Valparaiso Theatrical Company Helps Local Charities With The Showing of “Almost Maine”

“Almost, Maine”

By John Cariani with special permission from Dramatist Play Service Inc.

Directed by Joe Culley

A Friday night in the middle of winter in Almost, Maine can get pretty cold and snowy. But happy and not so happy romances seem as abundant as the stars twinkling in the deep blue sky that overarches actor turned playwright John Cariani’s vignettes. As groups of stars form constellations, so these brief episodes are connected by time and place (each occurs on a Friday night in the middle of winter in and around Almost) as well as their wistful charm, quirky humor and bracing sense of hopefulness.

Director Joe Culley has worked most effectively to bring his vision and the atmosphere of a tiny town where moving South for easier living doesn’t mean Florida but Vermont. You are sure to find this endearing little show just the ticket for escaping from cell phones and  tensions to a world where a kiss is not just still a kiss but a life changing big deal.

Each night the Valparaiso Theatrical Company will be spreading hope by donating to part of the proceeds to a different chosen charity.

Show Dates:

May 3,4,5 & 10,11,12 / 2013

Location:

The Buggy Wheel Pavilion at The Expo Center Porter County Expo Center and Fairgrounds

215 East Division Road

Valparaiso, IN 46383

To use your credit card and print your tickets at home:

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/366898

OR  Tickets are $10.00 per seat at the door general admission seating

Charities that will benefit from this show are as follows:

May 3rd. NW Indiana Literacy Foundation

May 4th. Opportunity Enterprises

May 5th. March Of Dimes

May 10th. National Alliance on Mental Illness .

May 11th. PCASC (ramp building project)- Building handicap ramps for those who cannot afford them.

May 12th. Valparaiso Women’s Club

WICKED to Cast Spell on the Tri-State Area Again

For 10 years Wicked has been smashing box offices with over  wherever it goes with over 2.9 billion in ticket sales. It became Chicago’s longest-running Broadway musical after a record-breaking 3 1/2 year run of over 1,500 performances..

Based on the best-selling 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire, WICKED, winner of 35 major awards, including a Grammy and three Tony Awards, is the untold story of the witches of Oz. With music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Pippin, Academy Award-winner for Pocahontas and The Prince of Egypt) and book by Winnie Holzman (“My So Called Life,” “Once And Again” and “thirtysomething”), WICKED, the untold story of the witches of Oz, It is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone, And is directed by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello (Take Me Out, Love! Valour! Compassion!, The Vagina Monologues)

You can catch this show in

Milwaukee, WI June 12- July 7, 2013 at Uihlein Hall Marcus Center for Performing Arts

Chicago, IL October 30 to December 21, 2013 at the Oriental Theater

Tickets are on sale at http://www.wickedthemusicalticketsonline.com

Sunset Playhouse — Milwaukee, Wisconsin

This post uses content from the Sunset Playhouse Website

In the 1950’s, a small theatre group from St. Mary’s in Elm Grove had been leading a transitory life doing their shows in different venues. Eventually they managed to buy some swampy land with an old barn on it. A little construction and Sunset Playhouse opened its doors in March of 1960.

Sunset was the first theater in the state of Wisconsin to be built entirely by a community theater group. Sunset’s air conditioned auditorium has a seating capacity of 299, with a large well-equipped proscenium stage. The offices, lobby, Furlan Auditorium (named after Alan Furlan, Sunset Playhouse’s Artistic Director for nearly 30 years), Studio Theatre, catering kitchen, storage areas and rest rooms, stage and shop occupy the main floor. The Green Room, dressing rooms and Esposito Rehearsal Hall, and costume shop are located on the lower level. Offices, board room, costume storage, light and sound booth and video taping facilities are on the upper level. The founders of The Playhouse didn’t have the money to build the facility they wanted. In fact, the building was little more than a concrete box. However, the building was the ticket to providing the levels of quality and service the community deserved. Without having to worry about conflicting with school events or janitor schedules, the new home would quickly become the bedrock upon which The Playhouse would continue to grow and attract thousands of volunteers.

With four additions over forty years, The Playhouse has come a long way since the first productions, when the audience sat on folding chairs. The 1968 addition expanded the lobby and allowed the business office to move out of the basement. In 1973, the scene shop was able to move upstairs, with a large furniture and prop storage room below. The lobby and offices grew again in 1981, doubling the size of the rest rooms. And in 1999, with the biggest move since the construction of the original building, a studio theatre was added, with a new rehearsal hall, dressing room and a completely rebuilt and expanded lobby.

“Of course our greatest asset has always been our volunteers and our paid staff. The three full-time and several part-time employees create the environment that provides the high level of quality product that is enjoyed by the patrons and attracts some of the best volunteers in the Milwaukee area”.

As the building has grown, so has service The Playhouse has been able to return to the community. And the public interest has been growing. Not only are new groups using the Studio Theatre/Reception Room to host theatre parties, the Studio Theatre/Reception Room also holds the SideNotes and bug in a rug series and provides room for the Sunset Playhouse School for the Arts classes.

To Be Or Not-To-BE that Is the Question?

“To be, or not to be: that is the question:

Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,

Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,

And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;

No more; and by a sleep to say we end

The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks

That flesh is heir to, ’tis a consummation

Devoutly to be wish’d.”  – William Shakespeare “Hamlet” Circa 1623

Today with budget cuts across the country, Schools are asking this very question of fine arts departments. Are these programs to be or not to be? Should we suffer the financial pain of keeping these classes that are not covered by standardized testing? Or should we just cut them in order to free up money that we can use on helping text scores and athletic programs?

People think that math and science classes are more practical in the long run because they can be applied to the job markets of the future. For this reason, Math and Science classes are rarely, if ever cut from the public high school curriculum when there are budget shortfalls. The problem is that Fine Arts are just as, if not more important in creating well-rounded and educated Americans. School boards overlook the long-range effects of cutting arts classes and focus just on the immediate budget. It is Fine Arts however that sets students apart, because everyone can count and fill a test tube. Fine Arts make a student unique According to Americans for the Arts exposure to art and music does more than just improve creativity. Children who receive regular exposure to the arts are four times more likely to be recognized for academic excellence, to participate in a math or science fair, and win an award for writing a poem or essay. These children are also three times more likely to be elected to a class office or to win an award for school attendance.(americansforthearts.org)

Pirates Come to Hammond, IN

This month Genesius Gulid of Hammond, IN will be opening the Gilbert and Sullivan classic “The Pirates of Penzanace”  premiered in 1879, confirmed the comic genius of librettist W.S. Gilbert and composer Arthur Sullivan, following on the heels of their wildly successful H.M.S. Pinafore. Pirates invade the rocky coast of Cornwall in this topsy-turvy tale of love and duty, highlighted by the famous strains of “Poor Wandering One,” “I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General,” “Oh, Is There Not One Maiden Breast” and “With Cat-Like Tread, Upon Our Prey We Steal.” This vocal score includes the complete music and all dialogue, a plot synopsis, articles on the famous partnership and the history of The Pirates of Penzance, a filmography and a discography.            

Letter From The Director
When I think of “The Pirates of Penzance”, I usually think of it as a comedy. I love British humor, with its witty, understated observances and absurd situations presented in a “natural” way. The subtitle to “The Pirates of Penzance” is “The Slave to Duty”, and that’s the situation that’s taken to its ridiculous extreme in this show.

Of course, “Pirates…” also has that glorious music by librettist W.S. Gilbert and composer Arthur Sullivan. Along with “H.M.S. Pinafore” and “The Mikado”, it’s one of their best-loved and most-revived operettas. And for good reason–who can resist those delightful songs about funny pirates, a fast-talking Major General, his silly daughters, and some nervous English bobbies?!

The cast and crew of our production have been working hard the last few months to bring this production to you. We hope it’s all it should be and brings some happy diversion to your day!

David Long

Show dates
Febuary 22, March 1&8 at 8:00 PM
Febuary 23, March 2&9 at 3:00 PM
Dinner theater March 8

For more Information Contact
The Genesius Guild
6635 Hohman Avenue, Hammond, IN 46324
Toll free (877) 724-7715

Chicago Street Theatre stages new work

Last weekend, audiences were treated to the world premiere of American Rex, a new work by playwright Joshua Rollins.

The unique story of a coal-mining family in West Virginia unfolded onstage for the first time on Friday, Feb. 1, and co-director Jonni Pera said the response was very positive.

“Audiences at both the Friday and Saturday performances were excited by this play – not only because they were the first people to ever see it, but because it is a riveting story,” Pera said. “And we are really looking forward to continuing to share this story with audiences during the final two weeks of performances.”

American Rex will be on the stage at Chicago Street Theatre, 154 W. Chicago Street in Valparaiso, six more times this month. Performances will take place this weekend on Friday, Feb. 8, and Saturday, Feb. 9, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 10, at 2:30 p.m. Next week’s performances include Thursday, Feb. 14, Friday, Feb. 15, and Saturday, Feb. 16, at 8 p.m.

After the Feb. 9 performance, audiences will be invited to join the cast and crew at Martini’s in Valparaiso to discuss the play and enjoy complimentary hors d’oeuvres. Chicago Street Theatre will also host a post-play discussion on Thursday, Feb. 14, with the audience and members of the cast.

Pera and Traci Brant collaborated to direct the play, which features an award-winning cast of veteran actors.

“The cast is exceptional,” Pera said. “They have tackled the material with a lot of enthusiasm and their dedication shows onstage.”

Brant and Pera have worked on new plays at Chicago Street Theatre in the past, most notably those of resident playwright Jim Henry, who was vocal in bringing American Rex to Valparaiso.

Henry also works as a resident playwright at the Chicago Dramatists, where he was given a draft of the play to critique. He began working with Rollins on revisions, and organized a staged reading of the play at Chicago Street Theatre. Pera and Brant attended the reading and approached Rollins about directing a full production.

Henry, who is also a member of the American Rex cast, said the mission of the theatre, and the open mind of the audience, makes it possible to produce cutting-edge plays.

“Chicago Street Theatre’s board believes in promoting new work (and) new writers and that’s rare in community theatre,” Henry said. “We’ve got actors, technicians and directors who are willing to take that chance and, luckily, we have audiences as well that are willing to come see it, which is exciting. “

Rollins is an actor and playwright who currently lives in Boulder, Co. His plays have been produced in Chicago, Boston, and New York, among other cities. He has been involved with the directors and cast at Chicago Street Theatre throughout rehearsals, and was in attendance at opening night on Feb. 1.

Rollins said he enjoyed the experience of bringing American Rex to the stage with the Chicago Street Theatre cast and crew.

“I’ve never been to Valparaiso until now and it’s refreshing to see that there are people that are this dedicated to quality theatre and to new work,” he said. “New work is always a risk. And to see a company that is so dedicated to bringing new work to the stage, I think, is really refreshing.”

To reserve tickets for any of the upcoming performances of American Rex, call the Chicago Street Theatre box office at 219-464-1636, Ext. 1, or visit www.chicagostreet.org.

About American Rex
Coal miners and farmers, the icons of American industry, are being discarded. In a small town in the heart of West Virginia, one family is under siege. Holding out despite crumbing foundations, barren land, and poisoned water, they’re slowly having the ground taken away from beneath their feet. And then they start to fight back. Lives intersect as two college students stumble into a world they’ve lived separate from. A brother and sister try to maintain the lives they know, a father stops at nothing to protect his family and land, and the spirit of a woman long gone forces everyone into desperate action. Please note, this production contains adult subject matter, strong language, brief nudity, and loud noises.