Beanstalked!
Directed by Paul Kennedy
The British pantomime season, which roughly coincides with the Christmas season, is that peculiar time of the theatrical year when stars put on tights, children scream at villains, and theaters are full of happy audiences. Pantomime, by no means "silent," comes from the bawdy, larger than life theater tradition that insists men dress as women and vice-versa, that bangs follow crashes, and that audiences join in the fun. While kids scream at the spectacle, parents chuckle at satire, innuendo, and camp humor. During the season, almost every theater in Britain stages a pantomime production. This year the Madison Theatre Guild will join the festivities with a brand-new show.
Produced by Madison Theatre Guild at the Esquire Theater.
Performance Dates: December 3-6,10-13, 17-20, 1998
Ticket are $12 adults, $10 students and seniors.
Call 238-9322 for information or reservations.
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Madison Being Stalked!----Beanstalked!
New Holiday Show For Kids of All Ages
Beanstalked! is a new and lighthearted holiday show which offers a refreshing change from the fairies, nutcrackers and ghosts that typically pervade the Madison holiday season. In their stead you'll see a demon spider, a giant beanstalk, a man playing a woman, a woman playing a boy, good vs evil, booing and hissing, great music, a huge cannon---oh, and a dancing cow.
Beanstalked! is a takeoff of a British pantomime. The pantomime season in Britain, roughly coincides with our Christmas season. Holiday Pantos are a tradition in England. They bring fairy tales to the stage with a twist. Pantos have elements of Fractured Fairy Tales, Monty Python, the Three Stooges cartoons, and vaudeville. Pantomime comes from the bawdy, larger than life theatrical tradition that insists men dress as women and vice-versa, humans dress as animals, bangs follow crashes, and audiences join in the fun.
It is at this peculiar time of the British theatrical year when stars put on tights, children-scream at villains, and theaters are full of happy patrons. While kids scream at the spectacle, parents chuckle at the satire, innuendo, and camp humor. During the season almost every theater in Britain stages a pantomime production..
Beanstalked! is a children's show----for children of all ages. Kids will love the songs, the dance and the slapstick humor. Adults will enjoy the double entendres and topical, local flavor which permeates the show.
The cast is full of actors making their MTG debut. Among some of the more interesting stories: Kelly and Trent Jackson, a husband and wife team who play two of the leads. Kelly has been an international model for the last ten years, with covers of Vogue and Elle on her resume, and has had small roles in feature films. Her husband Trent came to the UW on a basketball scholarship. He is currently a sports agent, with Barry Alvarez and Dick Bennett among his clients.
Michael Bickel and Cindy Severt are guaranteed to be the most talented dancing cow ever to appear on a Madison stage. Both are well known around Madison as dance partners, recently performing at the Esquire Theatre's Open House. Michael Bickel is also choreographer for Beanstalked.
Another talented couple in the cast is Jackie and Chris Ochalla. Both were in the 1997 production of Everyman. Extremely talented vocalists and dancers, they are playing key roles in the show....Jackie as the Vegetable Fairy and Chris supplying the voice of the giant, Blunderbore!
Sara Ann Selje joins the cast making her stage debut at the tender age of, well, come see for yourself. She has raised children and grandchildren and had several interesting careers prior to retirement in 1980.
There are several Theatre Guild veterans back for more. Kathleen Maki, who played Fola in Fighting Bob-A Love Story last season, takes on the difficult "pants" role of Jack. Thomas Deming-Henes was also in Fighting Bob, as was John Kremm who is producing Beanstalked! and most recently acted in and produced the Guild's successful season opener, Funny Money. Rounding out the cast are MTG newcomers Heather Christiansen and Sara Sharp.
Lastly, we throw in the Director, Waunakee born Paul Kennedy, playing the Grande Dame role of Dame Trot. Kennedy recently played Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof with CTM, the Baker in Into the Woods at MATC, and appeared in Everyman. Kennedy, an equity actor, along with his wife and five children, lives in Waunakee. Kennedy says that the madness of the panto is what attracted him to these projects. "Where else can you make fun of the President, Viagra and local politicians set to music?"
Kennedy makes this guarantee to all theater patrons: There will be no other show like Beanstalked! on the Madison Stage this Holiday Season. Come to Beanstalked! for fresh, fun, holiday entertainment the whole family will enjoy.
Beanstalked! runs from December 3 through the 20th at the beautiful, newly renovated Esquire Theatre. Call 238-9322 to reserve your tickets. Tickets are $12 and $11 at the door; there is a $1 discount for ordering in advance.