THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 10, 1994 TAG: 9407080059
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: TERESA ANNAS
LENGTH: Long : 132 lines
ON JUNE 30, the last day of city funding for the Generic Theater, artistic director Bob Nelson wasted no time mourning the change.
For 13 years, the low-budget playhouse had been a part of the theater division of Norfolk Parks and Recreation.
The next day, that umbilical cord would be severed. After many months of planning and reorganization, the troupe would become a private, nonprofit, board-run entity.
It wasn't the easiest of transitions. The toughest part was navigating the stormy seas of grants and fund-raising.
Yet Nelson saw the silver lining.
``Graduation day,'' he dubbed it, cheerfully.
``We really had gone as far as we could with the city,'' he said. Becoming independent ``will give us more validity as a theater. We're going to have greater potential.
``People in this city just don't realize that we have this national reputation.''
The down side, he said, ``is that we're really dependent now on the public for contributions. And that's hard. Someone will have to spend a lot of time looking for that money.''
The budget for 1994-95 will be $64,000, compared to last season's $80,000. About half that amount will come from ticket sales. A part-time development director will be hired this year to help raise the remainder, said Betty Xander, board president.
From fund-raisers, contributions and other sources, the Generic raised $12,000 last year, she said.
The City of Norfolk has signed a five-year agreement to give the Generic rent-free use of the West 21st Street facility and equipment, plus pay for utilities, Xander said.
The agreement is good, she said, ``as long as we stay solvent.''
Outside Nelson's office, in the theater, set designer Woody Robinson and costumer Angela Winters were banging nails. While Nelson had opted to stay on, Robinson and part-timer Winters would be leaving; the theater could no longer afford to pay their salaries.
Nelson is staying - even with a 40 percent salary cut - because he loves the Generic, and wants to give the newly independent theater a healthy start.
A 14th season of five plays opens Nov. 4 with an impressive bang: the world premiere of ``Amazons in August'' by Ernest Thompson, the Academy Award-winning author of ``On Golden Pond.'' The New Hampshire writer plans to be in Norfolk for rehearsals and the opening.
Also scheduled:
Jan. 6 to 29: Carlo Goldoni's ``The Liar,'' an 18th century comedy of manners.
Feb. 24 to March 19: Jane Martin's ``Keely & Du,'' a drama of good intentions gone bad, featuring a woman held captive in a basement by a sweet little old lady.
April 7 to 30: Brian Friel's ``Faith Healer,'' about a traveling faith healer whose magic sometimes really works.
May 26 to June 18: Nicki Silver's ``Pterodactyls,'' a black comedy about denial - of AIDS, alcoholism and suicidal tendencies.
And there's more.
Fresh from its February premiere at Milwaukee Repertory Theater, ``The Last Ride of the Bold Calhouns'' by Virginia Beach playwright Edward Morgan will be the Generic's special pre-season show.
Set for Sept. 16 through Oct. 9, ``The Last Ride'' is an old-time cowboy show, featuring 18 mostly traditional tunes gussied up for company.
In December, three mostly one-person shows are scheduled on consecutive weekends, including Norfolk actress Lucinda McDermott as the painter Georgia O'Keeffe.
This week, the Generic's first-ever new plays festival gets started. ``New Plays for Dog Days'' will present four shows, one a week. Then, from Aug. 10 to 13, shows will be repeated on consecutive nights for a judging committee. On the final night, award winners will be announced.
The playwrights are planning to attend and may conduct question-and-answer sessions following some performances.
The series opens Wednesday with ``Stuff,'' by Beth Chenosky of Virginia Beach, to be performed daily at the Generic through Sunday.
Chenosky's first script is a black comedy about a patriarchal father who has dominated the lives of his wife and four daughters for 40 years. Finally, the female contingent rebels.
Scheduled for July 20 to 24 is ``A Fruitwood Casket in an Asphalt Vault'' by Allyson Currin, a Washington, D.C., playwright.
``Fruitwood Casket'' concerns ``a wacky Southern family of women,'' said Jeff Lindquist, Virginia Stage Company's literary manager. It's a character piece that takes place on the day of a funeral.
Lindquist, who has a master's in directing from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, saw a staged reading of the play in Alexandria. ``And I wanted to see how it would play a little farther south. I think there are a lot of yucks that crowd might not have gotten.''
``Blood Ties'' by Denver playwright Judy Rose is set for July 27 to 31. The comedy is about a nice Jewish boy whose mother goes after his new girlfriend - vampire-style. Jonathan Marten directs.
The festival ends with ``The Night of the Hawk,'' a drama about sex and religion by Georgia playwright David Davis. Stan Baranowski makes his directorial debut.
The directors are in it for the adventure, and to keep a treasured theater afloat.
``I don't want the Generic to fold,'' said Lindquist. ``So, I'm doing what I can to help them out.''
Part of the appeal for them is that Generic patrons ``are different,'' said Marienne Carlucci, director for ``Stuff.'' ``They're willing to take a chance as an audience.''
``Stuff'' is the story of ``an extremely dysfunctional family,'' said director Carlucci, who selected the play after reading about 30 scripts.
A daughter shows up unexpectedly at her parents' home. During the reunion of parents and grown daughters, certain truths get revealed. One sibling is an ineffectual alcoholic, another is childlike in trying to please her father. The others are in therapy or dealing with their sexuality.
Carlucci appreciates the play's conclusion.
``There are so many stories on television where everything is wrapped up at the end. And everybody's life gets put back together.
``And this doesn't.''
Chenosky has rewritten sections of her play since rehearsals began last month.
``I'm having a ball with it,'' she said recently. ``It's been such a learning process. Hearing the words and seeing the action definitely helps. I've been up to 2, 3 in the morning, doing rewrites.''
Chenosky, 52, has two grown daughters. A native of British Columbia, she and her husband moved to Virginia Beach eight years ago.
She has written three screenplays and a novel. A conversation with a Virginia Beach man gave her the idea for ``Stuff.'' MEMO: Season subscriptions: Tickets for the Generic's 14th season _ $32 and
$40 for five plays _ are on sale. An anytime book of tickets also is
available for $40. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
MOTOYA NAKAMURA/Staff
From left, Eileen O'Brien, Richard May, Marti Craver, Arlene Alonzo
and Karen Walton in a rehearsal of ``Stuff'' at the Generic
Theater.
by CNB