Tom Titus
When South Coast Repertory was in its infancy, back in 1964, one
of the first three shows presented was George Bernard Shaw's "Major
Barbara." Fast-forward to 1983, with SCR firmly ensconced in its Town
Center location in Costa Mesa: "Major Barbara" returned for an
encore.
Now, as the Folino Theatre Center holds its grand opening, "Major
Barbara" is back to launch the 2002-03 season. Previews are under way
this weekend and the play opens next Saturday, running through Nov.
17.
As it was in 1964 and '83, the play is being directed by Martin
Benson, who founded the theater 38 years ago with fellow artistic
director David Emmes.
Some of the actors who helped establish SCR back in the mid-1960s
-- Richard Doyle, Hal Landon Jr., Martha McFarland and Don Took --
will be aboard. Familiar faces such as Nike Doukas, Kandis Chappell
and Dakin Matthews also are returning.
Completing the cast are previous SCR performers Daniel Blinkoff,
J.D. Cullum, John Hines, Michael Loudon and Jane Macfie, along with
new faces Denise Tarr, Shian Velie and Leo Marks.
Shaw drew the lines of conflict between the millionaire armaments
manufacturer Andrew Undershaft (Matthews), who regards poverty as
society's greatest crime, and his more spiritually minded daughter,
Barbara (Doukas), a Salvation Army major who refuses to believe that
the poor are anything but blessed.
The play reunites Matthews and Chappell, who also headed the cast
of "Shadowlands" nine years ago. Chappell has carved out a
mini-career at SCR with 14 roles at the Costa Mesa theater on her
resume, while Matthews is making his third SCR appearance (he
recently headed the cast of "School for Wives").
"Major Barbara" will play Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m.,
Sundays at 7:30 p.m. and weekend matinees at 2:30 p.m. until Nov. 17
on the refurbished Segerstrom Stage (formerly the Mainstage) in the
SCR complex, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. Ticket information is
available at (714) 708-5555.
POWERFUL PLAYS AT OCC
Orange Coast College's Theatre Department will be doing its part
to keep young people off drugs and out of gangs this month and next
with a pair of short but powerful plays.
OCC will present "The Empty Chair" by Tim Kelly, in which members
of a rehab group deal with the overdose death of one of their
members. OCC theater professor Alex Golson is directing the playlet.
Student Laura Viramontes will stage "End of Innocence" by Laney
Roberts, which focuses on a shy, middle-class girl who's seduced into
joining a street gang.
