THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 1, 1995 TAG: 9508300215
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY XIAOHONG ZHANG SWAIN, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 84 lines
The cast of the musical ``Big River,'' currently playing at Founders Inn in Virginia Beach, includes four young people from Chesapeake who play a total of nine separate roles.
Beatrix Thomas, Buddy White, Rocco Wilson and Lisa Muhlenbruch each play multiple supporting and chorus roles.
Thomas first appears on stage as the stern Miss Watson, who attempts to mold an unruly Huckleberry Finn into a well-behaving boy. Later, Thomas switches to the bubbly, warm-hearted Sally Phelps who enjoys the company of Huck.
``This is the first time I play an elderly woman,'' said Thomas, whose performing experiences are mostly in concert and opera singing. ``I was almost turned off at the beginning by the role of Miss Watson. It's very country. But after a while, I began to like it.''
Thomas received her singing and acting education at Jane Keeler Studio in Buffalo, N.Y. She performed in Germany, England and along the East Coast in the States.
White jumps among four roles: a well-intentioned judge, a dumb bum, a hard-working farmer and a refined English preacher.
``I've done a few shows before where I played multiple roles,'' said White. ``It is challenging. Each role has to look and sound different from the other.''
White obtained a bachelor of arts degree in music composition from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg and a master's degree in fine arts in playwriting from Southern Illinois University. He is now a band director for Knapp Middle School in Currituck, N.C.
Wilson plays three roles, including Counselor Robinson, who strives to protect a family from being robbed of their savings.
``This is the first time I'm playing a good guy,'' said Wilson of his acting experience. ``I really enjoy it.''
Wilson, who has a bachelor of arts degree in art and drama education from Oregon College of Education in Oregon, did a lot of theater acting in Los Angeles. He also performed many comedy acts while he was in the submarine force and stationed in such diverse locations as Korea, Scotland, Hawaii and Guam. Most of the time, Wilson said, he plays small, bad-guy roles.
``I'm hired for my presence, not for my talents,'' teased Wilson, who has a towering physique and wears a thick, black beard. ``If they need a bad guy, that's me.''
In ``Big River,'' Wilson's bad-guy role is a slave overseer.
Besides acting, Wilson owns a graphics business in Chesapeake. He also serves as a weapons consultant.
Muhlenbruch, who recently became a resident of Foxwood North in Chesapeake, is thrilled about her brief speaking part along with three other silent roles in the musical.
``This is my first professional production,'' she said. ``I get paid for doing it.''
While auditioning for the show, Muhlenbruch kept her fingers crossed for getting the role of Strange Woman, who detects Huck's secret.
To her chagrin, Muhlenbruch didn't get the part initially. The theater's plan was to have Thomas double for that role. But Thomas asked the theater to give the role to Muhlenbruch.
A full-time front-desk clerk at the Founders Inn, Muhlenbruch did some acting in high school. Later, she toured Singapore, Thailand and Scotland with the group Youth With A Mission and performed in Christian dramas. Her dream career is to be involved in the Christian music industry that's flourishing in Nashville.
To sum up her experience with ``Big River,'' Thomas said she was impressed by the 22 crew members who pulled the lengthy show together despite their different ages and backgrounds and despite having to dress up in a cramped narrow hall way in the back stage.
``I had my reservations about how this was going to work,'' Thomas said. ``But it has been quite amazing.'' ILLUSTRATION: AT A GLANCE
What: ``Big River,'' a musical adapted from Mark Twain's
``Huckleberry Finn,'' showing through Oct. 14.
Where: The Founders Inn Dinner Theatre, 5641 Indian River Road,
Virginia Beach. Box office phone: 366-5749.
When: Tuesday, Friday and Saturday at 8:15 p.m; Sunday at 7:30
p.m.
How Much: $35.20 with dinner; $24.20 theater only.
by CNB