Director

Alexander Wells

Set Design

Susan Deeley Wells

Costume Design

Heather Barber & Jemaine Li

Stage Manager

Alicia Cohen

Pyrgopolynices

Scott Bailey

Artotrogus

Tom McMahon

Palaestrio

Kyle Nudo

Periplectomenus

Tom Hyer

Sceledrus

Kevin Pass

Philocomasium

Lia Beachy

Pleusicles

Justin Gorence

Lurcio

Tom McMahon

Acroteleutium

Maeria Paezz

Milphidippa

Erin Underwood

Cario

Sue Brekka

July 13, 2000

A Romp in the Park

The Public Kicks Off Season
BY BRENDA BAKER

A delightful classic romp called "The Braggart Soldier," kicked off the summer season of theater in the park.

The play takes place in Greece in 200 B.C. and is a charming comedy in which a bombastic hero of love and war gets put in his place by a scheme concocted by his slave and his neighbors.

Seating in Dr. Paul Carlson Memorial Park is on the lawn, so pack your blankets, lawn chairs and picnic baskets and join the fun. As another well known playwright put it, "..the play’s the thing."

Every Saturday and Sunday through September 3, at 2 p.m., Culver City Public Theatre (The Public) will perform classic plays, written from 205 B.C. to 1698, that are free to the public.

Artistic Director and Co-Producer Stephen Moore says "We present classical theatre because these are works that have endured through time. These plays remind modern audiences of the past that has brought us here to where we are today. They represent different countries and time periods. Many are still timely today." While the play the troupe is presenting now, ‘The Braggart Soldier,’ is a classic Roman comedy by Plautus, written in 205 B.C. it is also the foundation of modern slapstick comedy, Moore explained.

"We have presented Greek tragedy," Moore continues, "which surprisingly kids loved even though we don’t know how much they understood, but this time we wanted an ancient comedy to lighten things up. Next we will be presenting a restoration period tragedy, which dates from 1698. Lastly, we will present a play by Moliere, from 1666."

The Public was originated by Annie Laskey in l987, when it was called Theater-in-the-Park. It ran through 1998. Moore has been with the group since 1994. Six of the actors have been with the group two years and appear in every show.

"It takes lots of commitment to give your whole summer to this." says Moore. "But all the players share a desire to work to bring theatre to the foreground in Los Angeles. In many east coast cities theatre is far more popular, but our ties to movies and television here preoccupy people, and we want to offer them great live theatre to enjoy as well."

Moore is joined by Managing Director and Co-Producer Jemaine Li who is adding much this year to the costumes and sets of the productions. This season’s plays will have a greater range of looks and sets than before.

Performances in 1999 had an average attendance of 150 people per play. Ongoing support from the Culver City community is what keeps this talented troupe here entertaining our community. The plays are chosen to appeal to people of all ages. "The Fatal Friendship" is a play written in 1698 by Catherine Trotter, about a mix-up involving a couple married in secret who face challenges questioning their values. This play is special to the group since the program points out that while there were plays written by women over time, few survive and very little note is given to women playwrights in the theatre. The last selection, "The Misanthrope," written by Moliere in 1666, has been modernized to the present time. In this play a man becomes unwilling to go along with the two-faced nature of society and vows to speak only the truth, regardless of the consequences. Is it possible that certain contemporary movie themes may not be so new after all?

Future plans for the group include extending the season into October, and indoor performances which will be at Ivy Substation. The Public is funded by a grant from Culver City, and by it’s newest sponsor, Sony Pictures Entertainment. Sony is a big supporter of schools and the arts, and the group is grateful for their help. They are also thankful for support from Culver City Human Services Department for use of the park, and also for providing free rehearsal space, a valuable commodity.

Also assisting the theatre is the Culver City Parks and Service Foundation, which functions to support activities involving parks and recreation in Culver City. The non-profit Foundation’s work is driven by volunteerism and fund raising. Through their work many projects, such as the La Ballona Renaissance program and the rebuilding of the teen and senior centers are able to receive funding.

"The Braggart Soldier" will play through July 22. "The Fatal Friendship" runs from July 29 to August 13. "The Misanthrope" plays from August 19 to September 3. The program contains quite a complete write-up about the playwrights and a synopsis of each play. Even if a theatergoer has little or no background in these historical periods, by just reading the blurbs in the program they can learn enough to make the play much more enjoyable.