anna - at the Chicago Fringe Festival

This weekend I'll be seeing a few shows. Also Dream Theatre is a host venue. Go to www.chicagofringe.org for info about the shows. Enjoy theatre on the fringe this labor day weekend. Here's a photo of the amazing Rachel and I at Fringe Central.

anna - backstage at dream theatre

We want everyone to feel at home at dream theatre. Even backstage.

anna - AMLETH jacket shirt with military style buttons

anna - Ghost Trains

I have always loved the spooky. The feeling of being scared. Ghost stories. Haunted houses. Watching horror movies at 3am huddled nearly naked in a t-shirt and underwear on the floor in front of the glowing television next to someone special. I find these experiences romantic. When I see ghost trains in movies or photos I get so excited I tend to exclaim and dance and clap my hands like a little girl. That’s why when I read the ghost train scene in AMLETH, I did just that. I squealed, clapped my hands and danced around the room. One day, I hope to ride a real ghost train, as I’ve only been in a couple of state fair style haunted things.

Here’s the opening stage directions from Jeremy Menekseoglu’s The Tragedy of AMLETH Princess of Denmark. It is a brilliant and beautiful way to show the budding (grotesque) public relationship between GERTRUDE and CLAUDIUS as well as a very clever way to do the play within a play catch a killer scene.

ACT TWO

Scene One

“This thing of darkness I acknowledge mine.”

As the house lights lower, OPHELIA slowly stands and stares up at the sky. There is a rumble of thunder and it begins to rain. She lifts the suitcase over her head. Darkness. Thunder.

After a moment, we hear a large door bang open and two glowing eyes appear. We hear a loud blast from an air horn and a hiss of steam. Strange lights raise revealing GERTRUDE, MRS. POLONIUS and CLAUDIUS riding in a small cart painted to resemble a Ghost Train. It tosses them violently as it jerks and bumps forward. MRS. POLONIUS is trying to hold on to some cotton candy.

The cart jerks to a stop as organ music begins to play. A light rises revealing a large wax puppet sitting in a chair holding a handgun in one hand and a revolver in the other. A wax puppet of a small boy sits before him. The small boy stands and walks towards the Ghost Train. He raises his hands and beckons to them for help. Suddenly, the large puppet raises both of his guns and fires repeatedly at the boy. The limbs break apart into several pieces and slowly glide away in all directions. Darkness. The Ghost Train jerks forward. A dim light rises.

Tonight and tomorrow night you can hear the whole script read aloud. I can’t wait to explore these characters more! Visit our facebook page for details.

www.facebook.com/DreamTheatreCompany

anna - AMLETH reading

The tragedy of AMLETH princess of Denmark, a world premiere play by playwright Jeremy Menekseoglu, is projected to open at Dream Theatre in Chicago in February 2013. JOIN US this Friday, August 24th at 7pm at Dream Theatre, 556 West 18th Street for an AMLETH kickoff party and first reading. If you can't make that date, JOIN US this Saturday, August 25th at 7pm at Goran Coban Salon, 15 West Hubbard Street, 2nd floor for and AMLETH kickoff party and second reading. The readings are free! send email to annainthedarkness@gmail.com to make a reservation.
On a dark and stormy night, princess Amleth returns to Denmark for her father’s funeral only to discover that the body has been buried, her mother is remarried and the house is filled with drunken partygoers. Amleth seeks comfort in the arms of her lover Ophelia, but not even their innocent romance can stop her from questioning every truth she has ever believed. Amleth’s once innocuous view of life spirals out of control until a climactic ending that not even the bard himself could have foreseen.

"To fulfill my duty and live in the real world, or leave and regain my ignorance: That is the question."
This show promises to exceed all previous Dream Theatre Company productions, as well as showcase the talents of some of Chicago's great artists, designers, performers and crafts persons.
In order to pull off our most ambitious project yet, Dream Theatre is asking for your help. Through your support, Dream Theatre promises to make a show unlike any other. It will be unexpected, beautiful, captivating, and like a dream. Audiences who have experienced Dream Theatre's past productions will feel at home in the style of this production, while new audiences will be amazed by the intimacy and atmosphere while being engrossed in the story.
AMLETH is an ambitious relative and beautiful homage to what is arguably the greatest play of all time.