Theatre Experiment – Story of a “little” Tour

Posted: 19th July 2010 by cord in The Projects
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Artwork created by Alvin Felch

In The Beginning

Link to video…Some words of KRAPP.

After 40 years of teaching, acting, and directing, it was time to launch an experiment with a goal: to bring a unique theatre experience to small towns and villages of Wisconsin. Since it would take a lot of time, commitment to launch even a “little” tour, Alvin and I choose to do Beckett’s “Krapp’s Last Tape”; a one man show requiring little scenery, props, and technical expertise.

Alvin played the accordion at the Farmers Market in Viroqua, Wisconsin and met a woman who took this picture in front of the “Encore” space on the Main St. of Viroqua, Wisconsin.

Alvin and I unloading the 6′ by 8′ platform raised up on saw bucks to a height of 36″ that he designed and built to fit in the hatch back.

Alvin Felch and I began meeting in January to talk about plans, and dreams of touring a small theatre production.We had no grants and little resources so we pooled what little we had to buy the materials to construct a portable stage that would stack and fit into the back of Alvin’s hatch back.

We began working and improvising on a pre-show where we set up the stage and set the furniture and props while he played the accordion. We called the production “Playing with Beckett – Krapp’s Last Tape”

The First Performance

It all began with the first performance on March 10, 2010 at the Community Center in Gays Mills. It was a chilly
Spring night and about 40 people came to the opening night performance of the project. We were elated! If people showed up in
numbers to see a Beckett play in Gays Mills, then surely we would draw more people from Viroqua and La Crosse.

The community building in Gays Mills, Wisconsin; a village of about 400 people. A wondrous place of beauty in the driftless area of Southwest Wisconsin on the Kickapoo River which made national news when it filled the 100 year flood plane two times in one year!

Two old artists were on their way. The next stop Independence, Wisconsin.

  1. Dawn says:
    July 29, 2010 at 11:58 am

    You and Alvin presented what I felt was pure comic chemistry. Thanks for the experiment.

    Reply