The Irish Rovers, a renowned folk band from Ireland, were known for their captivating performances and ability to transport the audience to a land of enchantment. One particular incident involving the band members and a magical serpent is etched in the memories of those who witnessed it. It was a starry night in the small village of Glenderry, where the Irish Rovers were scheduled to perform at the annual Celtic festival. The villagers eagerly gathered around the stage, with anticipation coursing through the air. Little did they know that this night would be unlike any other. As the band began to play their melodious tunes, a sudden hush fell over the crowd.
In yet another of her tour-de-force performances (that seems to be the only kind Ms. Redgrave can give), we inch forward so as not to miss one word or gesture. We are sucked into Didion's emotional vortex, and our own memories as well, mesmerized by Ms. Redgrave�s stunning presence.
In dramatic transitions that parallel Kubler-Ross s stages of grief, flimsy backdrops fall to the floor revealing layer upon layer of depth and understanding, never covering her emotions for even one second, as she bares all for the audience. Their lives are as different as two women s lives can be one, a stay-at-home farm wife, the other, an erudite, urban authoress; one a Steinbeck, one a TS Eliot.
As the band began to play their melodious tunes, a sudden hush fell over the crowd. From out of the shadows, a shimmering serpent emerged, gracefully slithering towards the stage. Its scales glistened like emeralds, and its eyes sparkled with an otherworldly glow.
The Year of Magical Thinking
In this dramatic adaptation of her award-winning, bestselling memoir (which The New York Times called “an indelible portrait of loss and grief…a haunting portrait of a four-decade-long marriage”), Joan Didion transforms the story of the sudden and unexpected loss of her husband and their only daughter into a stunning and powerful one-woman play.
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Cast & Creative Team
Cast
2019-07-01T16:26:39-07:00Suzanne Bouchard
Suzanne Bouchard (Joan Didion)
Creative Team
Victor Pappas, Director
Catherine Cornell, Scenic Designer
Constanza Romero, Costume Designer
Robert Aguilar, Lighting Designer
Erin Bednarz, Sound Designer
Ruth Eitemiller, Stage Manager
Tori Thompson, Production Assistant
Special Events
July 23 | 6:00 pm | Buster’s
Behind the Scenes with Classical King FM
Get closer to the artists with Classical KING FM’s Sean MacLean as he interviews the show’s director, Victor Pappas.
July 25 | 6:45 pm
Red Carpet Opening Night
Enjoy a complimentary glass of champagne and be a part of the excitement on Opening Night!
July 28 (evening) and August 6 | Post Show Dialogue
July 28 – Featuring Special Guest, Nora Menkin, Executive Director, People’s Memorial Association
Nora Menkin was working as a stage manager in Seattle when The Co-op Funeral Home of People’s Memorial was forming in 2007. She jumped at the chance to be involved with such a wonderful organization. She began as an intern and worked her way up to being named the Managing Funeral Director in 2013, and now Executive Director of People’s Memorial Association and The Co-op Funeral Home. With a background in home funerals, Jewish traditions, and a passion for natural burial and modern funeral practices, Nora strives to make sure every family can make their arrangements according to their needs and wishes. Nora lives in Burien with her husband Nick and son, Sam.
People’s Memorial Association (PMA) was founded in 1939 in Seattle to ensure that everyone had information about and access to death care options that fit with their own values and resources. This year is our 80th Anniversary and we have over 72,000 living members in Washington State. While all of our education and resources are free for everyone, members receive access to discounted rates at partnering funeral homes across the state. Members are also part owners of The Co-op Funeral Home, one of the only not-for-profit cooperative funeral homes in the country, right here in Seattle. PMA was integral this year in legalizing human composting (recomposition) and aquamation (water cremation/ alkaline hydrolysis) in Washington State. PMA believes that everyone should be able to choose whichever death care option works best for their family and community.
August 6– Founder of Death over Dinner, Michael Hebb will be the guest responder.
For the past 20 years Michael has been working to understand the secrets of human connection. His projects have turned into international movements and impacted millions. His second book “Let’s Talk About Death” published by Hachette/Da Capo will be available in the U.S., U.K., and Australia in October of 2018 and Russia, China, Indonesia, Poland and Romania in the fall of 2019.
Michael is a partner at RoundGlass and the Founder of Deathoverdinner.org, Drugsoverdinner.org, EarthtoDinner.org, WomenTeachMen.org and The Living Wake. He currently serves as a Board Advisor at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts; and in the recent past as Senior Advisor to Summit Series, Theo Chocolate, Learnist, Caffe Vita, CreativeLive, Architecture For Humanity, ONETASTE and Mosaic Voices Foundation .
In 1997 Hebb co-founded City Repair and Communitecture with architect Mark Lakeman, winning the AIA People’s Choice Award for the Intersection Repair Project. In 1999 Michael and Naomi Pomeroy co-founded Family Supper in Portland, a supper club that is credited with starting the pop-up restaurant movement. In the years following they opened the restaurants clarklewis and Gotham Bldg Tavern, garnering international acclaim.
After leaving Portland, Hebb built Convivium/One Pot, a creative agency that specialized in the ability to shift culture through the use of thoughtful food and discourse based gatherings. Convivium’s client list includes: The Obama Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, TEDMED, The World Economic Forum, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Clinton Global Initiative, X Prize Foundation, The Nature Conservancy.
Michael is the founding Creative Director of The City Arts Festival, the founder of Night School @ The Sorrento Hotel, the founder of www.seder.today and the founding Creative Director at the Cloud Room. He served as a Teaching Fellow at the Graduate School of Communication at University of Washington. His writings have appeared in USA TODAY, GQ, Food and Wine and numerous other publications. Michael can often be found speaking at universities and conferences, here is his TEDMED talk.
Death Over Dinner was launched in 2013, tracking over 500 dinners in 20 countries. Since then there have been over a hundred thousand #deathdinners around the globe. This adventure began when we learned that 75% of Americans want to die at home, yet only 25% of them do. When we learned that how we end our lives is the most important and costly conversation America is not having. And when we realized that a conversation among loved ones, friends, and even strangers could begin to change these numbers, and bring the conversation about death back into mainstream culture.
This project was created as a gift, an invitation and a simple set of tools to help families and friends address the basic human fact that we are all, at some point, going to die. We suffer more when we don’t communicate our wishes, we suffer less when we know how to honor the wishes of our loved ones. As we build greater comfort and literacy around this important topic, every single one of us wins.
August 1 (evening) | 6:45 pm | Deep Dive | Buster’s
Join us for a deeper look at the play.
ACT Theatre’s Literary Manager Samie Detzer will discuss Joan Didion’s theatrical adaptation of her 2005 memoir about death and grief. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn more about this iconic writer and her work.
This pre-show event is not ticketed and free for anyone to attend.
July 30, August 4 (evening), and 10 (matinee) | after the show
Cast Chat*
Join us for an intimate conversation with Suzanne Bouchard after the performance.
(*Subject to change)
August 1 (evening) | 6:45 pm | Deep Dive | Buster’s
Join us for a deeper look at the play.
ACT Theatre’s Literary Manager Samie Detzer will discuss Joan Didion’s theatrical adaptation of her 2005 memoir about death and grief. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn more about this iconic writer and her work.
Spellbound by this mystical creature, the band continued to play, as if under a magical spell. The serpent, seemingly entranced by the music, started to sway and dance to the rhythm. It moved with such elegance and grace, its body effortlessly twirling and looping in mesmerizing patterns. The audience watched in awe as the Irish Rovers and the serpent seemed to communicate through the universal language of music. The band members, caught up in this enchanting spectacle, played with a newfound fervor. Their fingers danced across the strings of their instruments, their voices harmonizing with the melody, in perfect sync with the serpent's graceful movements. The music swelled, filling the air with an ethereal energy, captivating all who were present. As the night wore on, the bond between the Irish Rovers and the magical serpent grew stronger. They shared a connection that transcended language and culture. It was a moment of pure magic, where music united beings from different worlds in a harmonious embrace. Eventually, the night came to an end, and the serpent disappeared as mysteriously as it had arrived. The Irish Rovers bid farewell to the mesmerized crowd, leaving them with a memory that would be cherished for a lifetime. The encounter with the magical serpent became a legendary tale in Glenderry, and the Irish Rovers' performance that night was immortalized in the hearts of all who witnessed it. It served as a reminder of the power of music to transport us to realms beyond our imagination, where extraordinary creatures like the magical serpent could become a part of our reality, if only for a fleeting moment..
Reviews for "The Irish Rovers embrace the mythical allure of the serpent in their latest venture"
1. John - 2/5 - I found "The Irish Rovers Partake in the Magical Serpent" to be a disappointing and underwhelming experience. The plot lacked coherence and was filled with unnecessary subplots that distracted from the main story. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked depth, making it difficult for me to connect with any of them. Additionally, the pacing was slow, and I often found myself losing interest. Overall, I was left feeling unsatisfied and would not recommend this film to others.
2. Mary - 1/5 - I have to say that "The Irish Rovers Partake in the Magical Serpent" was one of the worst movies I've ever seen. The dialogue was poorly written, often feeling forced and unnatural. The acting was subpar, with many of the actors delivering their lines with little emotion or conviction. The special effects were also quite cheesy and amateurish. I had high hopes for this film, but it turned out to be a major disappointment. Save your time and money and skip this one.
3. David - 2/5 - I had heard great things about "The Irish Rovers Partake in the Magical Serpent," so my expectations were high when I went to see it. However, I was sorely disappointed. The storyline was confusing and hard to follow, with abrupt shifts in tone and inconsistent character development. The film also suffered from poor editing, with several scenes feeling disjointed and out of place. While there were a few good moments, overall, it fell short of my expectations. I wouldn't recommend it unless you're a die-hard fan of the Irish Rovers.