Kerrville to have Shakespeare in the Park

Playhouse 2000 and the City of Kerrville partner to bring local performance to Louise Hays Park

            The City of Kerrville has partnered with local community theater Playhouse 2000 to bring an exciting addition to the summer schedule in Louise Hays Park.  An outdoor performance of Shakespeare’s timeless comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream will be offered free to the public on June 1^st and 2^nd at 8:00 each night, with a possible Matinee performance at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 3^rd.

            City Manager Todd Parton and Playhouse 2000’s Executive Director Jeffrey Brown are finalizing plans to create this wonderful weekend on the river.

            Like many great outdoor Shakespeare events, this presentation will be inviting for whole families, who are encouraged to bring a blanket or chairs, share a picnic, and enjoy a timeless classic in a relaxed atmosphere.  This event offers pleasant evening entertainment on the refreshing banks of the Guadalupe River.  The evening shows will conclude by about 9:30 p.m.  No admission will be charged though voluntary contributions will be accepted to help defray costs and encourage further productions in later years.

            Directed by Heather Cunningham, the cast for this production is drawn from across the Hill Country, and includes many of the same talented actors who appeared in the Playhouse 2000 production of Much Ado About Nothing last season.  Among them are Ken DeZarn and Amelia Weatherford as Oberon and Titania, real-life couple Amy and Marcus Goodyear as Helena and Demetrius, and Kenzie Stewart as the mischievous Puck.

            A Midsummer Night’s Dream tells the story of four lovers who each want someone who they can’t have. The play includes two rulers from different worlds looking forward to their honeymoon; a group of clumsy actors, trying to put on a “tragic” play for their Duke’s upcoming wedding and the marital quarrels of two omnipotent beings, whose conflicts wreak havoc on the weather and those around them. All of this craziness is tied together by a mischievous imp. In one crazy night in the woods, Shakespeare teaches the audience about love, breakups, marriage, death, life, fairies, some odd plants and a donkey.

            Playhouse 2000 is Kerrville’s Community Theater, managing and performing in both the Kathleen C. Cailloux City Center for the Performing Arts and the VK Garage Theater, both on Main Street in Kerrville.  Details on this and other Playhouse 2000 events can be found on-line at www.CaillouxTheater.com or www.Playhouse2000.com, or by calling 896-9393.

Play2K to present ‘Do Not Go Gentle’

Playhouse 2000 will reopen the VK Garage Theater on the Washington Street side of the Cailloux Theater with “Do Not Go Gentle,” by Suzan L. Zeder. The blackbox theater will seat the audience on three sides of the stage, no one more than a few feet from the actors—a perfect venue for a play about resolving ragged relationships after a family’s matriarch has died.

The playwright is a professor in the Department of Fine Arts at the University of Texas-Austin. She holds the endowed chair in Theatre for Youth/Playwriting at UT and her plays have been produced all over the world. “Do Not Go Gentle” was commissioned by the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

The Play2K cast for “Do Not Go Gentle” includes Louise Leahy as Lillian Barron, recently deceased mother, grandmother and beloved aunt; Michael Stanard, as her son, Windsor; Mary Orms, as Kelly, Lillian’s adored granddaughter; Barbara French, playing Lillian’s niece Joanna; Sarah St. Clair, as the very funny Mildred Flumac, who is organizing the estate sale; and Christopher Lewis as Nobody, a 12-year-old neighborhood boy who became close to Lillian in the last year of her life.

“Do Not Go Gentle” examines the power of the written word and art to change lives. It also explores many of the issues connected to aging, as well as other family issues, such as the relationship between a mother who hates war and the military and a son who is a career Air Force officer. The play’s story is poignant, funny, and in many ways familiar to any parent or child. The interplay between Nobody, the “invisible” boy is alternately comic and heartrending, as he tells his story in flashbacks and works to establish himself as a member of Lillian’s family.

The elegant set, designed by director Jim Boman, hints at without actually revealing all the pictures Lillian painted in her last year or so—on the walls, ceilings, windows, furniture and bathroom fixtures. This delights the younger generation—Kelly calls it a house with tattoos. However, the older generation finds it disturbing—Windsor more than Joanna. Mrs. Flumac, who lives and dies by the cliché, is simply annoyed because it interferes with her setup for the estate sale.

The show will open on Friday, April 20, and will run at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday evenings through May 5. There will be a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 29. Seating is limited and reservations are recommended. Call 830-896-9393 or go to the Cailloux Theater website to purchase tickets.

Rohe Series Concert to feature local student artists:

HCYO’s Animato Quartet will appear along with Esther Kim and Friends

In a cooperative venture bringing together international-class musicians and local talent, the upcoming concert by Esther Kim and Friends at the Cailloux Theater will feature an opening number by four members of the Hill Country Youth Orchestra.  Students will also take part in a Master Class and Open Rehearsal provided by members of the Kim trio the day before the concert.

“The Animato Quartet” includes violinists Eric Bowser, and Christopher Bowser, violist Kristoffer McElhaney , and cellist McKinley Glasser.  The four are long-time members of the Hill Country Youth Orchestra and have been playing together for about two years, performing in various special events throughout the Hill Country.

These four students will receive a special critique and practice session with internationally renowned violinist Esther Kim and the other members of her trio, national prize-winning cellist Joseph Kaizer and pianist Dr. Charles Webb, Dean Emeritus of the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University.  This Master Class, and the trio’s dress rehearsal for the Friday concert, will be seen by invited members of the Youth Orchestra.

On the night of the performance, The Animato Quartet will be featured in their performance of the first movement of the Beethoven String Quartet in F Major, Opus 18, No. 1, “Allegro con Brio,” before the balance of the evening’s concert featuring music by Haydn, Bach, Massenet, Mozart and more.

“Esther Kim and Friends” is presented in a single performance at the Kathleen C. Cailloux City Center for the Performing Arts on Friday, March 2 at 7:30 pm.  Tickets range from $10 to $25, and are available at the Cailloux Theater Box Office, by phone at (830) 896-9393, or online at www.CaillouxTheater.com.

The Kathleen C. Cailloux City Center for the Performing Arts – The Cailloux Theater -  is located at 910 Main Street in Downtown Kerrville, Texas, and is managed by Playhouse 2000, a non-profit, tax-exempt organization.

Playhouse 2000, Kerrville’s Community Theater, is hard at work rehearsing for the first play of its 2012 Season: Moon Over Buffalo, a laugh-out-loud comedy by Ken Ludwig.  The show will open in the beautiful Cailloux Theater on February 3 for a three-weekend run.

Like many plays by the American playwright Ludwig, Moon Over Buffalo is a fast-paced farce that will bring to mind the antics found in great old films such as Some Like It Hot and The Producers.  The story revolves around a pair of once-glamorous Broadway stars whose careers have fallen on hard times. When a phone call fom Hollywood director Frank Kapra offers an opportunity for international stardom they must pull off one great matinee – a cinch if their private problems don’t get in the way.

The cast features Playhouse veterans R Sheldon Boyce and Maggie Meek as faded actors George and Charlotte Hay, Amy Goodyear as their daughter Rosalind, Ken DeZarn as company manager Paul, Joan Bryson as Charlotte’s mother Ethel and Jerry Mertz as the Hay’s lawyer, Richard.  They are joined by newcomers Michael Stanard as the hapless weatherman engaged to Rosalind, and Animate Mazurek as the young starlet, Eileen.

All of these actors have been hard at work preparing for eight performances of Moon Over Buffalo on the stage of the Cailloux Theater – Fridays and Saturdays from February 3 through 18 at 7:30, plus a special Matinee performance on Sunday, February 12 at 2:00 and a “Pay What You Can” performance on Thursday, February 16 at 7:30.

Tickets range from $5 to $20, and as with all Playhouse performances, they are available at the Cailloux box office Monday through Friday 10am to 1pm or Saturday 10am to 3pm, by phone at (830) 896-9393, or online at ww.CaillouxTheater.com.  Season Passes for 2012 are still available at just $60 for all five Playhouse 2000 productions in Season 2012

CAST LISTING FOR “THE CRUCIBLE”

Please keep in mind that this is the initial cast based on auditions. During the initial read through or first blocking sessions changes may occur in character placement. We look forward to a great show. We were impressed with the talent at auditions. First read through is Tuesday, September 6, 6:30 in the shop area. Please be there so we can see how the total cast fits together.

Reverend Parris—————————-Sheldon Boyce

Betty Parris———————————-Shirley Dixon

Tituba—————————————–Sarah St. Clair

Abigail Williams—————————-Maikenzy DeZarn

Susanna Walcott—————————Maddison Danford

Mrs. Ann Putnam————————–Hannah McDonald

Thomas Putnam—————————-Michael Jones

Mercy Lewis———————————-Katelyn Markel

Mary Warren———————————Mackenzie Stewart

John Proctor———————————-Jeremy Sosa

Rebecca Nurse——————————-Joan Bryson

Giles Corey————————————Jerry Beck

Reverend John Hale————————Christopher L. Dennis

Elizabeth Proctor—————————-Darcey Hill

Francis Nurse———————————Chris Distel

Ezekiel Cheever——————————-Fred Tally-Foos

Marshal Herrick——————————-Ryan Griffin

Judge Hathorne—————————-Trever Stewart

Deputy Governor Danforth—————Rob Ward

Sarah Good————————————Tara Franzen

Hopkins—————————————–Lawrence Hedrick

THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS WILL BE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND WILL BE INVOLVED IN SEVERAL KEY SCENES.  THIS WILL INCLUDE THE DANCE IN THE WOODS, THE COURT SCENES AND SCENES WHERE THERE ARE SETS TO BE MOVED AND SINGING TO BE DONE. HANG IN THERE, OFTEN SOMEONE DECIDES TO LEAVE THE CAST. IN THAT CASE WE MOVE PEOPLE AROUND.

Stacy Horn

Natalie Herrera

Amanda Segura

Daysun Mobley

Haydn Mobley

Chloe Keen

Kortnie Franzen

Mary Orms

ALSO REMEMBER, WE MAY DECIDE TO DOUBLE CAST THE ROLES OF THE YOUNG GIRLS SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF POSSIBILITIES FOR EVRYONE.

Playhouse 2000 will hold auditions for its historic epic “The King Arthur Chronicles” this Saturday, May 14^th at 10am in the Old Playhouse Building on 305 Washington Street.  With elections in the Cailloux Lobby, performers should come to the other side of the facility and report to the Playhouse office.

 Newcomers should arrive a little early to fill out audition information.

This original play follows Arthur, a young knight in ancient Britain shortly after the death of his father, High King Uther  Pendragon.  The story includes Merlin, Lancelot, Guinevere, and many the characters from the King Arthur legends. 

There will be a great deal of physical movement and fight choreography in the show.  Local actor, dancer, swordsman, and stage fighter Chris Valentine will be involved in the show.  Auditioners are asked to wear comfortable “athletic” clothes.

Auditioners will be reading from the script so no prepared material will be required.   Performers under the age of 12 are not encouraged to audition for this show, but Playhouse staff members want to remind families that “The Music Man,” “The Crucible” and the Playhouse Academy (fifth year Epsilon class) will all be having auditions soon, and their will need young people.  There will be some roles for young adults (12-16) and many roles for women and men.  There is further detailed information at www.caillouxtheater.com

ANGELA BROWN BRINGING “OPERA FROM A SISTER’S POINT OF VIEW” TO KERRVILLE SCHOOL CHILDREN

 World-renowned Metropolitan Opera star Angela Brown will be entertaining more than 1600 local school children from grades 3 through 8 in two 45 minute concerts at the Cailloux Theater on Wednesday, May 4th.  Brown will be performing her highly acclaimed program called “Opera from a Sistah’s Point of View.”  Children from grades 3 through 5 will attend the 10:00 A.M. concert and grades 5 through 8 will attend the 1:00 P.M. concert.

Brown, who stunned the opera world with her critically praised debut at the Metropolitan Opera in 2004 in the title role of “Aida”,  created  “Opera from a Sistah’s Point of View” as a witty recital program designed to dispel the myths of opera through bringing lively commentary on opera plots and characters, show stopping arias, poignant art songs and moving spirituals to a more diverse audience. 

Brown’s zany commentary unravels convoluted opera plots with humor and creates a fresh awareness of the ethnic, geographic and socio-economic diversity portrayed in opera characters.  Brown and her inspired, imaginative program were featured recently on CNN.

Brown is in Kerrville the first week in May preparing for her concert at the Cailloux Theater at 7:30 P.M., Friday, May 6th.  Brown’s Friday concert, which will include soaring arias, spiritual and gospel favorites, and Broadway show tunes, will be the second concert of the three concert 2011 Mary C. Rohe Classical Music Series sponsored by Playhouse 2000.

 Playhouse 2000 added the Children’s Wednesday concerts as a community outreach program that is free of charge.  “This will be an extraordinary, memorable, and a once in a lifetime event for these young people,”  said Playhouse 2000 President Kit Werlein.  “In addition to being one of the greatest singers in the world today,  Angela Brown is also a magnetic and energetic performer who will make classical music fun and entertaining for these children and inspire them at the same time.”

Accolades abound from school officials and teachers who have seen the program throughout the nation.  Jennifer Parker in Buffalo, New York said “Angela’s captivating performance of ‘Opera from a Sistah’s Point of View’ for over 2,000 Buffalo Public School students was a life changing experience for many of them.  The students were on the edge of their seats during the performance…”  And, educator

 Glenn White said “even the boys left the auditorium smiling and humming ‘Summertime’…their teachers were in a happy state of shock.”

For tickets and information about Angela Brown’s concert at 7:30 P.M., Friday, May 6th, call the Cailloux Theater at 830-896-9393 or go on-line at www.caillouxtheater.com.  Ticket prices range from $20.00 to $45.00.  Discounted ticket prices are available for purchases by young people (age 16 and under) and groups of 10 or more.

Saturday, April 30^th, the Kris Kimura Quartet featuring Danny Sanchez on drums will play the Cailloux Theatre.

The Kris Kimura Quartet is an Austin based jazz group celebrated for their devotion to traditional American Jazz Music. The Quartet favors the work of Jazz luminaries like: Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Torme, Nat Cole, and Stan Getz.  Featuring Kris Kimura on saxophone,  Ryan Davis on keyboard, Tommy Howard on guitar, and Adam Booker on bass, the Quartet is one of Austin’s most highly sought after bands, playing over 300 gig’s a year.

Drummer Danny Sanchez has family in Kerrville and close ties to Playhouse 2000.  Have seeing plays at the Cailloux, he knew he wanted to perform there. As a drummer, he often plays with Kimura and the band and decided to produce a concert at the Cailloux. The performance “An Evening of Jazz: The Great American Songbook,” will feature music from great jazz masters.

Tickets are $15 and are available at the Cailloux Box Office and online at www.caillouxtheater.com for the concert on the 30^th.  For more information on all Cailloux Theater events visit the website or call (830)896-9393.

“Noises Off” completes its successful three week run this weekend at the Cailloux Theater.  Performances are Thursday 14^th through Saturday the 16^th all performance begin at 7:30PM.  Thursday’s performance features reduced ticket prices, with some seats as low as $5.

The Michael Frayn backstage comedy had been described as a “play within a play within a play within a catastrophe, where the actors suffer and the audience applauds.”  “Noises Off,” is actually the story of a suffering production of the fictitious British bedroom farce “Nothing On,” which Frayn was inspired to write after watching a play from backstage.  The audience sees the tense final rehearsal of “Nothing On.”  Then the massive two-story set turns to reveal the backstage and the audience gets to see a performance of the same show from an actor’s point-of-view. Only this show has so many problems that it’s hard to believe the chaos was previously written, rehearsed, and choreographed. Finally, they see the show falling apart under the weight of the performers combined personal, professional, and romantic woes.

Ironically, a show about a sloppy theatre troupe presenting a play that is falling apart must be precisely crafted and carefully executed by a team of extremely capable theatre professionals. The backstage antics and problems must be timed right and rehearsed if they are to appear unplanned and funny to the audience.  However, community theatre patrons know that amateur local performances rarely go on without foibles of their own. 

Late in the rehearsals of “Noises Off,” it was clear that tackling the complex script and the huge multi-leveled set was one of the toughest challenges that the seasoned ensemble of community players had ever tackled.  When actress Maggie Meek (who plays Dotty Otley, who herself plays Mrs. Clackett) collapses on the couch and laments “…we’ve only had two weeks of rehearsal,” Meek probably didn’t need to go far for her emotional motivation.

Likewise, as the final rehearsals moved forward, guests in the theatre might have been a loss for what was “Noises Off,” and what was “Nothing On.”   As director Jim Boman paced around watching the show he had to avoid actor Rob Ward (who plays director Lloyd Dallas) who was pretending to pace around and worry about the show.  Darcey Hill and Dowell Mudry play crewmembers who shuffle around Carole Weatherred and her team of actual crewmembers.  Even real problems like missing props, stuck doors, and forgotten dialogue were hard to distinguish from gags in the script.

Even in performances, small problems in the show are impossible to notice among the scripted craziness. Last weekend, a door fell off its hinges and lodged in its jamb forcing Ward and Brandi Neely (who plays Brooke Aston who plays Vicki) to wiggle through a small gap, which caused uproarious laugher from the Cailloux audience.  Likewise, when the sound of a phone ringing failed, Meek knocked the phone’s receiver against a table until it rang. The audience loved it, while theatre staff members cringed. 

Described as the “funniest thing that Playhouse 2000 has ever done,” “Noises Off” closes this Saturday  and its giant set will come down to make room for the equally massive Cailloux orchestra shell for this month’s Youth Orchestra, and Symphony of the Hills concerts

Information for all shows at the Cailloux Theatre is available at www.caillouxtheater.com or at the box office (830) 896-9393 ext 223.  Tickets are also available online at the website 24 hours a day/7 days a week.

Two theatre companies drove back to Kerrville Sunday after a busy week at the Texas Non-profit Theatre Convention and State AACT Festival in Fort Worth.  Technical Directors Nick Boland (Playhouse) and Bobby Sands (Point) lead the unloading of the truck that carried the sets and props for “Grace and Glorie” and “Almost, Maine.”  Amidst hugs and handshakes, the actors and crew members congratulated each other before going home to prepare for another busy week of producing local shows.   Both companies won many awards and “Almost, Maine” was announced as the first alternate show for the Regional AACT festival next month.

Many award winners are already at work on their next projects.  The TNT “Best Scenic Design” team led by Jim Boman and Nick Boland are busy building the two story revolving set for Playhouse’s “Noises Off” (opening April 1^st).

Playhouse 2000 won the “Steadfast Support Award” for their hard work and involvement in Texas Theatre’s over the past eight years.  Heather Cunningham and her team are already busy preparing for Metropolitan Opera Star, Angela Brown’s performance at the Cailloux on May 6^th.

 The “Best Backstage Crew” led by Bobby Sands will be working on “Dixie Swim Club” at the Point (April 1^st). They are joined by the winner of the TNT Design Contest, Julie Bangs and “All-star Cast” member Joan Bryson: stage manager and assistant director respectively.

 “All-star Cast” members T.J. Ashabranner and Phil Huddleston jump back immediately into their roles in the GSQ production of “Never the Sinner” which completes its run this weekend at the Cailloux Theatre (Thursday 24^th through Sunday 27^th).

                “The AACT State Meet and the TNT festival represented an important investment for our local theatres.” explained a Playhouse staff member “Many new friendships were formed and old ones rekindled with other arts programs throughout the state.  New resources and opportunities were discovered that will help the growth of our local programs.  The Point and Playhouse had a wonderful experience in Fort Worth and are ready to use that experience to keep entertaining and amazing our own local audience.

For tickets and information about the Playhouse and Cailloux call (830) 896-9393 or visit www.caillouxtheater.com.  For the Point Theatre call (830) 367-5151 or visit www.hcaf.com