Maiden Phoenix’s The Winter’s Tale

Yes, it has been quite a while since we’ve done one of these, we know. But the good news is we have been busy in our own creative den huddled away making puppets and plays for some time.

Look how far this guy has come! ...More updates on Coyote 2.0 soon! — Look how far this guy has come!

...More updates on Coyote 2.0 soon! — …More updates on Coyote 2.0 soon!

Now that our Fall Workshop of Riley Ann Visits The Outcast Café has come to a temporary close, we’ve had some time to get out there and get inspired again… Check out our December/ January #inspiringfellows: Imaginary Beasts!

Gail worked with core Imaginary Beasts company member Kiki Samko in The Winter’s Tale in August. Kiki described incredible ensemble, view-point-eque workshops with like-minded theatre makers as well as shared gorgeous picture of these masks with Gail…

And since then, she has been waiting for an opportunity to see what Imaginary Beasts is all about!

Imaginary Beasts is a Boston-based self-proclaimed “incubator for adventurous theatre making.” A delightful ensemble of brilliant physical actors come together to bring the Boston theatre scene a mix of traditional and non-traditional theatrical experiences.

A month or so ago, Gail had the pleasure of attending their most recent workshop of me.nag.er.ie — a year-long development of a movement-theatre collection inspired primarily by Jorge Luis Borges’ The Book of Imaginary Beings.

It was a stunning exploration of humanity, mythology, and the connections we strive to build through images, music, bodies, and movement to create story. men.ag.er.ie was shared in their resident space, The Charlestown Working Theatre, and will be performed for the public at the Boston Center for the Arts this April (1-23). We can’t wait to see where they take it!

In the meantime we’ll be at their annual Winter Panto (this year it’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz) soaking up some traditional delight in a style akin to everything we adore. It doesn’t get much better than raucous song and some guaranteed audience participation!

Poster for this year's Panto — Poster for this year’s Panto

You can get tickets to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz here: http://www.bostontheatrescene.com/season/iWinter-Panto-2016-The-Wonderful-Wizard-of-Ozi/

You can find out more about Imaginary Beasts here: http://www.imaginarybeasts.org/imaginary_beasts/About_Us_.html

Join us in following them on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook (all hyperlinked… click away)!

Our August #inspiringfellow article is a guest post by Artistic Director Robert Biggs:

Hello, Biggs here. Gail Shalan has been chief cook and bottle-washer for outcastcafe.com since Mighty Acorn put us on the digital map last October. She has blogged, posted, linked and promoted faithfully, trusting that you are out there and paying attention. Thanks for hanging out with us. Hope you are enjoying our story. Today I lift up Gail as Outcast Café’s Inspiring Fellow. Tenacious, smart, clever and kind, she inspires me as an actor, puppeteer, puppet maker and friend. Thanks, Gail. And congratulations on your role in THE WINTER’S TALE.

Maiden Phoenix Presents THE WINTER'S TALE

This month Gail has been playing Paulina/ Mopsa in Maiden Phoenix Theatre Company’s all-female production of The Winter’s Tale. This opportunity for Gail is close to our hearts because of our shared passion of the plays of William Shakespeare. Gail grew up watching Biggs breathe life into many of Shakespeare’s best characters, most distinctly his wonderful Fools. Biggs first directed Gail in an 8th grade production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, then a year later in Twelfth Night. Throughout their time collaborating on Biggs’ own works, the delight and power of Shakespeare’s story telling arose again and again.Gail was able to work some of the skills she’s honed with Outcast Café into The Winter’s Tale, helping to devise and tune-up a puppetry approach to the infamous stage direction: exit pursued by a bear. This dynamic puppetry moment moved a patron to say “the way that famous stage direction… was staged in this production was amazing,and sure to be a “theater moment” that will linger in my mind for a long time to come” (Daniel Boudreau, MPTC Event Page).

"Go together, you precious winners all; Your exultation partake to every one." Gail as Paulina (far right) with Perdita (Lelani Ricardo, center right), Hermione ( Cassandra Meyer, center left) and Leontes (Juliet Bowler, far left) — “Go together, you precious winners all; Your exultation partake to every one.” Gail as Paulina (far right) with Perdita (Lelani Ricardo, center right), Hermione ( Cassandra Meyer, center left) and Leontes (Juliet Bowler, far left)

We celebrate Gail’s hard work with the Maiden Phoenix Theatre Company, whose mission is to employ 51% females in all areas of production, actively working to change the gender disparity in our theatre scene. Having spent the better part of her life training and studying Shakespeare’s work, playing one of the most powerful and tenacious roles in Shakespeare marks a well-deserved right of passage.

"What's gone and what's past help should be past grief..." Gail as Paulina (left) with Leontes (Juliet Bowler). — “What’s gone and what’s past help should be past grief…” Gail as Paulina (left) in rehearsal with Leontes (Juliet Bowler). (photo cred: Cassandra Meyer)

“Whose honorable thoughts, thoughts high for one so tender, cleft the heart that could conceive a gross and foolish sire blemished his gracious dam!” Gail as Paulina ( right) tells off Leontes( Julirt Bowler, center) as court watches on ( pictured: Sarah Mass, left). (Photo cred: Jeff Butcher)

“I beseech you, do not receive affliction at my petition; rather let me be punished, who have minded you of what you should forget.” In both images Juliet Bowler as Leontes ( left) begins a reconciliation with Gail as Paulina ( right) (photo cred: Jeff Butcher)

She also doubles as the hilarious lady-clown, Mopsa, bringing the house to much needed laughter and delight, playing with her talented scene partners Allison Paige Gilman (Dorcas), Cassandra Meyer (Clown), and Sarah Mass (Autolycus) .

11933418_10206435409300303_31728178171567648_n — Bohemia in it’s full glory with most of the MPTC Winter’s Tale cast! (Photo cred: Ona Johnston)

In rehearsal in Bohemia Gail (right) plays Mopsa with Clown (Cassandra Meyer, center) and Dorcas (Allison Paige Gilman, left). (Photo Cred: Alyce Householter)

"I love a ballad in a print o' life, for then we are sure they are true!" Gail as Mopsa (center-right) with Clown (Cassandra Meyer, far right), Autolycus (Sarah Mass, center-left), and Dorcas (Allison Paige Gilman, far left) — “I love a ballad in a print o’ life, for then we are sure they are true!” Gail as Mopsa (center-right) with Clown (Cassandra Meyer, far right), Autolycus (Sarah Mass, center-left), and Dorcas (Allison Paige Gilman, far left) (Photo cred: Alyce Householter)

For one more weekend you can catch her performance for FREE at the Nathan Tufts Park right off of Powderhouse Circle in Somerville, MA.

For more information about the show (and weather updates) check the Facebook invite, Maiden Phoenix’s page, twitter, and website.

For more about Gail browse our website, or check out hers. Also, follow her on twitter and instagram.

Maiden Phoenix’s The Winter’s Tale

#inspiringfellows: December/ January

#inspiringfellow: August