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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 29, 2012)
TH EATER BY ANNA GRACE CHRISTMAS MAGIC ACE conjures up Christmas: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year I bang through the heavy wooden doors of the Actors Cabaret of Eugene, ten minutes late and anxious to escape the rain and noise of Willamette Street. But two steps in the door and I am immobilized, dripping a small pool of water in the entrance. Actors Cabaret has been transformed for their upcoming, original production Christmas: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year. Every inch of space is adorned with Christmas decora- tions, the stage festooned, the hallway decked. I’ve entered a magical Christmas land and can feel my heart swelling up like the Grinch’s at the sound of Whoville singing. The architect of this Christmas-tasia, ACE director Joe Zingo, sits with a petite, smiling Lydia Lord, who may actually have a little elf blood. Their mismatched scripts lay open before them, a mess of notes, crossed out passages and inserted song breaks. Zingo and Lord are co-writing a play, and from the looks of it, working together really has been the most wonderful time. The decision to work together was a bit unorthodox, with Zingo announcing the co-written play in press materials before actually confirming with Lord that she was in on the project. “Well she didn’t say she wasn’t going to do it!” Zingo defends himself with a smile. Lord rolls her eyes, but admits that she is delighted, “I’m really glad I said … whatever it was I said that gave him the indication that I meant yes.” The idea to create their own show came out of the frustra- tion of reading holiday scripts. A good Christmas play is hard to come by. “It’s not a matter of having a hard time finding a good Christmas script,” Zingo says. “There are no good CAST OF ACE’S CHRISTMAS: THE MOST WONDERFIL TIME OF THE YEAR Christmas scripts.” He’s right. Yet there are always good Christmas audiences. People who want to celebrate the sea- son in the community with others, who hope to provide holi- day traditions that sit outside the buying-and-getting box. According to Lord, “Audiences are looking for that wonder- ful bubbling-up-inside feeling we felt when we were chil- dren.” Zingo agrees, “People want to stop being Scrooges.” The play is structured within the format that ACE does so well; big musical numbers and moving vignettes. It includes bits from at least 70 songs, from traditional carols to modern pieces, silly songs, sing-a-longs, emotional pieces and two of Lord’s original pieces including one entitled “Christmas in Eugene.” Lord also crafted the med- leys necessary to fit 70 songs into a 90-minute show. “No one is better at taking songs and weaving them together than Lydia,” Zingo asserts. “She is a master.” The music is interspersed with Zingo’s original monologues that run from humorous to heart-wrenching, as the play addresses more than just the delights of the season. “We recognize that Christmas is a very difficult time for some,” Zingo says. The show looks at how To place a classifi ed ad: CALL 541.484.0519 EMAIL classy@eugeneweekly.com WEB classifi eds.eugeneweekly.com WRITE 1251 Lincoln St. Eugene, OR 97401 VISIT our offi ce Monday-Friday 8am-5pm EVENTS A WORKSHOP FOR NON-ARTISTS The Creative Flow Painting as a Personal Process. December 9th, 12-4 pm. New Zone Gallery 164 W. Broadway. Laura Stockford, Psychotherapist & Maureen Campbell, Artist. 541-554-7096. $60 in advance, $75 at the door. HOLIDAY BAZAAR! WINTER DANCE CLASSES REGISTER SOON 8 Week Series/Th ursday Nights JAN. 10 - MAR. 14, 2013 ! a beautiful selection at special holiday prices wit nce h U s Piccadilly Flea Market Dec. 1st & 2nd Sat & Sun 10-4 Lane County Fairgrounds www.elanbeads.com Da & Jewelry Beginning & Beyond Beginning Rumba, Cha-Cha, Merengue, Samba Intermediate to Advanced Silver Rumba LEARN TO MAKE CHEESE A Series of classes at Wise Acres Farms. Please visit: herbal- transitions.com or 541-736-0164 for class information! PARENT PARTNERSHIP FUNDRAISER Axe and Fiddle, Cottage Grove, Dec 2nd. 5-8pm SUDS, SONGS, AND SILENT AUCTION! LIVE MUSIC! 1st and 2nd, 10 am - 5 pm. Pottery on the Hill. 37036 Hwy 58, 1 mile east of Pleasant Hill, watch for the signs on the south side of the Hwy! Handcrafted gifts, stoneware, fiber and wood. BULLETIN BOARD Opportunities ICE HOCKEY! ANYONE CAN PLAY! Adult, non- checking, coed ice hockey leagues and classes in Eugene! No skating experience necessary. Classes with free loaner gear begin October 6! 541-521-1650 icecenter@ gmail.com www.icecenterhockey.org PLAY RUGBY! EUGENE REIGN IS RECRUITING PLAYERS & FANS! Training Mon & Wed 5:30- Announcements HAVE A $1000 IDEA TO IMPROVE HEALTHCARE IN AMERICA? SUBMIT IT TODAY AT http://www. peopleschoice.org TO WIN CASH+TRIP TO KICKOFF. REGENSTRIEF INSTITUTE WILL CONDUCT STUDY ON WINNING IDEA. Classes EUGENE FENCERS CLUB Modern Olympic Fencing. Foil, Epee & Saber. USFA/USFCA Certified Coaches. Roosevelt Middle School, Tuesday & Thursday, 6-8:30pm, 541-688- 6574, eugenefencersclub.org 7:30pm at SEHS soccer fields. No experi- ence necessary! eugenewomensrugby. com UO’S CENTER FOR APPLIED 2ND LANGUAGE STUDIES is looking for 5-month homestay accommodations for Chinese & Taiwanese college students interning in South Eugene area elementary schools 2/2013 – 6/2013. Students require private bedrooms, healthy food, access to public transportation, con- versation, & inclusion. $500/mo stipends for room & board provided. Please contact Linda Ellis at ellis3@uoregon.edu (541-346- 5711). Email: dancelaurarobert@riousa.com Evening appointments - Gift Certifi cates Student/Senior Discounts - Auto accident Upcoming Events 3635 Hilyard H ilyard • 686.0432 Meditation to Uplift Your Holiday Season Enhance communication, connection, comfort & joy Mon., Dec 3-17, 7-8:30 pm Simrat, Jai Kartar & Jerry www.yogawesteugene.com 26 Fairfield Church of the Nazarene 1052 Fairfield Ave, Eugene, OR 97402 Saturday, December 1st, 10am-3pm Unique gifts from local artisans. Many door prizes & fresh homemade breakfast/lunch available. POTTERY STUDIO HOLIDAY SALE December L I N E A D S : $ 1 1 / 3 LI N E S A D D I TI O NA L L I N E S : $ 4 Contact us for registration form Deadline Dec. 28th (541)342-3058 The Spiral School 11/29 Inner Light Circle w/Carolyn Fonyo 12/13 Shamanic Journey Group w/Willow Rose 12/14 Channeling Gathering w/Ker Cleary & Julia Trippe 541-349-0595 www.TheSpiralSchool.com Christmas: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year runs Nov. 30-Dec. 22 at Actors Cabaret of Eugene, $16-$41.95. CLASSIFIEDS EVENTSCALENDAR Elan Beads Christmas changes for us as we age, that for some parents the Christmas to-do list is so long they can barely enjoy the season, and other parents who do not even have the resources to provide their children with a home. Zingo seems particularly concerned with commercial- ism, and how it has taken over the season. “For some people, Christmas starts with sales, and ends with sales. That’s how they know it’s Christmas.” But the play is by no means dark. “Joe is obsessed with it being entertaining!” Lord says. Coming in well under two hours, the play is completely child-friendly. You can bring your family for dinner or just order drinks and des- sert at intermission. Currently the play is being considered for publication. And while seeing her work live on would be exciting, it is not Lord’s primary motivation. “I would like to send peo- ple out into the season with lots of warm, loving feelings.” I know that’s how I felt upon leaving ACE that morning. Q November 29, 2012 • eugeneweekly.com Leslie Shawver, LMT #3492 541-870-7245 www.sportsmassageplus.net Sports, Deep Tissue, Myofascial for injury 1 block from treatment, stress relief, Matthew Knight and chronic pain Arena 1907 Garden Ave., Suite 205, Eugene Healing Massage Lucia McKelvey , LMT 541.683.3286
