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Easy listening Salem Theatre opens staged reading series this weekend
Published: January 25, 2007
SALEM - "He thinks we're stupid. He thinks we don't know"... "A flower opens in the face of the sun" ... "It's like waiting for your hair to grow" ... "I gave you my heart" ... "It happens" ...
These are the rapid-fire ramblings of the Salem Theatre Company as they try something a little different this winter: a staged reading series.
The series opens with a reading of "Crave," a poetic piece for four voices by English writer Sarah Kane.
"You can concentrate wholly on the words because they're the only things," says Pauline Wright, who is directing and acting in "Crave." "You're bare bones. It's just voice."
Wright calls the piece "ambiguous;" there is no defined setting or plot line, just four voices spouting lines about an array of topics, from abuse to love to family to suicide. And although there are four readers, "Crave" isn't necessarily about four people.
"Are there four people, or are they four different parts of the same person?" Wright asks. "It's a very fragile narrative."
It's open to interpretation, and audiences can decide for themselves this weekend when the series, which runs through March, opens at Old Town Hall.
After seeing "Crave" performed as play several years ago, Wright says she was "intrigued" by the piece and thought it would work well as a reading because it's centered around the words.
"This is about words. The imagery here is words," Wright says. "It deals with really important issues and it's fairly in-your-face, but it's not offensive. It's poetic and lyrical."
The series started with a reading of "A Child's Christmas in Wales" last month, an attempt at bringing something unique to the Salem area for the holiday season. And audiences caught on. Artistic Director Catherine Bertrand says more than 100 people came to see the show during its four-performance run.
Following that success, Bertrand decided to create the series to continue through STC's usual downtime, January through March. The troupe doesn't have another mainstage production scheduled until the spring, and the readings are quick and easy to pull together since they don't require sets, costumes or lengthy dress rehearsals.
These are the rapid-fire ramblings of the Salem Theatre Company as they try something a little different this winter: a staged reading series.
The series opens with a reading of "Crave," a poetic piece for four voices by English writer Sarah Kane.
"You can concentrate wholly on the words because they're the only things," says Pauline Wright, who is directing and acting in "Crave." "You're bare bones. It's just voice."
Wright calls the piece "ambiguous;" there is no defined setting or plot line, just four voices spouting lines about an array of topics, from abuse to love to family to suicide. And although there are four readers, "Crave" isn't necessarily about four people.
"Are there four people, or are they four different parts of the same person?" Wright asks. "It's a very fragile narrative."
It's open to interpretation, and audiences can decide for themselves this weekend when the series, which runs through March, opens at Old Town Hall.
After seeing "Crave" performed as play several years ago, Wright says she was "intrigued" by the piece and thought it would work well as a reading because it's centered around the words.
"This is about words. The imagery here is words," Wright says. "It deals with really important issues and it's fairly in-your-face, but it's not offensive. It's poetic and lyrical."
The series started with a reading of "A Child's Christmas in Wales" last month, an attempt at bringing something unique to the Salem area for the holiday season. And audiences caught on. Artistic Director Catherine Bertrand says more than 100 people came to see the show during its four-performance run.
Following that success, Bertrand decided to create the series to continue through STC's usual downtime, January through March. The troupe doesn't have another mainstage production scheduled until the spring, and the readings are quick and easy to pull together since they don't require sets, costumes or lengthy dress rehearsals.
"We're just doing what we love to do," Bertrand says. "It's going back to the text."
Wright, who lives in Lynn and is a board member of STC and the Mugford Street Players in Marblehead, jumped at the chance to get back to the basics of theater.
"It's different from most stuff in theater," Wright said, noting that an intimate-staged reading is a good way to spend a relaxing evening. "We have so much noise and so much going on in our lives."
Because of strong language and subject matter, "Crave" is intended for an adult audience. Bertrand wanted to try out an "edgier" piece during the series, but the upcoming shows, she says, will be more family-oriented. Next up in the series is "The Lincoln-Douglas Debate," a historical piece written by Joseph Taylor of Salem, on Feb. 23 and 24.
If you go
What: A staged reading of "Crave," a poetic piece for four voices
When: Friday and Saturday, 7 p.m.
Where: Old Town Hall, 32 Derby Square, Salem
How: Tickets are $10, $5 under 15. Call 978-790-8546 www.salemtheatre.org.
Taking the stage in "Crave:"
* Pauline Wright of Lynn
* Kristine Burke of Salem
* Jim Butterfield of Essex
* Bob Karish of Salem
