Laguna Playhouse adds ‘Constant Star,’ drops ‘Vincent’

Tom Titus

The Laguna Playhouse has made a few changes in its announced season

of productions for 2004-05, adding one play and discarding another.

Joining the new season’s schedule will be “Constant Star,” written

and directed by Tazewell Thompson, which will run from Nov. 2 through

Dec. 5 as a West Coast premiere. Jettisoned from the lineup is the

previously announced play, “Vincent in Brixton.”

“Constant Star” focuses on the life of Ida B. Wells, the fearless

African-American civil rights activist and journalist of the early

20th Century who organized the first anti-lynching campaign in

America.

Thompson weaves 20 classic Negro spirituals sung a Capella in

five-part harmony by the quintet of actresses who weave the story of

Wells’ courageous life.

“Constant Star” was commissioned and first produced in 1999 by

PlayMakers Rep in Chapel Hill, N.C. It has enjoyed successful

productions at several East Coast resident theaters, including

Syracuse Stage, where Thompson served as artistic director from 1992

to 1995.

The newly announced play joins four other productions to comprise

the Laguna Playhouse’s 84th season, which will be kicked off on a

comedic musical note in July with the perennial favorite “Forever

Plaid.” Performance dates are July 6 to Aug. 29.

This show, written and originally directed and choreographed by

Stuart Ross, brings back a 1950s harmonic quartet, the Plaids -- who

had been killed when their car collided with a bus bearing teenage

fans headed for the Ed Sullivan show audience and the Beatles’

American debut -- back for the concert they never gave in life. Larry

Raben will direct the Laguna production.

“Tuesdays With Morrie” by Jeffrey Hatcher and Mitch Albom,

occupies the Sept. 7 to Oct. 10 slot. Albom is the lone student of a

once-a-week class on the “meaning of life” taught by professor Morrie

Schwartz in his home.

“Constant Star” arrives in November, followed by a play yet to be

announced. From Feb. 15 to March 20, the playhouse will stage the

West Coast premiere of “Bright Ideas,” Eric Coble’s madcap comedy

about egomaniacal parents striving to place their children in the

very best pre-school. Should touch a few local nerves.

Tension in the world of art and history prevails in “36 Views” by

Naomi Iizuka as an art dealer and an art historian discover what they

think is an ancient manuscript and try to learn whether it’s

authentic.

This show will be a Southern California premiere and will run from

March 29 through May 1.

Two additional plays, which have yet to be announced, will be

included in the 2004-05 season. They will be presented Dec. 28 to

Jan. 39 and May 24 to June 26.

The playhouse has seven-play subscription tickets currently on

sale, priced from $98 to $665. Individual show tickets are not yet on

sale. More information is available at the playhouse, (949) 497-2787.

* TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Coastline Pilot.