CLEARLAKE OAKS — New Vintage Productions (NVP) is in rehearsals for its next show, “The Floating Door,” which was written and directed by Carl? High School student Jesse Harrell.
Performances take place at 7 p.m. July 13 and 14 and 2 p.m. July 15 at the Clearlake Oaks Moose Lodge, located at 15900 Highway 20 in Clearlake Oaks.
According to Harrell, the production combines lovers, families, cops, rednecks and aliens. It was inspired by the 1960s “Twilight Zone” TV episodes, with an equal part of B-movie inspiration from “Creepshow.”
“I don”t think Lake County has seen anything like this,” Harrell said. “It is a terrific opportunity for me, and for all of the cast, to get involved with a completely original piece.”
To add to the television style of presentation, the cast will show a series of mock commercials between scenes. These will be written from the group”s own work, through a series of improvisations and games which will lead to the script of the ads. Under the direction of James Paton, assistant director of the show, the stylistic commercials are being developed into an integral part of the show.
According to Harrell, the rehearsals are funny, with the cast enjoying the process and entertaining each other and the directors with their contributions. “I want it to be an organic process, where the actors feel free to contribute to the work onstage as much as I have in writing it,” Harrell said.
The rehearsals are also a bit different in another way: they take place outside. “In his support for the youth and the community in general, Brad Terrill, of Terrill Cellars Winery, has agreed to let us use the orchard in the beautiful Tuscan Village for our rehearsal space,” John Tomlinson, founder and artistic director of NVP, said. “As a new, growing company, NVP is extremely grateful for his generosity.”
Tickets to the performance cost $10 per person and are available at the Moose Lodge in Clearlake Oaks and at the High Street Village salon in Lakeport. A portion of proceeds go toward restoration of the youth center building near Austin Park.
The Moose Lodge will be open an hour before the show, with refreshments available at the bar and food for sale from the kitchen. Food for the July 13 show will be a special spaghetti dinner, at a cost of $5 extra per plate.
For more information, contact Tomlinson at 355-2211, or at John@NewVintageProductions.com.
