It’s beginning to feel a lot like the holidays. This year, Island Theater Workshop (ITW) is bringing the classic 1964 film “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” to life, lifting it off the screen and right into the Performing Arts Center (PAC) from Dec. 5 to 7. Audience members will be able to follow the bouncing ball on a projected screen to sing along to hits like “A Holly Jolly Christmas” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”
Island Theater Workshop is the longest-running community theater on the Vineyard. Founder Mary Payne started it in 1968 as a summer theater camp for children. Artistic Director Kevin Ryan shares, “Mary had a child who had nothing to do all summer long, so she came up with the perfect solution: to start a small theater group for children. Within a couple of summers, she had full enrollment, and quickly realized that parents, siblings, neighbors, and friends wanted to be onstage and backstage. So, in 1970, they did their first family classic theater production, ‘The Barretts of Wimpole Street.’”
Lee Fierro — known to millions as Mrs. Kintner from “Jaws,” the bereaved mother who slapped Chief Brody in the face — started working with ITW in 1974, acting in and helping to prepare shows, as well as volunteering as the bookkeeper. In a short time, she became the associate artistic director, then the artistic director when Payne passed away in 1996.
Fierro began the Apprentice Players, an afterschool program during the winter months. Ryan says, “They would meet wherever there was space, whether a church or school or Lee’s house, working on dramatic and musical productions, and then put on a performance.”
During Fierro’s time as well, the New Directors Studio was established as a student-director mentoring program in which the artistic director worked closely with students to produce one-act plays.
Fierro served as artistic director until 2009, when the then-associate director, Kaf Warman, took over as artistic director, until Ryan was awarded the position in 2015. Ryan reflects, “With four different artistic directors, we’ve done more than 300 shows, big and small. It’s been quite a ride for many people. We’ve had whole families work with us — husbands and wives, grandparents and grandkids, moms and dads.”
Right now, with “Rudolph,” there are multiple parents with their children in the cast of 19, all of whom have been hard at work since auditions at the end of September to ensure the holiday season gets off to a great start. Their commitment is evident in the time everyone puts in. There are some 10 weeks of rehearsals, meeting three times a week, amid all the other activities competing for everyone’s attention during the busy school year.
The age range of the cast stretches from 9 to 70, according to Ryan, who is also directing the show. You will see all your favorite characters, including Santa and Mrs. Claus, Hermey the Elf, Bumble the Abominable Snow Monster, Clarice, Yukon Cornelius, and, of course, Rudolph. “We’ve got six or seven children in the kids’ parts, which is great. They’re doing a wonderful job. We even have a student from Falmouth. The adults include schoolteachers, a dance instructor, a Pilates teacher, and people who work in restaurants and construction. You name it, we have it,” Ryan remarks.
Speaking of the costumes for the 30-plus parts, Ryan explains that some are handmade on the Vineyard, and even those they purchase need to be enhanced. “I have five adults who range from five foot three to six foot five who are reindeer. So it’s tricky; and we have children who are elves and adults who need to be elves, plus a talking, walking, sliding snowman who sings and dances about onstage.” But it all works out in the end, as it always has over the past 57 years.
During rehearsal this weekend, adult reindeer and child elves were practicing their choreography, and a jolly time was being had by all. The kids, all playing multiple roles, were bubbling with enthusiasm. The overwhelming consensus is that they are having a great time with their friends. Shep VanLandingham adds, “It’s fun learning dances and songs.” Henry Scott says, “I like practicing my lines and performing in front of a lot of people.”
Samantha Gibson-VanLandingham, who is playing Mrs. Claus, explains how she got involved. “I was bringing my kids to the audition, and I thought, ‘Oh, heck, it’s “Rudolph,” and it’s fun and nostalgic.’”
Julian Wise, who plays Rudolph, hasn’t performed in 30 years –– except when, as a teacher, he played in the band for school productions and would step onstage for small cameos. Ryan convinced Wise to return to the footlights. Asked about how he prepared for his role, Wise replies, “You connect to the parts of yourself that have similar emotional experiences. I think Rudolph has a core of goodness, but also confusion about how he fits into the world. Really, the story is his journey to belonging.”
Island Theater Workshop relies entirely on volunteers, except for paid musicians. Not only do the actors and director volunteer, but everyone involved in the production does as well, including lead costume designers Tarra Corcoran and associate director Jennifer Knight, choreographer Leandra Seward, set designer Brad Austin, and technical production manager Lauraye White. “Shows can run upwards of $24,000 to $26,000 in production costs, because we pay for licensing fees, musicians, some costumes, rent for the performance space, etc.,” Ryan says. “We look for shows that can fill seats and help cover the production costs.” These have included “My Fair Lady,” “Little Shop of Horrors,” and “Othello,” among a great many others.
Throughout the decades, Island Theater Workshop has never had a permanent home, instead performing in many of the Island’s schools and churches, at the Katharine Cornell Theatre, on people’s lawns, and beyond. “We couldn’t originally afford the high school Performing Arts Center, as we know it today,” says Ryan. “Then they really saw the need to allow and encourage community groups to use the space. They’ve set up a really well-thought-out discount program. It’s lovely, because it’s a wonderful performance space.” Ryan is particularly excited that they have successfully brought “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” to the PAC stage this season and hopes that with luck, it becomes a holiday tradition.
“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” at the Performing Arts Center. Opening-night special: Friday, Dec. 5, at 7 pm, all tickets $20. Dec. 6 at 2 and 7 pm, and Dec. 7 at 2 pm, tickets $35 for adults, $15 for students in grades K–12; ages 4 and under are free. For reservations, visit itwmvy.org.
