[NEohioPAL]Another Rave Review of Tuesdays With Morrie at Actors' Summit

Fri Oct 13 09:33:18 PDT 2006

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=20
Actors=E2=80=99  Summit stages moving production of =E2=80=98Tuesdays With M=
orrie=E2=80=99 =20
By  David Ritchey =20
HUDSON  =E2=80=94 =E2=80=9CAre you at peace with yourself?=E2=80=9D =20
This  line spoken in the play =E2=80=9CTuesdays With Morrie=E2=80=9D provoke=
s a great deal=20
of  introspection. =20
=E2=80=9CTuesdays  With Morrie=E2=80=9D has an interesting history. The book=
 =E2=80=9CTuesdays With=20
Morrie=E2=80=9D was  written by Mitch Albom in 1997 and was featured in Opra=
h Winfrey=E2=80=99
s Oprah=E2=80=99s Book  Club. The book sold more than 5 million copies and w=
as=20
adapted to a TV movie for  ABC. Winfrey produced the TV movie, which starred=
 Hank=20
Azaria and Jack Lemmon.  The TV version received four Emmy Awards. =20
Now  the stage version, written by Albom and Jeffrey Hatcher, is playing in=20
the  Actors=E2=80=99 Summit Theater through Oct. 22.=20
The  story is autobiographical. Albom was a jazz pianist and turned to sport=
s=20
 writing, where he has had a successful career. The story deals with a=20
sociology  teacher, Morrie (Glenn Colerider), who works at Brandeis Universi=
ty.=20
Morrie  established a friendship with a student, Mitch (Peter Voinovich), th=
at=20
lasted  until Morrie=E2=80=99s death. =20
On  the stage we see a bit of the relationship as it forms. However, most of=
=20
the  90-minute production deals with Mitch=E2=80=99s visits to Morrie, while=
 Morrie=20
dies of  ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig=E2=80=99s disease. =20
The  audience knows from early in the production that Morrie will die. But=20
more  important than his death is how he lives. =20
In  their Tuesday meetings, the two men reveal stories of their lives, and=20
Morrie  leads his young friend in a discussion of how life should be lived.=20=
=20
Morrie  returns repeatedly to the idea that we must live life as a human.=20
According to  Morrie, to live life as a human we must treat people with kind=
ness,=20
 understanding and affection. He argues that forgiving others provides the =20
forgiver with peace. Morrie would also include touch and feeling as importan=
t =20
parts of the human condition. =20
=E2=80=9CTuesdays  With Morrie=E2=80=9D fits nicely into Actors=E2=80=99 Sum=
mit=E2=80=99s area-style=20
theater. However, it  is Jocelyn Roueiheb  (light and sound control) who doe=
s a=20
great job bringing in the sound cues on  time and at the appropriate level.=20=
In=20
addition, each scene change is signaled by  a change in lighting.=20
Director  Neil Thackaberry keeps a lid on the sentimentality that could=20
overcome the  actors and the audience. Every scene is played with great disc=
ipline=20
and  control. In the final scenes, when Mitch and Morrie acknowledge that=20
Morrie will  soon die and they attempt to say goodbye, the actors push the l=
imits=20
of emotions  and move the audience to experience the loss of the good friend=
,=20
too. =20
Keep  in mind, this production isn=E2=80=99t about death and dying. It=E2=
=80=99s about life=20
and  living. =20
For  tickets, call (330) 342-0800.=20
David Ritchey has a Ph.D. in communications and is a professor of =20
communications at The University of Akron. He is a member of the American  T=
heatre=20
Critics Association.=20

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<DIV>
<H2 style=3D"MARGIN: auto 0in"><SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial">Actors=E2=80=99=20
Summit stages moving production of =E2=80=98Tuesdays With Morrie=E2=80=99=20
<o:p></o:p></H2>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial">By=20
David Ritchey <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial">HUDSON=20
=E2=80=94 =E2=80=9CAre you at peace with yourself?=E2=80=9D </SPA=
N><SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial">This=20
line spoken in the play =E2=80=9CTuesdays With Morrie=E2=80=9D provokes a gr=
eat deal of=20
introspection. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial">=E2=80=9CTuesdays=20
With Morrie=E2=80=9D has an interesting history. The book =E2=80=9CTuesdays=20=
With Morrie=E2=80=9D was=20
written by Mitch Albom in 1997 and was featured in Oprah Winfrey=E2=80=99s O=
prah=E2=80=99s Book=20
Club. The book sold more than 5 million copies and was adapted to a TV movie=
 for=20
ABC. Winfrey produced the TV movie, which starred Hank Azaria and Jack Lemmo=
n.=20
The TV version received four Emmy Awards. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial">Now=20
the stage version, written by Albom and Jeffrey Hatcher, is playing in the=20
Actors=E2=80=99 Summit Theater through Oct. 22.<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial">The=20
story is autobiographical. Albom was a jazz pianist and turned to sports=20
writing, where he has had a successful career. The story deals with a sociol=
ogy=20
teacher, Morrie (Glenn Colerider), who works at Brandeis University. Morrie=20
established a friendship with a student, Mitch (Peter Voinovich), that laste=
d=20
until Morrie=E2=80=99s death. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial">On=20
the stage we see a bit of the relationship as it forms. However, most of the=
=20
90-minute production deals with Mitch=E2=80=99s visits to Morrie, while Morr=
ie dies of=20
ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig=E2=80=99s disease. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial">The=20
audience knows from early in the production that Morrie will die. But more=20
important than his death is how he lives. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial">In=20
their Tuesday meetings, the two men reveal stories of their lives, and Morri=
e=20
leads his young friend in a discussion of how life should be lived.=20
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial">Morrie=20
returns repeatedly to the idea that we must live life as a human. According=20=
to=20
Morrie, to live life as a human we must treat people with kindness,=20
understanding and affection. He argues that forgiving others provides the=20
forgiver with peace. Morrie would also include touch and feeling as importan=
t=20
parts of the human condition. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial">=E2=80=9CTuesdays=20
With Morrie=E2=80=9D fits nicely into Actors=E2=80=99 Summit=E2=80=99s area-=
style theater. However, it=20
is Jocelyn <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial">Roueiheb=20
(light and sound control) who does a great job bringing in the sound cues on=
=20
time and at the appropriate level. In addition, each scene change is signale=
d by=20
a change in lighting.<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial">Director=20
Neil Thackaberry keeps a lid on the sentimentality that could overcome the=20
actors and the audience. Every scene is played with great discipline and=20
control. In the final scenes, when Mitch and Morrie acknowledge that Morrie=20=
will=20
soon die and they attempt to say goodbye, the actors push the limits of emot=
ions=20
and move the audience to experience the loss of the good friend, too.=20
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial">Keep=20
in mind, this production isn=E2=80=99t about death and dying. It=E2=80=99s a=
bout life and=20
living. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial">For=20
tickets, call (330) 342-0800.<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial"><o:p><FONT=20
size=3D3> </o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial"><FONT=20
size=3D3>David Ritchey has a Ph.D. in communications and is a professor of=20
communications at The University of Akron. He is a member of the American=20
Theatre Critics Association. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-family: A=
rial"><o:p></o:p></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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