BolderLife Theater: “Paradise Lost”

02 Dec

BolderLife is excited to bring another year of fantastic plays to this year’s multi-media festival!

We have two separate performance days scheduled.

Today we want to introduce the director, the writer and the cast of the play “Paradise Lost”.

Paradise Lost
Playwright: Jeffrey Neuman
Director: Pamela Cuming
Cast: Catherine McGuire and Kevin Cunningham

Logline: An ordinary couple’s ordinary evening is disturbed by an ordinary occurrence that triggers an extraordinarily seismic shift in the way they view their lives. At turns absurd and heartbreaking, Paradise Lost is an allegory about the dawning of self-awareness at the possible cost of comfort and contentment.

BolderLife Festival: How did you find the idea for this play? What is your message?

Jeffrey: About two years ago I became intrigued with the idea of writing a short play based on the story of Adam and Eve. I didn’t want to do a literal retelling of the Fortunate Fall, but rather a re-imagining that walked a fine line between heartbreak and absurdity. I had this vision of Adam and Eve as an ordinary, middle-class man and woman who, after years of marriage, suddenly awaken to the possibility of their own discontent. Their “fall” is the dawning realization that they may not be truly happy with the decisions they’ve made and the people they’ve become. I’m not exactly sure when the serpent in my “everyday” Eden turned into a doorbell, but … hey, it’s amazing where your imagination takes you, right?
Personally, I don’t like to tell people what the message of a play should be; I feel there are as many “messages” in a play as there are audience members, because every single person is going to have a different take-away from the theatrical experience. And, isn’t that why we love this crazy thing called “theater?”

BolderLife Festival: Why do you want to be involved in this play?

Catherine: I am hoping that this play will get people to realize what can happen if they sink into complacency. I also like the ambiguity of “what if” that the doorbell represents. There is a lot of different emotion in the work from playful to irritation to frustration to disgust to compassion to sadness and, to the most important love. On the surface this play seems so simple, but it is not. bolderlife theater rehearsal director Danielle Lombardo

Pamela: “Paradise Lost” is a beautifully written, and sensitive piece about the universal condition of a relationship that has become sedentary and stale through the many years of the comforts and safety of complacent routine and repetition. It offers a wake up call to those who are willing to listen and realize that life is short and time can never be replenished once it is gone and love must not be taken for granted.

Kevin: Paradise Lost illustrates how tenuous a stable relationship can be. This play lets us explore the fears and secrets that we have buried and tried to forget.

BolderLife Festival: What are you doing when you are not writing/directing/acting for BolderLife?

Jeffrey: Truth be told, I spend almost every waking moment of my insomniac life writing, rewriting and obsessing/worrying about writing. When I’m able to pry myself away from the computer, I split my time between managing a stationery store, hosting literary events for The Denver Post, and spoiling two poodles named George and Ira.

Catherine: My career has actually been as a Chiropractor for the last 29 years. I love the adventure of the Colorado mountains, Peru, the Grand Canyon, preservation of open space and Ute Prayer Trees, being a Grandmother an Earth-mother exploring life with all the senses. I am also a competitive markswoman, gardner, wildlife/bird watcher and nut.

Pamela: I have been a part of a documentary film project as Director for; “Becoming Snow’ since May 2013. The film explores one woman’s journey with transformation of consciousness after sever trauma experienced during childhood. The short version premieres Dec. 20th 2013. Other writing and film projects are at various stages of development.

Kevin: I’m an IT manager for a large food & snack distribution company. Please indulge your child, real or inner, and buy lots of candy in the check-out line at big-box stores – it helps pay for my son’s education.

BolderLife Festival: Why do you want to be a part of BolderLife? Have you been involved the years before?

Catherine: Have you been involved the years before? I have not been involved with BolderLife, and I am very proud to be involved with the Festival this year. It is a venue attempting to touch the hearts and open the minds of the participants. We are all revolving around the sun together. One thing you can say about the Festival–it has Heart!

Jeffrey: This is my first experience with BolderLife, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it because festivals, by their very nature, are about celebration and shared experience.

Pamela: I’ve directed a one-act play for BolderLife previously and absolutely loved the experience. Theater and film are deep passions. BolderLife has integrity, passion and compassion of which I am thrilled to be a part.

Kevin: This is my first year with Bolder Life. I like the mix of short plays, and am looking forward to seeing some great performances, on stage and on screen.

BolderLife Festival: What do you think about BolderLife’s vision/mission statement?

Catherine: Pretty much what I mentioned above.

Jeffrey: The part of BLF’s mission statement that really resonates with me is about how art is the “fearless exploration” of what it means to be a human being. For me, that’s *exactly* what theater is and what the theatrical experience can be: an act of courage, an act of discovery, a way for artists AND audience members to question, explore, and appreciate the world in which they live. If you let it, theater can be a frighteningly powerful and astoundingly rewarding dialogue.

Pamela: Powerful and essential. Live life larger than ourselves.

Kevin: Vive la differénce! Without adversity & diversity, our lives would be extremely dull. We can grow stronger by embracing change & taking on challenges.

BolderLife Festival: What would you say to the world: Why should people come to the festival?

Jeffrey: I really encourage people to come to the festival because we need to support local artists. We have a wealth of talent in Colorado and a festival is the perfect showcase for that talent.

Catherine: Oh, gosh! There is a Ton of talent presenting some thought provoking, beautiful ideas. There is a lot of learning to be had mentally, spiritually, and physically.

Pamela: Not only to come out and be entertained with a wonderful community of talented actors writers filmmakers and directors, but to be inspired by the messages shared to live ‘bolder lives’.

BolderLife Festival: Do you live a bolder life? What do you personally think how to live a bolder life?

Jeffrey: Fear and doubt are a part of everyday life; taking action despite fear and using doubt to fuel creativity is what it takes to live a bolder life. Some days I’m able to do it; other days … not so much. But, I try. Every day.

Catherine: Oh yeah. I live a bolder life. I am a mediocre, introverted old lady now, and I just say WTF and go for whatever adventure presents itself– hurtling down the Colorado River on a raft, horseback riding for a week in the back country of Peru, climbing mountains, fighting developers, competing with firearms, having a business, public speaking, going back to get a doctorate degree when I had two young sons…..but–hey!!! so have you! I have failed miserably many times and embarrassed myself. Three of my mottoes: “You can’t shoulda if you didn’t”,”If you don’t try, you’ve already said, ‘no’ “, and “Next!”

Pamela: I believe I do live a bolder life. Life is so very short and fleeting! A willingness to take a risk and try something new and challenging – a willingness to be a beginner, to fail, to embrace fear, to succeed, to grow and then to share. The courage to embrace yourself and your life with open arms – that’s a bolder life.

Kevin: Shake things up! Do something different whenever you can. Visit somewhere new – even if it’s just across town.

Thank you very much!