Opening this week: The Madwoman of Chaillot

It will be a blur of color & fun...opening this week! Photos by Keith Busha

You know, I love everything director Susan Williams does, so I’m already predisposed to think The Madwoman of Chaillot is going to be a winner….now’s your chance to find out! Here’s more about the show from the Community Theatre’s Jan Bollwinkel-Smith:

Deb as the madwoman....

Eccentric characters, a variety of zany European accents and out-of-this-world sets and costumes (think: Steam Punk–description below). Jean Giraudoux’s 1942 satiric comedy, The Madwoman of Chaillot, comes to bright and vividly comic life on San Juan Community Theatre’s Whittier stage this Thursday through Saturday, February 24-26.

The play is a classic tale of the good guys vs. the bad guys. It’s set in the Chaillot district of Paris, where the bad guys — a group of money-grubbing, power-hungry capitalists — have sniffed out an underground oil deposit and are willing to destroy the city to get at it. The good guys – a countess, a few madwomen, and a motley crew of street people – hear about the plan and decide to kill all the bad guys to preserve the Paris they love. But who wins? You’ll have to find out for yourself!

Buy tickets now online at www.sjctheatre.org, or the box office is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 11 am to 4 pm and Saturdays from 11 am to 2 pm (360-378-3210).

The Madwoman of Chaillot continues March 3-6.

The CAST

“When I first read The Madwoman of Chaillot, the eccentric characters stole my heart,” said director Susan Williams. Susan adds: “The cast exemplifies some of the strongest acting talents of San Juan Community Theatre!”

The President Ken Serratt
The Baron Lorie Narum
The Waiter Joseph Adams
The Doorwoman Shannon Kelley
Irma TaShawn Moore
Little Man Tanja Williamson
Prospector Dana Rice
The Flower Girl Elizabeth Schubert
The Shoelace Peddler Elizabeth Schubert
The Broker Roberta Leed
The Deaf Mute Merideth Block
Countess Aurelia, The Madwoman of Chaillot Deb Langhans
The Sergeant Susan Williamson
Pierre Johnny Pachivas
The Policeman Therese Finn
Dr. Jadin, Second Prospector Warren Baehr
Third Prospector  Keith Keyser
Second President Pete Dawson
The Street Singer/Magician Joy Van Camp
The Ragpicker Rev Shannon
Mme. Constance, The Madwoman of Passy Therese Finn
Mlle. Gabrielle, The Madwoman of St. Sulpice Patti Bair
Mme. Josephine, The Madwoman of La Concorde Gretchen Gubelman
Sewer Man Karrie King

Magician’s Apprentice McKenzie Serratt
Townspeople Ann Marie Molinar, Anessa Knowles, Teppei Nguyen, Fiona Small

Steam punk in the show....

Steampunk!
When you see the Madwoman set and costumes, they are definitely unique. Director Susan Williams, her cast, costumers and set crews have designed the production in a theme of STEAMPUNK–a cultural movement that started to grow in popularity in the 1980s. According to Wikipedia:

“Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, alternate history, and speculative fiction … Specifically, steampunk involves an era or world where steam power is still widely used—usually the 19th century and often Victorian era Britain—that incorporates prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy. Works of steampunk often feature anachronistic technology or futuristic innovations as Victorians may have envisioned them; in other words, based on a Victorian perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style, art, etc. This technology may include such fictional machines as those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne or real technologies like the computer but developed earlier in an alternate history.”

You can support the San Juan Update by doing business with our loyal advertisers, and by making a one-time contribution or a recurring donation.