Theatregoers 7 to 70 can find a show on Centre St.
BY MARLI GUZZETTA INDEPENDENT ARTS EDITOR
Theatre Workshop of Nantucket has something for everyone this week - from the oldest to youngest theatergoer - with "Moby Dick! The Musical" continuing its run at Bennett Hall and two new shows: "Jack and the Beanstalk" and "To Grandmother's House We Go."

The cast of "To Grandmother's House We Go," a multi-generational, family comedy.

After a sold-out run of "Cinderella," TWN motors through its first season of children's theatre with "Jack and the Beanstalk," written by Michele Vacca. Starring members of TWN's first professional summer resident company, the show introduces the audience to a newly adapted and interactive story of the young man who found a magical way to help his widowed mother after their milking cow goes dry.

Following the show, kids can meet Jack, his Mom and Milky the Cow during a Teddy Bear Picnic on the lawn of the church.

Just down the street, at the United Methodist Church, Jetti Ames stars in "To Grandmother's House We Go" - a comedy about family members tripping on the generational gap. Ames plays "Grandie," the matriarch whose family descends upon her Connecticut Victorian for the Thanksgiving holiday; the turkey isn't the only one whose feathers get ruffled during the visit.

MICHAEL GALVIN/The Independent TWN summer resident company performs "Jack and the Beanstalk"

"I always look for something for Jetti Ames, and I always do it at the height of the season," said Jane Karakula, who directs the cast of eight. "All the characters are kind of a mess. It's a comedy. It's poignant and it's sad - it's a little bit of everything,"

Claire Bossee plays "Harriet" Grandie's daughter and mother to three 20something children: Beatrice (played by Los Angelino and summer resident, Samara Cohen), Muffy (played by Callie Kever) and Paul (played by Andrew Spencer), who brings with him a new girlfriend - Twyla (played by Alex Kopko).

Only 16, Kopko plays a character 10 years her senior. "She carries it off marvelously," Karakula said. "She has such a sophistication about her onstage."

Beloved local actor Frank Morral plays Jared, Grandie's brother, and Ann Roman rounds out the cast as Clem, the nanny.

Last year, Ames starred in "Over the River and Through the Woods" - a comedy about a young man who struggles to leave his close-knit, Italian family and move to the West Coast for work. It was one of the most popular shows in TWN history. Karakula hopes to repeat the success with "To Grandmother's House We Go."

"The play was written 20 years ago, but it still holds up," Karakula said. "I like to do these family-oriented shows during the height of the season, because the audiences tend to be family-oriented people."

Containing a few special effects, "Jack and the Beanstalk" will certainly appeal to family-oriented people, especially those with little members. The set, which includes a magical beanstalk and a land of the giants, goes up right over the set for "Moby Dick! The Musical" - a frame tale about a group of wayward teenage girls who stage an ad hoc musical about "Moby-Dick" as a fund-raiser for their financially ailing school - St. Godley's Academy for Young Ladies. "Moby Dick!" runs through the end of the month.

The shows are the result of an energetic attempt by TWN to foster theatre appreciation amongst all ages. The non-profit theatre organization diversified its roster of shows after assuming a new producing director in Jordana Fleischut, who has spearheaded a summer series of children's theater and freed up Karakula, also the theater's artistic director, to

focus on the summer series. I
"JACK AND THE BEANSTALK"
When: Tues., Aug. 15 at 5 p.m. and Tues, Aug. 21 at
2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Where: Bennett Hall, 62 Centre St.
Cost: $15
"TO GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSEWE GO"
When: Tues. and Wed., Aug 14 and 15; Thurs. and
Fri. Aug. 17 and 18; Tues., Aug. 21 - Sat., Aug. 25;
and Tues. Aug. 28 - Sat., Sept. 1, 8:30 p.m.
The matinee is Sun., Aug. 19, at 3 p.m.
Where: TWN mainstage, downstairs at the
Methodist Church, 2 Centre St.
Cost: $25

TWN says, "Please join us on Tues., Aug. 14 at 7 p.m. for an Opening Night Party in the Garden of Malcolm and Karen MacNab 13 N. Water St. for a tipple and a nibble from Water Street Restaurant (not your grandmother's cooking!!) to get you in the mood for this heartwarming comedy. Tickets $50 (includes your theatre admission) www.theatreworkshop. com or 228-4305."

The TWN box office is located in the basement level of the United Methodist Church at 2 Centre St., and is open Mon- Sat. from noon - 9 p.m. and Sunday, from 4 p.m. - 9 pm. You can also purchase your tickets over the phone (228- 4305) or online at www.theatreworkshop.com.