Rebirth and Renewal

Rehearsals for DEAR GABBY: THE CONFESSIONS OF AN OVER-ACHIEVER began Friday.

This fantastic play by Chris DeCarlo and Evelyn Rudie is a moving and insightful rumination on growing up in a modern world. DEAR GABBY is not a typical "you don't understand me" teenaged play. It is a play that is about our universal experiences that touches our inner being in a sneaky and profound way. I have seen this play move both student and parent to tears.

Firestone Theatre loves this play so much that we have produced it almost every year in rep for ten years. Once we took it to the road performing in Dayton, Ohio, and in front of the playwrights (and others) for two special perfomances at the Santa Monica Playhouse in California. A common practice is for past participants to return and support the latest cast with their presence and remembrances. Last year's productions invited former company members to join the latest cast in a full company bow at the end of each performance. It was a great moment in the theatre as it provided an additional connection between students through their chosen art form.

This year's production of DEAR GABBY has been offered to Akron middle schools and high schools so that we can share its powerful message of acceptance to even more students. So far no schools have expressed the interest but it is early. Feel free to suggest it to middle and high schools who are interested in this sort of thing.

There will be a single public performance of this year's production of DEAR GABBY held on the stage of the Akron Civic Theatre. This performance is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, February 2, 2010.

This year's production of DEAR GABBY is directed by guest artist Elynmarie Kazle who was employed by the Santa Monica Playhouse at the time the play was originally developed and produced. Her understanding of the DEAR GABBY and the playwrights' intent is unparalelled. She brings so much more to the production than just simple direction. Her students are blessed by her passion for and insight into DEAR GABBY. We are blessed to have Elynmarie as a professional resource in our theatre family.

This year's cast features an outstanding group of students who are ready to go on a fantastic journey. Their first read-through is on Friday and I know they are eager to start down a road travelled by many before them. The cast includes seniors Caeli Droge and hayley Hineline; junior Marissa Wilson; sophomores Amelia Britton, Sierrah Jesiolowski, Aaron Eckhardt, DeAndre Haiston, Jada Langston, and Moe McHargh; and freshman Lani Skelley.

maz