BARE Opens Tonight at NTC

By Joan Doggrell

Paul Conroy, theatrical artist, educator and Newnan Theatre Company's former artistic director, has returned to direct the musical "bare: A Pop Opera" for the fifth anniversary of Newnan Theatre Company's Summer Series.

Conroy explains that the musical is called "opera" because "it has very little spoken dialogue. It may not be an opera in the same sense that 'Carmen' and 'La Traviata' are operas, but it is a theatrical opera much like "Jesus Christ Superstar" or "RENT" - 98% of the show is sung, and the singing is vocally demanding."

As Music Director J.D. Hall explains, "The kids are studying both pop music and opera and learning how to blend the two together. The style is unique - it's not typical musical theater. It's pop music requiring operatic technique. The harmonies are important; there are lots of minor chords and six-part harmonies instead of the usual four-part. And the range is pretty high as well, which is different from traditional musical theater. It's vocally challenging, so we're studying a lot of techniques such as correct breathing to get ready for opera-type singing. I'm not just teaching notes."

"I enjoy the music," added Hall. "It blends part of the liturgy from the Catholic Mass into the new pop music. The way it's written is really cool - it's chant-style singing with a beat, a blend of traditional and contemporary, still keeping with that whole pop opera style."

The story is about a group of typical, modern students confronted with adult issues. They attend St. Cecelia's Catholic boarding school, and they are trying to make religion work for them. But their faith has not prepared them to cope with issues such as homosexuality, drug use and teen pregnancy. The adults in their lives are not prepared either, so the kids are adrift. Only one adult, a nun, is able to help one student, Peter, accept his sexual orientation. But the young man he's in love with, Jason, has no one to turn to, with tragic results.

"Jason has no one to tell him his homosexuality is OK," said Auren Arevelo, who plays the role of Jason. "He thinks it's wrong. He's scared, and knows his parents won't be there for him. In fact, he's convinced his father would 'beat the crap out of him' if he came out. In desperation and despair, he gets a girl pregnant, and rejects Peter."

"Jason's family dynamic is different from Peter's," explains Jacob Demlow, who plays Peter. "Peter's parents are divorced, and he hardly ever sees his dad. He tries to come out to his mom, but she doesn't want to hear him. Even so, his upbringing has been freer than Jason's. There is so much expected of Jason. He's been accepted at Notre Dame, and coming out as gay would be a huge problem."

"The week we open is the week the Supreme Court is making its ruling concerning gay marriage, whether or not it will be legalized nationally," added Demlow. "I think the fact that we're doing this show right now is very important."

"The show is very edgy," said Hall. "When I first read about it, I thought, no, this is out of my comfort area, but I changed my mind once I understood the themes running through the story line. The Church throughout the years has had a standard, and it's always been the light, the beacon, throughout the world that people looked to for answers. But somehow - or maybe it's a cultural thing - the world has stopped asking the Church, and people are taking it upon themselves to find answers.

"The teenage characters in this musical have a whole bunch of questions about drugs, alcohol, and sex, and they are asking what the Church going to do to answer these questions. Is the Church going to bend a little, and say, come talk to me, or is the Church going to say no, here's the line in the sand?

"Some people feel outcast - they don't feel the church would accept them. But as a Christian myself, I don't think Jesus would turn people away. Everything I've read about Jesus shows him as very accepting. He did have a standard, but he talked to people like they were people. But the Church today sometimes ostracizes people who don't have the same belief system.

"I think people reading a synopsis of the story would not get the point. But once they get into the performance, they will understand its value," he added.

"So many children enter their teens facing issues that they know nothing about," said Conroy. "A lot of parents don't deal with these things at all. And suddenly their children are teenagers and all these issues are before them."

Conroy loves theater in all its forms. He understands that pure entertainment has its place, and he enjoys a good farce as much as a serious drama. But he also believes in the potential of theater to "make a difference."

"People should leave the theater talking about the show they've just seen," he said. "They don't have to like it or agree with the stand it takes on issues. What is important is that they talk about those issues. Problems will be solved only when they can be openly discussed."

For these reasons, NTC is scheduling "talkbacks" after some of the performances. They are inviting church leaders and other public figures to join the audience in a frank discussion about the play and the questions it raises.

Jacob Demlow is a recent graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Columbus State University's theatre program. Sadly, this is the last year he will be able to participate in NTC's summer youth program. At Columbus, Demlow acted in three children's shows which toured elementary schools all across Georgia and part of Alabama. He has performed in "Rent," and he has directed "Psychopath Sexualis," "Our Town" and "Stop Kiss." Demlow is well known to NTC audiences for his excellent work in shows such as last year's "Thrill Me" - also directed by Paul Conroy. Also, this past spring, Demlow directed NTC's sold-out musical "Into the Woods". He currently lives and works in Newnan, but as soon as he saves enough money, he'll be off to New York City to seek his fortune in the theater world.

The other main "bare" character, Jason, is portrayed by Auren Arevello, who has just graduated from high school in Fayetteville, Georgia. He started acting just two years ago, performing in "Shrek the Musical" and then "The Addams Family." Though he would love to make a career of acting, he plans to major in electrical engineering and minor in music at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

"bare: A Pop Opera" is a musical in two acts. The book is by John Hartmere Jr. and Damon Intrabartolo, the music by Damon Intrabartolo, and the lyrics by John Hartmere Jr. The musical debuted at the Hudson Theatre in Los Angeles in 2000. The first New York off-Broadway production ran from 19 April to 27 May 2004.

The show opens at NTC tonight, June 18, and runs through Sunday, June 28. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased through the NTC website, newnantheatre.org, or via phone by calling 770.683.6282. This production does contain mature content.

The ticket price is $10.00 for all ages, all shows. Performance dates and times are as follows:

June 18, 8:00 pm

June 19, 8:00 pm

June 20, 8:00 pm

June 21, 3:00 pm

June 25, 8:00 pm

June 26, 8:00 pm

June 27, 8:00 pm

June 28, 3:00 pm