Camille Gavin: Melodrama gives Oildale a big, juicy 'Wedding' kiss
| Wednesday, Feb 25 2009 02:04 PM
Last Updated Friday, Mar 27 2009 01:21 PM
“MY BIG FAT OILDALE WEDDING”
When: 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday
Where: Gaslight Melodrama & Music Hall, 12748 Jomani Drive
Admission: Adults, $18 to $20; students, $9
Information: 587-3377
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“EVERYMAN”
When: 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Where: CSUB Dore Arena Theater, 9001 Stockdale Highway
Admission: $10; seniors, $8; students, $5
Information: 654-3150
Images
A scene from "My Big Fat Oildale Wedding." (Photo courtesy of Michael Prince)
A scene from "My Big Fat Oildale Wedding." Director and performer Michael Prince says: “I wrote it as a sort of love letter to the old melodrama that was so popular when it was in Oildale and all of the people who supported it.” (Photo courtesy of Michael Prince)
Rosie Ayala as Larlene, Jay Stodder as Dale, Michael Prince as Jim-Bob and Scott Hillberry as Billy-Ray in a rehearsal for "My Big Fat Oildale Wedding." (Photo courtesy of Michael Prince)
Gaslight Melodrama’s new show, “My Big Fat Oildale Wedding,” combines a parody of a popular film with a salute to a town that holds a fond place in the hearts of many lovers of melodrama.
The play is a dual celebration of Oildale’s 100th birthday and Gaslight’s 30th show since its opening in 2005.
“I wrote it as a sort of love letter to the old melodrama that was so popular when it was in Oildale and all of the people who supported it,” said Michael Prince, who also directs the show and appears in it.
Despite the sentiment, it’s definitely a comedy. Just reading the names of the characters brought a smile to my face. There’s Billy-Ray Cornhauler, a “good ol’ boy mechanic” portrayed by Scott Hillberry. He’s the love interest of a florist called Sue-Ann Otis, who is played by Katie Metz.
Prince has incorporated several familiar landmarks into his script. Among them are Trout’s — it wouldn’t be Oildale if you didn’t mention Trout’s, would it? — as well as Standard Park and an imaginary place called North Chester Cathedral, which is a take-off on the 1960s-era song, “Winchester Cathedral.”
Members of Gaslight’s resident company make up the rest of the cast. They are Greg Ramsdell, Jay Stodder, Ken Burdick, Coryn McBride, Rosie Ayala, Jill Burdick and Kimberly Slikker.
A vaudeville revue, “The Unabridged, Unedited, Slightly Revised History of Bakersfield,” follows the main show. It was written and directed by Warren Dobson. Performances continue through April 4.
‘EVERYMAN’ AT DORE
For only the second time in its history, Cal State Bakersfield will produce “Everyman,” a drama written by an unknown author in the 1400s.
This time around it will be performed in the Arena Theater, which is at the rear of the Dore Theater at CSUB, with department chair Mandy Rees directing. The first production was done in the late 1970s, outdoors in the courtyard of the Faculty Towers building before the Dore was built. Professor Michael Flachmann, a member of the English faculty — then and now — was the director.
“Everyman” is one of the most well-known pieces of literature from the medieval period, Rees said. “I read it in college and I was struck by its simple but profound message — that we should focus on doing good deeds in our lives; nothing else is important in the end.”
Rees noted that the play presents a number of challenges to the actors.
“First is the complex language,” she said. “Just wrapping your mouth around words such as ‘asketh’ and maketh’ and ‘sendeth,’ especially when two or three appear in one line, takes a lot of concentration.”
Another challenge: It’s an allegorical play.
“The characters are concepts or qualities rather than human beings with backgrounds spelled out by the playwright,” Rees explained. “The students have had to bring a lot of their own creativity to the roles.”
Michael Mejia portrays the central figure, Everyman; other characters have such names as Good Deeds, Knowledge and Death. Others in the 17-member cast are Becky Turner, Jessica Boles, Katharine Cruz, Ashley Vaughn and Rovi Moren. Music, written and composed by two student musicians, is an integral part of the production.
“Everyman” opens this evening and will have only five performances, ending on March 1. The Arena Theater has limited seating, so it’s probably a good idea to reserve your seat by calling 654-3150.
