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Issue one
SPEAK
An arts and entertainment guide for CSU Fresno
"Oh, Dad, Poor Dad...
and Laura Robinson.
^ Photo by Thar Swift
is the premiere production of the Fresno Public Theatre. Featuring (left to right) Jon Kilcrease, Craig Swogger.
New theatre company tests limits
by Anastasfa Hondrix
Entertainnrient editor
If the picture,on this page looks outrageous,
that's just what director Ronnie Larsen wants.
.If you're not the type of theatre-goer who is
accustomed to following acton around a house for a
setting, or watching the actors revel in a hot-tub,
tha t's all about to change.
Larsen's production of "Oh Dad, Poor
Dad...Mama's Hung You in the Closet and I'm
Feelin' So Sad" is the debut performance of the
newly-formed Fresno Public Theatre. '
Larsen is dividing his time, along with executive
director Peter Robertson, between establishing the
new company and persuing degrees at CSUF.
The fund-raising production for the Fresno Adult
Literacy Council is turning a house into a theatre •
with actors and audience following the action from
room to room. T >,
Of the unusual medium, Larsen says,".-people
need to wake up. Theatre is an art form that is
constantly evolving...there are a lot of stale
theatre values in this town...we need to come alive
and do things that are not what people expect.
Larsen had planned to use only one room of the
house for his production, but at the suggestion of
one of the actresses, and through the influence of a
Los Angeles-based play, 'Tamara", (which
features a-abrtuar type of format} Larsen decided
to give this new theatre genre a try. >
Several nights of the three-weekend run are
already sold out, since only 25 reservations are
being taken for each performance. The rooms are
large enough to stage the action and allow for
comfortable observation, with some searing
available, but audience members will be expected
to)stand for some parts of the play.
Larsen describes the play as metaphorical of his
own experience in creating- and challenging
people's perceptions of theatre.
. "Ifs about freedom...and escaping boundries," he
said, speaking of the sardonic nature of the play.
Larsen enjoys exploring the darkness and pain of
the piece while addressing the farcical madcap
events in the play.
But at the same time, Robertson added that it
made ror great theatre because "..it's very campy
and vampy and hilarious," Robertson added
"My going off-campus and doing my own
extraneous projects is nothing more than the fact
that there were certain texts that I want to explore
and certain theatrical devices that 1 want to play
around with - and I knew from the very beginning,
from the first day I walked on campus, that if I
stayed on-campus that wasn't going to happen."
"1 came here to be involved in innovative work,"
he said, summing up his reasons for developing
such a unique production company.
Larsen has performed in the John Wright
Theatre for mainstage Department productions,
and directed one-act plays for the student
lunchtime Brown Bag performances, but was
rejected when he submitted a proposal for the
experimental Theatre Company, an outlet for
students to direct and perform plays under the
supervision of faculty.
The Fresno Public Theatre is his new outlet, and
Robertson is proud of their recent accomplishments.
"In one summer we did 30 performances of full-
stage productions, and - Ave one-acts," said
Robertson.
Robertson was referring- to the Courtyard
Shakespeare Festival that attracted more than
3,500 theatre buffs through the summer.
Dan Carrion, a theatre arts professor who acts as
advisor to Larsen and the Festival, said, "He's'got
a lot of potential...not everyone always agrees
with what he has to say about the concept of the
show...but his projects usually rum out pretty
good-"
Department chair Ron Johnson also expressed his
support of the upstart duo.
"There have been other spin-offs from this
department in the past that started off as summer
companies and now they're year-round also,"
Johnson said.
"I think it's great... [Larsen's) shown real
en trepreneurship".
He added that "all people assess things
differently," and was not aware of anything other
than uniform support on behalf of the faculty
concerning Larsen's endeavors.
The more theatre in the community, the better"
Johnson said.
Object Description
| Title | 1990_09 The Daily Collegian September 1990 |
| Alternative Title | Daily Collegian (California State University, Fresno) |
| Publisher | Associated Students of Fresno State, Fresno, Calif. |
| Publication Date | 1990 |
| Description | Daily (except weedends) during the school year. Microfilm. Palo Alto, Calif.: BMI Library Microfilms, 1986- microfilm reels; 35 mm. Vol.1, no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- |
| Subject | California State University, Fresno -- Periodicals. |
| Contributors | Associated Students of Fresno State. |
| Coverage | Vol.1 no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- to present |
| Format | Microfilm reels, 35 mm. |
| Technical Information | Scanned at 600 dpi; TIFF; Microfilm ScanPro 2000 "E-image data" |
| Language | eng |
Description
| Title | September 7, 1990, Page 5 |
| Alternative Title | Daily Collegian (California State University, Fresno) |
| Publisher | Associated Students of Fresno State, Fresno, Calif. |
| Publication Date | 1990 |
| Description | Daily (except weedends) during the school year. Microfilm. Palo Alto, Calif.: BMI Library Microfilms, 1986- microfilm reels; 35 mm. Vol.1, no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- |
| Subject | California State University, Fresno -- Periodicals. |
| Contributors | Associated Students of Fresno State. |
| Coverage | Vol.1 no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- to present |
| Format | Microfilm reels, 35 mm. |
| Technical Information | Scanned at 600 dpi; TIFF; Microfilm ScanPro 2000 "E-image data" |
| Language | eng |
| Full-Text-Search | Issue one SPEAK An arts and entertainment guide for CSU Fresno "Oh, Dad, Poor Dad... and Laura Robinson. ^ Photo by Thar Swift is the premiere production of the Fresno Public Theatre. Featuring (left to right) Jon Kilcrease, Craig Swogger. New theatre company tests limits by Anastasfa Hondrix Entertainnrient editor If the picture,on this page looks outrageous, that's just what director Ronnie Larsen wants. .If you're not the type of theatre-goer who is accustomed to following acton around a house for a setting, or watching the actors revel in a hot-tub, tha t's all about to change. Larsen's production of "Oh Dad, Poor Dad...Mama's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad" is the debut performance of the newly-formed Fresno Public Theatre. ' Larsen is dividing his time, along with executive director Peter Robertson, between establishing the new company and persuing degrees at CSUF. The fund-raising production for the Fresno Adult Literacy Council is turning a house into a theatre • with actors and audience following the action from room to room. T >, Of the unusual medium, Larsen says,".-people need to wake up. Theatre is an art form that is constantly evolving...there are a lot of stale theatre values in this town...we need to come alive and do things that are not what people expect. Larsen had planned to use only one room of the house for his production, but at the suggestion of one of the actresses, and through the influence of a Los Angeles-based play, 'Tamara", (which features a-abrtuar type of format} Larsen decided to give this new theatre genre a try. > Several nights of the three-weekend run are already sold out, since only 25 reservations are being taken for each performance. The rooms are large enough to stage the action and allow for comfortable observation, with some searing available, but audience members will be expected to)stand for some parts of the play. Larsen describes the play as metaphorical of his own experience in creating- and challenging people's perceptions of theatre. . "Ifs about freedom...and escaping boundries," he said, speaking of the sardonic nature of the play. Larsen enjoys exploring the darkness and pain of the piece while addressing the farcical madcap events in the play. But at the same time, Robertson added that it made ror great theatre because "..it's very campy and vampy and hilarious," Robertson added "My going off-campus and doing my own extraneous projects is nothing more than the fact that there were certain texts that I want to explore and certain theatrical devices that 1 want to play around with - and I knew from the very beginning, from the first day I walked on campus, that if I stayed on-campus that wasn't going to happen." "1 came here to be involved in innovative work," he said, summing up his reasons for developing such a unique production company. Larsen has performed in the John Wright Theatre for mainstage Department productions, and directed one-act plays for the student lunchtime Brown Bag performances, but was rejected when he submitted a proposal for the experimental Theatre Company, an outlet for students to direct and perform plays under the supervision of faculty. The Fresno Public Theatre is his new outlet, and Robertson is proud of their recent accomplishments. "In one summer we did 30 performances of full- stage productions, and - Ave one-acts," said Robertson. Robertson was referring- to the Courtyard Shakespeare Festival that attracted more than 3,500 theatre buffs through the summer. Dan Carrion, a theatre arts professor who acts as advisor to Larsen and the Festival, said, "He's'got a lot of potential...not everyone always agrees with what he has to say about the concept of the show...but his projects usually rum out pretty good-" Department chair Ron Johnson also expressed his support of the upstart duo. "There have been other spin-offs from this department in the past that started off as summer companies and now they're year-round also," Johnson said. "I think it's great... [Larsen's) shown real en trepreneurship". He added that "all people assess things differently," and was not aware of anything other than uniform support on behalf of the faculty concerning Larsen's endeavors. The more theatre in the community, the better" Johnson said. |
