Thursday, June 05, 2008

Foothill Adds it All Up


Go check out Foothill College's "The Adding Machine" for your Brechtian fix. T0m Gough, the director and head of the conservatory, has done a fantastic job mounting this strange and over the top play. Many excellent performances and a chance to see a style of acting that isn't done much.


_________________________

"The Adding Machine" Presented by Foothill Theatre Arts Department
May 30, 2008 - June 15, 2008

The Foothill College Theatre Arts Department presents The Adding Machine, a comic, expressionistic masterpiece written by Elmer Rice, now through June 15 in the new Lohman Theatre at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills. Remaining evening performances are June 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14 at 8 p.m. Matinees are June 8 and 15 at 2 p.m.

Directed by Foothill Theatre Arts Instructor Tom Gough, the play follows the exploits of Mr. Zero, a hard-working, psuedo-Everyman, as he toils through his rather inconsequential existence, a nameless human cog in a vast business engine. After years of dedication to his job, he finds himself out on his ear-replaced by a machine. Mr. Zero does not take this news lightly, and his choices soon send him on a path through various stages of the afterlife to discover the true nature of his menial existence.

"The foreshadowing nature of Elmer Rice's 1923 play is, in many respects, rather eerie," Gough said. "The Adding Machine directly addresses the question of advancing technology at what cost to personal humanity. While our society is becoming more connected to each other at a staggering rate, it begs the questions what is the quality of this interfacing and is our connectivity detached and ultimately de-humanizing? This production emphasizes the relationship between man and machine."

Performers with featured roles include Peggy Lynch of Atherton; Leslie Breton of Los Gatos; Tim Goble of Mountain View; Alex Hero of Palo Alto; Sarah Griner of Redwood City; Jake Van Tuyl of San Jose; Polina Krasnova of San Mateo; Daniel Mitchell of South San Francisco; and Suzie Poulson of Sunnyvale. Multiple ensemble roles are played Beth Boulay and Victoria Spencer of Campbell; Doug Beckett of Cupertino; Derrick Brooks and Ernesto Garcia of East Palo Alto; Ross Buran of Hillsborough; Ric Ferras of Los Altos; Jerome Sephers of Menlo Park; Arturo Dirzo of Mountain View; Martin Gutfeldt of Palo Alto; Victoria Ippolito, Georgina Kartsonis, Caitlin Lorenc, Juliana Schoedinger and Shannon Tierney of San Jose; Jezebel Barraza and Angel Ordaz of Santa Clara; Brian Van Winkle of South San Francisco; Linda Christensen, Brittany Pirucki and Marvina Reasons of Sunnyvale. The show includes scenic design by Bruce McLeod, costume design by Julie Engelbrecht, lighting design by Andrew Custer and sound design by Chris Graham.

Tickets are $16, general admission; $12, students and seniors; $8, Foothill students with OwlCard. For best seating choice flexibility and immediate purchase confirmation, buy tickets online at http://www.foothill.edu/fa/adding/index.php. For group discount rates and to order tickets by phone, call (650) 949-7360.

Parking Lot 8 provides stair and no-stair access to the theatre. Visitors must purchase the required parking permit for $2. Foothill College is located off I-280 on El Monte Road in Los Altos Hills. For more information, access www.foothill.edu or call (650) 949-7360.
Phone us at: (650) 949-7360
eMail us at: RosenthalDonna@foothill.edu
Click here for more information.

No comments:

Post a Comment