#Ondine at Sutro

[we-players]

We Players was born on the Stanford campus 25 years ago.

We couldn't be more grateful for the overwhelming support, the incredible opportunities, and the deep love that we've received over the last quarter of a century. We are so deeply proud of the work that we've produced, the art that we've made over that time.

[we-players]

Finally wrapping up this long list of events from our busy 2024!

We of course put on our annual Sites and Sounds concert, this time featuring the tunes of our 2015 production of Ondine at Sutro, arranged for 6-piece jazz outfit.

Here's to a solid year of sharing sense-awakening events, and to continuing to connect with our community in the coming times.

[we-players]

Revel in the music of one of the greatest love stories ever told! San Francisco's Community Music Center will host the music of We Players' Ondine by Charlie Gurke played by some of the Bay Area's most accomplished jazz musicians.

April 7, 2024

San Francisco Community Music Center

544 Capp Street

Doors open at 3pm with drinks and lite bites served until the 4pm start time. Guests will enjoy a chance to mingle after the performance.

Tickets start at just $12!

https://www.weplayers.org/sites-sounds-ondine-2024

[we-players]

Celebrate the arrival of spring with our Sites & Sounds Concert on April 7th! This time we’ll be at the Mission’s SF Community Music Center delighting in the romance of Charlie Gurke's score from our 2015 production of Ondine at Sutro.

https://www.weplayers.org/sites-sounds-ondine-2024

[we-players]

Sites & Sounds: Ondine arrives at San Francisco Community Music Center on Sunday, April 7! Doors open at 3pm with drinks and lite bites served until the 4pm start time. Guests will enjoy a chance to mingle after the performance.

[we-players]

Jumping back to our Ondine rehearsals at Sutro Baths in early 2015 for today's Throwback Thursday

[we-players]

"Ondine is a wonder." "... Site-specific work at its San Francisco best." "We are in the story, and the story is in us." It's Throwback Thursday- Sutro Heights Park hosted our Ondine at Sutro performances in 2015; here's a few rare 'backstage' shots from our archives! We Players creates theatre experiences that will be remembered for a lifetime - and your support makes it possible! Donate today and your contribution will be matched by one of our generous donors. http://www.weplayers.org/we-2017

[we-players]

"I was at Sutro Baths yesterday and it brought back the otherworldly experience of witnessing your production of Ondine in 2015, of the unlikely synergy you created between the drama and surroundings. The breaking waves and the Old One, the forest and the difficulties of living with one foot in the human world and the other in the oceanic consciousness." -Ted Greenwald

Have you visited a We site years later and found yourself replaying the performance in your head? Maybe you discovered one of your favorite parks by attending a We Players show? Or a familiar place took on an entirely new meaning after seeing it transformed?

Keep sharing these memories, we love hearing how our work has affected your experience of a place!

[we-players]

Spring of 2015: Rehearsing Ondine at Sutro in Sutro Heights Park, San Francisco  

[we-players]

Have you been tirelessly searching for the perfect card to send out for Summer Solstice? Are you feeling self conscious about the generic hipster art adorning your walls? Fret no more! With a donation of $150, you'll receive a whimsical set of 6 limited edition, never before seen Midsummer of Love postcards featuring the costume renderings of our very talented Brooke Jennings! AND, you'll be covering the cost of feeding one whole actor for the duration of our tech week! (No one wants a hungry actor; they're the worst!)

Above are some of Brooke's renderings for Romeo and Juliet at Petaluma Adobe and Ondine at Sutro! Donate now: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1313658164/midsummer-of-love

[we-players]

“By his cockle hat and staff, And his sandal shoon”

-Ophelia, Hamlet

Spotlight on our resident costume designer and frequent collaborator, Brooke Jennings!

The costumes in a show are not only an integral part of the audience’s experience but also of the actors. They shape the character from the inside out! Hear from Brooke about her experience working with We and check out her note in the Undiscovered Country program about the special We Players paisley!

What was your first show with We?

Ondine at Sutro, in 2015

How would you describe working with We in 4 words?

Expansive, Detailed, Grounded

Describe your favorite We Players memory.

Sharing the We experience with a new audience member always leads to my most cherished moments. So in that vein, I’ll share an extra special moment with you all.

My partner, Cole, and I first started dating during Romeo and Juliet at Petaluma Adobe. He had yet to see a We Players Show at this point (I know!), so naturally he was my date on opening night. The show begins in the usual We flurry; gun shots, leather clad rancheros, and the audience looking on with our canteens of wine and napsacks of cheese and crackers. The bells ring in the distance and it’s time for the Ball! We are all given black lace masks; I help Cole tie his and he helps me with mine. To the sound of trumpets, we dance in the middle of the courtyard in the beautiful hills of Petaluma with the actors, staff, fellow audience members, and each other. We laughed, fumbled, and sealed our small moment with a kiss just before Romeo and Juliet lock eyes for the first time.

What is your favorite thing about working on Undiscovered Country?

The expansive quality of We shows usually requires my work to draw and hold audiences attention against roaring cliff sides, sweltering trails, and dense forests. No easy feat given the stunning natural beauty of our performance sites! And while I am deeply grateful for the gift of nature in our shows, this production feels much more distilled. It is a concentrated version of We shows, allowing me to explore detail and precision in the work.

What has been surprising about this process?

The Paisley Research! It’s so satisfying when you stumble onto a treasure chest like this one. The history and story fits so well into our aesthetic for this piece and I learned so much delicious information about a subject I hadn’t really considered before. [Read more about the paisleys in the Undiscovered Country program guide]

Also, pocket soup!  Look up a recipe, it’s a real cowboy treat!

Don’t miss Brooke’s costumes in Undiscovered Country- the final four performances are here, so get your ticket today!

[we-players]

Step right up, folks! Tickets are now on sale for Caesar Maximus!

And we are thrilled to announce that long time We Player Libby Kelly Oberlin will be taking up the mantle of the titular character. That's right, Caesar's a woman!

You'll remember Libby from her Theatre Bay Area Award Nominated portrayal of Capulet in our 2016 production of Romeo and Juliet, her multiple roles in 2015's Ondine at Sutro, or as Penelope in The Odyssey on Angel Island. Keep an eye out for more about this exciting casting choice and news from rehearsals right here.

In the meantime, grab those tickets before they're gone. This is one you don't want to miss! http://www.weplayers.org/caesar-maximus-2018

[we-players]

Today's featured musician is our good pal, Henry Hung (Trumpet). Henry is a GRAMMY award winning trumpeter, multi-instrumentalist, educator, composer, and arranger living in the San Francisco Bay Area. Currently he is the Band Director at the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts in San Francisco. Henry played with We in The Odyssey on Angel Island, Hamlet on Alcatraz, and Ondine at Sutro. Learn more about Henry here: http://www.henryhungmusic.com/about.php Catch Henry and our other fabulous musicians at our end- of-season bash Sites and Sounds, THIS FRIDAY for just $25! We are still looking for a few more volunteers to help us at the event! If you want to spend a fun evening partying (for free) with We, email Loe Matley (loe@weplayers.org)

[we-players]

We are proud to introduce you to our good friend and Midsummer of Love hero Nick Medina! Nick last performed with We Players as The King in Ondine at Sutro. When we needed someone to join the Midsummer cast last minute, we knew he was the only man for the job. Nick went into performance after only two days of rehearsal! He knows an impressive amount about Shakespeare's work, has an incredible memory, and is a total Pro. We're so happy to have you, Nick! There are just four chances left to see his unforgettable turn as Bottom/ Lysander in Midsummer of Love's final weekend! Tickets are going fast, so get yours and join us in Golden Gate Park while you can! http://www.weplayers.org/midsummer-2017 Photos: Lauren Matley