This semester, the Dibden Center for the Performing Arts will feature two major theatrical performances, “Brighton Beach Memoirs” and “Urinetown.” However, there will not be a well-known musical act visiting the campus this spring.
Jan Herder, director of Dibden and head of the technical theater program, explained that each year there are usually three productions from the theater department: one in the fall, one early in the spring semester – this year, “Brighton Beach Memoirs,” and one later in the spring.
Neil Simon’s “Brighton Beach Memoirs” will begin its run at Dibden with a matinee on Feb. 13 and runs Feb. 14, 15, and 16. According to Dibden’s website, this play is “a portrait of a writer-as-teenager in 1937 Brooklyn living with his family in crowded, lower-middle class circumstances.”
“We like to have a show that is funny and family-oriented,” director Russ Longtin said last year in a Basement Medicine interview (BM: 11-29-2007). “Simon is one of my favorite playwrights. This show is simple and resonates to every person watching it. The show is about a Jewish family living in Brighton Beach, N.Y., before World War II and trying to make ends meet, survive and keep relationships together.”
The production will feature JSC students Ed Thurmond, Marcy Edelstein, Brittany Rhoads and Ally Ticehurst, and will have Olivia Trotman as stage manager with Lauren Bushway and Mary Kate Locke as assistant stage managers.
“Brighton Beach Memoirs,” which runs at 7 p.m. Feb. 14 - 16 is free to the JSC community and has an admission price of $5 for the public.
Simon’s play, which opened on Broadway in March, 1983, and closed May, 1986, starred Matthew Broderick and won many awards, including two Tony Awards.
“This family is poor and can barely survive, but is rich in family,” says Longtin. “The value of family then and now in hard times is similar in that sometimes that’s the only thing you can depend on. This show is similar to ‘The Diary of Anne Frank.’ The play circles around his growing up and watching his values being shaped by what the family goes through.”
The second major theatrical performance of the season, “Urinetown,” is scheduled for April. 24-26. Visiting Professor of Fine and Performing Arts F. Reed Brown will direct.
Other events include Reggae Fest, a performance by bands for the Johnson Musician’s Network; student performances including a senior project by Amber Couture, “The Alturists”; and a musical on the stage.
Herder stated that there was to be no big name act visiting campus this semester, despite the SGA’s $170,000 yearly budget, which he called the largest budget on campus. “It’s a little different semester in that we don’t have a major SA act, so that means we’re going to be primarily theater.”
One issue that Herder discussed dealt with the campus renovations taking place. “The big question this semester is where the Base Lodge is going to be. I suspect it will be in the gym,” he said, and added, “One way or the other we have to have it, because otherwise there’s really nothing to do here. At all.”
The Future of Coffee House
Any doubts about the Base Lodge’s Coffee House were put to rest by Emily Scott, assistant coordinator of student activities. “We are going to be having Coffee House throughout the semester,” she said.
According to Scott, the reason that there is not one specific well-known act stems from a survey held last semester, in which students opted for activities rather than a big name performer.
“Over the next couple of weeks we have an acoustic folk rock [musician] with some jazz influence,” Scott said, referring to Johnson student Will Kent. Other performances she mentioned include a Valentine’s Day concert by the Oleo Romeos (including Johnson professor Tyrone Shaw), who play a mixture of rock, blues, country and R&B; comedian and JSC student Roger Miller; a casino night; inflatables for the Spring Fling weekend; arts and crafts night; a stress relief day; and reggae night.
“It’s better to sometimes get more for what you can,” Scott said.
Scott explained that the location for the Base Lodge is undetermined as of yet, but performances will continue despite the campus renovation project. “The location will be announced prior to the actual Coffee House,” Scott said.
Coffee House performances take place on Thursday nights and are mostly JSC bands. Scott also organizes Friday night activities. She said she wants to suit everyone’s entertainment needs, and that there will never be the same Friday night entertainment in a semester.
Of the Coffee House, Herder said, “In the past that’s been the centerpiece of the alcohol awareness, alternative to drinking programming strategy.”
Both Herder and Scott urged students to get involved. “I wish the students would be more proactive and go after what they want,” Herder said, “That gets me excited when students get excited.”
Scott said she is looking for students to help plan events and organize their own events. She asked for those interested to contact her. Looking forward, she said, “We have some really great events coming up. Come to all our Coffee House events and Friday night activities.”
Herder said of the future, “When we come back in the fall, hopefully there will be some awesome new spaces.”
To contact Emily Scott, email emily.scott@jsc.edu or call 635-1659. To stay informed about Dibden events, visit http://www.jsc.edu/DibdenCenterForTheArts/