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Greathouse of Music is happy to offer a number of folk music albums for our fans to enjoy. Some of these include:
GREATHOUSES' LIFE STORY BECOMES A SHOW SET TO MUSIC
Created on Wednesday, 29 October 2014 15:47 | Written by Barbara Sherman | Print
Mark and Helena Greathouse have fun sharing details of their wide-ranging lives
Very few people can turn eventful moments and experiences in their lives into a song-and-dance act like Helena, and Mark Greathouse have done.
An atypical couple – she is from Czechoslovakia, and he is from Oregon – who had an improbable meeting on a bus, they have turned parts of their life story into a delightful one-hour show that they appropriately named, "You Do Speak English, Don't You?" The title comes from Helena's experiences being misunderstood at times when she was speaking English and was asked what language she was using.
An atypical couple – she is from Czechoslovakia, and he is from Oregon – who had an improbable meeting on a bus, they have turned parts of their life story into a delightful one-hour show that they appropriately named, "You Do Speak English, Don't You?" The title comes from Helena's experiences being misunderstood at times when she was speaking English and was asked what language she was using.
Photo Credit: AMMON RILEY/FOR THE REGAL COURIER - Mark and Helena Greathouse's performance of 'You Do Speak English, Don't You?' includes a compelling story, some great music, and many costume changes, all used effectively to tell the story of how they met and married.
In the delightful and often-humorous show, the Summerfield residents alternate telling their story, with Helena singing songs, including some written by Mark, who plays the accordion. When she goes offstage to change costumes, he entertains the audience with additional stories and music. The show showcases Helena's singing and dancing skills and Mark's composing and playing talents.
One of their performances took place on Sept. 13 at the Beaverton History Center in downtown Beaverton, where a crowd enjoyed hearing their story and seeing the show. Helena kicks off the show singing "Cabaret" while wearing a slinky black dress and red boa, and the story starts with Mark, who, having majored in German in college, moves to the beautiful city of Hamburg, Germany, for a year to improve his language skills. Being an accomplished accordion player, Mark rented an accordion to play for relaxation. As Mark talks about his love for Hamburg, Helena reappears wearing a traditional German red, white and blue costume, complete with ruffles and a full skirt.
As students at the University of Hamburg, they both signed up to take a one-day bus trip to northern Germany to see mummified bogmen, who fell into bogs more than 2,000 years ago and were preserved. "That bus ride would change the course of my life," Mark says. Helena dons a blue Slovak apron over her costume in anticipation of singing a Slovak "czardas" as the story continues. On the bus, Helena was anxious to talk to Americans to get their opinions on the upcoming U.S. presidential election.
The timing of their meeting was fortuitous because Mark explains, "I had just broken up with my German girlfriend the day before. She wanted me to grow out a full beard, and I shaved it off that morning in protest." Helena picks up the story, saying, "Luckily for you! Otherwise, we would have talked about the election and nothing else."
As students at the University of Hamburg, they both signed up to take a one-day bus trip to northern Germany to see mummified bogmen, who fell into bogs more than 2,000 years ago and were preserved. "That bus ride would change the course of my life," Mark says. Helena dons a blue Slovak apron over her costume in anticipation of singing a Slovak "czardas" as the story continues. On the bus, Helena was anxious to talk to Americans to get their opinions on the upcoming U.S. presidential election.
The timing of their meeting was fortuitous because Mark explains, "I had just broken up with my German girlfriend the day before. She wanted me to grow out a full beard, and I shaved it off that morning in protest." Helena picks up the story, saying, "Luckily for you! Otherwise, we would have talked about the election and nothing else."
Photo Credit: AMMON RILEY/FOR THE REGAL COURIER - Mark and Helena Greathouse's show includes recreating some of their conversations that actually took place, including the first one when they met on a bus in Germany on the way to see 2,000-year-old mummified bogmen.
Sitting on the stage, the couple recreates their first conversation on the bus before their story really takes off, highlighting their performances together in a café and teaching each other about their cultures. "I was curious if Helena knew anything about the accordion, which she didn't, so I taught her about it," adds Mark, demonstrating what an accordion can do. As Helena's costume changes reflect the various parts of their lives, Mark continues the story, saying, "After a year and a half, we were married," and a man in the Beaverton audience said, "Wow!" causing other audience members to laugh.
Almost like a magician pulling rabbits out of a top hat, Helena pulls out props to illustrate their story. After the couple was married, Mark was anxious to show Helena his country, and they moved first to California and then to Oregon, where Helena's language problems increased exponentially.
Almost like a magician pulling rabbits out of a top hat, Helena pulls out props to illustrate their story. After the couple was married, Mark was anxious to show Helena his country, and they moved first to California and then to Oregon, where Helena's language problems increased exponentially.
She kept seeing signs in stores that read, "No checks accepted," and she wondered, Why not Germans? Why not Polish people? And Helena hated to call people on the phone because they usually would hang up or say she had the wrong number, and she kept being accused of not speaking English.
One time while they were staying at a beach motel, she went to the reception desk to ask if they received PBS programs on Channel 10 and was told that breakfast was served in the lobby until 10 a.m.For some reason, many people thought Helena was speaking Spanish instead of English with a Czech accent, and she sometimes was asked, "You do speak English, don't you?" which became the name of their show.
But in real life and in the show, Mark and Helena decide to laugh off the experiences, with her singing, "Who Cares?" Mark adds, "Don't take life too seriously…" and Helena bursts into song, "Because life is a cabaret, old chum, so come to the cabaret."
But in real life and in the show, Mark and Helena decide to laugh off the experiences, with her singing, "Who Cares?" Mark adds, "Don't take life too seriously…" and Helena bursts into song, "Because life is a cabaret, old chum, so come to the cabaret."
RUSH IN TO SEE FOOLS
Sarah Thornton, Gary Romans, and Dalene YoungBy Tina Arth and Darrell Baker
Evidently, divorce is not always a bad thing. It was allegedly Neil Simon's split from actress Marsha Mason that indirectly inspiredFools, one of the funniest shows we've seen all year. An embittered Simon, faced with a settlement that awarded royalties from his next show to Mason, set out to write a total failure – but happily, for audiences, he (ultimately) failed.
Broadway crowds, used to the urbane sophistication of Simon's usual fare, gave the show a poor reception when it opened in 1981. However, Fools has been delighting less rarefied audiences across the country for the last 33 years, and the current production at the HART clearly illustrates why. The story is absurd, the premise ridiculous, but Simon's words, shaped by Director William Crawford and delivered by a strong cast, are genuinely laugh-out-loud hilarious.
Broadway crowds, used to the urbane sophistication of Simon's usual fare, gave the show a poor reception when it opened in 1981. However, Fools has been delighting less rarefied audiences across the country for the last 33 years, and the current production at the HART clearly illustrates why. The story is absurd, the premise ridiculous, but Simon's words, shaped by Director William Crawford and delivered by a strong cast, are genuinely laugh-out-loud hilarious.
Long ago, a curse was laid on the inhabitants of a remote Russian village by the angry father of a deceased, less-than-brilliant young man. All of the townsfolk would be forever stupid – really, really stupid – unless the daughter of the (formerly) brightest family in town wed a son of the curse-laying family – OR until a teacher was able to (in 24 hours, no less) nudge the daughter's IQ toward some unspecified magic number (100?). The teacher falls for the daughter but realizes that he will never achieve his goal in the time allotted. In a stroke of masterful subterfuge (at least by local standards), the teacher pretends to be a long-lost member of the curse-laying clan, marries the daughter, and releases the town from the curse. Of course, adept audience members (perhaps from another, brighter village) will discern that the curse should not have been lifted since the conditions were met fraudulently. Remember Dumbo? Timothy the Mouse pulled the same trick, and it worked then, too!
In a solid 10-person cast, clear comic standouts are Gary Romans (Dr. Zubritsky), Dalene Young (his wife Lenya), and Helena Greathouse (Yenchna, the peddler). Romans' delivery, sense of timing, and fluid facial expressions elicit some of the biggest laughs of the evening. Young is his perfect foil – a wide-eyed, good-hearted, slow-witted version of Imogene Coca. Greathouse – earnestly offering flowers as fish from her wagon (why should she suffer just because the fishermen had a bad day?) – plays her role with the intensity of Lady MacBeth, but coming from her, it's a lot funnier.
The roles of straight man and ingénue are generally limited in comic potential by their functions. Mitchell Stephens (the teacher Tolchinsky) and Sarah Thornton (Sophia Zubritzky) overcome this handicap with a combination of acting ability and, let's face it, sheer cuteness. Thornton's shining moment, when she demonstrates that she has nearly mastered the art of sitting down, is riveting, and Stephens frequent asides draw the audience into the bizarre, Brigadoon-ish village in which he finds himself.
Nobody plays bewildered better than Tony Smith, and as "Something Something Snetsky," the Shepherd, he carries on his grand tradition. Brandon B. Weaver's clipped delivery (as the evil Count Gregor) bristles with befuddled menace. Thomas Wikle, Debby McKnight, and Jerry Hathaway fill out the cast with the requisite quirkiness.
Fools may be joke-riddled, but the HART was dead serious about the set – it is cleverly designed for ease of movement, and the interiors and exteriors are painted and papered to perfection – even in a relatively short show, audiences appreciate fast scene changes!
Fools runs through Sunday, September 21st, with performances at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2:00 p.m. on Sundays at H.A.R.T. Theater, 185 S.E. Washington, Hillsboro.For More Information Visit This Site
In a solid 10-person cast, clear comic standouts are Gary Romans (Dr. Zubritsky), Dalene Young (his wife Lenya), and Helena Greathouse (Yenchna, the peddler). Romans' delivery, sense of timing, and fluid facial expressions elicit some of the biggest laughs of the evening. Young is his perfect foil – a wide-eyed, good-hearted, slow-witted version of Imogene Coca. Greathouse – earnestly offering flowers as fish from her wagon (why should she suffer just because the fishermen had a bad day?) – plays her role with the intensity of Lady MacBeth, but coming from her, it's a lot funnier.
The roles of straight man and ingénue are generally limited in comic potential by their functions. Mitchell Stephens (the teacher Tolchinsky) and Sarah Thornton (Sophia Zubritzky) overcome this handicap with a combination of acting ability and, let's face it, sheer cuteness. Thornton's shining moment, when she demonstrates that she has nearly mastered the art of sitting down, is riveting, and Stephens frequent asides draw the audience into the bizarre, Brigadoon-ish village in which he finds himself.
Nobody plays bewildered better than Tony Smith, and as "Something Something Snetsky," the Shepherd, he carries on his grand tradition. Brandon B. Weaver's clipped delivery (as the evil Count Gregor) bristles with befuddled menace. Thomas Wikle, Debby McKnight, and Jerry Hathaway fill out the cast with the requisite quirkiness.
Fools may be joke-riddled, but the HART was dead serious about the set – it is cleverly designed for ease of movement, and the interiors and exteriors are painted and papered to perfection – even in a relatively short show, audiences appreciate fast scene changes!
Fools runs through Sunday, September 21st, with performances at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2:00 p.m. on Sundays at H.A.R.T. Theater, 185 S.E. Washington, Hillsboro.For More Information Visit This Site