“Love! Valour! Compassion!” in G-Sync

Benjy Schrim and Joe Worth of “Love! Valour! Compassion!” at Actors’ Theatre Photo credit: Dave Kagan of Sensitography

Check out this wonderful quote from Tommy Allen of Rapid Growth:

LVC is one of those rare theatrical gems where, in the end – even after a thrilling ride of emotions filled with the tripping over of fine lines between laughter and tears (and with little to no warning due again to the fine writing of McNally), upon curtain we would find ourselves almost glad to get back in line to experience it all over again. LVC is a testament to the power of theatre to make us connect as humans and our willingness to show up again and again even when we know pain is often a product of our love.   […]

Read the rest of the article on www.rapidgrowthmedia.com.

Check out more photos from the production on Actors’ Theatre Facebook page.

Reserve your tickets for the final two performances at: atgr.org!

 

“Love! Valour! Compassion!” Sneak Peak Video

There are just three more performances left –
go to www.atgr.org to order your tickets today! 

Everyone is Talking About “Love! Valour! Compassion!”

Jeffery Williams,left, and Dylan Harris perform as Buzz Hauser and James and John Jeckyll during dress rehearsal of “Love! Valour! Compassion!” at Actors’ Theater in downtown Grand Rapids on Wednesday, September 18, 2013. (Andrew Kuhn | MLive.com)

Our opening weekend of our 33rd season has been wonderful. Audiences love Love! Valour! Compassion!

The talent in this show is explosive and so endearing. I loved every moment, even the sad ones. Thank you and bravo!!!  – Malia H.

We’re also being noticed by the media. Sue Merrell gave Love! Valour! Compassion! three stars in a wonderful review on www.mlive.com and Todd Chance listed the production as one of his Top 5 Things to do in Grand Rapids.

From the Director, Jolene Frankey: 

How do we navigate life’s biggest milestones? Do we hold our heads high and bravely march into the face of adversity?  Or do we throw an applause-worthy temper tantrum until our struggle has passed? Over the course of three summer holidays, the eight friends in this piece will turn to each other for love and support (and the occasional emotional outburst). Of course, their playful banter and deep affections are not unique to their story. Each of us can easily recognize a piece of ourselves in the funny and fascinating characters that Terrence McNally has written. Though their specific journeys may come from a different perspective, we all eventually experience the challenges of relationships, aging, sickness, loyalty, and obligation…just probably not with such witty words or fancy lighting. I am honored to present this work to the West Michigan community. May our experience with this production help us all find a little more love, valour, and compassion for each other.

Love! Valour! Compassion! has just three more performances, September 26-28 at 8:00PM at Spectrum Theatre. To reserve your seats, please go to www.atgr.org.

Meet the Cast of “Love! Valour! Compassion!”

 The Cast of Love! Valour! Compassion!

Christopher Curry (Perry Sellars)

Christopher is making his debut here at Actors’ Theatre.  During undergrad school, Christopher was on stage so much, that he was often mistakenly identified as a Theater major, which he was not. Christopher has performed in shows/roles such as: Brad Majors in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Closer Than Ever, the Scarecrow inThe Wiz, Rum Tum Tugger in Cats and more.  While in graduate school, Christopher was also a part of the West Michigan’s Gay Mens Chorus for 4 seasons collectively.  Christopher would like to thank his Director, Jolene Frankey, for awarding him with this incredible opportunity and pushing him to be a better actor, the cast, and his mother for her “endless and undying” love and support whom he says he loves “more than the stars and moon and everything in between.”

Dylan Harris (James & John Jeckyll)

Dylan is very pleased to be back on stage with Actors’ Theatre. He was seen earlier this summer as Ray Dooley in the first production of Actors’ first (hopefully annual) Second Space Series,

The Beauty Queen of Leenane.  His main stage Actors’ roles/credits include: Luke/Next Fall, Miles/The Drawer Boy, Larry/Mr.Marmalade, Jason/Rabbit Hole, and Jeff/Kimberly Akimbo. Dylan has also appeared on the local stages of Civic Theatre, Circle Theatre, Heritage Theatre Group, Jewish Theatre Grand Rapids, Southside Theatre Company and GRCC Players. Since 2006, Dylan has received five Grand Award nominations and has won for his work in Rabbit Hole andMr. Marmalade (both with Actors’), and See How They Run (with Circle). “It has been my great pleasure to work on this beautifully written play under the direction of the fiercely talented, Jolene Frankey. Thank you for helping me bring these two wonderful characters to life. Love to Rob, Mom, Brooke, Cass, and my little monkey, Cole.”

Kyle Jurassic (Arthur Pape)

Kyle is very excited to be making his debut on the Actors’ Theatre stage. Kyle is a substitute teacher through PESG llc. and a graduate of Cornerstone University with a degree in vocal music performance. Previous roles in the community include The Wedding Singer, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and Altar Boyz at Circle Theatre, Hairspray at Civic Theatre, Troilus and Cressida with the Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company, and The Drowsy Chaperone, White Christmas, Proof, and Seussical (for which he won a Grand Award) at Cornerstone University. Kyle would like to thank his loving wife, his supportive parents, God, and Jolene for giving him this opportunity.

Owen McIntee (Bobby Brahms)

Owen is pleased to make his onstage debut at Actors’ Theatre in Love! Valour! Compassion! He has previously appeared with Jewish Theatre Grand Rapids, Circle Theatre, The Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company, Aquinas College and GRCC, and most recently performed in the Citizens’ Play Festival in Chicago, IL. Owen is a graduate of Aquinas with a BFA in Theatre and plans to attend URTA graduate school auditions in February.

Benjy Schirm (Ramon Fornos)

Benjy is thrilled to be in his first mainstage show with Actors’, having directed and performed in last season’s Living On the Edge series. Here in Grand Rapids you may have seen him in The Wedding Singer (Circle Theatre), Forever Plaid (Master Arts), and Flat Stanley(Civic Theatre). He’s a recent transplant and before arriving he was an award winning choreographer and director (off-broadway (59E59)) and internationally, as well as in Boston, Denver, Minneapolis, and Iowa. Some of his favorite past roles include: Ren in Footloose, Luke in Altar Boyz and Hero in A Funny Thing…Forum. Benjy also teaches yoga at Vida Yoga in Grandville, designs lighting at the Pyramid Scheme and can be found poring over law books in his first year of law school. “Much Love to my ladies, Dah and Keela; you’re truly the love, valour, and compassion in my life.”

Jeffrey Williams (Buzz Hauser)

Jeffrey is a graduate of Western Michigan University, and received his BFA in Musical Theater. He has worked in California, Texas and Nevada for many years. Selected theater credits include:  Al in A Chorus Line, Jay in When Pigs Fly, Nick in Baby – Palm Canyon Theater, Palm Springs, California; San Diego Opera Company; Max in The Ravaging , Miss Tina in El Sueno –  Fritz Theater, San Diego, California. Television and Film credits to include: Traffic-USA Films, Steven Soderbergh-Director; House Sitter-Singapore Films, Bob Hope Special-Don’t Shoot! It’s Only Me! -NBC; AIDS: A Documentary-PBS Special.  “Love to my Jay; Thanks for your support Gina Milo and David Mundy.”

Joe Worth (Gregory Mitchell)

Joe is thrilled to be performing in his second Actors’ Theatre show, having last been in Kiss of the Spider Woman. He has also been seen recently at the Civic Theatre in Anne of Green Gables, Harvey, Night of the Living Dead, and The Diary of Anne Frank. He works as a second grade teacher for the Grand Rapids Public Schools and also teaches at the Civic School of Theatre Arts. “Thank you Jolene for this challenging, wonderful, opportunity and as always, thank you RB for all your love, support, and help with lines!”

There are three more opportunities to see Love! Valour! Compassion! – September 26 – 28. Please go to the Actors’ Theatre website for more information and to reserve your tickets.

Actors’ Theatre in Todd Chance’s Top 5 Things to do:

From www.mlive.com

The cast of Love! Valour! Compassion! perform during a dress rehearsal at the Actors’ Theater in downtown Grand Rapids on Wednesday, September 18, 2013. (Andrew Kuhn | MLive.com)

By Todd Chance | tchance@mlive.com

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Although ArtPrize is taking over the headlines this weekend, there are even more things to do in and and around Grand Rapids this weekend.

Check out these five options for your social calendar:

1. Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey present “Dragons”

The newest installment of the circus is coming Thursday-Sunday, Sept. 19-22, at Van Andel Arena, 130 W. Fulton Street. “Dragons” is called a “once in a millennium event that honors the Year of the Dragon.”

RELATED: Meet the Ringmaster: Emcee of Ringling Bros. Circus talks about ‘Dragons’ show coming to Grand Rapids

During this performance, the ringmaster’s sidekick Paulo – a 4-foot dynamo from Brazil claims he sees and can conjure an actual dragon to appear. The show “merges today’s technology and fast-paced tempo of entertainment with staying true to who we are,” said Ringmaster Johnathon Lee Iverson. “You will see video screens but they won’t distract audiences from the live features.”

Elephants, lions and tigers mixed with clowns and athletes performing acts of strength are on the itinerary. Tickets are $15-$68 with each performance offering a free all-access interactive pre-show starting one hour before showtimes when patrons can get autographs, try on costumes, and get close to the animals. Details and tickets atvanandelarena.com.

2. Grand Rapids Symphony opens season with “Rite of Spring”

The disastrous debut of Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” in May of 1913 was unlike anything orchestral music lovers had ever heard. The dissonance caused such a discord that rioting broke out and Stravinsky was reviled. One year later, the piece was performed again to accolade and applause. It later was even included in Disney’s “Fantasia.”

The Grand Rapids Symphony’s 84th season opens in DeVos Performance Hall, 303 Monroe Ave. NW, with that same piece, now celebrating its 100-year anniversary, and other themes of scandal including a brand new cello concerto inspired by Flaubert’s shocking novel, “Madame Bovary.” Two performances will be held at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Sept. 20-21.

Tickets start at $18 at the Grand Rapids Symphony office, 300 Ottawa Ave. NW, or online at grsymphony.org.

3. “Love! Valour! Compassion!” at Actors’ Theatre

Veteran actor, teacher and choreographer Jolene Frankey is making her directorial debut for Actors’ Theatre with the award-winning contemporary classic “Love! Valour! Compassion!” by Terrence McNally. The curtain rises in Spectrum Theater, 160 Fountain St. NE, on Thursday, Sept. 19, for a run of six performances through Saturday, Sept. 28. All shows begin at 8 p.m.

The story of eight friends who gather over the course of three summer weekends in a house belonging to aging Broadway choreographer Gregory and his younger partner Bobby, who is blind, puts friendship, love, life and death on center stage.

Tickets are $20-$26 at 616-234-3946 or actorstheatregrandrapids.org.

A special Friday Night Talk-Back session will be hosted by The Red Project following the Friday, Sept. 20, show. The discussion will focus on what HIV/AIDS has looked like in West Michigan over the past 20 years.

4. GrandCon 2013 Convention

The first GrandCon gaming and comic book convention will be held on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 21-22, at the Calvin College Prince Conference Center, 1800 E. Beltline Ave. SE. The event features tabletop gaming in all its forms as well as comic books and the creators behind them. Fans can mingle and appreciate their shared interests, check out unpublished games, get sneak peeks at things to come, and meet the creators behind their favorite games and comic books.

Gamers can come to play or just network with fellow enthusiasts. Costumes and art from vendors and guests will be on display. Event badges are sold as 1-, 2- or 3-day badges for $10-$40. Special event tickets sold separately. Details at grand-con.com.

5. Bridal Show of West Michigan

DeVos Hall, 303 Monroe Avenue NW will once again host one of the largest bridal expos in the area on Friday and Saturday, Sept 20-21. Ultimate Bridal Fashion Shows are scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, noon and 2 p.m. Saturday to showcase the latest in bridal gown fashion. Second Floor Bakery also will host a red carpet display of trendsetting cake designs for 2014.

Also included are booths from those offering tuxedos, flowers, photographers, beauticians, catering, reception facilities, DJs, limousines and more. Special discounts and door prizes will be offered.

Admission is $8 at the door. Details and coupons at kohlerexpo.com. Wedding resources at grbrides.com.

Todd Chance is the West Michigan Entertainment Concierge for MLive/Grand Rapids Press. Email him at tchance@mlive.com or follow him on Facebook , Twitter,Google Plus