Evita - Oh What a Circus
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Elaine Schuller |
Saturday, March 06, 2010
PEI COMMUNITY THEATRE FESTIVAL
ACT is sponsoring the PEI Community Theatre Festival - on World Theatre Day, 2010
People around the world will be celebrating UNESCO’s World Theatre Day on March 27th, and here on the Island that Saturday evening is the occasion for the PEI Community Theatre Festival. The place is the Playhouse in Victoria, and the curtain goes up at 7:00 pm.
It’s an evening of short plays presented by some of the Island’s most dynamic amateur theatre groups. This is a showcase for true community theatre—a time when for-the-fun-of-it actors and back-stage production crew get to perform beyond their usual home audience, to rub shoulders and learn from one another and get constructive feedback.
Popular theatre-man Wade Lynch will be the adjudicator, providing observations and tips. The participants will have the opportunity to socialize and discuss their experiences. Each acting group will go home with a Community Theatre Festival award.
The Festival play-bill has comedy in common, but the participating groups and their stage-works are delightfully varied.
• Sheep for Wheat Productions has a ‘dark comedy’ with an absurdist touch—“The Worker” by Walter Wykes. A young woman fashions a pretend child to cope with her loneliness; her husband is furious, and perhaps with good reason—what does this mean for his life ... literally?! The show offers the bonuses of original music and a recreation of the painting which inspired the writing of the play. With their playful name from a card-trading board game, Sheep for Wheat is a fresh and enthusiastic group—known for their all-participant collaborative approach in bringing to life the provocative drama of the mid-20th century, such as Harold Pinter’s “The Dumb Waiter” and Eugene Ionesco’s “The Lesson”.
• The Bonshaw Young Players have been honing their skills in a fun way with Ruth Lacey for four years now—learning Improv, doing workshops with professional actors, writing, directing, and presenting their own material. Their ages range from 5 to 16; interestingly, half of them are home-schooled. Their play is “Heir Repair”, written and directed by one of their members, Rachel Horrocks. It entangles an elderly spinster in a series of hilarious misunderstandings.
• The Harbourfront Theatre Company offers a half-hour excerpt from a typical Norm Foster comedy, “Opening Night”. How do you celebrate the 25th anniversary of a now-stale marriage? ... by going to the theatre, of course! Here’s a play-within-a-play, and it’s a toss-up as to which one causes more laughter. Islanders know this troupe from their days as the Jubilee Players, which they became on their move from Kensington. They have almost two decades of comedy experience.
This is an evening of live, and lively, theatre. The public is welcome for the fun of the performances and for refreshments served up by the Bonshaw Women’s Institute. Admission (to somewhat defray the costs) is by donation.
The Community Theatre Festival—previously a successful project of Theatre PEI—is being mounted this year with the sponsorship and support of ACT (a community theatre).
The contact for further information is jshields932 @ gmail.com, 675-3672.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
PEI COMMUNITY THEATRE FESTIVAL
March 27 ... For World Theatre Day, an evening of lively comedy
“The Play’s the thing!” Drama is as old as civilization ... and it keeps revitalizing itself in every time period, in every culture. No wonder UNESCO celebrates it annually with World Theatre Day.
To join in the observation, PEI has its own Community Theatre Festival. This year it’s Saturday, March 27th. The place is the Victoria Playhouse, and the curtain goes up at 7:00 pm.
It’s an evening of short plays or excerpts presented by some of the Island’s most dynamic amateur theatre groups. This is a showcase for true community theatre—a time when for-the-fun-of-it actors and back-stage production crew get to perform beyond their usual home audience, to rub shoulders and learn from one another and get constructive feedback.
ACT (a community theatre) is offering a visit by an experienced director to any group who may want some friendly guidance as they prepare their play. Then on Festival night a professional theatre adjudicator will provide observations and tips, and the participants will have the opportunity to socialize and discuss their experiences. Each group will go home with a Community Theatre Festival award.
The Festival play-bill:
• The Bonshaw Players present “Heir Repair”, written and directed by Rachel Horrocks—An elderly spinster gets entangled in hilarious misunderstandings.
• Sheep for Wheat has a ‘dark comedy’, “The Worker” by Walter Wykes—A young woman fashions a fake child to cope with her loneliness; her husband is furious, and perhaps with good reason—the child’s existence may put him in grave danger.
• The Tignish Drama Club is preparing “Grandpa’s Twin Sister”, a good-old-standby farce.
• The Jubilee Players offer a typical Norm Foster comedy, “Opening Night”—How do you treat a stale marriage? ... by going to the theatre, of course!
It’s an evening of live—and lively—comedy.
The public is welcome to join the audience for the fun of the performances and refreshments. Admission is by donation.
The Community Theatre Festival—previously a successful project of Theatre PEI—is being mounted this year by an organizing committee of community-theatre enthusiasts with the support of ACT (a community theatre). The contact for further information is jshields932 @ gmail.com
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
Theatre Festival Deadline
Hi folks,
I’ve just heard from Jennifer Shields, who is chairing the committee that is getting the theatre festival resurrected and rolling for this year.
She wanted me to let everyone know that the deadline for submissions for the festival has been extended to February 7th.
If you are interested in entering a show into the festival Jennifer will need the following information by that deadline;
-name of the group
-title of their submission and a few sentences of a description
-approximate running time
-contact email and phone number
-the fee (will be 50$ or less)(I’ll confirm the exact amount for you guys within the week)
You can contact Jennifer by email at jennifer932@gmail.com
This is going to be a terrific festival, and I’m so looking forward to seeing all of our Island’s wonderful talent.
Richard Haines
ACT President
Monday, November 30, 2009
Liverpool International Theatre Festival’s Special Christmas Offer
Liverpool, Nova Scotia. November 30, 2009
From May 19-23, 2010, the community of Liverpool, Nova Scotia will once again shine a spotlight on some of the world’s best theatrical performers at the Liverpool International Theatre Festival (LITF). Held at Liverpool’s famed Astor Theatre, the biennial festival is celebrating its tenth Anniversary with more entertainment than ever before. To mark the occasion, LITF is also offering a special Christmas ticket package as a thank-you to audience members.
In addition to the usual line-up of outstanding amateur theatre performers, LITF 2010 will feature activities for youth to enjoy, fantastic nightly entertainment, and the return of some of our audiences’ favourite troupes from past festivals. Several other special events and guest appearances are also planned.
On stage, the 2010 festival will see the return of the Teochew Drama Association from Singapore, who wowed audiences with their performances in 2000 and 2006; and Blackwood Little Theatre from Wales, who appeared at LITF 2008. Artistic Director Chris Heide has also accepted applications from Italy, France, Finland, the United States and the Faroe Islands. And, of course, the festival will host the best amateur theatre troupes from across Nova Scotia. While the exact line-up hasn’t been finalized yet, it’s definitely going to be an exciting blend of international and local theatre.
Audience members will be able to mix and mingle with the theatre troupes at the Festival Club between and after plays, and join in critical discussions with playwrights, directors, and performers at the daily Coffee Critiques. Attendees can also learn more about theatre craft by attending special Workshops.
For complete information, click on “Read Full Article>>>” below.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Urgent Casting Call
Hi everyone,
I am still looking for a few characters for my film…I have one speaking role left for Sadie, she is very bubbly and homecoming queen/cheerleader-ish - must look between the ages of 16-19, the female non-speaking roles with the same age range. I also have two speaking male roles left, the first being Jessie the nasty hot guy from high school…chick magnet but most people find gross… cocky and completely full off himself, the second is Marcus the guy who is in that dramatic relationship and him and his girlfriend are extremely jealous of each other and are constantly fighting but stay together because they are addicted to the drama. Both parts are age range 16-19. And we have a few non-speaking roles for background actor roles as well. If you fit the character descriptions or know someone who might PLEASE contact me immediately by email with a picture at fortheloveoffilm@gmail.com or call my cell @ 393-4750.
Thank you,
Amy Sark
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
FACTORY ATLANTIC - WORK IN PROGRESS
Factory Atlantic - ‘a space for theatre inquiry’ - invites you to attend
Excerpt from a Work in Progress. The 45 minute presentation will be
given Monday, the 30th of November at the yLofts, 252 Prince, in
Charlottetown at 7:00pm.
Please use the side entrance to Loft Three adjacent to the inn parking
lot. Adults only and please be prompt as late comers will be unable
to attend given the space’s configuration. A five dollar donation is
suggested. A gathering will be held immediately following the work in
Loft One. Modest food will be served and the long awaited 50/50 draw
will occur. Please bring what you would like to drink.
We very much look forward to seeing you and drop us a note if you
think you can make it: factoryatlantic @ gmail.com. Thanks.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Just by Chance Auditions
Hi,
I was wondering if you would spread the word that I am holding auditions for a short film we will be shooting through IMAC here in Charlottetown on December 5-6th. The open auditions are at the Arts Guild building 115 Richmond Street third floor on Wednesday evening November 18th from 6-10pm.
The character descriptions are attached and the auditions are also posted on Kijiji so I can be contacted through that ad or by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or my home number 370-2357.
The name of the film is “Just by Chance” and it is about a brother and sister forced to live on the streets and the consequences of a robbery for everyone involved BUT with a twist and a chance to start over.
Thank you,
Amy Sark
370-2357
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Casting Call for Short Film: “Harbinger.”
“Harbinger,” a short film written and directed by Justin O’Hanley, is now casting. It’s an adventure film being made with resources from both Holland College and the Island Media Arts Co-op, and it is also intended to serve as a pilot to raise funds for a feature film project in the future. Barring unforeseen developments, it will shoot over the course of five to six days, on weekend afternoons starting mid-November. And though there’s a limit on the number of people who can actually be in the movie, the number of crew positions are unlimited, so if you’re interested in working behind the scenes, that’s an option too. If you have questions about any of the roles, the movie, or if you want to see the script, e-mail j_ohanley92@hotmail.com. Thanks!
For Casting Call breakdown, click on “Read Full Article>>>” below.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Rocky On!!!
Rocky Horror played to packed and pumped houses
Brenda and I were in the house last night and what an experience it was. You folks must have had a blast. The energy was fabulous—as was seeing so many young people clearly having a great time. Congratulations to you all. Adam, I’m afraid I will never be able to look at you the same again. You really really look good in fish net stockings and a bustier!!
- Gerry
Saturday, October 17, 2009
THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW
You probably know already that ACT is staging the cult classic ‘The Rocky Horror Show’ at the end of October—the 29th, 30th and 31st (Hallowe’en!), at the Carrefour. The curtain opens at 8:00 o’clock .
You can find a description of the famous show at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rocky_Horror_Show
It’s a hoot ... a fun-filled absurdity of a musical take-off on 1950s sci-fi horror flicks ... think space aliens who abandoned their original mission of galactic research in order to engage in kinky sex with earthlings and work on creating a bionic man!
Imagine these characters in a Frankensteinesque castle:
• Brad (Nick Whelan) and Janet (Helen Killorn) - naive fiancés stranded on a dark-and-stormy night
• Frank N. Furter (Adam Gauthier) - a madcap hedonist who introduces himself as “just a Sweet Transvestite from Trans-sexual Transylvania”
• Rocky Horror (Jeremy Doucette) - Frank’s creation, the “beautiful to behold” muscle-man
• Columbia (Carolyn Campbell) - conflicted groupy
• Riff Raff (Ashley Clark) - the castle’s freaky handyman
• Magenta - Riff’s sensuous, if somewhat spacey, sister
• Eddie - the biker rebel who “went to pieces” for the cause of Frank’s brand of science
• The Phantoms (Morgan Varis, Bethany Mayne, Lana MacAusland, Ashley MacLeod) - who float sinuously in and out of the action
• Dr. Everett Scott (Rob Thomson) - the wheelchair-bound scientist with a questionable past
• The Narrator (Ken Gay) - pontificatory commentator on the action and the meaning of life
The production is directed by the irrepressible Richard Haines.
The rock-and-roll music (led by Ian Toms) is a gas. The dancing (prepared by Savannah Belsher-MacLean) is amazing. The costumes (and their sometimes skimpiness!) are ... well, engaging.
Tickets are $15 (general seating)—from the Confederation Centre Box Office or at the door. Remember that there is a $2 advance-purchase discount for anyone on Sophia’s list of paid-up (2009/10) ACT members.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
COMMUNITY THEATRE FESTIVAL
The PEI Community Theatre Festival is back. It lapsed with the demise of Theatre PEI ... but now ACT (a community theatre) has spear-headed its revival.
It is a series of several evenings in late March 2010 when short plays get presented in several locations by about a dozen of the Island’s amateur theatre groups. The conclusion is a gala awards evening. In celebration of UNESCO’s World Theatre Day, it is a showcase for true community theatre—a chance for scores of amateur actors and off-stage production volunteers to perform beyond their usual home audience, to rub shoulders with and learn from one another and get constructive feedback.
Dates: March 25th to 28th, 2010
Venues: three or four small theatres or community halls in different parts of the Island
Who should participate: any group—big or small, young or old—which does theatre in an amateur (not-for-profit, for-the-fun-of-it) way
What kind of show: short (45 minutes maximum) ... comedy, serious drama, avant-garde, whatever. There’s no pre-screening to assess appropriateness, although a group should be conscious of potential offensiveness. (Even so, it may be possible to have a special performance evening for more ‘mature’ or ‘cutting-edge’ plays). Choice of play could be affected by technical limitations of the performance space and the limited set-up time between plays.
Programming: arrangement depends on numbers and nature of the plays ... but each evening will probably have 3 plays, with a 20-minute set-up gap between plays.
A group is responsible for all aspects of its play—rights, costumes, props, light/sound design, special effects, transportation, etc. A technician will be provided for each evening, with whom the player-group can make specific plans. It is possible that workshops or mentoring may be offered if groups feel they need such support as they prepare.
Adjudication: an experienced off-Island professional will give constructive feedback ... and there will be awards for such categories as overall production, lead and supporting actors, costuming, set, and audience choice.
Wrap-up Gala: Sunday evening - presentation of awards, entertainment, refreshments
Finances: mostly covered by sponsors and program advertisers + ticket sales ... but it is necessary to have each group contribute an entry fee (probably $50)
Timelines: expression of intent before Christmas ... confirmation by the end of January
Organization: by the Festival Committee—9 community-theatre enthusiasts with the sponsorship and support of ACT (a community theatre)
Contact: Jennifer Shields jshields932 @ gmail.com
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Young At Heart Auditions
General auditions for Young At Heart Musical Theatre for Seniors are in process right now. Adult singers / actors / musicians are encouraged to call Catherine at 569-4449 to set up an appointment.
Young At Heart Musical Theatre for Seniors Inc. is a professional, non-profit charity organization which tours original Canadian musicals to Community Care Facilities and Manors across PEI.
Monday, September 28, 2009
ACTING WORKSHOP for YOUNG ADULTS
The Confederation Centre of the Arts’ Young@Arts program is offering an acting intensive workshop this fall for aspiring actors (young people, high school and up). Charlottetown Festival alumna Marlane O’Brien will be teaching the workshop in the Centre’s new Studio 2.
“The idea is to offer an opportunity for young people interested in acting a chance to hone their skills,” says Peggy Reddin, Director of Dance Development at the Centre. “Participants will learn improvisation, how to break bad habits and open a direct line to their emotions, and how to glean every last bit of information a script has to offer and become a director’s dream.”
Over the course of three six-hour sessions, using a Shakespearean monologue and a two-person scene from the classic modern repertoire, students will focus on three major areas: Freeing the Inner Actor, The Voice – Your Instrument, and Scene Study – the Devil is in the Details.
The workshop is for students high school age and older and there is no experience required. The intensive will run for three Sundays, October 18, November 1, and November 15, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Cost for the program is $125. Enrolment is limited. Contact Peggy Reddin at (902) 629-1196 to register.
Marlane O’Brien has been a professional actress for more than 25 years and has played in theatres all over Canada. On Prince Edward Island she is well known for her role as Patsy Cline in The Charlottetown Festival’s A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline and appearances in Anne of Green Gables – The Musical™, Songs of the Island, If You Could Read My Mind: the Music of Gordon Lightfoot, and Dads in Bondage. She has appeared in productions in theatres in Thunder Bay, Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto, and Edmonton, among other cities. O’Brien played the recurring role of Mrs. Stuart on Emily of New Moon. She is also a director and choreographer.
The Confederation Centre of the Arts gratefully acknowledges the support of the Michael S. Schurman Family Foundation for Young@Arts programming.
Friday, September 25, 2009
ADULT ACTING CLASSES
ACTING with JOSETTE CORMIER
Fall Semester begins September 26.
Call 370-2493 for more information.
Beginner Class - Adults 19+
Class fee $15.00 per week
12noon - 1pm
8 week class with last two weeks(On-Camera Introductory Training).
Introductory classes on acting - theatre, television and films.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
MEMBERSHIP - RENEWAL for 09/10
It’s time for membership renewal. Our membership year runs from September 1, 2009 to August 31, 2010.
The annual fees are the same as they’ve always been since ACT began in 1995:
• $25 regular • $40 for people of the same household • $15 for someone with limited income such as a full-time student or unwaged person.
It’s actually a pretty good deal ...
• Tickets: you get a $2-per-ticket discount on the advance purchase of two tickets to ACT shows
• Play-Reading Evenings: free participation (vs $3 non-member charge for printing cost)
• ‘ACT-Out’ social events: going to a show and having dinner together
• Being ‘in-the-loop’: e-mail notice to get word of theatre-related events (auditions, performances, workshops, etc.)
• Performances: the Constitution requires that you must be a current member to participate directly in a show, whether on- or off-stage (... and so be eligible for a comp ticket)
Why do we need fees? It’s because it costs money to run the organization—about $7,000 a year for maintaining ACT’s building, insurance, snow-removal, the website, office equipment, giving two kinds of theatre awards, etc.
We get that money from two sources: the profits from shows and member dues.
So ... if you’d like to be a member of ACT for 2009/10, please get in touch with the Membership Coordinator, Sophia Wong (sophiacw @ gmail.com) or send your cheque —payable to ACT - a community theatre—to ACT, 11 Beach Street, Charlottetown PE C1A 5G5.