Dane Becker, Richie McCall, William Selby, Emily Mikesell. Photo by Matthew Holler. PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THE CABARET BOOK Richard Hopkins, Producing Artistic Director You may download a complete copy at www.floridastudiotheatre.org
Table of Contents What is Cabaret? 3 For the Ages Project 4 Top 10 Places to Retire 5-7 Comedians on Aging 8-9 Famous Older Characters 2 10-11
What is Cabaret? It began in Paris on November 18, 1881, the year in which the first and most famous cabaret of all, the Chat Noir (Black Cat), was established. Paris, during what the French like to call the Belle Epoque, was the cultural capital of Europe; the mecca of the arts to which admirers and young hopefuls flocked from one end of Europe to the other, and indeed from still farther away. If something caught on in Paris, the immense reputation of the city as the source of fashion and innovation ensured its rapid diffusion across the continent and beyond. Besides giving rise to many cabarets in Paris itself, in its own time and after it became history, the Chat Noir also inspired the introduction of cabaret in major cities throughout Europe in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In the beginning, cabaret arose as an informal grouping of artists - painters, poets, musicians, and theatre people - who felt the need to come together. It was intended as something essentially private. From 1881 to 1917, audiences were made up predominantly of artists, their friends, and a variety of cultural fellow-travellers. In post-world War I Europe, the cabaret ceased to be a novelty and by and large fulfilled its function as a locus of an emerging avant-garde. Cabarets became places of entertainment; their facilities were expanded and enhanced, their doors thrown open to the public. When developing FST s Cabaret we took the diverse and rich history of the form to create the atmosphere you see today. Set in a turn-of-the-century Parisian Cafe and offering fresh baked food, the Cabaret is an intimate space for an intimate form of entertainment. Artwork by Théophile Steinlen Turn-Of-The-Century Cabaret by Harold B. Segel 3
For the Ages Project Everyone knows, getting older isn t for sissies. Aging is tough, which is why so many retirees spend their later years in paradise. Sarasota is in the top ten for cities with a high number of elderly residents. In 2012, Producing Artistic Director Richard Hopkins realized that FST should be doing something specifically for the audiences here in Sarasota. Hopkins stated, When FST first produced Over The River and Through The Woods by Joe DiPietro I had an epiphany. It was then, that I realized that there existed an aging culture. There is not one kind of aging. There are as many different ways to age as there are individuals, but the universal traits by the individuals are many... we hope to touch on some of those universal traits, the good and the bad, to comedic effect. Older Than Dirt is the third installment of the series. Other installments include Old Enough To Know Better and Last Rights. In Older Than Dirt, FST looks at cultural representations of aging in music and the humorous parts of getting older. Comedy is how we deal with difficult things. It s a way for us to talk and come together, so we find out how to collectively make the most of life, says lead developer Rebecca Hopkins. 4
Top 10 Places to Retire 10. Kendall, FL This suburb of Miami is known for its safety. Almost everything residents need is within walking distance, making the community easily accessible for those who can no longer drive. For residents craving a change of atmosphere, Miami is only 12 miles away. 9. Charleston, SC This city is known for its attractions, with many opportunities to explore. Throughout the area are historic battlegrounds from both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. Charleston also has a variety of public gardens, art galleries, and gorgeous beaches. 8. Cape Coral, FL Located on the Gulf Coast south of Sarasota, this little sea town features almost 400 miles of canals. While walkability is ranked lower than most Florida retirement towns, most residents are in great physical shape. Cape Coral is known for its high-rise condos and natural scenery. 7. Glendale, CA Looking for a city that s not too hot or too cold? Look no further than Glendale where the weather ranges from 50 to 75 degrees year round. Glendale also features the Forest Lawn Memorial Park with 5,000 acres of trees, and smaller parks to wander around and appreciate the beauty of the unique California bird life. 5
6. Round Rock, TX Do you prefer dry heat rather than humidity? Round Rock, TX offers warm days and cool nights in the dry, desert climate. While it bills itself as the sports capital of Texas, this small town features many lakes and wooded areas to enjoy the great outdoors. Only 20 minutes away from Austin, residents can enjoy the perks of the big city, while living in a beautiful small town, with a lower cost of living. 6 5. Scottsdale, AZ You can also be a snowbird in the desert, for those who may not want to live near the ocean. For those who love golf, this is your retirement dream. Scottsdale features over 200 golf courses. There are trails, parks, and plenty of shopping. Scottsdale refers to itself as the Beverly Hills of the Southwest and features boutiques from some of the world s top retailers. 4. Sarasota, Fl I don t think we have to tell you what s so great about Sarasota. From arts and culture, to historic landmarks, and being voted the #1 beach in America in 2015, what s not to love? In addition to original attractions such as Ringling Brothers Circus and Ca d Zan, there are a multitude of restaurants and bars to experience new food and drinks. Now, if we could only find our way off all those roundabouts.
3. West Des Moines, IA Affordable and fascinating, for those with the fortitude to get through the chilly Midwestern winters, West Des Moines features a multitude of historical sites: the oldest one-room schoolhouse in the state and one of the major stops of the Underground Railroad. Notably one of the most affordable cities on this list, residents are able to feel safe and comfortable with a low crime rate. 2. Franklin, TN If you love historical sites, and the idyllic American small town, Franklin, TN is the perfect place to retire. There is an annual festival celebrating the American Main Street and several Civil War sites to satisfy that southern nostalgia for the bygone days. In remembrance of those good ol days, taxes and crime are both far lower than the national average. 1. Arlington, VA If you want to retire near our nation s capital, Arlington, VA is the place for you. Not only is the location beautiful, but you can experience all four seasons within less than an hour s drive of our nation s history and culture. Arlington boasts its own historical and cultural sites including the Arlington National Cemetery and several professional theatres. Source: BankRate.com 7
Comedians on Aging Bob Hope Actor and Comedian Bob Hope, who was best known for his work on USO tours bringing laughter to troops, never shied away from topic of aging in his later years. He made fun of his own ailments and of the trials of aging. His career was so long he received the Congressional Gold Medal in 1963 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1969 and continued to have a career for almost 30 years after that. The only major award he never received was a competitive Oscar and once said while hosting Welcome to the Academy Awards, or as it s called in my home, Passover. This is the time of your life when even your birthday suit needs pressing. Bob Hope Betty White Betty White, who is literally older than sliced bread (invented six years after she was born) makes sliced bread the best thing since Betty White. Having begun her career in the 40s, Betty White was a singer and dancer as well as an actor until WWII broke out; she then joined the Women s Voluntary Services. She is still going strong and was nominated for an Emmy most recently in 2014. She has been called a national treasure by more than one media outlet, and fans of all ages appreciate her humor and talent. But it s amazing past a certain age, you can get away with murder. You can do anything and people will say, Well, the poor old soul, she s you know 8 Betty White
Joan Rivers George Burns Louis CK Joan Rivers Rivers made entire routines about the difficulties of aging. She was a stand-up comic all her life. As she transitioned to red carpet work, she tore into herself just as viciously as she tore into everyone else. As she aged, she continued to make her signature off-color jokes, but with a new spin, I can t wear yellow anymore. It s too matchymatchy with my catheter. Her career spanned over 60 years, and as controversial as she was, celebrities still pay tribute to her today. I ve had so much plastic surgery, when I die they will donate my body to Tupperware. George Burns Burns was a comic legend whose arched eyebrow and cigar smoke became his classic signature. He and his wife Gracie Allen became a great comic power couple and appeared on radio, television, and film together. He won his first, and only, Oscar at the age of 79, and lived to be 100. A true Hollywood icon, Burns has three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, his handprints at Gruman s Chinese Theater, and a street named after him. If you live to be one hundred, you ve got it made. Very few people die past that age. Louis CK Although not yet 50, Louis CK started doing stand-up routines on the realities of being middle aged when he turned 40. His routines included comments about his aging body and how his daughters don t think he s cool. An Emmy winner, he also has a great understanding of the wonders of humanity, No other species is at the top of the food chain. We get to put bacon in our mouths! My body has no sexual meaning anymore, so if I can make people laugh with it, at least it s being used. 9
Famous Older Characters Falstaff (Shakespeare) Sir John Falstaff, the drunken knight and soldier who parties with Prince Hal, is one of Shakespeare s most famous characters and the major comic relief of the Henriad. Supposedly, Queen Elizabeth liked the character so much she personally commissioned Shakespeare to write another play about him, which is how The Merry Wives of Windsor was born. He is fat, old, lazy, and generally a sloth, but he has a great time. George and Martha (Who s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? ) Edward Albee s absurdist take on a metaphorical meeting between the Washingtons and the Khrushchevs, depicts George and Martha as aged alcoholics jaded by the realities of middle-class life, and the death of the American Dream. Although more than a little crazy and definitely not fully formed, these multi-dimensional characters are fun, witty, and major pinnacle roles for stage actors. Violet Crawley (Downton Abbey ) Maggie Smith is always at her best when she s prickly. Violet Crawley, an aging aristocrat at the turn of the 20th century, has no time or patience for newfangled ways of doing things. She certainly doesn t have any time for the nonsense of the youths. The show even advertises her as The Queen of Mean. Notable lines: We ll have to take her abroad; in these moments you can usually find an Italian who s not too picky. 10 Michael Winters as Falstaff Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor as George and Martha Maggie Smith as Violet Crawley
Betty White, Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty as The Golden Girls Olympia Dukakis and Shirley MacLaine as Ouiser Boudreaux and Clairee Belcher Jack Lemmon and Walter Mathau John and Max The Golden Girls These four sassy ladies ran for seven seasons on NBC. Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia entertained audiences every week with hilarious one-liners and the real challenges of being newly single as senior citizens. The women showcased the importance of female friendship and having people by your side who will always be there. They were also all prominent proponents that getting old means you get to drink whenever you want. Ouiser Boudreaux and Clairee Belcher (Steel Magnolias ) In a film (based on the stage play) all about cross-generational friendships among a group of Southern women, the funniest relationship is between Ouiser and Clairee, the two oldest women. Ouiser is grumpy, cantankerous, and hates everything and everyone. Clariee is a serial prankster, an emotional rock, and her greatest joy in life is making Ouiser mad. Both written as fully developed characters who move the plot forward and the two are considered some of the best supporting characters for older women in film. John Gustafon and Max Goldman (Grumpy Old Men) In Grumpy Old Men, Jack Lemmon and Walter Mathau play recently retired childhood best friends, who now get most of their joy out of competing with one another in various, mostly petty and harmless, rivalries. Their latest competition the affection of the beautiful younger professor who s moved in on the same block however,may prove to be a greater test of their friendship. It was so successful it launched a sequel, Grumpier Old Men. 11
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Su RICHARD HOPKINS is the Producing Artistic Director of Florida Studio Theatre. Since 1980, Mr. Hopkins has guided the company from a small touring group to a professional regional theatre. He began his professional theatre career as a resident actor with the Asolo State Theatre in Sarasota. In 1974, he founded the Palisades Theatre Company in Washington, D.C., which subsequently moved to St. Petersburg and is now called American Stage. He served as its Producing Director from 1974-1980. 14 Additional experiences include President of the Florida Professional Theatres Association, Panelist for Theatre Program of Florida Arts Council, and Director/Instructor for Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus Clown College. His many directing credits include: Older Than Dirt, Laughing Matters (vol. 5), Inspired Lunacy, The Best of Enemies, Next to Normal, Race, Ruined, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Boleros for the Disenchanted, Permanent Collection, Metamorphoses, The Bully Pulpit, God s Man in Texas, Hysteria, Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde, 2: Goering at Nuremberg, Six Degrees of Separation, Execution of Justice, Death by Misadventure, Hi-Hat-Hattie, Invictus, Agnes of God, Beyond Therapy, True West, La Ronde, and Betrayal among numerous other plays and Cabaret projects including Laughing Matters (vol. 5) Lock the Gates, Never Marry A Girl With Cold Feet, The Prima Donnettes, Too Darn Hot, Laughing Matters, Night Train to Memphis, Sophie Tucker, Inspired Lunacy, Shakespeare s Greatest Hits, Over the Rainbow, and Let s Twist Again: with the Wanderers. Mr. Hopkins is the recipient of numerous awards including the Arts Leadership Award from the Sarasota Arts Council, the Richard G. Fallon Award for Artistic Excellence from the Florida Professional Theatre Association, and the Cultural Champion Award from the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County. 13
14 1995 1996 Season Hot N Cole My Castle s Rockin by Larry Parr Back to the 40 s with the Boiler Sisters Forever Ivory Rowe by Mark Hunter and Barbara Bates Smith An Evening Wasted Song and Dance by Andrew Lloyd Webber The Jazz Club 1996 1997 Season By Gershwin I am an American by Kurt Weill Motown Cabaret Always...Patsy Cline by Ted Swindley 1997 1998 Season Honky -Tonk Highway by Richard Berg and Robert Lindsey-Nassif O Carolan s Farewell to Music by Patrick Ball and Peter Glazer License to Bash Over the Rainbow Gunmetal Blues Inspired Lunacy (revised) Rendezvous with Marlene Carreno Clearly Invisible by Carl Seiger Forever Plaid by Stuart Ross Liz Power in Dancing In the Street. Photo by Maria Lyle. FST Cabaret: A History 1998 1999 Season Harry Who? A Brief History of White Music conceived by Dee Dee Thomas and David Tweedy Shakespeare s Greatest Hits 1999 2000 Season Three Girls Berlin! Sophie Tucker: American Legend by Jack Fournier & Kathy Halenda The All Night Strut 2000 2001 Season By Mercer Harry Chapin and Friends Brassy Broads 2001 2002 Season The Rhythm of Life: The Songs of Dorothy Fields The Songs of Jaques Brel Laughing Matters Sophie Tucker Last of the Red Hot Mamas 2002 2003 Season My One and Only Gershwin Guitar Girls A Vaudeville Cabaret 2003 2004 Season Too Darn Hot: A Tribute to Cole Porter On the Road One-Hit Wonders
FST Cabaret: A History 2004 2005 Season G.I. Jive The Rise and Fall of Western Civilization According to Tom Lehrer Three Friends, Two Guitars (and a broken tambourine) 2005 2006 Season My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra by David Grapes and Todd Olson Piano Men Flip Side 2006 2007 Season Over The Rainbow, A Tribute to Harold Arlen The British Invasion Laughing Matters Too 2007 2008 Season Harry Who? The Lullabye of Broadway European Cabaret Outlaws and Angels 2008 2009 Season Steppin Out Hula Hoop Sha-Boop Laughing Matters 09 2009 2010 Season That s Life Reflections Night Train to Memphis 2010 2011 Season The Wanderers Brassy Broads: The Next Generation Laughing Matters 2011-2012 Season That s Life, Again! Shake, Rattle, & Roll Reel Music 2012-2013 Season Let s Twist Again: With the Wanderers Urban Cowboys By Gershwin: A Tribute to George and Ira 2013-2014 Season The Prima Donnettes Poems, Prayers and Promises Too Darn Hot 2014-2015 Season Dancing in the Street American Pie Never Marry A Girl With Cold Feet: and other life lessons from Vaudeville 2015-2016 Season Soul Mates: A Journey to Hitsville Yesterday Laughing Matters (vol. 5) Lock the Gates! 2016-2017 Season Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves Arthur Marks in That s Life, Again. Photo by Maria Lyle. 15
Richard Hopkins, Producing Artistic Director Music Director Darren Server Choreographer KATHRYN GASPER Costume Designer Susan Angermann Lighting Designer Thom Beaulieu Sound Designer Toby Algya This project is sponsored in part by the Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture and the State of Florida William Selby and Richie McCall. Photo by Matthew Holler. Directed by Richard Hopkins