Amadeus

written by
Written by Peter Shaffer

directed by Jason Howard

Description
SYNOPSIS (from Wikipedia)
At the opening of the tale, Salieri is an old man, having long outlived his fame, and is convinced he is the assassin of Mozart (by poison). He then speaks directly to the audience, promising to explain himself. The play then flashes back to the late eighteenth century, at a time when Salieri has not met Mozart in person, but has heard of him and his music. He adores Mozart's compositions, and is thrilled at the chance to meet Mozart in person, during a salon at some of Mozart's compositions will be played. When he finally does catch sight of Mozart, however, he is deeply disappointed to find that Mozart's personality does not match the grace or charm of his compositions: Mozart is crawling around on his hands and knees, engaging in sexual talk with Constanze Weber (who later became his wife). As Mozart himself later explains: "I am a vulgar man....but I assure you, my music is not."
Salieri cannot reconcile Mozart's boorish behavior with the massive genius that God has inexplicably bestowed upon him. Indeed, Salieri, who has been a devout Catholic all his life, cannot believe that God would choose Mozart over him for such a gift. Salieri rejects God and vows to do everything in his power to destroy Mozart.
Throughout much of the rest of the play, Salieri masquerades as Mozart's ally to his face, while at the same time doing his utmost to destroy his reputation and any success his compositions may have. On more than one occasion it is only the direct intervention of the emperor himself that allows Mozart to continue (interventions which Salieri opposes, and then is all too happy to take credit for when Mozart assumes it was he who intervened). Salieri also humiliates Mozart's wife when she comes to Salieri for aid, and smears Mozarts character with the emperor and the court. A major theme in Amadeus is Mozart's epeated attempts to win over the aristocratic "public" with increasingly brilliant compositions, which are always frustrated either by Salieri or by the aristocracy's own inability to appreciate Mozart's genius. During this time Mozart also receives the services of a maidservant, Lor. While this is never made fully clear in the story, the indications seem to be that she was in fact supplied to him by Salieri in order that she could spy on Mozart, reporting back to Salieri.

The play ends with Salieri attempting suicide in a last pathetic attempt to be remembered, leaving a false confession of having murdered Mozart with arsenic. He survives, however, and his confession is disbelieved by all, leaving him to wallow once again in mediocrity.

PRODUCTION DATES
February 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23 at 8 p.m.
Sunday Matinee: February 17 at 2:30 p.m.

SYNOPSIS (from Wikipedia)
At the opening of the tale, Salieri is an old man, having long outlived his fame, and is convinced he is the assassin of Mozart (by poison). He then speaks directly to the audience, promising to explain himself. The play then flashes back to the late eighteenth century, at a time when Salieri has not met Mozart in person, but has heard of him and his music. He adores Mozart's compositions, and is thrilled at the chance to meet Mozart in person, during a salon at some of Mozart's compositions will be played. When he finally does catch sight of Mozart, however, he is deeply disappointed to find that Mozart's personality does not match the grace or charm of his compositions: Mozart is crawling around on his hands and knees, engaging in sexual talk with Constanze Weber (who later became his wife). As Mozart himself later explains: "I am a vulgar man....but I assure you, my music is not."
Salieri cannot reconcile Mozart's boorish behavior with the massive genius that God has inexplicably bestowed upon him. Indeed, Salieri, who has been a devout Catholic all his life, cannot believe that God would choose Mozart over him for such a gift. Salieri rejects God and vows to do everything in his power to destroy Mozart.
Throughout much of the rest of the play, Salieri masquerades as Mozart's ally to his face, while at the same time doing his utmost to destroy his reputation and any success his compositions may have. On more than one occasion it is only the direct intervention of the emperor himself that allows Mozart to continue (interventions which Salieri opposes, and then is all too happy to take credit for when Mozart assumes it was he who intervened). Salieri also humiliates Mozart's wife when she comes to Salieri for aid, and smears Mozarts character with the emperor and the court. A major theme in Amadeus is Mozart's epeated attempts to win over the aristocratic "public" with increasingly brilliant compositions, which are always frustrated either by Salieri or by the aristocracy's own inability to appreciate Mozart's genius. During this time Mozart also receives the services of a maidservant, Lor. While this is never made fully clear in the story, the indications seem to be that she was in fact supplied to him by Salieri in order that she could spy on Mozart, reporting back to Salieri.

The play ends with Salieri attempting suicide in a last pathetic attempt to be remembered, leaving a false confession of having murdered Mozart with arsenic. He survives, however, and his confession is disbelieved by all, leaving him to wallow once again in mediocrity.

CAST

Venticello

Marilyn Browning

Venticello, Katherina Cavalieri

Maegan Carnew

Salieri

Dwayne Bailey

Valet

Ashley Cressy

Cook

Ally Connealy

Teresa Salieri

Nela Wilems

Chamberlain Johanna Von Strack

Patti Meiners

Count Orsini-Rosenberg

Kenny Haney

Baron Van Swieten

John Meiners

Emperor Joseph II

Jack Henry

Mozart

Zak Daily

Constanze Weber

Amy Howard

CREW

Director

Jason Howard

Assistant Director

Erin Cressy

Stage Manager

Michelle Cressy

Set/Sound/Lighting Design

Jason Howard

Set Crew
Ally Connealy, Ashley Cressy

Costume Design
Amy Howard, Marilyn Browning, Nela Wilems, Michelle Cressy

Set Construction
Michael Howard, Maggie Eubanks, John Eubanks, Mackey Skinner, Anne Dickens, Durrell Dickens, Louis Cressy, Patti Meiners, John Meiners

Set Painting/Artwork
Nelda Haney, Michelle Cressy, Patti Meiners, John Meiners, Roy Cressy

Production Manager

Maggie Eubanks

Poster Design
Erin Cressy, Roy Cressy

Harpsichord provided by Brenda O'Dell