Twice the entertainment: Two shows open in Bend this weekend

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The cast of “Once” found all the right elements falling into place for their production, set to open Friday at The Greenhouse Cabaret.

Although 16 years had passed since creators Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, who starred in the 2007 film “Once” and composed and performed its original songs, had made a record together, it just so happened that the musicians were on tour in Portland last month for “Forward,” their new record released in July.

The Greenhouse Cabaret cast attended the concert by Hansard and Irglová’s band, The Swell Season, at Portland’s Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall last month, where the performers had been tipped off that the Bend cast was in the audience. The musicians invited the cast up on stage to join them in song.

“My heart was pounding. I’ve never felt adrenaline like that,” said Beverly Anderson, who is Girl, one of the leads in the upcoming production. “Obviously, nerves were running high; it was shaky, but it was an experience that I will hold dearly to my heart forever.”

After performing on stage, the actors were invited backstage where they chatted for hours, gleaning a deeper understanding of how the characters were created and where the inspiration for the songs came from, said John Kish, the show’s co-director and producer.

The Greenhouse Cabaret cast of “Once” poses with creators of the original songs and actors of the 2007 film “Once,” Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, at Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in Portland. (Submitted photo)

It was an extraordinary experience for Will Graziano, who plays the other lead as Guy.

“I’ve looked up to both of them for years and years, so it is a total full stop moment,” he said. “These Oscar-winning musicians, they were so genuine and generous, so that was a really cool experience. Then they gave us words of wisdom to do the show and they also thanked us for continuing the legacy of the show.”

In addition to gaining a deeper understanding of his character, Graziano learned more practical tips from Irglová, such as the tradition of Guy wearing red socks.

The role of Guy is a dream come true for Graziano, who traveled from Los Angeles to Bend last year to audition for the part.

He represents the first contract with a member of the Actors’ Equity Association union, thereby qualifying the Greenhouse Cabaret as a professional theater and earning it rights to a greater number of productions.

Quadruple threat

The musical is the third mainstage production of The Greenhouse Cabaret’s “Season of Humanity,” chosen for its simple, poignant story. It’s atypical in the sense that there is no orchestra pit. The 12 actors are also instrumentalists, singers and dancers carrying the show forward.

Members of the 12-person cast of “Once,” opening Friday at The Greenhouse Cabaret in Bend. (Courtesy Joy Reneke Photography)

“I’ve never done a show quite like this where not only am I acting, I’m doing an Irish dialect and I’m playing guitar and I’m singing,” Graziano said. “It’s really demanding, but it’s been really fulfilling for all of us, too.”

For Anderson, a vocalist and keyboardist, it’s a merging of her worlds.

“To be able to play piano, sing and act — it’s honestly one of my dreams,” she said.

Anderson has also appeared as Audrey in “Little Shop of Horrors” and in “The Wolves” in past productions by The Greenhouse Cabaret.

Raw and resonant

The musical, known for its Academy Award-winning track, “Falling Slowly,” was nominated for 11 Tony Awards in 2012 and won eight, including Best Musical, Best Actor and Best Book.

The powerful, folk-infused score is raw and resonant, offering connection through its captivating story about Guy, a Dublin street musician on the verge of giving up his dreams, until he meets Girl, who inspires him to write and record his music.

Graziano said the show speaks to him because of its message of leaning on others during dark times and taking risks in the face of fear.

“Overall, I think it’s a beautiful show that I hope audiences will feel healed by,” he said.

“Once” will run for 18 shows and is co-directed by Kish and Richard Choate and musically directed by Natalie True.

‘The Haunting of Hill House’

Donald Emmerich makes a dramatic comeback as director with “The Haunting of Hill House,” opening Friday at Cascades Theatrical Company. He’s joined by Frankie Palmer, who makes her debut as assistant director.

The play is based on the book by the same name, written by Shirley Jackson in 1959 and adapted for the stage by F. Andrew Leslie in 1998.

As a nod to the time period in which it was written, Emmerich has orchestrated a set bathed in gradients of black, white and gray, imitating the experience of watching a film from the ’60s.

“The Haunting of Hill House” opens at Friday at Cascades Theatrical Company. (Submitted photo)

Hill House is an isolated, brooding mansion in which an investigator of supernatural phenomena has endeavored to uncover the morbid history of the house and what has caused it to be uninhabitable. He invites three others to join him, who are consequently forced to face their inner hauntings, amplified by the house’s shadowy corners and creaking walls.

Carly Stobbe, as Theodora, and Beth Hamilton, as Eleanor, play major roles in the show.

The show’s enduring relevance, even after six decades, stems from its portrayal of two independent women, Emmerich said. At a time when societal expectations dictated they stay home and raise children, these characters chose a different path.

“There is a movement to force women back to be in the home, back to raise a family,” he said. “It’s important to me that we remember how much women had to fight for their place at the table throughout the course of history to be independent and to be strong and to be thought of as contributing members of our society.”