Article Preview: Next Stage Repertory presents 'Educating Rita' at the Craterian Theater - MailTribune.com - Medford, OR

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2015-03-28

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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation  |  Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories UPDATED: Traffic getting by I-5 truck crash near Siskiyou Summit Poodle found dead from pellet shots on back porch of Medford home 10 things to know for Friday Grants Pass man charged with attempted murder in shooting of Eagle Point resident 10 things to know for Thursday Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Poodle found dead from pellet shots on back porch of Medford home Grants Pass man charged with attempted murder in shooting of Eagle Point resident Emergency Services Pacific Power: Be on the lookout for phony employees on ATVs Youth pastor and friend hold intruder at gunpoint Politics and Elections Jackson County Commissioners plan no tax on marijuana for one year Arthur I. Cyr: Iran – a crisis without end Arthur I. 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Mangino: A clearer picture of police shootings begins to emerge Guest Opinion: How schools teach U.S. history raises hackles Letters to the Editor, March 27 Editorials Our View: Some police videos should be released Our View: Public records rules should apply to lawmakers, too Our View: Oregon schools will have to make do with a little more money Our View: Medford police tried to avoid confrontation Other Views: Dave Frohnmayer was a man of honor Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, March 27 Letters to the Editor, March 26 Letters to the Editor, March 25 Letters to the Editor, March 24 Letters to the Editor, March 23 Columns Philip Maddocks: GOP plan offers hope for poor once they become rich Kent Bush: Pete Rose’s request complicated by Jarred Cosart Matthew T. Mangino: A clearer picture of police shootings begins to emerge Guest Opinion: How schools teach U.S. history raises hackles Arthur I. 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Plant a few dahlias, Dahling Health Community blog: How to Get Rid of a Tension Headache St. Mary's student helps others with diabetes Community blog: Sleep Tight: Making Your Bed, Body and Mind Ready for Rest Health Watch: 5 tips for seasonal allergy relief A better bedtime Hiking Biking Faith Religion briefs: Friday, March 27 Religion briefs Religion News: Presbyterian Church gives approval on same-sex marriage Religion briefs: Friday, March 13 More religion events in the Rogue Valley Milestones and Achievements Haga-Parks Exercise helps special-needs kids adjust to airport procedures Engagement: Workman-Wright Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Here's Tempo's top five picks for live entertainment this week The 2015 Rising Stars music competition ends with its final round on the Britt stage in Jacksonville Live Music in Local Clubs Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick pay tribute to Arkansas bluegrass duo Vern Williams and Ray Park Next Stage Repertory presents 'Educating Rita' at the Craterian Theater Theater ‘A Dream of Red Pavilions’ at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Review: Education and its discontents Next Stage Repertory presents 'Educating Rita' at the Craterian Theater Eugene O'Neill's 'Long Day's Journey into Night' opens at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Camelot's 'Sunset Boulevard' ambitious, not as dark Music Futurebirds play the Brickroom in Ashland The 2015 Rising Stars music competition ends with its final round on the Britt stage in Jacksonville Live Music in Local Clubs Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick pay tribute to Arkansas bluegrass duo Vern Williams and Ray Park The Farr Side: Lines are blurred with theft of Marvin Gaye’s classic groove Community Events Rogue Valley artist Linda Evans' pastel paintings capture landscapes of Southern Oregon Ashland Independent Film Festival announces this year's lineup OSF Hip-Hop Poetry Open Mic Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhibits by regional artists Jesse Lawson and Joe Moxley host 'Barkeeper' Dining Basque-inspired cuisine at Eleven in Ashland Parsing the meaning behind wine medals and scores Restaurant Inspections: Sunday, March 22 Jasmine Thai Cuisine Restaurant Inspections Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED   » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines/Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW   UPDATED: Traffic getting by I-5 truck crash near Siskiyou Summit       ...       Poodle found dead from pellet shots on back porch of Medford home       ...       Guest Opinion: How schools teach U.S. history raises hackles       ...       UPDATED: Traffic getting by I-5 truck crash near Siskiyou Summit       ...       Poodle found dead from pellet shots on back porch of Medford home       ...       Guest Opinion: How schools teach U.S. history raises hackles       ...           THEATER Next Stage Repertory presents 'Educating Rita' at the Craterian Theater By Laurie Heuston Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Laurie Heuston Mail Tribune Posted Mar. 25, 2015 @ 9:00 am By Laurie Heuston Mail Tribune Posted Mar. 25, 2015 @ 9:00 am »  Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> With a good story and a couple of talented actors, Next Stage Repertory Company is at its best, and "Educating Rita," a comedy by British playwright Willy Russell, makes this connection.  The play follows the relationship between a young, working-class hairdresser who calls herself Rita — her name is really Susan — who is dissatisfied with the routine of her work and social life and seeks inner growth by registering for English literature classes at an open university. There, she meets middle-aged alcoholic Frank, a lecturer who has begrudgingly taken on Rita's tutelage. Actors Stephanie Jones and Will Churchill play Rita and Frank in the Next Stage production of "Educating Rita." Doug Warner directs. "I'm always looking for plays with a lot of layers, something that can give audiences something to take away with them that will change their lives," Warner says. "With this story, we spent six weeks fleshing out the aspects of the play. The fact that it was written by an English playwright about English characters dictated where the rehearsals would take us." Next Stage's performances of "Educating Rita" will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, March 26-28, at the Craterian Theater, 23 S. Central Ave., Medford. Tickets cost $15 and can be purchased at the box office, 16 S. Bartlett St., online at craterian.org or by calling 541-779-3000. "It's a comedy with underlying drama," Warner says. "Rita is growing up in Northern England, a member of the lower class, and there are limits to how big her world is going to be. There also are expectations of her. Her parents and her husband expect her to have children, cook the meals and take care of them. She's stuck in a family pattern of leaving work on Fridays, going down to the local pub to tip some pints and sing songs, and returning to work Monday mornings." Stepping out of her class, Rita brings layers of fear and excitement to the play. From the moment she enters Frank's office, she is engaging, charismatic, outrageous and fun. Deep down inside, Frank is smitten with these characteristics because he's grown older, jaded and lost his faith in the university's education system. "So here you have the male and female thing, the lower- and upper-class thing, and the educated and uneducated thing," Warner says. "Frank came from a privileged family that could afford a higher education for him, and those are the circles he moves in." Rita lets Frank know that she is interested only in learning, and she begins reading the classics. As Frank becomes aware that she will move out from under his tutelage and stand on her own academically, he is afraid she will be affected. Her working-class accent even changes a bit throughout the play.  "With each scene, Rita of course begins to change," Warner says. "She becomes thoughtful and independent. Meanwhile Frank is drinking even more and getting into trouble with the university's faculty. There are laughs and there are pivotal dramatic points. "Just like any good play, each character has a valid point of view, and the two begin to educate each other about their particular lifestyles. Each has had a skewed perspective of the others. The rich can romanticize being poor, and the poor have the idea that rich people are happy with their wealth and education." Ultimately, the pair form an unlikely bond that alters their lives. In 1983, Russell adapted his script for a film starring Michael Caine and Julie Walters, directed by Lewis Gilbert. In 2009, Russell again adapted the script for a radio play starring Bill Nighy and Laura Dos Santos, directed by Kirsty Williams.  By Laurie Heuston Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Laurie Heuston Mail Tribune Posted Mar. 25, 2015 @ 9:00 am » Comment or view comments   /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ »  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. 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 Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs 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. 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