WE’RE BACK!!!!!

Yes, this is truly scary, carrying the Bisbee Halloween Season well into next month. BOP’s “Almost Annual Comedy Show,” will bring laughs galore for the 12^th time on November 21 and 22 at 7:30, with a 3:00 matinee on November 23. Our yearly laugh riot will take place at BOP’s home, Central School Project’s “Squffy” Theater in the heart of Old Bisbee.

Join your old favorites presenting new stuff for your enjoyment and tittilation! Hillary! Keith! Mitchell! Lyn! Rae! Carrie! And a cast of thousands! OK, a few more. The show’s theme this year is “Nanu, Nanu” in honor of recently passed King of Comedy, Robin Williams. Mitchell can even do the hand sign!

Want to join us? One guy of any age, shape, size, or political affiliation is invited to strut his stuff, and I mean most of his stuff, in a sketch designed by our lovely MC for the night. You must be willing to show up each night, and strip down to your boxers, but your appearance will be brief, and there are no lines to learn. If you are ready to show us what you’ve got, or not, contact Rae at 432-2901, or at obscurerae@gmail.com and be a hero!

For more show information, contact our new, fabulous producer, Mitchell Reed-Tattan (yes, it is all his fault now), at 520-255-2097, or at theaterbisbee@gmail.com. Can’t wait to show up, show off, and show out for you this year!

Agnes of God Opens BOP's 2014-2015 Season

A Bold, Challenging Drama

Bisbee’s Obscure Productions opens their 2014-15 Season with Agnes of God by John Pielmeier. Agnes of God is a gripping drama about a young nun found with a dead baby in her wastebasket. Dr. Livingstone is hired to assess Sister Agnes’s sanity but wants to dig deeper. Will Mother Miriam Ruth allow the doctor to find out the truth?

Director Elizabeth Henley chose the show for its bold female characters and their ability to capture the audience's attention with their strong opposing points of view. Patrons will find themselves drawn into the fray. BOP is proud to support Elizabeth in this thesis project for a Directing degree from Roosevelt University.  Each year her adviser travels the country to view and assess all the thesis shows in the program, and he'll be coming to Bisbee for this production also.

Sharon Strachan, who plays Mother Miriam, says, “[Agnes of God] deals with philosophical and religious questions that many of us grapple with, the questions of miracle and belief and the interplay of science and religion.

Debby Gardner, who plays Dr. Livingstone says, “This play is about a doubtful psychiatrist who fails in her attempt to use her science to help a young nun but succeeds” at opening her own eyes.

The BOP Bakers are Back

Opening Night, October 3, and Friday, October 10, will feature the First Night Café with wine and baked goods from the BOP Bakers. Friday and Saturday performances, October 3, 4, 10 and 11, are at 7:30 p.m., with matinees October 5 and 12 at 3:00 p.m. All performances are at the Squffy Theater at Central School Project, 43 Howell Ave., Old Bisbee.

New Ticket Sellers

$10 adult tickets will be available in Old Bisbee at Finders Keepers on Main Street and Mimosa Market on Brewery Gulch. Patrons can also purchase tickets at The Bisbee Food Coop in Lowell and directly from Bisbee’s Obscure Productions. For credit card sales from BOP, add $1 per ticket. Contact BOP at PO Box 277, Bisbee AZ 85603, 520.255.2097, or theaterbisbee@gmail.com for more information. Tickets are $12 at the door for adults and $6 for students.

Sharon Strachan, Emily Roux, Debbie Gardner.

Director Elizabeth Henley looks on.

BOP's 12th (!) Season

BOP is Back at Central School Project with a full season of theater, opening October 3. All shows are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 3:00 pm. Friday nights feature the BOP Bakers and their tasty sweets, coffee and wine, donations coming back to us.

We open our 2014-15 Season with Agnes of God by John Pielmeier. Agnes of God is a gripping drama about a young nun found with a dead baby in her wastebasket. Dr. Livingstone is hired to assess Sister Agnes’s sanity but wants to dig deeper. Will Mother Miriam Ruth allow the doctor to find out the truth? Directed by Elizabeth Henley, Agnes of God runs October 3-12, 2014.

Local comics cut loose this November for BOP’s 12^th Almost Annual Comedy Show. Produced by Mitchell A. Reed-Tattan, this year’s laugh-a-thon will feature the best in Cochise comics – one never knows who will grab the Squffy stage. Shows are November 21-23. Expect adult language and situations.

Agatha Christie meets Noel Coward in a new mysterious comedy, comedic mystery. In Death by Design by Rob Urbinati, the stock characters meet at the home of Edward and Sorel Bennet, an urbane playwright and a glamorous
actress. You’ll meet the Maid, the Chauffeur, the Politician, the Radical, the Bohemian, the Visitor. Who dies, and whodunnit? Come to see. Gilles directs; this intriguing play runs January 9-18, 2015.

Produced by some amazing Bisbee women to be named later, our annual Bisbee Women’s Revue honors International Women’s Day, March 8, and celebrates creative power of women everywhere. The show runs three days, from March 6-8, and features some of our fine town’s finest female performers, different every year and always fabulous.

The season closes with a fascinating comedy/drama all the way from Australia – Cosi by Louis Nowra. Lewis, a playwright, is much in need of a job and gets one producing Mozart’s “Cosi Fan Tutti” at an Australian mental institution. Cast members run the gamut of the DSM-IV: OCD, bipolar, pyromania, mixed in with a few “normies.” This show celebrates the oddities in us all and gets in a few digs at theater while it’s at it. Directed by Caroline Raven, Cosi runs April 17-26.

BOP has two new ticket sellers, along with the Bisbee Food Coop. Joining the family are Mimosa Market on Brewery Gulch and Finders Keepers on Main Street. Tickets are still $10 in advance and $12 at the door for adults. Student tickets are $6 at the door only.

BOP has a new telephone number for information: 520.255.2097; the email address remains theaterbisbee@gmail.com. Search for “Bisbee’s Obscure” to find the website (https://sites.google.com/site/bisbeesobscureproductions/), and like (and follow) BOP on Facebook for the latest information.

Come to God, Now

The dark times are almost over at Bisbee’s Obscure Productions, and it's nearly time to get our 2014-2015 season off and running with auditions for Agnes of God by John Pielmeier. This intense psychological drama is the first totally serious play BOP has offered in a long time, if ever. I know, I know, comedies make for better date nights, but guys, consider the comfort factor that might just bring your gal in close to you. You know what to do after that, but do comfort her first, OK?

Agnes features three female actors in its three great roles. Sister Agnes, a young nun, indicted for manslaughter in the death of her newborn child, who sings like an angel (strong soprano needed). Mother Miriam, Mother Superior of the convent, who protects and shelters Agnes, but always for her own good? (An older woman with strong acting and line learning capabilities is needed.) Completing the trio is Dr. Martha Livingstone (I presume), a completed character, but perhaps not quite complete as a human herself, serving as the court appointed psychiatrist charged with the task of determining if Agnes is sane enough to stand trial. (This role also requires a mature actress who can learn her lines, and she smokes.)

The build up of the drama between these strong characters, and the strength of a very well crafted story will keep viewers spellbound to the end, and questioning after. Continue your date night with a discussion over a glass of wine?

So, audience, continue to cool your jets until the play opens on October 3. And actresses, start your engines and learn your monologues to be ready for auditions on August 2 & 3, 2:00-5:00, at the Squffy, Central School Project, Old Bisbee. Elizabeth Henley directs, so for more information, or to schedule a special time, contact her at 520-234-8891 or irishjiggonewestern@yahoo.com.

All other BOP inquiries can be directed to our brand new Producer, Mitchell Reed-Tattan at 520-255-2097, or theaterbisbee@gmail.com

Meanwhile, if you can’t wait to see something at BOP, come on over to our CSP studio at 10:00 Thursday mornings, and you can participate in getting the place back into even better shape for the start of the new season. Then you can tell your date, “Hey, I did that!” Maybe meet someone there to be your date. . . The rest is up to you.

BOP Announces 2014-2015 Season!

We have a great season ahead of us. New talents are adding strength to our lineup, and we look forward to welcoming back all our best actors and newcomers who want to play with us.

We have a new Producer, Mitchell A. Reed-Tattan, with a new phone number: 520.255-2097. More information on our season, our auditions and anything else that strikes our fancy will appear

• here in this blog
• on our website https://sites.google.com/site/bisbeesobscureproductions/
• follow us on Facebook
• on light poles, shop windows and bulletin boards near you
• Sign up for our mailing list

We're looking forward to seeing you in our audience or on our stage.

Five Fabulous Productions

Agnes of God by John Pielmeier

directed by Elizabeth Henley

A challenging drama exploring love and faith.

October 3, 4, 10, 11 at 7:30 pm

October 5 & 12 at 3:00 pm

12th Almost Annual Comedy Show

produced by Mitchell A. Reed-Tattan

November 21 and 22 at 7:30 pm

November 23 at 3:00 pm

Adult Language & Situations

Death by Design by Rob Urbanati

directed by C. Gilles-Brown

A mystery/comedy, comedy/mystery. Even the mystery is a mystery.

January 9, 10, 16 & 17 at 7:30 pm

January 11 & 18 at 3:00 pm

Bisbee Women's Revue

Produced by amazing Bisbee women to be named later.

March 6 and 7 at 7:30 pm

March 8 at 3:00 pm

Cosi by Louis Nowra

Directed by Caroline Raven

Mozart’s “Cosi fan Tutti” produced in an Australian mental hospital?
BOP’s actors get to play some really wonderful characters. 

April 17, 18, 24, 25 at 7:30 pm

April 19 & 26 at 3:00 pm

Ticket Prices

$10 in advance $12 at the door

$6 for children & students with ID at the door only

All shows at Central School Project

43 Howell Avenue, Old Bisbee

Tickets 

Mimosa Market, Brewery Gulch

Bisbee Food Coop, Lowell

Finders Keepers, Main Street

Call BOP for credit card sales (+$1 each)

520.255.2097 (note the new phone number)

or by mail (check or MO) from BOP

PO Box 277

Bisbee AZ 85603

Auditions for Agnes of God

We will be holding auditions for Agnes of God by John Pielmeier on August 2 & 3, 2014, at the Squffy Theater at Central School Project, 43 Howell Avenue in Old Bisbee. Auditions are from 2:00 to 5:00 pm both days, or you may schedule an audition appointment.

This challenging play revolves around a novice nun, Sister Agnes, who has given birth. The infant’s corpse was found in a wastebasket. Dr. Livingstone, a psychiatrist, must decide Agnes’s sanity. The Mother Superior tries to shield young Agnes from the doctor. Who fathered, and who killed the baby? All three women must look more deeply at how each defines faith and love. A copy of the script is available for actors to read at the Copper Queen Library.

BOP is seeking three strong women for the roles. Agnes is a young adult or someone who can play young on stage. Some singing experience (soprano) is necessary for this role. Dr. Livingstone is middle-aged to older, must be willing to smoke fake cigarettes or nicotine alternatives. Mother Miriam is older. Actors are asked to come prepared for auditions with a one- to two-minute memorized monologue. They will also do cold readings from the script.

Rehearsals for Agnes of God will be on Saturdays and Sunday afternoons and Monday and Wednesday evenings through October 2. Performances will be October 3 – 12, evenings and matinees. Contact Elizabeth Henley at 520.234.8891 or at irishjiggonewestern@yahoo.com for more information and audition appointments.

Things are Hoppin’ and BOPin’

Just because Bisbee’s Obscure Productions is dark for the summer doesn’t mean nothing is going on over there. We are madly working on transitioning our fabulous new Producer, Mitchell Reed-Tattan into the job, and he remains enthusiastic to get the 2014-2015 season underway. BOP’s new phone number is 520-255-2097, and you can still send e-mails to theaterbisbee@gmail.com

Things will start on August 2 when new to BOP Director, Elizabeth Henley, will audition for three serious actresses to take on roles in the intense psychological drama, Agnes of God, by John Pielmeier. Elizabeth has been doing a wonderful job with the Bisbee High School Thespians over the past few years, so we think she can handle community theater actors. Auditions will be from 2 to 5 pm in the CSP Squffy Theater Saturday and Sunday, August 2 and 3. The script is available to read at the Copper Queen Library -- so ladies “start your engines,” and learn your monologues. We expect competition to be fierce for these great parts.

While we are “dark,” we are not without light, as we clean up, fix up, and generally put things back together at the BOP studio and in the Squffy, clearing the decks for Mitchell. Our Super Summer Work Crew is there every Thursday from 10 am to noon or longer and will welcome all
skilled and unskilled help. We will be especially in need of folks to help as we move into late July when we plan to move items from storage up to the studio, and in the early fall when we hold a massive yard sale and dump run day to clear out our storage under the Bisbee Food
Coop. It’s time to decide what really, really want (So Hard!) and get rid of the rest. Mitchell will be setting the dates soon for these big jobs, so watch this space, our website and Facebook for updates and get your work gloves ready.

Extra Big News comes once again from one of BOP’s Super Supporters, Nick Night of Warm Hands Therapeutics. Nick has donated $500 (!) toward buying brand new, extra comfy, all matching, non leaky cushions for the Squffy seats. Not one, but two! per seat. Nick is again
challenging all comers, groups, businesses, and individuals to match his challenge and help make everyone’s tushies cushie next season. Contact Mitchell if you can help to meet this challenge. We should have total cost estimates soon. Any money above and beyond the
cushions will begin a fund to purchase a new Grand Curtain for the Squffy stage. If you have been to shows recently, you have noticed the gaps at the center top. These are no longer reparable. It is just too old, like many of us. . .

So, show up, put up, and speak up. We need your bodies, money, and input to keep BOP going strong into our 2014-2015 season under Mitchell’s leadership!