Posted on Thu, Jul. 27, 2006

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New kids on the block

Monarch Theatre arrives on the community theater scene with an original comedy and big dreams

By KATHRYN PETRUCCELLI

Herald Correspondent

Snow White only had seven dwarves. But Willow (Allison Armstrong), the lead character of Monarch Theatre's original comedy "Flabbergasted!" gets a full dozen muses to help her find her way.

Carolyn Hylton and Carrie Glenn, the mother-and-daughter team who steer Monarch Theatre, are being somewhat tight-lipped about plot details.

"It's the kind of thing (where) you can give away too much," said Glenn, a graduate of Monterey Peninsula College's drama department. "I won't say it's a mystery-mystery, but it's the kind of play that makes you think."

Hylton, another alumna of MPC, is the playwright.

The muses guide Willow toward discovering what is missing in her world and help her find meaning in her life.

The muse Gypsy is played by Aden Rogers, a 10-year-old, highly talented actor. "We discovered her and we're keeping her!" said Glenn.

With an all-ages cast, Glenn herself plays Tramps, and niece Lauren Glenn is cast as the muse Thieves. There's also Sunshine, Storm, Romeo, and the others to lend their expertise to poor, lost Willow.

"Flabbergasted!" runs Friday and Saturday nights at 8 p.m. into the fall and possibly longer. Plans are to replace cast members as they have to leave for other obligations.

"We're doing it Broadway style where we're keeping it going until it stops," said director Glenn. "We kind of want to make a stand and say, 'Hey, everybody! Look!'"

The Broadway connection is no accident. In addition to having her own ambitions in New York's esteemed theaters, Glenn said of Hylton's writing, "Someday I hope to see her work on Broadway."

The actor/director sees this play as one of Hylton's best, and said she has a distinct comedic style.

"Sometimes it's serious subject matter and there're things you think about, but she's funny."

Monarch Theatre would like to be known for original plays, and Hylton has a cache of them stored up to be performed. Her daughter claims Hylton's talents as an author were evident from the time she directed her fellow students at Robert Down Elementary School in Pacific Grove in original pieces she wrote during recess, though her calling was revived much later in life.

"When we were children, my brothers and I, we were looking for a Christmas play to put on for the family," Glenn said. She couldn't find one she thought was appropriate so she ended up writing one.

Since that time, Hylton has kept up the writing as a hobby, for fun, and for the love of it.

Glenn said "Flabbergasted!" audiences are enjoying the experience so far: "They're laughing."

They don't always agree on what to think about the play, however.

"There's a mixed way of walking out: 'Great! Yeah!' or they are thoughtful" said Glenn who likens it to different people standing in front of a single canvas, each with his or her own interpretation of the artist's intention. "As an artist, it was interesting to watch the different reactions."

Monarch also plans on creating productions of plays other than what Hylton has penned, some of the tried and true beloved ones.

Although they've been working for some time with children's theater through their company Rated G Productions, Glenn and Hylton have only recently bought Monarch Theatre.

Previously, the two worked mainly out of their home. "This became available and we grabbed it," Glenn said of the small theater space in New Monterey.

The building's former tenant was the Barbary Coast Theater, which specialized in bawdy cabaret shows. They also had an affinity for snacks.

"We're still sweeping up popcorn," the director noted.

Monarch Theatre will also be a permanent space for more children's theater. Glenn and Hylton will teach after-school classes through August (and have on-going classes for adults as well).

Their children's group is currently in production of "The Wizard of Oz," which runs at 1 p.m. through Sunday, July 30.

Monarch has high standards for their kids' plays. According to Glenn, they tend to be dissatisfied with the "Oh, that was kind of cute" reaction, which can be common at such showings. "We like to wow our parents."

Asked what it is like to be a newbie in a small community, Glenn sighed, "It's frightening, terrifying."

Much of her anxiety comes from their respect for their instructors at MPC. "We want them to be proud of us."

"We're at that stage where we're still assembling a group. Right now everything is on us."

While the business side of things is still building, the vision for Monarch is set.

"We want to create another world. We want people to go there and forget they have a bill due, or something in their purse," said Glenn." We want them to be swept away, and you can only do that if you have people on stage who are dedicated.

"We're serious. If it's not good acting, we don't put it on."