Fresh, Fair, and Often Funny Chatting With the Tea Party at Tree of Life UU

The Tree of Life UU Congregation’s Word Players readers' theater troupe presents the acclaimed docudrama Chatting with the Tea Party by Rich Orloff on Friday, November 10, at 7 pm at the church, 5603 Bull Valley Road in McHenry.

Chatting With the Tea Party is about one person’s journey across America exploring the question, “Who are these people?” It’s a documentary style play about a New York liberal playwright who decides to travel around the country interviewing leaders of local Tea Party groups, to get to know people whose political beliefs are diametrically opposed to his. For a year playwright Rich Orloff attended Tea Party meetings and events in cities large and small in every region of the country. The play shapes the highlights of over 63 hours of interviews plus notes from the events to go beyond sound bites and stereotypes to show the people behind the politics. In a journey that’s at times disturbing, humorous, moving, and always thought-provoking.

A finalist for the Woodward/Newman New Play Award and the NuVoices New Play Prize, Chatting With the Tea Party has had readings at 15 theaters around the country and had its world premiere production in New York City in early 2016 at the Robert Moss Theater.

Daniel Pegarsch as playwright Rich Orloff.

The Word Players production features a cast of four with Daniel Pegarsch as the inquisitive playwright.  Ron Relic, Sue and George “Kaz” Kazlusky each portray a dazzling array of roles including local Tea Party leaders, Orloff’s skeptical and critical New York liberal friends, famous historical persons, and a sampling of Americans in a polarizing time.  Also appearing as the Card Girl is Devi Madaus.

Ron Relic plays impassioned local Tea Party leaders, one of Orloff's skeptical New York Liberal friends, historical characters, and other characters.

The Play is directed by Patrick Murfin.

Tickets are $10 available at the door. Proceeds benefit the Social Justice Ministry of the Tree of Life Congregation.

For more information call Tree of Life at 815 322-2464, e-mail office@treeoflifeuu.org, or visit http://treeoflifeuu.org/2017/11/06/chatting-with-the-tea-party-this-friday/ .

 

Cast Announced for the Word Players’ Chatting With the Tea Party

The Word Players, the new reader’s theater company at the Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Congregation in McHenry has announced the cast for its upcoming presentation of the acclaimed play Chatting With the Tea Party by Rich Orloff on Friday, November 10, at 7 pm at the church, 5603 Bull Valley Road in McHenry.

Sue and "Kaz" Kazlusky

Sue and George “Kaz” Kazlusk are retired educators with many years of performing and theater experience in McHenry County.  They both appeared in several editions of the Paradise People and Dille’s Follies revues and are longtime members of those seasonal favorites the Dickens Carolers.  Sue directed the annual Woodstock Children’s Theater productions at the Opera House for nearly 30 years.  She also participated in a reader’s theater production of 400 Years of Unitarian and Universalist Poetry conceived and directed by Patrick Murfin. Kaz is well remembered as the P.A. announcer of Woodstock High School games. They are also long time members of the Tree of Life Adult choir.

Daniel Pegarsch is a veteran of community theater productions including performances at the Raue Center in Crystal Lake.

Ron Relic.

Ron Relic has been a professional actor with stage credits in summer stock and regional theater as well as community theater productions.  He sings with Kaz in the Frothy Boys a cappella group with which his turn as Elvis Pressley’s lesser known brother stops every show the ensemble does. 

Director Patrick Murfin is returning to theater roots stretching back to his high school and college days when had leading rolls in such productions as Damn Yankees, Pygmalion, Inherit the Wind, Oliver!, A Man for All Seasons, Little Murders, and The Rivals.  He also directed John Millington Synge’s Riders to the Sea, and Dylan Thomas’s Under Milkwood.  More recently he created and directed two reader’s theater plays including Thomas Jefferson Still Survives.  Murfin is also an amateur historian, blogger, and published poet in addition to being a well-known local social justice activist.

Chatting With the Tea Party is about one person’s journey across America exploring the question, “Who are these people?” It’s a documentary style play about a New York liberal playwright who decides to travel around the country interviewing leaders of local Tea Party groups, to get to know people whose political beliefs are diametrically opposed to his.  For a year playwright Rich Orloff attended Tea Party meetings and events in cities large and small in every region of the country. The play shapes the highlights of over 63 hours of interviews plus notes from the events to go beyond sound bites and stereotypes to show the people behind the politics. In a journey that’s at times disturbing, humorous, moving, and always thought-provoking. 

The program is part of an on-going series highlighting the arts in Resistance.

Tickets will soon be on sale for the program for $10.  Proceeds will support the social justice ministry of the Tree of Life Congregation. 

For more information call Murfin at 815 814-5645 or e-mail pmurfin@sbcglobal.net.

Tree of Life UU Congregation’s new Word Players to Present Chatting With the Tea Party—Casting Call

The Social Justice Team of Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Congregation is launching a new Arts in Resistance project—Word Players, a readers’ theater company to present interesting and challenging plays with social justice themes.  Under the direction of Patrick Murfin our first effort will be Chatting With the Tea Party by Rich Orloff which will be presented on Friday, November 10 at the church, 5603 Bull Valley Road in McHenry.

Originally written in 2012 and updated in 2016 for its New York Off-Broadway premier the play is more relevant than ever. 

The playwright, Richard Orloff.

Chatting With the Tea Party is about one person’s journey across America exploring the question, “Who are these people?”It’s a documentary style play about a New York liberal playwright who decides to travel around the country interviewing leaders of local Tea Party groups, to get to know people whose political beliefs are diametrically opposed to his.  For a year the playwright attended Tea Party meetings and events in cities large and small in every region of the country. The play shapes the highlights of over 63 hours of interviews plus notes from events the playwright attended to create a play that strives to go beyond soundbites and stereotypes to show the people behind the politics. In a journey that’s at times disturbing, humorous, moving, and always thought-provoking, the playwright discovers not only how and if he can affect the people he meets, but also how they may be influencing him.

The play requires a cast of four—three men and a woman.  One actor will play Rich, the questing playwright.  The other three will take on multiple rolls of real people, public figures, and historical personages.   As a readers’ theater production, actors will work with scripts.  No memorization is required, but a good familiarity and understanding of the material.

The cast of the recent New York production of Chatting With the Tea Party, Maribeth Graham, Richard Kent Green, John E. Brady, and Jeffrey C. Wolf.

We will require one table reading and at least two and no more than three rehearsals.  There will be limited blocking and the use of some props and costume elements.

We are also looking for volunteers to run sound and lighting and for light costume and prop support.  In our dreams, maybe even a stage manager!

Interested?  Casting needs to be completed by October 6.  I can send a .pdf or Word doc copy of the script to those who are interested.  Contact Patrick Murfin at pmurfin@sbcgolobal.net or 815 814-5645.