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Adapted children's fable premieres on local stage
(by Bob Abelman - February 03, 2010)
Adapted children's fable premieres on local stage
By BOB ABELMAN
On the main stage of the Chagrin Valley Little Theatre is a play that merges Shakespearian tragedies with film noir crime dramas to create a comedic murder mystery. Judging from the title of the play opening Feb. 12 at the smaller River Street Playhouse, it sounds as if the CVLT is offering yet another hybrid production.
In fact, "Mr. Death and the Redheaded Woman" sounds like a cross between something Gothic and something Gaelic, a Lord of Darkness meets Lord of the Dance.
Close. "Mr. Death and the Redheaded Woman" is an adaptation of a wonderful children's fable written by Helen Eustis. It borrows elements of traditional folk tales and moves them into the Old West.
Originally published as a short story in the Saturday Evening Post in 1950, the fable was turned into an illustrated children's book in 1983 and was recently adapted for the stage as a one-act play with music by two Chagrin Falls residents, Shelley Costa and Bill Rowe.
In the story, feisty Maude Applegate, the redhead in the title, chases after Mr. Death to negotiate for the life of her beloved Billy-be-damn Bangtry, who is gunned down in a saloon.
Mr. Rowe, a composer and musician, happened upon this story, fell in love with it, and -- as is his tendency -- immediately thought it should be set to music. He ran into Ms. Costa, who had collaborated with him on a full-length musical several years ago, and started thinking about the possibility of turning the story into a play.
"I also fell in love with it," said Ms. Costa," but I write original fiction and have never adapted someone else's work. But this story is so visual and the author's language is so distinctive that it was a pleasure to write."
As for Mr. Rowe's contribution, he noted that "this musical has some songs written specifically for it, but it also includes other songs I wrote that Shelley believed to be a perfect complement to the storytelling. The play includes 13 songs."
The project's biggest challenge was finding out who owned the rights to this piece of literature, considering that it was written over 50 years ago for a magazine that is no longer in existence. Fortunately, Ms. Costa used to work in the publishing industry in New York and knows the ins and outs of permission acquisition. After some research and a few phone calls, she finally traced the rights back to the author herself, who gave her blessing to the adaptation and its limited production on the CVLT stage. This will be the show's world premiere.
Directed by Pamela Ruiz, the cast includes Amy Pelleg, as Maude Applegate, Brian G. McCann, as Mr. Death, Natalie Dolezal, as Granny, and Jon Gellott, as Billy-be-damn Bangtry. Mr. Rowe will be serving as the play's narrator and, with his ever-present acoustic guitar, its troubadour.
"Mr. Death and the Redheaded Woman" runs until Feb. 27. For tickets, which are $10, call (440) 247-8955.
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