Playful

A magic night

A play is just words on paper until people give it life. Up until next Monday night “House of Monkeys” will have been the author’s play, my play, on Monday night it becomes your play.

Some of the people who are working to dress the play with costumes and masks, give it light and magic or a place and space to play, and fill it with music will all be there.

Moliere’s’ company performed an improvisation before the King called “L’Impromptu de Versailles” The set up is that none of the actors present know there lines, and their has been no rehearsal for the words of the script. Finally, Moliere is presented with the question:

Moliere responds to the accusation as the author:

Ah, nothing to fear you say?
When it is all on me to map out a way
To excite laughter in those who command respect?
You think it a trifle to find words to inject
Comedy, laughter, and light hearted dance,
As we are the object of disgrace through all of France?
Must not an author tremble to perform such a thing?

The first open reading of the “The House of Monkeys” arrives beneath a full moon on February 25 at 7:00 p.m.. People will gather in front of the fire place in the historic Old Oak Inn of Soldiers Grove to launch words into life.

The stuff that dreams are made on

When the words began to pour on to the page from the mouths of three monkeys I (Author Dennis Kern at top right) trembled to perform such a thing and looked for a listening ear and found it in Rob Gormley (pictured bottom at right), the teacher extraordinaire who has created one of the most exciting high school theatre programs in the state. His words breathed life into the song of the monkeys and gave confidence to their voices. Next, the accomplished composer Bill Neil (pictured middle at right) agreed to make the music and the words would become notes, songs, and dances.

When a project develops friends are called to help and so Dawn Potaracke (pictured below top right) will dress the actors in costumes and masks and R’Jar Taim (pictured below bottom right) Timeless Recordings and Productions”will design and run the lights including a laser show at the birth of the monkeys!

When Moliere was arrested for the debt incurred by his company in the first year, he addressed the company with words that ring true in any theatre project:

To look at your faces, this is not your best day.
Denys, Joseph, Catherine, Marie, Mother Bejart
Madeleine, and all who have given your heart
To ring up the curtain at a given hour,
Regardless of any altercation’s power.

All for one and one for all is what we play
That we may pass through the portal and say
But a few lines, just words, to oft empty chairs.
Why? Why do we act words as prayers
Though they fall on a dark empty space?
Our pockets empty, our status disgrace;
We will not be buried on blessed holy ground
Since, our heaven it seems on earth we have found.
All this is all quite new and glorious to me
In you there is magic, I thought could not be.
The troubling things now happening here
Are but cast in this place and this year,
But have little to do with the full play at hand.
We are not now at the final act of our grand
Performance nor will I take bows for such.
The muse will go forth with it’s fairy touch,
Weaving and winding the love that is us
Into a scene, a play, dance at red dusk;
The promise to sailors to sleep with delight
For tomorrow we sail on soft seas and might
Reach the place on the distant shore
For treasures of love gifts of speeches and more.

Copyright 2012 by Dennis Kern – House of Monkeys

Join the conversation on the “Moliere – House of Monkeys” face book page.

Visit the Moliere House of Monkeys web page for more about the life and work of Moliere

2 Responses to “First Reading of “House of Monkeys””