Cheryl Willis is Shirley Valentine!

Now that we have moved from the rehearsal space at Old Arizona to the theater itself, where the set for the opening production of the Jungle’s 21st Birthday Season is being completed, we have begun to make the ultimate transition to the production’s real world, its home for the next two months.

And whom do we find at home on the Jungle stage this February but Cheryl Willis, the star of Willy Russell’s formidable one woman show, Shirley Valentine. Cheryl plays the legendary Shirley Valentine, that housewife from Liverpool who, on a two-week trip to Greece, experiences a new and revolutionary connection to self that illumines her world.

Cheryl herself hails from Liverpool and imbues the text with a musicality and an authenticity that is almost impossible for an American actor to achieve. The charm of the Liverpool accent is rarely heard on American stages and since so much of a character’s persona and spirit rests in the authenticity and specificity of dialect, the Jungle is truly blessed to have Cheryl essaying the life-changing journey of Shirley Valentine (as the Past that was her Present morphs into the dynamic new shape of NOW).

Don’t miss the charm and lyricism, toughness and delicacy that Cheryl brings to the role. Join me for an inspiring, breakout performance of this immensely gifted actress! 

The Jungle comes of age on its 21st birthday!

What a whirlwind! The rehearsals for Shirley Valentine are going swimmingly – Cheryl Willis is stunning as Shirley. The performance continues to grow by leaps and bounds. We had a photo call this weekend for the media and the pictures are so beautiful—Cheryl against white and then Photoshopped onto a background of a beach in Greece.

For the Jungle’s 21^st Birthday Season we are giving the theater a facelift, beautifying the auditorium with red and gold panels. You will be surprised, believe me, at how warm and comfortable it is! The front of the theater has new red awnings and vertical white lights that shoot up the columns. All is being renewed, bringing a new energy and freshness to our little theater!

In addition to the daily work on the opening show of Season 2011, John Novak, Company Stage Manager, and I have been auditioning for Hamlet. Two weekends ago we saw 280 actors (!), all of whom presented a memorized monologue. Then, the following weekend we had the initial call back audition with 45 actors selected from the larger initial group. And this coming weekend we will narrow this group down to 20 and cast the show!

Joel Sass has a full company of actors for Next Fall with Stephen Yoakam as the lead horse. John Command, director of A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, has also finished casting his show with Claudia Wilkens, her husband Richard Ooms and Bradley Greenwald leading a cast of 20! This is the theater’s first big Broadway book musical and should raise the roof of the Jungle.

Drive safely through our winter wonderland and see you at Shirley Valentine!