Both local playhouses have productions in July. One uses a continually changing perspective of the “typical” male/female courtship to give audience members the option of determining for themselves how the relationship ends. The other playhouse presents a classic with summer camp kiddos as the cast members. The Daytona Bandshell’s July schedule is full of tributes to rock-n-roll bands.
City Repertory Theatre Presents Constellations
Paying close attention to the plot of the CRT’s July presentation of the play, “Constellations,” may be the key for audience members to get the full experience out of its storyline.
“It is a very interesting show in that it is at the story about two people falling in and out of love,” said Beau Wade, director. “But each scene shows the same scenario with three or four different interpretations of it. So, for the audience, it is definitely a show you have to keep your eyes on at all time because if you glance away for even a moment, it might be in a very different reality than you thought you were.”
For instance, in the play’s beginning the couple meets each other for the first time – as is how any relationship begins.
But then it takes a few twists.
It presents how this first encounter could have or might have happened based on varying circumstances.
In one, the woman is chatting up the man.
He tells her he is married.
In the next, he is trying to chat her up using similar language as in her previous effort, but she informs him that she has a boyfriend.
“It is an intelligently written play,” Wade said. “The playwright did a very good job of creating a bunch of moments that all feel substantial and could be the true reality. But it also gives enough room for the audience member to decide for themselves what is right and what is not.”
“Constellations” was written by Nick Payne, a British playwright. It premiered in London in 2012 and on Broadway in 2015.
Another member of the CRT community gave Wade a copy of it.
“I gave it a read and I immediately fell in love with it,” Wade said.
He’s especially excited about directing the portion of the play in which the two would-be lovers both use American Sign Language.
It can be a challenge for an actor who isn’t deaf to present an authentic portrayal of someone using ASL.
Fortunately for Wade, the CRT community includes folks that have taught ASL and are active in the deaf community. He hopes to tap into some of that experience to help the actors in July.
Noting that he has seen ASL portrayal be too stiff, Wade said, “When ASL speakers talk, they move and have a lot of emotions attached to the words just as other (verbal) speakers do. I want to give the actors the opportunity to make that movement as realistic as possible and to give the best opportunity to learn sign language for this part.”
Slight spoiler alert: As the plot progresses, audience members discover that the female lead has a medical condition affecting the frontal lobe of her brain and thus challenging her memory recall.
Perhaps that is why each phase of the relationship has different interpretations? Perhaps the playwright just wanted the audience members to make their own decision as to how the relationship truly ends?
Both are legitimate theatrical questions as this couple and the play’s plot goes through the processing of dating, breaking up, getting back together, and a potential marriage proposal.
Wade sees “Constellations” as a subtle commentary on modern relationships.
“It is one look at what people go through in relationships,” he said. “Audiences should be ready for a very unique telling of the rom com (romantic comedy). I hope people leave the show with a sense of connectedness after seeing all the different versions of how this relationship progressed.”
“Constellations” is scheduled for July 29 through August 1.
Check the CRT website in early July for ticket information and show times. www.crtpalmcoast.com.
Flagler Playhouse Presents Willy Wonka Jr.
The five golden tickets giving each possessor of one the chance to win Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory and all the zany antics of the original are included in this kid-styled version of the classic story.
Of course, Charlie Bucket gets a ticket and well, yes, most likely he is the ultimate winner. We are saying “most likely” to avoid spoiling the theatrical experience for those audience members who opt to attend and support the Flagler Playhouse’s summer camp presentation.
Three weeks of camp begin July 11 and culminate with three performances over two days: July 29 and 30, said Jerri Berry, executive director of the Flagler Playhouse.
She spoke with Palm Coast Magazine in late May encouraging the general public to attend the camp’s final presentations.
“Oh, yes,” she said. “This is most definitely for the whole community to come out and enjoy.”
Montgomery Pendleton is the camp’s director and show director. Jens Oliva is the musical director for this show that is sure to “a world of pure imagination,” as the go the lyrics of the play’s lead song, “Pure Imagination.”
The camp is for kids ages eight to 17. It runs Monday through Friday from 9 AM to noon. Register your children for the camp at the playhouse website: www.flaglerplayhouse.com. Look for youth programs.
Purchase tickets also on the playhouse website. A blue-lettered link is below the camp description.
Tributes at the Daytona Beach Oceanfront Bandshell
Nothing says summer quite like classic rock-n-roll.
The Bandshell has a full slate of tributes scheduled for July.
For space reasons, we won’t list the name of each tribute band. You can find that and purchase on the Bandshell website: www.daytonabeachoceanfrontbandshell.boxofficeticketsales.com.
Here is a list of each band/performer being tributed in order of calendar appearance with date in parentheses: Bruce Springsteen (1), Boxers and Southern Cross (2), Bee Gees (3), Eagles (4), Kid Rock (8), Guns N’Roses (15), Rolling Stones (16), REO, Survivor and Chicago (23), and Def Leppard and Queen (30).
— Amy Armstrong
