SCR/Party Play with Ann Conway

Actors Alex Mendoza and Katrina Lenk with underwriters Mary Adderley and Richard Wright

Actor Daniel Breaker, Director Kate Whoriskey and Dee and Larry Higby

Michael Schultz, Isabel Perlinski, actor William Seymour and Michael Schultz

Brecht Bowls them Over
By Ann Conway

"Fabbbbbulous!" pronounced SCR Trustee Mary Beth Adderley as she swept up the theatre aisle following the Sept. 9 season opening performance of Bertolt Brecht's The Caucasian Chalk Circle. "People are going to be talking about this for a long time." Once a performer with SCR, Adderley, along with Richard Wright and Elizabeth Adderley, underwrote the Kate Whoriskey-directed production of the German playwright's 1944 epic masterpiece.

Guests were buzzing about the work—a politically-charged populist tale told with comedy, drama and song—even before SCR Artistic Directors David Emmes and Martin Benson took the stage to welcome the crowd to the Tony Award-winning theatre's 2005-2006 season on Segerstrom Stage. "I carefully read the play synopsis today so I would be well prepared," SCR supporter Teri Kennady said. Observed Tom Nielsen: "I was interested to learn that Brecht also wrote The Three Penny Opera that introduced the great song, 'Mack the Knife'!"

"We're extremely delighted to welcome you to the beginning of a new season at SCR," Emmes said as he and Benson stood before the audience.  "Through the years, SCR has been rightfully acknowledged as one of the producers of new American plays. But we are equally proud of the work we do with major classics and it is a great opportunity for us tonight to paint on a large canvas.

"As some of our sister theatres across the country are doing one and two person plays, we have the resources to be able to stage one of the masterpieces of the 20th Century.....a play that speaks strongly to us in many ways, even resonates with Hurricane Katrina and the sense of the people left behind and those who have the means to go forward," Emmes continued. "The resonance of this play becomes even more an opportunity for us to show again how the depth of the classics provide focus."

Post-performance, the enthusiastic crush gathered on the SCR terrace to sip libations and sample fare provided by Mark's Catering—comestibles ranged from juicy mini multi-layered sandwiches to a variety of sweets—and comment on the play that Larry Higby dubbed "extraordinarily interesting, creative and imaginative—one of the boldest things SCR has undertaken in a while."

"Different—and that's good!" exclaimed Cal State Fullerton President Milton Gordon. "You have to be kind of used to Brecht's style. I knew what to expect; it's weird—that's the way I would say it. And it's quite a production; they experiment here, so I'm not surprised."

Said Tom Tucker: "Great show. Very interesting. Sets were incredible. Nice to see SCR doing something musical as well. The way the actors kept switching roles, it sure made me sit up in my seat and follow the story line!

Also on the scene: Nancy and Mike Meyer, Michelle and Jim Jaeger, Courtney and Henry Walker.  New First Nights subscribers included Janet Curci Walsh, Ruth and Larry Tucker, Isabel and Steve Perlinski, Marc Levin, and Mary Lee and Bill Gair.

New First Nights subscriber Marc Levin and his guest Kathryn White	David Emmes and Honorary Producers Mary Adderley and Richard Wright
Susan O'Brien, Publisher of Dawn magazine, media partner; actor Daniel Breaker; Benjamin Hum, KUSC, media partner	Actor Frank Wood and new First Nights subscriber Janet Walsh
OCBJ publisher Richard Reisman and Mimi Kates with Martin Benson	Virginia and Dick Woodworth with Actor Adriana Sevan