The Enterprise - White Salmon, Washington

Roundup of arts and letters

Entertainment in the Gorge

February 19, 2013

Columbia Center for the Arts will be hosting the second annual Oscar party for the 85th Academy Awards show on Sunday, Feb. 245.

Dress like a star for the red carpet -- you may win the best (or worst) dressed award.

CAST Theater will present a live broadcast of the Oscars, live music by Kit Garoutte, food drink, red carpet (complete with paparazzi) skits, prizes, and more.

Festivities begin at 4 with a walk on the red carpet; come dressed to impress! If you need a break from the live Oscar coverage in the theater, grab a snack or tasty beverage from the lobby and check out music in the gallery.

Tickets for the event are $10 at the door.

CAST announces auditions for Annie Baker's Circle Mirror Transformation, a comedy of fun and games, love and life.

In this funny, curiously potent play, four people enroll in an adult creative drama class at a small-town community center. Leading the class through acting games and exercises is Marty, who has had success with her creative drama class for children, but who seems in over her head with these adults who have fully formed neuroses.

Marty is married to James, an economics professor who has enrolled in the class at Marty's request and is trying to reconnect with an upset daughter from a previous marriage. Schultz is a carpenter who's recently divorced but hasn't stopped wearing his wedding ring, and thinks a fling with fellow student Theresa might be a good way to get back into the dating game.

Theresa is enthusiastic and eager, a New York transplant recovering from an unhappy relationship who can't resist flirting with every man in sight.

Sullen and withdrawn, teenager Lauren is an aspiring actress or veterinarian, and is full of angst dealing with her feelings about her troubled family life.

When Marty's creative drama class begins to experiment with seemingly harmless games, hearts are quietly torn apart, and tiny wars of epic proportions are waged and won.

A beautifully crafted comedy with hilarious detail and clarity, Annie Baker's Circle Mirror Transformation is an actor's play, and won the 2009 Obie Award for Best New American Play.

Tom Burns is the director, and Kathy Williams is the production manager.

Auditions will be on Saturday, Feb. 23, at 2 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 24, at 11 a.m. in the Theatre at the Columbia Center for the Arts, Hood River.

Callbacks will be at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 25.

Performances will be May 9 to 12, and 16 to 18.

Scripts are available before auditions by email at tburnshr@gmail.com.

Columbia Center for the Arts film series continues on Feb. 27 with the winner of Mt. Hood Independent Film Festival feature narrative: A Big Love Story by Ryan Sage.

From a script bought off Craigslist for $500, Sage has sculpted a truly unique, independent romantic comedy.

Sam is a former college football star whose chance to play in the NFL is abruptly ended with a blown out knee. Seven years later, he finds himself alone, working a minimum wage job and weighing a deadly 413 pounds.

The time has come for some change! The time has come for some weight loss! Knowing this is not a road he can go alone, Sam hires a personal trainer to kick his ass into shape. Lucky for him, she's not only tough, she's hot!! Steering clear of the standard transformation formula seen on many currant TV shows, such as "Biggest Loser," Sam finds acceptance-and love-in unexpected places.

Join Columbia Arts for this film on Wednesday, Feb. 27, at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $5 at the door.

This film is not rated, run time 93 minutes.

This March, get a taste of the upcoming Gorge Artists Studio Tour! Every April, artists from around the Gorge open their studios for the public to visit. This year, Columbia Art Gallery is exhibiting the work of participating artists, and giving the public a chance to get a sneak peek of work on the tour.

Artists include: Sarah Burr Arnold, Aimee Herrings Brewer, Donna Bender, Margaret M. Burkhart, Jan Byrkit, Carolyn Crystal, Ann Fleming, Charlene Fort, Stephanie Johnston, Kenton and Liza Jones, Christine Knowles, Luise Langheinrich, Sorcha Meek, Peggy Ohlson, Lisa Peterson, Kelly Phipps, Beth Poirier, Cathleen Rehfeld, Mary Rollins, JoDean Sarins, Elizabeth See, Linda Steider, Cyndi Strid, Bill Sturman, Melanie Thompson, Jan Turner, Kathryn Watne, Karen Watson, Charlotte Van Zant-King.

In addition to the show, Columbia Art Gallery will be having artist demos every Saturday in March. Stop by from 12 to 3 p.m. and chat with artists about their process and techniques.

The exhibit runs March 1 to 31.