Invisible Theatre News

“AN EMPTY PLATE” IS TASTY FARE AT INVISIBLE THEATRE by Chuck Graham Tucsonstage.com Let the Show Begin Hold the food puns for a minute and let’s be serious. Roberto Guajardo gives another wonderful over-the-top performance at Invisible Theatre in “An Empty Plate in the Café du Grand Boeuf.” What a season he is having. From the multiple characters in “Leaving Iowa” last autumn to the crazily colorful Pancho Villa last winter, to the suicidal gourmet in the recently-opened black comedy “Empty Plate.” There hasn’t been a time that I can remember in Tucson theater when a local actor gave three exceptional performances in one season. As for “Empty Plate,” this quirky play by Michael Hollinger almost defies description. There’s food, of course, and descriptions of gourmet dishes that would make a menu writer’s jaw drop in awe. Succulent adjectives of every texture and flavor lace the script as the chef and maitre d’ extol the scintillating virtues of each new offering from the world class ki

'Empty Plate' full of rich theater fare IT'S LATEST PLAY DISHES UP TALE OF A MISERABLE LIFE 'Empty Plate' full of rich theater fare Cathalena E. Burch Arizona Daily Star | Posted: Friday, April 30, 2010 Warning: Don't come to see Invisible Theatre's production of "An Empty Plate in the Café du Grand Boeuf" on an empty stomach. You'll torture yourself as plate by plate of French dishes is described in a saliva-inducing feast of adjectives and adverbs. Descriptions are all you will get; the real food is left in the kitchen in this one-act play by Michael Hollinger and all we see are empty plates served to Monsieur Victor (Roberto Guajardo), the millionaire proprietor of the finest restaurant in the world whose only diner is himself. Victor's devoted staff - the stammering new-kid-in-the-dining room Antoine (Brad Kula), the gastronomically sadistic waiter Claude (Sean Dupont), his unhappy wife/waitress Mimi (Carrie Hill) and chef Gaston (David

'Empty Plate' brings much to the table COMEDY WILL SERVE A LARGE SIDE DISH OF DRAMA 'Empty Plate' brings much to the table Kathleen Allen Arizona Daily Star | Posted: Friday, April 23, 2010 Michael Hollinger isn't a gourmand, a millionaire or a big Hemingway fan. But Victor, the main character in Hollinger's play, "An Empty Plate in the Café du Grand Boeuf," is each of those. "An Empty Plate," which Invisible Theatre will open next week, is a comedy laced with drama about a very rich man (Victor), who quotes Hemingway often and has an exquisite restaurant in Paris that is open 24/7 and serves only him. And he's decided to kill himself by starving to death. That stresses Victor's staff of a chef and waiters to no end - their purpose to life is to serve him. What will they do if they no longer can do that? It is Hollinger's first play - one he wrote as an antidote to a too-structured film class. READ MORE ... 'Empty Plate' b

Pastime Players reflect many talents DOCUMENTARY CAPTURES SPECIAL PERFORMERS M. Scot Skinner Skinner@azstarnet.com | Posted: Thursday, April 15, 2010 A fascinating documentary about the Pastime Players, a Tucson troupe that showcases the abilities of people with developmental disabilities, is one of 18 feature films selected for the 2010 Arizona International Film Festival. "Such Good Friends" goes behind the scenes with the inspiring ensemble, which took its name from the street within the Amphitheater school district, where the Pastime Players originated 25 years ago. Under the constant and energetic guidance of Susan Claassen, Gail Fitzhugh and other professionals from Tucson's Invisible Theatre, the players have rehearsed and performed at Catalina High Magnet School since 1990. You can see "Such Good Friends," a film by Claassen and Cyndee Wing, at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Crossroads theater on East Grant Road. Although the documentary was first screened at th