Creative Cauldron Closing its Season with Thunder

Special to the Falls Church Times

Creative Cauldron’s founder, Laura Connors Hull, says their final production of the season is “fixing to blow the roof off the cauldron!” Directed by Helen Hayes Award winning actor, Stephen Gregory Smith, Thunder Knocking on the Door is “a musical fable that is filled with humor and heart, and just the right touch of supernatural high jinx” according to Hull.

When writer Keith Glover first penned Thunder in 1999, he knew he had a hit on his hands. Steeped in the devil-at-the crossroads blues mythology of the Mississippi Delta and featuring music and lyrics by three-time Grammy Award winner Keb’ Mo’ and his collaborator Anderson Edwards, this show has played to critical raves and sold out houses in theaters around the country.  Stephen Gregory Smith fell in love with the show when it premiered at Arena Stage in 1999.

Smith is guiding a powerhouse cast of singers including Shayla Simmons, featured in last year’s Creative Cauldron hit original production of “Women of the Blues.” Shayla most recently appeared as Deena Jones in Signature Theatre’s Helen Hayes Award winning production of Dreamgirls.  She is joined by Iyona Blake, RaMond Thomas, Malcolm Lee and Michael Mainwaring, each a vocal dynamo in their own right.

Performances are at 8 pm, Thursday through Sunday, through May 26. Tickets are $22 for adults and $20 for seniors/students.  Ticket specials include the “Juke Joint” — up close seating for 4 people and a bottle of wine for $100 and the “Sunday Night Bargain Blues” – buy one adult ticket and get the second one for half price for any Sunday performance.  Online purchase only and limited to 20 per show.

Purchase tickets in advance at www.creativecauldron.org Creative Cauldron is located at ArtSpace Falls Church, 410 S. Maple Avenue in the Pearson Square building.

Through SUNDAY, 3/24: Peter Pan and Wendy

Creative Cauldron’s Learning Theater presents an original adaptation of “Peter Pan and Wendy” at ArtSpace Falls Church, 410 S. Maple Avenue. With original music composed by Matt Conner and puppets designed by Margie Jervis, the show features an ensemble of 33 students along with professional actors, Dani Danger Stoller and Augustus (Gus) Knapp in the anchor roles of Peter Pan and Captian Hook.

Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 pm, March 1 through 24.  Tickets are $15 adults, $12 for students/seniors and $10 each for groups of 10 or more.  Purchase tickets online at www.creativecauldron.org

Peter Pan and Wendy Premier at Creative Cauldron

By FALLS CHURCH TIMES STAFF
February 26, 2013

"Peter Pan and Wendy" is an original theatrical adaptation of the famous story. Performances will be weekends, March 1 - 24, at Creative Cauldron at ArtSpace.

Creative Cauldron will present Peter Pan and Wendy weekends from March 1 through 24 at ArtSpace Falls Church, 410 South Maple Avenue.  This original premiere was adapted from the classic M. Barrie novel by Creative Cauldron Producing Director Laura Connors Hull, and features eight original songs by acclaimed musical theater composer and Creative Cauldron teaching artist, Matt Conner.

The production is directed by Hull and presented by Creative Cauldron’s Learning Theater, an ensemble that includes students along with professional actors in anchor roles.  Peter Pan will be played by Dani Danger Stoller, and Captain Hook will be played by E. Augustus (Gus) Knapp. In addition to a cast of 35 performers, the show includes puppets designed by scenic artist Margie Jervis.  Zachary A. Dalton is the Lighting Designer and Gabriel Magiante orchestrated the musical score.
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SUNDAY, 1/27: Music, Dance & Stories of the Pacific Islands

Creative Cauldron presents Tales from the Pacific Islands, an interactive performance of storytelling, music and dance featuring Vivian Takafuji and her professional Polynesian dance troupe, Ta’ata Roiroi.  Sunday, January 27 at 2 pm at Creative Cauldron at ArtSpace Falls Church, 410 S. Maple Avenue. Tickets are $10 each. Children under age 4 are free.  Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.creativecauldron.org

SUNDAY, 1/20: Story Theater at Creative Cauldron

On Sunday, January 20 at 2 pm, Creative Cauldron presents Story Theater: Folktales from the Andes featuring the music of RAYMI and bringing ancient folktales from the Andes to life with large scale puppets, choreography and music. Tickets are $10 each. Children under age 4 are free. Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.creativecauldron.org. Creative Cauldron is located at ArtSpace Falls Church, 410 S. Maple Avenue.

SATURDAY, 1/19: Great One Man Commedia Epic

The Great One Man Commedia Epic with Faction of Fools Artistic Director Matthew R. Wilson will be performed on Saturday, January 19 at 7:30 pm at Creative Cauldron at ArtSpace Falls Church, 410 S. Maple Avenue.  The show is part of the “Passport to the World” series.  Tickets are $20 Adults and $18 Students/Seniors and can be purchased in advance at www.creativecauldron.org Free parking is available in the garages at 410 and 400 S. Maple Avenue.

International Arts Festival at Creative Cauldron

"Passport to the World" performances continue through February 24 at Creative Cauldron at ArtSpace Falls Church, 410 S. Maple Avenue.

Creative Cauldron Reprises Christmas Folktale

FALLS CHURCH TIMES STAFF

December 12, 2012

Creative Cauldron has remounted its critically acclaimed production of The Christmas Cabin of Carnaween, an Irish folktale adapted for the stage. When it first premiered in 2009, Michael Toscano of The Washington Post hailed it as “poignant and bracing…a reminder of the season’s rich ideals.” Last season, the Maryland Theatre Guide praised the production:  “this uplifting, engaging and poetic tale celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and reminds of ‘the Christmas within’.”  Performances are weekends through December 23 at ArtSpace Falls Church, 410 South Maple Avenue.

This year’s production of The Christmas Cabin of Carnaween is sponsored by Jon Wiant, Irelands Four Provinces Restaurant and Sislers Stone. The tale is set in Ireland in the days of the great potato famine.  The story follows the journey of Oona Hegarty, a tinker’s child who spends her days caring for the young, the sick, and the elderly in other people’s homes, but dreams of one day having a cabin of her own.  Her wish would go unfulfilled were it not for the intervention of the fairy people who come to her aid one snowy Christmas Eve.  Creative Cauldron Producing Director Laura Connors Hull says “this beautiful story is a classic gem that will melt even the hardest of hearts this holiday season.  Each year, we look at this tale with fresh new eyes, and each year new patrons find their way to the Cauldron to celebrate the spirit of the holidays with friends and family.   Just like A Christmas Carol and The Nutcracker, our patrons have made attending Christmas Cabin of Carnaween their new holiday tradition.”

Katie Culligan reprises the role of Oona Hegarty.  Last season, Katie appeared as Virginia in Creative Cauldron’s Helen Hayes Award recommended production of Nevermore. Katie’s other professional credits include Ford’s Theatre – A Christmas Carol with a special performance at The White House for President George W. Bush; Arena Stage – Legacy of Light; The Cumberland Theatre – The Rocky Horror Show; The American Century Theatre – Stage Door; and The Washington Savoyards – Iolanthe.

Christmas Cabin of Carnaween is underscored with live traditional Irish music from “Mag Meall”  “Mag Meall” is the musical trio of Rosemary Gano, Mary Wilkerson and Brogan Latil, who play Irish music in the “pure drop” manner, playing and singing in the style heard in pub sessions and at traditional dances and events.  Rosemary and Mary are both classically trained musicians who were drawn to Irish music, honing their skills on traditional instruments through study with Irish musical masters. Mag Meall literally means “plain of joy”.  It is a mythical realm achieved only through death or glory where sickness and death do not exist.

Also performing in the cast will be Judy Butler, Penny Fleming, Jim Lynch, Anna Brotman Krass, Denise Perrino, and young cast members from Creative Cauldron’s Learning Theater ensemble: Colter Adams, Charlie Adams, Arwyn Fleming, and Libby Brooke.  Margie Jervis is the Scenic Designer and John Sami, the Lighting Designer.

Creative Cauldron is a not-for-profit arts organization operating in Northern Virginia since 2002 that provides opportunities for learning and participation in the performing and visual arts for children and adults.  Classes, workshops and performances in all disciplines are offered year round at the site.  Creative Cauldron’s programs are funded in part through grants from the Arts Council of Fairfax County and the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts and the City of Falls Church.

Tickets for “Christmas Cabin of Carnaween” are $15 for Adults and $12 for students and seniors.  Performances are Friday, December 14 and 21 at 7:30 pm, Saturday, December 15 and 22 at 2pm and 7:30 pm and Sunday, December 16 and 23 at 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm.

Reservations can be made online at www.creativecauldron.org or by calling 571-239-5288.  ArtSpace Falls Church is located at 410 South Maple Avenue in the Pearson Square Building.  Free Parking is available in the garages at 400 and 410 South Maple Avenue.

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