Monday, November 24, 2014

These guys are coming to speak to Theatre VCU students today at 5:15… how bout that!

Angus Macfadyen: Professional actor currently working on Turn.  Most known for Braveheart, Saw III, Equilibrium, We Bought a Zoo, and others.

  
Still of Angus in Braveheart.

Kevin McNally: Professional actor also working on Turn.  Most known for the all the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, Downton Abbey, Supernatural, and many more.

Still of Kevin in one of the Pirates movies.


Both are excited to come talk to any performance majors in Newdick today at 5:15.  Both of these men began on stage and transitioned to film, and both still do stage when they can.  They are going to be here to answer questions, so bring your all your questions! 

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Save the Date! High School Theatre Design & Technology Exposition - April 25, 2015

Design, Technology and Craft Exposition & Competitions! 

Scenic, Costume, Lighting, Sound & Makeup Design 
as well as
Costume Construction, Scenic Construction/ Painting, 
Props, Stage Management



A full day of Workshops such as:
Makeup  Model Making
Costume Design  
Costume Construction 
Lighting Design 
Props  
Projections
Stage Management
Portfolio Development &
Applying to Universities 

Your work will be critiqued by our professional
designers including Broadways' Toni-Leslie James!



Lunch with the Design Faculty and 
Theatre VCU students

Exhibition of award-winning 
Theatre VCU student designs

Attend an evening performance of 
Frankenstein: Dawn of a Monster

$30.00 per student for entire day

Additional

$10.00 per student for  
Frankenstein: Dawn of a Monster


Send your Application in BEFORE March 15 and  attend 
Frankenstein: Dawn of a Monster for FREE!

For More Information
Contact:
Ron Keller (rkeller@vcu.edu)
or call
804-828-1514

Be a part of the first HS Exposition at Theatre VCU!


Wednesday, November 19, 2014

We need some serious input about a not-so-serious subject…. call it the "HolidayHooHa" call it the "TheatreatreVCUHoovalation" We don't care… we just want you to call it "yours"

Hey ALL Theatre VCU Students!!

This one's for you.

it's been QUITE a semester - Every semester is HUGE….

that's why we have a blow-out with the Ball in May (by the way – there's a meeting for anyone and everyone who can give the Heaven & Hell Angels & Demons Ball a boost on this Friday, Nov. 21 at 1:15 on the second floor of PAC - drop in for a few minutes and let us know what would be fun to do and how you can help us do it - the more that pitch in - the more better, right?)

THIS SEMESTER - we want to give you an end-of-the-semester gift in the form of an afternoon/evening of food, performances, Secret Santa presents, holiday foolishness.

What would you like to do?

Let us know - we'd like to give you a celebration that you helped us design.

Here's what we have so far:

• December 4th at 5:00pm - Location TBA.

• Susan Schuld and her talented troupe of Radio Players will give us a heartwarming portion of "It's a Wonderful Life" Radio Drama with a Holiday sing-along

• Cookies, Hot Chocolate (or coffee), Candy Canes

What are YOUR ideas?


• Holiday Karaoke?

• Secret Santa gifts (under $10)?

• What other food?

• Bad Christmas movies?

• Photos with Santa?

• Ugly sweater contest?

• The best of No Shame?

• Charades? (really… what?)

WHAT DO YOU THINK would bring us all together to celebrate another HUGE semester? We want to do it.

Email me (gmbrannan@vcu.edu) - Facebook me - slide secret messages under my door.

Please!



Monday, November 17, 2014

Our second week of Man of La Mancha was sold out - Have you bought your tickets for the final week yet?

Only one week left!

Theatre VCU's
Man of La Mancha
is getting standing ovations and standing room only crowds.

It's the musical you don't want to miss!

Audiences have been loving this tale of the mad knight, and James Taylor's rich baritone brings to life "The Impossible Dream", "Dulcinea", and ", Don Quixote"!

Check out last Thursday's  appearance on Good Morning Virginia -
http://wtvr.com/2014/11/13/the-epic-tale-of-don-quixote-comes-to-life-on-the-theatre-vcu-stage/

For tickets go to 
vcutheate.showcix.com

or call the Box Office at
804-828-6026.

Reserve your tickets now - we would hate for you to miss out!!

Friday, November 14, 2014

Man of La Mancha comes to Channel 6

This was SUCH a great experience yesterday at Virginia This Morning on Richmond's Channel 6 (CBS)

Go here: http://wtvr.com/2014/11/13/the-epic-tale-of-don-quixote-comes-to-life-on-the-theatre-vcu-stage/

Check out James Taylor (Don Quoxite) mahlon Raoufi (Sancho) and Emily Adler & Alex Burkart (the Horses) singing and galloping their way through "I Don Quixote" - SO much fun!

Don't miss this show - it's one of the last Golden Age musicals -
winner of 5 Tony Awards - and the Theatre VCU production features a magnificent set, exquisite costumes and the beautiful voices of our students. Plus Don Quixote is played by James Taylor, known for his international operatic work. He brings not only his incredible vocal talent, but also his true understanding of Cervantes magical character…. James Taylor IS Don Quixote!

There is still a GroupOn deal out there…. shhh… don't tell anyone, but it's:
https://www.groupon.com/deals/gl-vcu-dept-of-theater-2012-1-4

Come downtown and support the work of our artists - it's well worth the trip.

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Two more weeks of Man of La Mancha!!

MAN OF LA MANCHA IS ABOUT TO ENTER IT'S SECOND WEEK! 
Audiences are raving!
Here's what John Porter (Theatre Reviewer of WCVE) has to say:

If you need a reason to head over and see one of the great musicals of the American theatre  currently playing at VCU trust me, MAN OF LA MANCHA is well worth the effort if only to admire Ron Keller’s towering set. In an era of tiny stages with rotating turntables, this set rises a good thirty feet in the air with a staircase that lowers out of the ceiling like the hand of God passing judgment or deliverance to the actors below.

Since most theatre goers don’t just go to be amazed by the set, let’s look at some of the other reasons to enjoy the play. MAN OF LA MANCHA is a play within a play detailing the life and adventures of Don Quixote de La Mancha – a chivalrous knight roaming the land some 300 years after knights stopped serving king and country.

As the nobleman knight, James Taylor (not the pop singer) is a commanding presence. In the dual role of Don Miguel de Cervantes and Quixote, he has to move from madness to lucidity and back again. His voice is strong and clear, and his interpretation of the big song, “The Impossible Dream” is a highlight.

Kamaron Carter makes a strong Aldonza – the stable girl who becomes the noblewoman muse of Quixote and is elevated by his adoration.

The rest of the cast takes on multiple roles, most without much of a hitch, and under Patti D’Beck’s direction and choreography handle the varied dance moves well. These characters start off waiting trial – some portray murderers and thieves while others play characters with mental disorders and must move accordingly.

David Leong provides the fight choreography and utilizes stylized movements for one fight to comedic effect, and brutal more realistic movements for another in order to emphasize the horror that Aldonza faces.

Devario D. Simmons’ costumes work very well – showing differences in status, and in the case of Quixote versatility moving him back and forth between his two characters. Michael Jarett’s lights are very good – equal to just about any seen on a professional stage this season. Ben Miller serves as the Musical Director and keeps the music moving very well.

I don’t get out to see University productions as often as I would like. Often they operate on short schedules and are in conflict with professional shows I need to see. However, I may have to reevaluate that policy as invariably I find things that excite me and give me hope for the future of theatre.

Now if we could only offer these talented performers more incentive to stay in Richmond after graduation and continue to grace our stages. Even though there are more and more opportunities to perform, making a living creating the art they love is always going to be a struggle.

Okay, I’ll climb off my soapbox now and get back to MAN OF LA MANCHA. This production will be running through November 23 and is well worth making the journey.
For 88.9 WCVE, I’m John Porter.



Thank you John Porter!!

We have heard such wonderful things from our audience about Man of La Mancha - Don't miss it!

This weekend  - Nov. 13-15 at 7:30 pm and 
Sunday Nov. 16 at 3:00 pm

Next weekend - Nov. 20 - 22 at 7:30 pm and 
Sunday Nov. 23 at 3:00 pm

vcutheatre.showclix.com