About Bone: Dying Into Life

Bone: Dying Into Life, is the true and personal story about a woman’s struggle with a life-threatening illness. Compassionate medical treatment in the beginning becomes frightening when two strong personalities clash. Then, at the very moment Marion begins to believe that she’ll recover, she’s informed that her life is about to end. Through it all she questions everything and chooses to listen to her dreams and follow her destiny. To live she must overcome the arrogance of one doctor, the illusions of cancer, and her fear of dying. Crippled by the treatments, she risks rising from her wheelchair to dance again.

The subject of Bone: Dying Into Life,, is Marion Woodman, Ph.D., an internationally recognized leader in body and soul development, Jungian Analyst, and a widely read author of feminine psychology. Her books have sold over a half-million copies worldwide. The play is, with her permission and help, an adaptation of her published journals written during this transforming period of her life.

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ASHLAND PRODUCTION, OCTOBER 13 AND 16, 2008
Dee Maaske creates the role of Marion Woodman in the theater production of Bone: Dying Into Life. Maaske first appeared at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in the 1984 production of Cat On a Hot Tin Roof. She has performed memorable roles in Death of a Salesman, Trip to Bountiful, The Seagull, Noises Off, Rabbit Hole, and many others. This season we see her in Clay Cart and Our Town.

Julie Oda, who played Cordelia in King Lear, Sara in Stop Kiss and many other roles in seven seasons at Oregon Shakespeare Festival joins a cast local actors. Michael Meyer, artistic director of Ashland Community Theater, David Dials and Caleb Brumely were recently seen in Taking Sides, the post World War II war crimes play. Jack Seybold was seen recently in Lend Me A Tenor at Camelot Theatre in Talent, Oregon. Susan DuMond, after graduating in Theater at Bennington College and studying in New York, performed with the Carriage House Theater in Washington D.C. Recently she revived her career appearing in Dancing at Lughnasa, also at Camelot. Susan Scorso had a starring role in Kiss or Make Up with the Linkville Players in Klamath Falls. The youngest cast member, eight year old Emily Belcastro, was recruited from Oregon Stage Works Children’s Theater.

Bone: Dying Into Life, is directed by Paul Roland as a project of Oregon Issues, Inc., which he founded for the purpose of bringing together creative people to support new work. Drawing from a lifetime of experience in theater, Roland has the actors both reading from stands and acting scenes with costumes, stage lighting, sound and music. He last directed Richard Moeschl’s, Arthur’s Dreams and produced and directed Bill Sauer’s play reading of Reluctant Strangers at Oregon Stage Works. Vicki Purslow, Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and Associate Professor of Music at Southern Oregon University, is the Music Director. Lively dance scenes open and end the play.

Parental guidance is advised.

Because the play deals with a life-threatening illness, support of Ashland Community Hospital Hospice’s “Happily Ever After” Resale Shop project will come from ticket sales.

Bert Axel Anderson, playwright, is the producer of the Ashland production.