1. A sensational dramatic piece with exaggerated characters and exciting events intended to appeal to the emotions.
his·to·ry of a·las·ka
/ˈhist(ə)rē/ of /əˈlaskə/
Noun
1. A sensational dramatic story with exaggerated characters and exciting events that will appeal to the emotions.
Help Sitka, Alaska revitalize Community Theater through a historical, campy melodrama, Paris of the Pacific.
This request is from the Greater Sitka Arts Council that originated in 1973 and was known for its excellent Community Theater. However over time it waned and then was dormant until 2008. Now Sitka is revitalizing the Community Theater and hopes to stage an audience participation melodrama.
Sitka, population less than 9,000, is a small island community in Southeast Alaska. Now known as the most historic city in Alaska, Sitka served as the Russian capital of Alaska. In fact the sale of Alaska from Russia to the United States took place in Sitka in 1867. At that time, Sitka was known as the Paris of the Pacific due to its rich culture and arts.
Three main threads weave together Sitka’s culture, the Tlingit Native Alaskans who have inhabited the area for over 10,000 years, the Russians who landed in 1799 seeking sea otters for trade, and Americans from the United States following the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867. All three groups are ready to share the stage in Paris of the Pacific.
Why a melodrama? Alaskan, especiallySoutheast Alaskan, history is full of colorful and quirky characters. What better way to share our rich history than with community melodramas, something Southeast Alaska is known for. Ketchikan has been offering the same locally written melodrama, Fish Pirates Daughter, for almost thirty years. Its popularity has become almost cult like with impromptu audience participation. It’s still fun for the local audience and for the tourist audience as well. Juneau had the Hoochinoo and Hotcakes melodrama also locally written, Skagway offers the Soapy Smith Revue, Haines had Lust for Dust also locally written, and just across the border in Whitehorse, British Columbia has the Gaslight Follies, and Dawson has Diamond Tooth Gertie’s that offers a melodrama. All these melodramas are based on a smidgen of historical truth with lots of fun stirred in.
Our melodrama, aptly titled, Paris of the Pacific, is also locally written and is about the exchange when the US bought the Alaska territory from Russia in 1867. The Greater Sitka Arts Council has been working for the past several years getting the play written and fine-tuned. Now, 146 years after The Transfer, we are ready to start production for a 2013 season having our first opening during the Alaska Day Festival that Sitka celebrates every year in October. Alaska Day is an official state holiday held on October 18 each year. It commemorates the formal transfer of Alaska from Russia to the United States. It might be official statewide but Sitka is the only town that closes the schools and banks and has a parade in the rain. We hold an Alaska Day Ball with period costumes and the Army Big Band comes down for the party from Fairbanks. It is a weeklong event full of fun, music, art, and soon, with your help, a melodrama.
Budget items Cost
Flame retardant muslin for five scene changes $1,500
Lumber for constructing mobile support rolled up scenes $700
Lumber for construction of mock fishing boat and bar scene $600
Props for living room, bar scene, $600
Lighting Stage Lighting System, Musicanfriend.com $1,000
Costumes $600
Total $5,000
