20 Feb 2015

The Wind in Their Sales: "Glengarry Glen Ross," at St. Ambrose University through February 22

By Mike Schulz

Sam Jones and Jordan McGinnis in Glengarry Glen RossGlengarry Glen Ross was my introduction to the writing of David Mamet, with the 1992 film version of his play marking my first exposure to his work. Awestruck, I fell in love with Mamet's vulgar, layered, verbose style, which made it difficult for me to go into St. Ambrose University's new production without high expectations. Fortunately, though, director Corinne Johnson and her cast and crew - particularly set designer Kris Eitrheim - get it mostly right.

16 Feb 2014

Let's Remake a Deal: "RoboCop," "About Last Night," and "Endless Love"

By Mike Schulz

Joel Kinnaman and Gary Oldman in RoboCopROBOCOP, ABOUT LAST NIGHT, and ENDLESS LOVE

I caught a triple-feature this past weekend, and lemme tell ya, it made me feel like a teenager again. Specifically, it made me feel 19, my age when the original RoboCop debuted; 18, my age when the original About Last Night debuted; and 13, my age when the original Endless Love debuted. I don't know what confluence of release strategies resulted in this trifecta of Reagan-era remakes, but I guess I should be grateful to Hollywood for the collective trip down memory lane. I'd be more grateful if the movies themselves were better, but ... .

21 Nov 2011

Playwright at Your Side: St. Ambrose Student Aaron Randolph III Authors Two Wintertime Productions

By Nicholas Depew

Cody E. Johnson, Stacy Phipps, and Tim Stompanato in Dakota Jones & the Search for AtlantisEvery year, St. Ambrose University's theatre department produces four mainstage shows over the nine months that school is in session. It's somewhat surprising, then, that given the myriad authors to choose from, the university opted to reserve half of the slots in its 2011-12 season for works by a single playwright.

Yet what's more surprising is that the author in question isn't one of the usual theatrical suspects - Shakespeare or Williams or O'Neill. Rather, it's St. Ambrose student Aaron Randolph III, a 32-year-old pursuing additional degrees after graduating in 2002 from the school's music department. His family musical Dakota Jones & the Search for Atlantis will be staged in the university's Galvin Fine Arts Center December 3 and 4, and his comedy The Plagiarists runs February 24 through 26.

11 Apr 2011

Picture Motions: "Speed-the-Plow," at the Village Theatre through April 23

By Thom White

Mike Schulz, Erin Churchill, and Daniel M. Hernandez in Speed-the-PlowErin Churchill is the reason to see the Curtainbox Theatre Company's current production, Speed-the-Plow. Actually, that's a bit deceptive, as it implies that she's the only reason to see the show. Curtainbox founder Kimberly Furness' directorial debut with her company is applause-worthy, as are the stellar performances of the play's other cast members, Mike Schulz (a Reader employee) and Daniel M. Hernandez. However, it was Churchill's sincerity, earnestness, and diversity that closed the deal for me, leaving me in utter awe during Saturday night's performance.

05 Apr 2011

Talking Outside the 'box: Kim Furness Discusses the Curtainbox's 10-Year History

By Mike Schulz

Kimberly Furness[Author's note: The following was written for TheCurtainbox.com, the Web site for our area's Curtainbox Theatre Company, of which I've been a proud member for nearly a year.]

 

Recently, Curtainbox Theatre Company founder Kim Furness and I sat down over a glass of wine - all right, maybe a couple of glasses - to celebrate her company's 10-year anniversary. She had recently taken over the directing position for the Curtainbox's latest production, Speed-the-Plow (in the wake of original helmer Philip W. McKinley's recruitment as new director of Broadway's Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark), and during our conversation, was happy to share her thoughts on the company's history. (The David Mamet comedy Speed-the-Plow - featuring Erin Churchill, Dan Hernandez, and myself - runs at the Village of East Davenport's Village Theatre from April 10 through 23, with preview performances April 8 & 9.)

14 Sep 2009

Scam Artists: "Glengarry Glen Ross," at the Village Theatre through September 27

By Mike Schulz

Daniel DP Sheridan, Pat Flaherty, Eddie Staver III, Tristan Tapscott, David Furness, Louis Hare, and Aaron Randolph III in Glengarry Glen RossDavid Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross is arguably, though not that arguably, the author's best-known, best-loved, and all-around best play. (Thanks to 1992's celebrated film version, I have friends - including friends who don't really like plays - who can quote entire scenes verbatim.) And it's no overstatement to say that the cast recruited for the Curtainbox Theatre Company's presentation of this exhilaratingly profane comedy is ridiculously gifted. At one point here, you'll find Michael Kennedy, Pat Flaherty, Eddie Staver III, Louis Hare, and Daniel D.P. Sheridan all sharing the Village Theatre stage, and that's before David Furness and Tristan Tapscott show up.

22 Jun 2009

Melange a Trois: "Death Defying Acts," at the Clinton Area Showboat Theatre through June 28

By Mike Schulz

Kate Hennies in Death Defying Acts' HotlineIf you were to ask me which I'd rather see - a new stage comedy by David Mamet, Elaine May, or Woody Allen - I'd have to think long and hard before giving you my answer: "Yes, please."

13 Nov 2001

Lynch's Latest Builds a Dream Palace: "Mulholland Dr.", "Heist," and "Life as a House"

By Mike Schulz

Laura Elena Harring in Mulholland Dr.MULHOLLAND DR.

We've all had the experience: It's the middle of the night, and you awaken from a dream so vivid, so unreal, so funny and terrifying in equal measure, that your only thought is to go back to sleep immediately, to re-enter that astonishing dream state and keep it going.

13 Feb 2001

"Hannibal" Stays True to Trash: Also, "Left Behind: The Movie"

By Mike Schulz

HANNIBAL

About halfway through Hannibal, the long-awaited sequel to The Silence of the Lambs, our good Dr. Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) is in mid-vivisection of his latest prey when the victim's cell phone rings. On the other end is FBI agent Clarice Starling (Julianne Moore), who has called to give the soon-to-be-deceased warning about Lecter's grislier instincts. And then, with a thrilling, inevitable perfection, Hannibal picks up the phone and says with his patented, seductive purr, "Hello, Clarice." It ranks with one of the all-time-great moments in sequel history - the first reunion of these indelible characters in 10 years - and it produced an audibly electric sensation in the audience, where everyone simultaneously released a deep-throated chortle mixed with a shudder. It might be worth sitting through the film, at least in a packed movie house, just to get to that moment. But be warned: It'll probably be the only time during the movie when you'll have that feeling.

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