The American Dream
So, Savage in Limbo having gone so well, we looked for another play to perform in our 1990 opening season. Donna McGarry, whom I had produced the last show for, gave me another script to look at. It was The American Dream by Edward Albee and was to be the beginning of my love affair with this man’s work. My notes from back then are cocky and show a young director’s bravado.“We can do this play tomorrow. It’s a bizarre little comedy about ‘getting satisfaction’. It’s a razor sharp attack on middle class America. The character of the ‘Young man’ could use a Greek mask and be placed in an unusual costume and setting.” At the time I was really getting into the art of Jean Cocteau, especially his film Orpheus. Reading this now makes me smile. Because I had no idea who the playwright was and how he wanted his words performed. In reality, Mr. Albee insisted his work be produced without changes. Not one comma, stage direction, inclination, or thought is to be put out of place. WELL….. He would have hated my production. For this version was second to none in its fiercely bold interpretation of this American classic of Absurdist theatre.
Shark Attack!:
We were back at our local Nyack library and this time we were setting up a 1960’s living room. So, we brought in coaches, other furniture, a money tree made with real dollar bills & some wild period costumes. Our local community was rich in all kinds of artists and so to spruce up the look of the rather drab walls. I asked two friends to exhibit their photography and paintings. Once more, I looked about to find something to hang our hat on musically and serve as an overture. Once more I did not to go far as amongst our cast Nickie who was playing ‘Mommy’ in our play. Her husband, at the time, Billy Roues was a guitarist in a very popular local band called Finn and the Sharks. They played some wild Rockabilly, and this is their white hot song called Feeding Frenzy from their album Shark Therapy. Still makes me want to dance after all these years. Billy also supplied the fine threads that Mel wore as the American Dream.
Mommy and Daddy wore Greek Tragedy masks which we made from molds of our own faces.
“bumble of joy”
In the play there is a deeply dark monologue delivered by Grandma about her daughter. Who in the past had adopted a baby that she and daddy later mutilated and killed when the “bumble of joy” failed to live up to their expectations for it. So, to underscore the horror of this, we came up with the idea of Nickie and Tom seemingly tearing apart a baby on stage. Mommy and Daddy wore Greek Tragedy masks which we made from molds of our own faces. Tom Jones created a puppet which he sculpted out of foam with arms and legs which detached and ping-pong balls for eyes. You can see one of them flying across the air! The ‘Bumble’ was wrapped in a blanket made from a bath mat. It worked, grossing out the audience without a single drop of blood spilt. Then there was the wild face which Meghan Trudell drew. I loved it and got Kelly Duncan to spray paint it onto a large sheet. It became a part of the surreal setting for The American Dream. The audience just didn’t know what to think? But, reviews were excellent. The word went around that you never knew what to expect from our shows, and that was a good thing.
Melvin Hancock.
While doing ‘The American Dream’ we discovered Melvin Hancock. He became an integral part of our team. Making all our posters and flyers through his printing business. A huge gift in those expensive days of advertising in a ‘paper driven world’. But, more than that, he also became one of our leading actors. Without his talent, courage and willingness to accept challenges. I would not have been able to accomplish so many of the projects we were to take on as the years went by.
