 Mary will be performing for the next month as Clare, the computer Beta Test, and Renee in the Mike Lew comedy Microcrisis.
Visit Next Act Theatre's website for more information and to buy tickets. And, see you at the theater! Oct. 1 addendum: The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel liked it -- check out the review
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 This week is the City of Evanston's Victorian Camp. I'll be there two days to teach the kids dances from the mid-19th century. Then, I'll visit at the end of the week as H.M., where the campers will have an opportunity to apply some of what they've learned.
I'll try to engineer pictures of the event!  I can't even begin to convey how fulfilling my relationship with the City of Evanston's Art Camps has been over the last several years. This year, their lineup included the return of Princess Camp, described like this in the brochure:
"Women leaders are in the news. Explore what it’s like to be a leader-in-training. Being a princess isn’t all sparkles and glamour (though we will take a little time off for some fairy tale reading). We’ll look at Queens from ancient days to today and explore all the things a leader-in-training needs to know, from manners to the minuet!" I appeared as Queen Elizabeth I on the final day of their week-long camp. I taught the 6–11-year old princesses some dances and about deportment. I talked to them about "my" days as a Princess, including some of the most difficult times and what it required of the young Elizabeth Tudor to rise to the throne ("How haps it, Governor, yesterday my Lady Princess, and today but my Lady Elizabeth?") And then we all celebrated by having tea! I feel very passionately about the life of Queen Elizabeth I, who was a very complicated woman, and an incredibly successful ruler. It is always an honor to be asked to share some of what I know. To have the opportunity to appear as/teach about this specific historical figure, and to counter some of the negative connotations of "being a princess," are both very close to my heart. I look forward to hearing, in future years, about these young leaders as they meet their challenges and opportunities like the princesses they are! Thanks again, Evanston, for letting me be part of your programs! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A page will be coming elsewhere on this site about the various possibilities of bringing Queen Elizabeth and/or the Elizabethan period to your school, public library, historical society or civic group. In the meanwhile, inquire directly at bookings(at)marykababik(dot)com.  Optimist Theatre's FREE Shakespeare in the Park opens this year's production, Macbeth, tonight on the campus of Alverno College.
I'm sending out lots of energy to friends and acquaintances who are involved with the show, both on-stage and behind-the-scenes. It takes so many people to bring a project like this to the audience. And it comes to you FREE! Reserved seats have all been reserved, but I understand that many walk-ins are able to get seats, and there is lawn seating. Follow the link above for all the details. The show runs this weekend and next, Thursday-Sunday at 8 pm each night.  I’ve recently had the opportunity to teach Antique and Heritage Dances to several groups of 6–11-year-olds as part of the City of Evanston Arts Camp on the theme of Inheritance where we were Discovering Dance History.
It was loads of fun for me, and I’m pretty sure the kids enjoyed it, too! They certainly learned the dances, including “Gathering Peascods” and “Strip the Willow” with enthusiasm. All the groups learned one in common, and then dances of different social classes and periods by group. The range of activities offered a the Noyes Cultural Arts Center are well worth investigating if you live within proximity. You need not be a resident of Evanston to enroll; check them out and support the terrific work they are doing with kids of all ages (adults included!).  My friends at Optimist Theatre (producers of FREE Shakespeare in the Park) are holding a Sonnet Slam. Here's what you need to know:
What: Get your “poor player” on and “strut and fret [your] hour upon the stage” (more like 2 minutes) at Optimist Theatre's "Sound and Fury Sonnet Slam". When: Monday, May 7, 2012 - from 8:00pm to whenever Where: Transfer Pizzeria and Cafe, 101 West Mitchell Street (in Bay View) / Milwaukee, WI 53204 Parking: Free parking along Mitchell Street Cost: $25 per person*. Space is limited, so don’t wait. 100% of your ticket purchase goes to support free Shakespeare in the Park and $10 is tax deductible. Get tickets or learn more  I introduced a large student group from Racine's Jefferson Lighthouse Elementary School to Cordelia Harvey last week.
The kids had a field trip to the Civil War Museum, saw the exhibits, learned a LOT and were a great audience for Mrs. Harvey! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I am proud to say that I have been playing Cordelia Harvey, including helping to develop the content of the program, under the auspices of the Kenosha Civil War Museum since 2008. Inquire as to performances of Cordelia Harvey for your civic group, historical society, public library or school at bookings(at)marykababik(dot)com orblobello(at)kenosha(dot)org.  Last week, I had three Cordelia Harvey performances at the Civil War Museum in Kenosha. Two were for groups of school kids -- thanks for your attention and questions, students of Antioch Upper Grade School (Antioch, Illinois) and St. Mary's School (Burlington, Wisconsin)!
The Antioch students taught me to always find out whether or not my audience is from Wisconsin! There's a spot in the show where I throw it to the kids to give the year of Wisconsin's statehood. I threw...and waited...and waited...and said, "you're not from Wisconsin, are you?" It's always an adventure! (If you're not sure, the answer is 1848.) I also did a show for a group visiting from the Milwaukee Catholic Home. Thanks to them for trekking down to Kenosha to see the museum and meet with Mrs. Harvey. She was particularly pleased to tell them about her work! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I am proud to say that I have been playing Cordelia Harvey, including helping to develop the content of the program, under the auspices of the Kenosha Civil War Museum since 2008. Inquire as to performances of Cordelia Harvey for your civic group, historical society, public library or school at bookings(at)marykababik(dot)com orblobello(at)kenosha(dot)org.  The University School of Milwaukee in River Hills and Hedberg Public Library in Janesville both had Cordelia Harvey to talk to them about her work for the sick and wounded Union soldiers.
The kids at the University School received me with great attentiveness and some particularly good questions. The public performance at the Hedberg Public Library was especially gratifying, not just for the fact that it had a very receptive audience, but also for the message I received afterwards from a friend who was there: "When I can watch a performance of someone that I've known for almost 20 years and not see the actor, but get lost in the character, that says a lot. And so did Mary Kababik as Cordelia Harvey today at Hedberg Public Library. Well done, Ms. Kababik. Bravo." And thank you, Jen Borlick, for coming and for giving me such a compliment. It's easy to lose perspective on "how it went" from the inside, and actors are our own worst critics, anyway. So your words are very meaningful. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I am proud to say that I have been playing Cordelia Harvey, including helping to develop the content of the program, under the auspices of the Kenosha Civil War Museum since 2008. Inquire as to performances of Cordelia Harvey for your civic group, historical society, public library or school at bookings(at)marykababik(dot)com orblobello(at)kenosha(dot)org.  I had the unique opportunity earlier this week to appear as Mrs. Cordelia Harvey at the Kenosha elementary school that bears her name. Before her marriage, Miss Cordelia Perrine taught school in Southport, Wisconsin -- renamed Kenosha in 1850.
I presented Mrs. Harvey to an all-school assembly of +/-340 students. They stayed focused, they asked intelligent questions at the end, and (here's the kicker) they are in K through grade 5! I have a version of the show that I do for students 5th grade and up, and I planned even more changes to accommodate the youngest students, the age range, and the large size of the group. And then, I made changes on the fly as I was performing. I fit the show into the allotted time frame. No puppets, no music, no magic tricks. Just me, a costume, and history. And a lot of teachers sitting around the edges. The kids were great, the principal was pleased, a faculty member complimented me...BAM! WOOHOO! YES! I have performed Cordelia Harvey for some great groups of kids. But what a joyful thing to pull it off when the challenges going in were more than the usual! Of course, the kids would have been well prepared by their teachers. And, most likely, the personal connection gave them a particular investment in Mrs. Harvey's visit. Still, what a high! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I am proud to say that I have been playing Cordelia Harvey, including helping to develop the content of the program, under the auspices of the Kenosha Civil War Museum since 2008. Inquire as to performances of Cordelia Harvey for your civic/professional/community group, historical society, public library or school at bookings(at)marykababik(dot)com orblobello(at)kenosha(dot)org. |
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