Garret Players to perform East of the Sun, West of the Moon

Tina Howe

The Garret Players will perform "East of the Sun and West of the Moon," Nov. 20-22 at American International College. The play, part of the Arts at AIC series, will be performed in the Griswold Theatre and is open to the public free of charge. The Friday and Saturday shows will begin at 7:00 p.m., and the Sunday performance will be at 2:00 p.m.

Tina Howe adapted "East of the Sun and West of the Moon," a play with music, from a Norwegian folk tale.

AIC Theater Director Fred Sokol of Longmeadow, has had previous experience with her works. "Howe writes terrific scripts. I know, having elsewhere directed "The Art of Dining" and "Museum," which she wrote. Additionally, I've reviewed professional productions of "Painting Churches" and "Coastal Disturbances."

The current AIC presentation finds a teenage girl, Tove, attempting to deal with her mother and selective siblings who are not kind to her. Her father, crippled, is sweet and generous," he said.

A bear comes along and informs her that he could bring her family riches if she would follow him. She does just that and this begins a journey, one which we create through lyrics, music, and lighting. "This is a multi-dimensional play, one which is both child and adult friendly. It is part: romance, fairly tale, drama, and comedy," he said.

The play was first presented by Children's Theatre Company of Minneapolis during its 1994-1995 season. Sokol said the cast and crew will include many AIC students, two faculty members, and more. The leading actors include AIC students Kathleen Crooker of Brockton and Joe Brown of West Windsor, New Jersey.

"I thought of them when selecting the play, surmising that their talents would mesh well with those needed to fill the descriptions of, respectively, Tove and the bear," Sokol said.

The production will also feature guest musical director Margaret Irwin-Brandon, the director of music at The Unitarian Society of Greater Springfield and founder of the Arcadia Players Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Ensemble. A pianist, organist, harpsichordist, and choir director, Brandon performs and tours in Europe and the U.S. As a Fulbright Scholar in Germany, she studied organ with Karl Richter and continued harpsichord studies with Gustav Leonhardt.

For more information, contact the AIC Office of Public Relations at (413) 205-3231.