Catie Keogh - Irish American News

August 2011 Irish American News “We’ve Always Been Green!” 9McDade Steers Comeback of Shattered Globe TheatreSit Up! We're just getting startedIn November 1991, Roger Smart,Director of Shattered Globe TheatreCompany’s production of Talk Radio,cast Doug McDade as ‘SydneyGreenberg.’ Shortly after the run began,McDade became one of ShatteredGlobe’s original ensemble membersand performed several roles throughoutthe 19 years since.Last fall, when Shattered Globe wasfacing imminent demise, McDade volunteeredto step in as Interim ManagingDirector to help return SGT to its statusas one of Chicago's finest professionaltheatres. In his new position, McDadesupported installing Roger Smart as thenew Artistic Director, who he helped toforge a new artistic vision for the company,and enlisted a new board of directorsto put together a season of rebirth.“My goal was to retain the integrityand support of many of the company’sbenefactors, as well as, honor the bodyof work SGT had created in the past twodecades,” said McDade.In order to achieve this revival, SGThad to mount three shows before theend of June 2011. The tremendousefforts involved earned the companythe title Shattered Globe 2.0 and theyopened their first show with TheBeauty Queen Of Leenane by MartinMcDonagh. The play was a criticalsuccess and also marked McDade’sdebut as a SGT producer. He alsoco-produced the unique productionof Down & Dirty Romeo & Juliet,which is playing at various venuesand landmarks throughout Chicagothis summer.Educating Rita, which opened inJune and runs through August 14th,marked the SGT’s third successfulopening in six months and concludesthe company’s revival season. However,the road to rebirth was not an easy oneas an actor. McDade, a proud memberof the Actor’s Equity Association,admits pulling this last productiontogether was a difficult process for himas one of the decisions for it to happencalled for SGT to drop its Equity status.“This preempted me from the possibilityof being cast in the role of ‘Frank,’ andas casting director for the company, itwas my duty to recommend possiblenon-union artists for consideration,”said McDade.Embracing his new role, McDadepersevered and used his experienceto put together a great artistic team.This included the recommendation ofMadison Rep’s Artistic Director RichardCorley, who previously directedEducating Rita to critical acclaim atthe Berkshire Theatre Fest, as a candidateto direct SGT’s production. Come"Educating Rita" is JEFF RECOMMENDED!A young hairdresser from Liverpool and her literature tutorteach each other some hard life lessons in this play aboutfreedom, class and the cost of change.Doug McDadeopening night, McDade’s concerns dissipatedas he witnessed the phenomenalperformances of the two artists on stage,Whitney White and Brad Woodard. “Iwas able to live as an actor in Brad’sperformance… I tried to be critical andnegative because I had a passion forplaying that role but I simply couldn't,”said McDade. “I was able to live asan actor in Brad's performance. I amproud of the job he's doing and I knowthe emotional commitment he is making.And God Bless Whitney White. Ithought, ‘She IS RITA!’”Last year at this time, many said thatShattered Globe Theatre was dead, buttoday, thanks to the new life breathedinto to the company, due in part tothe dedication of those like McDadeand his team, Shattered Globe looksforward to yet another groundbreakingand exciting new season.“As I was applauding the final bowof Rita's opening night, I looked overat Roger. In his eyes I could see weshared a thought in that brief moment:‘We did it,” said McDade. EducatingRita is a landmark production for SGT2.0. “It is wonderful story about twopeople coming together, building arelationship and nurturing survivalagainst all odds. I am proud of thisshow. I am proud of the work we havedone in the last ten months. And whilebeing prideful is something we shouldnot aspire to, I find no other words toaptly describe what I feel. EducatingRita is a story about persevering. Sois SGT 2.0.”For more information about ShatteredGlobe Theatre or tickets, visitwww.shatteredglobe.com.World Renown Bagpiper Dick Hensoldto Perform in Park Forest August 11A concert with multi-bagpiper DickHensold will take place Thursday,August 11, at 7:30pm at Faith UnitedProtestant Church in Park Forest, IL.This concert features different types ofquieter, indoor bagpipes.Dick Hensold is the top Northumbriansmallpiper in America, and hasperformed in England, Scotland, Japan,Canada, and across the United States.Northumbrian smallpipes are a quietbagpipe from Northeast England, aclose relative to the Irish uilleann pipes.His solo Northumbrian smallpipes CDBig Music for Northumbrian Smallpipeswas released in 2007.In addition to Northumbrian smallpipes,the concert features a number ofother unusual instruments. A quieterindoor version of the Scottish Highlandpipes is the reel pipes, which was traditionallyused for Highland dance music,and which Hensold mainly uses for traditionalCape Breton dance piping. A bitof Scandinavian music will be playedon the Swedish bagpipes (also knownas the säckpipa), and on the seljefløyte,or Norwegian willow-flute. Also heardwill be the Welsh hornpipe, or pibgorn,and other instruments.Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia isa cultural gem, authentically preservingmany aspects of old Scottish HighlandGaelic culture. Hensold has studiedCape Breton Music for the past 6 yearswith two teachers in Nova Scotia (onea piper and one a fiddler), and this programgives a tantalizing glimpse of howmusic, song and dance flow togetherseamlessly in traditional Gaelic culture.He also presents little-known traditionalmusic from early 18th-century Scottishmanuscripts, as well as some originalmusic.This is what others say about DickHensold:“The piping is fluent and assured…his technique is impressive and themusic is delightfully interpreted”—FolkWorld CD Reviews“Hensold is an amazing internationalknown musician that just happens tolive in The Twin Cities”—The IrishGazetteJoin us for an intimate musical eveningwith one of America’s finest andmost unusual traditional bagpipers.The church address is 10 HemlockSt., Park Forest, IL 60466. For ticketsand more info, call 708-747-1330.