August 20, 2004

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Palo Alto Online

Sweet charity

by Robyn Israel

You might call Tara Rolle a directorial prodigy. She was in fourth grade at Encinal Elementary School when she directed her first play, "Peter Pan."

No one in her family pushed her; no teacher told her to do it. She just loved musical theater and initiated the project, holding auditions at lunchtime, arranging rehearsals and directing the production completely by herself, with the help of her enthusiastic charges.

Today, the 21-year-old Atherton native is still putting on shows every summer, the latest being "The Sound of Music." Presented by TTC (The Talent Crew) Productions, the classic musical will be presented tonight and Saturday at Palo Alto High School's Haymarket Theatre. All proceeds will benefit Habitat for Humanity.

"It's a vacation for me, getting to do what I love," said Rolle, a UCLA graduate who recently earned her teaching credential at San Jose State.

It must be a labor of love, as Rolle oversees all facets of the production, including vocal training and choreography. She also "works in debt," basically putting everything on her credit card, such as paying the Rogers and Hammerstein library for the rights to stage the musical.

What also makes TTC's "Sound of Music" noteworthy is that it is an all-volunteer production that would not happen without the help of parents, cast members and production staff.

"The parents help pay for the costumes, my dad helps me balance sound, my mom helps with the sewing. She's the emergency mom who makes sure the kids eat and gives them hugs and encouragement," Rolle said. "The parents organize dinners; they ensure water is backstage; they attend to all the little things that would otherwise slip through the cracks."

The 20 cast members range in age from 12 to 22 years old, and represent schools in Palo Alto, Menlo Park and Los Altos. Rolle makes sure there is a spot for anyone who wants to participate, even it means double-casting some roles or even creating new roles.

"I always make sure that everyone has something to feel proud about," she said. "You see the older ones mentor the young ones, and you see the younger ones grow. It's very fulfilling."

Several actors, such as Pardis Farhadian, have been performing for Rolle since they were young. In fact, Fahardian played Maria as an 11-year-old when TTC first staged "The Sound of Music" six years ago. This time, Fahardian is playing Maxine, a variation of Uncle Max, the Von Trapp family's beloved friend.

"Tara provides a really fun environment; it's like one big family," said Fahardian, a senior at Menlo-Atherton High School who first started working with Rolle nine years ago. "I just love doing it. And I love giving back to my community."

So does Rolle, who has annually used theater as a means of donating to charity. She initially wanted to do hands-on work for Habitat for Humanity, but an age requirement barred her from building homes. Her solution: use the proceeds from her shows to benefit the non-profit organization.

"The kids always get a real sense of appreciation for their work. The families often send thank-you notes," Rolle said.

Much has changed since TTC's first production of "The Sound of Music" in 1998, when most of the actors playing the Von Trapp children were noticeably close to the ages of their characters.

"I toned down the Nazi stuff then -- a lot of the kids were too young then to deal with it," Rolle said. "This year, we've embraced it and turned it into an educational exercise. We've been able to discuss the more mature issues, such as the war and the Nazis, and how they interplay with the characters."

The older actors, Rolle said, have even made connections between "The Sound of Music"'s historical context and current global events.

"That's very fulfilling for me, to see them linking the show to events in the world and drawing their own conclusions," she said.

Asked which scene was the most challenging to stage, Rolle replied that it was the concert scene, which takes place at the end of the musical. In this scene, the Von Trapp Family performs a concert in an Austrian amphitheatre, surrounded by Nazi officers.

"We create a real sense of what it would be like in Austria during the takeover -- having actors in Nazi costumes patrol the aisles -- which could be very frightening for the children in the audience," Rolle said. "But the actors have handled it with extreme maturity. They understand what they're representing, the historical roots of the situation. So they gauge the audience every night and renegotiate the scene. Sometimes they pull back and stay out of the children's personal space."

Asked how her own skills as a director have evolved since TTC's first staging of "The Sound of Music," Rolle replied:

"My expectations have remained as high as they ever have, but I've acquired more technical skills, in terms of set design, lighting design, costume development. The harmonies are more complicated than they were six years ago. I'm also better at delegating than I was prior!"

Rolle's next task will be teaching drama and English at Branham High School in San Jose. But she promises to be back next summer to direct another TTC production. "West Side Story" and "A Chorus Line" are some of the ideas she is toying with.

"When the actors come out to greet their audience, their cheeks are shining, 'cause they're so proud of themselves. It makes all the hard work seem like nothing. When August comes, you feel fulfilled and ready to it again next year."

What: "The Sound of Music," presented by TTC Productions

Where: Palo Alto High School's Haymarket Theatre, 50 Embarcadero Road

When: Tonight at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.

Cost: Tickets are $10 adults; $8 for kids

Info: Please call director Tara Rolle at (650) 575-4773 or e-mail ttcproductions@yahoo.com.

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