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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (May 5, 2011)
theater BY ANNA GRACE LCC Professor Patrick Torelle Sushi Set Lunch with soup from $6.00 Sushi Dinner 7 pieces sushi & one roll with soup from $14.00 Happy Hour 5-7 H ULTC ENT ER .ORG or 541.682.5000 $8.50 including a choice of Set Meal with Beer, Wine, Sake, or etc. Also at UO’s EMU Ticket Offi ce Are you Sushi lover ? Try our authentic Japanese style Sushi, not American style. We serve some fi sh shipped directly from Japan for very reasonable price. Playwrights in Search of a Play We also serve traditional Japanese Noodles, Udon or Soba. LCC’s Spring Inspirations highlights new work by students 541 686-3504 • kamitori10.com E ver wonder what would make a person sever the head from her spouse’s body and carry it around in a car? Jenna Clinkscales has. Fortunately for Clinkscales, a student at Lane Community College, professor Pat- rick Torelle leads a nine-month playwriting workshop that allows budding writers to ponder life’s irregularities, big and small, and stage them for our enjoyment. Spring Inspirations, a festival of 10-minute plays, has been around in one form or another for fi fteen years, making playwrights out of students like Clinkscales every spring. Torelle sets students up with the tools they need, holding the door open for their creativity to come tumbling out onto the stage. Students in his playwriting class start with a six-line play (count ‘em, six!) that must encompass an entire story and the world in which it’s set. From there the plays are slowly fl eshed out to ten minutes each. I caught Torelle between classes to fi nd out how on earth he and his students manage to pull this off. For a seasoned teacher and thespian like Torelle, the formula is simple. He asks his writers to provide two basic plot elements: “What is it your character has to have beyond anything, what would they be willing to crawl through broken glass to obtain?” and “What seemingly insurmountable obstacle do they have to face to get it.” From there, he sits back and has fun giving his students a few helpful tips and watching the newly created characters attempt to meet their goals. Once the scripts have emerged from the hearts of his writers, Torelle helps his students fi nd a director and a cast. “I always love this project for getting new people involved,” Torelle says of the large cast, which exceeds 30 members. A revolving stage and screen projections keep the sets simple and the action rolling, all so the focus is on the new plays as they spring to life. This year, Spring Inspirations includes ten original one-act plays. Playwrights range in age from those eligible for senior discounts to a few who are not yet allowed in pubs. They’ve explored varying themes, from a satire on airport security to the mundane details of living life on the street. The drama of domestic turmoil shares the evening with a mock bank robbery. “It’s always a fantastic mix of the comedic, tragic and bizarre,” says Torelle. “I look forward to this every year,” Torelle says, his voice full of enthusiasm. “There’s nothing like watching the faces of my students as their work comes to life.” ew Spring Inspirations plays at LCC’s Blue Door Theater at 7:30 pm May 6-14; tickets can be had at the door for a $3-$5 suggested donation. Special $10 college student tickets for Selected events presented by: Eugene Ballet Co., Eugene Concert Choir, Eugene Opera*, Eugene Symphony, Oregon Mozart Players Oregon Bach Festival Chamber Music@Beall Hall 1044 Willamette St. Eugene, OR *rush/day of performance only LORD LEEBRICK THEATRE COMPANY Previews May 4 & 5 Shakespeare’s Romance Adapted & Directed by John Schmor Opens May 6 runs through May 28 This summer for kids 7 & up Fun & Excitement... Cam p star s Theatre Summer Camps t Ju Registering now! TICKETS 541-465-1506 54 lordleebrick.com lo ne 2 0 IT’S A SOUP-CENTRIC UNIVERSE… AND YOU’RE INVITED! NO W ! OPEN D ONALD D EXTER J R DMD LLC DENTISTRY Our vision is simple – we believe in integrity above all else, and we serve those who are seeking a trusted source for their dental care Browse our website or call if you have any questions! We look forward to providing your care. 2233 W ILLAMETTE S T , B LDG B • 541-485-6644 w w w. d r d e x t e r. c o m Over 80 Varieties of Soup O ur Menu Changes Daily! Soups ~ Salads ~ Sandwiches ~ Frozen Soup To-Go Full Espresso Bar! Open 7am M-F, Sat. 9-3 525 High Street (541) 683-1999 Like us on WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM • BLOGS.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM acebook EUGENE WEEKLY MAY 5, 2011 35
