Short stories and photos shared with humor and love
Just before 5 a.m. yesterday, Molly and I pulled into her dark, cold high school parking lot, active with working snow plows and assembling theatre kids. Then I watched as the students and their fearless director boarded two yellow school buses for the 175 mile trek to LaCrosse, Wisconsin. Last night, they performed a showcase [...]
Two shows, both alike in dignity, in the fair Fox Valley, where we lay our scene. From ancient grudge to ditzy romp, where tech week makes directors stomp. You might have done a double take if you'd made your way through the north side of Appleton this week. There young actors on dinner break [...]
The best comedy, in our opinion, combines sharp wit with keen observations, promotes talent, braves stands, and draws from the heart. It is clever, not caustic. Think Modern Family, Seinfeld, the Gilmore Girls, MASH and All in the Family, all of which relied on strong writing that addressed social issues in a way that made [...]
Sometimes, to experience a theatrical production's true level of happy passion and sleep-deprived perfectionism, you have to look behind the scenes. Witness a drama mama's midnight sewing session, or a Diet-Mountain-Dew-fueled director's back-of-the-house pace. See the hand-painted backdrop or the hand-lettered stage floor. We've been lucky participants in the Appleton North Theatre Program for more [...]
We saw three of our favorite funny girls on a quick trip to Chicago this weekend, where we caught the one-woman Grandma Mary Jane Show, now playing at the elegant Whitehall Rehabilitation Center; Katherine Biskupic on stage at Second City; and our funny little niece/cousin Erin, hosting a classic, sparkling pink fairy dusted sleepover for [...]