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A New Medium for Healthcare Reform: Anna Deavere Smith Uses Austin Theatre to Heal Doctor-Patient Interactions

The strength and resilience of the human spirit and body underlies Anna Deavere Smith's production of LET ME DOWN EASY.

This weekend, she opened the play to sold out crowds and received two curtain calls at every performance. You could tell the play resonated with the audiences as dozens of theatre goers lingered in the lobby to talk about Ms. Smith's performance -- and some unexpected, topical themes that she tackles -- for hours after the play ended.

Many patrons were surprised to see that her documentary-style theatrical performance of diverse characters like Lance Armstrong, Ann Richards, Eve Ensler and Joel Siegel were focused on a debate at the forefront of modern politics: healthcare.

The healthcare debate is center stage in LET ME DOWN EASY. In fact, Ms. Smith initially began work on the show at the behest of Yale University Medical School eight years ago, and several of the 29 vibrant characters she features are directly involved in the medical profession -- as physicians or academics in that field.

But all of the characters' lives are centered around the overarching role that health plays as they traverse life. Take Ann Richards, one of the audience favorites, for example. When Ms. Smith assumes Gov. Richards boisterous persona, Richards is quick to note that she thinks that the healthcare team assigned to her must've been custom picked: "One thing I'm sure of is that there are no Republicans on my team." As Gov. Richards learned a new terse reply, "I can't talk right now, you're using up my chi," she iterates how her struggle with cancer stripped her of her hand-shaking trademark personality around which she built her life in politics. Her declining health turned her life upside down, and, in an odd way, tried to take away her identity before it took her life.

Carrington Marzette, a teenage leukemia patient from Midland, Texas, is one of the most poignant characters from the show. She attended the opening night performance at ZACH Theatre on Saturday, and audience members who met her were impressed by Ms. Smith's ability to convey her exact essence. Ms. Smith told ZACH Theatre she was impressed by the strength of this 16-year-old girl, who tells us matter-of-factly about how she shouldered the responsibility of dealing with doctors and her treatment during her 16th birthday. The audience was spellbound as Carrington bravely and humbly watched the show.

Washington Post sports writer Sally Jenkins is also featured in LET ME DOWN EASY. She makes an interesting point: How does telling athletes that performance enhancing drugs are dangerous really deter them? A Gold Medal Olympic downhill skier, among the most daring of all professional athletes, builds his or her career on taking risks.

All-in-all, each of the vibrant 29 characters featured in this 90-minute production are out-of-the-box luminaries on the healthcare debate, intentionally or not, and the selection, placement and overall composition of LET ME DOWN EASY is the exact kind of genius that insiders in Washington just can't seem to grasp. This is a theatre experience like no other, humorous and touching, political and apolitical, moving, poignant and centered around the joy and resilience of the human spirit and body. Don't miss it.

For tickets, call (512) 476-0541, x1. $15 student rush tickets are available at the box office one hour before all shows, with a student ID.

LET ME DOWN EASY Stuns Austin Audiences: A Defining Performance for Anna Deavere Smith

At the first preview performances of LET ME DOWN EASY, Anna Deavere Smith received an extended, standing ovation and two curtain calls for creating over 23 rapid fire, compelling characters in just 90 minutes. Afterwards, you could hear audience members asking each other “Who was your favorite character?” "Well, who was yours?" And you’ll have your favorites, too ...

The Opening Night performance is tomorrow, Saturday, April 18, and most shows during her short 4 week run are almost sold out. She plays Tuesday through Sunday at 8pm, and there's also a 2:30pm Sunday matinee performance.

Gideon Lester, the Acting Artistic Director and Dramaturg at the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, Mass., wrote a compelling editorial history this week about this iconic new play hitting the Austin stage:

Anna Deavere Smith’s plays are like living organisms that evolve over many years. No two productions are exactly alike; she continuously adapts and reshapes the script to reflect the community for whom she is performing, and the discoveries she has made on her journey. The version of LET ME DOWN EASY that you will see at ZACH is part of an ongoing project that has lasted for more than a decade. Anna’s previous performances of the play were substantially different in their emphasis and form, and she will go on developing it in future incarnations. This live-ness is central to Anna’s theatre; part of the thrill of watching her perform is the sense that she is talking directly to you on this particular evening, and that her words may be resonating differently for everyone in the audience.

The long journey of LET ME DOWN EASY began in 1998, when Anna was invited by Yale University Medical School to interview doctors and patients, and to perform the interviews at the Medical School’s lecture series, known as “grand rounds.” That experience was followed by a commission from Stanford Medical School, and research at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where Anna conducted many more interviews, some of which she performed in a series of staged readings at ZACH. While investigating the American healthcare system, Anna came to understand that a central subject of LET ME DOWN EASY would be the resilience and vulnerability of the human body. She embarked on a series of interviews with people who had extreme relations with their bodies: athletes and supermodels, cowboys, dancers, and sex workers, men and women at the peak of physical perfection, and people suffering from debilitating and life-altering diseases. She traveled to Rwanda, Uganda, and South Africa, meeting with victims and perpetrators of genocide, and to New Orleans to talk to doctors, journalists, and citizens dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

While developing LET ME DOWN EASY, Anna has interviewed literally hundreds of people; you’ll meet fewer than ten percent of them this evening. She has developed such an encyclopedic wealth of material that the play can serve many contexts; she has performed sections of it at universities, conferences, and medical schools, as well as theatres.

Whether she is examining a historical event – racial and religious tension in Twilight: Los Angeles 1992 and Fires in the Mirror, the role of the American presidency in House Arrest – or pursuing a less journalistic, more philosophical line of inquiry like that of LET ME DOWN EASY, Anna’s fundamental subject is always human complexity. In her performances she represents many opinions and voices without prioritizing or endorsing any of them. As the theatre critic John Lahr observes, she approaches her subject in LET ME DOWN EASY by “looking at it sideways…through its reflection.” The play is composed as a democratic, inclusive collage; it is not a linear argument with a tidy moral and conclusion, but a celebration of the diversity and breadth of the human experience.

LET ME DOWN EASY received its first formal production last year at the Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven, CT, where the play focused on the body in extremis. Then in the fall, Anna developed and performed a second version at the theatre where I work, the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, MA. In a sense this was a companion piece to the first production; a search for grace and kindness in a competitive and sometimes distressing world. If at Long Wharf Anna was investigating the body, at ART her subject was the human spirit. To prepare for it, she conducted many new interviews with artists, professors, philosophers, and clerics from many religions, who provided many definitions and interpretations of grace drawn from their own experience and expertise.

The version of LET ME DOWN EASY that you’ll see at ZACH combines elements from both previous productions with material that Anna has never performed before. She continues to investigate resilience, vulnerability, and grace, of body and spirit – the forces, internal and external that keep us alive and strong, and those that lead to our ultimate demise. Her performance reminds us that all these forces, generative and destructive, are of course profoundly connected; one can only talk about death by thinking about survival and life. As Angie Farmer, the mother of a cancer patient in Houston, told Anna, “Living – that’s what you learn from this experience. You don’t learn how to die, you learn how to live.”

Tickets are available online, or by phone at (512) 476-0541, x1.

Previews Begin for Anna Deavere Smith's New Play LET ME DOWN EASY

Anna Deavere Smith takes stage tonight with a revolution in Austin theatre. LET ME DOWN EASY is about "the power and vulnerability of the human body and the resilience of the human spirit," she said. With most every theater community in the country welcoming her to their stage to develop LET ME DOWN EASY, she chose Austin, and, specifically, ZACH Theatre -- where she first encountered many of the characters she portrays in the production.

But her journey developing this play began 8 years ago at Yale University, where she was a visiting professor. Yale Medical School sought to develop a more sophisticated relationship between its doctors and patients, so Ms. Smith embarked on a long process to explore doctor-patient relationships, with a different concern than physicians. Ultimately, she said, this was about teaching professionals -- already adept at their craft -- to listen.

"We're lucky if we get 15 minutes with doctors," she told ZACH. "Understandably, doctors are often too busy to listen, and patients often don't know how to communicate their illness."

As this momentous project takes stage tonight, after 8 incredible years of development, we thought it would be a good idea to look back to where it started, an article with Ms. Smith from Spring 2001's issue of Yale Medicine, partially re-published here with permission:



A dramatic turn

The doctor-patient relationship takes center stage in performer Anna Deavere Smith’s interpretation of medicine at Yale.

Story by Cathy Shufro
Photographs by Michael Marsland

The playwright and actress Anna Deavere Smith stands in the well of Fitkin Amphitheater musing about how patients and doctors manage to communicate under pressure when she slips on a white coat and transforms herself into Yale physician Asghar Rastegar, M.D. “I have looked at every single patient as being a phenomenal new experience,” says Smith, using Rastegar’s words and his Farsi accent. “Excited to walk in that room. Oh yeah, oh yeah, no question about it. Phenomenally excited. Every time, every time, every time.”

Moments later, Smith portrays another doctor, Forrester A. Lee Jr., M.D. ’79, HS ’83, a cardiologist and the school’s assistant dean for multicultural affairs, who calmly and deliberately describes how medical training itself can block vital avenues of communication. “When you’re listening to a patient tell you things that you have to integrate into a whole body of knowledge you have, it’s hard to listen well, because your mind is trying to filter out what they’re saying. And consider alternate diagnoses and so forth. So you’re really not listening; you’re trying to solve the puzzle ... and so it just sort of goes by you that they said something very, very important. You didn’t hear it.”

Sitting down in a chair, Smith becomes a patient, speaking with a trace of a Southern accent. She is Frankie Harris, a woman with HIV who has been treated at Yale.

“I didn’t trust anyone. Doctors wasn’t listening. I had to fight, I had to advocate for myself to get doctors to listen to me. I had to learn to say, ‘What’s the side effects of this?’ Learn to say ‘No, I’m not takin’ that, give it to someone else, let someone else try it first.’ ... I am very conscious and very responsible for other people’s health when it comes to my virus. And I says [to the doctor] ‘Look, before you examine me put some gloves on. I have the virus.’ She went out of the room and she never came back. She never came back.”

The physicians who crowded into Fitkin for medical grand rounds in mid-November had not come to hear a colleague discussing a disease but rather to watch an outsider make a case for the potential richness of doctor-patient communication. Playwright and actress Anna Deavere Smith used the words of physicians and patients from the Yale community to create Rounding It Out, a 90-minute examination of how doctors and patients view one another.

(Read the entire article here.)

Setting the Stage: Anna Deavere Smith Begins Work with Director Leonard Foglia at ZACH Theatre

New beginnings abound at ZACH Theatre this week -- for both the Austin theatre scene and its latest star Anna Deavere Smith. Ms. Smith begins preview performances of her masterful new play LET ME DOWN EASY on Wednesday at 8pm on ZACH's Whisenhunt Stage, and begins the play's official run with a champagne reception following Saturday's opening night performance.

Beginning, too, at ZACH is an item that recently caught the attention of The New York Times: the start of a long-anticipated collaboration between famed Broadway director Leonard Foglia and Ms. Smith. The two are debuting their collaborative work on LET ME DOWN EASY exclusively at ZACH Theatre.

And, if you ask us, this is a match made in theatre heaven! LET ME DOWN EASY is on its final stop before heading to New York's Second Stage Theater. But Austin audiences get to witness a level of closeness with Anna Deavere Smith that New York audiences just won't see. Because ZACH's Whisenhunt stage hosts Ms. Smith's play in-the-round, Austin audiences will have a chance to see her in a setting with unparalleled intimacy.

“The city of Austin and ZACH Theatre, specifically, have played an important role in the evolution of this project,” said Ms. Smith. “ZACH Theatre has been part of the play since the beginning; many of the characters – from Gov. Ann Richards to Lance Armstrong – originated in suggestions from people at ZACH.”

The fact that the collaboration between Leonard Foglia and Anna Deavere Smith begins at ZACH Theatre is also a tremendous privilege for Austin audiences. Mr. Foglia took Laurence Fishborne's one-man play THURGOOD to extreme critical acclaim last year on Broadway. And many critics are excited to see what role he will play in shaping Ms. Smith's one-woman show at ZACH.

LET ME DOWN EASY "is a substantial revision of what I did before, focusing far more on health care than the previous productions," Ms. Smith told The New York Times. “Signs seem to suggest we will soon be in a vigorous national debate over health care. The piece not only looks at the human body as both resilient and vulnerable, but also health care as a practical part of that.”

For tickets, call (512) 476-0541, x1. Book early, shows are selling fast! Because of the tremendous demand, ZACH recently added a Tuesday night performance, and the theatre is offering a limited number of $20 tickets on Tuesday nights.

This project has been made possible by the Alice Kleberg Reynolds Foundation.

Austin Homeless Community Members Come to See THE GRAPES OF WRATH

It's hard to believe Dr. Judy Knotts, the head of St. Gabriel's Catholic Academy in Austin, lived on the streets. But Dr. Knotts has gone through extraordinary lengths throughout her career to question commonly held worldviews, particularly about poverty and homelessness. It was this uncommon passion that drove her to work with Austin's homeless community as a volunteer and minister at Mobile Loaves and Fishes, a charity benefiting the homeless.

This is where her story begins with the ZACH community. Producing Artistic Director Dave Steakley shares Dr. Knotts' passion for relating with the underserved in our community. Bringing to stage THE GRAPES OF WRATH at ZACH Theatre was his latest contribution toward that mission. In fact, Steakley set up a tremendously successful donation point at all THE GRAPES OF WRATH performances to benefit Mobile Loaves and Fishes.

Dr. Knotts attended the Sunday matinee performance of THE GRAPES OF WRATH last week with two members of the Austin homeless community. She wrote in a letter to ZACH that four members were supposed to join her, but two "got gun shy." The other two had an experience unlike any other, and Dr. Knotts' kind disclosure of their stories moved everyone who works at ZACH to look at homelessness and the spirit of charity and shear joyousness felt in THE GRAPES OF WRATH in a completely different light.

Here's Dr. Knotts' letter to ZACH:

Dear actors/artists!

Thank you for the inspiration. I attended the Sunday matinee with two homeless folks. Two more were to come but they got gun shy.

As Janelle, Jarret, Marc, and Xochitl [castmembers from THE GRAPES OF WRATH] heard, this was their first live performance of any kind. Imagine that! They were nervous to come and I was right with them in the anxiety department. This was like going to another world.

They had so many practical issues. Where to store their stuff? Solved, in my car. Where to sit, what to do with the ticket and what if they lost it, what to do when it got dark in the theatre, and would they miss the Mobile Loaves and Fishes food truck?

To allay their fears, we planned a dinner stop at Sandy's on the way back to the park which made them relax a bit. At first the language was a hurdle for them. They had to listen harder. On the streets people don't use such long sentences or talk about life. They got most of the humor and felt the poverty personally. The music was refreshing, giving them, and the rest of us a minute or two to catch our breath from the intensity of the action.

They learned so much... that theatres have nice bathrooms, that there is an intermission where people smoke whole cigarettes and don't scrounge for butts, that you don't talk while the play is going on, that people get paid to be in plays (I know not enough!), that people go to the theatre to see this kind of thing and be entertained and inspired, and that you show your appreciation by applause. [One homeless attendee] was a real promoter after seeing the play. She told a group of homeless people in the park that she had a "lump in her throat at the end of the play" and urged them to go if invited.

If at all possible, I would love to bring another group the Sunday after Easter... only if there are extra seats. Personally, while not passing out candy bars and playing mother hen, I was awe struck by the play itself and your acting. You were not the people I knew, you were the Joad's full of pain and promise. Thank you all for sharing your gifts and giving the audience hope.

-Judy

Dr. Knotts: ZACH Theatre salutes you! We hope everyone in our community -- homeless or not -- gets to ZACH to witness this extraordinary theatrical event.

It's an amazing experience to share with your family this holiday weekend! ZACH is offering a family 4-pack to see the show, as well as $15 student rush tickets (starting one hour before all shows.) Call the box office to reserve seats at (512) 476-0541, x1, and ask about group discounts for parties of 8 or more.

Link Love: Sara Hickman Posts on THE GRAPES OF WRATH

Update (4-10-09): Read Sara's review of the show.

One of our favorite local musicians, Sara Hickman, is coming to see THE GRAPES OF WRATH tonight. She posted about it earlier today on her blog at http://zenlala.com/.

Being in Austin, we're, of course, huge music fans, and we recently put up a blog post with live recordings of music from the show as well as free MP3 downloads of tracks that inspired THE GRAPES OF WRATH's original live musical score.

Thanks again, Sara, for the link love and enjoy the show!

We'll check back with your blog later to see what you thought of it.

Get Your Golden Ticket: WILLY WONKA JUNIOR Musical Hits ZACH Stage This Weekend!

Oompa, oompa: There are only 4 performances of WILLY WONKA JUNIOR, ZACH Theatre's family friendly youth production based on Roald Dahl's book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory playing this and next Saturday!

On Saturdays April 11 and 18 at 12:30 and 3pm, 23 students, ages 8-12, will perform the musical adaptation of the book with all the songs from the classic movie Willy Wonka -- and nine new music numbers written by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley especially for the show!

Directed by Jaclyn Loewenstein and adapted for the stage by Leslie Bricusse and Timothy A. McDonald, the show is being presented under an exclusive arrangement with Music Theatre International.

You don't have to buy a zillion Wonka bars to get in or be the luckiest kid in the world like Charlie: These golden tickets are a bargain at only $10 for adults and $8 for children. You can reserve your tour of the chocolate factory with our box office, open noon to 7pm, by calling (512) 476-0541, x1.

And, hot off the press, one oompa loompa just leaked these pictures from inside the factory:





This play runs approximately 75 minutes and is suitable for children ages 4 and up.

Photos by Kimberly Schuh

Red, Hot and Soul 2009: Photos from The Biggest Party of the Year

Thanks to all who joined us Saturday for ZACH Theatre's annual Red, Hot & Soul gala! The who's who of Austin graced the event -- and we got it all on camera. A complete gallery of photos has been posted on ZACH's website. Look for video footage in upcoming blog posts and on ZACH's website, www.zachtheatre.org. Big thanks to Seabrook Jones for the photos and Broadway Costumes, Inc. for the costumes!

Larry Connelly, Red, Hot & Soul Chair, and ZACH's Michael Guerra pause for a picture.


The fashion show models stood en vogue as guests arrived.


(From left to right) Scott Joslove, Councilmember Sheryl Cole, Mayor Pro-Tem Brewster McCracken and his wife Sarah cozy up to the camera.


ZACH's Producing Artistic Director Dave Steakley and singer Trish Murphy are all smiles.


ZACH Theatre's Showstoppers brought down the house with their rendition of the song "The Rhythm of Life" from the musical SWEET CHARITY.


Libby Sikora and Bettie Naylor sit down for dinner.


Austin American Statesman writer Michael Barnes and ZACH's Dave Steakley stop for a photo.


Bill Dickson, Linda Ball and James Armstrong were there.


Stuart Moulton, ahem ... Joan Rivers, interviewed all the guests, including Dave Steakley.


Austin Chronicle fashion editor Stephen Moser strikes a pose with one of his models.


Cliff Redd, Executive Director for the Long Center for the Performing Arts flashes a smile.


ZACH employees, such as Daryl Jones and Amanda Adams, dressed as Broadway characters for the event.


Eric Groten takes his wife Maria for one last dip at the end of the night.

Remember to check out the complete Red, Hot & Soul photo gallery on ZACH's website.

Photos by Seabrook Jones. Costumes provided by Broadway Costumes, Inc.

BREAKING NEWS: Anna Deavere Smith Tickets $10 Off For First Wednesday and Sunday Evening Performances

This won't last long.

ZACH Theatre is offering a special promotional rate for Anna Deavere Smith's first Wednesday and Sunday evening performances of her new play LET ME DOWN EASY. For 8pm performances on Wednesday, April 15 and Sunday, April 19 only, ZACH will take $10 off all tickets purchased by phone (512-476-0541, x1), until the shows sell out.

This is Ms. Smith's last stop before heading to New York, and we anticipate sold out crowds every night during her short run in Austin.

LET ME DOWN EASY is an Austin-borne play that started 8 years ago right here at ZACH. This is a rare opportunity for Austin audiences to experience such a high caliber performance by film and television star Anna Deavere Smith.

Directed by Broadway's Leonard Foglia, and made possible by the Alice Kleberg Reynolds Foundation, Ms. Smith incorporates a dramatic range of interview subjects during this passionate, utterly jaw-dropping performance. It is a masterful documentary style staging of real-life interviews of influential and important figures -- ranging from Texas Governor Ann Richards to Lance Armstrong, Eve Ensler, Anderson Cooper and survivors of the Rwandan Genocide -- as Ms. Smith channels their compelling perspectives on issues from healthcare and education to international politics and the economy.

Dave Steakley, ZACH's Artistic Director, notes, "Ms. Smith possesses the amazing ability to change from one character to another -- swiftly, completely and stunningly. Through her full transformation, right before our eyes, we find ourselves equipped with the tools to create personal change for ourselves."

This is a performance like nothing you've ever seen before. You are at once watching Ms. Smith deliver the performance of her lifetime and getting a rare opportunity to meet some of the most significant athletes, physicians and players in the global health crisis.

Don't miss it. It all starts Weds., April 15 -- and, remember, ZACH is running a promotion of $10 off tickets for evening (8pm) performances on its first night in preview (4/15) and the first Sunday, April 19. But the offer is on a first-come, first-served basis by phone only, at (512) 476-0541, x1.

Photos by Michael Lutch, courtesy of American Repertory Theatre

THE GRAPES OF WRATH Soundtrack: Free Song Downloads from ZACH's Soulful Hit Musical Score

Ever since THE GRAPES OF WRATH took stage at ZACH, audiences have been blown away by an unexpected surprise from the show: Its soundtrack.

The music from the show adds a dimension to the stage version of THE GRAPES OF WRATH that many didn't see coming after just having read the book.

True to the novel, the play is an entirely different experience than most expect, in part because of the lush live musical soundtrack that accompanies audiences night-after-night through the heartland of 1930's America. It's a joyous experience, fast-paced with heartfelt songs and a lush, emotionally evocative and stimulating musical score.

Without further ado, here are music downloads recorded by cast members from ZACH's production of THE GRAPES OF WRATH (click on the links to hear the tracks, or save them by right clicking and choosing 'Save As'):

1. Dust Bowl Children, performed by John Pointer


2. Dust Bowl Blues, performed by John Pointer


3. I'll Close 'Em, performed by John Pointer, Zach Thompson and Paul Mitchell Wright


4. 66, performed by John Pointer and Rich Upton


5. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, performed by Sarah Gay


6. Pastures of Plenty, performed by Sarah Gay, John Pointer, Rich Upton, Paul Mitchell Wright, Zach Thompson, Marc Pouhe and Jarrett Mallon


7. Clarksville Talking Blues, performed by John Pointer, Paul Mitchell Wright, Zach Thompson and Marc Pouhe


8. Battle Hymn of the Republic, performed by Sarah Gay and John Pointer
   


9. I Ain't Got No Home, performed by Rich Upton


10. Crawdad, performed by John Pointer, Rich Upton, Paul Mitchell Wright, Zach Thompson and Jarrett Mallon


11. Pass Me Not, O' Gentle Savior, performed by Sarah Gay and John Pointer

Tickets for this epic live performance of THE GRAPES OF WRATH are available online, or by phone at (512) 476-0541, x1.

Red, Hot and Soul, ZACH's Star-Studded Gala, Is Saturday: Auction Items Just Announced

This Saturday, Broadway meets the runway in a star-studded evening at ZACH Theatre's annual Red, Hot & Soul gala.

ZACH is known for staging one of Austin’s most anticipated and superbly unique parties of the year. Each season delivers new sights, sounds, and surprises from the ZACH Theatre's gala committee and creative teams.

Everyone will be there, but what everyone wants to know is not just who is on the guest list but what is on the auction list.

ZACH's auction items are always one-of-kind finds that only the theatre could pull together. You think you know the girl or guy who has everything? Well, think again. Here's a list ranging from a trip in paradise to private concerts to a role in an upcoming ZACH Theatre production that everyone will be bidding on:

• Tuscan Paradise Retreat In Lucca, Italy
  Value: $9,000
  
  The ultimate in Tuscan luxury! Fly American Airlines to enjoy seven nights for up to six guests in a Broadway producer’s private retreat. Located in the heart of Lucca’s “centro storico,” this spacious and glamorous apartment is furnished in a luxurious yet practical manner to delight even the most assiduous holiday makers. A charming combination of typically Tuscan decor and modern conveniences (wi/fi, gourmet kitchen, satellite TV), Residenza Mansi is the perfect base for your exploration of historic Lucca and the surrounding wine country
  
  
• Miro Quartet Concert and Dinner
  Value: $11,500
  
  The dynamic Miro Quartet, one of America’s highest-profile chamber groups, has risen to the top of the international chamber music scene in only a decade, captivating audiences and critics around the world with its youthful intensity and mature interpretations. On May 24th, you and your friends will gather at a beautiful Tarrytown home overlooking Lake Austin to share a glass (or two) of wine before the concert. Afterwards, mingle with the performers over a buffet dinner for 24 guests catered by 34th Street Cafe, with wine provided by the Aulers, owners of Fall Creek Vineyards. A very special concert to be remembered forever!
  
  
• John Pointer Concert at Sullivan’s Steakhouse
  Value: $5,000
  
  The fun will never stop with the talented multi-instrumentalist, John Pointer performing at Sullivan’s Ringside Bar. This concert and party for 30 people includes a four course dinner and everyone’s first drink! John Pointer is a ZACH favorite with his riveting performance as Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar/Jesucristo Superestrella and his current role in John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath. Aside from his national TV commercials for Chili’s Baby Back Ribs and Schlotzsky’s Deli/Austin City Limits, he has been active in the Austin music scene since 1991. As a multi-instrumentalist, he has produced, performed, and recorded with many bands and artists including Ozomatli, BoomBoxATX, Schrödinger’s Cat, Woodwork, Trio Los Vigilantes, and Sixpence None the Richer.
  
  
• ZACH’s Exclusive Diva Dinner & Concert
  Value: Priceless
  
  Back by popular demand, you have the opportunity to experience this private concert by three of ZACH’s most talented powerhouse Divas in the elegant south dining room of Chez Zee. Your unforgettable evening will feature a catered dinner for ten and a stellar musical evening designed personally for you by ZACH Artistic Director Dave Steakley. Depending on availability, your divas will come from this extraordinary group of ZACH stars: Meredith McCall (The Santaland Diaries, Cabaret); Rebecca Schoolar (Tapestry, Rockin’ Christmas Party); Janis Stinson (Crowns, Porgy and Bess); Judy Arnold (Beehive, Porgy & Bess), Laura Benedict Scott (Always Patsy Cline, Beehive), and Jill Blackwood (Cabaret, Urinetown). Restrictions: Event must take place on a Sunday evening by November 30, 2009. Gratuity not included.
  
  
• Exclusive Konstantino & Jewels Brunch at Neiman Marcus
  Value: $6,000
  
  Meet the man who exudes pride and passion for his creations at an intimate brunch for 20 on May 1, 2009. You and your lucky friends will dine with famed jewelry designer Konstantino at a private and exclusive brunch at Neiman Marcus and YOU will take home three original Konstantino creations! A sumptuous brunch will be provided.
  
  
• Summer of Love Party with Janis Joplin
  Value: Priceless
  
  An evening to rival no other! Gather 250 of your closest friends, don your Woodstock apparel and rock out at an exclusive performance of ZACH’s Love Janis, starring Austin’s one and only Andra Mitrovich as Janis Joplin, rock-n-roll’s most fabulous goddess! Your exclusive “Summer of Love“ party includes delicious catering for your guests on ZACH’s Deck under our tent. Relive old memories and create new ones with this once in a lifetime celebration for a milestone birthday or anniversary.
  
  
• Bee a Part of the Cast!
  Value: Priceless
  
  Your very own starring role on ZACH’s stage! BEE the envy of all your friends when you are featured as one of the Spelling Bee contestants on Opening Night of the Tony® Award-winning musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. The package includes 4 tickets for your fans and after the show you’ll join the cast for the festive opening night gala party.
  
  
• Trish Murphy concert and dinner for 30 at Café Josie
  Value: $6,000
  
  This incredible package includes an exclusive concert by Austin’s favorite Trish Murphy in addition to a fantastic dinner with wine from Café Josie. For 30 people, this is the perfect evening for a special occasion or just a great time with friends. Good for a pre-approved and mutually agreeable Sunday between June '09 - May '10. Contact Charles with calendar ideas well in advance of possible dates.
  
  
• Dinner for 10 with Luci Baines Johnson at Ranch 616
  Value: Priceless
  
  Enjoy this dinner for 8 with one of Austin’s living legends, Luci Baines Johnson. As the second daughter of President LBJ and Ladybird, Luci has many wonderful stories to share from her extraordinary life. This unforgettable night begins at Ranch 616 with a specialty drink outside on the patio around the fire pit. You will be escorted to dinner where a special menu has been created for your party. Take advantage of this unforgettable opportunity for a fantastic menu and the very best company.
  
  
• Perfect Pairing for 20 with Twin Liquors and Fete Accompli
  Value: $2,250
  
  This is your opportunity to learn about a variety of wine from Twin Liquors’ limitless cellar of wine and to enjoy its complimentary hors d’ oeuvres delicately designed by the chefs of Fete Accompli. Available for 20 guests in the classroom in Twin Liquors’ Hancock Center location, this will be the perfect party plan for you and your friends.
  
  
• Dinner for 10 in Larry Peel’s Wine Cellar with food from Mirabelle
  Value: $5,500
  
  If you live for fabulous wine, amazing food and good company, this is your package! Enjoy a dinner for 10 in wine aficionado Larry Peel’s home and catering from Mirabelle’s restaurant.

This year's Red, Hot & Soul event is at the Hilton Austin Downtown, this Saturday, April 4. To purchase a ticket, sponsor a table or make a donation to Austin's imaginative ZACH Theatre community, please visit the ZACH Theatre website.

ZACH Theatre's 2009 Red, Hot & Soul Gala
Event Chair: Larry Connelly
Event Co-Chair: Christine Horne
Honorary Event Co-Chairs: Laura & Tom Green

Video Blog: Au Revoir to SHOOTING STAR, A Romantic Comedy in its Last 2 Weeks on Stage

SHOOTING STAR cast members Jamie Goodwin and Barbara Chisholm made a video blog about their experience in ZACH's "smart and sweet romantic comedy" about two ex-lovers -- one from Austin, one from Boston -- who are unexpectedly reunited.



(Click here if the video doesn't load on your screen.)

The show is in its final 2 weeks of performance, but tickets are still available online to see the show. You can also purchase by phone at 512-476-0541, x1; our box office is open 12 noon to 7pm, Monday through Saturday.

Music Downloads: Tracks that Inspired THE GRAPES OF WRATH Musical Score

The live musical score put together by musical director Allen Robertson for THE GRAPES OF WRATH has generated a huge buzz in the Austin music community.

At once gracefully appropriated and historically accurate, the score adds another layer to this gorgeous production. But its origins have been somewhat of a mystery to ZACH audiences ...

... until now! Z-News readers, we are happy to present free music downloads of 6 tracks that inspired the lush melodic musings of THE GRAPES OF WRATH musical score:

• "Dust Bowl Children" by Peter Rowan
  (Performed by John Pointer in the show)
  
  
• "66" by Michael Smith
  (Performed by John Pointer, Zach Thompson and Paul Mitchell Wright)
  
  
• "Pastures of Plenty" by Woody Guthrie
  (Performed by Sarah Gay, John Pointer, Rich Upton, Paul Mitchell Wright, Zach Thompson, Marc Pouhe and Jarret Mallon)
  
  
• "Down to the River to Pray" by Alison Krauss
  (Performed by Sarah Gay, Rich Upton, John Pointer, Marc Pouhe and Zach Thompson)
  
  
• "I Ain't Got No Home" by Woody Guthrie
  (Performed by Rich Upton)
  
  
• "Pass Me Not, O' Gentle Savior" by Fanny J. Crosby and William H. Doane
  (Performed by Sarah Gay and John Pointer)

Enjoy the tunes, and stay tuned for more MP3 downloads from ZACH Theatre's original production.

If you still haven't see the show, please contact our box office at (512) 476-0541, x. 1 to reserve your tickets, or buy tickets online.

It's Another Wilde Night at ZACH: THE GRAPES OF WRATH Wilde Party Is This Thursday!

Did you know ZACH Theatre hosts a GLBT night for each of its productions? Well, it's true. The Wilde Party is ZACH's outreach to the lesbian and gay community -- and the people who love them -- held on the third Thursday of each ZACH production.

The Wilde Party celebrating ZACH's newest production, THE GRAPES OF WRATH, is this Thursday (March 26), starting at 6:15pm. The party is a pre-show mixer and cocktail hour on the new party deck outside ZACH's Kleberg Theatre for the Austin gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. Thursday's Wilde Party will be catered by Rose Russo, who always puts out a fantastic spread. The party's followed with a 7:30pm performance of the THE GRAPES OF WRATH, a play that has been taking Austin audiences and critics by storm!

Come to the party even if you can't stay afterwards for the show, and feel free to add your friends to the Evite.

Call ZACH's box office at 476-0541, x. 1 today to purchase your tickets for Thursday's GRAPES OF WRATH performance (be sure to mention the Wilde Party for special seating).

The Curious Case of Zachary Scott and John Steinbeck

One interesting fact about legendary actor Zachary Scott is that his wife, Elaine Anderson, married John Steinbeck one week after divorcing him.

Zachary met Elaine while studying theater at the University of Texas , and the couple married on his 21st birthday in 1935. Both had successful careers in theater -- Zachary became one of the most notorious actors on stage and screen and Elaine broke gender barriers by becoming one of the first female stage managers in theater history.

Fifteen years after their marriage, however, the couple filed for divorce amid a sea of controversy surrounding the marriage. Elaine cited mental cruelty as the reason for the divorce, but it was rumored that she met and fell in love with Nobel Prize winning author John Steinbeck when the couple moved to California.

True or not, the rumors still swirl, and local Austinites are calling the theatre to share their stories about their experiences with the legendary cad of film and his leading lady Elaine.

Tickets to The Grapes of Wrath are available online.

Off SXSW's Beaten Path: Austin's Independent Music Scene Takes Stage at ZACH

No SXSW badge or wristband is needed to see this show.

Though not a part of South by Southwest, THE GRAPES OF WRATH runs during the entirety of the festival and is a folkloric, Woody Guthrie-esque musical experience sure to knock the socks off Austin visitors and locals seeking live music but trying to avoid the SXSW crowds. (ZACH is offering free, reserved parking for its patrons attending this weekends shows, too!)

Led by award-winning musician Allen Robertson, founding member of The Biscuit Brothers, THE GRAPES OF WRATH’s four-part band accompanies the play. Robertson brings to life 1930's-era hymns in a fashion that harkens Austin’s legendary independent music scene. After all, Austin is one of the few places still around where using a saw as a musical instrument is as normal today as it was in the 1930's.

ZACH Theatre Artistic Director Dave Steakley asked that the music be stripped down to reflect the time period. Ranging from accapella to harmonized vocals to simple scoring from a guitar or chiming accordion melodies, "the most powerful emotional moments come from traditional hymns like Swing Low, Sweet Chariot and Pass Me Not O Gentle Savior," Steakley said in an interview about the play. An added bonus is ZACH’s licensing of the original Steppenwolf Theatre score, including a schmaltzy comic song in which used car salesmen try to pawn off wrecked cars on “Okies” fleeing their dust-covered homes and farms for promised opportunities in California.

Music is at the core of the stage performance of THE GRAPES OF WRATH. Music aficionados will not be disappointed with the emotionally moving, well placed, period-appropriate music in ZACH's production. And during the megalithic SXSW festival, a ticket to this show at Austin’s longest running live theatre company is an independent music find that festival goers will enjoy discovering.

Tickets available at ZACHTheatre.org or at the theatre at the corner of Riverside Dr. & S. Lamar (just a few blocks from downtown).

SHOOTING STAR Reaches New Heights

The art of storytelling is playwright Steven Dietz's genius, and in SHOOTING STAR, a romantic comedy about two lovers -- one from Austin, one from Boston -- Dietz tells a startlingly close-to-home story that has been leaving audiences awestruck at the poignance, grace and humor they see on stage with this ZACH Theatre production.

"Stories told this well don't come around too often," Austin Chronicle art critic Barry Pineo said in a review published this morning. Austin360.com blogger Jeanne Claire van Ryzin agrees: "Dietz makes reality poetic."

And the poetic realism of this play has been captivating audience after audience ever since the play began. It strikes close to home, it's a story we can all relate to and, as AustinLiveTheatre.com blogged, "SHOOTING STAR trades on a fascination similar to that mined by www.classmates.com. 'What ever happened to ...?' 'Do you really, really want to know?'"

Oh, yes. We do!

"(Barbara) Chisholm and (Jamie) Goodwin (the show's actors) so naturally and totally inhabit their roles, they manage to cross that magical line where storytelling becomes as compelling as life," Pineo said.

One thing that's exceedingly clear to night-after-night of unmoving audiences is this is a familiar tale. It's about what happens when nostalgia and coincidence collide, the beauty of such happenstance, and the power and permanence of human love.

"Dietz’s gift as a writer is an acute attention to our modern language. He elevates ordinary conversation to a kind of music with precise rhythms and exquisitely timed phrases. In Dietz’s hands conversation sounds natural, but smart," van Ryzin wrote.

"See it!" Pineo concluded. And you still can -- but the show closes soon.

Tickets are available online.

P.S. An online photo gallery from the show has been posted on ZACH's website. KUT's radio interview with the actors from SHOOTING STAR is available here.

Don't take our word for it ...

Austin Live Theatre, one of Austin's preeminent blogs on the local theatre scene, posted a review today of ZACH Theatre's production of THE GRAPES OF WRATH.

Stay tuned to our blog for free music downloads, backstage insight, and special events and discounts for this production!

THE GRAPES OF WRATH Opening Night: "Wow!"

"This is a play everyone deserves to see," one audience member said as ZACH Theatre's opening of THE GRAPES OF THE WRATH came to a close. The audience poured out into the lobby for a champagne reception and the word on everyone's mouth was "Wow!"

The reflective faces turned joyous as the cast and crew made their way to the reception, and everyone involved with the production knew they had put something on stage that was truly special.

It was a Saturday performance that many of our Twitter followers are still talking about Monday morning, and the audience reached a clear consensus: This show came to life at the perfect time, with the perfect cast and at the perfect place -- ZACH.

ZACH's Artistic Director, Dave Steakley, knew this production would be a hit in the Austin community. "Steinbeck's beautifully constructed language marries the simplicity of the common man's earnestness to the progressive ideas of how to create change that impacts a family, a community and a country."

The spirit of charity was felt by all as the collection box for Mobile Loaves and Fishes filled up with donations to benefit the Austin community. As Tom Joad says in the play, “Maybe I can do somethin' ... maybe find out what it is that’s wrong and see if they ain’t somethin' that can be done about it. Maybe it’s like Casy says, 'A fellow ain’t got a soul of his own, just a little piece of a big soul, the one big soul that belongs to everybody. Wherever there’s a fight, so hungry people can eat, I’ll be there.'"

THE GRAPES OF WRATH Cast And Crew Reach Out to the Austin Homeless Community

Last night was the first performance of THE GRAPES OF WRATH, and, during the performance, a collection point benefiting Mobile Loaves and Fishes was set up by the door. The audience was fantastic and very generous, but there's still weeks of work to be done ...

From the onset of this production, ZACH Theatre's Artistic Director Dave Steakley worked to make sure Austin's "least among us" homeless community was not forgotten. Early on, Steakley directed the cast to join the estimated 3,625 homeless individuals in Austin to prepare for the show -- about the struggle of a Depression-era family that became homeless after fleeing their dust covered farm in Oklahoma for work in California.

From Dave Steakley's Director's Notes: "We have a lot of Austinites who sleep out on the streets at night and don’t always know where their next meal is coming from. Judy Knotts, an angel in our community who works as a volunteer serving homeless citizens, tells me one of the big issues for our homeless friends is the loss of identity, the lack of eye contact that ‘persons with means’ make with a homeless person, and the consequent loss of dignity. It can be out of fear or guilt or irritation that we don’t engage a homeless person. THE GRAPES OF WRATH reminds me that we are all a part of this community and we have a responsibility to act with compassion to everyone who calls Austin home."

ZACH Theatre's collection point for Mobile Loaves and Fishes will be at all THE GRAPES OF WRATH performances, and collections will go directly to benefit the the Austin homeless community.

Suggested items needed right now include:

• Sun screen and chap stick, small travel sizes.
• New baseball style caps.
• New briefs or boxer shorts for men.
• Spring clothes, tee shirts for men or women, new or gently used blue jeans.

Visit ZACH's web site to find a list of other suggested donations, such as blankets, socks and food items, when you buy tickets for the show.

Free MP3 Downloads: A Sneak Peek Into THE GRAPES OF WRATH's Live Musical Score

ZACH Theatre opens THE GRAPES OF WRATH this weekend.

The stage adaptation of John Steinback's masterpiece uniquely incorporates music into the play -- and, of course, ZACH's adaptation has musical flair that is uniquely Austin.

The music, under the direction of Allen Robertson, (one of the creative duo in "The Biscuit Brothers"), punctuates the dramatic action with orchestrations inspired by music of the 1930's. Sometimes it is just a vocal accapella or harmonizing with other vocals or simple underscoring from a guitar, accordion or a traditional instrument like a saw.

Powerful, emotional moments in ZACH's production are underscored by stirring renditions of traditional hymns like Swing Low, Sweet Chariot and Pass Me Not O Gentle Savior (MP3 downloads are below). There is also a wonderful comic song in which used car salesmen, led by John Pointer, try to unload their old wrecks by taking advantage of the poor "Okies" who were fleeing for California.

But you don't have to take our word for it. Here are a couple tracks from the show to wet your whistle:

Pass Me Not O Gentle Savior

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot

Stay tuned, we'll be posting more MP3s from THE GRAPES OF WRATH throughout its run.

THE GRAPES OF WRATH performances begin at 7:30pm tonight, and opening night's champagne toast is this Sunday after the show. During opening week, you can buy one ticket and get a second ticket free by calling our box office at (512) 476-0541, ext. 1, and mentioning ZACH's Z News blog.

Austin Theatre Brings Economic Realities to Life

Stocks plummet, jobs are lost, a million publications report the bad news. But leave it to Austin to address current economic hardship with a wonderfully crafted, epic performance of John Steinbeck's THE GRAPES OF WRATH.

For many Austinites, it doesn't take a newspaper to tell them that times are rough. Talking with their families about job loss and this generation's financial struggles, however, might require a different, more relatable teaching tool. ZACH Theatre began its timely production of THE GRAPES OF WRATH for precisely this reason.

"I had some sense that economically we weren't going to be in the same position as a nation that we were in last year," Dave Steakley, ZACH's artistic director, said about adding THE GRAPES OF WRATH to 2009's production schedule. "We always experience economic change during the year of a Presidential election of some kind," he said, "although I didn't know we would find ourselves in a set of circumstances that would begin to mirror what Americans were experiencing in the 1930's."

THE GRAPES OF WRATH tells the story of the Joad family amidst the backdrop of 1930's America. The Joads didn't envision America's bread basket suddenly turning into a dust bowl, and during their trip from their dust-covered farm in Oklahoma to California the Joad's 11-member family dwindles to only four members in the final scene.

Family is at the heart of THE GRAPES OF WRATH production. Audience members will find themselves inspired by the sacrifice, charity and ultimate redemption of the Joad family's journey that celebrates family, determination, love and hope.

If nothing else, THE GRAPES OF WRATH will provide families with a way to talk about tough times with teenagers and young adults who might be experiencing a financial downturn for the first time in their lives.

THE GRAPES OF WRATH begins tomorrow and plays through May 10 on ZACH's Kleberg Stage. Tickets are available online.

Richard Garriott's EXTREME VOYAGE plays to packed houses on ZACH's Whisenhunt Stage

Austin video game designer and former ZACH Board Member, RICHARD GARRIOTT, gave two fascinating talks about his trip in to space and work on the International Space Station. As audiences arrived he personally greeted them, answering questions about items that were on display from his personal collection. Then, they were treated to a two hour presentation of his accounts of space travel including never before seen video. An audience Q&A rounded out the evening answering such questions as "is it cold or hot in space?" and "what happens when you strike a match in space?" Children and adults alike were enthralled and one patron remarked ... "I just love the variety you get at ZACH Theatre!"



Richard Garriott describes some hidden features of a NASA space suit from his personal collection!

Richard with Miles MacLaughlin, son of Elaine and Brian MacLaughlin. Miles gave Richard a drawing he made of a spaceship getting "ready for take-off" which Richard took in to space. Here Richard is giving the "space blessed" drawing back to Miles and Miles is exchanging it for a new drawing for Richard.
























Future Astronaut, Miles MacLaughlin, proudly stands next to Richard's space suit.

Richard shares personal stories of his space travels with audience members upon arrival.




Richard amidst a packed house at ZACH's Whisenhunt Stage.

BEEHIVE Thrills Packed Houses Opening Weekend! Farewell Performance Run Begins!

It’s here! The biggest musical hit in ZACH’s 75-year history opened this weekend for its Farewell Performance run. This performance will absolutely be the final opportunity to enjoy ZACH’s original BEEHIVE cast members Rebecca Schoolar, Laura Benedict, Judy Arnold and Andra Mitrovich in the show that made ZACH history. New to the cast this season are Amani Dorn and Noellia Hernandez, familiar to audiences from their roles in ZACH’s recent productions of SEUSSICAL and CAROLINE, OR CHANGE. All of these ladies ignite the stage with performances that will have you cheering throughout the show.

Directed by Dave Steakley, BEEHIVE opened on New Year’s Eve 1992-93, and became an instant hit. I remember audiences pouring out of the theatre on their way to ZACH’s post-show New Year’s Eve party so jazzed that they said “let’s do that again!” The production quite simply blew their socks off. It certainly set the tone for a raucous party that night and for an exciting decade and a half to come for musical theatre at ZACH.

BEEHIVE is a heartfelt tribute to the girl groups and individual artists who skyrocketed to fame between the years 1960-1969: The Shirelles, The Supremes, Connie Francis, Brenda Lee, Lesley Gore, Aretha Franklin, Petula Clark, Dusty Springfield, Tina Turner, and Janis Joplin. ZACH’s amazing cast of singers – who raise-the-roof with one chart topping hit after another – has made BEEHIVE an enduring favorite with audiences for over 16 years!

And, you’re in for a treat. Dave Steakley, the cast, and creative team have done it again. The 2009 edition of BEEHIVE is more fun than ever! With period-perfect choreography, stellar voices, a rockin’ band, and those “higher the hair, closer to God” wigs by Willa Kaye Warren, BEEHIVE delivers an experience that will have you saying “let’s do that again!”

And, it seems the word is out, because performances are already filling up. It’s probably best not to wait if you want to get good seats. There are only 18 performances in the run. And, many folks are coming in groups to party together, – yeah, it’s that kind of show. So come – bring your spouse, date, partner and friends. ZACH offers discounts for groups of just 8 or more. BEEHIVE is tremendous fun and will get your 2009 to a great start. Don’t forget to tell your friends so they can share in the fun too!

If you attended opening weekend, please share your experience!

We are also having a ZACH Theatre TweetUp this Wednesday, January 21 at Paggi House from 5-7pm. Several of the BEEHIVE cast will be there, and a few other ZACH staff. We’d love to meet you – so come on out and say hi!

– Jim Reynolds, ZACH Marketing Director
photo by Kirk R. Tuck