Check out this great interview with Ramapalooza's director, John Porter

John Porter was  contacted by Chelsea Hanson, a free lance journalist for VCU,who is writing a feature story on Ramapalooza and if it will become an annual event.

I am delighted to talk with you about all things Ramapalooza. It’s been an amazing journey and I’m

very proud of all the writers, performers, and technical wizards that came together to make it happen. I’m not sure of what the future holds for the show, it’s a little early to make predictions, but there are meetings about the show’s future starting Monday.

Right off the bat, I’ve got to offer all sorts of respect for Theatre Chairman David Leong  for having the vision to create the show and the confidence to make it happen. Without those key ingrediants the show would never have come together.

Now, to your questions:

How do you feel Ramapalooza turned out?

From where I sat Ramapalooza was a great success. We had 20 comedians working on material and honing their stage presence three nights a week for about six weeks. They were given a copy of Judy Carter’s book, THE COMEDY BIBLE, the best book ever written on how to be a stand-up comedian. A few of the comedians got a chance to work with Judy last semester, and they were hungry to repeat the experience. They all worked hard and it was very difficult to tell four of them that they were going to be understudies, but they were all great about it and were ready to perform at a moment’s notice.

The sketch portion of the show was again very positive. All of the participants came together and wrote all of the sketches we saw each night. When we - that is the theatre staff - were discussing the logistics of putting on this half of the show, there were some concerns that we would have enough good material to perform. But we ended up cutting so many great sketches that we could have done another hour at least. These writer/performers created scenes for everyone and were willing to give their friends some juicy characters to play. Their professionalism was inspiring to watch.

Dixon Cashwell, The Funniest Ram on Campus

What was your role/responsibilities in the production?

I was the project manager/director of each show. I used my background as a comedian to work with each of the participants on developing their stand up. I have to emphasize, they wrote all their own material but I helped them edit it or structure it. I kept reminding them that it was them on stage not me, so they had to be comfortable with their material. As far as sketch went, I held veto power and taught them how to write a sketch - but they wrote the material. Again, I edited some material and helped them find an ending for some sketches, but didn’t write the sketches themselves. I decided on the order of the sketches and had a lot of help working the transitions so that there was a good easy flow between sketches.

Do you think the outcome of Ramapalooza was great enough for it to return next year and become an annual event?

I certainly  hope so, although it really is out of my hands at this point. I hope the department feels the same way, and that maybe we can find ways to increase outside participation.

Becky Granger, 2nd Funniest Ram

What are you and other people doing or planning for Ramapalooza to return?

There is a meeting scheduled to discuss the pros and cons of Ramapalooza on September 30. I hope that there is enough support to go forward with it. Since I am a guest artist with TheatreVCU (despite my long history with them), I will offer my input and hope for the best. If there is enough input from the rest of the university, maybe that would help the decision...

What will it mean to you if Ramapalooza returns next year?

i would hope that I would return as the project manager, but that’s up to the Chairman. If we do return, I would like to be able to create a core group of performers in order to make it the best possible show.

Elliot Duffy - The 3rd Funniest Ram

What do you think it’ll mean to the Richmond comedic community?

It would introduce some great performers into the comedy mix. These comedians would enhance any of the local stages and I think a consistent sketch group could be a nice draw for a comedy venue or represent VCU on various fringe stages.

Is there anything else you’d like to comment about Ramapalooza?

Ramapalooza could not have happened without a lot of work by people who are never seen. Without David Leong’s vision, Glynn Brannan doing anything to get people in the seats or the guidance of Wesley Broulik and Bonnie Brady, it would have been a much different show. I think that this is an amazing opportunity for students to get a chance to perform comedy as a main stage production instead of as a late night cabaret. For many students, it’s difficult to learn how to create and perform a show like this until you get out of school and learn by putting yourself on the line and failing time and time again. Now, they’ve had support, been taught how to be professional, and tasted great success. It’s a rare gift.

Thanks very much for your time.

John Porter

PS from the Bloginator:

If this article runs - it will be the third feature appearing in the Commonwealth Times. Looks like VCU was comedy starved and Theatre VCU just might save the day!!

Crazy Original Sketch Comedy THIS Friday & Saturday

HEY GUYS!

Look what the Commonwealth Times (the CT) 

has to say about the Comedy Ramapalooza!!

Go HERE

to read more!!

“You should come if you need a good laugh. Some of these kids will be stars. You’ll find someone you like,” Porter said. “Even if we fall apart, nothing will be funny than the chaos that will ensue.”

" There IS no weakness in having a theatre background. There is only strength." - This is Great!!

Thank you to Brian Baez (PBF Performance Theatre VCU 2008)

9 Ways a Theatre Degree Trumps a Business Degree

September 13, 2013 — 

Some of you may know this about me, some may not. Despite having spent the last 15 years as a PR & communications professional, my college degree is in theatre. I have never in my life taken a marketing class, or a journalism class, or a business class. Yet, by most measures, I’m enjoying a successful career in business.  ”So what?” you ask… read on.

I was having a conversation with a friend this week. She’s an actress. Like most actresses, she also has a Day Job that she works to pay the bills between acting jobs. This is the reality for most working actors in LA, New York and the other major centers of the entertainment industry. She was pointing out to me that she viewed her theatre background as a weakness in her Day Job career field, and that it was holding her back. She asked for my advice.

My advice? There IS no weakness in having a theatre background. There is only strength. Here are just a few skills that a theatre degree gave me that have served me enormously well in business:

You have advanced critical thinking and problem solving skills: taking a script and translating it into a finished production is a colossal exercise in critical thinking. You have to make tremendous inferences and intellectual leaps, and you have to have a keen eye for subtle clues. (believe it or not, this is a skill that very few people have as finely honed as the theatre people I know. That’s why I listed it #1).

You’re calm in a crisis: You’ve been on stage when somebody dropped a line and you had to improvise to keep the show moving with a smile on your face, in front of everyone. Your mic died in the middle of a big solo musical number. You just sang louder and didn’t skip a beat.

You understand deadlines and respect them: Opening Night is non-negotiable. Enough said.

You have an eye on audience perception: You know what will sell tickets and what will not. This is a very transferrable skill, and lots of theatre people underestimate this, because they think of theatre as an ART, and not as a BUSINESS. I frequently say (even to MBA-types) that theatre was absolutely the best business education I could have gotten. While the business majors were buried in their books and discussing theory, we were actually SELLING a PRODUCT to the PUBLIC. Most business majors can get through undergrad (and some MBA programs, even) without ever selling anything. Theater departments are frequently the only academic departments on campus who actually sell anything to the public. Interesting, isn’t it?

You’re courageous: If you can sing “Oklahoma!” in front of 1,200 people, you can do anything.

You’re resourceful: You’ve probably produced “The Fantasticks” in a small town on a $900 budget. You know how to get a lot of value from minimal resources.

You’re a team player: You know that there are truly no small roles, only small actors. The show would fail without everyone giving their best, and even a brilliant performance by a star can be undermined by a poor supporting cast. We work together in theatre and (mostly) leave our egos at the stage door. We truly collaborate.

You’re versatile: You can probably sing, act, dance. But you can also run a sewing machine. And a table saw. And you’ve probably rewired a lighting fixture. You’ve done a sound check. You’re good with a paintbrush. 

You’re not afraid to get your hands dirty for the benefit of the show. In short, you know how to acquire new skills quickly.

You’re flexible: you’ve worked with some directors who inspired you. Others left you flat, but you did the work anyway. Same goes with your fellow actors, designers and stagehands… some were amazing and supportive, others were horrible and demoralizing to work with (we won’t name names). You have worked with them all. And learned a little something from every one of them.

These are the top reasons I’ve found my theatre degree to be a great background for a business career. What are yours?

What a wonderful radio interview with John Ogle with the stars and director of Love Letters

Listen HERE for John Ogle's interview.


Join us this weekend for a love story.

Saturday - 7:30 pm

Sunday - 

A weekend of Love Letters at Theatre VCU - OPENS THIS WEEKEND FOR 2 NIGHTS ONLY!

Two Wonderful Nights of Theatre:

Starring the much beloved Nancy F. Langston, former VCU School of Nursing Dean, and internationally renowned expert in infectious diseases Richard P. Wenzel.

The emotionally intimate play covers the lifetime of its two characters without ever changing scene. Melissa and “Andy” sit at opposite ends of a table reading letters they have written to each other, starting in grade school and continuing through the subsequent decades. There’s no actual interaction between the two. It sounds like a personal and difficult play for even the most seasoned actors, which, paradoxically, is exactly why Leong cast Wenzel and Langston rather than experienced theater students.

“The (characters) are I’m guessing in their 60s maybe when they’re doing the play,” Wenzel said. “So it would be harder for a 20-year-old to do that role. I think just having life experiences that we share in a sense and recognizing the exchange that the two characters have — it’s very real.”

For Langston, who has not acted since high school, the role was a little daunting. But through previous collaborations, Leong knew she could take direction well and possessed the right kind of presence and sincerity for the role.

“I’m pretty good at delivering speeches, presentations and stuff,” Langston said. “I’ve never had to do anything other than speak from the heart.”

And that’s all that Leong wants from his actors.

Love Letters - A journey of the heart.

Raynor Scheine, Theatre VCU Graduate 1970 - A Wonderful Profile in This Week's Style Weekly

Go HERE to read about the charming
 Raynor Scheine and his Brilliant Career!

“You could call him VCU’s most renowned film character actor.”

What great coverage in VCU News!

Go HERE to read a wonderful article appearing VCU News, written by Leila Ugincius, about this weekend’s production of  LOVE LETTERS starring Dr. Richard Wenzel & Dr. Nancy Langston!

One of the quotes says it all:

“When you go to see a movie, read a book, you want to go on a journey, you want a story and you want to go on a journey. You want all the ups and downs. This play takes you on the journey and this play takes you on the journey of your life. Every person in the audience, they will be taken on a journey of their life and that’s what’s wonderful about it.”

Love Letters will be shown on Sept. 14 at 7:30 p.m. and on Sept. 15 at 3 p.m. in the Raymond Hodges Theatre of the W.E. Singleton Performing Arts Center, 922 Park Ave.

For ticket information, visit http://www.showclix.com, email theatretix@vcu.edu 

or call (804) 828-6026.

One more week until LOVE LETTERS! And new ticket prices for the Ramapalooza weekends are sweet!

This is coming together beautifully:
Buy your tickets SOON!

And check this out!
Buy one ticket for Friday Show and 
Saturday Show is FREE!

People News from Theatre VCU - Check Out THESE Alums & Faculty!!

Kenann's beautiful costume drawing for Theatre VCU's production of The Grapes of Wrath

Our 
People:


Kenann Quander (MFA 10)
is the new associate professor in Costume Design
at Hampton University. Great news!








Joshua Boone (Performance BFA 2010) just completed a workshop of  Holler if Ya' Hear Me - keep an eye out for where that production may go.

Josh also appeared in the New York Musical Theatre Festival production of Central Avenue Breakdown - WINNER OF  THE DAEGU INTERNATIONAL MUSICAL FESTIVAL PRODUCTION AWARD  and WINNER OF FOUR NYMF 2011 AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE

Here is his bio from the show's website 

Joshua Boone is a native of Portsmouth, Virginia and a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University with a BFA in Theatre Performance. Some of his credits include Felony Friday (NY Fringe Encores), Cutman: A Boxing Musical (Goodspeed), Well (Barksdale), Thunder and Lightning (staged reading), A Raisin in the Sun, Smokey Joe’s Café, Ain’t Misbehavin’. He is excited to be a part of the cast for Central Avenue Breakdown and the amazing journey the show is on. Many thanks to God, family, friends, Professional Artists, and Stevie Wonder. Always grateful for an opportunity.
See more at: http://www.centralavenuebreakdown.com/2012_dimfnymf_cast/#sthash.jm0zgJtW.dpuf

Vanessa Leuck (MFA Costume Design) is the Costume Designer for the Orlando Fringe Festival hit musical DISENCHANTED!, playing at The Abbey in downtown Orlando September 19 through October 27. 

DISENCHANTED! is the story of six bold women who refuse to be damsels in distress any longer. Snow White and her angry band of storybook friends are “storming the castle” in order to take their lives back, with Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Belle, Hua Mulan, The Little Mermaid, Pocahontas and more all brought to life, singing the truth about the “once-upon-a-time girls.” 

VANESSA LEUCK (Costume Designer) is a New York City based costume designer with over twelve years experience designing for musicals, plays, dance, and large-scale productions. She is incredibly happy to be part of the ‘DISENCHANTED!’ team. Other favorite designs include: ‘Disney on Ice: Let’s Celebrate’ (International Tour), ‘Annie’ (Sierra Repertory Theatre), ‘American Icons’ (American Music Theatre) and several productions with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. In addition to designing she has assisted on: ‘The Little Mermaid’ (Broadway), ‘Ringling Brother’s Circus’ (5 productions), ‘Disney on Ice’ (National Tour), and ‘Disney Live!’ (International Tour). Vanessa holds an MFA in Costume Design from Virginia Commonwealth University and is a member of United Scenic Artists 829. www.vanessaleuckcostumes.com




Isn’t that 
Dallas Tolentino (Performance BFA 2010) in Synetic Theater’s production of The Picture of Dorian Gray?

September 26 >> November 3, 2013
Directed by Paata Tsikurishvili

Fearing the ravages of time and realizing the impermanence of youth, Dorian Gray makes a fateful wish–that his almost supernaturally lifelike portrait grow old while he remains forever young and beautiful. Synetic’s inventiveness and unforgettable visuals will elevate Oscar Wilde’s fantastical story to yet another level.

Check out 
Joe Carlson & Dallas Tolentino  

at Synetic Theater’s appearance at The Kennedy Center’s Page to Stage Festival, you will get to see a Synetic Company warm up/technique led by Choreographer Irina Tsikurishvili Followed by a showing of Scenes in progress from the up coming show The Picture of Dorian Gray

Dr. Tawnya Pettiford-Wates is doing beautiful work in South Africa during her sabbatical. She is  teaching:

Production Module Drama 203/303: We are devising a new work 
Acting 304: Honors Scene Study Unit 
PostModernism: Tutorials Unit on Identity 
The ARTS and Practice: Upper Level Unit on Multiculturalism 

More From Dr. T later.

One last alumni:
Check out the photographic work of Timothy Nathaniel Douglas (Performance BFA 2011) on this website: http://binggraphic.com/portfolio/crossroads-micky/

This is a MFA thesis work of a graphic designer called BING,  Tim was his model for a series of photos set during WWII. The photographs are stunning. 
Worth a look!

Send the Bloginator 
your news 
(gmbrannan@vcu.eduand you will see it on the blog, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest... you know... everywhere.