Part Two is Open!

Saturday, September 18^th marked the official opening of Cider House Part Two and the beginning of Book-It 21^st season. (Ooooo, Book-It is all grown up!) The energy is the room was off the charts. I must say, I always love opening night. I always have whether it is as a performer or an audience member. The excitement, support, and anticipation in the room is always palpable. The minute the lights went down I, along with the rest of the spectators, were ready to continue Homer’s journey.

Clocking in at just under three hours, the show felt like it flew by. Within seconds of the final lights out, everyone in the Center House Theatre was on their feet and an incredible feeling of pride went surged through my body. This show is a great example of what theatre is meant to be.

The opening night party was no less spectacular. Methow Valley Ciderhouse offered free tastings of their hard cider. St. Clouds, among others, provided some delicious food. And everyone who stayed after was all smiles. Local photographer Cassandra Gallagher captured a few opening night shots:

photo by Cassandra Gallagher

Photo by Cassandra Gallagher

If Cider House was not on your calendar of things to do previously, it certainly should be now. After all, Seattle Weekly’s Margaret Friedman reminds us, Homer Wells is “played by heart-melting Connor Toms” and the whole “production deals with the passage of 18 years gracefully.”

-Samantha Cooper
Management Intern

Intern’s Reflection

I walked into Book-It Repertory as an intern at the beginning of the summer not really knowing what I was getting myself into. Of course I had read up on the famous Book-It style and spent countless hours poring over the colorful pages of the website but, until recently, I had never seen a Book-It show. I describe watching The Cider House Rules Part One as a discovery, a discovery of an entirely new way I can start to interact with literature and theatre; an intersection of my two loves. What I find interesting about my first experience with a Book-It show is that it also seems to mirror the experience of the main character, Homer Wells, in the show.

For me, The Cider House Rules Part One is all about discoveries. I made discoveries about myself as a playwright and an actor watching these other talented actors work seamlessly with the literature, make beautiful and quick transitions, all while remaining incredibly open and emotionally honest. Homer makes discoveries about himself as well. He learns about family, the birds and the bees, medicine, and ultimately, the principles that will come to govern his actions. Every new moment in the show, every light change, every transition is a new discovery for Homer. The excitement of the discovery is palpable for the audience and there is never a dull moment.

After watching part of a rehearsal for The Cider House Rules Part Two a couple weeks ago, the message of the second part became eerily clear. If the first part is about discoveries, the second part is about the sacrifices we have to make when the discoveries aren’t so new and present us with choices. While trying not to give anything away, it seems as though Homer now has to ask himself, “What are the consequences of all these discoveries?” The story is no longer just about Homer, but rather about the web of people and lives that he touches. And every choice he makes inevitably creates another choice and begs the question, “What now?”

So, “What now?” you ask? Well, I have to admit as a recent college graduate, I’m still figuring that out. But I do know it includes the important work that Book-It is doing. AND seeing The Cider House Rules Part Two. I hope that is part of your plan as well.

Samantha Cooper
Management Intern
Actor/Writer

Memorabilia – 1995 workshop at Seattle Rep

Book-It’s rich history with The Cider House Rules began in the early 90s when Jane Jones, Tom Hulce, and  Peter Parnell first began considering adapting Irving’s mountainous work. Countless drafts, workshops, and readings took place along the way to the larger performances in Seattle, LA and New York.  In the next several weeks we’d like to share some of the memorabilia from the journey that has  brought Cider House to the current day.

Below is the stage manager’s report from the 1995 New Play Workshop at the Seattle Rep’s PONCHO forum.  Note that despite running over 4 hours the length didn’t turn off audiences – she calls it a “well paced” performance that while ending after midnight enticed audiences enough to stay for a post play discussion well into the night.

(For you careful readers, yes this workshop was really in 1995, the SM got the date on the form wrong!)

And for your viewing pleasure here are a few photos from rehearsals of this workshop…

Ethan Hawke (Homer) Myra Platt (Candy) and David P. Wichert (Curly Day). Photo by Chris Bennion 1995.

Tom Hulce, Jane Jones, Sarah Brooke (Nurse Edna), Linda Hunt (Nurse Angela), and Michael Winters (Dr. Larch). Photo by Chris Bennions 1995.

Jane Jones, Tom Hulce, Josh Hamilton (Wally), and Myra Platt (Candy) with Dougland Park (Wilbur Walsh/Grant Winkle) in the background. Photo by Chris Bennion, 1995.

Cast Reflection

Every once in a while I have been fortunate enough in my career to be a part of a theatrical event that is incredibly special.  I feel I am in one of those events right now, The Cider House Rules, Part One.  The show has been raved about by the critics as the must see show of the season and the audiences are giving us wonderful response and praise. I feel very blessed to be part of it all and I thank Book-It, Jane Jones, my cast mates and crew for this joyful experience.  I can hardly wait to start work on part two!  I read part two again last night and wept at how beautiful it was and how much I cared for those characters.

Thank you everyone!
Laura Kenny
Mrs. Draper, Mrs. Claus, Mrs. Grogan

Growing up with Book-It

Book-It has been a part of my life since I was seven and saw the first production of Pride & Prejudice in 2000. Through my early teens I was shy, a reader, a closeted aspiring actor. These things put together amounted to my finding the Book-It Style as a delicious, thrilling, and personal phenomenon. I went to shows not to think, but to watch and enjoy the people I saw as celebrities embodying my favorite books.

Ten years later, I now find myself as a longtime Marketing Intern for Book-It, working for my first drama teacher no less. What is more, I find that Book-It productions still influence and entertain me, but in a new way. The Cider House Rules exemplifies this; I have grown up with Book-It and what I gain from each performance I see has grown too. Seeing Cider House was one of the most intriguing and communal theatre experiences I’ve had in a long time.

While I have my opinions about abortion, learned feelings about fatherlessness, and the natural, yet still regretful, stereotypes instilled in me by pop-culture, none of this prevented me from giving myself over to the story. John Irving’s book is unique in that it builds compassion and empathy for each “side”, each character, no matter what assumptions may momentarily cloud audiences’ minds. In word alone, the production has been on my mind the past few days making me perhaps not question, but contemplate, the issues and emotions it raised.

As a reader, I can say that this production remains the most faithful, literally creating a piece of live theatre that could not be closer to words jumping off of a page. As an actor, I can say that the company of performers behind this piece is inordinately skilled, unfailingly honest, and willingly open to both the beauty and the ugliness within their characters, and by default themselves. As a college student moving across the country this fall, I’m only sorry that I will miss Part II. I would encourage everyone, teenagers and adults alike, to see this show if they can, because there is something profoundly personal and rare about a piece of theatre that allows – even invites – the audience to take from it what they will.

Emma Kelley,
Book-It Marketing Intern

Press Round-Up!

We’ve gotten some amazing press in the last week, here’s a round-up…

Preview: Another Visit to Irving’s ‘Cider House’ at Book-It
Misha Berson, The Seattle Times, 06/11/10

Preview: Jane Jones Tackles The Cider House Rules Again at Book-It
Rosemary Jones, SeattleExaminer.com, 06/11/10

“…a wondrous piece of theater…”
Review: The Cider House Rules, Part One from Book-It
Jay Irwin, Broadwayworld.com, 06/14/10

“Not only did they pull it off, but they made it look easy.”
Review: Center House Rules: Small Venue puts on Big Performance
Peter Sessum, blog.Seattlepi.com, 06/15/10

“…nothing short of spellbinding.”
Review: Book-It reprises its first big hit
Margaret Friedman, The Seattle Weekly, 06/16/10

“Whether audience members have read “The Cider House Rules,” have only seen the film version or know nothing about it, they should find the richness and detail of Book-It’s play a highly satisfying experience.”
Review: ‘Cider House Rules’ revival apropos
Miya-Cohen Sieg, Queen Anne & Magnolia News, 06/16/10

“…an exquisite depiction of a father-son relationship.”
Review: Cider House Rules Ensemble is More Than Just a Cast
Heather K, City Arts Magazine, 06/16/10

Review: Recommended: Cider House Rules, Part One
Laura Dannen, Seattle Met Magazine, 06/17/10

Review: A pleasing revisit of ‘The Cider House Rules’
Misha Berson, The Seattle Times, 06/17/10

We Are Open!

We are open! Oh my goodness! We are open!

It’s a strange feeling of not being sure if we are ready, and knowing that we’ve been ready for weeks. All the pieces have been put together, and now we have a full show. A wonderful, powerful, moving, kick-ass show!

Rehearsal, tech, notes, repairs etc…are all things of the past. The story is ours to tell and share with the audience. I’m looking forward to a great ride with this marvelous company of actors, musicians and crew.

Devorah Spadone

Production Stage Manager

Photo Diary 4

Director, Jane Jones

Peter Crook*

Jane Jones, Connor Toms*, Stephanie McAlexander

Terri Weagant

Front: Mary Murfin Bayley,  Heather Gautschi, Joe Feeney, and Emily Grogan. Back: Samara Lerman, Connor Toms*, and Jonathan Wright

Tech Begins!

Tech has begun. We made excellent progress last night with our spacing rehearsal and light over. Hopefully the work we did last night will allow us to move smoothly through tech tonight. The set is up, the lights are focused, the musicians are tuned, the costumes are going to be worn tonight – and we are ready to roll!

Devorah Spadone

Production Stage Manager

Photo Diary 3

Jon Lutyens, Emily Grogan, and Joe Feeney

Julie Jamieson, Connor Toms*, and Melinda Deane*

Connor Toms* and Peter Crook*

Mary Murfin Bayley, Jon Lutyens, and Jonathan Wright

Jonathan Wright, Lucinda Stroud, Connor Toms*, Jane Jones, and Devorah Spadone

All images © Adam Smith