follette was a man far ahead of his time, a leader who took active stances against political corruption and big business control of government. These markers of clean government remain Wisconsin standards in its sesquicentennial year.
Fighting Bob: A Love Story tells the story of this remarkable native son's love for his family, his state, and his nation, and his rise to power as Dane County D.A., U.S. Representative, Wisconsin Governor, U.S. Senator, and Presidential candidate. A founder of the Progressive Party and the Progressive Magazine, Fighting Bob actively opposed discrimination against women and minorities.
This world premiere was commissioned by the Madison Theatre Guild, Madison's oldest community theater, founded in 1946. The musical is presented with the generous support of the Sesquicentennial Commission, the Wisconsin Arts Board, and the Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission. Fighting Bob: A Love Story promises to be a sesquicentennial event for the entire family.
Produced by Madison Theatre Guild at Madison West High School.
June 12, 13, 19 and 20, 1998, at 8 pm.
Madison Theatre Guild - 1996-97 Season
- The Odd Couple - February 21-March 1, 1997
- Godspell - May 2-4, 8-10, 1997
By Neil Simon
Produced by Madison Theatre Guild and MCM Grand Dinner Theater
Directed by Patrick Fernan
Presented at the McDaniels Auditorium, 545 W. Dayton Street
February 21-23, 27, 28, and March 1 at 8 pm.
Music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
Directed by Patrick Fernan
A musical based on the Gospel of St. Matthew.
Produced by Madison Theatre Guild and MCM Grand Dinner Theater
Presented at McDaniels Auditorium, 545 W. Dayton Street
May 2-17 at 8 pm Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 pm Sundays
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