Creative Cauldron Kicks Off “Season of Enchantment”

By FALLS CHURCH TIMES STAFF
September 23, 2012

Creative Cauldron’s 2012-2013 Season, billed as “The Season of Enchantment” will launch with Cole Porter: You’re the Top!  October 5 through 28.  This musical salute to one of the wittiest and most prolific writers in the American Songbook will be co-directed by Stephen Gregory Smith and Laura Hull.  Sean Thompson, who appeared as Edgar Allan Poe in last season’s critically acclaimed Nevermore, will join forces with Helen Hayes Award-winning actress Carolyn Cole, who brought down the house in last season’s Women of the Blues. Audiences will be treated to a panoply of Porter standards as well as lesser-known tunes as they follow his career from Paris, to Manhattan, to Broadway and Hollywood.  Tickets are $22 for Adults and $20 for Students and seniors.

“This will be Creative Cauldron’s fourth season in ArtSpace Falls Church, and it will be a season filled with enchantment and overflowing with great music and unforgettable stories…. stories will appeal across generations,” stated Creative Cauldron Producing Director Laura Connors Hull. “We’re thrilled to kick things off with a delectable review of the works of the great American composer Cole Porter, featuring the powerhouse duo of Sean Thompson and Carolyn Cole.”

An Opening Season gala fundraiser “A Sophisticated Soiree” will be held on Saturday, October 6^th.  The evening begins with a pre-performance reception at the Tax Analysts Building, 400 South Maple Avenue, with light repast and libations catered by Pizzeria Orso, followed by the show at 8:00 pm and a post-performance cast party with dessert’s provided by Kendall’s Cakes.  Tickets are $100 per person, $175 for couples. All proceeds will benefit the Creative Cauldron operating fund.

Creative Cauldron will celebrate the Bcentennial year of Charles Dickens’ birth with an original adaptation of Oliver Twist from Nov 2 through 18. This classic tale will be told through the lens of a contemporary graphic novel, and feature original songs by critically acclaimed composer Matt Conner. It is presented as part of the Learning Theater program that provides opportunities for student actors to perform with professionals.

The holidays will be celebrated with Christmas Cabin of Carnaween from December 7 through 23.  This delightful Irish folktale set in the time of the great potato famine follows the journey of a tinker’s child who longs to one day have a home of her own.  Her dream would go unfulfilled were it not for the wee people who come to her aid on a beautiful snowy night on a hillside in Carnaween.  This production has become a signature for Creative Cauldron drawing praise from The Washington Post when it first premiered in 2009: “poignant and bracing….a reminder of the season’s rich ideals.”

The third annual “Passport to the World” Festival will be held from January 12 through February 23 featuring performances by professional music, dance and theater troupes representing cultures, and traditions from around the globe, including Raymi, Veronneau, Kamel Zennia, Somapa Thai Dance, and Hui O Ka Pua ‘Ilima. On Sundays at 2 pm during the series, Creative Cauldron will present family friendly story theater presentations of international folk tales with musical accompaniment and dance provided by partnering groups.  “Tales from the Pacific Islands,” “Tales from North Africa” and “Tales from the Andes” will be created and presented through a grant from the Arts Council of Fairfax County.

Peter Pan and Wendy, an adaptation of the J.M. Barrie novel will be presented March 1 through 23. This original production, the second offering in the Learning Theater program, will feature the inspired puppet creations of scenic designer Margie Jervis. When the carefree and careless Peter Pan flies into the nursery of the Darling home, Wendy follows her instincts for maternity and adventure, bringing her little brothers along to the magical Neverland to take care of the motherless Lost Boys. Soon the Darling children are swept into Peter’s deadly battle with Captain Hook and his mostly fearsome pirate crew. With so much excitement afoot, the Darling children find it hard to return home.

Thunder Knocking on the Door, an intoxicating Blues musical filled with humor and heart and the extraordinary music of three-time Grammy award winner Keb’ Mo’ will close out the season from May 2 through 26. In a small Alabama town, a mysterious, Blues-playing stranger named Marvel Thunder arrives at the home of the Dupree family, ready to challenge the son and daughter of the only man who ever outplayed him on the guitar in a “cutting contest.” Since its 1999 premiere at Arena Stage, Thunder has played to sold out houses around the country.

The season will be complemented with concerts performed by guest artists featuring a wide range of musical genres: from Blues, Bluegrass, Broadway standards, Folk, American roots music to Tin Pan Alley.  Creative Cauldron is located at ArtSpace Falls Church, 410 South Maple Avenue in the City of Falls Church. To reserve tickets or get further information log on to www.creativecauldron.org or call 571-239-5288.