Starlight Circle Players’ `The Girl Who Touched the Stars’ journeys through the dark, wild wood to the edge of the sea to find a stairway to the sky

BERKELEY, Calif. (June 28, 2006) – The Starlight Circle Players—a talented group of actors and musicians—will present a Celtic-inspired musical play July 22 and 23 at the Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists hall, 1924 Cedar Street (at Bonita), 510-841-4824. Based on English legend, “The Girl Who Touched the Stars” follows a child’s journey through a magical wood to the edge of the sea where she climbs to the sky to grab a star.

The curtain rises on this adaptation by playwright Lezlie A. Kinyon at 8 p.m. on Saturday, July 22 (with doors open at 7 p.m.). A Sunday matinee begins at 4 p.m. (doors open at 3 p.m.) July 23. Donations of $5 to $20 are requested (no credit cards, please). Desserts and other refreshments will be available before the show.

“`The Girl Who Touched the Stars’ is a magical journey with deep roots in English legendry and tradition, enriched by a robust mix of contemporary Celtic, blues and folk music,” said playwright Kinyon. “Although this is not a child’s play per se, children accompanied adults are more than welcome. People of all ages will find something of value in this production.”

About The Starlight Circle Players

Berkeley’s Starlight Circle Players is an ongoing, independent collaboration of actors, musicians and other artists joined under the direction of Lezlie Kinyon, musical the direction of Lauren Renée Hotchkiss and art direction of Catherine Howard.

Cast:

Sean Hunt – “Jack o’ the Green,” percussion, flute

Samantha Swails – “Marilee,” vocals

Evelie Delfino Såles Posch – “Estelle,” “Nightbird, “Star Goddess” and lead vocals (Evelie is a musician, artist, teacher and healer, see http://www.mccsf.org/qsangha/qstaff.html and www.yaelah.com)

Mark Ungar – “Amphibulon Belcher,” “Dingleberry the Elf” as well as lead guitar, mandolin and mandocello. (Mark is vocalist/instrumentalist for Celtic rockers Avalon Rising, see http://www.moremoose.com)

Ed Silberman – “Dr. Ichthusius Swindlefische,” blues harp and vocals (see: http://www.inharmonysway.com/singers.html#ed)

Lauren Renée Hotchkiss – “A Swinging Swindle Singer,” “Jinglefoote Elf,” bass guitar and piano (Lauren is a singer/songwriter, composer and playwright, see: http://liveandunplugged.org/Lauren/)

Artists:

Kay Pannell – masks

Tsitra More – chief costumer, flying horse handler

Bryce Pannell – set design and construction

Angela Nuesbaum – lights, makeup and rehearsal manager

Lisa Peppan – Web design and communications

Thea Kinyon – graphics and advertising

Micheline Becker – graphics and art

With music by Heather Alexander (courtesy of Sea Fire Productions and Heather Alexander), Lauren Renée Hotchkiss, Loreena McKennitt (courtesy of Quinlan Rd.), and Mark Ungar (courtesy of More Moose Music).

About the play

“The Girl Who Touched the Stars” is an original one-act play that brings to life the adventures of a young girl, Marilee, who, gazing into the starry summer sky, wishes she could “touch the Stars.”

Jack o’ the Green hears her wish and, disguising himself as a firefly, leads Marilee into the Dark Wild Wood, where she meets a cast of creatures who help or hinder her on her quest. First she meets frogs and fish who convince her to reach for illusion, in the form of reflections in their pond. Next Marilee meets a beautiful guide – Nightbird, the Star Goddess – who helps her continue her quest. Then Marilee comes upon the Elves of the Wood, led by Jack o’ the Green, who try to keep her with them by dancing the night, or perhaps years, away at a midnight Fairy Reel. Marilee tries a magic drink and falls asleep while the Elves revel the night away. Nightbird finds Marilee, rouses her and sends her to find “the Night Horse, the steed black as the sky,” who will carry her to the edge of the sea where the Stairs Without Steps ascend into the heavens. Marilee climbs and grabs a star, but as she does she falls … into Scene One, where she had fallen asleep. Her mother shakes the girl, who tells her of her strange dream. When Marilee opens her hand, she finds a tiny piece of the star she had touched high in the night sky.

Throughout the girl’s journey, music, live action, art and puppetry combine in an ensemble piece that recalls sacred mystery dramas performed for centuries in Sri Lanka, as well as the seasonal Mummers plays, Morris dances and hoodening rituals of English tradition.

Tickets

Tickets will be available at the door, and, after June 15, at:

Dark Carnival Books

3086 Claremont Ave.

Berkeley, CA 94706

510-595-7637, and at

Ancient Ways Bookstore

4075 Telegraph Avenue

Oakland, CA 94609

510-653-3244

Please also check http://www.fortlangley.ca/Stars/Home.html, for information about advance ticket sales and a sneak preview.

How to support The Starlight Circle Players

Contributions to The Starlight Circle Players are tax-deductible and should be made payable to ARTSHIP Foundation (http://www.artship.org), which serves as fiscal agent for the production. Please add this note in the memo line of your check: "To Support Starlight Circle Players," and mail to:

ARTSHIP East Bay Office

5829 Mendocino Avenue

Oakland, CA 94618

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