Among other projects, OKC Improv collaborates with Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park with ‘Fortune’s Fools,’ a Shakespearean comedy minus the Shakespeare.
Performing Arts Charles Martin
Few scenes in the city have blossomed as quickly as improv. Five years
ago, it was barely a glimmer; now, local improv troupes can be found at
arts festivals, working with student theater programs and touring
nationwide.
Shakespeare in the Park kicks off its season with a light comedy from the Bard.
Performing Arts Larry Laneer
The Merry Wives of Windsor
8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday through July 9
Myriad Botanical Gardens Water Stage, 301 W. Reno
OklahomaShakespeare.com, 235-3700
$15, $10 Students/Seniors
In first grade, I made the entire class stop and watch me interpretive dance to “The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow,” with vocals provided by my best friend. We then finished up the performance by doing a waltz. I’m going to go ahead and assume everyone was awed by our raw talent.
I would have leapt (probably literally while in stage makeup and wearing a sequined tiger costume) at the chance to take acting classes. And now your rambunctious, overly dramatic children can do the same at Oklahoma Children’s Theatre’s fall classes.
The classes are broken up by age, and cover all aspects of staging a production. It all culminates in a play, which, let’s be honest, is probably what those little drama queens are in it for. (I say that as a former drama queen.)
The Theatre 1 class, for ages 5-7, starts this Thursday and will stage “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.” The Theatre 2 class, for 8-12-year-olds, also starts this Thursday and will stage “The Little Match Girl.” Both classes are each Thursday after school and run through early December.
Call 606-7003 to enroll.
Instead of pulling a Pedobear-approved move and trying to pass as a preteen for the kids’ classes, there are now acting classes for young adults put on by Reduxion Theatre Company.
There are four classes being offered by Reduxion this fall, but they start this week, so get on it if you’re interested. All classes are open to students aged 15-23. Acting Shakespeare is held Monday or Wednesday through October, and there’s also a class in Shakespearian voice (Tuesdays) and stage combat (Saturdays). Stage combat!
Email education@reduxiontheatre.com for more info.
It’s felt up, as the Muppets prime for a comeback.
Anticipation is high for “The Muppets,” Disney’s reboot of the Jim Henson crew, opening just in time for Thanksgiving. Its star and screenwriter, Jason Segel, is much too busy to talk to outlets like lil’ ol’ us, so the Mouse House sent a canned interview to me. Rather than be a corporate puppet and run it as is, I thought it’d be more fun to change the questions, but leave Segel’s answers intact, so I feel like I actually contributed.
Personally, I think it makes for a better read. The studio should be paying me. Enjoy.
R&R: Jason — if I may call you Jason — can you please discuss the inception of this film, but using a phrase that a woman might use to let others know that she’s pregnant?
Segel: The Muppets were my first comic influence and I was in love with puppetry. I just thought it was an amazing art form. We ended “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” with a lavish puppet musical, and The Jim Henson Company designed the puppets. Something started growing in my belly, and Nick (Stoller) and I came up with this idea and pitched it to Disney. Disney liked the idea, so we wrote the script.
R&R: “Belly,” good one! I also would’ve accepted “I was craving raw meat” and “Oops, I missed my period.” Now, whenever you tell anyone about taking on characters as beloved as these Muppets, what is their response? Scratch that: What are two of their responses?
Segel: Whenever I tell anyone, the response is always twofold: “Oh my God, that's awesome.” And then, “You better not mess it up.”
R&R: How about that Amy Adams? She seems super-sweet and super-innocent, and with credits like “Enchanted,” she seems just perfect for this role. You really lucked out.
Segel: Amy Adams is super-sweet and super-innocent, and with credits like “Enchanted,” she was just perfect for this role. We really lucked out.
R&R: If you could compare Kermit to ... oh, I don’t know, say an iconic Gregory Peck character, who would he be?
Segel: Kermit's the everyman. He's like Atticus Finch. He just wants to be an upright citizen and be kind. It’s all about laughter and love and doing what's right.
R&R: Let’s cut to the chase. Miss Piggy: She’s a diva, am I right?
Segel: Miss Piggy is the ultimate diva.
R&R: Do you think you could talk about Animal while making a Shakespeare reference that no one but English-lit majors will get? Bonus points for a Freud reference, too. You realize that if you pull this off, the academic world may stop thinking of you simply as the guy who wiggled his wang around in “Sarah Marshall.”
Segel: Animal is the part of all of us that is unhinged. Animal is like our Id. He's like Caliban from “The Tempest.”
The Reduced Shakespeare Company comes through town to put a twist on sports and current events.
Performing Arts Eric Webb The Complete World of Sports (abridged) 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday Completely Hollywood (abridged) 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 1:30 p.m. Sunday oklahoma city repertory theater freede little theatre 201 N. Walker cityrep.com 848-3761 $8-$35
Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park puts the Myriad Gardens’ moat to use in 'The Tempest.'
Performing Arts Larry Laneer The Tempest 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park Myriad Botanical Gardens Water Stage 301 W. Reno 235-3700 $10-$15
Performing Arts Jenn Scott Richard III 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday through Nov. 25 Reduxion Theatre 1613 N. Broadway reduxiontheatre.com 604-4730 $13-$18