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Now – March 28, 2004                                             Lucy Finch (510) 444-4755

 

Stagebridge play features story about grandparents

and hosts 13th Family Matinee and Ice Cream Social

 

Oakland: It’s that time of year again to gather up the family.  Take the kids, mom and dad, grandma and grandpa to the 13th annual Stagebridge Family Matinee and Ice Cream Social.  The company presents the premiere of their new play, “Grandfather’s Journey and Other Grandparent Tales,” followed by an old-fashioned ice cream social.  Performances are at 3:00pm, Sundays, March 21 and 28 at Arts First Oakland (in the First Congregational Church), 2501 Harrison Avenue (at 27th Street), Oakland.  Tickets for the play and ice cream social are $10/general and $5/children.  There is plenty of free parking and wheelchair access.  These events have sold out in the past.  Reservations are encouraged by calling Stagebridge at (510) 444-4755.

Every year for the past thirteen years, Stagebridge playwright/director Linda Spector has adapted popular children’s books about grandparents. This year’s play, “Grandfather’s Journey,” deals with our ancestors' journeys, both their immigration to and their migration within America. The title story is adapted from the poignant autobiographical book by former San Francisco author Alan Say. A grandson tells the story of his grandfather’s steamship journey from Japan to see the world. His grandfather is astonished by the ocean, then by what he sees as he explores America by train.  The more he travels, the more he wants to see, though he loves California best. Still, he misses his family and returns to Japan. Years later he longs to see California again, but is prevented by World War II. His grandson repeats his grandfather’s journeys decades later and comes to know him through their similar yearnings. “The funny thing is, the moment I am in one country, I am homesick for the other.” The play also features two other adapted stories. One tells the story of friendship between a young Mexican migrant worker and “the library lady,” who introduces him to the magical journeys found within the pages of books. In the second story an African prince is sold into slavery but never loses his will to escape and find freedom.

Spector has written more than 25 plays for Stagebridge since its founding in 1978.  She co-directs the company with Dr. Stuart Kandell.  “I’d like audiences to ponder what it means to journey to different places in the world, in their imaginations and in their hearts. I’m also interested in the concept of ‘home.’ Where is home? Is it a particular place or is it with people we love, wherever we are? The stories of our grandparents’ journeys help us understand ourselves better.”

This year’s multicultural cast ranges in age from 14 - 85. Newcomer Chris Waters is a 9th grade student at San Leandro High School. He joins Stagebridge veterans Jay Chee, Cindy Carrico, Olithia O’Toole, Dolores del Barco, Joanne Grimm and Audrey Goodfriend (who has performed with Stagebridge since 1982). Costumes are designed by Ava Childs, sets by Dave Gardner and sound by Vini Beachem.

This production is funded by grants from the U.S. Department of Education, City of Oakland Cultural Arts, Citibank, Wells Fargo Bank, Bank of the West, Southwest Airlines, Banks Family Foundation, Bernard Osher Foundation, Clorox Company Foundation, GATX Capital Corporation, and Oakland Fund for the Arts.

Stagebridge celebrates its 25th anniversary season as the nation’s oldest senior theatre company. The theatre recently premiered a new dance piece at the National Senior Theatre Festival in Las Vegas. On April 13, the company is featured in the “Art of Aging,” a celebration of Bay Area elders in the arts, which will take place at the Hilton Hotel in San Francisco. The company will also be featured at the opening of the American Society on Aging national conference in April. May 15 - 23, Stagebridge will premiere Australian playwright James Keller’s newest play “Hypochondriac,” a modern day adaptation of Moliere’s “Imaginary Invalid.” Also, in May, the company will announce the winners of its annual “Grandparents Tales Writing Contest” with public performances and a radio show.

For more information, contact Stagebridge at (510) 444-4755 or www.stagebridge.org.