Puppets – Masks – Trapeze — Original Music

The Sun, played by Julianne Pictou (South Lancaster Academy, Lancaster, MA 2008) extends her hand to Inook, played by Sage Landry (Lincoln Academy 2009) in his quest to put the seasons right.

The University of Southern Maine Department of Theatre
presents the epic story ofan Inuit boy
who must brave the frozen ends of the Earth
to save his people from endless winter in

INOOK AND THE SUN

by Henry Beissel, April 23 – May 2, 2010
Directed by Dr. Assunta Kent.

WHEN: April 23, 24, 29, 30 & May 1 at 7:30 p.m.; April 25 & May 2 at 2 p.m.

WHERE: Russell Hall on the University of Southern Maine's Gorham Campus

TICKETS: $14 for the general public; $10 for seniors and USM staff; $7 for students

SPECIAL: "$5 @ Five" show will be held on April 28 at 5 p.m., all tickets just $5

BOX OFFICE: (207) 780-5151 Reservation recommended

Inook and the Sun, based on Inuit folk tales, follows a boy’s epic quest to bring the sun back and save his people from starvation in an endless winter.

“It looks like winter will last forever. People are starving. It’s too cold. The Moon is in charge and he’s cold, distant and mocking,” says Director Dr. Assunta Kent. “This boy, Inook, must make a journey to the frozen ends of the Earth, under the sea, and into an ice berg to try and bring back the Sun — who is trapped there — and put the seasons right again.”

Costume designer Kris Hall, using Facebook, has organized a small army of USM student designers to help come up with the fantastical creatures that help, and sometimes hinder, Inook on his journey. Costume creations include full-body musk ox, shark and polar bear puppets, as well as an angry sea godess made from beach detritus.

“We have a sea monster that takes eight people to run and that fills the entire stage,” says Dr. Kent. “It takes three big guys to perform the polar bear.”

Collaboration has been ongoing since January between Dr. Kent, costume designer Kris Hall and her students. It’s the first time either of them have employed the Internet in a collaborative design process.

“Facebook is a great tool for collaboration among student designers,” says Hall. “They can immediately share their ideas and sketches — even videos — and get instant feedback from myself and the director. Plus they already check the site religiously.”

The Angry Godess of the sea, Sedna, played by Desiray Roy (Stonington High School, 2006) orders mischievous seals, played by Katelyn Smith, left, (Sanford High School, 2005) and Laura Collard (Freeport High School, 2008) to stop hindering Inook, played by Sage Landry (Lincoln Academy, 2009) on his quest to return the Sun.

Big-time, full-color musical!

Emily Holden and Chris Ellis star as "Babe" and "Sid" in the University of Southern Maine Department of Theatre and School of Music joint production of THE PAJAMA GAME. Ellis is a 2008 graduate of Oak Hill High School and Holden graduated from Fryeburg Academy in 2008.

The University of Southern Maine Department of Theatre and School of Music present the full-on, over-the-top, singing-and-dancing, romantic comedy: THE PAJAMA GAME - March 5-14, 2010.

WHEN: March 5, 6, 11, 12, 13 at 7:30 p.m. and March 7 & 14 at 2 p.m.

WHERE: Russell Hall on the University of Southern Maine's Gorham Campus

TICKETS: $20 for the general public; $14 for seniors and USM staff; $10 for students

SPECIAL: "$5 @ Five" show will be held on March 10 at 5 p.m., all tickets just $5

BOX OFFICE: (207) 780-5151 Reservation recommended

The University of Southern Maine Department of Theatre and School of Music team up to present the Tony Award winning show March 5 to 14, 2010, in Russell Hall on the USM Gorham campus. Director Wil Kilroy says he and his cast are reveling in the full-sized musical flavor of this audience favorite.

"What we're doing is a big piece of classic American theatre," he said recently at a rehearsal in Russell Hall. "There's major dancing and lots of singing - and it's a romance, definitely a romance."

The original production opened on Broadway in 1954, winning multiple Tony Awards. Musical director Edward Reichert notes the show includes sassy, jubilant song and dance numbers like "Steam Heat," "Hernando's Hideaway," and the timeless ballad "Hey There." Music/lyrics are by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, and the script by George Abbott and Richard Bissell.

The large cast includes talented musical theater majors - with the direction and design being handled by theatre professionals and faculty members. Vanessa Beyland is choreographer; Charles Kading is set designer; Kurt Alger is costume designer; and Shannon Zura is the lighting designer.

Here's the story setup -- amid a looming labor dispute at the Sleep-Tite Pajama Factory, love blooms! While Babe (played by Emily Holden, Fryeburg Academy 08) and her fellow union stitchers agitate for a seven-and-a-half cent raise, she's also falling in love with the new superintendent, Sid (Christopher Ellis, Oak Hill High School 08). Hines, the popular efficiency expert (Jeremiah Haley of Portland), is in love with Gladys (Autumn Pound of Portland), the secretary of the company President, Old Man Hasler (Michael Frier, Camden Hill Regional High School 07). And the head of the union, Prez (Joey Valliere, Old Orchard Beach High School 07), is courting several women at once, even though he's married!

Also in the cast are Greer Vashon of Waterville as Mae; Rylee Doiron of Wilton as Brenda; Caitlyn O'Reilly of Farmington as Poopsie (and a Steam Heat dancer in Hernando's Hideaway); James McDonald of Malden, Mass., as Lewie; Kyle Robert Dennis of Pittsfield as Cyrus; Patrick Molloy of Orono as Babe's dad, Pop; Matthew Defiore of Mexico as Max; Kelly Mosher of Marstons Mills, Mass., Kelly Mosheras as Sid's secretary, Mabel; and Jacob Cote of Bangor as Charley the handyman.

Factory Workers include Sarah Flagg of Hampden, Alice Hofgren of Waterville, Jonathan Marro of Claremont, N.H., Jericah Potvin of Millinocket, Kyle Skillin of Biddeford, and Abigail Worthing of Arundel.

The success of the show spawned the making of a film version in 1957 starring Doris Day, and several revivals. The 2006 Broadway revival, starring Harry Connick Jr., earned multiple Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical.

Caitlin O'Reilly, left, Joey Valliere and Emily Holden sing and dance in "Steam Heat" a show-stopping number from the University of Southern Maine Department of Theatre and School of Music joint production of THE PAJAMA GAME. O'Reilly is a 2008 graduate of Mt. Blue High School. Valliere is a 2006 graduate of Old Orchard Beach High School and Holden is a 2008 graduate of Fryeburg Academy.

The Republican Journal: Belfast student in USM dance show

The Republican Journal: Belfast student in USM dance show

USM's annual mash-up of costumes, lights, sound and bodies in motion: DANCE USM!

What: Dance USM!

When: December 10, 11, 12 at 7:30 p.m. and December 13 at 2 p.m.

Where: Russell Hall on the Gorham campus of USM

Tickets: $7 for students; $10 for seniors, faculty and staff; $14 for the general public

Reservation: Call the box office at 207-780-5151

Theatre student Audra Curtis (Belfast HS 06) rehearses a dance piece entitled "Breath" on campus in Gorham.

USM Theatre’s annual celebration of bodies in motion, Dance USM!, promises an exhilarating series of performances this year. Faculty choreographers lead student dancers, lighting designers and costumers in performances where hip-hop hangs from the ceiling, as bowling balls and monologues meet Bob Fosse with a shopping cart, in an excited mash-up of dance, sound and full-color fury.

More than 20 student dancers are involved in the show, which features five separate performance pieces. Each piece has unique costumes and lights designed by students.

Theatre major, Jessica Dummich (Winthrop HS 05) and musical theatre major Michael Lynch rehearse "Breath."

In addition to energetic traditional dance pieces, the show this year is focusing on a variety of body-centered performance styles open to theatre students who are not necessarily trained dancers.

“It’s a way for students to discover how to use their bodies in a performative way,” says choreographer and professor, Shannon Zura.

Theatre Professor Shannon Zura oversees a rehearsal.

Zura’s piece, entitled “Breath,” explores the difference between just surviving and living with a sense of emotion and humanity, using four dancers and a pair of long ropes looped around the dancers.

“It asks the question, ‘what would it be like to exist without humanity,’” says Zura. “It’s about existence and simply existing.”

In the tension-filled number, punctuated by long exhalations by the dancers, the rope stands for what binds people together, literally and figuratively. Dancers use the rope to counterbalance each other’s weight as they lean backwards at precarious angles.

“It’s a tough piece,” says theatre major Jessica Dummich (Winthrop HS 05), a dancer in the piece. “It’s built around resistance with the rope.”

Theatre minor, and geography major, Laura Collard (Freeport HS 08) rehearses a dance piece entitled "Breath" on campus in Gorham.

Theatre student Jessica Dummich, seen in a mirror, (Winthrop HS 05) rehearses in Gorham.

Theatre minor, and geography major, Laura Collard (Freeport HS 08) and musical theatre major Michael Lynch rehearse a dance piece entitled "Breath" on campus in Gorham Thursday November 19. The dance, along with several other pieces, will be performed at Dance USM! December 10-13, 2009.

Dance USM! also features a unique dialog-driven piece, a Bob Fosse inspired hot jazz number, an aerial dance studded with multiple props and a story-driven, hip-hop inspired performance. The public is invited.

"Tea and Sympathy" opens and the audience talks back

The show opened to very appreciative audiences this weekend. Meghan Brodie, a Department of Theatre instructor, lead a talk back session with the audience, director William Steele, and the cast after the matinee performance, Sunday afternoon.