BFT Blog

Sex, Secrets, and Lies--It's All in the Family with Birmingham Festival Theatre's production of Becky Shaw.

2012-01-05T17:22:00.000-08:00

Mel Christian directs the third show of BFT's 40th Anniversary Season

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - Jan 2, 2011 - Smart, sordid comedy takes the stage at Birmingham Festival Theatre for the third production of their landmark 40th anniversary season. Becky Shaw is a standout in this season: every other play on the 2011-2012 slate has been chosen to honor and celebrate their prior productions during BFT's 40-year history, but this production of Gina Gionfriddo's comedy marks another local premiere, fulfilling BFT's mission to bring new theatrical works to the Birmingham audiences.

The setting is contemporary, the writing is sharp, and the characters are richly comic, dynamic, and dysfunctional. There's Suzanna, the mid-thirties psych student who embraces denial; Max, her financially brilliant but emotionally inept adoptive brother--with boundary issues; Andrew, Suzanna's impetuously-chosen husband, a would-be author with a savior complex; Susan, the domineering matriarch with multiple sclerosis and a decades-younger boyfriend; and the enigmatic, eponymous Becky Shaw, the friendless, family-less, moneyless office temp who extracts exactly what she wants from each of them in turn. Director Mel Christian calls the play "a deftly-plotted comedy of bad manners that promises to entertain, even if you're not exactly certain who to root for!"

Commissioned by the renowned regional Actors Theatre of Louisville, the play had its world premiere at their 2008 Humana Festival of New Plays before receiving a Pulitzer Prize nomination and enjoying a smash Off-Broadway run. Christian has put together a strong cast to bring Becky Shaw to life, including BFT veterans Holly Croney Dikeman (Quilters) in the title role, Annalisa Keuler Crews (Talking With...) as Suzanna, Pam Elder (Tobacco Road) as Susan, and Hal Word (The Great Wrong Way) as Max; Criss Moriss, no stranger to the Birmingham-area stage, makes his BFT debut in the role of Andrew.

Birmingham Festival Theatre prides itself on being the oldest continually-operating community theatre in the metro area. Come celebrate the newest contribution to BFT's legacy when Becky Shaw opens on Thursday, January 12, with a special opening night reception following the performance. The show will run for three weekends on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights at 8 pm through January 28, with one matinee performance on Sunday, January 22 at 2 pm. Tickets are $20 for general admission and $15 for students or groups of ten or more, except for BFT's Pay What You Can Afford night on January 19 with a $7 minimum.

Tickets may be reserved by phone at (205) 933-2383. For more information, go to http://www.bftonline.org.

Auditions for BFT’s production of Noel Coward’s Hay Fever

2011-11-22T12:53:00.000-08:00

Noel Coward's Hay Fever directed by Ellise Mayor runs April 19 - May 5, 2012, at Birmingham Festival Theatre.

Auditions will be held on Saturday December 3, 2011, from 10 am until noon at the theatre.

Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script. This production is a stylized piece and calls for British dialects. No preparation is required.

We are looking for male and female actors with a strong British dialect.

Actors of both sexes, ages 20-65 are needed.

Rehearsals will begin in March 2012.

If you would like to audition but cannot attend the December 3 session, please contact the director at LCprivitt@gmail.com.

Holiday shopping made easy

2011-11-22T07:44:00.000-08:00

Need a gift that really does keep on giving? Give the Gift of Live Theatre! BFT offers four tickets for the price of three—that's an $80 value for $60. The tickets are good in any combination for the remaining shows in the 2011-2012 season:

Becky Shaw (January 12–28, 2012)
Holy Ghosts (March 1-17)
Hay Fever (April 19–May 5)
The Last Hotel for Women (June 14–30)

Visit www.bftonline.org to buy online or download an order form!

Our 40th Anniversary Season is Packed with Entertainment!

2011-06-22T14:45:00.000-07:00

Five favorites from seasons past, and one show that's new to BFT.

SEASON TICKETS are still a great bargain at $99, and now you can buy online!
SEASON AUDITIONS are the way to go if you want to be on stage!

September 15-October 1, 2011
THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON
Written by Jason Miller
Directed by Jonathan Goldstein

Five men who won the Pennsylvania state high school basketball championship 20 years ago get together for a reunion at the coach's house. It begins as a happy occasion, but the tensions among them have grown over time. What's happened to the "dream team" after all these years? Who's to blame for the way their lives have turned out? Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play in 1973, this play was originally brought to the BFT stage in 1979 to great acclaim.

November 3–19, 2011
QUILTERS
Written by Molly Newman and Barbara Damashek,
lyrics and music by Barbara Damashek
Directed by Sandra Taylor

A series of short tales matched with musical numbers, the stories in Quilters present aspects of womanhood in frontier life—girlhood, marriage, childbirth, spinsterhood, twisters, fire, illness, and death. Each woman’s story unfolds, literally, from a piece of quilting work whose design reflects her experiences. By the play’s end, these story panels combine to make one huge quilt that the characters raise high as the flag of pioneer womanhood. Nominated for six Tony Awards in 1984, this production was first performed at BFT in 1987, directed by Sandra Taylor.

January 12–28, 2012
BECKY SHAW
Written by Gina Gionfriddo
Directed by Mel Christian

In Becky Shaw, a newlywed couple fixes up two romantically challenged people: wife's best friend, meet husband's sexy and strange new co-worker. When an evening calculated to bring happiness takes a dark turn, crisis and comedy ensue. Gina Gionfriddo’s comedy of bad manners, a tangled tale of love, sex and ethics among a quartet of men and women in their 30s, is as engrossing as it is ferociously funny, like a big box of fireworks fizzing and crackling across the stage from its first moments to its last. Penned by one of the writers for TV’s Law and Order, Becky Shaw is a Pulitzer Prize-nominated new play, in keeping with our continuing effort to bring new theatre to Birmingham!

March 1-17, 2012
HOLY GHOSTS
Written by Romulus Linney
Directed by Bethe Ensey

Romulus Linney writes a moving and funny account of unsophisticated people in moral and emotional crisis in the Deep South. Nancy Shedman, in an effort to escape the drunken attentions of her husband Coleman, has moved in with a band of Pentecostal snake handlers and fallen in love with their leader, Rev. Obediah Buckhorn. The play blends humor and poignancy as it probes into the circumstances and stories of the various cult members. What happens when Coleman comes to claim his wife? In 1976, BFT was one of the first theatres in the country to stage the play. The Birmingham press hailed Linney as an author to be reckoned with "by every imaginable measuring stick” and the play as "an American gem cut out of the spirit of the mountain people—funny and deeply moving."

April 19–May 5, 2012
HAY FEVER
Written by Noel Coward
Directed by Ellise Mayor

No Anniversary Season would be complete without a good old-fashioned comedy! And Hay Fever fits the bill. Set in an English country house in the 1920s, the play features the four eccentric members of the Bliss family. Real Housewives of New Jersey has nothing on the over the top antics of the Bliss family and their weekend guests. This early Coward comedy is nothing to sneeze at! "It does not date… it is in the highest mood of fantastic comedy, it is deliciously heartless and therefore deliciously alive and fresh" -The Times. This play was first performed at BFT in 1980.

June 14–30, 2012
THE LAST HOTEL FOR WOMEN
Written by Randy Marsh
Directed by Edward C. Miller

The novel by Vicki Covington was adapted for the stage by her brother Randy Marsh, a playwright and founding member of BFT. Set in Birmingham in 1961, when Freedom Riders were passing through the Deep South, the production centers around a hotel run by Dinah Fraley and her husband. They are visited frequently by the Birmingham Commissioner of Public Safety, Sheriff Bull Connor, a known racist and bigot. Racial tensions run high in this powerful drama that was originally staged in 1996, and closes out our 40th Anniversary Season.

2011-2012 Season Auditions

2011-06-14T09:30:00.000-07:00

Birmingham Festival Theatre (BFT) announces its combined audition for the 2011-2012 season. Adult and teen-aged actors of all ages and ethnicities are encouraged to attend.

Actors will have up to 3 minutes to offer a single or 2 contrasting monologues. An additional few minutes will be available for directors' questions. Please bring 6 copies of your resume and a head shot (if available).

This is a great opportunity to be seen by 6 different directors and audition for 6 shows at the same time. You may be called back at another time to read again for one or more specific shows. BFT´s intention for these auditions is to reach further into our community to find the talent we need for our exciting new 40th Anniversary season. You will have an opportunity to let us know which shows you are interested in specifically, but you will be considered for everything that is appropriate for you. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to come – even if we´ve seen you before!

When: Saturday and Sunday, June 25 and 26, 2011
Saturday: Sign in from 9:00 AM until 11:00 AM
Sunday: Sign in from 2:00 PM until 4:00 PM
Actors will audition in the order in which they sign in. Everyone signed in by the end of the sign-in period will have the opportunity to audition.

Place: Birmingham Festival Theatre, 1901½ 11th Avenue South (above the Golden Temple in 5 Points South)

Questions: edward[at]bftonline.org

BFT 2011-2012 Season

That Championship Season
Cast: 5 men
Production Dates: Sept 15 – Oct 1, 2011
The role of the coach is cast; remaining 4 men should be in their 30s or 40s

Quilters*
7 women
Nov 3 – 19, 2011
*For those auditioning for our musical, Quilters, please be prepared to sing a cappella a minimum of 16 bars of a song that is more of a folk song than a Broadway-style show tune.

Becky Shaw
2 men, 3 women
Jan 12 – 28, 2012
The roles of Becky, Suzanne, and Max are cast; remaining roles are one man 20s–30s, one woman 50s–60s.

Holy Ghosts
10 men, 5 women
Mar 1 – 17, 2012

Hay Fever
4 men, 5 women
Apr 19 – May 5, 2012

The Last Hotel for Women
4 men, 3 women, 1 male teenager, 1 female teenager
June 14 – 30 , 2012

Batter Up! Baseball Great Ty Cobb Comes to the Stage in Cobb

2011-06-02T06:16:00.000-07:00

Birmingham Festival Theatre Will Host the Good and the Bad of Ty Cobb

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – June 2, 2011 – In order to grasp the full picture of a man, you should experience him at different stages of his life. That´s what Lee Blessing has done in Cobb, beginning June 9, 2011 at Birmingham Festival Theatre. Three actors will help bring the one persona of Ty Cobb to the stage, in one uninterrupted 90-minute stage production.

Don Sandley is directing Cobb, and brings his love of the game to the BFT stage. “Ty Cobb played the game like it was a barroom brawl. It could be argued that Cobb played with such ferocity that he took all the leisure out of the game. What cannot be argued is that he changed the game forever. He made it a truly professional sport. I hope you enjoy getting to know one of the most iconic sports figures our country has ever produced. I suspect you will agree, that not so much has changed after all. Heroes have always been flawed.’

Actors bringing Cobb to life are: James Kitchens (young Ty Cobb “The Peach’), James Ward (mid-life Ty Cobb “Ty’), and John Falkenberry (elder Ty Cobb “Mr. Cobb’). Brandon McCray will play the role of Oscar Charleston, a fellow ballplayer.

Cobb runs each Thursday, Friday and Saturday for three weeks at 8:00 p.m. beginning on June 9, 2011 with a matinee on Sunday, June 19, at 2:30 p.m. The show closes on June 25, 2011. Tickets are $20, $15 for students. For reservations, call the theatre at (205) 933-2383.

Pictured in attached photo are (from L to R): James Kitchens, John Falkenberry and Brandon McCray.

About Birmingham Festival Theatre
BFT is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. For almost 40 years, BFT has been bringing local audiences theatrical experiences that touch the heart and stir the mind. Our all-volunteer Board of Directors works to involve the community´s many talented directors, actors, designers and techies to produce the best in contemporary and classic theatre. For more information, go to www.bftonline.org.

"Cobb" cast announced

2011-04-13T10:48:00.000-07:00

Cast:
The Peach - James Kitchens
Ty - James Ward
Mr. Cobb - John Falkenberry
Oscar - Branden McCray

COBB, by Lee Blessing
BFT production directed by Don Sandley
June 9-25, 2011 — Thursday-Saturday @8PM and Sunday, June 19 @2:30PM

Blessing brings the legendary Ty Cobb to life as record-breaking statistics, infamous temper, fierce competitiveness, and personal triumphs are portrayed in flashback memories of the aging and (to hear him tell it) unappreciated superstar. "They" say we need heroes, and likely we do. But come see what one of those heroes has to say about "them."

Anna in the Tropics Brings Cuban Heat to the Stage

2011-04-05T07:02:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Edward Miller, (205) 933-2383

Sultry, Seductive Production Comes to Birmingham Festival Theatre

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – April 4, 2011 – You might want to brush up on your Spanish before coming to see Anna in the Tropics at Birmingham Festival Theatre beginning April 21, 2011. The opening of the Pulitzer Prize winning play, by Nilo Cruz, will be entirely in Spanish. ¿Entiendes?

Set in Tampa, Fla. in the 1920’s, the play depicts how life changes for a family of Cuban immigrants working in a cigar factory, when a stranger arrives on the scene. The owner’s wife has hired a Lector, a well-spoken, well-dressed man to read classic novels to the workers as they roll cigars. The novel chosen is Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina, a story of love, lust and betrayal. The characters and situations in the novel come to life for the family as the story unfolds.

“The play is about love: lost love, forgotten love, forbidden love. The strength of the piece is the poetic beauty of the language layered with the power of the sensuality contained in the work,” says Edward Miller, who is directing the play at BFT. “The climax provides a gripping and shocking finality to Cruz’s vision.”

Actors Don Cano (Lobby Hero), Chalo Gurmendi, Michelle Griffo, Beth Kitchin (Season’s Greetings), Jessica Knight, Sigfredo Rubio (Spinning into Butter) and David Seale make up the cast.

Anna in the Tropics runs each Thursday, Friday and Saturday for three weeks at 8:00 p.m. beginning on April 21, with a matinee on Sunday, May 1, at 2:30 p.m. The show closes on May 7, 2011. Tickets are $20, $15 for students. For reservations, call the theatre at (205) 933-2383.

About Birmingham Festival Theatre
BFT is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. For almost 40 years, BFT has been bringing local audiences theatrical experiences that touch the heart and stir the mind. Our all-volunteer Board of Directors works to involve the community’s many talented directors, actors, designers and techies to produce the best in contemporary and classic theatre. For more information, go to www.bftonline.org.

Shawn Reese (Actor 5) - Around the World in 80 Days

2011-03-10T09:31:00.000-08:00

Shawn Reese (Actor 5) is a stage veteran of both Birmingham and New York, having appeared in numerous plays and musicals in almost two decades of performing. He was most recently seen this past December as Bob Cratchit in the Alys Stephens Center's production of A Vest Pocket Christmas Carol, and before that as the Sherriff in Red Mountain Theatre Company's 13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey . While in New York, he was on the board of Break-A-Leg Productions and The Gallery Players, one of the city’s premier Off-Off Broadway production companies, where he produced Cloud Nine and The School for Scandal. He also appeared in numerous NYC productions including Holiday, Life on Death Row, and The Mousetrap, and directed several shows for the East Side Theatre Group. Notable roles include Tony (West Side Story), Joseph (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat), Hines (The Pajama Game), Benjy (My Favorite Year), William Roper (A Man for All Seasons), Pablo Picasso (Picasso at the Lapine Agile), Will Parker (Oklahoma), and James Wilson (1776). Awards include the 2006 Irving Stern Award for Performer of the Year (Levite Jewish Community Center).

Holly Croney Dikeman (Actor 4) - Around the World in 80 Days

2011-03-09T07:26:00.000-08:00

Holly Croney Dikeman (Actor 4) was last seen on the BFT stage as the Snake Handler in Talking With... and as Cherie in Bus Stop prior to that. Previous BFT credits also include The Great Wrong Way and Miss Witherspoon. She was most recently in A Vest Pocket Christmas Carol at Alys Stephens Center (ASC) and in Red Mountain Theatre Company's 13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey . Favorite roles include Betty in The Will Rogers Follies; Effie in The Spitfire Grill; Alice in Alice’s Even Bigger Tea Party at ASC; Missy in Winter Wonderettes and Maria in El Grande de Coca Cola, both at the Terrific New Theatre; and Cinderella’s stepsister, which she played once in Cinderella, and once in Into the Woods, both at Virginia Samford Theatre.

Chuck Evans (Actor 3) - Around the World in 80 Days

2011-03-08T12:59:00.000-08:00

Chuck Evans (Actor 3) is delighted to appear in his third production with Birmingham Festival Theatre. He previously performed in The Great Wrong Way and Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens. Chuck has worked with many other theater companies in the Birmingham area, including Terrific New Theatre, Theatre Downtown, Theatre LJCC, Park Players, Leeds Arts Council, South City Theatre and CenterStage Productions. He also has been a member of the Opera Birmingham Chorus for the past five seasons.

Kevin Van Hyning (Actor 2) - Around the World in 80 Days

2011-03-07T08:01:00.000-08:00

Kevin Van Hyning (Actor 2) is returning to the Birmingham Festival Theatre stage after making his debut as Dwight, in last year's Dead Man's Cell Phone. Luckily, as a member of the regional comedy team, BrainFreeze, Kevin is well versed in the world of improv and sketch comedy, so juggling nine different characters in one show (not to mention a potpourri of bad wigs) isn't too great of a stretch, albeit it's still rather challenging. Kevin has performed around town in a variety of plays, including Theatre Downtown's After School Special and ACTA's The Foreigner.

M. Bates Redwine (Actor 1) - Around the World in 80 Days

2011-03-04T11:26:00.001-08:00

M. Bates Redwine (Actor 1) has been on stage previously at BFT in The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 and Tobacco Road. You may have also seen him as Captain Beatty in Fahrenheit 451 and as Dr. Grimes in Night of the Living Dead at Theatre Downtown, as Balthasar in Much Ado About Nothing with Park Players, and in The Who’s Tommy and Broken Glass at Theatre LJCC. Other favorite past roles include Baylor in A Lie of the Mind, Touchstone in As You Like It, Moon in The Real Inspector Hound, and Rev. Parris in The Crucible. He is also a member and former officer of Alpha Psi Omega, the national theatrical honor society.

A World of Roles for 5 Actors in "Around the World in 80 Days"

2011-03-03T08:43:00.000-08:00

How will they do it?!
Call 933-2383 for reservations to see!

M. Bates Redwine - Gauthier Ralph, British Consul, Director of Police, priest, Sir Francis, Judge Obadiah, Chinese broker, ship clerk, Bunsby, Proctor, engineer, Mudge, clerk, Speedy, ship engineer, train clerk

Kevin Van Hyning - Andrew Stuart, Detective Fix, priest, Indian conductor, elephant owner, young Parsi, Oysterpuff, U.S. conductor, Reverend Wilson’s servant

Chuck Evans - Passepartout, John Sullivan

Holly Croney Dikeman - James Forster, newspaperman, priest, Aouda

Shawn Reese - Phileas Fogg

ALL ABOARD! Around the World in 80 Days Makes at Stop at BFT

2011-02-23T06:25:00.000-08:00

Birmingham Festival Theatre Brings Adaptation of Jules Verne Classic Tale

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – February 22, 2011 – Known for his many exciting adventure tales including 20 Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and A Journey to the Interior of the Earth, Jules Verne is regarded by many as the father of science fiction. His tales of fantasy entertain audiences both young and old. That’s why Mark Brown’s adaptation of the classic Around the World in 80 Days is sure to delight Birmingham audiences of all ages. The show begins Thursday March 3, 2011.

Everyone is familiar with this timeless classic story. Phileas Fogg (played by Shawn Reese) enters into a wager with his colleagues in London that he cannot travel around the world, by boat, train, or any means necessary, in a timeframe of 80 days. He is joined by his loyal servant Passepartout (played by Chuck Evans) and a cast of characters they meet along the way.

“This is a tongue-in-cheek adaptation of the Jules Verne classic that captures the flavor of Fogg’s madcap dash around the globe,” says Janelle Cochrane, who is directing the play at BFT. “With five actors playing 39 characters, it’s a bit of Monty Python and The 39 Steps, as we follow Fogg and Passepartout on their adventures by rail, steamer, elephant and shoe leather across India, Asia and America.”

Local actors Holly Croney Dikeman, Chuck Evans, M. Bates Redwine, Shawn Reese and Kevin Van Hyning provide the audience with a passport to a world gone by, with the possibility of adventure or romance around every corner.

Around the World in 80 Days runs each Thursday, Friday and Saturday for three weeks at 8:00 p.m. beginning on March 3, with a matinee on Sunday, March 13, at 2:30 p.m. The show closes on March 19, 2011. Tickets are $20, $15 for students. For reservations, call the theatre at (205) 933-2383.

About Birmingham Festival Theatre
BFT is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. For almost 40 years, BFT has been bringing local audiences theatrical experiences that touch the heart and stir the mind. Our all-volunteer Board of Directors works to involve the community’s many talented directors, actors, designers and techies to produce the best in contemporary and classic theatre. For more information, go to www.bftonline.org.

Pictured in photo: (Left to right) Shawn Reese, Holly Croney Dikeman, Chuck Evans, M. Bates Redwine, Kevin Van Hyning. More photos available at www.flickr.com/bftonline.

Around the World in 80 Days, by Mark Brown

2011-01-31T10:24:00.000-08:00

Birmingham Festival Theatre's production of this classic Jules Verne adventure tale runs March 3-19, 2011. Call (205) 933-2383for reservations.

Mark Brown is an award-winning writer and actor. His plays include Around the World in 80 Days; The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge (produced at BFT in 2005); China, The Whole Enchilada; Poe: Deep Into That Darkness Peering (co-written with Mark Rector); and The Little Prince (co-written with Paul Kiernen). As an actor, he has appeared on stage, screen and TV and worked with such people as Tom Hanks, George Clooney, Dick Van Dyke, Jeff Goldblum and the Rally Monkey. Brown lives in New York City with his wife, daughter, and dog and dreams of living in a chateau in France.

Dramatic Publishing describes Around the World in 80 Days: Stampeding elephants! Raging typhoons! Runaway trains! Unabashedly slapstick! Hold onto your seats for the original amazing race! Join fearless adventurer Phileas Fogg and his faithful manservant as they race to beat the clock! Phileas Fogg has agreed to an outrageous wager that puts his fortune and his life at risk. With his resourceful servant Passepartout, Fogg sets out to circle the globe in an unheard-of 80 days. But his every step is dogged by a detective who thinks he's a robber on the run. Danger, romance, and comic surprises abound in this whirlwind of a show as five actors portraying 39 characters traverse seven continents in Mark Brown's new [2007] adaptation of one of the great adventures of all time.

Loot: Mel Christian (Director)

2011-01-23T18:51:00.000-08:00

Mel (Melissa) Christian (Director) is Program Manager for Theatre UAB, where she is in charge of grants, special events and their statewide touring program. She is a native of Northport, AL and holds an MFA in Drama and Communications from the University of New Orleans. Past directing projects include Twelve Angry Men, The Shawl, A Little Princess, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, On Golden Pond, Little Women, Marvin’s Room, Burn This and her own adaptations of The Three Musketeers and Alice In Wonderland. Joe Orton’s Loot has been on her directing “Bucket List” for almost 20 years. Mel also acts a little, and for BFT was last seen as Sister Bessie in Tobacco Road, Grace in Bus Stop and Evelyn in Kindertransport. She recently received Theatre Downtown’s Audience Choice Award as Best Lead Actress for Dora Strang in Equus.

Loot: William Brisky (Meadows/Stage Manager)

2011-01-21T10:54:00.000-08:00

William Brisky (Meadows/Stage Manager) enjoys both acting and working behind the scenes. With over 10 years experience in the theatre, he is happy to tell everyone that theatre keeps him sane. He was last seen on stage in Tobacco Road as Henry Peabody and last seen back stage as stage manager of Lobby Hero. William also stage managed Dead Man's Cell Phone, Talking With..., and Almost, Maine, all at BFT.

Loot: Edwin Booth (Truscott)

2011-01-20T03:43:00.000-08:00

Edwin Booth (Truscott) is pleased to be in his third show at BFT, having appeared previously in Moonlight and Magnolias and The Sunset Limited. Professionally, he has played Scrooge for Birmingham Children’s Theatre and also played roles in City Equity’s True West, God of Hell, and will appear for them in February 2011 in Spring Awakening. Other local credits include Gaston in Picasso at the Lapin Agile, and Common Man in A Man for All Seasons. Other roles include Oberon, Vershinin, Sir Anthony Absolute, Torvald, Malvolio, Johnnypateenmike, Bill Sykes, Jean Paul Marat, Elwood P. Dowd, Kreon, Gaev, Baptista, Krapp, Otto Frank, and the Duke of Venice. (Name the plays for extra credit!) One of his favorite roles was the Professor in The Lesson. Edwin enjoys sailing and reading about adventures on the sea.

Loot: Christoph Hooks (Dennis)

2011-01-18T07:26:00.001-08:00

Christoph Hooks (Dennis) has previously been in Night of the Living Dead, After School Special, Equus, Ordinary People, and 13th Friday with Theatre Downtown. He assistant-directed 12 Angry Men and Shakespeare's R&J, and co-wrote the music to We Three Queens, also at Theatre Downtown. He was also in Elegies for Angels, Punks, and Raging Queens at BFT.

Loot: Victoria Ward (Fay)

2011-01-17T07:30:00.001-08:00

Victoria Ward (Fay) is currently a senior at UAB studying Broadcasting Communications and Theatre. She aspires to enter the radio media field upon graduation and someday set her mark as "The Voice" of some major city. Though this is her first BFT performance, she has played 'La Merluche' in Moliere's The Miser as well as other minor roles in UAB Theatre's 10 Minute Festival of Plays and church productions. Victoria also works at Publix and lives in Calera with her boyfriend and two dogs.

Loot: Ward Haarbauer (McLeavy)

2011-01-14T08:59:00.001-08:00

Ward Haarbauer (McLeavy) founded the Department of Theatre at UAB and spent 40 years there, directing over 70 productions in the Birmingham area. In his retirement year, he played Prospero in Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Since retiring in 2007, he has twice played Don Juan in Shaw’s Don Juan in Hell for The Seasoned Performers Salon Readers and last year directed Bus Stop for BFT.

Loot: Richard Taylor Campbell (Hal)

2011-01-13T08:59:00.000-08:00

Richard Taylor Campbell (Hal), of Hoover, is originally from Arab, Alabama. He is a recent graduate of The University of Alabama at Birmingham with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre. He is also a graduate of Northeast Alabama Community College with an Associate in Arts degree in Theatre. His theatre credits include working as cast, crew, scene design assistant, and assistant director in various productions such as Little Women, West Side Story, Oliver!, Venus, Mud, and The Rivals, to name a few. Loot director Mel Christian also directed a play he wrote, Darcie, for UAB’s Festival of Ten Minute Plays. This is his first production at Birmingham Festival Theatre.

British Comedy Comes to Birmingham Festival Theatre with LOOT

2011-01-06T07:06:00.000-08:00

English Playwright Joe Orton's Comedy Opens January 13, 2011

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - January 6, 2011 - Joe Orton was an English playwright whose farcical comedies are noted for their cynical dark humor. By the late 1960s, works displaying the humor characteristic of Orton began to be described as "Ortonesque.". Birmingham audiences are in for a special treat when LOOT opens next week.

The plot is a set-up for visual amusement as well. As a completely unethical detective closes in on a crime, charming young reprobates Hal and Dennis frantically attempt to hide the money they have stolen from a local bank. Meanwhile, Hal's deceased mother lies in state. The solution? Move the corpse and stash the ill-gotten loot in the coffin. What could possibly go wrong?

"LOOT was Orton's first farce, a theatrical device that suited him like a supple pair of leather pants," says Mel Christian, who is directing the play at BFT. "Farce operates under Murphy's Law where if things can go wrong, they will again and again! LOOT is a raucous, brilliantly contrived comedy, witty and incisive, subversive yet deliciously palatable. There's a reason Orton was heralded as the Oscar Wilde of his age."

Local actors Ward Haarbauer, Victoria Ward, Richard Taylor Campbell, Christoph Hooks, Edwin Booth and William Brisky make up the ensemble cast.

LOOT runs each Thursday, Friday and Saturday for three weeks at 8:00 p.m. beginning on January 13, with a matinee on Sunday, January 23, at 2:30 p.m. The show closes on January 29, 2011. Tickets are $20, $15 for students. For reservations, call the theatre at (205) 933-2383.

About Birmingham Festival Theatre
BFT is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. For almost 40 years, BFT has been bringing local audiences theatrical experiences that touch the heart and stir the mind. Our all-volunteer Board of Directors works to involve the community's many talented directors, actors, designers and techies to produce the best in contemporary and classic theatre. For more information, go to http://www.bftonline.org.

Thanksgiving Weekend at BFT

2010-11-21T05:53:00.000-08:00

Family, shopping, football, and... Vulcan's Underpants!

Advance Admission is NOW AVAILABLE for
Project Codename: VULCAN'S UNDERPANTS
November 26 & 27, 2010 at 7:00 and 9:00 each night!

ETC Bham has SLASHED PRICES - JUST FOR YOU!
Advance Admission: $8* (regularly $12)
Walk-Up Admission: $10 (cash/check only) at the door (regularly $15)
No discounts on Walk-Up Admission - Buy in advance and $AVE!
Purchase from the ETC Bham online Box Office or
call (205) 687-5233.

*plus 75¢ online processing fee

Visit the ETC Bham web site for details and tickets.

Simplify your holiday shopping: Give the gift of Live Theatre at BFT

2010-11-09T12:22:00.000-08:00

4 ticket vouchers for the price of 3 — That's an $80 value for $60!

Order forms available through November 20 at the theatre during the run of LOBBY HERO, and online at http://www.bftonline.org/bft-gift-xmas-2010.pdf.

Benefits of a BFT gift-of-live-theatre package:

To the giftor:

You can share your gift with your giftee when it's used; not just when it's opened. Join them in attending BFT performances. Have a meal before the show and enjoy each other's company. Have a dessert after the show and discuss what you've seen.

You can introduce those about whom you care to an activity about which you care.

You can support truly local arts in general and BFT in particular. Your gift purchase will help us continue our work for you and your giftee.

It's not quite the bargain your season tickets are, but 4 for the price of 3 isn't too shabby a buy.

To the giftee:

One size fits all. With five shows left in the season (four during 201 I), your giftee can choose which might appeal most to them. And, as you know, we'll do our best to accommodate any special seating needs they may have.

Time-tested technology. For almost 5,000 years, live actors have been speaking words to live audiences. Theatre is version 2.0 of storytelling which has been popular since language came into existence.

It's 3-D! And no special glasses or equipment are needed for your complete immersion in an apparently real, three dimensional world. How's that for slick technology? And, you don't look silly enjoylng it.

It's always fresh. Each time you see a production (or a performance within a production) it's different. No two are ever exactly the same. It's the difference between that chest your daddy made for you and one you buy at Wal-Mart.

No calories. Visit the Fred Jones Bakery and gain no weight. See a show in the kitchen (the original use of the theatre space) and socialize on the loading dock (the original use of the lobby).

The gift coupons are fully transferable. So, they're regiftable. Not like your frequent flyer miles or the monogrammed pajamas.

It's easy to pay attention. No one will be placing or receiving phone calls during the performance (except, maybe, on stage). No one sitting by you will be texting their friends.

It's very personal. No performance space in Birmingham is so intimate and unique. The lobby and restrooms you've come to know and love have undergone a facelift. It's an even more one-of-a-kind venue.

BFT is in Five Points South. Five Points is home to some of Birmingham's (and the country's) finest restaurants and watering holes. And you can enjoy your pre-show meal, your theatre performance, and your après theatre treat without getting in your car between activities. It's almost like you live in a city.

It's fun to tell others about one of your chosen local pleasures. And they'll be able to tell their friends and co-workers about their newest discovery of a woefully undiscovered Birmingham treasure (and who introduced it to them).

Order forms available through November 20 at the theatre during the run of LOBBY HERO, and online at http://www.bftonline.org/bft-gift-xmas-2010.pdf.

Lobby Hero: Maggie Ballard (Dawn)

2010-11-08T08:30:00.000-08:00

Maggie Ballard (Dawn) is so happy to be doing another show at BFT. She was last seen at BFT as "Ellie May” in Tobacco Road. She has appeared in South City Theatre's Tom Sawyer as "Widow Douglas" as well as South City Theatre's Short Play Festivals, The Bachelor and The Darkest Night. She won Open Mic Night for standup comedy at the Stardome Comedy Club. She was also "Laurie" in the feature film Lifted.

Lobby Hero: Douglas O'Neil, Jr. (Bill)

2010-11-05T09:46:00.000-07:00

Douglas O’Neil, Jr. (Bill), a proud native of Birmingham, has been performing professionally in Alabama for over a decade. BFT audiences may remember him as John in The Cocktail Hour, and as Mitch Albom in the smash hit Tuesdays with Morrie, which went on to be named in Alec Harvey’s “The best of Birmingham theater in 2008” for The Birmingham News. While Douglas is adept at drama, he’s best known for his hilarious hijinx with the Extemporaneous Theatre Company (www.ETCBham.com), Birmingham’s only professional improvisational theatre company, which Douglas founded in 2008. ETC was named a runnerup for Best Theatre Company 2010 in Birmingham Magazine’s annual “Best of Birmingham” feature, a finalist for Best Live Theatre in the 2009 Birmingham News “Birmingham’s Best” readers’ poll, and recently appeared alongside improv companies from New York, Chicago, and San Francisco at the 2010 Black Box Comedy Festival.

Lobby Hero: Don Cano (William)

2010-11-04T07:20:00.000-07:00

Don Cano (William) is thrilled to be returning to the stage after a long hiatus and is excited to be making his debut at BFT. He has trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in NYC as well as The Professional Actors Studio in Atlanta. Don is active in regional independent film and can be seen in local, regional, and national commercials. He can also be seen in this season's BFT production of Anna in the Tropics later this spring.

Lobby Hero: Jonathan Hinnen (Jeff)

2010-11-03T11:35:00.000-07:00

Jonathan Hinnen (Jeff) is ecstatic to be on stage at BFT. A soon-to-be graduate of the University of Alabama with a BA in Theatre, he has appeared in shows in Alabama and Georgia. Favorite credits include Measure for Measure as Elbow the Constable with The Rude Mechanicals of Tuscaloosa, Equus with Theatre Downtown as a Horse, The Time of Your Life with the University of Alabama Department of Theatre and Dance as Cop #1, and The King and I with LaGrange Lyric Theatre in LaGrange, GA.

Talking With... Chris Lawson

2010-09-30T12:53:00.000-07:00

Chris Lawson (Director) last appeared at BFT as Martin in Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me (1995-1996). He has acted in and/or directed over 100 plays, films, documentaries, and music videos. He is also a regional, national, and international visual artist with recent exhibitions in Cambodia, Haiti, NYC, and at the Corcoran’s White Walls Gallery in Washington, DC.

BFT and Monty Stabler Galleries featured artist: Bethanne Hill

2010-09-28T06:32:00.000-07:00

The Haden Gaines Marsh Gallery in the lobby of BFT features works from Monty Stabler Galleries for the production run of Jane Martin's Talking With..., directed by Chris Lawson. Five paintings by Bethanne Hill are on display.

Bethanne Hill was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on October 12, 1966. She was raised in Birmingham, the youngest of 6 children. She is a 1985 graduate of the visual arts department at the Alabama School of Fine Arts, and holds a BFA in painting and sculpture from Birmingham-Southern College.... Bethanne and her husband Darius Hill (also an artist and Chair of the Art Department at the Alabama School of Fine Arts) and their children live in Birmingham. (Excerpt from "Artist's Bio 2004")

"As a young artist, my first great influence was primitive art, specifically Australian Aboriginal art. The bold outlines, patterns and simplified shapes seemed to me to directly convey the power of the animals depicted. Their energy was there to see. Often, in what is called “x-ray style”, the Aboriginal artist will show the insides of the animals, as well. Their way of filling every inch of the format with mark-making was very appealing to me. As I read through Joseph Campbell’s The Way of the Animal Powers and Sir James George Frazier’s The Golden Bough, the imagery leaped out at me." (Excerpt from "Artist's Statement," by Bethanne Bethard Hill)

You can find Bethanne's work at Bethanne Hill—Painting & Illustration on the web and on Facebook.

Monty Stabler Galleries is also on the web and on Facebook. Christine Alfery is featured in the current show at the galleries, located at 1811 29th Avenue South: (205) 879-9888.

Talking With... Susan Johnson Lawrence

2010-09-27T07:36:00.001-07:00

Susan Johnson Lawrence (Marks) did her first show at BFT, Counter-Culture, in 1979, directed by Carl Stewart. She is a graduate of Birmingham-Southern College where she studied with Arnold Powell. Mrs. Lawrence lived in Philadelphia for seven years before going to NYC to study Shakespeare with Uta Hagen. She left NYC for Aspen and came home to Birmingham in 1997. Then her life began for real with kids and a mortgage. In 2000 she directed Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde here at BFT. Other roles have included Rita in Educating Rita and Agnes in I Do, I Do at Aspen Theatre in the park, Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream at Chestnut Hill Shakespeare, Desiree in A Little Night Music at Town and Gown, and Amanda in Private Lives at the Alys Stephens Center.

Talking With... Holly Croney Dikeman

2010-09-27T07:26:00.000-07:00

Holly Croney Dikeman (Handler) was last seen on the BFT stage as Cherie in Bus Stop, and is glad to be back. Previous BFT credits include The Great Wrong Way and Miss Witherspoon. She was recently in the Theatre LJCC production of The Will Rogers Follies (Betty), and was also in The Spitfire Grill (Effie), The Who’s Tommy, and Lots of Life (Doreen) at the LJCC. Favorite roles include Alice in Alice’s Even Bigger Tea Party at the Alys Stephens Center; Missy in Winter Wonderettes and Maria in El Grande de Coca Cola, both at the Terrific New Theatre; and Cinderella’s stepsister, which she played once in Cinderella, and once in Into the Woods, both at Virginia Samford Theatre.

Talking With... Adriana Keathley

2010-09-24T08:42:00.000-07:00

Adriana Keathley (French Fries) is so glad to be back on the BFT boards. Born and raised in Miami, she received her dance training there before becoming the lead dancer with the Miami Ballet. After moving to New York, she performed with the Metropolitan Opera Ballet and danced and acted on Broadway in Camelot and Ballroom. Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway credits include Uneasy Lies and The House of Bernada Alba at the Roundabout Theatre. In regional theatre, she’s performed in Ballroom, Pack of Lies, A Perfect Ganesh, and The Desert Song. She appeared in The Oldest Profession, The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife, and Kindertransport at Birmingham Festival Theatre and played Thelma in ‘night, Mother at Theatre Downtown. Adriana was last seen as Martha in The Octette Bridge Club at the South City Theatre. Adriana also tours with The Seasoned Performers, Alabama’s only senior adult theatre. She teaches ballet at the Pointe Dance Arts. Adriana dedicates her performance to her oldest brother, George Keathley, the Emmy Award-winning director.

Talking With... Mindy K. Wester

2010-09-24T08:41:00.000-07:00

Mindy K. Wester (Dragons) is thrilled to be back on stage again after a 6-year hiatus which allowed her to glean some real world inspiration for her work in this production. She was formerly seen on the BFT stage in Angels in America Part One, The Country Club, and Tom Jones. Her design credits here are into double digits.

Talking With.... Jane Trechsel

2010-09-23T13:15:00.001-07:00

Jane Trechsel (Lamps) did “Lamps” 25 years ago here at BFT: “It’s always great to get a second chance at anything. And now I’m age appropriate!” This is her first time back on stage since the final run of The Belle of Amherst in 2002. Other roles here include Amanda in The Glass Menagerie, Desiree in A Little Night Music, Cole Porter and Noel Coward revues with Carl Stewart (yes singing and dancing!) Her training? On the job.

Talking With... Ginny S. Loggins

2010-09-23T13:02:00.000-07:00

Ginny S. Loggins (Clear Glass Marbles) is thrilled to be returning to the BFT stage for the umpteenth time, and returning to one of her favorite plays. In 1985 she played the Handler at Studio Theatre on Long Island. This is apparently her year to return to old shows in new roles: in February she played Hesther in Equus at Theatre Downtown, having played Jill in 1979; and in March, she played Glinda in the ASC’s version of The Wizard of Oz titled Down the Yellow Brick Road, having played Dorothy in the fourth grade. On February 3, 2011, she’ll be reprising her role as feisty civil rights activist Virginia Durr in Lee Shackleford’s monodrama Too Many Questions at Vulcan Park and Museum.

Talking With... Penny Thomas

2010-09-22T07:35:00.000-07:00

Penny Thomas (Rodeo) has worked on several interesting projects with Chris Lawson over the years, including a short film about Big Foot and a performance art piece that involved dancing with wild abandon on top of a refrigerator to looped footage of atomic explosions and children's songs. Penny most recently appeared in After School Special at Theatre Downtown. She has also performed in Theatre Downtown's productions of Equus and We Three Queens, and in Terrific New Theatre's productions of Dixie Swim Club, El Grande de Coca Cola, The Glass Mendacity and Sordid Lives. She will be appearing in the short film "Brunch" this year at the Sidewalk Film Festival.

Talking With... Camille Spratling

2010-09-22T07:32:00.000-07:00

Camille Spratling (Audition) is delighted to be a part of Talking With.... This is her third production at BFT, having also played Hermia in Dead Man’s Cell Phone and Grace in Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens. Other favorite roles include Rosemary in MBHS’s How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Madame Pernelle in BSC’s Tartuffe.

Talking With... Caroline Page

2010-09-21T10:10:00.000-07:00

Caroline Page (Twirler) is a senior at Shades Valley High School. She was last seen at BFT as Mary Tilford in The Children's Hour. Recent credits include Mother in Ragtime at VST, Eponine in Les Miserables at VST, Charlotte Hay in Moon Over Buffalo Shades Valley Theatre Academy. Regional credits include Disney's Beauty and the Beast at Theatre of the Stars Atlanta, The Music Man at TOTS Atlanta and Theatre Under the Stars Houston, Doc Marsh in Cry Havoc and Kelsi in World Premiere Disney's High School Musical, both at Stagedoor Manor NY.

Talking With... Annalisa Crews

2010-09-21T09:50:00.000-07:00

Annalisa Crews (Scraps) is a library media specialist at Homewood High School when not in Oz. After beginning her love of theatre in high school, Annalisa continued to perform at the University of Alabama and The University of Montevallo. For the past four years she has been active in Birmingham community theatre. Some of her favorite roles include Joanie in Little Footsteps, the Stepmother in Into the Woods, Frenchie in Cabaret. This is her first role at BFT.

Talking With... Ellise Mayor

2010-09-20T06:28:00.000-07:00

Ellise Mayor (15 Minutes) made her acting debut at BFT as Tillie in The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds directed by Vic Fichtner in 1974. Since then she has appeared in or directed over a dozen shows here. Most recently she had the great pleasure of directing Almost, Maine. During the daytime she is Artistic Director of The Seasoned Performers, Alabama’s only Senior Adult theatre company.

It may seem easier to give in, but don't give a hand-out.

2010-08-18T20:44:00.000-07:00

Most of us who live, work, or go to events in Southside or Downtown Birmingham have heard the lines: "Spare some change for something to eat?" "I need [x] dollars to get to Bessemer." "My wife's just out of the hospital and we need to get home to Nashville."

The people who use these lines are panhandlers, and they're not simply annoying you. Many of them are breaking the law. A 1996 Birmingham City Ordinance makes aggressive panhandling a crime.

Furthermore, as if you didn't know, these people are usually lying. Maybe you tell yourself that they're lying because they don't want to say outright that they're homeless. But in truth, they're probably not homeless.

According to Michael Calvert, president of Operation New Birmingham (ONB), "Most panhandlers are not homeless and most homeless are not panhandlers." (Begging in downtown Birmingham might get tougher [08/30/10]).

The sad truth is that many panhandlers are seeking money to support an addiction to alcohol or other drugs. If we give in to the "easy fix" of handing them even a little money, we may perpetuate their problems instead of working on a solution.

You don't need to be mean about your refusal. You can say "No" and keep walking. If you also say "I don't carry change," you may discourage other beggars nearby, too. And, of course, you don't have to say anything.

These statements and tactics may seem harsh to the Southerner who wants to be polite and helpful. They're not.

The good news is that you can help people in need without giving in to panhandlers. It's actually fairly easy.

Several legitimate charitable organizations provide support for those in need in the Birmingham area, including
• First Light
• Jessie’s Place/Jimmie Hale Mission
• The Old Firehouse Shelter, and
• Birmingham Salvation Army.

Community support programs are also run by many Birmingham churches. In the 5 Points area, outreach programs exist at
• Southside Baptist Church
• Highlands United Methodist Church
• St. Mary's on the Highlands Episcopal Church
Similar programs exist at many other local churches.

A donation of time or money to one of these organizations or churches can help people with genuine needs.

If you've been approached by a panhandler and want to take a more aggressive stance, call City Action Partnership (CAP) at 251-0111 to report the incident. Your call may help someone get the help they really need.

Birmingham Festival Theatre (BFT) supports the efforts of ONB, CAP, and local officials to discourage illegal panhandling in our community. For more information about the city's efforts to help those in need and combat the crime of panhandling, visit www.capisdowntown.com or www.yourcitycenter.com.

As always, BFT appreciates the support of local theatre-goers. We believe that spirit of support and loyalty can be extended even further into the community if they, too, support the city's efforts in this cause.

Lee Griner
Secretary, Birmingham Festival Theatre

Who is playwright Jane Martin?

2010-08-16T13:27:00.000-07:00

There's some question about the identity of the playwright behind "Talking With...," the first show of BFT's 2010-2011 season. Whether it's by a woman, a man, something in between, one person, two persons ... WHATEVER! ... the point is that the 11 women comprised by these monologues are extraordinarily entertaining.

For more on the controversy, see
University of Washington's Columns or
Hartnell College's Western Stage

For a list of all of Martin's plays—and there are lots of them—see the entry in Playwright's Database.

Production Note: Justin Wallace (Crew)

2010-08-03T04:41:00.001-07:00

Justin Wallace (Sound Design) is a sound designer, performer, and student from Birmingham, AL. He works with the Birmingham Festival Theatre by providing sound design for numerous productions. As a performer, he regularly performs around Birmingham with several groups and other outfits as a musician for hire. At UAB, Justin is a Music Technology major and is a regular member of the Percussion Ensemble and the Computer Music Ensemble. He is also a company artist for the Sanspointe Dance Company.

Production Note: Sufia Butt (Crew)

2010-08-03T04:40:00.000-07:00

Sufia Butt (Stage Manager) is glad to be back at BFT stage managing another show. Sufia is a senior at Birmingham-Southern College studying theatre and photgraphy.

Production Note: Janelle Cochrane (Director)

2010-08-03T04:39:00.000-07:00

Janelle Cochrane (Director) has acted and directed in regional theatre throughout the country for many years with long stints at Flat Rock Playhouse, the State Theatre of North Carolina. Some of her favorite directing stints include No Time for Sergeants, Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter, Rumors, Morning’s At Seven, Foxfire and, of course, Fuddy Meers and Rabbit Hole at BFT. And then there’s all those many silly farces. Among her favorite roles as an actress are Eliza in Look Homeward Angel and Big Mama in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

Production Note: Jack Heidt (Cast)

2010-08-02T04:44:00.002-07:00

Jack Heidt (George Payne) is glad to be back at BFT, where he performed in his first play in Birmingham (Tom Jones). Since then he has appeared with most theatre companies in Birmingham. Favorite roles include Friar Laurence (Romeo and Juliet)—or as he says Juliet and the Friar—also, Paul Sheldon (Misery), Don Pedro (Much Ado about Nothing), Uncle Freddie (Bent), and Bob Ewell (To Kill a Mockingbird).

Production Note: Bates Redwine (Cast)

2010-08-02T04:44:00.001-07:00

Bates Redwine (Captain Tim) was surprised and delighted to be cast in this, his second BFT production. Bates appeared earlier this season in The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940. He is enjoying using his native Georgia accent this time. Other Birmingham roles have included Balthasar in Much Ado About Nothing, Dr. Hyman in Broken Glass, and Ensemble in The Who’s Tommy. After living near Tobacco Road for several years, Bates feels right at home in this production.

Production Note: Sarah Virginia Brock (Cast)

2010-08-02T04:33:00.000-07:00

Sarah Virginia Brock (Pearl) is very excited to be doing her first play at BFT! Sarah is a film actress and has been very involved in the Alabama film community. She's done 17 movies, and you can find her profile on imdb.com. She's also done 5 plays in the Birmingham theater community and hopes to keep growing as an actress as the years go by.

Production Note: Mel Christian (Cast)

2010-08-01T06:09:00.001-07:00

Mel (Melissa) Christian (Sister Bessie Rice) is Program Manager for Theatre UAB, where she is in charge of grants, special events, and their statewide touring program. Mel also serves as secretary on the board for City Equity Theatre. She is a native of Northport, AL and holds an MFA in Drama and Communications from the University of New Orleans. Most recently, Mel directed Twelve Angry Men and appeared as Dora Strang in Equus for Theatre Downtown. On the BFT stage, she was Evelyn in Kindertransport and Grace in Bus Stop. This January she will direct for BFT one of her favorite plays, the hilarious British farce Loot, by Joe Orton.

Production Note: William Brisky (Cast)

2010-07-31T05:55:00.000-07:00

William Brisky (Henry Peabody) has worked at BFT as stage manager for Dead Man's Cell Phone and Almost, Maine, but this is his first time on the stage at BFT. His last time on stage was at the Levite Jewish Community Center as Stanton Case in Broken Glass. William has been involved in local theatre for around 10 years. He tells everyone that theatre keeps him sane, and that he has found his second home at BFT. William will be stage managing for Talking With..., the next play at BFT.

Production Note: Dane Albright (Cast)

2010-07-30T05:12:00.000-07:00

Dane Albright (Lov Bensey) is excited to be cast in his first production at BFT. His other roles include Felix in The Odd Couple at South City Theatre, John in The Cocktail Hour at Montevallo, and Wardell in Sordid Lives at Terrific New Theatre, among others. He also co-starred as Witness #2 in the award-winning short film High Expectations.

Production Note: Sally Montgomery (Cast)

2010-07-29T03:33:00.001-07:00

Sally Montgomery (Grandma Lester) is returning to BFT for a second time. She was last seen at BFT as Mrs. Whitefield, the innkeeper, in Tom Jones. She has performed at South City Theatre in Octette Bridge Club, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Christmas Belles, To Kill A Mockingbird, Steel Magnolias, and Arsenic and Old Lace. She has also appeared at Theatre Downtown in The Crucible and We Three Queens. She performed in Music Man at Leeds Arts Council and in Mornings at Seven at Arts Council Theater Academy (ACTA) in Trussville.

Sarah Green to play preshow music

2010-07-28T04:52:00.000-07:00

Check the Sarah Green band web site for samples! http://www.myspace.com/sarahgreenband

Sarah Green is a talented singer, songwriter, and band-leader who grew up singing in church and with her family in Blountsville, Alabama. After relocating to Birmingham to study music theory, vocal performance, and opera at the University of Alabama, she soon became a regular on the nightclub and music hall circuit. Sarah commands attentive audiences with her dynamic voice.

Her performances are made up of a mix of traditional acoustic Appalachian songs, original folk-country compositions, and hard rockin' sets of electric American roots music. She also stays busy working with many of the region's other popular acts including Chris Porter and the Stolen Roses, The Back Row Baptists and her other project Sarah Green and the Sunday Lovers (Jazz).

With ongoing songwriting, the recording of her debut album, a new album with The Back Row Baptists (a second EP coming soon), and a busy local performance schedule, Sarah is in rare form to take her music to new heights . Watch for Sarah at area festivals, and the South's finest music spots for upcoming shows.

Check the band web site for more: http://www.myspace.com/sarahgreenband

Production Note: Maggie Ballard (Cast)

2010-07-28T04:39:00.000-07:00

Maggie Ballard (Ellie May Lester) is thrilled to be making her debut at BFT in Tobacco Road. She was last seen in The Bachelor as part of the Short Play Festival at South City Theatre. She was also in Tom Sawyer as Widow Douglas and Mattie in The Darkest Night at South City Theatre. Maggie also won Open Mic Night at the Stardome Comedy Club for stand-up comedy, and played Laurie in the feature film Lifted.

Production Note: Michael T. Walters (Cast)

2010-07-27T05:09:00.000-07:00

Michael T. Walters (Dude Lester) will have two shows at BFT under his belt come opening night. Michael has been looking forward to Tobacco Road since it was cast, and is pleased to be working along side Janelle again, and several actors he has seen but not shared the stage with. Michael was most recently seen in Anne Frank and Me at Children's Dance Foundation, and Shakespeare's R&J at Theatre Downtown. His favorite roles have been Jason from Rabbit Hole, Tom from The Glass Menagerie, and Romeo.

Production Note: Pam Elder (Cast)

2010-07-26T04:44:00.000-07:00

Pam Elder (Ada Lester) is pleased to return to the Birmingham Festival Theatre after her first performance there in 2001. At that time she had returned to the theater after untold years of raising children and working as a speech-language pathologist.

Pam has now performed in numerous Birmingham community theaters including the Jewish Community Center Theatre (Off Broadway), Terrific New Theatre (An Adult Evening of Shel Silverstein, My Name Will Always Be Alice, The Dixie Swim Club), Birmingham Festival Theatre (Angels in America, Kindertransport) and the South City Theatre (Christmas Belles, On Golden Pond, The Octette Bridge Club, and Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean).

Growing up in Dallas, Texas, Pam had the thrill of attending the first Teen Theater class at the celebrated Dallas Theater Center and later attending the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, England.

Production Note: John Falkenberry (Cast)

2010-07-25T05:40:00.000-07:00

John Falkenberry (Jeeter Lester) is delighted to return to BFT for a 20th show. Among his favorite BFT roles are the title role in Jake's Women, Bobby Gould in Speed-the-Plow, Rev. Eddie in Some Things You Need to Know Before the World Ends: A Final Evening with the Illuminati, Samuel Byck in Assassins, Robert Strauss in Voice of Good Hope and Captain Taylor in BFT’s 1987 production of A Soldier’s Play, which started it all.

A Note from the Director of Tobacco Road

2010-07-24T04:54:00.000-07:00

Our country has a great legacy of Theatre and Literature.

When audiences and readers choose to apply contemporary morés and attitudes toward historical works, this legacy becomes threatened. The lessons of history become moot, and the windows of enlightenment and revelation begin to close.

Great writers’ works would have been greatly diminished had they given consideration to the sensibilities of future readers and audiences. The tragic characters of Eugene O’Neill and Thomas Wolfe did not have a cadre of electronic media pop psycho-analytics to advise them from a safe distance on how to behave. Mark Twain’s characters in the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn engaged in emotional and psychological struggles not only of love and morality, but of historical injustice and amorality. Diversity Training classes were not an optional source of exoneration.

Tobacco Road’s tragicomic Jeeter Lester is begat from the futility of his time and circumstance. His refuge is a pitiable belief in a return to a system of attaining a value as a human being that has long disappeared. His behavior, both immoral and amoral, is a result of his own narrow window of enlightenment.

Here’s hoping that our own contemporary morés and attitudes may be enlightened by this thought provoking and engaging lesson of history presented in this entertaining form of theatre. I think our sensibilities are up to the challenge.

Janelle Cochrane, Director

Tobacco Road Cast and Crew

2010-07-21T19:49:00.000-07:00

The Board of Directors at BFT is honored to have this group of fine folk working on Tobacco Road, our final show of the 2009-2010 season. Sincere thanks go to each and every one of them.

CAST (in order of appearance)
Dude Lester	Michael Walters
Ada Lester	Pam Elder
Jeeter Lester	John Falkenberry
Ellie May Lester	Maggie Ballard
Grandma Lester	Sally Montgomery
Lov Bensey	Dane Albright
Henry Peabody	William Brisky
Sister Bessie Rice	Mel Christian
Pearl	Sarah Brock
Captain Tim	Bates Redwine
George Payne	Jack Heidt
CREW
Stage Manager	Sufia Butt
Assistant Stage Manager	William Brisky
Set/Lighting Design/Construction	Monty Bishop
Sound Design	Justin Wallace
Light Operator	Sufia Butt
Sound Operator	Justin Wallace/Monty Bishop
Production Coordinator	Leah McCraney

Watch for upcoming posts with information on these talented "arteests"!

Old time string bands provide preshow music for Tobacco Road

2010-07-16T20:14:00.000-07:00

Arrive early to experience this nostalgic art form that comes straight out of the time in which the events of Tobacco Road unfold. The music will begin right around 7:15 and continue almost to curtain time (8:00).

Jubilee, from Starkville MS, will play for the July 22 opening night (picture, bio). Bands scheduled for other nights include HeyHowdies (Joyce and Jim Cauthen and Rachel Turner, part of Birmingham's Flying Jenny), Sara Green, and The Potted Meat Boys.

The Flying Jenny web site describes string band music as "lively fiddle tunes meant for dancing as well as old songs sung on front porches and in front of fireplaces when families and friends got together after the day’s work was done."

The bands consist mainly or solely of string instruments and were popular in the 1920s and 1930s. String band music is among the forerunners of modern country music and bluegrass.

See the Wikipedia listing for more on this distinctively American music.

Tobacco Road Gallery Partner: Jennifer Harwell Art

2010-07-11T05:44:00.000-07:00

Works from Jennifer Harwell Art will be on display in the Haden Gaines Marsh Gallery at BFT during the run of Tobacco Road: July 22-August 7, 2010.

To get an idea of what a treat this will be, visit the JHA web site and check out the gallery, artists, jewelry, and sports art. You can even become a fan of Jennifer Harwell Art on Facebook.

The gallery is located in downtown Birmingham at 1901 6th Avenue North, in Suite 197 of the Harbert Plaza. Drop in, and tell'em BFT sent you!

To reserve seats for Tobacco Road, please call BFT at (205) 933-BFT3 [2383].

Season Auditions a Huge Success!

2010-07-04T11:50:00.000-07:00

Dozens of local actors—some new to BFT, some new to Birmingham, and some familiar faces—were on hand June 26 and 27 to audition for the 2010-2011 season productions at Festival.

Season tickets go on sale July 22, so get ready for some great theatre featuring some truly amazing talent. The season is posted at our web site (http://www.bftonline.org/2010-2011.html).

See you on Southside!

Kim Riegel's photograph to be in NYC exhibit

2010-05-07T13:53:00.000-07:00

Photographer Kim Riegel is represented locally by Jennifer Hunt Gallery, one of BFT's partner galleries for the 2009-2010 season. As you may know, she's also married to Brad Riegel, who is active in the Birmingham theatre scene.

One of Kim's photographs has been selected for inclusion in BED TWO, an exhibit at the Umbrella Arts gallery in New York City. The photograph, titled "Greg & Brenda," is shown on the press release linked below, which also contains information about Kim and the exhibit.

"Greg & Brenda" may disturb some viewers because of its content. However, the frank portrayal of this couple's obvious love and acceptance of one another should also thrill, empower, and comfort many who see and think about it. The photograph is part of Kim's series “Observations of Intimacy.”
See the press release and photo.

It is a pleasure for BFT to see Kim's success, not only because of her affiliation with its partner gallery, but also because of her and Brad's long-standing support for theatre in the Birmingham area.

--Lee Griner, BFT Secretary

Haden Gaines Marsh Gallery

2010-05-05T12:01:00.000-07:00

On April 22, 2010, BFT dedicated its lobby art gallery to Haden Gaines Marsh.

Haden was married to Randy Marsh, one of BFT's founding directors. In the theatre's earliest years, she tirelessly served as casting assistant, costumer, chef, properties mistress.... If Randy needed it, Haden was there to do it.

BFT honors her talent, commitment, and supportive spirit.

Lou Dina, of DinaGraphics, was on hand and took several commemorative photos of the event.

Art Gallery partners represented in the 2009-2010 season include:

Jennifer Hunt Gallery 2800 Cahaba Village Plaza, Suite 260, Homewood

Loretta Goodwin Gallery 605 28th Street South

Maralyn Wilson Gallery 3908 Clairmont Ave

Littlehouse Galleries 2915 Linden Avenue

Monty Stabler Galleries 1811 29th Ave S, Homewood

Gallery represesentatives who would like to know more about having their artists' work featured during a BFT production may contact BFT at (205) 933-2383 or info@bftonline.org.

New directors on board

2010-04-28T12:56:00.000-07:00

The Board of Directors at Birmingham Festival Theatre (BFT) announces the appointment of two new board members. John M. Hill is a Vice President in Corporate Communications at Regions Bank and has been involved in film and video production for many years. Gordon Pate, attorney and partner in Pate & Cochrun LLP, recently returned to the BFT stage as Dr. Gerald Lyman in "Bus Stop."

On your next visit to BFT, please be sure to say "Hi!" to John and Gordon. (They'll be selling tickets, ushering, serving soft drinks, or otherwise earning their keep!) You can also post your own welcome message for them at http://www.facebook.com/bftfb.

BFT, founded in 1972, is the oldest continuously producing community theatre in Birmingham. A brief history of the theatre and the names of everyone currently on the board of directors can be found at http://www.bftonline.org.

Opening Night of Dead Man's Cell Phone

2010-04-26T14:17:00.000-07:00

See Photos from the Evening's Events

It started with the surprise announcement that BFT was dedicating its new art gallery space in the lobby to Haden Gaines Marsh. Haden was married to Randy Marsh, one of the founding directors of BFT.

By way of introducing her and the reason for the dedication, Edward Miller recounted her many roles at the fledgling BFT of the 1970s: casting coordinator, costumer, food-prop preparation...and more. Miller was joined in the charade-intro by fellow cast members from the 1979 BFT production of "That Championship Season."

Haden was visibly moved by the gesture of remembrance and honor.

Then, the nearly full house settled in for a very entertaining performance by a fine cast of actors, supported by a fine crew.

After the "curtain came down" (yeah, right, like we have room for a curtain!), everyone enjoyed the marvelous spring evening with hors d'oeuvres, beverages, and wonderful company from the past 39 years of theatre at BFT.

What a blast we all had!

What do you mean there are no small parts? I'm 6 1/2 feet tall for pity's sake!

2010-04-22T15:41:00.000-07:00

Tonight marks the opening of a show that I didn't think I was going to be in ... but, you know how it goes... They need a giant, and, well, we're in short supply.

I've had an absolutely delightful time working with the cast of Dead Man's Cell Phone over the past weeks, and I can hardly wait to open the show tonight for our loyal BFT audience -- and of course for all the newcomers!

We have a few special events planned for opening night, but if you miss that, do try to make the show. It's very funny (which, frankly, surprised me... after reading the name of the show), and BFT has the honor of welcoming both new and returning actors to our stage for this production.

933-BFT3 is the number to call. And please, for heaven's sake, when they say turn off your cell phone... Well. You know what to do. ;-D

See you on the Southside!
Lee Griner

2010-04-15T11:18:00.000-07:00

Painting by Karen Williams, used on the set of "Dead Man's Cell Phone."

Check out rehearsal photos from the show at Flickr!

Russian Impressionism at Loretta Goodwin Gallery

2010-04-07T10:29:00.001-07:00

Loretta Goodwin Gallery will be BFT's pARTner Gallery for Almost, Maine. Currently, the gallery is featuring paintings from 1945 to 1991. During this time, "Social Realism" was state-mandated in the Soviet Union because Impressionism was frowned upon by the Communist regime.

Several of the works featured on the gallery's web site have already sold, so take a look while you have a chance!

http://web.mac.com/dwalklakeman/Loretta_Goodwin_Gallery/Artists_Index/Pages/Russian_Impressionism.html

Festival Facelift

2010-04-05T12:04:00.000-07:00

Fred Carter, volunteer extraordinaire (left), and Edward C. Miller, BFT Board of Directors, have worked tirelessly over the winter months to help the theatre be ready for a new year.

Much of the building's exterior has a fresh coat of paint (several coats in some places). The lobby has been repainted, which you saw if you came to the BATA holiday gathering in December. Since then, the new carpet has been installed, as well as new sinks in the restrooms.

Edward and Fred have gotten help from several BFT board members and from a few really great friends like Douglas O'Neil, Jr., of Extemporaneous Theatre Company.

The courtyard, too, has had a facelift. Watch for pictures as spring emerges in BFT's front yard.

Coming soon, a new sign for the front entrance and other exciting improvements!

Web Clean-Up

2010-04-04T18:14:00.000-07:00

Each page of our web site at http://www.bftonline.org/ had about 12 buttons across the top, so it needed an overhaul. Here's hoping the new structure is "intuitive."

Our Flickr and Facebook pages are synopsed (is that a word?) on the home page now, and every page has contact information and a link to our new blog at http://bftblog.blogspot.com.

Whaddya think?
Lee

Loretta Goodwin Gallery - Almost, Maine

2010-04-02T14:38:00.000-07:00

Loretta Goodwin Gallery will share its artwork with BFT audiences for Almost, Maine, June 10-26, 2010.

"Since 1982, Loretta Goodwin Gallery has established itself as one of the Southeast's premier fine art galleries and is now available to host intimate gatherings and special events. Working with talented designers and cutting edge style will insure your event will not go unnoticed."

The gallery is located at 605 28th Street South in Birmingham and is open 10-4 (M-F) and 10-3 (Sat).
Phone: (205) 328-1761
Email: loretta_gallery@bellsouth.net
Web: http://www.lorettagoodwingallery.net/
Map: Click for map

Loretta Goodwin Gallery is owned by local artist Dirk A. Walker (http://www.dirkwalkerfineart.com/).

Drop by the gallery, and tell them you heard about it at BFT!

2010-03-30T13:48:00.000-07:00

The final version of the poster for Dead Man's Cell Phone is calling....

It's all about the 9's

2010-03-30T12:55:00.000-07:00

So, I got so excited about BFT's upcoming 40th anniversary that I jumped the gun, thinking it was this coming season.

Nay, nay, fair maidens! That'll be the 2011-2012 season, and it'll be a hullabaloo!

In the meantime, check out the 2010-2011 season, newly posted at http://www.bftonline.org!
Lee

Live Feed for Live Theatre

2010-03-30T09:18:00.001-07:00

BFT's blog is now available at http://bftblog.blogspot.com