A Day in the Life of Beverley…

Photo by Jayson Kerr

Beverley Galpin is Director of Audiences and the Ivoryton Playhouse keeps her very busy. Jacqueline Hubbard relies on her and many other people to get the play from script to stage all set and the show ready to go. This post is dedicated to Beverley who does so much, to show what her day at times can entail.

7:30am: Beverley is up and at Shoreline Fitness in Old Saybrook exercising and showering. If there are actors coming in from the train from New York City, Beverley is there picking them up and dropping them off at the actor house.

9:30am: Beverley stops at the local Dunkin’ Donuts and picks up coffee and a bagel then heads to the office. Work calls and there are messages to listen to and phone calls to return. Beverley will also take care of any issues that occurred at the show from the previous night.

12:00pm: It is time to pick up the actors at the actor house and take them to the theater. The box office needs to be opened along with letting in the Box Office Staff. Have to get ready for the 2pm show. At 2:00pm the curtain speech has to be done then go back to the office and start on subscription renewals.

4:00pm: Pickup the actors at the theater and return them to the actor house.

5:00pm: Check in at home and prepare dinner and do the laundry.

6:00pm: While at home Beverley receives a phone call from the theater that the tape is not working and has to go in early to fix the printer. Stay to do curtain speech at 7:30pm. Hang around to take any actors back to the train in Old Saybrook to return to NYC.

Finally time to go home for a restful night’s sleep.

The end of November and the start of December is just a slightly bit different because we are graced by the presence of Beverley in the production of Barnum as Chairy.

The show runs from December 9 to December 19. This fun circus musical is for two weeks only so don’t let this parade pass you by!

2011 Season Announcement

Announcing
The Ivoryton Playhouse
CENTENNIAL Season!

By Popular Demand
The Irish and How They Got That Way
by Frank McCourt
March 16-April 3, 2011

How the Other Half Loves
by Alan Ayckbourn
April 13 – May 1, 2011

Barefoot in the Park
by Neil Simon
June 8 – June 26, 2011

The Producers
by Mel Brooks & Tom Meehan
July 6 – July 31, 2011

Ring of Fire: The Johnny Cash Musical
created and directed by Richard Maltby Jr. conceived by William Meade
August 10 – September 4, 2011

The Marvelous Wonderettes
by Roger Bean
September 28 – October 16, 2011

The Woman in Black
adapted for the stage by Stephen Mallatratt
November 2 –November 20, 2011

At this time we are only selling Subscriptions

Single tickets will go on sale  at Valentines Day

Subscribe for the 2011 Season

That’ll be the Day, when you say…..sign me up!!

As the Ivoryton Playhouse curtain closes on yet another hugely successful season of dancing in the aisles and thoroughly engaging drama, we want to thank you for helping to keep award winning, professional theatre alive and well on the Connecticut Shoreline.

The 2011 season – our Centennial Celebration – will build on this success and we will, once again, provide audiences with musicals and plays that reflect our unique history.  Renew your subscription to the Ivoryton Playhouse and visit us in 2011 to enjoy the history and music of Ireland with (back by popular demand) The Irish and How They Got That Way, the English wit of Alan Ayckbourn’s How the Other Half Loves (featuring your favorite resident Brits Jacqui Hubbard and Beverley Galpin), comedy and romance with Barefoot in the Park, musical hilarity with The Producers as well as productions of Ring of Fire: The Johnny Cash Musical and The Woman in Black.

We are truly grateful to have you as part of our Ivoryton Playhouse family and we wanted to make sure you had plenty of notice to reserve your seats for next year before we announce the season to the general public.  Thank you for taking this opportunity to subscribe now for the 2011 season and support the Playhouse in its 100th year.  Renew by January 14th to enjoy 2010 prices.

Whether it be the Man in Black or the Woman in Black……love in the USA or UK……anthems of America or Ireland, the Ivoryton Playhouse 2011 season has some great entertainment waiting for you.  So join us and renew your subscription today.  At the Ivoryton Playhouse we’re neighbors.  We’re friends.  And we put on one heck of a show!

Jacqueline Hubbard                                                                Beverley Galpin

Executive Director                                                                  Director of Audiences Services

PS:  Be sure to take advantage of our offer for early renewals – book by January 14 to keep the same low price as last year!

Buy Seven, Five or Three Show Subscription

When you subscribe to The Ivoryton Playhouse, you’ll receive guaranteed seats to every play in our subscription series.

When you subscribe, you’ll receive the best available seats for the series you’ve selected, and those seats will be yours for each of the plays in your subscription series.. If you discover that you can’t attend one of your assigned subscription performances, you can exchange your tickets for a more convenient performance of the same show. (Upgrade charges may apply, if there is a price differential.)

Subscribers may purchase additional single tickets to each show at a discount off the single ticket price.

Call Box Office 860-767-7318 for more information

The Incredible Acting of Andrea Maulella

Andrea Maulella as Nurse Ratched in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."

Seeing the wonderful Andrea Maulella play the cold-hearted Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, it was hard to bring to mind her portrayal of Annie Sullivan‘s generous spirit in Ivoryton Playhouse‘s The Miracle Worker. Andrea was chosen for these parts by two different directors - Jacqueline Hubbard cast her in the role of Annie Sullivan, and Peter Lockyer chose her to play Nurse Ratched. In both cases, Andrea was ready for the challenge of playing a complicated character with layers of emotion. We are so grateful for Peter Lockyer, the director, Andrea and the rest of the cast for their hard work in bringing such electricity to the stage of the Ivoryton Playhouse.

Andrea Maulella in the "The Miracle Worker" as Annie Sullivan.

Andrea Maulella’s television credits include in 1997 she performed in the television series Spin City as an activist, and in 2000 she played Michelle Foreman in The Sopranos, and also appeared on the daytime series, Guiding Light.

In 2005 she appeared in the movie comedy Love Ludlow as Carol directed by Adrienne Weiss. and she recently finished the movie drama  The Mulberry Tree directed by Mark Heller.

Maulella theater credits include in 2001  The Holy Mother of Hadley New York directed by Rachel Dickstein at the Ohio Theater.

In 2002 she played Nicole Harris in the play One Shot One Kill with Primary Stages directed by Joe Brancato in New York City.

In 2006 she played Adelaide in Tryst at the Westport County Playhouse directed by Brancato which won the Connecticut Critics Circle Award.

Again in 2006 under the direction of Brancato she played Edie with the Penguin Repertory in Stoney Point New York in Centennial Casting.

In 2007 at the Alley Theater she played Jean Louise in To Kill a Mockingbird directed by Paul Barnes at the Alley Theater in Houston, Texas.

In 2008  with the White Horse Theater Company she was in Small Craft Warnings, a play by Tennessee Williams in New York City as the bar regular Violet.

In 2009 Maulella plays Sheila in The Vows of Penelope Correlli also at the Penguin Rep directed by Brancato.

In April of this year she played Ruth in Miracle of South Division Street at the Seven Angels Theater in Waterbury also directed by Brancato.

In a Blog In the Wings written by Peter D. Kramer who worked as an actor, director, and technical director and has a great love of theater, he describes her performance;

“…As Ruth, an aspiring actress, Maulella is steadfast and focused, clearly an outsider in her own family. When she utters the words “here’s the thing,” the roller-coaster begins its thrilling descent. Maulella is an actress of considerable powers, nuanced and thoughtful. We see the wheels turning in her head. We feel for her.”

With this resume behind her, one can only imagine the performances ahead of her, Maulella can only surprise us with her next performance which is surely going to be a smash with audiences.

The Ivoryton Playhouse Gallery

We are proud to announce the addition of the Ivoryton Playhouse Gallery.

You will find the link listed at the right hand side of the blog under Playhouse Links.  It includes images of plays, past and present, as well as of the playhouse. At the moment the only images of plays posted are that of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.  We plan to add additional images as time is available.

Enjoy them at your leisure.

Jersey Boys Blog Gives Rave Reviews for Cuckoo’s Nest

This review was taken from the Jersey Boys Blog which is dedicated to Jersey Boys, the Tony award-winning smash hit Broadway & international musical of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

Jersey Boys Toronto’s Dan Sullivan Shines in ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’

Daniel Robert Sullivan as RP McMurphy and Andrea Maulella as Nurse Ratched. Photo by The Ivoryton Playhouse

November 13, 2010

By Howard Tucker and Audrey Rockman, JBB Special Correspondents

On Sunday, November 7, we were awed by the production of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” at the 99-year-old Ivoryton Playhouse in Ivoryton, CT on the beautiful Connecticut shoreline. The Playhouse consistently contracts talented stage veterans, and this season was no exception as its management signed Daniel Robert Sullivan, who played Tommy DeVito in “Jersey Boys.”

Dan, cast as the fun-loving RP McMurphy, absolutely mesmerized a packed audience, and he and the cast were deservedly rewarded with a standing ovation at the close. While he received admiration and true success in the worldwide megahit “Jersey Boys”, Dan embraced his new venue and role with genuine humility and appreciation.

As most of us know from the 1975 movie, the story is one of the individual (McMurphy) vs. the establishment. In a way, we are reminded of the recent elections with the “Tea Party” symbolizing the individual. McMurphy, unfortunately, did not experience the same outcome as the Tea Party.

Dan’s comedic talents and charisma in Act I were fully evident as he tries to avoid “hard labor” as a criminal serving a short sentence by being transferred to a mental institution in lieu of prison. His “innocent” pranks early on to irritate the inflexible, bossy Nurse Ratched were priceless. But Dan’s real acting allure comes alive in Act II as his McMurphy champions the positive life changes in the characters of Billy Bibbitt (Jonathan Fielding) and Chief Bromden (Solomon Landerman), whose portrayals themselves were rich with texture. The devastation and irony in the final scene with the Chief and McMurphy were shattering and unforgettable.

Andrea Maulella was fine as Nurse Ratched, as were Fielding and Landerman in their respective roles. The character of Candy (Bethany Fitzgerald) shone as well. Perhaps Maulella was even a little less malevolent and slightly more human than her movie counterpart Louise Fletcher, with Maulella showing in a way that she was just “doing her job” rather than intentionally acting out of pure evil. But while kudos also go to director Peter Lockyer, there was no question that the production belonged to Dan Sullivan, who, with the rest of the cast, received thunderous applause that didn’t want to stop!

This stage plot was largely the same as the movie’s with the exception of the fishing trip in the movie, which was the only scene out of the hospital, and in the opinion of many reviewers of the movie, didn’t work as well as the remainder of the movie. The entire stage show took place in the hospital.

The clear highlight of the afternoon was yet to come, however, as Dan received us at stage door with his wife Cara, the talented Emmy-nominated “Saturday Night Live” hairstylist. Both looked rested and relaxed; we were the stressed ones, still reeling from Dan’s marvelous acting.

If you can make it up to Ivoryton, CT (about a two-hour drive or train ride from NYC), it is absolutely well-worth the trip. The production runs until November 21.

More Reviews from the Audience of Cuckoo’s Nest

Scene from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." Photo by Anne Hudson.

This past weekend brought at least three out-of-towners to the Ivoryton Playhouse.  All three were visiting the theatre for the first time, and all three contacted us afterwards with their congratulations…

“I have to say ALL I’m thinking about this morning is how to get back to Ivoryton in the next couple weeks!!  In fact, I may make it a Wednesday so I can see it twice.”  Audrey from New Jersey

“I was absolutely floored by Daniel Robert Sullivan’s marvelous performance in the leading role and the production in general.  And the final devastating, ironic scene is still moving me hours later!  Arguably the best out-of-town production I’ve ever seen.”  Howard from Staten Island

Whispered twenty minutes into the first act, “This…is…a…GREAT…show.”  Lulu from Virginia

Ivoryton Christmas Block Party

Head to Ivoryton for your

“Christmas Vacation”!

December 4^th Christmas Block Party

And Ivoryton Illuminations

Ivoryton: Looking for a different way to celebrate Christmas? Then head down to Ivoryton for a “Not Your Traditional Christmas Block Party” on December 4^th from 5pm to 8pm. The entire village of Ivoryton will be participating in this Holiday Extravaganza with carol singing, face painting, Santa’s Workshop Holiday Bazaar, culminating with the lighting of the Ivoryton Illuminations at 6pm (over 70,000 lights!) and the arrival of Santa.

Family activities include writing letters to Santa and holiday letters to our soldiers abroad at the Ivoryton Library; visiting with Santa in the Gazebo (photographs can be purchased from The Ivoryton Studio); face painting and musical entertainment at Leo’s Gallery; carol singing outside the Playhouse at 5:45pm with the clowns and circus folk from The Ivoryton Playhouseupcoming production of “Barnum”; artisans with hand crafted gifts at Gather; Santa’s Christmas Workshop and Holiday Bazaar run by Boy Scouts and local churches; Aggie’s for free hot dogs and cookie decorating at “Something Special ” and finally chili and hot cider at the Ivoryton Tavern & Café where you can also catch “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” to round off this wild and crazy Christmas celebration.

Ivoryton residents are invited to enter your home in the “Colors of Ivoryton” Christmas Lights competition. Pretty and white or wild and crazy – celebrate in your own style! Lots of great prizes from hometown businesses – email shanec89@comcast.net

If you want to experience some real Christmas cheer, then come and join the party – The Ivoryton Christmas Vacation Party! Fun for all ages – we put the crazy back in Christmas!!

Guest Blogger – Biking Through The Cuckoo’s Nest

Some of the Cuckoo's Nest gang after an afternoon of apple picking in Chester with director Peter Lockyer. (From L - Solomon Landerman, Jonathan Fielding, Andrea Maulella, and Neal Mayer), photo by Peter Lockyer.

by Neal Mayer

I haven’t really spent a lot of time bicycling in the past ten years… well, twenty… okay, make it THIRTY years, but I’ve become obsessed with biking all over Middlesex County since arriving for “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” on October 20.  When Company Manager Beverley Galpin drove us up to our actor housing in Centerbrook, I immediately noticed the three bicycles awaiting us on the porch. What could be better?  Crisp fall weather, spectacular New England foliage, and a bike to explore it all.  I took a quick tour of the house, dropped my luggage in the room where I’d be staying for the next five weeks, and went out to choose my bike.

One of the bikes seemed about the right size for me, but why didn’t it have a bar running across the top?  Ah, yes, that was a GIRL’S bike – a design idea left over from when women used to bicycle in long skirts over a hundred years ago. Well, you wouldn’t catch me ridin’ no girlie bike around Ivoryton!  No sir, I may  be dealing with sexual identity issues on stage as my “Cuckoo’s Nest” character, Dale Harding, but on the backroads of Middlesex County,  I was determined to find the Lance Armstrong that was buried deep inside me.

The next bike looked sleek, cool and even had that top bar so everyone would know I was on a MAN’S bike.  I tried it out, but the seat was a bit uncomfortable.  I attempted to adjust the seat, but it wouldn’t budge. The bolt – I think you call it a bolt – was missing and apparently I’d need some kind of tool kit to adjust it.  Note to Self:  Bring tool kit to next out-of-town housing.  Note to Self #2: Learn how to use tools in tool kit before going to next out-of-town housing.

On to Bike #3.  This one seemed to be just right.  Comfortable, the perfect size for my frame, and it had that he-man bar!  I hopped on the bike and decided to take a short ride up to see the Ivoryton Playhouse for the first time.

Although I started to hear an odd sound coming from the back of the bike, I ignored it by as I spotted the cottage-like theater framed by rows of shrub roses.

Once inside, I was awed by the framed photos of celebrities that have played the theater including Katherine Hepburn, Alan Alda and Helen Hayes. I was very excited to be part of the long history of the Ivoryton Playhouse.

I hopped back on the bike and started up a nearby hill, and then decided to embrace my inner ten-year-old by turning around and racing down the hill. That’s when the tire exploded, and I wound up in a ditch.  Note to Self #3:  Check tire pressure before mounting a new bike.  The walk back to Centerbrook took a lot longer, but it was still beautiful.

The next day, after a very productive first day of rehearsal,  I decided to go back to Bike #2 – sleek, cool with a saddle that became much easier to deal the longer I rode it. I opted to bike up to Chester, since I had worked at the Norma Terris Theater there 16 years before in a production of “Starcrossed: The Trial of  Galileo.” The ride through Deep River was stunning, and Chester was just as I remembered it.  And even though I was involved in a  terrible Sweater Accident (I decided to zip up my turtleneck sweater while riding down a hill. Don’t try it. It involved some blood loss and odd marks on my neck that either looked like I tried to cut my throat or I was the recipient of a gigantic hickey), I was now hooked.

In the past three weeks, I have biked almost every single day. I’ve made numerous visits to Old Saybrook, Westbrook, Essex, Deep River, East Haddam,and Clinton. And a few of those times, I’d leave the theater on my bike so focused on what we had just rehearsed that I was unaware that I had put on my bicycle helmet backwards and looked just like an escapee from a mental institution.

I may not be Lance Armstrong, but I am having the time of my life seeing the glory of Connecticut during the fall.  How lucky am I that I get to be part of an  extraordinary play, work with wonderful actors who also happen to be so much fun and so NICE, and explore all that Ivoryton and its surroundings have to offer?

Barnum At The Ivoryton Playhouse

The Prince of Humbug!

Barnum

At The Ivoryton Playhouse

Ivoryton: Back around 1875, the circus impresario P.T. Barnum planned to make Port Jefferson the permanent home for his ”Greatest Show on Earth.” Apparently, however, Barnum was not well thought of in that Long Island community. People were worried about his strange cast of characters and the smell from his animals! Not in My Back Yard prevailed, and Barnum took his show across the Sound to Bridgeport , Connecticut and the rest is history.

Barnum which had a successful Broadway run, is a biographical overview of P.T.’s life, with music by Cy Coleman, lyrics byMichael Stewart and book by Mark Bramble. It gives us a little nibble of how Barnum became the Prince of Humbug – charming his more practical and earth bound wife and into supporting all his schemes and dreams. The music is circus to the core- stirring and exciting – and the story of the enduring romance between Barnum and his wife, Chairy makes for a heart-warming and endearing family show.  Bruce Connelly*, who was last seen at the Playhouse as Finian in Finian’s Rainbow, returns to Ivoryton to play the title role. He will be joined by Beverley Galpin, who plays his wife, the long suffering Chairy, and a colorful cast of gymnasts and jugglers, aerialists and clowns!

If you have kids, or you are still a kid at heart, you won’t want to miss Barnum.

Barnum opens on December 9th and runs thru December 19th for 2 weeks only. Performance times are Wednesday and Sunday matinees at 2pm. Evening performances are Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm. Tickets are $30 for adults, $28 for seniors, $20 for students and $15 for children and are available by calling the Playhouse box office at 860-767-7318 or by visiting our website at www.ivorytonplayhouse.org (Group rates are available by calling the box office for information.) The Playhouse is located at 103 Main Street in Ivoryton.

*Denotes member of Actors Equity
Members of the press are welcome at any performance.
Please call ahead for tickets.