Volume 51 - Issue 9 - Friday, November 17, 2000

Graceland promises a powerful experience

Play has nothing to do with Paul Simon, and little to do with Elvis

By LEAH QUILTY

What do you get when you put together a couple of MUN students, a founding member of the Beothuck street players and a new director? A heart-warming play that expresses compassion, love and memories to its audience.
The Beothuck Street Players latest production, Graceland, brings to life the experiences of a woman, Rootie, who thinks, if she can get into the house which once belonged to Elvis then the singer's ghost will be able to talk to her dead brother — a huge Elvis fan who died during the Vietnam war.

The play's director, Gord Billard, says Graceland is a different kind of play from what the Beothuck Street Players are used to performing. Billard says the players are used to putting off serious plays from an Irish background.

Graceland marks Billard's first time directing for Beothuck Street, though he is not at all new to the directing scene. He has directed for I.J. Samson Junior High and local troupe Bill's Bad Dance Productions. He says that he is very excited with the opportunity to work with adults for the first time. His actors also expressed their enthusiasm about having Billard as a director.

"Gord was my junior high school teacher. I find it wonderful working with Gord, he is a wonderful director and a wonderful man," said Amanda Vallis, a first year MUN student who plays the pivotal part of Rootie. "He doesn't treat me like a student, he does treat me more grown up."

Vallis, along with Jordan Flynn, an education student here at Memorial who is new to the troupe, and Jacki St. Croix, a founding member of the players, do a fine job of relating the character's emotions to the audience.

"I think it's a wonderful show. I think that it is very tender [and] the second act is hilarious; the first act is a real tear jerker and the second act just sums it all up," said Vallis.

The play starts in 1972 in Louisiana where Beau — a huge Elvis fan played by Flynn — leaves to go to his death in Vietnam, after receiving false impressions that he will find beaches and girls in grass skirts there. He leaves behind upset and lonely his younger sister Rootie. Ten years pass, showing Rootie at the opening of Graceland, Elvis's house, where she is first in line. She believes that if she gets into the house she will be able to get Elvis's ghost to talk to her dead brother.

The second half of the play introduces Bev — a middle aged woman played by St. Croix — who has a reputation as Elvis's number one fan. When she first sees Rootie at Elvis's house, she feels that she should be first in line and not Rootie. After they get to know each other the feelings between the two women change to compassion for each other regarding what they have both been through.

Graceland is produced by Mike Coady, and is a play that will relate to those who are looking for something to believe in after a loss of a loved one. It is a production comprised of two companion one-acts, Asleep on the Wind and Graceland by Ellen Byron. Coady directed the first one-act, Asleep on the Wind, while taking a director's course from Dick Buehler at Memorial. The Beothuck Street Players decided to do both plays as one production after Coady presented them to the group.

Graceland not only shows great emotions but also involves some comedy. For anyone out there who has suffered the loss of a loved one and is looking for something to believe in, this play will truly touch your heart.

Graceland runs at the LSPU Hall from Nov. 22-25.