Insanity, drugs and jazz are just a part of the family in Warren Leight’s Tony award-winning play Side Man, which opened last night at the Ball Theater.
The plot line often breaks from its age to give perspective of those characters looking back at themselves in remembrance and awe of how far they have come. The story is about a lot of things. It contains family issues, drug related problems for some of the characters and the vices that would ultimately be their downfall.
The story takes the audience on a journey that traverses thirty years with many twists and turns along the way. The memory play told from the perspective of Clifford (Braden Pemberton ’07) shows us the demise of jazz and the collapse of its popularity. It is the story of how four jazz men, who were once in their prime as admired jazz brass players, fall to the rising rock and roll culture.
The play has a lot to do with jazz and the culture surrounding it. It is understandable that music plays a large part in the production, both before and during the show. A quartet of Wabash’s Jazz Combo will perform for a half hour before each showing.
“I like music a lot,” director Mike Abbott said. “This particular production required more than usual. There are so many recordings to choose from that it’s mind-boggling. It’s a lot of fun.”
From the onset of the play, the audience realizes it is a complicated play with many meanings and interesting subculture. The narrator and stage manager, Clifford, is the son of Gene (Matt Goodrich ’09), one of the sidemen, and he does not technically exist yet through most of the play. He narrates through a retrospective lens and watches his memory unfold into a way that makes sense to him and can give perspective on how and why the characters have become what they are.
One of the truly remarkable parts of the play is the transformation of characters through a thirty year period. Most of the characters undergo great change as they age, even though most of their quirks remain. The character who undergoes the greatest change, Terry, is played by a guest professional actress, Jenny McKnight (AEA). She brings her experience and expertise to the stage in a masterful way that is exceptionally shown through her conversion, even within certain scenes.
“Working with Jenny has been amazing,” Patrick McAlister ’10 said. “She knew the play before going into the roll and has worked well with the cast. We learned countless new acting caveats from her experience. She is the consummate professional."
Each of the sidemen plays an integral role in this slightly dysfunctional brotherhood. Ziggy (Patrick McAlister ’10) plays the part of comic relief and also a notorious stutterer. Al (Spencer Elliott ’10), called “Romeo,” can be serious at times, but often he is joking around with Ziggy and plays a mean lead trumpet. Probably the most serious of the sidemen, Jonesy (Sterling Carter ’07) comes off as part of the group and yet not. He seems to most connect with Terry even though she does not start as one of the members of the group.
Jonesy is a heroin addict whose ways end up getting him in trouble. He also proves to be the most in touch with the slow demise of jazz as he recognizes what is going on early in the play.
The other female of the play, Patsy (Anna Ardizzone), is interested in more than just the “relief band” aspect of the sidemen. She recognizes that jazz is coming to an end, like Jonesy, and she works to stabilize her life by marrying someone who gets out of the jazz business.
Side Man has been working since the third week in January. The actors have grappled with the characters; the designers have lined up the props and scene perfectly; the director and stage managers have done all they can to prepare everything to go off right. All that is let is to add the final touch.
"I think the play is ready for an audience,” McAlister said. “We have put so much time and efforts into making it the best we can that the only thing we have left is to show people what we've been doing."
All facets of the play set to work over a month ago. Prof. Mike Abbott is the director. James Gross is the scenic designer for the play, and Caroline Stine is the costume designer. Ryan Koharchik created the lighting design. Cody Grady ’10 and Anthony Morton ’10 are the stage manager and assistant stage manager, respectively for the production.
The play shows each night at 8:00 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center on the Ball Theater. Side Man is the penultimate production of the Wabash Theater season. For tickets, contact the Fine Arts Center box office 8:30 a.m.-noon or 1:30-4:30 p.m. at 361-6411 or by e-mail at boxoffice@wabash.edu.
Insanity, drugs and jazz are just a part of the family in Warren Leight’s Tony award-winning play Side Man, which opened last night at the Ball Theater.
The plot line often breaks from its age to give perspective of those characters looking back at themselves in remembrance and awe of how far they have come. The story is about a lot of things. It contains family issues, drug related problems for some of the characters and the vices that would ultimately be their downfall.
The story takes the audience on a journey that traverses thirty years with many twists and turns along the way. The memory play told from the perspective of Clifford (Braden Pemberton ’07) shows us the demise of jazz and the collapse of its popularity. It is the story of how four jazz men, who were once in their prime as admired jazz brass players, fall to the rising rock and roll culture.
The play has a lot to do with jazz and the culture surrounding it. It is understandable that music plays a large part in the production, both before and during the show. A quartet of Wabash’s Jazz Combo will perform for a half hour before each showing.
“I like music a lot,” director Mike Abbott said. “This particular production required more than usual. There are so many recordings to choose from that it’s mind-boggling. It’s a lot of fun.”
From the onset of the play, the audience realizes it is a complicated play with many meanings and interesting subculture. The narrator and stage manager, Clifford, is the son of Gene (Matt Goodrich ’09), one of the sidemen, and he does not technically exist yet through most of the play. He narrates through a retrospective lens and watches his memory unfold into a way that makes sense to him and can give perspective on how and why the characters have become what they are.
One of the truly remarkable parts of the play is the transformation of characters through a thirty year period. Most of the characters undergo great change as they age, even though most of their quirks remain. The character who undergoes the greatest change, Terry, is played by a guest professional actress, Jenny McKnight (AEA). She brings her experience and expertise to the stage in a masterful way that is exceptionally shown through her conversion, even within certain scenes.
“Working with Jenny has been amazing,” Patrick McAlister ’10 said. “She knew the play before going into the roll and has worked well with the cast. We learned countless new acting caveats from her experience. She is the consummate professional."
Each of the sidemen plays an integral role in this slightly dysfunctional brotherhood. Ziggy (Patrick McAlister ’10) plays the part of comic relief and also a notorious stutterer. Al (Spencer Elliott ’10), called “Romeo,” can be serious at times, but often he is joking around with Ziggy and plays a mean lead trumpet. Probably the most serious of the sidemen, Jonesy (Sterling Carter ’07) comes off as part of the group and yet not. He seems to most connect with Terry even though she does not start as one of the members of the group.
Jonesy is a heroin addict whose ways end up getting him in trouble. He also proves to be the most in touch with the slow demise of jazz as he recognizes what is going on early in the play.
The other female of the play, Patsy (Anna Ardizzone), is interested in more than just the “relief band” aspect of the sidemen. She recognizes that jazz is coming to an end, like Jonesy, and she works to stabilize her life by marrying someone who gets out of the jazz business.
Side Man has been working since the third week in January. The actors have grappled with the characters; the designers have lined up the props and scene perfectly; the director and stage managers have done all they can to prepare everything to go off right. All that is let is to add the final touch.
"I think the play is ready for an audience,” McAlister said. “We have put so much time and efforts into making it the best we can that the only thing we have left is to show people what we've been doing."
All facets of the play set to work over a month ago. Prof. Mike Abbott is the director. James Gross is the scenic designer for the play, and Caroline Stine is the costume designer. Ryan Koharchik created the lighting design. Cody Grady ’10 and Anthony Morton ’10 are the stage manager and assistant stage manager, respectively for the production.
The play shows each night at 8:00 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center on the Ball Theater. Side Man is the penultimate production of the Wabash Theater season. For tickets, contact the Fine Arts Center box office 8:30 a.m.-noon or 1:30-4:30 p.m. at 361-6411 or by e-mail at boxoffice@wabash.edu.