Performances set for early March
By Angie Landsverk
Two plays will be presented in Waupaca on an upcoming March weekend.
The directors are promoting it as Waupaca Theatre Weekend.
“We decided to work together, collaborate,” said Monica Reeves.
She is directing “Anatomy of Gray” March 9-11, at Waupaca High School’s Performing Arts Center.
Barbara Laedtke is directing “Luna Gale” March 8-10, at the Waupaca Train Depot.
“Luna Gale” will be presented by Waupaca Community Theater.
Laedtke is directing it to complete her master’s degree in English at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
A professor recommended the Rebecca Gilman play to her after he saw it performed last spring.
“It’s about addiction. That’s one of the reasons I chose it,” Laedtke said, noting it is a timely topic in the community.
The story is set in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and is about what happens to a baby named Luna Gale after she is taken from her parents, who are young and addicted to drugs.
Due to its graphic language and situations, “Luna Gale” is for mature audiences.
The play features a cast of seven, and Laedtke said in spite of the topic, it is a hopeful story.
She plans to have resource people at the train depot to talk about the issue.
“Luna Gale” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 8; 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 9; and at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 10.
The train depot is located at 525 Oak St., in Waupaca.
Seating is limited, and tickets are general admission with a price of $10.
Tickets are available at the Waupaca Area Chamber of Commerce, the Bookcellar and at the door.
Laedtke and Reeves have known each other about 20 years and have performed together a few times at area venues.
With many WHS students having been part of Waupaca Community Theater, working together to promote these two plays is a good fit.
Laedtke said the Waupaca School District is providing space to build the set and for her cast to rehearse.
It is doing so at no cost.
“It fits in with the whole idea of working with each other, not competing against each other,” she said.
Rehearsals are also taking place for Jim Leonard’s “Anatomy of Gray.”
It is this year’s all-school play at WHS.
Initially, the play was to be presented the week before “Luna Gale.”
Reeves said a conflict with other school activities resulted in the play being moved to the same weekend “Luna Gale” is being presented.
The two directors chose to turn the situation into a positive one by promoting the idea of seeing both plays over the course of the same weekend.
While “Luna Gale” is a modern story, “Anatomy of Gray” is set in the 1880s, Reeves said.
“Anatomy of Gray” is set in Gray, Indiana.
In this story, June Muldoon writes a letter to God after her father dies, asking for her town to receive a doctor so no one ever dies again.
“I just love the storyline. It’s a children’s story for adults,” she said. “It has moments of drama and comedy.”
Reeves said the play has an “Our Town” feeling, and she is setting it up as a studio theater.
“Everyone will be on stage,” she said. “There is no greater feeling for an audience to be involved in. It’s a great experience for the audience and the actors.”
“Anatomy of Gray” is being presented at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 9; 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 10; and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 11.
Seating will be limited to about 100 people per performance, Reeves said.
Tickets are general admission and are $10 for adults and $5 for students.
People may purchase tickets at Waupaca High School’s office and at the door.
Reeves recommends people purchase tickets in advance due to the limited seating.
About 20 students are involved in the production, either as cast members or part of the production team.