Some of you have, but many have not yet noticed that we have added a page here that takes you quickly to a collection of Clarence Brown Theatre show photographs from the past three seasons.  We don’t have every show, but many of them are here.

Disclaimer: some of these photos were a learn-as-you go process, and most of them were taken not with an SLR with proper creative controls, but with a memory card on a video camera.  The resolution is also a lot lower than today’s digital SLRs provide, so the picture size (and blow-up-ability) is less.  We have a new Nikon now, and we’re making progress, though!  Nevertheless, there are some interesting shots here you might find interesting.  We’re storing our photos on flickr, which allows for easy maintenance and several display options.

To go to my CBT summary page, just hit the “Photos” link on the menu bar, or click here or head to http://www.uttheatre.org/flickr.php.

Enjoy!

For those of you who occasionally miss an issue of the UT Daily Beacon, here’s an interesting column that recently appeared regarding recent experiences at some of our shows:

Here’s the scene: a Voluntary Theatergoer (i.e. not attending for a class) is seated next to two young women later revealed to be the infamous Cellphone Sisters. Every five minutes or so, these girls rummage through their purses, jangle every item inside loudly, pull out their phones and let the green glow cut through the darkness like one of the stage swords.

As bad as the celljunkies were at “Lear,” they were saints compared to the vociferous bunch that attended CBT’s production of August Wilson’s “Fences” earlier this semester. I made the mistake of attending the show on preview night, forgetting that the free admission would include putting up with all who were required to see the play for various classes. Running Commentary Lady sat directly behind me and played narrator for the oh-so complicated plot of the show—that is, when she was not discussing the rest of her day with her companion. During one intense fight scene between the central father and son characters, over half the audience erupted into cheers and laughter, drowning out any dialogue that followed. Nearly half the lines in the play were punctuated by boisterous “ooohs.”

Columnist Crystal Humphrey liked the shows, but wasn’t too keen on the behaviour of some of the others in attendance.  In addition to putting a product on stage,  we may have more work to do in preparing the audience, as well…

George Logan has penned a nice review of Fences in the Feb. 1 edition of Metro Pulse. 

In addition to reflections on the play and its meaning, he likes what we’ve done:

Fences is an important contemporary play, well produced by a talented cast, funny but also emotionally jarring, and, at least at one point at the end, chilling. The gritty urban set, which is exceptionally cool, deserves a final word. The old brick slum where the Maxsons live looks so real you expect that when the play’s over, they’ll haul it downtown, plant it on some parking lot, and David Dewhirst will renovate it for condos.

Red the entire review: :: Metro Pulse Online ::

Greetings, all,
 
I have just gotten off the phone with Kim Midkiff (our education and outreach coordinator) and this is the status of Thursday morning’s show:
 
Because over 100 of our Thursday morning audience is to come from Pigeon Forge, and because the Smokey Mountains are anticipating up to eight inches of snow tonight, the decision was made to reschedule those students for next Wednesday.  As a result, this Thursday morning’s Season for Youth performance has been CANCELLED.
 
This does not affect the rest of the schedule.
 
To the cast:  Also, as a reminder, tonight following the performance we have a talkback with the audience, which is a great way to meet some of the people who come to our productions.  It usually lasts no more than 45 minutes, takes place right on the stage, and starts after you have changed out of costumes.
 
Best,
 
Joe Millett

We have onlne a few shots of Fences   taken during the Final Dress Rehearsal.

We’ve also added a little viewer so you can just scroll along and highlight the image you to see, and it should automatically show larger in the frame to the right.  You can find the pictures at http://www.uttheatre.org/fencesfeature.htm.

Enjoy!

Roger

It’s always nice to see public acknowledgement of the work done here at the Clarence Brown Theatre.  Those who have seen our production of Fences are raving about it.

Knoxville News-Sentinel drama critic Doug Mason attended our Preview perfomance and his review was published in Saturday (Jan. 27, 2007) edition.  After a lengthy summary of the play, he provides his assessment of our production:

The ensemble cast is first rate. Chicago actor A.C. Smith lives Troy Maxson. Never let ‘em catch you acting is advice actors get a lot. Smith’s Maxson is as fully realized a character as I’ve ever seen on stage. Every action, from rage to good humor to self-pity, rises organically from inside the man, and not from a prompt in the script.

The cast, the set, the costumes - they’re all wonderful. And guest director Ron Himes has assembled all these elements into something even finer than their individual parts.

You might have noticed that Doug’s reviews have been rather positive this season.  He seems to like what we’re doing:

“Fences” represents another high mark for the UT theater department, which is undergoing a renaissance under the direction of department head Cal MacLean.

Read Doug Mason’s review here.