Battles Come to Life

By Laura Gentry

My husband, William, and I caught the Wealhouse production of An Iliad, featuring Ben Gorman last summer. Admittedly, I would have skipped a one-man show about an ancient war. It didn’t really capture my interest, but we know that anything Commonweal is going to be good. So we headed on in for an evening performance, wholly unprepared for the epic journey upon which Ben was about to take us.

Laura Gentry, her husband, Wiliam, and their dog, Fuji
Laura, her husband William, and their dog Fuji

The show begins with a storyteller entering and slowly recounting scenes from the war—scenes most of us remember from having read The Iliad in school, or seeing Brad Pitt play a sexy Achilles in the movie Troy. The stories were vaguely familiar to me; but the more Ben told them, the more they came flooding back as he embodied the colorful characters.

It doesn’t seem like a history lesson, though; the battles come to life. As audience members we are transported to the battlefield; plopped down into the bloody, sweaty, conflict. I had never felt this narrative to be more real. Who is this storyteller? I wondered. He speaks in a modern, relevant voice yet he can recount every little detail of the Trojan war as if it were yesterday. Is he an immortal? And it exacts such an emotional toll on him! Why does he tell it? What is it telling us about the nature of war itself? What am I supposed to take from this?

Ben Gorman in An Iliad by Lisa Peterson and Denis O'Hare

I continued to ask myself that question throughout the play: “What am I supposed to take from this?” Many theatrical performances give us food for thought or a dose of entertainment. I guess I was anticipating that when I saw An Iliad, but I got so much more. It spins the yarn of the story in such a way that I felt impossibly tied up in it. This demands so much of us! How should we respond? William and I are still asking that question.

Caroline Gordon once wrote: “We do not judge great art. It judges us.” This Wealhouse production of An Iliad catapults itself into the category of great art in that it does just that. Yes, it is a technically amazing performance by a brilliant actor but in the end, that’s not what matters. It is how deeply it impacts us. We don’t think anyone should miss this performance for any reason.

Experience it for yourself! An Iliad returns for one show only this Sunday, at 1:30pm. Get your tickets for today! —> Performance Calendar

A Step Back: David Hennessey on Partial Retirement

By David Hennessey

David Hennessey

In 1998, I drove down Route 8 from Fountain for the first time and saw Lanesboro nestled below the bluffs like a picture post card.  It was magical. Little did I know I’d spend more than two wonderful decades here at the Commonweal.  My artistic journey continues, but now at a slower pace.

I will partially retire in 2020, cutting my hours to one-third time.  I’ll continue acting when there are suitable roles and will work as needed with our development team, but Jeremy van Meter will be the principal contact for the MDC. Meanwhile, I’ll keep handling advertising sales in our season program. 

In short, I will take a step back, but I am definitely not stepping away.

David Hennessey and Eric Lee share the mic in It's a Wonderful Life - A Live Radio Play
David as Clarence in It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play

How could I? The Commonweal has been the perfect artistic home for me. I love working with a resident ensemble of both seasoned artists and new apprentices. We all learn from each other and have a chance to assess our artistic growth annually with Hal and Adrienne. Those assessments shape the roles we’re assigned, and I’ve been lucky to play more than 50 — from likable characters such as Clarence in It’s a Wonderful Life to despicable liars like Bob Ewell in To Kill a Mockingbird, plus appearances in world premieres by Jeffrey Hatcher and Scott Dixon (#teamscotty). As with everyone here, I’ve also had many behind-the-scenes roles over the years including costume shop manager, Elderhostel organizer, student matinee scheduler, underwriter recruiter, company calendar manager, writer, editor and audio description trainer.

Along the way I’ve collected meaningful memories both off and on stage. Once, a couple who had just lost half their income told me they decided to keep season passes in their reduced household budget. They had just seen The 1940s Radio Hour, and it had lifted their spirits, reminding them why our work was crucial.

Apprentice Diana Jurand performs with David Hennessey
David in the 2013-2014 Apprentice Capstone Tigers Be Still

And when Phillip Muehe, then a directing apprentice, asked me to join the apprentice cast of Tigers Be Still, I accepted, even though it added to my heavy stage schedule of four other shows that year. When the first-night audience leapt to their feet at the end of the show, I felt like I was in a credit card commercial.

Extra rehearsal hours: 50. Added gray hairs from lack of sleep: 32. The smiles from my young colleagues after an opening-night standing ovation: Priceless!

Hey, I can’t possibly step completely away from memories like those. So I’ll see you all next year . . . sometime! 🙂

Thanks for all you’ve done for us David! We’re so glad we still get to have you around in 2020. Trust us, there will be plenty to do! See you all in the New Year!

 

2020 Passions: “A Christmas Carol”

By Philip Muehe

It’s hard to believe, but our 2019 Season is almost over! From a twisting mystery, to tropical islands, to a small church on Christmas Eve, this season truly has had something for everyone. Thank you all so much for being a part of it!

As we now look to the future, we are incredibly excited about our 2020 Season! Our 32nd Season is equally exciting and will offer just as many unique and moving experiences for our patrons. Over the next few entries of this blog, we will hear from people who are passionate about each show, and what they look forward to it brining our patrons.

Philip and Adrienne prepare for her role as Scrooge
Director Philip Muehe, and Scrooge herself Adrienne Sweeney practice their best “Bah, Humbug!”

While right now our stage is filled with toe-tapping bluegrass music provided by a triple-threat cast in Sanders Family Christmas, next season we will journey across the pond to Victorian London. This time next year, we will have opened our version of Charles Dickens’s classic A Christmas Carol. I will be fortunate enough to direct this incredible piece. It’s my favorite Christmas story – and I couldn’t be more excited!

While our unique adaptation has been done here before, next season will provide an entirely different experience. Associate Artistic Director Adrienne Sweeney will sit behind the miser’s desk. That’s right, a female scrooge! And not a “pants role” (A woman playing a man), Scrooge will be entirely female. Adrienne has been introducing us to so many wonderful people through her nuanced, focused, and powerful performances. I’ve admired her work since I first saw it when I was in high school, and since then we’ve become co-workers and good friends. So getting to share this journey with her is another huge plus!

Sally Nystuen Vahle as Scrooge photo by Karen Almond
Sally Nystuen Vahle as Scrooge (Photo By Karen Almond)

Why would the Commonweal want to do this? Why Not?! The lessons of A Christmas Carol, don’t just apply to men. It is a universal story for all humanity. So it would make sense, that in turn, we would feature a woman to help communicate its themes. Both Adrienne and I were inspired by Dallas Theatre Center’s recent production, featuring Sally Nystuen Vahle as Scrooge. The production was a huge success, and audiences were moved. That’s the thing about A Christmas Carol – we’ve all seen it, or have had some experience with it. However, by providing a new angle, you will see the piece in a whole new way, and hopefully get something new out of the familiar.

I am so excited for you to see this adaptation, and I hope you’re excited too. Keep an eye out for more information on A Christmas Carol, and the rest of the shows in our 2020 lineup. But before that, be sure to catch Sanders Family Christmas, now playing until December 22nd! We’ll see you at the Commonweal!