16 CAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE April 30, 1999

eveningsout

Light is the stage's 'camera,' lighting director says

Richard M. Berrong

Cleveland-For its final production of the season, Cleveland Opera is offering the most famous operatic version of what is perhaps the world's best known love story, Gounod's Romeo and Juliet. It tells a familiar story of two individuals who struggle to maintain their relationship despite the obstacles posed by parental disapproval.

In bringing the work to northeast Ohio, Cleveland Opera will present a traditional production, remarkable for the beauty of its sets and costumes. John McLain, the openly gay lighting director, said the show presents several challenges.

McLain explained that he will use lights to convey the hope, desperation, and anger of the work's two title characters. Since the opera includes many night scenes, it will allow him the opportunity to create a lot of beautiful night time, including a death scene bathed in shafts of light.

McLain went on to say that he sees the lighting director as the theater's camera: He focuses the attention of the audience on a particular point, provides the necessary visibility to see it, and sets the mood or feeling appropriate to the scene.

A graduate of Carnegie Tech in Pittsburgh, McLain's career has covered an amazing span of undertakings. He worked for Vogue magazine, then began his New York theater career with a production of A View from the Bridge that starred Jon Voight and included Dustin Hoffman as a director's assistant, long before either of them had made a name in movies.

Next he moved to San Francisco, where he was able to work with Bill Ball at the American Conservatory Theater, which McLain still regards as one of the highlights of his career. Since then he has worked at the Lido in Paris, the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, and many other di-

verse venues.

His work in opera began when he lit Ken Russell's controversial production of

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Madame Butterfly at the Festival of Two Worlds in Charleston, South Carolina.

While opera is not his only realm of activity, it remains one that McLain greatly enjoys. At the moment he is looking forward to lighting a production of Prokofiev's epic War and Peace, to be staged by Giancarlo Menotti for his Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy. Those interested in seeing what an art-

ist with such a diverse career has to offer can attend Cleveland Opera's production of Romeo and Juliet, subtitled in English, at the State Theater April 30 and May 1 at 8:00 p.m. and May 2 at 2:00 pm. For tickets call 216-241-6000 or 800-766-6048.

Richard M. Berrong is a freelance writer living in Kent, Ohio.

Paula Poundstone to appear at Ohio Theater

Cleveland-For one night only, on Saturday, May 1 at 8 pm, the Ohio Theater

at Playhouse Square will host comedian Paula Poundstone. Known for her

Paula Poundstone

i

improvisational, conversational style of comedy, Poundstone appears an almost accidental comic. Often, she goes out on stage with barely a notion of whatshe'll say; she just goes out and talks to people. The results are hilarious.

Poundstone, who is the recipient of two Cable ACE awards as well as an American Comedy Award, has been crisscrossing the country doing stand-up comedy for two decades. She is highly in demand, on the comedy circuit and | elsewhere.

In addition to touring, Poundstone has been a

regular guest on television and radio programs including Late Night with Jay Leno, The Rosie O'Donnell

Show and Garrison Keillor's Prairie Home Companion. She currently provides the voice for Judge Stone on the ABC Saturday cartoon series Squigglevision. She recently debuted as the voice of Paula Small in her first primetime animated series, UPN's new Home Movies. Her comic musings have appeared for four years in her column in Mother Jones magazine, and she's just signed her first book deal. For all her success, Paula Poundstone is first and foremost a mom. Six years ago, Poundstone became a foster parent. Though single, she's had six foster children, and recently adopted 2 daughters, 8-year-old Toshia and 4-year-old Allison. Because of her children, Poundstone refuses to be away from home for more than two days out of the week.

Poundstone is a strong advocate for children and for the foster care program. In addition to being a hands-on parent, Poundstone also produced and voiced an award-winning audio book project titled Completely Yours, which included a story about foster parenting called "A Mother for Choco." For tickets, contact Playhouse Square at 216-771-4444.

Compiled by Tamara Murphy from press materials.

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