A Successful Reading of Richard's New Play "A Bear in Winter"

On July 10, 2018 at Titan Stadium of the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, a group of professional and non-professional actors presented a reading of Richard Kalinoski's new play, A Bear in Winter. Despite the fact that the reading was preceded by only 4 four hours of rehearsal the invited audience (of football coaches, faculty and students) offered steadfast attention to the story inside the play of a football coach, Pete Parenti, searching to regain his sense of self.

Pete, portrayed in the reading by veteran pro Ryan Schabach (Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Next Act Theatre and others) experiences a collision of losses---his job, his self-respect and gradually, the vibrant connection to his mother who is stricken with dementia after a successful life as an athlete and coach.

Among the responses to the play/reading:

"Ryan Schabach was brilliant in his portrayal of a complex character" ;

"All of the actors helped the play come alive--and in the midst of a football meeting room the play was a revelation".

"Kim Davister did a remarkable job evincing honest emotion in enacting the role of the elderly Katherine---just before being seized by dementia".

A second and more public reading will be scheduled later in 2018 with the same cast of 6.