Onstage
By Peter Bellamy.
'Brel' star studies 'model' to play alcoholic
How does a singer-actress and a perfect lady of chaste and sober habits portray a confirmed alcoholic and nymphomaniac on stage?
"That's a good question," said Providence Hollander, who will open March 7 in Neil Simon's comedy-drama, "The Gingerbread Lady," at Cuyahoga Community College's Western Campus Theater, 11000 Pleasant Valley Rd., Parma.
"In the role of a highly successful nightclub singer who's trying to make a comeback after plunging into alcoholism and sex, I'm portrayed as a nymphomaniac, but I don't have to act like one, so that's no trouble.
"Acting drunk for the better part of the second act is much more difficult, for after two drinks I either become ill or fall asleep. I find it almost impossible to assume the slurred speech and thickened tongue of a drunk.
"So I'm going to pattern my drunken behavior on that of a confirmed alcoholic I knew in the advertising business before I went into the theater.
"This unforgettable man, now deceased, was widely known for his extraordinary wit and writing ability. He had been a copy editor for the old Cleveland News and was later in the advertising business and taught feature writing on a college level.
"He simply couldn't function without alcohol, but you could never tell-he was smashed until he rose to his feet and tried to steady himself. I am able to associate his driving need for drink with my need for cigarettes."
Alcoholics tell her, Miss Hollander continued, that they feel the same ghastly panic at the thought of running out of booze that she has of running out of cigarettes when she's down to a half pack late at night.
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"In the second act of the play I also appear with a black eye which the singer has acquired while intoxicated, she said. "Because of some of the language, the play is suggested for mature audiences."
Miss Hollander is most widely known for her role in the musical, "Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris," which at Playhouse Square
Celeste Wiggins, left, gives Nadine Buchanan a piece of her mind in Absent Friends," playing at Dobama Theater through March 10. 10-The Plain Dealer, Friday, February 23, 1979
Providence Hollander, seated, and Marge Spellacy in a scene from "The Gingerbread Lady," to open next month at Cuyahoga Community College's Western Campus Theater in Parma.
Cabaret became the longest running show in Cleveland history.
She has performed professionally with the Kenley Players and at the Play House, where last season she had the role of a man in the musical, “The Club."
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Before she became an Actors Equity actress she was long the uncrowned queen of community theaters..
In the cast of "The Gingerbread Lady" are two other widely known Actors Equity performers, Marge Spellacy and Tim Tavcar.
Miss Spellacy, a blond beauty, has performed professionally with the Kenley Players, Carousel Dinner Theater in Ravenna and in nightclubs.
She, too, was a queen of community theaters and appeared at them in such musicals as "Hello, Dolly!", “Briga-, doon," "Mame," "I Do! I Do!", "Kiss Me, Kate" and "My Fair Lady” in leading roles.
Tavcar, who has the role of the singer's devoted homosexual friend in "The Gingerbread Lady," has appeared. with the Kenley Players, at Playhouse Square Association and as a guest artist at Cleveland State University.
He is a writer, composer and a tenor soloist at Trinity Cathedral and with the Cleveland Opera Theater.
The production will be directed by Charles Caron, a theatrical photographer, who has acted professionally at the Play House and with the Kenley Players and is now teaching makeup and acting at Tri-C West.
The performances will be at 8:30 p.m. March 7 through March 11, with a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m., March 11. Senior citizens are invited to a free preview at 8:30 p.m., March 6.
Tickets are $3 for evening performances and $2 for the matinee. For reservations call 842-9770 from noon to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.
An extra performance of the musical, "Carnival," at the Greenbrier Theater, 6200 Pearl Rd., Parma Heights, has been scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday.
The original final performances tonight and tomorrow night are all sold out. For Sunday reservations call 8424600.
Doug Adair, the Channel 3 TV news. personality, and his son, Lee, will be featured players in the Brecksville Little Theater revival of the hit musical, "Damn Yankees," March 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16 and 17.
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Doug will play the role of middle-aged baseball fanatic who, with the help of the devil (Bob Chvatal), i changed into a young baseball star por trayed by Lee Adair.
Others in the cast will include Rd seann and Bill Cowell, Cindy Leopold Jan Widick, Ruth Wheaton and Mar Zippay. Jeannette Winter is directin the show. For reservations call 526 4477.
Alan Ayckbourn's English comedy "Absent Friends," has become the hit o the Dobama Theater season and ha been extended seven performance through March 10.
Originally scheduled to close Satur day night, the show will have extra per formances March 1-4 and 8-10. Fo reservations call 932-6838.
The musical, "Jacques Brel Is Aliv and Well and Living in Paris," will hav extra performances tonight and tomor row night at 8:30 in the Cuyahoga Com munity College's Western Campu Rathskeller.
The previous 10 performances a the musical at the Rathskeller were al sold out. Tickets are $2.50. For reserva tions call 842-9770.
Both Chagrin Valley Little Theate and the Greenbrier Theater have se auditions for "Kiss Me, Kate," and wil have almost identical runs of the Col Porter musical.
CVLT will have auditions for actor! dancers and singers at 2 p.m. Sunda and 8 p.m. Monday at the theater, 4 River St., Chagrin Falls. The sho opens May 3 and will run Friday through Sundays, closing June 9.
Don Edelman will direct. The Greenbrier auditions will b held from 2 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. q Sunday, March 4, and from 7 to 9 p.n on March 5. Singers should bring the own music and practice clothes. Davi Jecmen is directing.
Professionals interested in aud tioning for lead roles should call Je men at 842-4600. Applications are sti being accepted for the position of co tume designer for "Kiss Me, Kate." Th show will run May 3 through June 2.
Tryouts for the musical, "Side b Side by Sondheim," will be held at 7:3 p.m. Monday, March 5, at Clague Play house, 1371 Clague Rd., Westlak Everyone must audition two songs, or slow and one up-tempo. All roles a singing roles. Dan McElwain will direc
John Carroll University's Clevelan on Stage program opens Saturday March 3, at 8:30 p.m. with the appeal ance of Akron jazz virtuoso Pat Pace.
Pace has performed with the Atlan and Akron symphonies, toured wit Buddy Rich and recently recorded b first album. Tickets are $5, and $3 f senior citizens and students. For furth information call 491-4428.