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September 07, 2005
Comments from Miriam Monasch
Rarig Memories
I have to admit, Rarig has seen some of my fondest and (arguably) finest theatrical moments. Not to say that I’m not equally proud of some of my other work in the community, academic and semi-pro theatre, but Rarig’s 4 theaters were the primary venues for my acting, directing and playwriting for a good chunk of the 1990’s.
To name a few memories that might evoke some of your own:
In the Thrust:
Charles Nolte directed me as a birdlike Tiresias in Oedipus with phenomenal set and costume designs by Desmond Heeley.
Under Steven Kanee’s direction I tackled Madame Ranevsky in The Cherry Orchard, with my own miniature dachsund, Higgins (17 years old now and still going strong) as “the dog.” People told me he stole the opening scene, staring into the audience. And he charmed everyone in the dressing room.
In the Experimental (Black Box):
As a director, I agonized over the ramifications of stripping John Bentley to his skivvies in The Dreams of Clytemnestra. Not to mention casting Raga with her Icelandic accent as the heroine of an Italian update of a Greek tragedy. A lot of people told me they didn’t have a clue what the show was about, but some said they “loved” how daring it was stylistically. I had a blast with it!
In the Arena: (Hands down, best memories for me.)
Working with Julia Fischer and a handful of super MFAs to create (write) Beauty and the Beast. Seeing that script produced elsewhere after that made it clear what an amazing cooperative artistic project it was!
And, of course, some juicy cameos and plum roles in Le Belle Soeur, Restoration and Ghosts.
In Whiting:
My Rarig debut was as Madame Armfeldt in A Little Night Music. The music was glorious and turned me into a Sondheim fan.
TA for Intro to Theatre 101… I never want to hear (or give) another lecture on Euripedes or Neo-Classicism or Slice of Life, etc. But I did get a lot of knitting done in the back. In fact, I took second prize at the state fair in ’93 for a sweater knit almost entirely in Rarig!
There were so many great productions, so much “DRAMA” in the “pit,” and so much talent coming and going. Whenever one of those faces shows up on the big or small screen these days, I can say, “I was in a show with him/her back in…”
Thanks for the memories.
Miriam Monasch
Posted by utheatre at September 7, 2005 10:13 PM | Memories of former students