Back in the springtime, we came up with the idea of a traveling theater that would move from village to village around Newton and present simply staged plays in unusual locations – “keep it simple, travel light and move from place to place”. It was hard to know ahead of time if it would work. So we rolled the dice and put together a six night, in three locations, production of Brian Friel’s “Faith Healer”. This play was a bodacious choice for a first production – it’s an incredibly difficult role for all three actors. It’s very dark and dense and beautifully written but not an obvious and easy crowd pleaser.
Opening night came, the lights went up, and these three actors (Dave Rich, Linda Goetz, Billy Meleady) delivered three breathtaking performances that completely awed the audiences. The word-of-mouth buzz from those opening weekend was fantastic and the crowds turned up to fill the house for all six performances in the run. The show was set to close last night but we’ve decided to add three additional performances.
We’re packing up the wagons and moving on to a new village. On Friday Nov 7 and Saturday Nov 8 we’ll be bringing “Faith Healer” to Auburndale, to the Auburndale Community Library. Each new venue in the run so far has had a completely different vibe. The volunteer-run, community library should be a cozy and intimate setting for the play.
For the final performance, the camels will be heading east to the Brendan Behan Pub in Jamaica Plain. This last performance will be stripped down even further. No theater seating, just three actors, telling their compelling stories in a pub setting.
If you haven’t seen Faith Healer yet, be sure to catch one of these final three performances. Over the last three weeks a number of Village 14 regulars have seen the show and they can tell you that something special is going on with this production, so don’t miss it.
The success of “Faith Healer” has proven that there is indeed a ready-and-willing audience for this kind of theater in Newton. That’s all we needed to know.
Next up – on Friday Nov 21 we’ll be hosting the Nomad Story Slam at Gregorian Rugs in Lower Falls. It will be a community story telling night loosely modeled on NPR’s Moth Radio Hour. Here’s how it works. The theme of the night will be “on the road”. Anyone who attends can (but is not required to) throw their name in a hat to tell a story. The stories should be roughly 5 minutes long, they must be true, and they must have happened to you, and they should somehow be related to the “”on the road” theme – beyond that, its up to you. It can be funny, or sad, or poignant, or ridiculous – it just has to be a good story. Everyone has at least one good story in them so we urge you to polish it up, come on down to Gregorian Rugs and tell it to us all. If you’ve never been to a “story slam”, you will love it – friends, neighbors, strangers taking turns telling great stories.
We’ll also be featuring a few mystery celebrity story tellers in the mix – familiar faces telling their own stories. If all goes well, we hope to make the Nomad Story Slam a regular event.
We’ll also soon start putting together plans for our second full production for some time in late winter. We’re collecting possible scripts and we greatly appreciate the tips audience members have been sending for possible future productions. If you have ideas of plays that can be simply told, and that rest on the power of the story rather than the glitz of the production, send them along to us ([email protected]). Likewise we also greatly appreciate the tips of lesser known and unusual venues in different corners of Newton. Keep them coming too. We’d like to bring our next production to some new villages and venues. We’re also interested in recruiting more volunteers for all the behind the scenes work (stage management, props, ticket selling, lights, publicity, etc). Experienced or not, if you’re enthusiastic about the nomadic theater idea, then we’d love your help – contact [email protected].
To buy tickets for either “Faith Healer” or the Nomad Story Slam, go to http://NewtonNomadicTheater.org
I went last night and it was fantastic! The play is perfect for minimalist sets and I think it would be awesome to see it in the pub setting.
And I want to publicly thank Jerry for being such a mensch. Your generosity in helping me was was very much appreciated!
Joanne and I went there on Friday evening. It was a fantastic performance and as I said earlier, it was great that Linda Goetz from Upper Falls was such as smashing success as the Faith Healers’ wife. Jerry, you area indeed “a shameless promoter”, and we’re all the better for it.
@Jerry- thanks again for making one of your incredible ideas a reality. This is a huge add to the community!
I wholeheartedly agree that Jerry is total mensch and continues to make a positive impact with his wonderful ideas and projects in the community of Newton, at-large.
Aw shucks. Thanks
Nomadic Theater of Newton is just getting off the ground, and it is already making an enormous contribution to the cultural life of this city. Go see The Faith Healer–it is a beautifully directed & acted piece–an evening in the theatre that will linger in your mind long afterwards–at least it has for me!
Tickets are still available for next Fri and Sat performances of Faith Healer at the Auburndale Library. It should be a particularly intimate venue which suits this play nicely. Get tickets at http://NewtonNomadicTheater.org
A fantastic performance last night at the Auburndale Community Library! I’ve wondered before, and asked Jerry Reilly, how actors can sustain their energy level after multiple performances. He pointed out something unique about the Newton Nomadic Theater: every performance in a venue is either an opening night, or a closing night – and somethings both. The changing physical space has an effect of helping keep the traveling play fresh for the actors – and the play brought the ACL space alive in a new and wonderful way and made me appreciate this community asset and its potential even more. Thank you to Marie Jackson, Jerry Reilly, and the actors and volunteers for creating something really special in Newton’s villages.
“sometimes”
Thanks Nathan. Last night the troupe moved to the Brendan Behan pub in Jamaica Plain – the most different type of venue so far. It was like sitting with the characters in their living room and made for a totally different performance than the night before at the Auburndale library.
This Thur, Fri, Sat they’ll be at the Salem Theatre Company in Salem MA and then back home to Upper Falls for a closing night performance/neighborhood party at Dunn Gaherins on Sunday night. We handed out the free tickets to the Upper Falls neighborhs last week (thanks to Dunn Gaherins and Better Life Food) and they were gone in a heartbeat
It’s been quite an exhilarating run for the theater’s first production and everyone’s chomping at the bit to start planning for the next production.
In the meantime, don’t miss the Nomad Story Slam on Friday, Nov 21. For tickets and info go to http://NewtonNomadicTheater.org
Reports of the Newton Nomads heading north have reached Marblehead. Here’s a story in the Marblehead Reporter about the Newton troupe coming to Salem this week.
North to Salem is okay, but when will you be heading South to Broadway?
It could happen Bob. I wouldn’t rule out South Boston 😉
The last few nights performing in a real theater (in Salem) have been a bit disconcerting. It sure makes everything a lot easier and the Salem crowd has loved it …
… but I think I prefer creating a theater out of thin air on the fly.
We’re all looking forward to tomorrow night’s final performance/Upper Falls party at Dunn Gaherins. It will be packed to the rafters.