Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Josephine County brothers die in single-car crash ... Since You Asked: Pedestrians can be cited for carelessness ... Wolf once believed to be dead shows up near Crater Lake ... Josephine County brothers die in single-car crash ... Since You Asked: Pedestrians can be cited for carelessness ... Wolf once believed to be dead shows up near Crater Lake ... 'Moonlighting' series explores transformation Ashland Contemporary Theatre holds dramatic readings Comment By Evalyn Hansen for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Evalyn Hansen for the Mail Tribune Posted Jul. 15, 2015 at 5:39 PM By Evalyn Hansen for the Mail Tribune Posted Jul. 15, 2015 at 5:39 PM » Social News Transformation — personal, social and political — is a recurring theme throughout “Moonlighting 2015: A Change is Coming…,” Ashland Contemporary Theatre’s series of dramatic readings of new, short plays by local playwrights. Presented Friday through Sunday in Ashland, the plays reflect life’s dramatic turning points laced with wry humor. “The beginning of this play was written in the waiting room of my doctor approaching an operation,” says Phil Loveless about his play, “No Women Allowed.” “The end of the play was written after the operation. Had I not made it, the play would have been a lot shorter.” Resistance to social change and reinforcement of the status quo also is explored in several monologues. “Their protagonists are near the top of the food chain. They see massive changes on the horizon and they want to enforce the status quo,” says Jeannine Grizzard. Her monologue, “An Anti-Suffrage Appeal,” is a historic monologue by Lady Randolph Churchill. Other historic characters explored in monologues are Rasputin in “The Chess Lesson” by John Richardson and John Wilkes Booth in “The Great Ape” by Warren Carlson. John Yunker’s play “The Sales Rank Also Rises” reflects cultural change. He sees a world obsessed with numbers. “Changes in technology reflect changes in society, in which we measure everything — miles walked, calories burned, number of friends, likes, re-tweets. In a world in which everything is measured, how do we look beyond numbers to see what matters most?” Ruth Wire’s “The Ferry of Relativity” tells a true story of a chance meeting with Albert Einstein in 1951 on the Staten Island Ferry, and how that encounter influenced her family’s destiny. Among his many truisms, Einstein quips, “Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.” Julia Sommers’ play “Brothers” investigates how differently siblings remember a common past. “My parents died leaving many unanswered questions and a fractured family,” Sommers says. Her play takes a look at “how healing and change might come about even after death. 'Brothers' is also infused with humorous insight. As the character Rose looks into the casket of her dearest friend, she says, 'She certainly kept her figure better than I did.' ” One mission of Ashland Contemporary Theatre is the development of new, original drama by providing Rogue Valley playwrights with opportunities to have their work performed through regular dramatic readings and stage productions. The plays will be directed by Will Churchill, Karen Douglas and Grizzard, and supported by a strong cast that includes David Dials, Richard Heller, Bo Brazeau, Joe Charter, Churchill, Ruth Wire, Sam Younghans, Ian Jackson, Colleen Pyke and Grizzard. Performances are set for 2 p.m. Friday, July 17, at Grizzly Peak Winery, 1600 E. Nevada St., Ashland, and 8 p.m. Saturday, July 18, and 2 and 8 p.m. Sunday, July 19, at the Ashland Community Center, 59 Winburn Way. Tickets cost $12 and can be purchased at the door or online at ashlandcontemporarytheatre.org . Evalyn Hansen is a writer and theater director living in Ashland. Reach her at [email protected]. By Evalyn Hansen for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Evalyn Hansen for the Mail Tribune Posted Jul. 15, 2015 at 5:39 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501