Thursday, November 22, 2012

Saturday, October 27, 2012

From The Archives | The Ogre

What an amazing show!  We say goodbye to Big Idea's production of Don Nigro's The Ogre with a look back through the photo archives, images courtesy of Lixxim Photography.



Next up on Big Idea's stage: Love's Labour's Lost by William Shakespeare, Adapted by Kirk Blackinton.  Let's rock!


Friday, October 19, 2012

Actors React - H.G. Wells | The Ogre

TIME MAGAZINE COVER: 09/29/1926
Source: http://www.time.com/time/covers
/0,16641,19260920,00.html









Part herald and part pessimist, Herbert George Wells, or H.G. Wells, was a prolific author, teacher, historian and journalist.  Not only did he make a name for himself in the science fiction genre, penning such works as The Time Machine, The Island of Doctor Moreau, The Invisible Man, and The War of the Worlds, he was also responsible for many other fiction and non-fiction titles, utopian and dystopian short stories, travel sketches, histories and socio-political commentary.  Although his major works featured a bleak future for humanity, Wells was not without his "sardonic and wry wit."

Big Idea company member and actor, Gregory Smith, shares his thoughts on Don Nigro's The Ogre and his portrayal of H.G. Wells.

Photo: Jessica Berkey

Big Idea: What draws you to a play as an actor?

Greg:  I enjoy witty dialogue.


Big Idea: What was your first reaction upon reading The Ogre?

Greg:  My initial reaction was "Wow," but it has since come alive in performance in ways I did not see when I first read it.   


Big Idea: How do you think of Wells?

Greg: Wells was a visionary writer who was extremely ahead of his time, writing classics like The War of the Worlds and The Time Machine.  He was also a complex man who once wrote, "I was never a great amorist," he wrote in Experiment in Autobiography, "though I have loved several people very deeply."


Big Idea: You described Wells as a visionary writer.  Which of those impressive works is your favorite?

Greg: Definitely The War of the Worlds, written in 1898, as it preceded any of the World Wars.  I marvel at his vision - he was truly ahead of his time.

First Edition Cover
Photo: drzeus.best.vhw.net

Big Idea: What is the best advice that he gives to Stephen Crane? 

Greg: As Wells says in the play, "The great thing is to do your work and everything else be damned.  We each make our own twisted journey.  We are just damn lucky to be in the race at all." To him, the work is the most important thing.


Big Idea: Does Wells believe that Brede Place is haunted?

Greg: I would say yes, for everything was possible to Wells.


Big Idea: Can you share a memorable moment from the show?

Greg: My favorite scene is when Wells is seeing Stephen and Cora off to the Black Forrest at the ship. Saying goodbye with out saying goodbye.  Wells is actually saying the opposite to what he feels inside.


Big Idea: How does the role of H.G. Wells differ from previously roles that you have played?

Greg:  I love portraying historical characters.  Wells is more of a subdued role and most of my recent characters have been larger than life, such as King Henry IV (who turned into a Zombie!), Sheriff of 
Nottingham and the Mad Hatter.

Gregory Smith as zombified King Henry IV
in "The Life and Undead of King Henry V" by William Shakespeare,
Adapted by Brian Harrower from the 2012 Big Idea Theatre Season
Photo: Benjamin T. Ismail  

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Welcome to Brede Place | The Ogre

Welcome to Brede Place! Enter if you dare....

The desolate, dilapidated setting of Don Nigro's The Ogre is fantastically brought to life by designers, Brian Harrower and Beth Edwards.  Deteriorating confinement and uninhibited wild merge into one in this inspired vision.  

Photos: Jessica Berkey

"The set - designed by Brian Harrower and Beth Edwards - is exceptionally well-done, giving a clear sense of the decaying manse and the garden and woods behind." - Kel Munger, SN&R

Friday, October 12, 2012

Backstage Pass - Sound Design | The Ogre

  Ominous crows, rural mayhem, gusts of wind and menacing storms are just the beginning of the well-crafted soundscape created by Sound Designer, Jouni Kirjola, in Big Idea's latest production of Don Nigro's The Ogre.  Use this backstage pass for a look at how he brought the eery Brede Place of 19th-century Sussex to life right here in Sacramento!

Jouni Kirjola | Sound Designer

Big Idea: What were your thoughts when you picked up The Ogre?

Jouni: My first reaction?  "Why have I never heard of this play?"  It's really got something for everyone - drama, comedy, romance, haunted houses...  It's the perfect fall-time show.


Big Idea: How would you describe the sounds of The Ogre?

Jouni: Don Nigro's script describes in detail the world surrounding The Ogre.  My job was to bring that world to life through sound.  My hope is that the sound design is convincing enough that people will forget they're in a theater and just live in the world of The Ogre for a couple hours.


Big Idea: How do you approach sound design?

Jouni: Usually I start with finding or creating music cues.  Once the music is in place, I then start incorporating sound effects.  The Ogre was different though, because the director, Gina Williams, already had most of the music selected.  That freed me up to focus almost entirely on the soundscape.


Big Idea: What inspiration did you draw from when crafting the soundscape?

Jouni: I'm a huge fan of the way David Lynch uses sound in his films.  It's so subtle, but so effective.  He has this way of creating tension by layering everyday sounds - like a gentle breeze or the hum of an air conditioner, let's say - one on top of the other until you almost can't bear it.  It gets under your skin and you don't realize how uncomfortable you are until it all stops.  When it does stop, you're left with silence, which can be more unsettling than any sound effect.


Big Idea: Do you have a favorite piece or sound bit from the show?

Jouni: I don't, but I've heard a lot of chatter over the "chicken crash" sound cue. 


Big Idea: How does sound play a role in crafting the world of any play? 

Jouni: Sound plays a role in a play similar to how it plays a role in real life - you're usually not aware of it until it sounds wrong.  In this particular piece, the sounds are incredibly important in creating mood and defining changes in location between the various scenes. 


Big Idea: Was there anything challenging about this piece for you? 

Jouni: There are moments in The Ogre when the audience is relying almost entirely on the sound design to inform them of what is happening offstage.  The challenge was to bring those offstages moments to life with sound in order to create action in the mind's eye.  I hope in the end it all works.  If the audience is completely oblivious to the mechanics of sound design and simply feels like they've inhabited the world of The Ogre for two hours, then I've done my job.



"... the costuming and sound design also deserve compliments, as they complement the entire piece so well." 
- Kel Munger on The Ogre, SN&R

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Actors React - Henry James | The Ogre

Photo: Bettman/Corbis  Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2010/sep/20/number-one-writer
An American ex-pat, author and intellectual, Henry James was the "top dog" in his day.  With over 20 novels, 112 stories, 12 plays and many literary criticisms to his credit, his writings highlighted his numerous talents in literature, psychology and philosophy.



Joining us is Sacramento actor Shawn B O'Neal, sharing his thoughts on Don Nigro's The Ogre and his portrayal of the famous Henry James.

Big Idea: What appealed to you about being a part of The Ogre cast?

Shawn:  This show has an eerie feeling of suspense throughout coupled with humor.


Big Idea: How would you describe James?

Shawn: I believe Henry James is massively self-conscious and ultimately, a pretentious person.  In The Ogre, James is a very lonely person who is not truly able to connect with many people.


Big Idea: What do you feel is most important in his world?

Shawn: His love of the creation of art.  His body of work is enormous and I feel it is what has driven him.  The idea of creation, his creation, living on long past his death. 


Big Idea: Do you have a favorite work of James?

Shawn: I'd have to say that I enjoyed his ghost story "The Turn of the Screw" best.  It is suspenseful without being contrived. 

Source: http://archive.org/details/twomagicsturnofs00jameiala

Big Idea: What is the most challenging part of exploring the world of the play through the eyes of a well-known historical figure?

Shawn:  Accuracy!  As an actor, you a taught to play a character for truth.  This is even more important when playing a historical person.  Accuracy and honesty are key.


Big Idea: In The Ogre, Henry James and Stephen Crane have a genuine friendship.  Why do you feel James befriends Crane?

Shawn: James respects Stephen Crane and enjoys the idea of being looked at as a mentor.  He appreciates Crane's talent and gift of writing, exploring different topics that challenge him.


Big Idea: How does the role of Henry James differ from previously roles that you have played?

Shawn:  Well - in my most recent Big Idea roles, I played a mentally damaged, child serial killer (The Pillowman), and a drag queen in mourning (Twelfth Night, or What You Will)...  so, this role is far more reserved and requires a great deal of restraint, a great deal of subtlety.  It's quite fun!



 "Pretty soon I will have to throw this away so I better try to be calm like Henry James. Did you ever read Henry James? He was a great writer who came to Venice and looked out the window and smoked his cigar and thought."

- Ernest Hemingway

Source: http://www.archive.org/stream/historyofpendenn01thacrich#page/n3/mode/2up
• Liukkonen, Petri and Ari Pesonen.  Kuusankosken kaupunginkkirjasto. www.kirjasto.sci.fi.com/hjames.htm, 2008.
• James's Legacy: The Afterlife of His Figure and Fiction by Adeline Tintner (1998) ISBN 0-8071-2157-6Ernest Hemingway pp.176–188.

Press Pass | The Ogre

Big Idea had a fantastic opening weekend with the Sacramento premiere of Don Nigro's The Ogre! 

The View from the Seats | Patron Chat

"DO NOT MISS THIS ONE if you like "the meaning of life/what's it all about" philosophy.  Quirky and likable characters range from stuffy and proper, to recklessly flamboyant, to pragmatic realists.  The slow demise of the open-minded, rational main character - lucid and sane while at the same time physically deteriorating - is fascinating.  Be careful what you cling to, it may be your undoing." - Craig D.

"Had a great time seeing The Ogre last night... STELLAR performances!! The Ogre is a can't miss show!!" - Andie D.

"Big Idea Theatre's production of "The Ogre" is a book-nerd's delight--and it has a nice Halloween-y feel to it, too, what with all the ghosts." - Kel Munger, SN&R




Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Poets' Corner - Stephen Crane | The Ogre

Don Nigro's The Ogre centers around famed American author and poet, Stephen Crane, in the final years of his life.  Crane's poems, which he preferred to call "lines," embodied an unconventional poetic style for the time, written in free verse without rhyme, meter or titles for individual works.  

Tell me why, behind thee,
I see always the shadow of another lover?
Is it real
Or is this the thrice-damned memory of a better happiness?
Plague on him if he be dead
Plague on him if he be alive
A swinish numbskull
To intrude his shade
Always between me and my peace.
- Stephen Crane

Published by Cornell University Press

Love walked alone.
The rocks cut her tender fee,
And the brambles tore her fair limbs.
There came a companion to her,
But, alas, he was no help,
For his name was heart's pain.
- Stephen Crane

• Hoffman, Daniel. 1967. "Crane and Poetic Tradition". Stephen Crane: A Collection of Critical Essays. Ed. Maurice Bassan. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc.. Pg. 64

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

SIXTEEN SIXTEEN | The Ogre

Pick up your copy of the October Issue of SIXTEEN SIXTEEN for a note from The Ogre director, Gina Williams, along with info on the other exciting events from the 1616 Block.



Purchase tickets online today!

Friday, October 5, 2012

Opening Tonight! | The Ogre

The Ogre by Don Nigro opens tonight at the Big Idea Theatre!  Step into the abyss...


Enter Brede Place, the sinister mansion inhabited by famed American author, Stephen Crane, during the final days of his life.  Surrounded by a cast of enigmatic characters, Crane begins to question his sanity as he is haunted by mysterious screams and things that go bump in the night.


Performance Schedule: 
Friday, 10/5 | 8:00 PM
Saturday, 10/6 | 8:00 PM
Sunday, 10/7 | 2:30 PM
Thursday, 10/11 | 8:00 PM
Friday, 10/12 | 8:00 PM
Saturday, 10/13 | 8:00 PM
Sunday, 10/14 | 2:30 PM
Thursday, 10/18 | 8:00 PM
Friday, 10/19 | 8:00 PM
Saturday, 10/20 | 8:00 PM
Thursday, 10/25 | 8:00 PM
Friday, 10/26 | 8:00 PM
Saturday, 10/27 | 8:00 PM

Purchase tickets online today!

General Admission: $15
Students/Seniors/SARTA: $13
Thrifty Thursdays: $10

Photos by Benjamin T. Ismail

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Lobby Board | The Ogre

The Big Idea lobby board is complete courtesy of Vince Natad, a talented Sacramento artist.  
It's almost time for opening!


The Ogre by Don Nigro
Oct 5 - 27

Friday, September 21, 2012

2013 Season Announcement!

Big Idea announces an exciting line-up for the 2013 season: Face the Tyrant.

Perfection, of a kind, was what he was after
And the poetry he invented was easy to understand;
He knew human folly like the back of his hand,
And was greatly interested in armies and fleets;

When he laughed, respectable senators burst with laughter,
And when he cried the little children died in the streets.

               Epitaph on a Tyrant – W.H. Auden

What makes a tyrant? A large question that inevitably leads to larger questions still. W. H. Auden seemed to think that it didn't take much. Just take a normal person, a person with hobbies, one who laughs loudly, and even sometimes cries, and then add a little bit of power. Big Idea's 2013 season is riddled with questions about tyranny. The irony in this comes from the fact that as a company, we are an almost purely democratic entity. Big Idea is made up of 19 artists, actors, directors and designers who all have an equal say in the shows that we produce each year. Scripts are submitted annually, voted on by the company members, and the majority rules. Most years there is little consideration given to an overarching theme. This year, however, a theme emerged on its own. Seven plays all dealing in one way or another with themes of revolution, oppression, and the power of the human spirit to struggle against tyranny with every weapon in its arsenal; from bloody violence to raucous humor.

The season opens simply, with the courageous fight of one man to hold true to the highest of his beliefs in the face of political and religious persecution and is book-ended by fast-paced, time-traveling, complex exploration of the history of one man putting his boot to the throat of another. The season in between is a rollercoaster ride of comedy and drama that examines tyranny in the family, our own societies, and the world at large. As we all continue to watch, with hopeful anticipation, the effects of The Arab Spring and the growth of democracy throughout the world; and as we continue to struggle here at home with our own understanding of free speech and personal freedoms, now seems to be the perfect time to take this journey.

So come and join us in the fight, and we will see you at the theatre!


New Jerusalem: The Interrogation of Baruch De Spinoza At Talmud Torah Congregation: Amsterdam, July 27, 1656 
by David Ives. 
January 11 - February 9

One philosopher's progressive theories of divinity threaten to destroy an entire community.  This brilliant young man is presented with an unimaginable dilemma: be true to himself or face excommunication from his religion and in the process lose his family, his culture, and the woman he loves.


As You Like It by William Shakespeare, 
Adapted by Brian Harrower
March 1 - 30

All the world's a stage, including Arden Park, where Rosalind flees in a desperate attempt to save her life after a coup deposes her father.  Homeless and in disguise, she wanders through the urban wilderness, encountering a wacky assortment of colorful vagabonds and discovering love, laughter, and unexpected compassion along the way.  Happy endings abound in this modern version of one of Shakespeare's most beloved comedies.


More big ideas coming soon.  Stay tuned!


 A Contemporary American's Guide to a Successful Marriage 
c. 1959 by Robert Bastron
June 14 - July 13

It's the late 1950s.  It is a time of innocence and overly-helpful public service announcements; where all a young woman needs to be blissfully happy is a husband, a home, and a baby to love.  Or so we were told.  Hilarity ensues as two young couples embark on their lives together aided by the ever present, but perhaps misguided advice of one eager public service announcer.


The Lieutenant of Inishmore by Martin McDonagh
August 2 - 31

The untimely death of Wee Thomas the cat brings a heartbroken Irish freedom fighter with "anger management issues" home to say farewell.  His search for those responsible for his beloved feline's demise leads to a series of violent and bloody reprisals.  Uproarious, over-the-top, and unmistakably Irish, this play will have you simultaneously falling out of your seat with laughter and cringing in horror.

Lonesome Hollow by Lee Blessing
September 27 - October 26

In the not too distant future, a photographer of artistic nudes is sentenced to an open-ended imprisonment in a state run "penal village" for sexual offenders.  Seeking to find peace among a community of rapists and child molesters, he builds a Zen labyrinth under the watchful eye of a sympathetic guard.  With shades of Hawthorne, Guantanamo Bay, and A Clockwork Orange, this darkly thoughtful play explores the dangers of society's desperate quest for a sense of security.


Outrage by Itamar Moses
November 15 - December 14

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."  A time-bending roller-coaster ride through history, Outrage deftly moves between Ancient Greece, the Inquisition, Nazi Germany and modern day academia.  Outrage examines the price people pay for staying true to their principles in the face of vicious oppression and reminds us that the revolutionary of one era may become the tyrant of the next.


2013 Ticket Info:           
All “Thrifty Thursday” show tickets: $10
Advance ONLINE ticket sales: General Admission tickets: $16 | SARTA/Senior/Student tickets: $14
All Tickets sold AT THE DOOR: $20
Season Tickets: $70
Flex Passes: 4-show ($52); 6-show ($78)
Gift Certificates available!

www.bigideatheatre.com

Thursday, September 20, 2012

SN&R Readers' Choice - Best Community Theater Group | Big Idea Theatre


A big THANK YOU goes out to our patrons and the readers of Sacramento News & Review for voting Big Idea Theatre as the Best Community Theater Group of Sacramento for 2012! 

We couldn't be more proud or more appreciative of your kind consideration.


Congratulations also go out to fellow category winners: Runaway Stage Productions and KOLT Run Creations!  We're thrilled to be a part of such a talented theatre community.

Friday, August 31, 2012

Trailer | Red Herring

"... gritty, hilarious" - Maxwell Mckee, SNR



RED HERRING
By Michael Hollinger

Combine a film-noir thriller, a murder mystery, and three love stories, and what do you get? One biting and witty comedy - a blunt-nosed, sharp-eyed look at marriage and other explosive devices.

August 24 - September, 15, 2012

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Press Pass | Red Herring

Red Herring sparkles in Big Idea's latest press pass!

"... every part of the world on stage brims with energy, especially when the players work together to create pitch-perfect comedic timing." - Maxwell McKee, SNR

Friday, August 24, 2012

Opening Tonight! | Red Herring

Big Idea's production of Red Herring by Michael Hollinger opens tonight!  This Cold War farce is sure to knock your socks off.



Tuesday, August 14, 2012

2011-2012 ELLY Nomination Snapshots | Big Idea Theatre


Big Idea Theatre is honored to be awarded nine Elly Nominations for our 2011 - 2012 seasons!  We couldn't be more appreciative of the artistic talent contributed by our fantastic company members and other collaborating Sacramento area theatre professionals.

The nominations for the 2011 season kick off with The Pillowman by Martin McDonagh, an unflinching examination of the very nature and purpose of art.  Police interrogate a writer about the gruesome content of his short stories and their similarities to a series of child murders. The Pillowman takes home three nominations: Best Overall Production - Drama, Best Direction (Kirk Blackinton) and Best Supporting Actor (Shawn B. O'Neal).

Twelfth Night, or What You Will, adapted by Brian Harrower, gives Shakespeare's classic cross-dressing comedy a modern twist.  Re-imagined during Mardi Gras in a post-hurricane New Orleans, this riotous, fun-filled romp amused us with drag queens, shipwrecked pirates, lovesick counts and earned a nomination for Best Supporting Actor (Joel Ellinwood).

Big Idea patrons celebrated the joys of friendship in the delightful 2011 Little Bit Players holiday production of A Winnie-the-Pooh Christmas Tail by James W. Rodgers.  The 100-Acre-Woods friends are on an adventure: to find Eeyore's missing tail! Pooh grabs the nomination for Best Supporting Young People's Play Actress (Andrea Kersten).

Big Idea's 2012 season opened with Arcadia by Tom Stoppard, a beautiful exploration of truth and time.  This complex, sexy, and witty play moves seamlessly between 1809 and the present, asking us: Can we truly understand the past, and what does the future hold? Arcadia takes the nomination for Best Costume Design (Rachel Malin).

The 2011 - 2012 Elly nominations are rounded out by Tracy Letts' alluringly offensive and uncompromisingly violent white-trash, Texas crime thriller Killer Joe.  The Smith family got more than they bargained for when they hired full-time cop, part-time killer, Joe Cooper, to knock of a not-so-beloved family member for her insurance money.  This edgy piece earned three nominations: Best Lead Actress (Shannon Mahoney), Best Lead Actor (Rick Eldredge) and Best Lighting Design (Brian Harrower).

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Press Pass | The Life and Undead of Henry V

The reviews are in and Big Idea serves up a zombie thrill ride that is a MUST SEE this summer!  The Life and Undead of Henry V, a Shakespearean adaptation like you've never seen.  

"This is outrageously, apocalyptically good." - SNR

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Mmmm.... Brains! | The Life and Undead of Henry V

Join us for The Life and Undead of Henry V, opening tomorrow night at the Big Idea Theatre.  

Come to any performance dressed in your most ghoulish Zombie-wear and get TWO FREE concessions.  We can't wait to see you there!

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Shakespeare + Zombies | The Life and Undead of Henry V

Shakespeare and zombies: clearly, it's a perfect fit.

"I still don’t know how something I scribbled in a hurry at 3am got so many notes in the space of a day? Shakespeare is clearly too awesome. I spelt “bated” wrong, awk :) Someone said this looks like a serial killer’s notebook, which made me laugh a lot. They’re not wrong, I’ve been a sleep deprived zombie lately." 
- Becky via http://nawasaka.tumblr.com/  [9.12.11]