A new theatre work by Longshadr Productions will premiere at the World Famous Logger Bar in Blue Lake, at the center of the universe, on Oct 10, 2023.
Featuring award-winning actor Donald Forrest, Longshadr presents THE LOGGER LEAR. THE LOGGER LEAR is a raucous event with live music and original songs that is very looooooosely based on King Lear. It is comedy with edges and heart. It is physical and funny, with a dash of mayhem and poignancy. It also includes a bar fight, one bastard, special guest appearances by Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong On, Biscuit the bar dog, and you can order a drink.
THE LOGGER LEAR is a true theater of place work. Theatre inspired by the landscape, people and themes of this place now. Terry Lear is wondering about his legacy, what he is leaving behind to his daughters and the world. Who loves him the most? Does anyone care about his life’s work, his “kingdom” in this place, and what should he do with the time he has left? He holds a wake while he is still alive to “reckon” with it all.
This unique theatre event will seat only 50 people. It will happen in and among the audience in the bar. Tickets are available at Eventbrite.com. You are encouraged to buy tickets early as this will sell out. The show is approx. one hour long.
Directed and written by Michael Fields, THE LOGGER LEAR, features Donald Forrest as Lear, David Powell as Happy the Fool (a world class singer), Isabel Semler, Alex Blouin, and Shawn Wagner as Lear's daughters, Ben Clifton as Wilmer Raaadom of the Fortuna Raandoms, the county health inspector, Evan Grande as Mike the bastard lawyer, Jeff Landen as a singing ghost, and our incomparable band: Marla Joy, Tim Randles, Jeff Kelley, and Mike Labole. Original songs are by Tim Randles and Jeff Kelley. Fight choreography by Jesse March, scenography by Lynnie Horrigan.
Longshadr Productions is granted an Arts and Cultural Organizations General Operating Support program from the Caliornia Arts Council. Part of this grant will support THE LOGGER LEAR. Other grant funds will support future productions.
The dates and times of performance are:
Oct 9 – Monday - open dress rehearsal 6pm (stop by the bar to make a reservation)
Oct 10 – Tuesday 6pm – opening
Oct 11 – Wednesday 6pm
Oct 12 - Thursday - 6pm
Oct 15 - Sunday – 4pm
Oct 16 - Monday – 6pm
Oct 17 – Tuesday – 6pm
LONGSHADR is a production company started by Michael Fields in 2020 when he retired from Dell’Arte. The name It references the long shadows that are cast in the winter when the sun dips into the horizon behind the hill and the dark of the days become longer until the light of late spring. It is about the hope, effort and joy of moving out of the shadows and into the light. It is about collaborations that promote the health and creative community spirit of this place. It is about preparing and creating popular (“of the people”), place-inspired, theatre for a new era. In 2021 Longshadr produced MADSUMMER. The fiscal sponsor for THE LOGGER LEAR is Blue Ox village and millworks
For more information: go to www.longshadr.com or contact longshadr@gmail.com