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![From right, Frenzie co-founders Michael and Beverly Mercer, Lindsay Harris (Marcy), Paul Rubino (Beethoven), Stephen Cosgrove (C.B.), and Pat Mulder, whose son, Ryan Keith Skipper, was brutally murdered in a hate crime. The sentencing of the second of two men convicted in his slaying is set for sentencing in Tampa this week. The stage is set here for the talk-back following the Nov. 27, 2009 staging of Dog Sees God, a play that deals with high school bullying.
Director's Note: Micheal M. Mercer, Frenzie Co-Founder and Artistic Director:
"A few years ago Beverly [Mercer] and I saw a student production of Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead at the University of South Florida. Several of my former Bloomingdale High School students, who attended USF, invited us and we were more than happy to go and support them. We never forgot how we felt leaving the theatre that night, so when scheduling The Frenzie's current season we decided it might be nice to share that feeling by mounting our own version.
"A few weeks into rehearsals an article appeared in the St. Petersburg Times that profiled a Polk County couple, Lynn and Pat Muler, whose 25-year-old son, Ryan Skipper, had been stabbed 20 times in 2007 simply for being gay. If that wasn't horrific enough, the perpetrators rode around the day following the murder in Ryan's bloody car and one bragged to witnesses that he was 'doing the world a favor by getting rid of one more faggot.'
"Most people are aware of the 1998 murder in Laramie, Wyoming, of 21-year-old Matthew Shepherd. Most people also believe that was an isolated incident and that nothing like that has occurred since. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, hate crimes against those who are gay, lesbian, and transgender have increased exponentially and are grossly under-reported by the media.
"I was appalled after reading that [St. Petersburg Times] article. I read it to the cast and we decided unanimously to donate a portion of all ticket sales to the Ryan Keith Skipper Foundation that Lynn and Pat Mulder set up in their son's name.
"Dog Sees God: Confessional of a Teenage Blockhead does not deal directly with hate crimes. It does, however, deal with many issues faced by teenagers and the often tragic results of homophobia and bullying. I hope you love your neighbor. I hope for a world free of hatred. I hope for acceptance of those who are different. I hope."](http://www.mypapernow.com/Other/Frenzie-Life-Theatre-Stages/i-QC4dHx4/0/Ti/DSC_0895-Ti.jpg "From right, Frenzie co-founders Michael and Beverly Mercer, Lindsay Harris (Marcy), Paul Rubino (Beethoven), Stephen Cosgrove (C.B.), and Pat Mulder, whose son, Ryan Keith Skipper, was brutally murdered in a hate crime. The sentencing of the second of two men convicted in his slaying is set for sentencing in Tampa this week. The stage is set here for the talk-back following the Nov. 27, 2009 staging of Dog Sees God, a play that deals with high school bullying.
Director's Note: Micheal M. Mercer, Frenzie Co-Founder and Artistic Director:
\"A few years ago Beverly [Mercer] and I saw a student production of Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead at the University of South Florida. Several of my former Bloomingdale High School students, who attended USF, invited us and we were more than happy to go and support them. We never forgot how we felt leaving the theatre that night, so when scheduling The Frenzie's current season we decided it might be nice to share that feeling by mounting our own version.
\"A few weeks into rehearsals an article appeared in the St. Petersburg Times that profiled a Polk County couple, Lynn and Pat Muler, whose 25-year-old son, Ryan Skipper, had been stabbed 20 times in 2007 simply for being gay. If that wasn't horrific enough, the perpetrators rode around the day following the murder in Ryan's bloody car and one bragged to witnesses that he was 'doing the world a favor by getting rid of one more faggot.'
\"Most people are aware of the 1998 murder in Laramie, Wyoming, of 21-year-old Matthew Shepherd. Most people also believe that was an isolated incident and that nothing like that has occurred since. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, hate crimes against those who are gay, lesbian, and transgender have increased exponentially and are grossly under-reported by the media.
\"I was appalled after reading that [St. Petersburg Times] article. I read it to the cast and we decided unanimously to donate a portion of all ticket sales to the Ryan Keith Skipper Foundation that Lynn and Pat Mulder set up in their son's name.
\"Dog Sees God: Confessional of a Teenage Blockhead does not deal directly with hate crimes. It does, however, deal with many issues faced by teenagers and the often tragic results of homophobia and bullying. I hope you love your neighbor. I hope for a world free of hatred. I hope for acceptance of those who are different. I hope.\"")
The Frenzie Life Theatre returns to the Barn Theatre at Winthrop with its staging of Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead, written by Bert V. Royal and directed by Michael M. Mercer. Presented through special arrangement with Bramatists Play Service, Inc., the show features Justin Batten, Stephen Cosgrove, Jessica "J.J." Cothron, Lindsay Harris, Andrea Nickeson, Bryan Reilly, Amber J. Roberts, and Paul Rubino.
The Frenzie theatre company, founded by Michael and Beverly Mercer, has decided to donate a portion of ticket sales to the Ryan Keith Skipper Foundation. The foundation was founded in memory of Ryan Keith Skipper, 25, who was murdered in an anti-gay hate crime in Winter Haven, Florida on March 14, 2007. The foundation's founding principle is "to educate and promote the acceptance of diversity." Talk-backs following the Friday night performances of the Barn Theatre production have been scheduled to further that goal.
Show dates and times are Nov. 20-21 and 27-28 at 8 p.m. Matinees are scheduled for Nov. 22 and 28 at 4 p.m. The Barn Theatre at Winthrop is at 11349 Bloomingdale Avenue, Riverview, FL 33578.
Particulars of the show are noted below; the note by direcctor Michael Mercer appears with the next News-Shot posting.
Synopsis:
"When CB's dog dies from rabies, CB begins to question the existence of an afterlife. Unfortunately, his best friend is a burnout, his sister has gone goth; his ex-girlfriend has been institutionalized; and his other friends are too inebriated to offer him any solace. But a chance meeting with an artistic kid, the target of this group's bullying, sets in motion a friendship that will test teen angst to the very limits. Drug use, eating disorders, teen violence, rebellion and sexual identity collide and careen toward an ending that's both haunting and hopeful."
Due to adult language and sexual situations, this production is not recommended for younger audiences.
For additional My Paper Now coverage of The Frenzie, visit: Reefer Madness, Flaming Guns Of The Purple Sage, Why Do Fools Fall In Love, and Edges. The Frenzie received top awards at the Fourth Annual MONTI Community Theatre Awards, held earlier this year at Center Place.
The Frenzie theatre company, founded by Michael and Beverly Mercer, has decided to donate a portion of ticket sales to the Ryan Keith Skipper Foundation. The foundation was founded in memory of Ryan Keith Skipper, 25, who was murdered in an anti-gay hate crime in Winter Haven, Florida on March 14, 2007. The foundation's founding principle is "to educate and promote the acceptance of diversity." Talk-backs following the Friday night performances of the Barn Theatre production have been scheduled to further that goal.
Show dates and times are Nov. 20-21 and 27-28 at 8 p.m. Matinees are scheduled for Nov. 22 and 28 at 4 p.m. The Barn Theatre at Winthrop is at 11349 Bloomingdale Avenue, Riverview, FL 33578.
Particulars of the show are noted below; the note by direcctor Michael Mercer appears with the next News-Shot posting.
Synopsis:
"When CB's dog dies from rabies, CB begins to question the existence of an afterlife. Unfortunately, his best friend is a burnout, his sister has gone goth; his ex-girlfriend has been institutionalized; and his other friends are too inebriated to offer him any solace. But a chance meeting with an artistic kid, the target of this group's bullying, sets in motion a friendship that will test teen angst to the very limits. Drug use, eating disorders, teen violence, rebellion and sexual identity collide and careen toward an ending that's both haunting and hopeful."
Due to adult language and sexual situations, this production is not recommended for younger audiences.
For additional My Paper Now coverage of The Frenzie, visit: Reefer Madness, Flaming Guns Of The Purple Sage, Why Do Fools Fall In Love, and Edges. The Frenzie received top awards at the Fourth Annual MONTI Community Theatre Awards, held earlier this year at Center Place.
Frenzie Life Theatre returns to the Barn Theatre at Winthrop with its staging of Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead, written by Bert V. Royal and directed by Michael M. Mercer. Presented through special arrangement with Bramatists Play Service, Inc., the show features Justin Batten, Stephen Cosgrove, Jessica "J.J." Cothron, Lindsay Harris, Andrea Nickeson, Bryan Reilly, Amber J. Roberts, and Paul Rubino.
The Frenzie theatre company, founded by Michael and Beverly Mercer, has decided to donate a portion of ticket sales to the Ryan Keith Skipper Foundation. The foundation was founded in memory of Ryan Keith Skipper, 25, who was murdered in an anti-gay hate crime in Winter Haven, Florida on March 14, 2007. The foundation's founding principle is "to educate and promote the acceptance of diversity." Talk-backs following the Friday night performances of the Barn Theatre production have been scheduled to further that goal.
Show dates and times are Nov. 20-21 and 27-28 at 8 p.m. Matinees are scheduled for Nov. 22 and 28 at 4 p.m. The Barn Theatre at Winthrop is at 11349 Bloomingdale Avenue, Riverview, FL 33578.
Particulars of the show are noted below; the note by direcctor Michael Mercer appears with the next News-Shot posting.
Synopsis:
"When CB's dog dies from rabies, CB begins to question the existence of an afterlife. Unfortunately, his best friend is a burnout, his sister has gone goth; his ex-girlfriend has been institutionalized; and his other friends are too inebriated to offer him any solace. But a chance meeting with an artistic kid, the target of this group's bullying, sets in motion a friendship that will test teen angst to the very limits. Drug use, eating disorders, teen violence, rebellion and sexual identity collide and careen toward an ending that's both haunting and hopeful."
Due to adult language and sexual situations, this production is not recommended for younger audiences.
For additional My Paper Now coverage of The Frenzie, visit: Reefer Madness, Flaming Guns Of The Purple Sage, Why Do Fools Fall In Love, and Edges. The Frenzie received top awards at the Fourth Annual MONTI Community Theatre Awards, held earlier this year at Center Place." href="javascript:openLB(718290920,'',XLarge,'',955,768);">
The Frenzie Life Theatre returns to the Barn Theatre at Winthrop with its staging of Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead, written by Bert V. Royal and directed by Michael M. Mercer. Presented through special arrangement with Bramatists Play Service, Inc., the show features Justin Batten, Stephen Cosgrove, Jessica "J.J." Cothron, Lindsay Harris, Andrea Nickeson, Bryan Reilly, Amber J. Roberts, and Paul Rubino.
The Frenzie theatre company, founded by Michael and Beverly Mercer, has decided to donate a portion of ticket sales to the Ryan Keith Skipper Foundation. The foundation was founded in memory of Ryan Keith Skipper, 25, who was murdered in an anti-gay hate crime in Winter Haven, Florida on March 14, 2007. The foundation's founding principle is "to educate and promote the acceptance of diversity." Talk-backs following the Friday night performances of the Barn Theatre production have been scheduled to further that goal.
Show dates and times are Nov. 20-21 and 27-28 at 8 p.m. Matinees are scheduled for Nov. 22 and 28 at 4 p.m. The Barn Theatre at Winthrop is at 11349 Bloomingdale Avenue, Riverview, FL 33578.
Particulars of the show are noted below; the note by direcctor Michael Mercer appears with the next News-Shot posting.
Synopsis:
"When CB's dog dies from rabies, CB begins to question the existence of an afterlife. Unfortunately, his best friend is a burnout, his sister has gone goth; his ex-girlfriend has been institutionalized; and his other friends are too inebriated to offer him any solace. But a chance meeting with an artistic kid, the target of this group's bullying, sets in motion a friendship that will test teen angst to the very limits. Drug use, eating disorders, teen violence, rebellion and sexual identity collide and careen toward an ending that's both haunting and hopeful."
Due to adult language and sexual situations, this production is not recommended for younger audiences.
For additional My Paper Now coverage of The Frenzie, visit: Reefer Madness, Flaming Guns Of The Purple Sage, Why Do Fools Fall In Love, and Edges. The Frenzie received top awards at the Fourth Annual MONTI Community Theatre Awards, held earlier this year at Center Place.
The Frenzie theatre company, founded by Michael and Beverly Mercer, has decided to donate a portion of ticket sales to the Ryan Keith Skipper Foundation. The foundation was founded in memory of Ryan Keith Skipper, 25, who was murdered in an anti-gay hate crime in Winter Haven, Florida on March 14, 2007. The foundation's founding principle is "to educate and promote the acceptance of diversity." Talk-backs following the Friday night performances of the Barn Theatre production have been scheduled to further that goal.
Show dates and times are Nov. 20-21 and 27-28 at 8 p.m. Matinees are scheduled for Nov. 22 and 28 at 4 p.m. The Barn Theatre at Winthrop is at 11349 Bloomingdale Avenue, Riverview, FL 33578.
Particulars of the show are noted below; the note by direcctor Michael Mercer appears with the next News-Shot posting.
Synopsis:
"When CB's dog dies from rabies, CB begins to question the existence of an afterlife. Unfortunately, his best friend is a burnout, his sister has gone goth; his ex-girlfriend has been institutionalized; and his other friends are too inebriated to offer him any solace. But a chance meeting with an artistic kid, the target of this group's bullying, sets in motion a friendship that will test teen angst to the very limits. Drug use, eating disorders, teen violence, rebellion and sexual identity collide and careen toward an ending that's both haunting and hopeful."
Due to adult language and sexual situations, this production is not recommended for younger audiences.
For additional My Paper Now coverage of The Frenzie, visit: Reefer Madness, Flaming Guns Of The Purple Sage, Why Do Fools Fall In Love, and Edges. The Frenzie received top awards at the Fourth Annual MONTI Community Theatre Awards, held earlier this year at Center Place.
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