‘Marvin’
presents
survival
message
By Liza Holtmeier
Senior Reporter
The Futz Theatre’s fourth
season opens tonight with the
production of Scott
McPherson’s award-winning
“Marvin’s Room.”
This dramatic comedy tells
the story of Bessie and Lee,
two estranged sisters separated
by their decisions and priori
ties. After 20 years their lives
converge when Bessie finds
she needs a bone-marrow
transplant. The show’s themes
deal with the quest to love oth
ers first, and the poignant
humor that sometimes occurs
with death.
Valerie Devoe, who plays
Lee, said the audience will
identify and recognize most of
the characters.
“It’s so real,” she explained.
“You know people who are like
these people, and we deal with
things the same way they do.”
Because of this identifica
tion, the audience can learn
, from the characters’ experi
ences, Devoe said.
I think that it really is true
that when we give ourselves to
others, we do get a gift in
return,” she said. “There’s a lot
of love to be gained by giving
love to others.”
Connie Dillow, who plays
Aunt Ruth, added that people
will realize “the vibrant love of
living that all of us can achieve
if we just go and get it.”
She said audience members
will learn the importance of
accepting the tragedies in life,
and living above the pain.
The show runs tonight
through Saturday and Sept. 25
28 at the Futz Theatre, 124 S.
Ninth St. in the Mission Arts
Building. Curtain for all per
formances is at 8 p.m., except
on Sept. 28, when it’s at 7:30
p.m. Tickets are $10.65, except
for the $5.33 opening special
tonight. Reservations can be
made by calling 435-6307.
i
‘Round the world
Puppeteering animates folk tales
By Jim Goodwin
A&E Editor
While Hobey Ford’s greatest joy
may be performing for children, it’s
when the skeptical eyes of an older
audience light up that the puppeteer
knows he’s breathed vitality into his
work.
“I’ve had adults walk up to me
after a show and say, ‘You know, I
forgot you were there,”’ Ford said.
“They were engaged in the life of the
puppet, so to speak.”
The North Carolina artist will
perform his international folk tale
hybrid “World Tales” for adults and
children alike tonight and Friday at
The Wagon Train Project, 512 S.
Seventh St. The 7:30 p.m. perfor
mances will be followed by ques
tion-and-answer sessions.
“World Tales,” which Ford has
been performing on the road tor
about three years, is a collection of
separately enacted stories from
Africa, Greece, China and North
America. The only human in his
entourage, Ford animates a variety
of puppets - including rod,
Indonesian-style shadow and
Japanese-style Bunraku - for the
pieces.
Using the Bunraku tradition in
the Cherokee Indian tale “Little
Grandmother Spider Woman,” Ford
dons black clothing and manipulates
his large puppets while visible to the
audience on stage. The form is less
mechanical than, say, marionettes,
and lends well to the story, Ford said.
The other sections and characters
of “World Tales” include an African
Ananasi story, featuring a trickster
portrayed by a two-dimensional rod
puppet; a Chinese dragon king tale
performed with shadow puppetry;
and Aesop’s “The Ant and the
Grasshopper,” depicted with rod
puppetry.
Ford, inspired to use several tech
niques, doesn’t necessarily corre
spond his puppet styles with the sto
ries’ countries of origin, he said.
Instead, he adapts character styles to
a story’s context, depending on roles,
setting and mood.
“I usually don’t do an Indonesian
story using Indonesian puppets,”
Ford said. “I look at it theatrically
and use an appropriate style for that
I think the best
children s theater
doesn’t play down to
children, which
entertains adults
too”
Amy Lamphere
director of Wagon Train Project
story. It’s a nice way of working.”
When those puppets are well
constructed and their scenes well
performed, the result is nothing short
of beguiling enchantment, Ford said.
Even for adults.
Amy Lamphere, director of The
Wagon Train project, admits she was
apprehensive about booking an art
form not traditionally staged for
adults.
“I thought puppets were some
thing you show children,” Lamphere
said. “I always thought of it as enter
tainment, not art. Then, it was like
‘boing,’ (The Wagon Train Project)
would be the perfect setting for this
because it’s so intimate.
“I think the best children’s the
ater doesn’t play down to children,
which entertains adults, too.”
Lamphere’s change of heart isn’t
uncommon for adults who allow
themselves to “suspend disbelief,
and get involved with the story,”
Ford said.
“Children absolutely think it’s
real,” he said. “Then, I noticed
adults, who don’t expect to see life in
an inanimate object. When they do,
it becomes very real and magical.”
Ford’s appearances and those of
Mexico City’s Teatro Tinglado on
Sept. 24 and 25 are part of this year’s
puppet festival at The Wagon Train
Project. Tickets for all shows, which
begin at 7:30 p.m., are $ 10 for adults
and $5 for students. For more infor
mation call the performance art
cooperative at 435-7776.
SOME THINGS ABE MEANT TO BE CLOSED
JYOUR MIND ISN’T ONE OF THEM.
MDA has shown how valuable people
with disabilities are to society.
Talent, ability and desire are more
important than strength of a person’s
muscles. The barrier these people
can’t overcome is a closed mind.
Keep yours open.
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