No one would fault Majestic Theatre supervisor Jimbo Ivy and his crew for taking a break after nearly a month of sold-out shows for their hugely successful production of Les Misérables. No one would roll their eyes and scoff if they were to find the Majestic empty for a few weeks after five days a week of work on the same show.
But that isn’t how Ivy and his crew operate.
Instead, the Majestic crew has set up five wildly different events to take place over four days—all just five days removed from the end of their Les Mis run. Because that’s how they roll. Let’s talk shop.
Jazz at the Majestic – OSU Jazz Ensemble
OSU’s Jazz Ensemble has certainly taken a liking to the Majestic, having just performed on the Majestic stage for their Winter Concert in February. Their director, Ryan Biesack, has quite the list of credits to his name. Biesack has over a decade of performances at venues across the globe under his belt and is passing on his talent to his students. It shows in the performances of this dectet, which Ivy said “will definitely be on our stage more over the next few seasons.”
With featured guests Joe Freuen on trombone and Mike Gamble on guitar, the OSU Jazz Ensemble takes the stage on Thursday, May 28 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $8 in advance at www.tickettomato.com and $10 at the door; OSU students get in free with ID.
Majestic Chamber Music – Thunder Egg Consort
The Thunder Egg Consort is a group of chamber musicians who have travelled the world performing music with the likes of Yo-Yo Ma and Harry Connick Jr., whose educations run through the hallowed halls of schools like Juilliard and Curtis, and whose talents have won them international competitions in places like Banff and Munich. So what the hell are they doing in Corvallis? Raising families and starting new lives? Oh. Well the music itch proves to be too hard not to scratch as they continue to perform throughout Oregon.
The piano quartet features Anthea Kreston on violin, Kenji Bunch on viola, Jason Duckles on cello, and Monica Ohuchi on piano.
The Thunder Egg Consort will perform on Friday, May 29 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults, or $10 for students, seniors, veterans, and members. Tickets for children under 12 are only $5.
Flaunt Among the Flowers
Flaunt Among the Flowers is an event with no parallel. Classifying itself as a “classy burlesque and drag variety show,” Flaunt Among the Flowers features local burlesque acts, a drag queen, boylesque, belly dancing, hula hoopers, contortionists, clowns, and a number of other great acts fit for a theater that used to hold vaudevillian performances. It promises to be a more classy reproduction of burlesque that celebrates the human body rather than devolving into mere striptease.
Serena Kapuler, who performs under the name Starena Sparktacular, made clear that this event was “an effort to bring the Corvallis community together, between all the generations.”
Flaunt Among the Flowers will be shimmying its way over on Saturday, May 30 at 7:30 p.m., with an after-party at Cloud & Kelly’s soon after. Tickets are for ages 18 and older only, and run $12 for the general public and $10 for students, members, and seniors.
Majestic Reader’s Theater – The Language Archive by Julia Cho
The Majestic Reader’s Theater provides stripped-down productions of riskier plays that may be more difficult to sell tickets for on the main stage. Their latest installment features The Language Archive by Julia Cho. A more modern play, The Language Archive features the story of a linguist named George (David Parrish) whose obsession with preserving dying languages keeps him from realizing the chaos that surrounds him. It looks to be a fun comedy with drops of romance and, ultimately, worth viewing.
The Language Archive is on Sunday, May 31 with show times at 3 and 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 for the general public and $8 for members, seniors, and students.
The Fire: Rebecca Lomnicky and David Brewer’s CD Release Party
While The Language Archive runs upstairs, Rebecca Lomnicky and David Brewer will be fiddling the night away on the main stage in celebration of the release of their second album of traditional Scottish music, The Fire. Described as a “high-energy pure-drop Scottish music duo,” Lomnicky and Brewer have been touring the Northwest to promote The Fire since early May. Lomnicky, a Corvallis native, is a Scottish fiddle champion, having won the 2009 20th annual Glenfiddich International Scottish Fiddle Championship held in a castle in Scotland. Bada*s.
The Fire release party will fiddle its way to audiences on Sunday, May 31 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at Grass Roots Bookstore on 2nd Street or online at www.tickettomato.com. Tickets are $20 in advance or $22 at the door.
Needless to say, the Majestic Theatre’s renaissance offers not only a breakneck work ethic, but constant variety, too. Between the burlesque show and a fiddle champion, there will undoubtedly be something for everyone.
By Nathan Hermanson
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