“All the lonely people… where do they all come from?” That should be the story’s theme. All these characters are set-apart from the American Dream… awkwardly searching for meaning, friendship, and a reason to go forward… perhaps, not much different than today. Except now, we put our faith, not in Mankind, but in the cold god of Technology… shame on us!
Steinbeck’s real claim to fame was, of course, “The Grapes of Wrath”, which was made into a very good film in the 40’s with Henry Fonda. Later, Gary Sinise and John Malkovitch adapted a rawer stage version of Of Mice and Men. They also did a good film version of the same material, but my favorite was a 30’s film version with Burgess Meridith and Lon Chaney, Jr. (Personally — my favorite book of his was “Travels With Charley”, the story of his adventures around the country with his dog… as I’m a dog person).
There has been some criticism of the author’s view of George and Lennie’s relationship — portrayed here by Benjamin Daniel Philip and Travis Schlegel — that George is taking advantage of Lennie’s strength, rather than finding help for his mental deficiencies, to get jobs. In other words, George needs Lennie more than Lennie needs George. You decide…
They bounce from job to job in the fields of Northern California of more than a hundred years ago, seeking a stake so they can live out their American dream. George is a quick, feisty fellow, looking for a fast buck without too much effort. And his supposed albatross, Lennie, is a burly man physically but more than a little light in the head, who just likes to pet soft things. Together they find themselves on their next job, where The Boss (Chuck Weed) has been waiting for them to buck grain.
They meet up with an old retainer, Candy (Ron K. Palmblad), who has a hand missing and a blind old dog. There is also the stable buck, a black man with a crooked back, called Crooks (Jelani Kee). We also meet the Boss’s surly son, Curley (Chloë Duckart) and his flirtatious wife (Bobbie Kaye Kupfner).
They get assigned to Slim’s (Akitora Ishii) team, who’s a decent fellow. Among the other ranch hands are Carlson (Brandon Michael) and Whit (Steve Radley). There is also a wandering mistral (Iris Evans), who underscores, with a guitar, some of the incidents in the play, as well as a few songs the cast sings to emphasize their feelings. And the cast, as well, narrates parts of the book at times, to color the landscape of the play.
The play has its own power, which must be seen to appreciate. In addition to the music/songs, there is a stylized fight scene, snapped in photo-like s stances, which is brilliant. The set (designed by Kyra Sanfordand lit by Annabel Cantor) is sparse to accommodate the many settings of the scenes but works beautifully. The cast is equally powerful with not a sour note among them. One can capture the wandering looks in Lenny’s eyes; the restless spirit in George’s movements; the righteous indignation in Crooks demeanor; the hopeless bearing in Candy’s “dying of the light” demeanor; the longing in Curley’s Wife’s sashaying; the volcanic rage instilled in Curley; and the quiet acceptance of Slims empty fate.
There is no director credited, as they all seem to have a hand in it. But I assume Benjamin Daniel Philip, as Artistic Director, is the driving force. This a new company on the Portland scene and, if this is any example of what is in store to the local artistic scene, we are in for a treat! BRAVO!
This is an intense play and may not be suited for everyone, as well as containing the “N” word. Also, it may hold only about 50 folks so best get your tickets soon. But I highly recommend this show. If you do choose to see it, please tell them Dennis sent you.
SHOW DATES: April 7th – April 22nd, 2023 Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays @ 7:30pm | Sunday Matinees @ 2:30pm VENUE: 21TEN Theatre, 2110 SE 10th Ave, Portland, OR 97214 TICKETS: $15 General Admission | $10 students & seniors ticketing available at the door | Advance: https://life-in-arts-productions.square.site
There is no one person who is credited as The Director. This was an ensemble-based production devised using methods of Viewpoint Work, Ensemble-Based Dramaturgy & Table Work, Scene Work with blocking created in collaboration with The Ensemble, and frequent discussions that informed our exploration of what it means to tackle such a classic piece of American Literature in today’s world — as we were all drawn in as a group to come to a creative space to see what we could find in Steinbeck’s words.
Life In Arts Productions is proud to announce that we are returning to the stage with a brand new production. After a long hiatus, the company will present Of Mice and Menby John Steinbeck, opening on April 7th, 2023 at 21TEN Theatre in Portland, Oregon.
A modern American classic of page, stage, and screen, Of Mice and Menoffers a meaningful examination of friendship, of the ways people are labeled and discarded because of physical or intellectual differences, of the search for a little place called home, a dream which remains now — as it did when this story was first written — out of reach for those who struggle in this society.
Of Mice and Men is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, LLC, servicing the Dramatists Play Service.
ABOUT THE SHOW: Before John Steinbeck penned The Grapes of Wrath, the 1939 epic detailing Okies and others who had been swept out West when the Dust Bowl met the Great Depression, he had drawn from his own experiences as a transient California laborer in Of Mice and Men. Originally written as a short novel with the structure of a play, Of Mice and Men was first published in 1937 and later appeared on Broadway in November of the same year. The play, which predates the Tony Awards and the Drama Desk Awards, earned the 1938 New York Drama Critics’ Circle Best Play. The play was revived on Broadway in 1974 and 2014, and film adaptations were made in 1939 and 1992.
The tale follows two field workers — the quiet, but wise George and his simple-minded friend Lennie — as they move from farm to farm looking for work. The pair have ambitions to own a farm of their own one day, but Lennie’s excessive strength and mental handicap create frequent problems for both of them, resulting in the duo losing one job after another and exhausting their savings.
Of Mice and Men was controversial at the time for its use of profanity and vivid depictions of the human suffering surrounding prejudice, mental disabilities, domestic violence and poverty. It was the issue of euthanasia, however, that resulted in the book being banned from public schools and libraries, presumably due to the emotional state of much of American society at the time. But the story of Lennie and George, offering bright hues of friendship, compassion and survival that shine through the overall darkness, helped carry the novel over the censors and into the kind of literary significance that today encourages many public schoolchildren around the world to read about them.
The show deals with the themes of hopes and dreams, loneliness, isolation, elation, and rage. All of those components, throughout history, have been relevant in describing the human condition. People who see this show will see the truth in the writing; they are going to be drawn in by the way the characters are portrayed on the stage, and by the characters themselves, by Steinbeck’s very in-depth, very fleshed-out portrayals.
John Steinbeck said it best: “Try to understand men; if you understand each other, you will be kind to each other.” This story rings true today on the importance of acceptance and understanding. Life In Arts Productions chose this piece in hopes of not only educating audiences but inspiring tolerance and compassion.
ABOUT THE COMPANY: Life In Arts Productions was founded in 2016. Seeing the need for more experimental storytelling and challenging material within the community theatre scene of Portland, as well as working to create a dialogue about the increasingly difficult realities of the world we face in the year 2023, founding members Jayne Furlong and Benjamin Philip decided to create a company that would endeavor to find socially and politically relevant material, and explore them with like-minded students of the theatre. Life In Arts Productions is committed to discovering and exploring stories and opportunities for these communities.
Founding members Jayne Furlong and Benjamin Philip are both life-long students of the arts who have been deeply involved with many community theaters throughout the Portland area. One of the many goals for Life In Arts is to create an environment in which an ensemble of actors and artists could develop different works in a variety of mediums, using the ideals of community, collaboration, and commitment in order to give power to the voice of the artist, supporting their vision from conception to production. Their inaugural production The Pillowman by Martin McDonagh opened in early 2017 to rave reviews and sold-out houses.
The inspiration behind the decision to move forward with a production of Of Mice and Men came out of several conversations, starting with Life In Arts founder Benjamin Philip and local actor Travis Schlegel. The two became aquatinted with each other over the course of two different auditions for two different plays. Benjamin nabbed a role in the first production, Travis nabbed a role in the second production, but a friendship began to blossom. Even though they had never worked together on stage, they began a conversation… a conversation that lasted throughout the pandemic, a conversation which eventually lead to the discovery that both performers had a mutual love for this play.
“Of Mice and Men was the first real scene study I did in high school and it was the first time I realized that this crazy artistic outlet was something more than just trying to remember your lines and where you’re suppose to stand while you’re on stage,” artistic director Benjamin Philip recalls. “It has stayed with me over the years, waiting for the right time, waiting for the right moment… where I would meet the Lennie to my George.”
Soon the conversation expanded to include Megan Murphy Ruckman (founding member and advising producer),Kelli Lacey(founding member and production manager), and Akitora Ishii(founding member and production assistant). Once a Production Team was in place, this dream project soon turned into a reality, and from there the community behind Life In Arts Productions was revived in order to move forward — digging into four months of pre-production, holding multiple conversations about theme and tone, and assembling an amazing team of artists and performers who would then fill all the necessary positions, the creative building blocks needed to bring this show to the stage with a minimal budget and a lot of hard work.
This production puts the resources of Life In Arts into the vision of local artists on a project aligned with Life Art’s mission, offering a deeper collaboration and more diverse community involvement for the company, the artist, and the communities they serve.
LIFE IN ARTS PRODUCTIONS 