Evita - Web-10
Photographer
David Wong |
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Young People’s Theatre Camp
Summer Theatre Camp for Kids at Beaconsfield’s Carriage House
Beaconsfield Historic House and former Island thespian, Emily Hanlin Piper, are presenting a Prince Edward Island History Theatre Camp for children ages 8-12 at Beaconsfield’s Carriage House in Charlottetown, Monday through Friday, July 19 – 23 from 1pm until 5pm. The students will perform an original comedy, Princess Louise Comes to Call based upon the real-life visit to Beaconsfield of Queen Victoria’s daughter, Louise. Sharing directorial duties is Cheryl Scofield, MA Theatre. The cost is $150 for each student with sibling discounts available.
This camp will focus on period manners, comedic timing, diction and more through theatre games as well as play rehearsal. All of the young thespians’ hard work will culminate in a final performance at 7pm on Friday, July 23rd at Beaconsfield’s Carriage House.
Emily Hanlin Piper, BA Theatre from Allegheny College in Pennsylvania, is a former Island theatre and music instructor now residing in Massachusetts. She was the 2004 winner of Theatre PEI’s Best Production Award. Since leaving PEI, Emily has lived in Chicago where she performed professionally and taught a number of theatre, music and art classes. She now lives on a 250 year-old farm in Westford, Massachusetts where she owns her own arts-based business, Rumphius Creativity Unhinged. She teaches
theatre, puppetry, art and eco-friendly classes as well as performs as Mrs. Junkbox in schools across the state. She is very excited to be back on PEI this summer and to work with Island kids once again!
Cheryl Scofield has been teaching theatre in Virginia and Illinois for several years. She has an MA from Northwestern University in Theatre History, Criticism and Literature and worked as a dramaturg with some Off-Loop theatres while living in Chicago. Also in Chicago, Cheryl taught theatre in inner-city schools in a program designed to keep kids out of gangs through involvement in theatre. She is currently director and theatre teacher at Liberty High School located in Virginia.
For more information and to register, go to www.creativityunhinged.com. Registration forms are available under “How to Register”. Please use the Summer Camp form. Or contact Emily Hanlin Piper at 978.995.7002 or rumphius@creativityunhinged.com. Sibling discounts and payment plans are available. Limit: 20 students.
SUMMER SINGING
What’s in a name? Quite a lot for the former Indian River Festival Chorus.
IRFC singers enjoyed their role as ‘back-up vocals’ for featured artists at the Festival in each of its nine years. But this year the Festival chose not to use the Chorus, which strengthened director Carl Mathis’s growing feeling that the group is ready to claim its own identity, repertoire, and audience.
Mathis says that “within minutes” of his e-mailing his decision to break with the Festival, “the responses came back from singers, saying, ‘So where are we going to sing then?’ It was very positive. I was delighted, overwhelmed, and humbled. Their answers are what made this future we are launching.”
Much remains unchanged besides the director, a former voice professor at UPEI: the mandate to sing classical music, rehearsals and concerts in the summer, and a core membership of experienced choristers from other choirs, who would otherwise have to forego their singing fix at this time of year.
All of these elements were reflected in a recent “Name-the-choir” ballot circulated by an interim Executive among current members. The short list included “The Island Summer Chorus,” and “The Master Singers.” But the clear winner reflects the choir’s classical roots, its unbroken, though altered, existence, and the sheer love of bel canto or ‘beautiful singing’: Vive Viva Voce – the living voice!
“The IRFC,” says Mathis, “sang music from the 14th century to ‘the ink is still wet.’ So will Viva Voce – including classical pieces twisted into something funny. Composers have written humorous pieces for centuries, so we won’t be stuffy.”
Already there are more performance invitations for this new/old choir than ever before. During August 1-5 Viva Voce will appear in the organ recital series at St. Peter’s Anglican Cathedral, Charlottetown, and Saint Simon and Saint Jude Roman Catholic Church, Tignish; in a Sunday service at Trinity United Church, Summerside; and in an independent concert at Bonshaw Hall.
Viva Voce currently has 22 members. New singers of all voices, experienced in learning classical music, are welcome. Rehearsals are Mondays 7-9 pm at Bonshaw Hall, beginning May 31; regular attendance and dues ($40/year) are required. Anyone interested should call Carl Mathis at 892-1780.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
ACTORS WANTED
Passing on a message from a Summerside company which is looking for actors for a promotional video
Shooting a short promotional video for one of our clients to be distributed on the internet, and on DVD format. We are in need of a few actors, and possibly one actress. One man in his late 50’s or early to mid 60’s and one man in his late 30’s/early 40’s. We can give out more details if people were interested. Should be minimal script for a 1-day shoot, and we are willing to pay full rates.
Call or e-mail Josh Smith at Higher Design Multimedia Promotions—Tel: (902) 888-4545 | Fax:(902) 888-4546 | Toll Free: (800) 401-2995 ... Email: josh.smith @ higherdesign.com ... Website: www.higherdesign.com
Sunday, May 09, 2010
Liverpool International Theatre Festival Program Now Available
The LITF 2010 festival program guide is now available on our website. Please see:
http://www.litf.ca/pdf/program.pdf
—
Beth George
Marketing Director, LITF 2010
Www.litf.ca
marketing@litf.ca
(902) 356-2670
Friday, April 30, 2010
NARRATOR WANTED
Passing on this request for narration for a dance presentation ...
Call for volunteer talent:
Dance Stars Academy is looking for narrator for the recital show.
Show split in two parts: Swan Lake (Ballet) and Hairspray (Jazz, Musical). Total of 13-15 acts. Recital is by children and for children age 3-10yrs.
We are looking for someone who has an experience in story telling for children.
Location: Stratford Town Hall
Dates: full dress rehearsal: May 21, 5-7pm; recital: May 22, 5-7pm
Please contact us via email: info @ DanceStarsAcademy.com
Thank you,
Maria Brychuk
www.DanceStarsAcademy.com
Monday, April 26, 2010
Workshops Planned for Liverpool International Theatre Festival
MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The upcoming Liverpool International Theatre Festival will feature six outstanding theatre workshops at its tenth biennial event, being held in Liverpool, Nova Scotia from May 19 – 23, 2010. Hosted at the Best Western Liverpool hotel, these workshops will give attendees a chance to learn first-hand about various aspects of theatre craft.
Although the workshops primarily cater to people involved in theatre, the public at large are invited to attend the workshops for a rare peek at what goes on behind the scenes. All workshops are free admission for all. The following workshops are offered at this year’s festival:
Monday, April 19, 2010
Nova Scotia Well Represented at the Liverpool International Theatre Festival
The Liverpool International Theatre Festival, to be held May 19–23 at Liverpool’s Astor Theatre, is pleased to welcome four outstanding Nova Scotian theatre companies to its milestone tenth anniversary competition.
The River Hill Players, from Inverness, will join three Halifax companies—the Once Upon a Theatre Collective, the Theatre Arts Guild, and francophone players from Ca cloche dans ma caboche—at the prestigious festival.
“We’re both pleased and proud to have, among the competitors, four troupes representing Nova Scotia,” says festival artistic director Chris Heide.
The River Hill Players will perform Her Wake, starring Cindy O`Neil and Diane Mouland as two elderly Cape Breton ladies attending the wake of a mutual dear friend who has recently passed away. As the evening progresses, their tongues loosen and they share stories about their friend at her best and her worst. This biting social satire, a reflection on life in rural Cape Breton, has had audiences in stitches all over Nova Scotia. Written by Inverness playwright Frank Macdonald, Her Wake is a home-grown hit.
“Willy Wonka” The Musical on the Confederation Centre’s Mainstage
Roald Dahl’s WILLY WONKA
Lyrics and Music by Leslie Bricusse & Anthony Newley
Adapted for the Stage by Tim McDonald & Leslie Bricusse
Based on the Book Charlie and The Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
FULL VERSION in TWO ACTS, RATED G
CHARLOTTETOWN RURAL HIGH SCHOOL PRODUCTION
Director: Richard Haines
Music Director: Mark Parsons
Producer: Edwin Hughes
Choreographer: Julia Sauv
Vocal Coach: Julain Molnar
CONFEDERATION CENTRE OF THE ARTS
EVENING PERFORMANCES: May 6, 7, and 8 @ 8:00 PM
TICKET PRICES:$14 @ the door
SYNOPSIS
Roald Dahl’s timeless story of the world-famous candy man and his quest to find an heir comes to life in this stage adaptation of Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. This version also features songs from the classic family film Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory starring Gene Wilder which received an Academy Award nomination in 1971 for Best Original Score.
The play opens somewhere in the bowels of Willy Wonka’s fabulous chocolate factory. Wonka, a famous, eccentric, mercurial, whimsical and occasionally sinister candy wizard, welcomes us into his world with the hit APure Imagination@. Wonka summons his Oompa-Loompa servants for an important announcement: he is planning to retire, and the time has come to choose his successor.
Wonka, acting as narrator, introduces us to the impoverished Bucket family: Mr. And Mrs. Bucket, their young son Charlie, and Charlie’s four bedridden grandparents. A group of children gather outside Charlie’s house, each clutching a nickel to buy a Wonka bar from the local Candy Man. The Candy Man entices his customers with the charming hit “The Candy Man” and reminds them that Wonka always mixes it with love and makes the world taste good.
Charlie is the only child too poor to buy any candy, but the Candy Man treats him to a lollipop and a copy of yesterday’s newspaper. Charlie takes the paper home, and the Buckets learn from it that Wonka has announced a contest: five lucky children will receive a tour of his world-famous factory, and receive a lifetime supply of Wonka chocolate. Five Golden Tickets have been hidden among fifty million ordinary candy bars, and the finders of these tickets will win the tour and the chocolate.
The first ticket is found by Augustus Gloop, an obese, gluttonous child from Frankfurt, Germany. The second Ticket is found in Sao Paulo, Brazil, by an extremely spoiled girl named Veruca Salt. The third Ticket is found in Snellville, Georgia by Violet Beauregard, an abrasive girl who is constantly chewing gum. The fourth Ticket is found in Television City, California by Mike Teavee, a boy who seems more interested in television, video games and cell phones than touring Wonka’s factory. Poor Charlie can barely afford a single Wonka bar. What hope does he have of getting the fifth Ticket? Who will Willy Wonka choose as his heir and successor? Join us and see how this timeless story unfolds.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
“FAME” on at Bluefield
FAME The Musical !
is now playing on the Stage at Bluefield High School !
Shows are Thursday April 15th - 8:00pm
Friday April 16th - 8:00pm
Saturday April 17th - 8:00pm
Sunday April 18th - 2:00pm
Produced and Directed by Jane Hastelow
Choreography by Brittany Banks
Musical Direction by Adam Van Omme
Tickets only $10.
Available by calling Bluefield at 675-7480
Clow’s Red & White 621-0500
www.edu.pe.ca/bluefield
Thursday, April 08, 2010
Concert for HD Awareness at The Guild
Most of you are already aware that my brother Peter has HD. The PEI Chapter of the Huntington Society of Canada is holding a fund raiser and awareness concert at The Guild April 18/10 at 3pm. See attached for details and see this web site for added info:
http://www.theguildpei.com/calendar_item.php?events_id=150
Huntington disease (HD) is an inherited brain disorder whereby cells in specific parts of the brain die. It is a genetic disorder that affects about one in every 10,000 Canadians. The defective gene was discovered in 1993 and human drug trials are, for the first time, being launched in 2010.
If you would like to hear what Peter sounded like back in the 70s, listen to this recording of California Lady
Hope to see you on the 18th.
- Gerry
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
Casting Call
Hi folks,
I’m forwarding along a casting call notice we recently recieved for a musical video. Contact info is available aty the bottom for anyone interested. Take care,
Richard Haines
ACT President.
Could you please forward this information to any ACT members who might be interested? I would be most grateful.
I am currently assembling a production of a 90 minute musical. I am looking specifically for two older actors, one man, one woman, both over 50. The show is a co-operative venture, and everyone is paid an equal share (but I would love to hear from actors of all ages).
The following is a a description of all the characters. in the show: The role of Miss Crombie has been cast.
Pierre Coldwater/Froideau( the favourite son of the title) a dual character role, baritone. Coldwater is a folk hero for our time with a deliberately murky past. He introduces himself with a solo country song (ability to play a guitar or fiddle is an asset but not necessary). He appears in the second act asPierre Froideau, the real person upon whom they have based their fictional hero only he is now a mobster from Montreal (accent?). In this persona, he sings a sinister jazzy blues number but drops the accent and becomes quite nonplussed when confronted by Lady Angela (his ex-wife). He sings the waltz with her and in the gospel-rock finale.
Lady Angela Phelps (character role soprano) mature. Does not appear in the first Act. She appears in time to provide the resolution of the plot. The daughter of a Lt. Governor, very wealthy with the calm quiet assurance of a woman born to high status and money. Her command is palpable. She has two songs: one is a back and forth answer/response type nostalgic waltz with the title character (revealed to be her ex-husband); the second is the finale - a gospel-rock anthem to herself backed by the rest of the cast.
Delores Crombie (female lead, alto or soprano) old enough to have achieved a high ranking staff position in government, equivalent to a Ministerial Chief of Staff) shrewd and professional, somewhat severe. She commands her boss with authority, and is likely the only reason for his success. Under her arch exterior she is nonetheless very fond of him in a motherly sort of fashion. An Iron Lady at the outset, she develops a romantic interest in the title character, which is quite upsetting to her boss, who fears losing her. She has a solo ballad, in which she reveals a very tender, lonely side of her. Her song is the recurring love theme used throughout the show. She sings in all songs but two.
John Perry (male lead, a Junior Minister in Provincial government. Good looking but not very bright. (Baritone-tenor). Tries hard but always seems out of his depth. He relies UTTERLY on Miss Crombie to know what to do, when, and how. He starts the show with a witty patter song about the art of politics (dont make any decisions ever and you cant get into trouble.) With the others, he sings four other songs.
Roger Smiles: (tenor) a Public Relations expert the consummate salesman flashy and very stylish. He oozes charm and confidence. He introduces himself with a disco song and sings three songs with Perry and Coldwater and again in the finale.
I am asking anyone interested to email me at trevorjohn@eastlink.ca or call me at 569-9370.
Monday, March 29, 2010
World Theatre Day on PEI - What a Festival!
Saturday, March 27th—World Theatre Day ... and did PEI ever have a good celebration of it! At the Playhouse in Victoria-by-the-Sea, it was standing-room-only—literally. Well, almost literally: actually people had to sit on the floor in the aisles. Besides the 30 or so players and back-stagers, 175 people packed the cozy theatre. They had a fine time.
First the Bonshaw Young Players—a cast of sixteen youngsters including cats and a parrot!—presented “Heir Repair”, written and directed and narrated by 16-year-old Rachel Horrocks. It wasn’t just cute—it was good ... and the players were rewarded with a lot of audience chuckles and adjudicator praise.
With “The Worker” by Walter Wykes, Sheep for Wheat Productions startled the house. There was laughter at some of the delightful absurdities ... but dark-theme moments of man/woman relationship and corporate wickedness had people holding their breath. Ben Rayner and Rebecca Ford delivered superb acting.
Relief from that tension came with the belly-laughs the Harbourfront Theatre Company gave us with their half-hour segment of Norm Foster’s “Opening Night”. Imagine a sort of triptych spread across the stage: in the centre the wonderfully bad acting of a silly play; on one side the frustrated director and his carping wife; on the other side as audience, a would-be sophisticate and her bored paint-store-manager husband—the often double-entendre repartee hopped back-and-forth.
Between the mini-shows adjudicator Wade Lynch interacted with the actors and their directors, and even the audience, to give compliments and helpful observations. He presented an award to each group. At the second break the audience trouped out into the lobby for refreshments (highlight: decadent cinnamon rolls) served up by the Bonshaw Women’s Institute.
ACT (a community theatre) can feel very pleased and proud for having made this Festival night happen.
World Theatre Day has been celebrated in plays, workshops and happenings around the globe for 49 years now. A scan of the Web shows 2010 events in places like Vancouver, Ghana, Indonesia, New York, Mexico, Argentina, India, Mongolia ... and now, in Victoria-by-the-Sea, Prince Edward Island. This year’s official WTD message came from Dame Judi Dench; among other things she said this:
“Theatre has the ability to make us smile, to make us cry, but should also make us think and reflect. All it needs is a space and an audience.” We certainly had all those things in the 2010 PEI Community Theatre Festival.
To see photos, click on Gallery (top-right of this page) and choose ‘Productions ... Community Theatre Festival’
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Community Theatre Festival a Success!!
There was a wonderfully enthusistic, turn-away crowd in Victoria last night for PEI’s Community Theatre Festival and they weren’t disappointed. The three shows on the bill had something for everyone. Bravo. What a treat to see such a wide selection of ages participating in and/or attending the performances. Congatulations to everyone involved in the Festival, on stage and off. I am looking forward to next year!!!!
- Gerry
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