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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 12, 2017)
T H E AT E R BY RICK LEVIN THE KILLER INSIDE Director Mark VanBeever delves into the exquisite evil of Jekyll & Hyde L ike so much that descends to us from the rich and fertile period of the late 19th century — Freud, Ni- etzsche and Marx, to name but the obvious heav- ies — Robert Louis Stevenson’s gothic novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde has entered common parlance, describing an aspect of the human con- dition, and not a particularly pleasant one. The story of Jekyll and Hyde is a familiar one, as is the way it speaks to the duality of human nature, good and evil and all that. Like so many writers of his time, Stevenson intuits the catastrophes of the coming century, and how questions of addiction, social engineering, mental illness and amoral scientific advancement would plague us in the form of mass murder and, by extension, our own extinction as a species. With admirable relish and a strong sense of the maca- bre, director Mark VanBeever digs into the darkest aspect of Jekyll & Hyde, the Broadway musical currently on stage at Cottage Theatre. In a production that calls to mind the dastardly, corrosive glee of Sweeney Todd, all shadows and leer, VanBeever turns this song-and-dance nightmare into a perfect parable for our times — a cautionary tale about innate evil that delights and disarms in equal measure. Here, the Jekyll/Hyde split is literalized, with the role of the main character being divided between two roles: Play- ing the good doctor is Josh Carlton, while his evil incar- KORY WEIMER AND TRACY NYGARD IN COTTAGE THEATRE’S JEKYLL & HYDE nation Hyde is played with chilling malignancy by Kory Weimer, who literally shadows Carlton throughout the cottashow until those moments he seizes control. It’s a wonderful conceit, and one which almost got the show canceled until a last-minute reprieve was sent from the show’s publishers in New York; apparently, it was originally deemed that VanBeever’s idea of making Jekyll and Hyde two separate parts violated artistic intent. Thank- CLASSIFIEDS BULLETIN BOARD Announcements DAWN of TRUTH & TRANSFORMATION Envision a World of Peace & JUSTICE Share-International.org SHARE H O P E Classes THE HEART HAS NO WRINKLES Planned Parenthood of Southwestern Oregon believes opening up our conversations about sexuality in mid- and later-life is important. If you are over 55 and interested in learning more about the many dimen- sions of sexuality and aging, The Heart Has No Wrinkles, is a seven-week class begin- ning November 15th. Registration is $50.00 with 15 spaces available. Deadline to regis- ter is November 8th. For more information, or to register call 541-344-1611 x1014. Pets GREENHILL HUMANE SOCIETY Everybody Deserves a Good Home. Open Fr-Tu 11a-6p, closed We/Th 88530 Green Hill Rd 541-689- 1503 and 1st Avenue Shelter open Tu-Fr 10a-6p & Sa 10a-5:30p, closed Su/Mo 3970 W. 1st Ave 541-844-1777. green-hill.org See our Pet of the Week! SHELTER ANIMAL RESOURCE ALLIANCE S.A.R.A.’s Treasures Gift & Thrift Shop. Volunteer, Donate, Shop, ADOPT! 871 River Road, Open Daily 10am-6pm. 541-607-8892 sarastreasures.org LOOK FOR THIS WEEK’S RESCUED CAT . FOR SALE Art ART WORKS , etchings, drawings and gouaches. Reasonable, witty, visual puns. Serious inquiries only. 541-465-3924 M U S I C / E N T E R TA I N M E N T Singer/Songwriters INSPIRATIONAL SOUNDS NEEDS SINGERS! Inspirational Sounds is an award winning, non-profit, community choir singing joyous African-American Gospel Music. If you’re interested in this vibrant group, call Carol at 541-995-8459 or 541-517-3770. Look us up on FB! EMPLOY MENT Help Wanted DIGITAL ARCHIVIST Part-time, 20-24 hrs/wk. $12.00/hr. Requirements: Proficiency with both Mac and PC. Experience with Adobe Photoshop, scanning and cataloging soft- ware. PastPerfect experience and graphics talent a plus. Proficiency with spread- sheets. Must be able to work independently on repetitive tasks, supervise volunteers, and be available for some weekend work. Previous experience with museums, cultur- al organizations, or non-profits a plus. Must be able to lift 40 pounds and climb stairs. Send cover letter and resume to: Office Manager, Lane County Historical Museum, 740 West 13th Avenue, Eugene, OR 97402 or officemanager@lchm.org. Deadline: 5:00 PM, October 20. For more information, call 682-4242. SEEKING A FEMALE CAREGIVER . Must have senior disabled services provider number and some medical knowledge. Old hippy chick, wheelchair bound, needs help with cleaning and cooking. No drama, please! Dependable and reliable transportation. Start ASAP. OMMP friendly. If interested, please call: 541-688-5116. ANTRICAN: NEW & RESALE CLOTHING & GIFTS , $20 BAGSALE! F, 9-22, S, 9-23. 245 W. 8th, 12-8p. Unseen inventory included! Don’t miss it! Mention ad for 10% off Jekyll & Hyde plays through Oct. 29 at Cottage Theatre in Cottage Grove; $15-$25, tickets at 541-942-8001 or cottagethreatre.org. To place a classified ad: CALL 541.484.0519 EMAIL classy@eugeneweekly.com WEB classifieds.eugeneweekly.com WRITE 1251 Lincoln St. Eugene, OR 97401 VISIT our office Monday-Friday 9am-5pm ASSISTANT THEATER MANAGER POSITION – Richard E. Wildish Community Theater, Springfield Oregon. The continuing and exciting success of the Richard E. Wildish Community Theater has created a unique opportunity for an individual interested in Theater Management. This modern 281- seat theater offers its rental clients a stage with professional sound and lights, modern Green Room and Dressing Rooms. It is cur- rently home to four Resident Companies and scores of additional users. The suc- cessful Assistant Manager applicant will assist the manager in all aspects of running the fabulous Wildish Theater, including office operations, bookings and contracts, and tech system knowledge The half-time work schedule will vary week to week based on the theater performance schedule and other demands. Please respond by sending a cover letter and resume to PO Box 620, Springfield, OR, 97477. Resumes need to be received by 5:00 p.m. Friday, October 20, 2017.“Richard E. Wildish Theater is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to status as a protected veteran or a qualified individual with a disability, or other protected status, such as race, religion, color, national Oregon, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or age.” $DANCERS$ Tired of your current club! SWEET ILLUSIONS has day & night shifts available. No experience, can train. Excellent tips! 541-852-8625 or 541-517- 7196 THE HOTTEST CLUB IN LANE COUNTY! (up to 4 lines, 160 characters) for 2 weeks. Briefly list your skills/experience & contact info. Email to: office@eugeneweekly.com or call 541-484-0519 Career Training NEW class starting November 7 http://gardenofinktattoo.com/tattoo-school LINE ADS: $11/3 LINES ADDITIONAL LINES: $4 EVENTSCALENDAR assistance league thrift shop Art Event! 1149 WILLAMETTE | TUES-SAT 10-4 eugene.assistanceleague.org ART WITH GRACE COUNSELING New Fall Art Therapy Groups Starting: Inward, Onward, Upward A journey inward to reconnect with yourself, your dreams and your creativity. Tuesdays, Oct. 17th-Dec 12th from 5:15-7:30pm Art Therapy Group for Individuals Managing Pain and Illness Wednesdays, Oct. 18th-Nov.15th from 4:30-6:30pm No art experience necessary. Register by Oct. 16th. For more information and to register go to www.artwithgracecounseling.com SEEK ING EMPLOY MENT LOST YOUR JOB? Place a free line ad here TATTOO ARTIST TRAINING PROGRAM EVENTS fully, the owners of the musical relented. The musical numbers, accompanied by a pit orchestra, are fantastic, and the choreography is expertly conceived and realized, creating a busy, teeming atmosphere that brings to mind the crepuscular noir of Fritz Lang. Overall, the production evokes a humid atmosphere, full of threat and insidious intent, evoking the twilit claustrophobia of darkened city streets crawling with evil. The cast is big, full of unnamed ensemble parts, and the most important roles are exceptionally well cast. It would be impossible to list them all here, but I will mention a pair of stalwarts who certainly elevate the show, in terms of both vocal and acting chops: Phoebe Gildea as Emma, Dr. Jekyll’s long-suffering fiancée, and the always strong Tracy Nygard, who sizzles as Lucy Harris, a tavern girl taken in by the sexualized gaslighting of Jekyll as he suc- cumbs more and more to his Hyde-ness. It’s rare to see a community theater put on such a vi- brant (in a dark, gothic way) and lush production. Van- Beever likes to take risks and go big, and he has more than enough talent and experience to pull it off. Forged through difficulties that had the cast and crew mired in uncertainty to the last minute, this show is something of a triumph. It’s not a perfect production — erratic volume was an issue the night I attended, and the performances proved somewhat uneven — but any minuscule faults it might have are erased in the boisterously gloomy swoon on stage. Cottage Theatre’s Jekyll & Hyde is an entertaining ex- amination of the good and evil in us all, and in its own way it provides antidote as well as an answer to the fear that seems to hold us hostage — and I’m not just talking about Halloween. You or a family member may qualify for the Oregon Health Plan (OHP) ADDICTIONS COUNSELOR TRAINING PROGRAM Serenity Lane, 52-week no cost Addiction Counselor Training For more info, visit www.serenitylane.org, click on Employment Opportunities, then on Serenity Lane’s Counselor Training Program Opportunities. A family of four earning up to $2,795 a month may qualify for adult coverage. Children in a family of four earning up to $6,075 a month may qualify for Healthy Kids For FREE OHP application assistance, call 541-543-5484 541-284-5702. eugeneweekly.com • October 12, 2017 35
