If you want to get hold of Arden Theatre’s artistic director Terry Nolen this week, bug off. After welcoming musical actors like Jeff Coon (currently in the Walnut Street Theatre’s The Music Man) and Anne Frey (who now owns the booze boite 1 Tippling Place) back to the Arden for the theater’s 25th-anniversary concert, Nolen is off to Russia. Nothing too heavy, mind you: He’s just doing an Anton Pavlovich Chekhov project with the esteemed Trinity Repertory Company of Providence, R.I., and its artistic director Curt Columbus, a fluent Russian speaker who has translated Chekhov plays like The Seagull, Uncle Vanya and The Cherry Orchard into book form. Columbus is working on a new translation of Three Sisters with Nolen (with funding by the Pew grant folk) to be presented at the Arden next season. “We’ll cast folks a year and a half ahead of time, spend time workshopping it this summer — figure the exact style, bring in master teachers to work with us — and we’ll do it at as either a co-production with Trinity Rep or just use some of its members,” says Nolen. “We’re also mounting a parallel production for fall 2014 at Trinity.” Nolen’s got nine days in Russia, working with the treasured Moscow Art Theater staff and additional Chekhov experts. Do not ask him to bring you back nesting dolls.
If you haven’t run across my favorite local photo blogger — streetgazing.com’s Reuben “Big Rube” Harley — you ain’t walking. The big man captures round-the-way fashion for the Daily News on the regular. But on Nov. 16 he’s pulling out all stops for an exhibition of his photo work, “Lips & Heels,” at the free monthly After Dark event at Replica Creative (33 S. 18th St.). Go. There.
Oi, guvvner: Foodie/boozy eyes in Old City are focused on the one time Swanky Bubbles space on Front Street becoming a Brit-themed pub, The Victoria Freehouse, by early 2013. But don’t miss what’s happening on Chestnut near Second: Rumor has it that Triumph Brewery may be selling all or part of its operation. According to one recently-let-loose lass, Triumph’s new management has been dismissing workers in anticipation of changes. Or maybe they’re just pissed that Obama won the election and are fearful for the nest eggs. With Triumph’s neighbor Reserve Steakhouse having just bit the dust, that’ll be one barren block if the rumor holds true.
News to use for area ukulele enthusiasts: Not only has The Donuts’ offshoot Philadelphia Ukulele Orchestra lost its local handle (they’re just Ukulele Orchestra now), it’s gained a new member: Beretta 76 guitarist/studio operator Pete Rydberg picked up a uke while producing the orchestra’s debut album. Cheers.
All let-loose lasses are invited to citypaper.net/criticalmass.
