The classic and spacious Ellen Theatre acts as your cultural mecca right here in Bozeman, and the month of October is no different! From theatre performances to live music and specialty film, there is surely something for every taste at this historical downtown complex. Performances of David Mamet’s masterpiece Glengarry Glen Ross continue throught the month with shows Thursday, October 1st, Friday, October 2nd, and Saturday, October 3rd–all at 8pm. The show will take its final bow on Sunday, October 4 at 3pm. Glengarry Glen Ross is a biting, fast paced comedy-drama about small-time, cutthroat real estate salesmen trying to grind out a living as they scramble for their share of the American Dream. A celebrated 1993 film version starred Jack Lemmon and Al Pacino, and the play has enjoyed two Broadway revivals within the past decade. Playwright David Mamet’s work is famous for its lean and gritty language possessed of such a singular rhythm that his dialogue has been dubbed ‘Mamet speak’. Filmmaker Quentin Tarantino has listed Mamet as one of the key inspirations of his own style of dialogue, derivative of Mamet’s mastery of the ‘poetry of the profane. Above all, Glengarry Glen Ross is a gift to actors, and Bozeman Actors Theatre has an exceptional cast on board. Directed by Cara Wilder, the ensemble features Gordon Carpenter, Richard Dunbar, Daniel Erickson, Colter Langan, Tom Morris, Mark Richard and Francis Wendt. Audiences and critics agree, Glengarry Glen Ross is filled with “Crackling tension…ferocious comedy and drama,” (The New York Times) and is “Wonderfully funny…A play to see, remember and cherish, don’t miss Mamet at his very best.” (New York Post). Tickets to Glengarry Glen Ross range between $15 and $19 plus fees. The Bozeman Film Society will present The End of the Tour on Wednesday, October 7th at 7:30pm.
Nell-Jim-photo-by-Michael-Melnyk
The End of the Tour tells the story of the five-day interview between Rolling Stone reporter (and novelist) David Lipsky (Jesse Eisenberg) and acclaimed novelist David Foster Wallace (Jason Segel), which took place right after the 1996 publication of Wallace’s groundbreaking epic novel, “Infinite Jest.” As the days go on, a tenuous yet intense relationship seems to develop between journalist and subject. The two men bob and weave around each other, sharing laughs and also possibly revealing hidden frailties–but it’s never clear how truthful they are being with each other. Ironically, the interview was never published, and five days of audio tapes were packed away in Lipsky’s closet. The two men did not meet again. The film is based on Lipsky’s critically acclaimed memoir about this unforgettable encounter, written following Wallace’s 2008 suicide. Both Segel and Eisenberg reveal great depths of emotion in their performances and the film is directed with humor and tenderness by Sundance vet James Ponsoldt from Pulitzer Prize-winner Donald Margulies’ insightful and heartbreaking screenplay. Tickets to The End of the Tour are $8.75 for adults and $8.50 for seniors and students, plus fees.
A Night of Ray Brown will be celebrated on Thursday, October 8th at 7:30pm. If you have ever enjoyed a recording by Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Charlie Parker, Tony Bennett, Dizzy Gillespie or Sarah Vaughn, chances are you’ve heard Ray Brown. The Ellen Theatre pays homage to this outstanding musician with a star-studded salute. Heralded as the most influential jazz bass player of the 20th Century, Brown is featured on over 2,000 recordings. For this tribute, The Ellen has brought together three stellar artists all with close ties to the famed musician–Larry Fuller, Jeff Hamilton and John Clayton. Larry Fuller was Ray Brown’s last pianist, had long standing gigs with Dizzy Gillespie and Oscar Peterson, and currently plays with the John Pizzarelli Quartet. Jeff Hamilton on drums has a list just as impressive, having played with Barbara Streisand, Mel Torme, Woody Herman, Rosemary Clooney, and Diana Krall. John Clayton, on bass, has credits with Henry Mancini, Monty Alexander and Count Basie, and has composed and arranged for such notables as Whitney Houston, Quincy Jones, and Natalie Cole, to name just a few. Perhaps most special, Clayton was Ray Brown’s most prominent protégé and will be playing Mr. Brown’s own personal bass at The Ellen. It doesn’t get any better than that. Tickets to A Night of Ray Brown are $19.75 plus fees.
The Ellen will welcome Nell Robinson and the Rose of No Man’s Land with special guest Ramblin’ Jack Elliott to its stage on Friday, October 9th at 8pm. Nell Robinson presents this musical journey of an American family through 250 years of war and service. The show features vintage music, lush vocals and a smokin’ hot band with virtuoso guitarist Jim Nunally, of David Grisman and Jaybirds fame. Interwoven through the songs are stories of an Alabama family–some poignant and some hilarious–that are sure to touch your heart and entertain the soul. Special Guest Ramblin’ Jack Elliott makes this a night not to be missed. The Rose of No Man’s Land CD, released in 2014, landed on the Americana chart. The show is also a PBS special currently airing all over the country. Tickets to this special show are $17 plus fees. Back by popular demand, indie film festival favorite Unbranded will again screen on Wednesday, October 14th at 7pm. On an epic 3,000-mile journey through the most pristine backcountry of the American West, four friends rode horseback across an almost contiguous stretch of unspoiled public lands, border to border, from Mexico to Canada. For their trail horses, they adopted wild mustangs from the US Bureau of Land Management, which were perfectly adapted to the rocky terrain and harsh conditions of desert and mountain travel. Chosen to inspire more adoptions from the 50,000 mustangs and burros in holding facilities across the United States and to call attention to the necessity of properly managing horse populations on the range, these animals became their riders’ transport, nemeses, and eventual trusted companions as men and mustangs traversed the immense landscapes of Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. A meticulously planned but sometimes unpredictable route brought them face to face with snowpack, downpours, and wildfire; unrelenting heat, raging rivers, and sheer cliffs; jumping cactus, rattlesnakes, and charging bull moose; sickness, injury, and death. But they also experienced a special camaraderie with each other and with the mustangs, the magnificent natural scenery of the nation’s ensuring wilderness, and some of the best fly-fishing in the world. Through it all, they had a constant traveling companion, a cameraman. With the help of mustang and “camera horse” Luke, a film crew directed by Phillip Baribeau captured the adventure from beginning to end, good times and bad, while shooting for the documentary. Tickets to Unbranded are $12 for adults and $9.50 for students, plus fees.
Plan ahead for a Music & Comedy Night with Austria’s Blazing Brass! on Friday, October 16th at 8pm. Meet Mnozil Brass–considered Europe’s most imaginative brass band, now celebrating 20 years of harmonious panache and pranks. Need a good laugh? These gents deliver in spades, selling out houses from Australia to Israel and Canada to Japan. Mnozil Brass twists musical standards with original compositions, creating a masterful, unique, and entertaining performance. Did we metnion that they are also very funny? It’s a winning blend of comedy and music, perfect for the whole family. “Mnozil Brass incorporates wit within their music worthy of Monty Python, charming audiences of all ages” (The New York Times). Come check out the Monty Pythons of Music! Tickets to this hilarious show are $29.50 for adults and only $14 for those 17 and under, plus fees.
The Bozeman Film Society will screen the Lily Tomlin-fronted Grandma on Saturday, October 17th at 7:30pm. Acerbic aging poet Elle Reid (Lily Tomlin) mourns the death of her longtime partner even as she reels from a recent breakup; yet she must table her misanthropy when her teenage granddaughter Sage (Julia Garner) turns up unexpectedly on her doorstep in need of $600 and a ride. What ensues is an urban road-trip in Elle’s vintage Dodge to visit old friends and flames, rattling skeletons and digging up secrets all over town as the unlikely duo try to rustle up the cash. “Grandma” is a small film with huge things to say about the meaning of family and the value of living on one’s own terms. Tomlin hits a career high point in Paul Weitz’s caustically funny and poignant family drama, as circumstances force Elle to confront her past and Sage her future, over the course of a single day. A supporting ensemble that includes Marcia Gay Harden, Laverne Cox, Judy Greer, and Sam Elliott round out the cast in this delightful, touching cinematic gem. Tickets to Grandma are $8.75 for adults and $8.50 for seniors and students, plus fees. For questions about these events, ticketing information, or other inquiries, visit theellentheatre.com or call The Ellen box office at 406-585-5885. •
The post Get your culture fix at the Ellen Theatre appeared first on The BoZone.