Brush Creek announces the cast of “Castle of the Rose” (updated June 24)

Director Michael Wood is pleased to announce the cast of Castle of the Rose — the Real Story of the Beauty and her Beast, the 2019 summer teen & young adult production.

Brush Creek has a large number of talented young actors who will help make this show a success. The show, which runs from August 9-18, brings to life an original script, written by Emily Wood and Michael Wood, that provides a fresh look at the classic tale. About the Brush Creek production, Michael said, “This is not Disney’s show, of course. Belle has a lot more going on in her family than just a widowed father. And the beast in Brush Creek’s tale is no stranger to tragedy, and there is certainly more to him than a simple spoiled prince.”

The cast is led by Anna Hall as Belle and Leo Barker as the Beast, but Michael notes that the real strength of the production is the ensemble of characters that will bring both Belle’s family home and the Rose Castle to life.

The Cast of Castle of the Rose: The Real Tale of the Beauty and Her Beast

The Beauty and her Family and Friends:

Anna Hall plays Belle Beauchêne: The beautiful and kind young lady wants more than the ordinary life of a French country lady – but Belle isn’t entirely sure what that means. 

Tristan Craig plays Pierre Beauchêne: Belle’s father, Pierre is a widower who has, perhaps, indulged his children throughout their lives more than he should have.

Eleri Rodrigues plays Eloise Beauchêne: Belle’s younger sister, Eloise has a sharp, quick wit and knows more than her siblings realize.

Catie McCarty plays Marie Beauchêne: Belle’s older sister, Marie treasures the stories of the family’s wealthy past and is always looking to bring the return of that prosperity. How far will she go to get her way?

Grace Payton plays Nicolas Beauchêne: Belle’s younger brother and the youngest sibling, Nicolas is shrewd and calculating. He cares more about his family than he would admit, but will his games bring them all to ruin?

Dakota Thompson plays André Beauchêne: The oldest of the Beauchêne siblings, André is the most straightforward of them all, with a strong sense of honor and a simple approach to the world. He will fight to protect his sisters.

Dylan Vandehey plays Jean-Baptiste Fortier: A noble soldier and a friend of André’s, Jean-Baptiste has set his cap for André’s middle sister, much to the chagrin of both Belle and Marie (and to the amusement of Eloise and Nicolas). He, too, is willing to fight for at least one of André’s sisters.

Evelyne Rose Smith plays Nathalie Beauchêne: André’s wife, Nathalie tolerates – but only just – living with her husband’s family because of their reduced means. She is proud of her connections and her family’s past, but they may hold a surprise or two.

Zack Parsons plays Martin Charpentier: A friend and fellow officer to André and Jean-Baptiste, Martin is also a bit of a rogue who is always on the lookout for a profitable adventure. Looting a castle is right up his alley!

Reese Johnston plays René Gagné: A trooper in Martin’s cavalry unit, René is also Martin’s confidante when it comes to making mischief. He may be an even bigger rogue than his commander and mentor.

Eli Stenerson plays Young André, who is André’s older son and namesake.

Tess Dettwyler plays Adélaïde, who is André’s daughter, named in memory of André’s mother.

Emmett Stenerson plays Young Pierre, who is André’s younger son, named after André’s father.

The Denizens of the Castle:

Leo Barker plays Gaspard L’Evere: Angry at the world and believing that he failed his parents, Gaspard has become a true beast in the isolated splendor of what was once a grand castle.

Jewell Manley plays Ysabeau L’Evere: A mother alive only in the Beast’s memories (or perhaps?), Ysabeau died protecting her son from attack, but her death plunged him into the depths of despair and self-loathing.

Emily Wood plays Pascal Lemaire: The Seneschal of the Castle of the Rose, Pascal has sacrificed a great deal in service to the L’Evere family – and he remains at the post despite the passing decades…or is that centuries?

Lauren Stenerson plays Annette Fournier: A lowly cook’s apprentice when the great tragedy occurred, Annette is now the only cook the Castle of the Rose has known for many years.

Rianna Nowlin plays Gabrielle Neuville: A relatively new tutor for the young prince when the great tragedy occurred, Gabrielle has remained at her post longer than she planned…and longer than anyone had a right to expect.

Macie Nowlin plays Céline Leclerc: The loyal personal maid to Lady Ysabeau, Céline no longer had a role when Ysabeau left the castle – so she has become a gardener, in order to ensure that her lady’s precious roses thrive.

Alaina Reed plays Brigitte Dubois: The Castle of the Rose’s housekeeper, Brigitte decided after the Crisis that it was more important that the castle had effective defenses than that the rooms were swept regularly, so she took it upon herself to become the castle’s new Marshal, turning the chambermaids into castle guardsmen.

Charlie Dettwyler plays Thérèse Moulin: One of only two remaining chambermaids-turned-guardsmen, Thérèse misses her days lighting the fires and questions the value of Madam Dubois’ drills and exercises. 

Jewell Manley plays Sophie Robert: A chambermaid-turned-guardsman, Sophie has reached a point where she is satisfied with her new life and is certainly not interested in seeing any further changes.

Come join the fun opening night — Friday, August 9 — at 7 pm!

Auditions for “Castle of the Rose” May 27 & 28

Open Auditions: 7 pm, Monday, May 27 and 7 pm, Tuesday, May 28 — at Brush Creek Playhouse (11535 Silverton Rd, Silverton)
Brush Creek will be holding open auditions for Castle of the Rose, written by Emily Wood and Michael Wood.  It is a romantic fantasy based on the classic tale “La Belle et la Bete” aka “Beaty and the Beast.” Michael Wood will be directing, with the capable assistance of Michele Nowlin again this year.
This is NOT Disney’s show, of course — but Belle has a lot more going on in her family than a widowed father. And the beast in Brush Creek’s tale is no stranger to tragedy, and is certainly more than a simple spoiled prince.
This is going to be fun! But it will require a full cast of solid actors. As always, actors and would-be actors aged teens thru mid-20s are welcome to audition, because we have a range of parts to fill of all shapes and sizes!
So—-auditions will be at 7 pm Monday, May 27 and 7 pm, Tuesday, May 28.
The show itself will run weekends from August 2 thru 18, so you’ll want to get those dates (and Tech Week) on your calendars as well.
Feel free to contact Michael at 503-508-3682 or at mdwelpis@comcast.net with any questions. Or if you can’t make either of the auditions but you’d like a part in the show. He can figure something out to give you a chance to read.

“You Know I Don’t Love You” opens Friday, Sept 18

Brush Creek’s 2015 teen/young adult show — a romantic comedy entitled “You Know I Don’t Love You” — opens in less than three weeks. In the show written by Emily Wood and Michael Wood, the 2005 Fighting Toucans from Aldous Huxley high school gather for their high school reunion. Old relationships flare and fizzle, while new relationships ignite, in this romantic comedy that helps more than one Toucan graduate realize that “you know I don’t love you” carries a variety of meanings.

The production opens on Friday, September 18 and runs thru Sunday, October 4, with shows at 7 pm on Fridays and Saturdays and a 2 pm matinee each Sunday. They are $10 for general admission, with $8 discounted tickets available to seniors 60 and over, children 12 and under, and students with ID. Tickets can be purchased in advance at Books N Time on Water in downtown Silverton or at Runaway Art and Craft Studio on Commercial in downtown Salem. They also are available 30 minutes before each performance begins at the theater, which is located at the intersection of Brush Creek and Silverton roads.

The production is appropriate for older children and unlikely to trouble young children, although there is a certain amount of conflict, mild language and sexual tension.

For more information, feel free to call Director Michael Wood at 503-508-3682.

The cast of You Know I Don’t Love You includes the following young people (ranging in age from 13 to 20):

Kate Allanach — Brooke Wexler
Lily Ark — Cierra Lawrence (2005 Huxley grad)
Jennifer Baumgartner — Kelsey Farrows (2005 Huxley grad)
Bradley Cock — Theo Faulkner (2005 Huxley grad)

Chase Cooley — Asher Lewis (2005 Huxley grad)

Holly Craig — Daniela Shaw
Tristan Craig — Colin Barbour (2005 Huxley grad)
Catie McCartey — Rosie Graven Barbour (2005 Huxley grad)
Amy Miller — Anna Slater (2005 Huxley grad)
Zachary Traeger — Kyle McNeil (2005 Huxley grad)

Emily Wood — Becca Conway (2005 Huxley grad and graduating class president)

 

“Mystery of the Kitchen Table” Opens in November

Tickets on sale for Brush Creek’s latest mystery thriller, to open in November

The Mystery of the Kitchen Table, a play that unfolds over nearly a century, will open at Brush Creek Playhouse Thursday, November 13 and run until Sunday, November 23. There will be five performances each weekend, on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The play centers on the old Winthorpe mansion and its antique mahogany kitchen table. It opens with the violent death of beautiful Mary Winthorpe in 1921, which echoes down through the decades.  With the arrival of young Arthur Wilde in 2014, the mysteries of his new home begin to be revealed. As Arthur and his friends learn more about Winthorpe House and its past, they realize that the tragic events that began in 1921 have not yet fully run their course.

Brush Creek’s 2014 teen/young adult production, the play is directed by Michael Wood. “I have a cast that relies equally on veterans of our past shows and on actors appearing in the teen show for the first time,” Wood said. “These young people are working hard to bring their various characters to life. The audience is going to care about these people – and I guarantee that the play’s twists and turns will be good for a surprise or two along the way!”

Wood and his daughter Emily wrote the play, as they did last year’s The Time Traveler and 2011’s Christmas at the Blizzard: A Murder Mystery.

The performances will be at 7 pm Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 pm Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets — $10 for adults and $8 for children, seniors and students with ID – are available at Brush Creek’s two ticket locations: Books-N-Time on Water Street in downtown Silverton and Runaway Art & Craft Studio on Commercial Street in downtown Salem. They also can be purchased at the door 30 minutes before each performance. More information is also available at www.brushcreekplayhouse.com or by calling Michael Wood at 503-508-3682.

The playhouse is located at 11535 Silverton Road, the intersection of Silverton and Brush Creek Roads, between Silverton and Salem. In spite of the Silverton Road address, the theater’s parking lot is entered from Brush Creek Road.

The time Traveler to open November 15, run two weekends.

Unfortunately, because of cast illnesses and other issues, Brush Creek is delaying the opening of The Time Traveler until Friday, November 15. We will run as scheduled the final two weekends, with performances at 7 pm on Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 pm on Sundays. We will are still very excited about this show — and we hope you will take the time to fit it into your schedule. You will be glad you did!

“The Time Traveler” opens November 8th

Brush Creek Players bring a tale of time travel, suspense and romance to the stage with the opening of The Time Traveler on Friday, November 8. The annual teen/young adult show offers a fresh look at a timeless topic that has invited the attention of creative spirits from H.G. Wells to the team behind the BBC’s Doctor Who.

“The show is a touch of science fiction, a dollop of history, and a good bit of romance. At its heart, it is a love story that crosses the ages,” said Michael Wood, who directs the show he and his daughter Emily wrote. “The time traveler is a very serious-minded Englishwoman from the early 20st century who becomes the first to travel through the pages of history – she is joined on her travels by an exuberant 21st century American. And then she falls in love.”

Wood is directing his third teen and young adult show at Brush Creek. “This one offers some special challenges,” he said. “The last two years we put on a show that required only a single set. But when you travel from ancient Rome to Elizabethan England to the American Civil War, to name a few, both the set and the costumes demand a bit of extra creativity.”

The cast includes several young veterans of the Brush Creek stage. “I know we’ll have a great show,” Wood said. “I have watched some of these young people deliver on our stage in the children’s show again and again. And they are definitely up for the challenge!”

The show will open November 8 and run three weekends to close on November 24, with evening performances at 7 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, as well as 2 pm matinees on Sundays.

Tickets are $10 general admission, with discounted tickets available for students ($8) and children under 12 ($7) and seniors 60 and older ($7).  They can be purchased in advance at the following locations:

Books-N-Time                                                   Runaway Art & Craft Studio

210 N Water St. Suite B, Silverton 97381        311 Commercial Street NE, Salem 97301

(503) 874-4311                                                 (503) 881-6270

For further information, contact Michael Wood at 503-508-3682. You also can find “Brush Creek Playhouse” on Facebook.
Cast of The Time Traveler (in order of historical appearance)
at Brush Creek Playhouse, November 2013

Julia Caesaris Maria, played by Taylor Fisher

Aurelia Cotta, played by Lily Ark

Cleopatra VII Ptolemy, played by Taylor Fisher

Arsinoe (Cleopatra’s servant), played by Lily Ark

William Shakespeare, played by Matthew Biggs

Corporal Orville Gibbons, U.S. Cavalry, played by Teddy Biggs

Brigadier General George Armstrong Custer, U.S. Cavalry, played by Matthew Biggs

Edward Andrews, played by Matthew Biggs

Mrs. Foster (his landlady and housekeeper), played by Sarah Allanach

Katharine Andrews (his young daughter), played by Lily Ark

Katharine Andrews (as an adult), played by Emily Wood

Gerhardt Schmidt, played by Teddy Biggs

Peter Kinder, played by Sebastian Ward

Jessie Collins, played by Kate Allanach

Andy Collins, played by Taylor Fisher

Alex Christopher, played by Sarah Allanach

Teen/Young Adult auditions for “The Time Traveler” Sept 22 & 24

We have open auditions for this year’s teen/young adult show coming on Sunday, September 22 and Tuesday, September 24. The Sunday auditions for “The Time Traveler” by Michael Wood and Emily Wood will be at the theater (Silverton and Brush Creek Roads) at 6 pm. The Tuesday auditions will be at Runaway Art and Craft Studio in downtown Salem (311 Commercial St NE) at 6 pm. We will be using cold readi…ngs.

The play is a bit science fiction, a bit mystery, and a bit of an old-fashioned heartrending romance. It should be great fun, and we encourage all those interested between the ages of 13 and their mid-20s to come give it a try. The production will begin rehearsing the following week, with performances in November. Please pass the information on to anyone who might be interested!

For more information, you can contact Director Michael Wood at mdwelpis@comcast.net or 503-508-3682