Rosewood Center’s Young Adult Rated Drama
presents THE CURSE OF CASTLE MONGREW
by Roger Downey
October 8 – October 31, 2010
Dallas, TX -- They’re kooky and they’re spooky! They’re wacky and they’re weird! No, not that other family! It’s the Mongrews! Rosewood Center’s Young Adult Rated Drama presents The Curse of Castle Mongrew, a gothic-horror comedy, playing October 8 – October 31, 2010 at DCT’s Rosewood Center for Family Arts.
This Halloween, visit the medieval castle of the Mongrews in the midst of the Great Grimpen Frogswamp! Complete with a mad matriarch, an apoplectic master, a dashing hero and a feisty, yet practical heroine, The Curse of Castle Mongrew, is a parody of Gothic romance. Gothic romance is defined as a mystery laced with horror and usually involves a gloomy estate setting, a spirited young woman, a darkly handsome man, peculiar servants and eccentric family relations. The Curse of Castle Mongrew includes all this and more as a hauntingly hilarious tale guaranteed to thrill and delight this Halloween season.
Commissioned by Seattle Children’s Theater in 1985, The Curse of Castle Mongrew was first presented by Dallas Children’s Theater (DCT) in 1993. DCT is thrilled to bring back this Gothic romance spoof for a new generation of fans.
The Curse of Castle Mongrew could be described as a Brontë style saga with a dose of The Adams Family. Director Artie Olaisen, states, “With the popularity of recent ‘mash-up’ novels such as ‘Pride and Prejudice and Zombies’ and ‘Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters’ it seemed a perfect time to revisit this material.” The Curse of Castle Mongrew presents a classical genre in a new and hysterical light.
When young Katherine suddenly finds herself an orphan she decides to be mistress of her own destiny. She accepts an invitation from a noble family connection inviting her to assume a family seat. Little does she know that she has chosen to live in the decrepit estate of a strange and secretive uncle. She soon finds out that the creepy castle and the Mongrew line are under a curse! Locked doors, weird sounds, and a room that comes alive infuse the plot with bedlam, terror and romance. Will she find the independence she desires while caught up in the chaos of Filthshire, “the most Romantic county in all England; its looming crags, its fever swamps, its crumbling castles and gloomy keeps, its legends of passion, murder, and revenge”? And what of Philip, her tall, brooding cousin with aspirations for the stage? The burden of a family tradition plagues her as she struggles to unlock the secrets of the castle and the hearts of its inhabitants.
Adding flavor from the silent movie era and horror film genre, The Curse of Castle Mongrew features LIVE MUSICAL ACCOMPANIMENT by B. Wolf. Ms. Wolf composed an original score for DCT’s 1993 production, which she is thrilled to reprise, this time with several new compositions. She has appeared accompanying silent films at the Dallas Museum of Art and UT Dallas. Recent live, onstage keyboard accompaniments with original scores include DCT’s If You Give a Pig a Party, Go, Dog. Go! and Bootstraps Comedy Theater’s The Boxer.
Set designer Mary Therese D’Avignon embellishes the Gothic castle setting with a sinister twist. Lighting design by Linda Blase captures gloomy England in all its shades of gray with a few bright surprises. Special scenic, sound and lighting effects build to an exhilarating climax in this gleefully moody comedic drama.
An ensemble cast plays multiple roles to bring the iconic romance characters to life. Reprising roles from the 1993 production are Douglass Burks as the wayward lord of the manor and Karl Schaeffer as the gruesome family retainer. Lauren Rosen plays the sunny, irrepressible Kitty. Ginger Goldman, Nick Caldwell and LisaAnne Haram make their DCT debut.
It’s Gothic Horror! It’s Romantic Comedy! It’s Madcap Melodrama! It’s not to be Missed!
Enjoyed by ages 12 and up.
CAST
Sir Bashwell Mongrew – Douglass Burks*
Philip – Nick Caldwell
Lady Pallida – Ginger Goldman
Mog – LisaAnne Haram
Katherine – Lauren Rosen
Scrutts – Karl Schaeffer*
ARTISTIC TEAM
Directed by Artie Olaisen
Scenic Design by Mary Therese D’Avignon
Lighting Design by Linda Blase
Costume Design by Kristin Moore
Original Score Composed and Performed by B. Wolf
Sound Design by Marco Salinas
Properties Design by Jen Spillane
Stage Managed by Linda Blase*
*Denotes member of Actors’ Equity Association
DALLAS CHILDREN’S THEATER, ROSEWOOD CENTER FOR FAMILY ARTS
5938 Skillman Street, Dallas, Texas 75231
PERFORMANCE DATES AND TIMES:
Fridays October 8, 15, 22, 29 7:30pm
Saturdays October 9, 16, 23, 30 1:30pm & 4:30pm
Sunday October 10 1:30pm & 4:30pm
Sundays October 17, 24, 31 1:30pm
Performances times: Fridays at 7:30 pm; Saturdays at 1:30 pm & 4:30 pm; Sunday, October 10 at 1:30 & 4:30 pm; remaining Sundays at 1:30 pm (includes Halloween Day!)
Ticket Prices:
Friday - $18 Adult & Youth Section A; $12 Adult & Youth Section B
Saturday/Sunday - $23 Adult / $21 Youth Section A; $18 Adult / $16 Youth Section B
Saturday/Sunday senior discount - $20 Section A, $16 Section B
Saturday/Sunday college student discount - $19 Section A, $14 Section B
DCT Box Office: 214-740-0051
Tickets also available on-line! www.dct.org
Weekday Student Matinee shows also available Tuesdays through Thursdays. Please call ArtReach Booking at 214-219-2049
The Curse of Castle Mongrew is sponsored by Northern Trust.
Dallas Children's Theater's 2010-2011 Season is sponsored by WFAA-TV Channel 8; 103.7 Lite FM; Maintenance of Dallas, Inc.; The Rosewood Foundation; Target; TACA; Northern Trust; The Hersh Foundation; Green Mountain Energy Solar; Texas Instruments Foundation and the Dee and Charles Wyly Family. Co-produced by El Centro Community College and supported in part by the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs, National Endowment for the Arts, and Texas Commission on the Arts. American Airlines is the official airline of Dallas Children's Theater.