Palomar Mountain artist Chris "the Woodcutter" Marszalek donated an original hand-carved wood sculpture to the production.


Charles Carr (left) with Valley Center Art Association president Kathy Hayden and board member Ed Labrado.


All the Time in the World star, Neha Curtiss, flanked by two of the contributing artists Pamela Gundy (left) and Carol MacLeod


Desert Rose owner Debra Sasse and writer/director Charles Carr with the first batch of original paintings for the All the Time in the World stage play and fundraiser

NORTH COUNTY TIMES
Preview Magazine
nctimes.com/entertainment
April 29, 2010

By Patricia Morris Buckley

HITCHCOCK INSPIRES ART-FILLED ‘WORLD’

Writer Charles Carr is a big fan of Hitchcock movies, and so with his newest play, “All the Time in the World,” he couldn’t help but add a bit of the master into its mix.

“All the Time in the World” encompasses two familiar Hitchcock themes–murder and love. But Carr takes this whodunit one step further by bringing in the theme of artistic integrity.

The play, which opens Friday in Carr’s hometown of Valley Center, centers on an artist who is about to break out in a big way. Many of the people surrounding him are encouraging him to do things that will enhance that success even further. Powerful forces put pressure on him to sell out and change who he is. He must choose between his own conscience or allow others to manipulate his talent for their own gain.

Carr modeled the play’s protagonist after some of the actors who starred in Hitchcock movies, such as Jimmy Stewart and Cary Grant, he said. And for the love interest, he imagined Grace Kelly or Ingrid Bergman.

“His friend, who is an art dealer, tells him he will have to do something to get the public excited about his work;’ said Carr, who writes a column for the North County Times about the area’s backcountry. “The dealer tells the artist that he needs to generally play the game more, such as having affairs to get his name in the newspapers. I’m hoping the audience will examine their own decisions, such as when a boss asks them to fudge numbers or someone tells them a shady way to get ahead?”

This isn’t the first play Carr has written, but it is the first produced in San Diego. An active member of the Valley Center Community Theatre, he has plenty of experience on the stage. But with this show, he wanted to do something different.

Carr and his wife, Marsi, started putting the production together, selecting the Maxine’s Dorris Staples Theater as the venue. Then they started thinking about the set and came up with another idea to raise money. “Since the main character is an artist, why not set it in his gallery?” said Carr. “And instead of spending money building and painting the set, we decided we wanted to cover the walls with works by local artists!’ Carr found a grant that would pay for canvases, and then turned to the local art community, which responded enthusiastically. Local artists donated more than 30 paintings and one woodcarving. After the show, the art will be sold and the proceeds will go toward [disaster relief].

“This way, people can donate money, but they also get a wonderful painting,” he said. “It’s like having a story on your wall. Plus, they can see a show, and for an hour and half, they can really relax. It’s going to be a great experience!’

NORTH COUNTY TIMES
nctimes.com/opinion
April 16, 2010           

By Brigid Brett

EFFORT AIDS VICTIMS OF DISASTERS

Sometimes it feels like I live in Lake Wobegon, that gentle Midwestern town that Garrison Keillor has made real. Saturday was one of those days.

It started when the bank teller sent a dog biscuit down the drive-through chute for our mutt, and ended at the library, with a preview of a play called “All the Time in the World.”

I had just come to find something to read and hadn’t even known about the preview, so it was an unexpected treat to take my seat in the community room, watch the actors getting ready to make their entrances and chat with other library patrons who seemed equally pleased to settle in and watch some free live theater.

The play, a Hitchcock-like mystery/drama, was written by North County Times freelance columnist Charles Carr and brings home the true meaning not only of community theater, but of community. All proceeds from the play will go directly to [a disaster relief non-profit].

Cash donations are always needed to allow the organization to continue its long-term recovery program, finding job training and employment resources, securing and maintaining affordable housing, settling children into their new neighborhoods and dealing with recovery-related health and life issues.

If not the play itself, then the spirit behind Carr’s work is a love letter to his home and community. Even the assortment of wildly colorful abstract paintings that surround the set–most of the play takes place in an art studio–were painted and donated by local artists, and are up for bid. All proceeds generated by the sale of the paintings will also go to [the fundraiser].

“I told the artists I don’t want dogs playing poker–unless they’re Salvador Dali's dogs,” Carr said.

BRIGID BRETT writes from Valley Center. Contact her at brigidbrett@aol.com.

Play/fundraiser opens Friday
(Excerpted from Valley Roadrunner newspaper, April 28, 2010)

All the Time in the World, a fundraiser for disaster relief in the San Diego North County, will open this Friday, 7 p.m. at the Maxine’s Dorris Staples Theater, located at Valley Center High School and play for two weekends.

“Getting to here is really something of a dream come true for all of us who worked on this project,” said Charles Carr, author and director of the play/fundraiser.

All the Time in the World is, at its heart, a love story set against the backdrop of a lone man's struggle against powerful forces determined to manipulate his talent for their own gain. One critic who saw a preview of the show said, “It’s a mystery/drama with a fast-moving plot and Hitchcock-like suspense, twists, and surprises sure to entertain audiences and keep them guessing right until the end.”

Net proceeds from both the play and the sale of original paintings that will dress the stage will help provide vital support for disaster relief in the San Diego North County.

“Our intention from the beginning was to create an event that involved the community at every possible level,” said Carr. “That’s why, for example, we asked local painters to create several dozen original works that will cover almost every inch of the set. You’ve really got to see it—an explosion of color and design. Now there's just one more level of involvement left for the community,” he said smiling. “Come and enjoy the play!"

Carr says the icing on the cake was learning that the fundraiser has been awarded a $4,500 Neighborhood Reinvestment Grant from Supervisor Bill Horn’s office and a $1,000 arts grant from the Accretive Group.

“It’s gratifying that the concept we put together in kitchen table conversations with friends has been placed in the company of respected community mainstays like CERT, the Fire Safe Council, the Boys and Girls Club, YMCA, and a raft of North County historical societies, jobs fairs, and infrastructure improvement projects.”

Carr has one final tip for parents who might experience a bit of foot-dragging from their youngsters at the thought of attending a play. “Tell them it’s in 3-D,” he said. “It’s amazing. It’s like you’re really there!”