Sebens directs British farce ‘Noises Off’
Cast and crew are busy rehearsing “Noises Off,” a 1992 three-act British sex-farce written by Michael Frayn, to be performed on the Chilkat Center stage March 29, 30 and 31.
Tod Sebens is directing the play-within-a-play that is complete with a rotating set, a nine-member cast, and plenty of hijinks. The comedy is a departure for Sebens, who has historically directed “dramedies.”
“I like dramas with a bit of comedy so people don’t go out feeling bad,” Sebens said. “But this one, it’s hysterical. It’s laughing almost all the way through. It’s really the first full-on comedy I’ve done.”
Each of the play’s three acts show characters rehearsing and performing the fictional farce “Nothing On.” Act one opens during a rehearsal of the fictional play where the unprepared actors and actresses continually screw up their lines, entrances, exits and cues. The mistakes and corresponding tension reveal risqué romances and affairs between the director, cast members and crew. As jealousies rise to a fever pitch, the set is spun around in act two so the audience can witness the behind-the-scenes chaos as the actors either brawl, drink or desperately try to hold the show together.
“This play is a real challenge. It’s a play I put off for many years because I knew how much of a challenge it was,” Sebens said. “But it’s funny as heck. If people haven’t come to a show in a long time, I really believe this is one not to miss.”
“Noises Off” cast includes Jono Greene, Mark Zeiger, Jim Robinson, Kyle Clayton, Michaela Chambers, Margaret Sebens, Sara Ciaverelli, Cheryl Mullins and Gina Randles.
Tod Sebens has been involved in Haines theatre for more than 20 years.
“Noises Off” was adapted into a 1992 film starring Michael Caine, Carol Burnett, Christopher Reeve and John Ritter.
March Madness at First Friday
March’s First Friday theme is “March Madness,” and in honor of the Dick Hotch Basketball Tournament the Haines Sheldon Museum will feature a pop-up exhibit on the history of basketball in Haines.
Museum community coordinator Regi Johanos said the exhibit will feature historical basketball uniforms, season tickets from the 1930s and other historical basketball objects. Exhibit visitors will learn about the 1930s five-member women’s basketball squad who had to recruit middle schoolers and married women from town so they could practice.
“In the same time period, the 1920s and 1930s, the Alaska Native Brotherhood team from Klukwan would commute (21 miles) into town, sometimes run or snowshoe to (the court), just to play basketball and then come back,” Johanos said.
The Jilkaat Kwaan Heritage Center in Klukwan will display a variety of works by the late Tlingit-carver Joe King Junior.
Fred Brouillette, whose artist moniker is Smog, will have his graffiti industrial art on display at Ampersand AK.
The Alaska Arts Confluence will display a variety of quilted works of all sizes, all by local quilters.
The ANB/ANS Hall will have an open house reception to celebrate its first time participating in First Friday events along with Cecelia David’s 93rd birthday. Members will give visitors a tour of the hall’s new kitchen. Art and regalia will also be displayed.
The Magpie Gallery will introduce its spring product line of Due North stationary and a retrospective of graphic designs and logos.
Catotti to teach drawing class
Donna Catotti will teach a drawing class, “Finding the Light and Shadow: from Still Life to Portrait” on March 9 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Haines Sheldon Museum
“The class will focus on drawing simple objects with strong lighting and shadow,” Catotti wrote in the course description. “We will identify values, perspective, and angles to help with accuracy, and as the ‘poses’ lengthen, we will identify and draw the shapes of the light and shadow, rather than the objects themselves.”
Students will then switch to oil paint with still life objects and a portrait model as subjects.
The class costs $80 and some materials are provided. Contact Catotti at 766-2707 for more information.
Arts council to screen Oscar-nominated shorts
The Haines Arts Council will screen five Oscar-nominated short documentaries in the Chilkat Center lobby in March, although a date is not set.
The seven-minute long “A Night at the Garden” details a 1939 evening in New York’s Madison Square Garden where 20,000 Americans rallied to celebrate the rise of Nazism.
The 40-minute short film “Lifeboat,” depicts volunteers from a German nonprofit who rescues refugees in the Mediterranean who have fled from Libya.
Arts council president Tom Heywood said a date and ticket costs will soon be determined.