November 6, 2009 by maureen.ulrich.

One more sleep until Mitch’s Crossroads Café takes the stage.

It’s incredible to me to see how my actors have transformed themselves.

It’s one thing to become an alien or a Central American despot. But this time around my cast is playing ordinary people from a small Saskatchewan community – and they look so unlike themselves I have to remind myself I wrote this play.

Alma leaves all vestiges of my long time friend Sandy at the dressing room door. All this is accomplished with red hair spray, an alternate hair-style, make-up, gaudy earrings, and an enhanced bustline – and of course – piercing sarcasm, dished up Alma-style.

When Glenn enters wearing his bandana, peace symbol, and fringed vest, I forget he’s our new neighbour and the guy who built most of our set. In the early days of rehearsal, he seemed tense – definitely out of his comfort zone. But in the last two rehearsals, I saw him begin to relax into Bert’s character, and I began to think that maybe he is enjoying himself after all.                        

I can’t find a trace of Ed, the sweet bachelor, in Ray the Biker. Ray swaggers about in his head rag, braid, leather jacket, and tattoo sleeve, trying in vain to pick up Alma. There’s just something about a guy with an earring.

And then there’s Melanie, who makes me believe she’s the immature 19-year old she’s portraying. I always say Melanie could play any character in any play. And Zoe is no exception.

I can’t wait to see it all unfold before our audiences this weekend.

It’s going to be something very special.

Posted in On Community Theatre, On Writing | 1 Comment »

October 22, 2009 by maureen.ulrich.

You’ll recall that Sam Spud: Private Eye arrived in the mail last week.

Yesterday I received an email from Baker’s Plays indicating they would be willing to publish The Banes of Darkwood Hall AKA A Splash of Horror.  A contract will arrive shortly, and when it does, I will submit ANOTHER play when I return the contract – as I did last time. This seems to help speed up the process.

So – what play will I submit? Or plays?

I am thinking A Pirate’s Tale or possibly one of my Christmas productions – like The Swensons’ Christmas or Follow That Star.

So by this time next year I could have doubled my number of published works to four.

Now that’s definitely made my week.

I have to say, I do not care for the title — The Banes of Darkwood. I am definitely open to suggestion on this one. 

I did presentations at Loreburn Central School and John Cuelenaere Public Library in Prince Albert today and yesterday.

When people ask me if I miss teaching, I always say the book presentations help make up for it. But after talking to Grade 7 and 8 students on these two occasions, I have to say – I really miss being in the classroom. No, I don’t miss the marking and the prep and the staff meetings and the bells, but I do miss interacting with all those runaway hormones.

But, back to writing . . .

For the next few months, I am going to turn my attention to marketing some plays – and that will mean making revisions to them to reduce the number of characters. Most theatre companies – whether amateur or professional are looking for smaller casts. At one time we had no difficulty getting 16 – 18 adults out for our community theatre production. Now we struggle to find 9.

Mitch’s Crossroads Café goes on stage in nearly two weeks. And it looks like it’ll be sold out for the dinner theatres on Friday and Saturday night. We can’t wait!

Posted in On Student Productions, On Community Theatre, On Writing | No Comments »

October 16, 2009 by maureen.ulrich.

A long awaited parcel arrived in the mail today.

Sam Spud: Private Eye — AKA Splash of Mystery for those of you who remember EJH productions from yesteryear – has finally been published by Baker Plays out of New York. Baker is affiliated with Samuel French in Canada.

This brings my official publication list to . . .

. . . two items.

I sent Baker a second manuscript a year ago – The Banes of Darkwood AKA  Splash of Horror. We’ll see how that one fares.

Rehearsals for Mitch’s Crossroads Café are going well. We have five left before Play Week, which entails three dress rehearsals and three performances. Our plans for set are coming together – with minimal expense. There’s great satisfaction to be gained from making things out of nothing for little or no money.

So, the posters are up, the advertising is out, the T-shirts and anniversary mugs are on the press, and now the search for our audience begins. We know our loyal supporters will find their way to their seats, but it wouldn’t matter if we performed for just a handful of them. We’ve learned over the years that we are truly doing this for ourselves . . .

And to help support the Lampman High School drama club . . .

And the Lampman Hospital Auxiliary . . .

And the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency . . .

So let’s hope for a good turnout!

Posted in On Student Productions, On Community Theatre, On Writing | 1 Comment »

September 19, 2009 by maureen.ulrich.

. . . and then there’s Stanley – Jeanie’s father-in-law. He’s a ninety-five year old WW II vet – a former bomber pilot – who’s gradually losing his independence.

Tyler is Alma’s son. He still lives at home, but his relationship with his mother is parasitic. He has no ambition to go to work or to school.

Bert Smith is the new cook. His character – always upbeat and positive – counterbalances Alma’s negativity. There is something magical about him. Or is it just the fact that he makes great desserts?

Ray, who rides a Harley- Davidson, is part of the highway crew. He comes into the café most days to pick up a Denver sandwich to go – and hopefully Alma!

Dr. Delilah Forbes is a professor from the archaeology department at the University of Saskatchewan who’s interested in Mammoth’s ancient history.

Add to the mix an assortment of customers – and a cheerful delivery guy – played by three actresses.

Rehearsals are going well, and we are all looking forward to “bringing it” to our audience in less than two months.

Posted in On Community Theatre | 1 Comment »

September 9, 2009 by maureen.ulrich.

This month I am embarking on my first community theatre effort in four years. The cast is nearly in place, and rehearsals begin in earnest tonight.

We perform November 6th – 8^th.  I would like to do dinner theatre on Friday and Saturday night and then have our usual Sunday matinee with home-made pies.  

 I started writing this play about a year and a half ago, and it has undergone many changes. My daughters told me the first version was far too dark for an audience expecting light entertainment after consuming a heavy meal – and they were right, as usual. I have lightened this version up a great deal.

This comedy-drama explores a number of themes: friendship, forgiveness, change. Past and future are juxtaposed, as are inertia and movement, youth and age, strength and weakness.

Jeanie is the owner of Mitch’s Crossroads Café, an establishment which rides the rollercoaster of boom and bust on the prairies. Jeanie is tied to her past with Mitch, whose influence is still seen in the café’s interior design and menu. Mitch’s ghost inhabits the fridge, which is found at center stage, and he rattles the beer bottles inside whenever he’s ticked about something.

Alma is Jeanie’s cook, waitress, and friend. Alma has ghosts of her own – thanks to her battles with alcoholism and spousal abuse. Alma has emerged through all of this with her wry sense of humour intact, but she has lost her children along the way.

Zoe, at nineteen, still hasn’t found herself, but she comes looking. When Jeanie hires her, Zoe has already had numerous jobs and proven to be a disaster at all of them. She naively endures Alma’s harsh criticism, and emerges stronger for it.

Check in later to hear about more characters . . .

Posted in On Community Theatre, On Writing | 1 Comment »