STAGE NOTES
The WICA Blog
Theater, sound effects combine to create live cinema in WICA’s ‘Flemming’
Originally published in the South Whidbey Record
Grab a cocktail and prepare to muddle your way through the mystery of “Flemming,” an American comedy turned thriller now running at Whidbey Island Center for the Arts.
Presented as a live radio broadcast, the play is a spoof of noir thrillers from the 1940s and 1950s and follows the story of Henry Flemming, a bored broker who sells his successful firm so he can pursue his passion of being a detective.
“Our radio actors will literally be acting as on-air personalities, script in hand as they deliver their lines,” WICA Executive Artistic Director Deana Duncan said, “and our sound effect actors will be creating an acoustic environment that will be a rich and immersive experience for audiences.”
“Flemming: An American Thriller” opened Friday on the WICA mainstage and runs until Feb. 22, culminating in Langley Mystery Weekend.
Applications now being accepted for wica scholarship
WICA Managing Director Billy Tierney presents 2024 Oak Harbor High School recipient Vanessa Cisco with her scholarship.
High school students interested in pursuing the arts in higher education can apply for a scholarship from Whidbey Island Center for the Arts.
Launched in 2023, the Bridge Family Scholarship is an island-wide initiative to support recent graduates in the Oak Harbor, Coupeville, and South Whidbey school districts. Originally founded by and named for Bobbe Bridge, a retired Washington State Supreme Court Judge and WICA Board Member, and her husband Jon Bridge and their family, the scholarship has supported a total of six students so far.
The scholarship is currently open to seniors who will be pursuing art training at an accredited institution (music, dance, theater, visual, or humanities). The student does not have to major in art.
The scholarship ranges from $1,000 to $3,000. The application deadline is April 25. The applications can be found at each school's financial aid office. For seniors attending a private school on the island, contact info@WICAonline.org to receive the application.
Bobbe Bridge said the scholarships help support the dreams of an extraordinary number of very talented young people in Whidbey.
"We hope to encourage even more students to apply for these scholarships, and we are actively pursuing additional funding so that more students can benefit," she said. "Scholarships will increase the number of folks who participate in arts activities on the island and will also contribute to the development of broader and more diverse audiences for the work of new artists in the future."
An American Thriller Inspired by the Live Radio Broadcasts of the 1950s Opens on the WICA Mainstage
Written by Sam Bobrick, Adapted and Directed by David Ossman and Orson Ossman
The mystery lovers among us will once again find the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts (WICA) home to an entertaining thriller—sure to keep the sleuths guessing and the audience entertained. Flemming: An American Comedy Thriller, will open on the WICA mainstage February 7 following a Pay What You Wish performance on February 6. This award-winning play was written by Sam Bobrick.
Firesign Theatre legend David Ossman and his son, writer-director Orson Ossman, have created a unique, conceptual stage production based on the big live broadcast hit radio comedies of the past, taped live in front of a studio audience each performance. Flemming is presented as a live radio broadcast from the 1950s—when actors worked with scripts in hand and a “Foley” sound effects team created all the rest, from cocktails and telephones to murder!
With a three-week run through February 22, Flemming is the story of Henry Flemming, who, bored with privilege and his mundane life, sells his lucrative brokerage firm to become a detective. A spoof of the noir thrillers from the 1940s and ’50s, the play is set in Connecticut and is a comedy turned thriller filled with an eccentric and witty cast.
"We're thrilled to have Flemming on the WICA stage," says Executive Artistic Director Deana Duncan. "It is a refreshing and avant-garde take on the noir murder mystery genre, with audiences feeling transported to the live radio performances from half a century ago. Our radio actors will literally be acting as on-air personalities, script in hand as they deliver their lines, and our sound effect actors will be creating an acoustic environment that will be a rich and immersive experience for audiences. We can't wait to share it with you all."
The cast for the WICA production is as follows:
- George Tirebiter, our Live broadcast host
- David Ossman, Walter
- Jim Scullin, Henry Flemming
- Suzi Dixon, Karen Flemming
- Tristan Steel, Stan Spencer
- Deana Duncan, Suzy Spencer
- Max Cole-Takanikos, Lt. Davis
- Kyle Collins, Vito Mardigian
- Cerys Bishop, Miss Havenhurst
- Tony Brewer, Foley Artist
- Zachary Schneider, Foley Assistant
An opening night party on February 7 will include small bites and a no host bar, and a specialty cocktail will be available throughout the theatre run. This production coincides with the City of Langley’s Murder/Mystery weekend, so don’t miss the fun of being in the audience for a “live taping” of this comedic mystery!
For writer-director Orson Ossman, it's all about transporting viewers to the glamour and intrigue of old Hollywood. Imagine, "it’s 73 degrees and the sun is shining. You pull into the studio lot. The gate guard gives you a guest pass and you find a parking spot. You walk past sound stages full of half-built sets and mingling working actors. You crane your neck to spot a familiar Hollywood face, but alas, they are all extras. You continue down a street that looks like New York, but you are in Los Angeles. You arrive at Stage 5 for the live taping of a long-running radio show, America’s favorite family comedy: The Flemmings. You hear in the hubbub of the crowd that they will be turning The Flemmings into a television series soon—what will that mean for the cast? What will become of the normal, suburban family of Westport, Connecticut? It probably won't be too different from the last hundred radio episodes…You sit in your seat with the rest of the tourists, also here to sneak a peek behind the scenes in Hollywood. It’s almost time for the live broadcast to begin, the Foley artist takes the stage, the lights dim…"
Highlighting Whidbey’s Beauty in Black and White
Film photography has been Thom Hall’s passion for more than forty years. It began with his studies of film development and darkroom techniques and grew from there. He transformed a spare bathroom in his house into a darkroom—blocking out stray light, setting up the enlarger, and turning on amber safelights. While listening to jazz, he watches as blank pieces of photo paper turn into stunning black and white representations of the world around us.
For Hall, who currently serves as secretary on the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts (WICA) Board of Directors, photography is part of his everyday life on Whidbey.
“I explore with a camera in hand and stay open to possibilities,” he says. “If a photograph doesn’t work the first time, I go back when the light is better and set up my tripod. Even with digital, I slow down and frame the photograph.”
Whether it is the Washington State Ferries shrouded in fog or the intricate details of a blooming sunflower, Hall’s images evoke intrigue and a connection to the world around us. Titled Whidbey in Black and White, this ongoing portfolio project will be on display in WICA’s Lasher Gallery through the end of February.
“I look for ordinary things that others do not see,” says Hall. “Each photograph stands alone and evokes something unique and special; together these pictures tell a story of our beautiful island.”
For Lasher Gallery Curator James Hinkley, Hall’s photography is the perfect complement to the Whidbey Island Film Festival (WIFF), scheduled for January 17-26.
“We are very excited to be presenting his work in black and white photography at the same time as our film festival—“In Glorious Black and White,” says Hinkley. “Hall’s scintillating photos really communicate stories, places, and moods using many of the same techniques used by the great directors and cinematographers of classic black and white films. Use of contrast, lighting, shadow, and composition really help to direct the viewer's eye to the desired focal point in each work. There is really something so unique about both black and white photography and black and white film—especially in the hands of artists like these.”
The gallery exhibit will open on January 17 to coincide with the festival’s red carpet opening party at 6pm. All of the prints will be available for purchase, with Hall donating all sale proceeds to WICA.
To learn more about WICA and the Lasher Gallery, visit WICAOnline.org.
Half a Century of Movie History on Display at the Whidbey Island Film Festival
Now in its sixth year, the Whidbey Island Film Festival (WIFF) will be back at the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts (WICA) for a two-week run January 17-26, 2025. This year’s theme, In Glorious Black and White, will feature a curated selection of classic films that celebrate the timeless elegance of black and white cinema. The festival is the perfect addition to January programming on the island with its red carpet opening party, ten films, one concert, a signature cocktail, and bottomless popcorn.
"Dress up a little, come see some great films, and eat some of the best popcorn in town,” says WICA Executive Artistic Director Deana Duncan. “We can’t wait to roll out the red carpet!”
Produced by WICA, the film festival is the only purely classic film festival in Washington State, bringing in movie lovers to experience these iconic classics as they were meant to be seen—on the big screen.
“Because WIFF is held in WICA’s beautiful and intimate space, this film festival feels like a true community and family event,” says Duncan. “People share their love of the classics, meet and make new friends, and relive favorite classic movie memories from their past.”
WEEK TWO | JANUARY 23 - 26
ED WOOD
January 23rd, 7:30 PM
PLEASANTVILLE
January 24th, 7:30 PM
ANATOMY OF A MURDER
January 25th, 2:00 PM
THE INNOCENTS
January 25th, 7:30 PM
YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN
January 26th, 7:30 PM
Closing Night
WEEK ONE | JANUARY 17 - 19
PAPER MOON
January 17th, 7:30 PM
Opening Night with Reception
JANE EYRE
January 18th, 2:00 PM
RAGING BULL
January 18th, 7:30 PM
PINKY
January 19th, 2:00 PM
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
January 19th, 7:30 PM
In addition to the film lineup, the Art of the Score concert will be returning to the WICA mainstage on January 26 at 2:00 PM with a performance showcasing the magic of cinema like never before. Viewers will enjoy a captivating performance by the talented James Hinkley and some familiar faces, bringing beloved music scores to life.
WIFF began in 2019 as a way to broaden the humanities programming at WICA and to draw tourism to the island during the winter with a heritage festival. Sponsored by the Washington State Arts Commission, National Endowment for the Arts, WESTAF, City of Langley and Island County, this year’s festival showcases more than fifty years of black and white film history.
“In the world of cinema, the use of black and white film can play a pivotal role in creating a timeless quality and setting time and place. The transition from black white to color was a multi-decade process that began in 1915,” says Duncan. “Our films range from 1943 to 1998 and are an extraordinary look at the evolution of black and white in film history.”
Each film showing will include a live introduction, with speakers discussing themes and reasons for why the film is still so relevant today. Pay What You Wish tickets will be available for all films.
“We aspire to make our programs accessible and inclusive for all,” says Duncan. “Movies are meant to be a community experience; they were made to be watched with others. Great art, classic film included, has the power to connect us. These stories and these artists can and will reach audiences in powerful ways. We need social experiences to enrich and impact our lives.”
So this festival season, WICA invites viewers to come for the old Hollywood glamor and stay for the community, connection, and celebration of arts. To learn more about the festival and to purchase tickets and passes, visit whidbeyislandfilmfestival.org.