Director’s note: The cast and crew started tech week today and we began the morning with a hair tutorial. Resident costume designer Ilene Goldstein explained not only how to do the hair but also the cultural importance of each curl, part, and pin.
The Williston Theatre presents “All My Sons” from October 23-October 25, 2014. Read more and reserve your tickets online.
On Display: October 5-November 1
Reception: Saturday, October 18, 1:30-3:30 p.m.
As an aerobatic pilot, Lise Lemeland draws upon what she sees to convey the experience of flight. In her artist’s statement, she notes that she’s long been interested in visually complex patterns, and the visual cues that are a crucial part of flying aerobatics.
“This extreme type of flying requires intense focus and sensatory interpretation,” she wrote in her statement. “When I am in the studio, I am devoted to finding ways to translate these breathtaking and disorienting experiences of flying.”
Ms. Lemeland received her BA from Stanford University, her BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute, and her MFA from Hunter College. In 2006, she received a Joan Mitchell Foundation Grant, followed by a grant in 2009 to flight as part of her artistic research, as well as a scholarship for aerobatic training from the International Aerobatic Club.
Her paintings have been exhibited at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum, in Washington, DC, where they are also part of the permanent collection, and Gallery 22E41 in NYC.
Director’s note: We’ve finished blocking All My Sons and are now in the midst of working through the play off book. One of our actors, Matt Steinberg ’15 (Frank Lubey), took some time out of his busy schedule to write a bit about what it’s like to bring this show to its feet.
We stand in a circle and take a few deep breaths. On the director’s cue, we all stretch our arms into the sky (or, rather, towards the catwalks), and, with barely a word, we suddenly flop down in unison and attempt in vain to touch our toes. We try to relax our bodies thoroughly. Then, we slowly roll up – vertebra upon vertebra, as we like to say – until we stand once more, feeling ever so slightly taller than when we started.
Once again, without barely a word, we stretch our faces in unison. Make our faces as big as possible, like a lion, then as small as possible, as if we’ve just tasted a sour lemon. And again. Tongue twisters follow, and we end with a truly bizarre game that goes by the name of “zip.” It’s just another night at rehearsal.
All My Sons was originally produced on Broadway in 1947. People sitting in the audience were, in some way, like the characters in the play- struggling to make sense of the post-war era, readjusting to societal roles, and attempting to define new ones. Joe Keller and his wife Kate could very well have been their neighbors and Chris Keller could have been a buddy they fought in the war with. The world of Miller’s play was their world.
That was nearly 70 years ago. The world of the Kellers is as unfamiliar to a contemporary audience as the turn of the 19th century was for Generation X. Doing All My Sons in 2014 requires deep inquiry into the historical context of the play, otherwise the actors would not understand the driving forces behind the characters. It would be all too easy to simply label them good or bad. The result would be a production that dictated to the audience what to think- a dangerous trap. Miller’s work is best when there is subtlety, ambiguity, and unanswered questions. Luckily, it took very little coercing to convince Peter Gunn, Williston’s veteran US History teacher, to visit with the cast and share his expertise.
Mr. Gunn began by putting the American Identity, and by association the American Dream (a paramount theme for Miller which is front and center in All My Sons) in context of the status anxiety associated with the Puritan Ethic. Mr. Gunn continued by discussing three American Identities: the Washingtonian (focus on the civic), the Hamiltonian (focus on the economic) and the identity espoused by Emmerson and Thoreau (focus on the self). It was at this moment in the presentation that the actor’s heads began nodding vigorously as if they were figuring out which identity most impacted their character. Mr. Gunn then took us through an analyses of the American Identity through the decades of the mid 20th century- the ’20’s, ’30’s and 40’s. This was a critical exploration- our young performers began to connect their character’s lives with each decade and could see how they made an imprint on the character’s sense of self. This historical context allowed the world of the play to come to life. The characters were no longer two-dimensional, but real people connected to us through a shared American history. We ended with a lively and passionate Q&A.
After our conversation with Mr. Gunn, the actors felt much more rooted and connected to their roles. He later said, “The questions these actors asked show their desire to empathize fully with their character. In addition, they developed a deeper understanding of the historical context of the events portrayed in the play. Together a sense of empathy and an understanding of historical context will allow these dedicated artists to honor their responsibility to Arthur Miller and to produce a more vibrant and vital interpretation of this play.” I also noted after our work with Mr. Gunn that the characters’ objectives (the primary desire that drives each character) were more clear and well-defined, the actors were more confident in their body language, and their ability to connect with one another onstage was striking. In essence, they were finding the humanity in each character.
The Williston Theatre presents “All My Sons” from October 23-October 25, 2014. Read more and reserve your tickets online.
Rehearsals are already underway for our first production of the year, Arthur Miller’s classic All My Sons. Bringing the show to life will be challenging. The piece is incredibly rich, demanding, and complex- another reason to start early.
The play revolves around Joe Keller and his family. During World War II Keller and his neighbor, Herbert Deever, ran a machine shop that made airplane parts for military planes. Deever went to jail for sending defective parts out of the shop, causing the deaths of dozens of American soldiers. Keller was exonerated and built a life for himself and his family. These parallel stories pick up early one August morning when a storm takes out the tree dedicated to Joe’s oldest son who was reported missing in action during the war. This symbolic event, along with Keller’s youngest son’s proposal to Ann Deever and the return of a bitter George Deever, sets the wheels in motion for the action of the play that ultimately unearths devastating truths long-buried by Keller and his wife.
The cast sat down last Thursday for our read through of the play. A read through is when the cast and production team get together to hear the cast read the play out loud for the first time. Typically there is lots of stumbling over new words and questions about the plot and various relationships in the story. However, last Thursday there was already dynamic energy between our actors and their passion for the play and characters was palpable. With that much excitement at the read through one can only guess where the rehearsal process will take us.
An abstract painter who experienced a devastating studio fire over the summer is dedicating her fall show at the Williston Northampton School to those who have helped her rebuild.
“Circle Dance,” works by Marlene Rye, will be on display from September 1-29 in the Grubbs Gallery, Reed Campus Center. A reception for the artist will be held on Saturday, September 20, from 1:30-3:30 p.m. in Grubbs.
On August 4, a fire broke out in the Paragon Arts and Industry Building on 150 Pleasant Street in Easthampton where Ms. Rye has her studio. Although quickly extinguished, the fire and the resulting water caused damage throughout the building—including the studio where Ms. Rye kept her pastel drawings.
“I waited for four hours to go into my studio to find them, in a wet box, but most of them were fine,” she wrote in an email. “It was such a huge relief, as they have been my main focus for the past year!”
As a result of the fire, paints, mats, frames, and a camera were all destroyed, leaving Ms. Rye to worry about whether she could move forward with planned fall shows and art camps. A GoFundMe campaign quickly raised the funds she needed, while friends and supporters helped her clean out her studio and move her work into storage.
A slate of painters and artists who draw inspiration from the land and the air, from architectural forms and memories of childhood, will fill the Grubbs Gallery for the 2014-15 season.
The nine shows this season will include work by Marlene Rye, Lise Lemeland, David Marshall, Karen Iglehart, Rhys Davies, and Amanda Barrow and Co.
“It is going to be a year of very impressive exhibitions because they are all so talented with such distinctive styles,” noted Natania Hume, Grubbs Gallery director and curator, in an email about the upcoming season.
“Each year I curate artists whose work complements each other’s and exhibits that provide continuity for our students and our community,” wrote Ms. Hume, who also teaches ceramics, design, and drawing at the school.
As part of the selection process for Grubbs, Ms. Hume said she looked for artists who not only had exemplary work, but who could teach Williston students about techniques, materials, and the creative process. All six artists give gallery talks to students in the Advanced Studio Art course, a new offering at Williston, or students in the arts intensive after-school program.
Talks in the fall by Marlene Rye and Lise Lemeland, for example, would cover how each artist conveyed a sense of dynamic movement, Ms. Hume noted. Ms. Rye’s vibrant landscapes relate to dancers, while Ms. Lemeland’s draws upon her experiences as a pilot.
“Although the Grubbs Gallery artists are mostly painters this year, they all get inspiration from very specific subjects and will all give very interesting gallery talks to our advanced students, who ask a many questions and are avid to learn about each artist’s life and experiences,” wrote Ms. Hume.
September 1 – 29: Marlene Rye, “Circle Dance.”
Reception: Saturday, Sept. 20 from 1:30-3:30 p.m.
October 1-30: Lise Lemeland
Reception: Saturday, Oct. 4 from 1:30-3:30 p.m.
November 1 – Dec. 18: David Marshall
Reception: Saturday, November 15 from 1:30-3:30 p.m.
January 7 – 30: Karen Iglehart
Reception: Saturday, Jan. 10 from 1:30-3:30 p.m.
February 3-27: Rhys Davies
Reception Saturday, Feb. 21 from 1:30-3:30 p.m.
March 3-6: Williston Arts Intensive show / Williston Artwalk.
Reception: Thursday, March 5 from 5-6:30 p.m.
March 25 – May 7: Amanda Barrow and Co.
Reception: Sunday, April 19 from 2-4 p.m.
May 11-22: Senior Projects Showcase
May 26-28: Arts Intensive / Williston Artwalk
![WNS_ARushPosterSm[spring2014]](http://willistonblogs.com/artsspotlight/files/2014/05/WNS_ARushPosterSmspring2014.jpeg)
The Williston Dance Ensemble knew that their spring dance concert would get the blood pumping. It features 13 new pieces, including a mixed media improvisation and a call for younger members of the audience to participate. So it’s no wonder that when it came time to name their concert, the title they chose was “Adrenaline Rush.”
“Adrenaline Rush,” which will take place on May 16 and 17 at 7:30 p.m. in the Williston Theatre, will feature three faculty pieces, one children’s dance, five group pieces, and four solo dances. The hour and a half-long show includes pieces by seven student choreographers: Jessie Schuhlen ’18, Gabby Record ’17, Calvin Ticknor-Swanson ’16, Henry Lombino ’14, Brittany Collins ’14, and Meredith Westover ’14, with a special guest performance by Tory Kolbjornsen ’14.
Two guest artists—the sister team of Marlene Rye and Beth Znosko—will bring an inventive spin to the show. Ms. Rye, a local painter, and Ms. Znosko, artistic director of Clark Dance Theatre, have created a piece that showcases both of their passions of painting and dance.
Recently, members of the Widdigers Female Concert Choir and Caterwaulers Male Concert Choir had the opportunity to take a field trip to UMass Amherst, the largest campus involved in the Five College Consortium in the Pioneer Valley. While at UMass, the singers participated in a 100-minute rehearsal with the UMass Chamber Choir, the top auditioned choir in the UMass Choral Program. 
Singing at the collegiate level is an experience that one never regrets or forgets. I, Joshua Harper, Choir Director here at Williston, know this for a fact. We have so many opportunities to make music at Williston, but seeing and hearing it done at the collegiate level is just something that I cannot offer the students on our campus. So I took them off.
The day began with all 33 of the students involved in the two auditioned choral ensembles warming up with the members of the Chamber Choir, led by Dr. Tony Thornton, Director of Choral Activities at UMass. These warm-ups not only got the choirs ready to sing, but instantly provided a segue into advanced vocal techniques typically taught at the collegiate level. 
Following the warm-up, Dr. Thornton spent time with the singers working on a few pieces from Teller Chorus, which both the Caterwaulers and Widdigers participate in. While working on these pieces, Williston Northampton students sat in between members of the Chamber Choir (comprised of undergraduate and graduate students from degree programs across the campus). Dr. Thornton worked on vowel shaping, dynamic contrast, and text interpretation to better form the pieces that the students were familiar with.
Following this portion of the rehearsal, Dr. Thornton brought the Chamber Choir up on stage and had them perform a few of their pieces for the students. The UMass Chamber Choir is an exceptional ensemble, and were selected to perform this past February at the 2014 Eastern Division American Choral Director’s Association Conference in Baltimore, a very high honor. Hearing the sounds created by simply 32 voices was outstanding, and really exciting to hear in the beautiful acoustics of Bezanson Recital Hall, where the rehearsal took place.
After the performance, Dr. Thornton facilitated a question and answer session. Williston students asked questions regarding time management in college, majoring in something other than music while still singing in an ensemble, and what the audition process for singing at the collegiate level looks like. 
This was a really great experience for all the students, and members from the Chamber Choir got a chance to share why they do what they do, whether it is majoring in music, or just singing in a choir for the sense of belonging and community that choir can provide.
The rest of the afternoon was spent with Dr. Thornton working with the Widdigers and Caterwaulers on their literature for the upcoming May 20th Concert on campus in the Phillips Stevens Chapel. Dr. Thornton got some really amazing sounds out of each of the groups, and it was neat to watch the students have the opportunity to work with a conductor of Dr. Thornton’s caliber. The field trip wrapped up with a private performance by the UMass Hexichords (of which 3 of the group’s members sing in the Chamber Choir). This top notch collegiate a capella group recently placed 2nd in the ICCA Northeast Semi-Finals. They are ranked #21 in the nation. 
Their extremely high energy performance was very entertaining, and certainly a neat way to see another singing opportunity afforded to students at the collegiate level.
All in all, it was a really exciting day for the students from Williston Northampton, and provided a boost of energy as the students are learning their repertoire for the upcoming May 20th Concert titled “Earth Song: Music From Across the Globe”. It was a great trip from my vantage point, but also as just a lover of choral music myself. The fact that Williston Northampton is situated so close to the Five College area provides exciting opportunities for our campus and department, and hopefully this will not be the last of the collaborations between our ensembles and some of theirs.
A photojournalist whose foreign coverage has included everything from doomed dam projects to assassinations will present the third and final talk in the 2014 Photographers’ Lecture Series on April 29 at 6:30 p.m. in the Dodge Room, Reed Campus Center. The lecture is free and open to the public.
Ben Brody has covered the American military at war as both a soldier and as a civilian. While enlisted in the U.S. Army as a combat journalist, he photographed for more than two years in Iraq, covering Baghdad’s descent into sectarian chaos and 2007’s troop surge. Since leaving the Army in 2008, he has worked primarily for GlobalPost in Afghanistan, photographing and writing in the restive southern provinces.
For more information on this or other events in the series, contact Ed Hing at ehing@williston.com or Traci Wolfe at twolfe@williston.com or at (413) 529-3311.
