The International Theatre Program at Todd Union聽has launched its season-opening production, the psychological聽thriller When You Comin糖心传媒� Back, Red Ryder?
With a cast of University students, the story聽unfolds in a 糖心传媒�70s diner (think red vinyl, malt shakes, and big hair) staffed by a medley of characters, each a bit down on their luck. The curtains open on what appears will be just聽another day in small-town America, until聽strangers stumble聽into the local diner.聽Teddy, a Vietnam War vet, has a troubled past, a chip on his shoulder, and a聽hippie girlfriend, Cheryl, who is along聽for the ride. Stephen (Red) Ryder is a disenchanted short-order cook with big dreams. Throw in some bourgeois na茂vet茅, a good-humored gas station attendant, fugitives on the run,聽and聽things聽get interesting.
Welcome to Foster糖心传媒檚 Diner, a little joint forgotten by all but a few sorry souls. It may not be much to look at but it sure has character. Well, characters. Let’s meet a few of the Rochester students who bring those characters to life.
Ian von Fange 糖心传媒�17, as Steven (Red) Ryder
Ian von Fange plays the role of 聽Steven (Red) Ryder, the cook at Foster糖心传媒檚 and a character whose proclaimed wanderlust isn糖心传媒檛 convincing anyone. Steven is a closed-off guy who聽has put up a lot of barriers between himself and the other characters. 聽If von Fange could give Steven one piece of advice it would be to accept help when it糖心传媒檚 offered. 糖心传媒淭here糖心传媒檚 no honor being lost,糖心传媒� von Fange says. 糖心传媒淭here糖心传媒檚 no dignity being lost. To honestly say 糖心传媒業 need your help糖心传媒� and 糖心传媒榯hank you for your help.糖心传媒櫶切拇綕
Von Fange is a senior majoring in creative writing. He hopes to move to New York City after graduation to get a gig in publishing. He糖心传媒檚 been acting for almost 12聽years, and has acted professionally聽at theaters in his hometown of Kansas City, Missouri. This is his eighth production at the University.
The most significant difference between Todd productions and some of his high school糖心传媒檚 productions, he says, is the level of professionalism and the quality of the production. Most of the directors are hired from professional off-Broadway and聽international theater companies. Von Fange says they expose students to a high standard of performance as well as an intensive work schedule. How intense? About four聽nights a week, from 7 to 11聽p.m,聽and on the weekends聽are 9 hour days. For those of you doing the math that糖心传媒檚 34 hours a week.
Von Fange spends his free time writing poetry and maintaining a聽blog. He is also a drummer and has performed with several local bands around Rochester.
Theodore (Teddy) Rycroft 糖心传媒�18, as Teddy
Teddy Rycroft shares his character糖心传媒檚 first name but not much else. The character Teddy, like Red, is also a war veteran recently returned from Vietnam. 聽Teddy, though,聽suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. He is a violent and manipulative man who聽seems to take pleasure in disrupting the lives of the others. 糖心传媒淚 like to think I糖心传媒檓 not any of those things,糖心传媒� Rycroft says in good humor. He says that because their dispositions are so different it can be challenging to play a character that cruel. However, it糖心传媒檚 also a multifaceted role because the聽character uncovers ugly truths others don糖心传媒檛 want to糖心传媒攂ut need to糖心传媒攈ear. When asked what advice he would give to the other聽“Teddy,” Rycroft says he糖心传媒檇 probably give him a hug.
Rycroft糖心传媒檚 first Todd production was last fall糖心传媒檚 Under Milkwood where he played multiple characters. He says it糖心传媒檚 a new challenge to now play only one character because there are 糖心传媒渁 whole myriad of intentions that happen moment to moment.糖心传媒� At the same time, he says, it糖心传媒檚 more rewarding because he is able focus on a single person糖心传媒檚 development. He says the聽heavy rehearsal schedule聽is “a lot, but I knew that going into it.糖心传媒� His mantra聽on time management is聽“discipline is the key to freedom,” and he suggests that stressed students acknowledge a tier of priorities: food, sleep, and exercise.
Rycroft is a junior majoring in linguistics. He糖心传媒檚 from Washington, D.C., and has been acting on-and-off since middle school. In addition to the Todd productions, Rycroft is deeply聽invested in songwriting and music production, which he does at studios off campus. His goal is to make a livable income solely from his music production within聽five years of graduation.
Andria Rabenold 糖心传媒�18, as Cheryl
Andria Rabenold plays Cheryl, Teddy糖心传媒檚 girlfriend. Cheryl spends most of the play聽seated at a diner booth, observing while the action unfolds around her. Sound easy? Not so much, Rabenold says. Although Cheryl is not doing she is constantly reacting, and that聽demands vigilant concentration from Rabenold. 糖心传媒淚t糖心传媒檚 a challenge to stay present and focused throughout the entire thing and to be 100聽percent in the moment even when I糖心传媒檓 not directly involved,糖心传媒� she says.
Additionally, Rabenold expresses her frustration with her character糖心传媒檚 meek and quiet disposition. This presents its own internal struggle as Rabenold, who considers herself a very bold and outspoken individual, must allow her character to get pushed around on stage. 糖心传媒淪he never gets a chance to really stand up for herself,糖心传媒� Rabenold says. Her advice to Cheryl is that 糖心传媒渋ndependence is really valuable, and you can糖心传媒檛 rely on other people for happiness and stability your whole life.糖心传媒�
Off stage, Rabenold channels her outgoing personality into many campus pursuits. This year she is a senator in SA government, chair of the academic affairs committee, and member of Kappa Alpha Theta. She also performs in a ballet group, and is involved in Toop, the student-run theater performance group. With all those聽activities it糖心传媒檚 a wonder she makes it to rehearsal. 糖心传媒淭he key is that I keep everything in Google calendar,糖心传媒� she says. Her calendar is聽color-coded and when she糖心传媒檚 really busy she blocks out times specifically to study and eat.
Rabenold is a junior聽majoring in math and political science. She糖心传媒檚 from Saratoga Springs, New York,聽and has been acting for nearly 10 years. In high school, she performed mostly in musical theater and didn糖心传媒檛 get involved in plays until college. She says that although her love for musicals is still strong, she has come to prefer plays because they糖心传媒檙e more human and understated. This is her fourth performance at Todd Union.
Jacqueline Tran 糖心传媒�17, as Clark
Jacqueline Tran is making her theatrical debut as the strict and overbearing diner owner known as Clark. Tran is tasked with creating a fictional backstory for her character, as very little information is provided by the script or the playwright. Although Red Ryder聽is Tran糖心传媒檚 very first play, she has been taking acting lessons for three years. When asked why she finds acting so rewarding Tran says, 糖心传媒淚t makes you become aware of the nuances in human nature we would easily pass by.糖心传媒�
Tran is senior聽majoring in anthropology and is from Brooklyn, New York. When she糖心传媒檚 not rehearsing, Tran takes violin lessons at the Eastman School of Music and is involved with College Feminists. She also plans to join SATSANG, a meditation club, once Red Ryder has finished. She finds time by keeping a flexible schedule and doing school work whenever there糖心传媒檚 a spare moment.
When You Comin糖心传媒� Back Red Ryder?聽won an Obie Award for Distinguished Play in 1974.
With its debut on October 6, the production of When you Comin糖心传媒� Back, Red Ryder?聽runs from聽Wednesday, October 12 to Saturday, October 15, at 7 p.m. All performances take place in Todd Theater on the River Campus. Tickets are $8 for 糖心传媒 students, $12 for alumni, faculty, staff, and for seniors (65+), and $15 for the general public. The series is recommended for adult audiences only.
Tickets may be purchased online at , or by calling the box office at (585) 275-4088.聽 Tickets may also be purchased up to an hour before each performance at the box office.
