Review: 'An Invitation To My Circus' and 'Analog' by the Warner

TORRINGTON, CT - The Warner Theatre presented the next two productions of the excellent and most welcome 9th Annual International Playwrights (Virtual) Festival on Friday evening. The festival premieres a new play every other Friday; I strongly urge theatre lovers to view this installment which features both the third and fourth productions online before they go away on Thursday, December 17, 2020 at 11:59pm.

The two newest productions that were filmed in the Warner’s Nancy Marine Studio Theatre are AN INVITATION TO MY CIRCUS and ANALOG.

AN INVITATION TO MY CIRCUS was written by Charlene A. Donaghy of Connecticut and the performance was directed by Sharon W. Houk. CHARLENE A. DONAGHY is an award-winning playwright with plays produced and/or awarded from New York City to Los Angeles, in Canada and Great Britain. Ms. Donaghy is Producer/Tennessee Williams Theater Festival, Festival Director/Warner International Playwrights Festival and teaches playwriting and theatre at University of Nebraska, Omaha.

It was important for me to read about the playwright’s inspiration for this short piece; it helped me to understand the synopsis: Be seduced by an actor as she weaves a spell of bearded ladies, circus clowns, and swords.

FROM THE AUTHOR: There is a wonderful collective called 365 Women where, each year, 365 playwrights write 365 plays, of any length and topic inspired by a woman of present or history. Actor Sheryl Sutton spoke to me as an iconic avant-garde actor of the 1960s. I wondered about how and why actors draw people in. And as I was percolating this play, I was also enjoying a "circus" phase where I crafted, and am still writing, plays that have a connection to the circus of old. And, so, Sheryl's seduction was born.

The only person on the Nancy Marine stage in the magnificent (Sarah’s Friend in RAGTIME at the Warner) who returns to the International Playwrights Festival in the role of Sheryl Sutton. Ms. Robinson is a Danbury native Karen Robinson who is an actress and singer, as well as an educator and licensed massage therapist. The talented actress comes to life as a shrewd storyteller on a simple set of a table and two chairs in a French cafe.

This piece includes perfect original music entitled French Cafe by James P. Luurtsema, © 2020. The videography includes is by JEFFREY B. SCHLICHTER.

The second work release this week is entitled ANALOG, written by George Kelly of Concord NH; it was also wonderfully directed by Sharon W. Houk.

GEORGE KELLY is a playwright whose work has been presented at The Hatbox Theatre, The Players’ Ring, and at The International Playwrights Festival, among other venues. He is a “sometimes” actor, and “oftentimes Director,” and (clearly) a lover of The Arts.
As an educator, I loved this play that was inspired by one of the playwright’s actual college students. “Emily, a talented writer in my college classroom, wanted to read more of Hemingway’s work. I gave her my copy of one of his novels and said, “This book is old, you might have to tape some of the pages.” She looked at me and said: ‘I love the feel of a book in my hands.’”

In ANALOG, a tenured English Professor believes that “real learning” is under assault as his university rushes to accommodate its “Digital, Millennial” students. He stands alone in his reluctance to embrace change, but his strong stance places his teaching career in jeopardy. In order to remain a “teacher,” he may have to compromise his “analog” beliefs.

Although I personally was ahead of the curve in adopting technology into my classroom, I could relate to the struggles of this experienced teacher to join the digital age. I had seen the exact same reaction in many of my senior colleagues; the struggle is real and is brought to life realistically in this well-written play.

The cast of ANALOG could not have been more perfectly chosen. JONATHAN JACOBSON sparkles in the role of the technologically challenged professor. Mr. Jacobson played all nine of the ill-fated members of the D’Ysquith family in A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE & MURDER and Harry Bright in MAMMA MIA! on the Warner main stage. He brings a fine wit to the role of this old-school professor who clearly loves the art of teaching but not the pesky university computer in his cluttered office.

Another fine actor, DICK TERHUNE plays the university Chancellor William Davis. Mr. Terhune is a professional voice actor with a slew of commercial and video game credits. In December 2019, he performed a one-man version of “A Christmas Carol” at the Warner’s Nancy Marine Studio Theatre. Some of his favorite roles on-stage include Joseph Pulitzer in “Newsies,” Hertz in “Rock of Ages,” Richard Hannay in “The 39 Steps,” Mr. Applegate in “Damn Yankees,” and John Wilkes Booth in “Assassins.” This actor is most convincing as the administrator who must somehow convince his former colleague and friend to drag himself (kicking and screaming) into the digital age if he wants to retain his position.

The lovely OLIVIA WADSWORTH (Susan Hendrix in WAIT UNTIL DARK) writes in her bio that she is thrilled to be returning to the Playwrights Festival once again, “especially considering this year’s unique circumstances.” I had the pleasure of doing some voice acting with Ms. Wadsworth on the radio show Nutmeg Junction, an originally scripted audio theatre program.

ANALOG contains some more original music by JAMES P. LUURTSEMA, this one entitled “Acoustic Meditation” by James P. Luurtsema, © 2020. The Videography was by JEFFREY B. SCHLICHTER

For the virtual playbill for the festival, please visit https://www.warnertheatre.org/wtipf_playbill.html

Nancy Sasso Janis has been writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local theatre venues. Before the pandemic, she posted reviews of well over 100 productions each year. In 2016, she became a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle. She continues to contribute theatre news, previews, and audition notices to local Patch sites. Reviews of all levels of theatrical productions are posted on Naugatuck Patch and the Patch sites closest to the venue. Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and on Twitter @nancysjanis417 Check out the CCC Facebook page.