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July 22, 1993 - Day of Discovery on the Beach'Desdemona' Goings On Backstage (Continued from Page Bl) spent weeks scurrying around to yard sales and antique shops searching for the necessary ingredients for this quasi - Shakespearean pie. Rather than kick up her heels at a lo- cal disco last Saturday night, Ms. Bren- nan spent her evening stuffing scratchy burlap bags full of crumpled newspa- pers in an effort to make them look like sacks of potatoes. The bags will line the shelves at the back of the stage, appear- ing to be part of the larder. "The news- papers make them look nice and lumpy," Ms. Brennan says of her fake potatoes. They can't use real potatoes because they would be "sprouting and smelly" by the end of the production. While Ms. Brennan is creating pota- toes, assistant stage manager Marisa Ms. Vogel sees to it that a lot of blood is spilled during her play. Timperman comes backstage vigor- ously attacking a silk camisole with a seam ripper. She explains that Elizab- ethans didn't sew designer labels into their garments so she is removing the labels, even though if left in place, they are so small only a few people in the first rows could ever possibly see them. Ms. Timperman's job is to "dress the stage" for each performance. She nakes sure all the props —from broken vine bottles to fake blood to wet heels —are in their proper places. As in hakespeare's original, Ms. Vogel sees a it that a lot of blood is spilled during ter play and it is also Ms. Timperman's rt to keep it flowing. She uses a red empera paint to simulate the bodily uid because the tempera washes out of ie sheets more easily than other forms fake blood. Sheet washing falls to the wardrobe apartment, a bit of a comedown after roducing Jess Goldstein's period co- .umes. The dresses, robes and bed - owns worn in the play were "built" in ie costume shop at Yale University. asan Bradfield, a clothing designer in s own right, finished the costumes ere in Sag Harbor, including installing ie gold lining on Desdemona's robe. he will make any necessary costume Iterations after the dress rehearsal. Once everything is taken care of to the atisfaction of the costume designer," 4s. Bradfield sighs, "then my second PROPANE GAS & EQUIPMENT Sales • Service • Installations Open Tues. thru Sat 9 -5 Barbeque Grills & Parts and Appliances 723.0052 132 W. Montauk HM., Hampton Bays job starts: wardrobe supervisor." That job entails "cleaning, washing, whatever." Asked if the beautiful pale silk costumes don't get dirty dragging across that clever earthen floor, Ms. Bradfield rolls her eyes and says, "It's going to be a challenge!" To help alleviate some of the diffi- culty, there are costume doubles, un- flawed twins of those garments which get covered in blood or wine during the course of the play. Sewing machines and an ironing board stand by backstage to keep everything looking fresh and pulled together, night after night. A mere five days before the play is to open, the cast runs through the second act for one of its most critical audien- ces. Playwright Paula Vogel sits five rows back with a scrap of paper and a red pen in her hand. Stage manager Christopher Wigle sits in the front row cueing and feeding lines as needed, the script in a large ring binder rests on his lap. Director Gloria Muzio is quiet and unobtrusive as she makes her notes. Michael Lincoln and his lighting crew are set up at a large makeshift plywood table in the center of the audience. Armed with monitors, headphones and a laptop computer, they watch for a while then disappear backstage to be- gin punching in the numbers. Produc- tion manager Bill Brauninger seems more relaxed than the rest, but he too is paying careful attention. Bay Street co-founder Steve Hamilton sits three rows back, his feet up, obvi- ously enjoying the show. Co-founder Sy- bil Christopher watches a few scenes, smiles with pleasure then slips back- stage. And Emma Walton, the third of the founding trio, watches from the back of the theater. All three laugh as Bianca, played with great energy by Cherry Jones, makes one of her bawdy jokes. During the technical rehearsal the next night, Emilia (Fran Brill) is say- ing a rosary while the crew fine -tunes Deirdre Brennan is property master for the Bay Street production of "Desdemona." the lighting. Desdemona (J. Smith - Cameron) watches from the stairs nearby. Ms. Brill repeats her prayer again and again until the intensity of weeks of preparation and the lateness of the hour finally break through to her sense of humor. In her learned lower-class British ac- cent, Ms. Brill calls out to the Director, "I'll say a bead for ya, Gloria." Cue. Strobe. Flash. "Please God, let Gloria gets good review." Cue. Strobe. Flash. "Please God, let Paula get a good re- view." Cue. Strobe. Flash. "Please God, let J. get a good review." Cue. Strobe. Flash. The impromptu prayer trails off into laughter from cast and crew but the incessant refinement of lights and sound continues on well into the night. Oddfellows Theatre (Continued from Page Bl) that teach Indian ways. On August 9 at 8 p.m., Roberta Hunter will serve as mo- derator at a forum on the "Year of the World's Indigenous People: Women's Perspective." John Strong of the Southampton Cam- pus of Long Island University and Shin - necock Elder Harriett Starleaf Gumbs will speak on the history of Long Island Native Americans on August 10 at 8 p.m. at the gallery. On Thursday, July 28, the opening night of the play, and again on August 1, LTV will air two doc- umentaries by Gayil Nalls, who created the "video- choreography" for "Wheels Over Indian Trails." For further infor- mation about any of the programs or tickets for play performances, call the Oddfellows box office at 324 -3708. For her part, director Maria Pessino is "elated at the company we have; I couldn't dream of more distinguished people coming together for this pro- ject." Beyond thanking the players and support staff and the gallery personnel and Native Americans who play such a vital role in the project, ISIS. Pessino says that she has "immense gratitude" -- r' SEASHORE FUELS -Discount Prices • Senior Discount 653 -8400 Residential • Commercial • Home Heating Oil EAST QUOGUE - C.O.D. Deliveries - Premium Diesel Fuel 1PUMUC1ICN ASSISTANT WAS-FLU m The Southampton Press and The Hampton Chronicle -News seek a production assistant to produce display ads for both publications at our Southampton location. This is a year- round, part -time position (Mon. - Wed., minimum 20 hours per week). Good typing skills and the ability to work well under deadline pressure are essential. Knowledge of Pagemaker (or equivalent) is desirable. Salary com- mensurate with experience. Call Rory at 287 -1103. ' Meet Me at O'Mally's Fresh It Zak AWh 0, - Fish AT Open "' n' J 7 Days Lunch `An East End Tradition' & Dinner 0111 1 !03 �r9# '3 East Hampton 324 -9757 , for "the year -round working commun- ity" that has offered so much support. "All the people who live and work here and have trusted us —the year - round residents —I'm really very grate- ful and feel responsible to give them something of tremendous quality that they all deserve," Ms. Pessino says. For the future, Ms. Pessino is "head hunting for the right co- producer." She says she would like to find someone to "share the costs, share the gains, share the sleepless nights." The right person for the job, she says, will help shape the direction for Oddfellows Playhouse down the road. The only other item on her wish list is "a space," a place that could be used by Odi fellows and other groups on a rotating basis with "reason- able costs" to be shared by whatever companies make use of it. She is grateful for all the things the company already has though: the sup- port of full -time staffer Kenny Mann; the support of her family, without which "there would be no Oddfellows"; and the hospitality that has been extended to her and her theatre efforts since she arrived on the East End. "I just want to continue to surprise myself and everyone else with our thes- pian endeavors," the director says. "Even if the themes, as in'Wheels Over Indian Trails,' are horrifying, blood- curdling and shameful, the theatre—the sharing and the giving attention —is a celebration. It's my way of saying thanks." RCF�FUEL OIL CORP. Reliable Courteous Fast 24 Hour Emergency Service Installations • Service Contracts Heating Oil 728 -2100 We Make Warm Friends Steaks Too! Luncheon Specials $4.95 Complete Dinner Specials $6.95 ONALILT�S Hampton Bays 728 -9593 Focus on Nature Day of Discovery on the Beach By Paul Sloutenburgh As part of the recovery process fr my back problem, we are spending summer on the bay. It's not an ela rate affair, thank goodness, but ra a cottage of the vintage of 60 or 70 ye ago —a time when many farms down to the water whether it was creek, the bay, the sound or the oce The cottages were meant to be a pl the family could retreat to for s occasions or for a cool evening afte hard day's work on the farm. The weathered shingles have bably been replaced one or two or e three times in its life, and only a few dern conveniences like running wa and electricity have been added, but tle else. That's what makes this cot so appealing. It still carries the beach cottage charm that's hard to f in today's modern world. It has the old familiar back door sl and always —open windows that le the cool breezes and sparkling sun t reflects off the bay and when you barefoot (and that's as soon as enter) you can feel the sand on the fl that the grandchildren brought in day before when they spent the da the beach. Exercise is what I'm supposed doing here, but the magic of the pl and setting has robbed most of th good intentions. One that fits in v well with the original purpose and to way of life is walking along the bea Early morning is best, for then you the whole bay and beach to yourse Yesterday I hobbled along with the casional help of my wife Barbara most the entire length of the beach. sun was doing its best to energize world and a cool breeze made walk a true delight. For one who was d for three months on his back, walk has become a new experience and . a slow and difficult process. This has advantages for now as we walk slo along the beach our eyes can do a m more thorough job of seeing. Of co we have to add to the grandchildr beach glass: the green and brown clear glass are the most prevalent these are not overly common by means. Their charm is not only in color but in their feel, for having through the mill of surf and sand the smoothed out to a sand -blast finis Then there are the endless shapes sizes of shells. Everything from 1 narrow razor clams to the empty an shell is picked up and examined. In high and dry conch shell we found of the disasters of nature that goes told. Inside was a dead baby dogf Already from that young age this fish or toadfish, that we usually see ing in an old tin can or under a pier word, had thought it found the ideal ing place. The only problem was that am during a high tide and strong wind the t}1C empty shell was rolled up on the beach bo- where the hot sun of the day put an end Cher to our young toadfish. ars On our windowsills back at the cottage ran there is a vast array of shells and trin- the kets the grandchildren have picked up an. and added to, and no matter how often ace they" at them they never seem to go pedal by without touching or looking them r a over. Skeletons of lady crabs or sand crabs are a special treasure as are pro- broken claws from crabs. These have a ven special use for the oldest. When he tea- no- ses the two younger girls with open ter claws, high pitched squeals and lit- screams tell when the action has done rage its best. old Pieces of hard clams that have been ind rounded by the surf make special pocket pieces even for the adults, something am like a petting stone. They feel good to the t in touch and are never passed by. Special hat Indian paint pots and pieces of the red go soft stone are always an extra treat, you especially when back at the cottage nor moisture is applied and faces are the painted like Indians. y at On one walk along the beach we had the fun of trying to decipher a set of to be tracks that came out of the water, but aee after we followed them, we found they ose retreated to the water. I'm sure they cry were a turtle's track, quite large and my distinct. It could only be a diamond back ch. terrapin that has become quite common N in our shallows around the East End. If. We often see their heads sticking out oc- of the water as they nonchalantly work al- their way along the beach. Their ideal The habitat is the water of the salt marsh. the Usually at this time of the year the tur- ing Iles come up on the high beach to lay own their eggs but evidently there was some - ing thing about this spot that did not match tt is with ancestral instincts, and she re- its turned to the water. wly Further along the beach where a uch newly- formed berm had been created, arse making a long ribbon of quiet water te- en's hind it, we found the tracks of a horse - and shoe crab. Evidently what had but happened here was the horseshoe crab any became trapped inside the little water - their way and had laid its eggs in the low de- been pressions we could see. Barbara got on they her hands and knees and probed these h. areas and sure enough came up with the and tiny grey -green eggs about the size of ong glass- headed pins. rich These were late layers for usually we one see them in May and early June. It's at one this time of the year the large females un- come up and are immediately joined by ish. the smaller males that piggy back the dog- female as she makes her way to the high hid- tide mark. Here she lays the eggs and e of the male fertilizes them and then both bid- return to the water. From then on we E Face painting with pigments from Indian paint pots is a popular pastime after a visit to the shore. —P.S. Photo don't see these ancient creatures until the following year, when the ritual is once again performed. A month later with the help of the warm sun the eggs hatch by the hun- dreds of thousands along our beaches and the tiny horseshoe crabs work their way out of the sand and into the sea. This is their most crucial time for fish and crabs enjoy their delicacy. Those who clam occasionally can dig one of the small horseshoe crabs up but they are becoming less and less common. And so our first week at the cottage retreat is over. We'll walk many more miles of beach seeing above and below the water, for later I'll be donning a snorkel and swimming —all in the name of rehabilitation but enjoying every min- ute of it. Choral Society to Sing 'Porgy and Bess' Score The Choral Society of the Hamptons is preparing its summer concert to be presented on Sunday, August 1, at the Bridgehampton Presbyterian Church in two performances, one at 5 and a see- ond at 7:30 p.m. Tickets, at $12.50 each, can be reserved by calling 324 -1925. Featured will be music from George Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess." In ad- dition, three sacred pieces by American composer Randall Thompson will be sung a cappella, and for Ralph Vaughan Williams' "Serenade to Music" the 80- voice chorus will be accompanied by a chamber orchestra. Solo parts will be sung by soprano Luvada Harrison - Davis of Baltimore and bass - baritone Kevin Deas of New York. John Daly Goodwin, in his fifth year as music di- rector of the Choral Society, will con- duct. AT LONG LAST! AFTER CONQUERING EUROPE, AFRICA, ASIA, THE ORIENT, AND EVEN NEW YORK CITY: LAND ROVER HAS FINALLY ACQUIRED IT'S CROWNING JEWEL: THE HAMPTONS.1 i`Ce-M LUXURY m.11l� LAN R �VER = cut mpfam FAX (516) 287 -2525 355 Hampton Road Southampton, Long Island (516) 287 -4141 RANGE ROVER THE SOUTHAMPTON PRESS / JULY 22, 1993