The Berkshire Eagle from Pittsfield, Massachusetts • 21

The Berkshire Eagle, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 198521 Raggedy to return Ann musical by Gibson to Egg, go to Moscow Movie review Streep stars in 'Plenty' St ENTERTAINMENT ALBANY, N.Y. "Rag Dolly, the Raggedy Ann Musical," with a script by playwright William Gibson of Stockbridge, will open the 1985-86 season of the Empire State Institute for the Performing Arts. The production, created by a team of Broadway veterans, will run from Oct. 26 through Nov.

1 and then pack up for a tour to the Soviet Union. There will be a preview on Oct. 25. Press reviews of the musical's premiere last December called the show "chock full of excellent performances," "spectacularly staged, professionally directed," and "with all the flair of a top Broadway show." A cultural delegation visiting from the Soviet Union was so impressed that the troupe was invited to perform in Moscow, the first American theater company to play in the U.S.S.R. since 1979.

In exchange, the Moscow Musical Theatre for Children will come to the United States to perform at the Egg next June. Raggedy Ann's story In writing "Rag Dolly," Gibson -whose Broadway hits include "The Miracle Worker," "Two for the Seesaw" and the book for the musical "Golden Boy" was inspired by an account of Raggedy Ann's origins. In the 1920s, Johnny Gruelle began inventing stories of a yarn-haired, button-eyed doll as a diversion to cheer up his dying daughter Mar-cella. Marcella, suffering from an un-diagnosable illness, is the center of "Rag Dolly's" story. Given a handmade doll by her worried father, she falls asleep and dreams that Raggedy Ann and other dolls come to life and try to brighten her spirits.

Suddenly, a terrifying creature, General appears and threatens to abduct Marcella. Raggedy Ann and her friends rally to save the girl. Pursued by General and his diabolical allies, they set off on a fantastic journey to find the Doll Doctor to restore Mar-cella's health. As one adventure follows another, Marcella meets in the dream real problems that have bothered her the mother who has left home, the loving father who 'is out of work and drinks too much, the loss of a pet canary and dog, fears of her own death. Fairy tale tradition Psychologist Bruno author of "The Uses' of Enchantment," has said of Gibson's script that "it is clearly in the tradition of our most beloved fairy tales." Music and lyrics for "Rag Dolly" were written by Joe Raposo, Oscar nominee and winner of several Emmy and Grammy awards for his work in films, television and recording, including the "Sesame Street" series and the movie "The Great Muppet Caper." Raposo has worked with the institute on earlier productions, including the musical "The Ail-Time Good-Time Knickerbocker Follies." Patricia Birch is director and choreographer of "Rag Dolly." Her Broadway, Hollywood and television credits include, in choreography, "Over Here," "Grease," "A Little Night Music," "Pacific Overtures" and "Candide." As a director, the list includes "Happy End" and "Really Rosie" on the stage, the film "Grease II," videos for Cyndi Lauper and others, and the recent "Three By Three" television special for the Alvin Ailey Dance Company.

Gibson's previous collaboration with the Empire State Institute includes the play "Handy Dandy," recently staged at Ford's Theatre in Washington on an institute-produced tour. "Rag Dolly" had to be rede- School in New York. Two characters will be played by new cast members Gibby Brand will appear as Poppa and David Schramm as General D. Returning in other roles are Scott Schafer as Raggedy Andy, Carolyn Marble Va-lentis as Baby Doll, Jeanne Vig-liante as Panda, Pamela Sousa as. Bat, Tom Pletto as Wolf, Joel Aroeste as the Camel with the Wrinkled Knees and Elizabeth Austin as the Witch.

"Rag Dolly," after a preview Oct. 25 at 8 p.m., will open on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 8 p.m. Additional performances are scheduled on Oct. 27 at 2 p.m.; Oct.

28, 29 and 21 at 10 a.m.; a special Halloween show Oct. 31 at 8 p.m., and a final curtain Nov. 1 at 8 p.m. Assistance in hearing The performance of Oct. 27 will be interpreted for the hearing-impaired (for information, call the box office or TTYTDD teletype 474-6143).

Phonic Ear audio narration for visually impaired is scheduled for performances of Oct. 27 and 29. Ticket prices are $10 for adults, $8 for senior citizens and students, and $5 for children (to age 12). Preview tickets are $1 less. For tickets and informatibn, call the box office at (518) 473-3750.

Burstyn stars HOLLYWOOD (UPI) Oscar-winner Ellen Burstyn will star with Robert Prosky and Sam Robards in "Into Thin Air," based on the true story of a youth's disappearance, a CBS-TV two-hour movie. Scheduled for broadcast Oct. 29, "Into Thin Air" dramatizes the story of a 19-year-old Canadian youth who vanished while driving alone from his Ottawa home to a summer school session in Colorado. and rebuilt to make the show work in Moscow. Set designers Gerry Hariton and Vicki Baral, who are based in Los Angeles, did the sets and lights for the recent premiere of "Fatal Attraction." in Toronto and for "Harry Chapin: Lies and Legends" in New York and Chicago.

Carrie Robbins, costume designer, has-VoVi Drama Desk awards for "The Beggar's Opera," "The Iceman Cometh," "Over Here" and "Grease" and received Tony nominations for the latter two. Lighting design for "Rag Dolly" is by Marc B. Weiss, who has produced, directed or designed more than 250 productions for stage, "film and television. His Broadway credits include "6 Rms Riv Vu," "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," "Othello," "Deathtrap," "The Rink" and "A Moon for the Misbegotten." Returning players Returning to play the title role this season will be Ivy Austin, who recently created a role for a new off-Broadway revue, "Personals," and performed with the all-star cast in Jerome Kern's "Sweet Adeline" at Town Hall. Marcella will be played again by Tricia Brooks, a freshman at She-nendehowa Central School, who appeared this summer in the New York City Ballet production of "Firebird" at Saratoga and in "Sleeping Beauty" with the Mac-Haydn Theatre.

She has also performed with the Berkshire Ballet and dances with the Joffrey Ballet PLENTY. A 20th Century Fox release of an RKO Pictures presentation of an Edward R. Pressman produc-, Uon. Produced by Pressmen, Joseph Papp. Executive producer.

Mark Seller, Directed by Fred Scheplsl. Screenplay, David Hare, based on his play: camera (Technicolor, Pa-navtsion), Ian Baker; editor, Peter Hooess; music, Bruce Smeaton; production design, Richard Mac-donald; art direction, Tony Reading, Adrian Smith (France); set decoration, Peter James; costume design, Ruth Myers; sound (Dolby), John Mitchell; associate producer, Rov Stevens; assistant director, David Tringham; casting, Mary Sel-way. At th Pittsfield Cinema Center. (MPAA Rating: Running time: 124 minutes. Susan Traherne Meryl Streep Raymond Brock Charles Dance Alice Park Tracey Ullman Sir Leonard Darwin John Gielgud Mick Sting Sir Andrew Charleson McKellen Lazar Sam Neill By Janet Trinkaus IN A TOO LONG version of his hit Broadway play, "Plenty," of a few years back, David Hare as screen writer has drawn a portrait of an English girl who goes from a young idealistic Resistance fighter in France to a disenchanted, lonely, middle-aged woman.

And the parallels Hare draws between the direction of Susan Traheme's life and that of England after the war are well thought out and effectively presented. What seemed to be lacking in the play was a sense of cohesiveness, of any real meat on the cleverly contrived dramatic bones. But the meat, and lots of it, is in the movie and gets us to ponder on the following: why great wars have been fought; what it means to have plenty money, things, possessions; what's really important to a society that values freedom. Meryl Streep plays the demanding role of Susan She obviously has a talent for accents, as her roles in "Silkwood" and "Sophie's Choice" showed. Her English accent in "Plenty" is authentic and only rarely a bit contrived.

Although her looks hardly change from year to year (only her hairdos and clothes give away time's marching on), she does an admirable job of playing a woman who "wants to change everything but doesn't know how." Locked into a cold, repressive society with little outlet for a woman's creative talents, she is at times bored, angry, searching and, finally, with the aid of drugs, resigned. The supporting cast is terrific to a Meryl Streep person. John Gielgud is made for the part of Leonard Darwin, a career diplomat who ends up resigning because of British involvement in the Suez mess. Charles Dance, who many of us grew to know and love as Guy in Public Broadcasting's "The Jewel in the Crown," is convincing as the strength behind Susan, a man who sticks by her, getting very little in return. Tracey Ullman and Sting, both known for.

hit records and music videos, provide contrast for the upper-crust proper English, and she, especially, shows a range of talent in her highly interesting role. The wittiest dialogue in the movie belongs to her character, Alice, a woman doomed by bad love affairs until she decides to help those less fortunate. Sam Neill, who played Reilly on the PBS Mystery Theatre's "Reilly, Ace of Spies," in his brief appearance is almost as appealing as he is on the little screen. As Susan's brief encounter, her hope for the future, who turns out to be a mere'mortal, Neill fades from Susan's world as England fades from world prominence. Fred Schepisi's direction is loose, and therefore the movie goes on for just over two hours.

Although it's never boring, that is just too long for almost any movie, I think. The scenery of provincial France, Tunisia and England is lushly portrayed, the forests of France, the deserts of Tunisia equally engaging. And the British Foreign Office building in London rivals Versailles for its sumptuous decor. Music by Bruce Smeaton is haun-tingly apt. And Hare's facile script never disappoints.

The movie, at the Pittsfield Cinema Center, is rated for language, some graphic sex scenes where everybody, strangely enough, remains almost fully clothed, and talk of the violence of war. Mozart, orchestra to open series series sponsored by the museum and college, opened with a gala preseason recital by pianist Abbey Simon and continues tonight at 8 with the Hanover Band, -a classical Beethoven orchestra, with forte-piano, from England. The all-Beethoven program consists of the Symphony No. 1, Septet and Piano Concerto No. 1.

The series continues with the Cascade Soloists Friday, Ester-hazy Baryton Trio on Tuesday, Jan. 21, Prazak String Quartet on Wednesday, Feb. 26, and Dresden Chamber Orchestra Friday, April 25. Subscriptions to each series are available at $30 from Museum-College Concerts, Schenectady Museum, Nott Terrace Heights, Schenectady, N.Y. 12308.

Telephone information is available from the museum at (518) 382-7890 days or on evenings and weekends at (518) SCHENECTADY, N.Y. The Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra, conducted by Gerard Schwarz, will open the Chamber Music U.S.A. series of the Schenectady Museum and Union College at 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 28, in the college's Memorial Chapel.

Pianist Ken Noda and violinist Young Uck Kim will be the solpists in the all-Mozart program, which consists of the Piano Concerto No. 27, Violin Concerto No. 4, Symphony 40 and the unnumbered Symphony in A minor, K. 16a. Other attractions in the five-concert series are the New York Trumpet Ensemble Saturday, Jan.

4, the Bach Aria Group Sunday, Jan. 26, the Musicians of Swanne Alley, a Renaissance sextet from England, on Sunday, March 16, and the Gua-dagnini Trio on Tuesday, May 20. Separate series The International Festival of Chamber Music XIV, a separate 1 pip wbfara msk Lottery and you'll be sure to have your name and address want the full or half year ticket and then pick six numbers. Your Megabucks number will be logged into the Lottery 's computer system immediately. Keep your Megabucks bet covered.

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