Guest Artist Kevin Jones invites Theatre VCU students & faculty to his master class Wednesday, Feb. 4, 5 - 6 pm in B72, PAC

Kevin Jones is an accomplished musical director, director, and choreographer of musical theater, and teacher of acting and musical theater (including musical theater performance, acting for the stage, acting for film and television, musical theater history, and music theory). 

Over the course of his career Kevin has acquired one of the largest private collections of musical theater scores (in excess of 10,000 songs) in the United States. 

Kevin has a natural gift where he is able to assess an actor and select the perfect audition song and monologue from his collection in just a matter of minutes. He then coaches the actor on all aspects of the audition (vocal technique, musical staging, character work, etc.). His success rate is extraordinary. He has coached hundreds of actors into Broadway shows, national tours, and regional theater productions. 

As a musical director, Kevin has a most unique insight into the rehearsal process because he has also worked professionally as an actor, singer, dancer, director, choreographer and producer. He is extremely organized and often breaks his rehearsal schedules down to fifteen-minute time blocks. 

Actors and musicians alike appreciate his work ethic, specificity in his conducting and musical direction, and the tremendous amount of positive energy that he brings to each production. Kevin has a true passion for the theater. He founded the Opening Doors Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit in 2003 to provide theater training and performance opportunities for youth, while at the same time, offer free, quality theater productions for the people of the Roanoke Valley - thus making live theater accessible to everyone, regardless of their financial status.

Specializing in teaching actors proper singing technique, how to “belt” safely, and how to dramatically interpret musical theater songs. Kevin will work with selected students and take questions from the observers. This is open to all VCU students and faculty.

Theatre VCU is all over town… and if you're a student there are some great ticket deals!

Our very own David Emerson Toney is directing Frederick Knott's 
Wait Until Dark 
at Firehouse Theater. 
Opening Sept. 18 and running until Oct. 18.

An apartment in 1970’s Greenwich Village becomes the site of theatre’s most terrifying game of cat and mouse. Desperate to reclaim a mysterious doll stuffed with illegal drugs, a con man lays a trap to ensnare a blind woman.  With the help of his criminal cohorts and a few clever disguises, he spins a tale to fool the innocent and unsuspecting woman.  But when the doll can’t be found, the situation spirals out of control.   From the author of Dial “M” for Murder, Wait Until Dark proves that what you can’t see can most definitely hurt you.

Also the main character, Susy, is being played by Ciara McMillan (3rd year performance, Arabian Nights)

Other VCU students & alumni  in the cast:
Sam - Saidu Tejan-Thomas (Mass Comm, VCU, Arabian Nights)
Mike - Nicklas Aliff (Theatre VCU alumnus)
Policeman 1 - Jordan Jones (1st year Theatre VCU Performance)

Policeman 2 - Andrew Reid (2nd year, Theatre VCU Performance)

Preview Night (College Night) is this Thursday Sept. 18. All student tickets are $5.00 (with your VCU ID). During the run student tickets will be $16.00


According to Style Magazine:
The powerful "H2O" marks an auspicious debut for 5th Wall Theatre."

Starring two Theatre VCU alumni : Landon Nagel and Liz Earnest.

Here's what Style says about Landon and Liz:

"With his Everyman face and obvious charm, Nagel puts in an effortless performance as Jake."

"In the hands of a lesser actress, the role could easily be seen as supporting and one-dimensional, but Earnest works to show the character's complexity."

Thursday - Saturday at 8PM, Sunday at 4PM at Theatre Gym at Virginia Repertory Center, 114 W. Broad Street

September 4 – 27, 2014
http://www.5thwalltheatre.org/

Contact Billy Christopher Maupin for student ticket information - billychristopher@5thwalltheatre.org.

Opening September 24 at Richmond Triangle Players
Noel Coward's Design for Living

Directed by alumnus Justin Amellio

and featuring alumnus Jeffrey Cole

Sept 24 – Oct 18, 2014

Three bohemian artists grapple with the pleasures and challenges of a ménage à trois lifestyle in this sophisticated and innovative comedy that scandalized two continents when it premiered! Gilda loves Otto, and it’s entirely mutual. But Gilda is rather fond of Leo as well. Leo adores Gilda – but come to think of it, Leo and Otto have a bit of history, too. So which of them will pair off, and who’ll be left out in the cold? Well, why should they have to?  What’s that all-too-common comment on relationships: “It’s complicated?” This one just happens to be rather more complicated than most!  A classic comedy where the morality is in the eye of the beholder.

Meanwhile in NYC David Leong (Theatre VCU Departmental Chair) with the assistance of  Brad Willcuts (Theatre VCU MFA 2015) is choreographing the many complex and exciting conflicts in the Broadway bound Amazing Grace - opening in Chicago this October! How cool is that?

Olivia Luna (Theatre VCU Perfomance Alumnus) was that you we saw on the new ABC dramatic series How to Get Away with Murder? PremieredThurs. Sept. 25.

 Looking great and living the dream!

Congratulations and Break Legs to ALL our Theatre VCU peeps!!

Hey Theatre VCU performance majors - in case you haven't signed up for the Fall MainStage Shows Audition - here's the skinny:

Mainstage Audition Sign Up Sheet for

Macbeth & 

Man of La Mancha

 Cattle Call for Both Shows 

Friday April 18, 1pm - 6pm • Shafer 302

REQUIREMENTS: Please come prepared with a one non-gender specific minute monologue from Macbeth and 16 bars of a song (bring the sheet music with you). Songs from “the Golden Age” are recommended. IF YOU PLAY THE GUITAR - bring the instrument & 16 bars of music & be prepared to play.

All performance majors are expected to audition with a monologue and a song

 Arabian Nights cast members - please sign up for an early slot on Friday so as not to conflict or 

cut it too close to your call for the performance that night.

Call backs (including a dance call) will be posted Friday night on the callboard and on the

SM Blog (http://vcucastlist.blogspot.com/ ). It will begin Sat., April 19 at 10 am in Shafer 302.

Copies of both scripts will be available in the main office to be signed out for 24 hours.

PLEASE ARRIVE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TIME SLOT YOU HAVE SIGNED UP FOR. THANK YOU!

Sign-up sheet on the board across from the elevator - 2nd Floor PAC

Important stuff you need to know RIGHT NOW if you are Theatre VCU student.

(not necessarily in order of importance)

1 Fabulous Guest Artist Lynn Thomson is here now until Friday! Nationally-known Dramaturg and author. Her Friday workshop on Theatrical Collaboration is open to both grad and undergrad students and should not be missed.

Pearls, people, we are laying pearls before you - 

please take advantage!

Here is her information:

2. There is a Masquerade Ball bakesale right this minute in PAC. Deliciousness (there are homemade Truffles on the table y'all) And HOT cocoa and HOT coffee - come on… you need these things.

3. David Leong is hoping EVERYBODY is coming to B72 at 5:00 today to eat (FREE) pizza this afternoon, and talk about Theatre VCU and you. Very important to your future here, right?

4. Sign-up sheets are UP for the Fall MainStage shows - Macbeth & Man of La Mancha. Get those Macbeth 1 minute monologues polished, and be ready to sing 16 bars. Play the guitar? Then bring it and strum your little heart out.

5. Posters. We are two weeks away from the Opening Night of Arabian Nights. We have hundreds of posters and postcards just sitting here in the office waiting for YOU to hang them up. Don't you have Volunteer Credits you need to earn in order to graduate? This is how you do it baby! Hang up 20 posters and BAM you are DONE!

6. The Ball - 39 Days Away!!! Woo Hoo (Who are you going to be?)

Theatre VCU (and Morgan Meadows) make it real

This is from one of our seniors, Morgan Meadows:
"I haven't been able to talk about it for almost a month, but now that is airing, I am SO excited to announce that I am the new voice of Virginia Commonwealth University. Here is one of two commercials I did, and they will be airing nationally on television as well as at all the VCU Basketball games! This is truly a full-circle moment for me because if it wasn't for my training, teachers and mentors at VCU, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to get the job of dreams.
Check out this gorgeous commercial! I am so proud to be a Ram. VCU. Make It Real."

GO HERE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4C-IegZmHg

Because of inclement weather Theatre VCU is postponing our Opening Night to 

Saturday, February 15 • 7:30 pm

All tickets already purchased (including BOGO & GroupOn) will be honored.

Call the Theatre VCU Box Office at 804-828-6026 

or email Theatretix@vcu.edu.

THIS SHOW IS WORTH SLOGGING THROUGH THE SNOW.

The work is beautiful & heartbreaking!

ONE WEEK until HAIRSPRAY OPENS!!

 Theatre VCU's production of HAIRSRAY is in tech - 

First Dress is this Sunday!

The set is coming along...

 The band is onstage rehearsing with the cast.

Best of all...

there are Stage Managers in onsies.

Also

This is also happening:

Ron Keller & Toni-Leslie James

speaking at a forum on design and performance

Nov. 5 at the VCU Common Theater, 907 Floyd Ave.

FREE & FASCINATING

Hairspray: Hard at Work and Loving It!!

Every night from 6:30 to 11:30 The Hairspray cast 

sing and dance....

then they it do all again, and even better the next night.

A SHOUT OUT

to the hardworking cast, stage managers directors & assistants for 

making this show so great!!

And to the costume designers for making it sparkle!

go HERE to buy tickets!

HURRY!! TICKETS ARE FLYING OUT THE DOOR!

" 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?

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.

Congratulations to All the RTCC Award Winners!! Especially the Theatre VCU Alums Who Made Us So Proud!!

many thanks to David Timberline who worked so hard to pull this evening of awards together!! This list is from his blog - richmondvatheater.blogspot.com/

 

And the Artsie goes to...

Here is a list of last night's recipients of the 2012 Richmond Theatre Critics Circle awards:

Best Musical
Spring Awakening produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre

Best Direction of a Musical
Chase Kniffen for Spring Awakening

Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Musical
Terence Sullivan for The Rocky Horror Show

Best Actress in a Leading Role -- Musical
Stacey Cabaj for My Fair Lady

Best Actor in a Supporting Role -- Musical
Nick Aliff for The Rocky Horror Show

Best Actress in a Supporting Role -- Musical
Christie Jackson for Spring Awakening

Best Musical Direction
Ben Houghton for My Fair Lady

Best Choreography
Maggie Marlin for The Rocky Horror Show

Best Play
August: Osage County produced by Cadence Theatre & Virginia Repertory Theatre

Best Direction of a Play
Jan Powell for The Tragedy of Macbeth

Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Play
Ryan Bechard for The Tragedy of Macbeth

Best Actress in a Leading Role -- Play
Melissa Johnston Price for August: Osage County

The Ernie McClintock Best Ensemble Award
God of Carnage produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre

Best Actor in a Supporting Role -- Play
Matthew Mitchell for Kimberly Akimbo

Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Play
Katie McCall for August: Osage County

Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Design
Joe Doran for The 39 Steps

Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design
Holly Sullivan for The Rocky Horror Show

Outstanding Achievement in Set Design
Phil Hayes for August: Osage County

Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design
Paul Deiss for It's a Wonderful Life

Outstanding Achievement in Fight Choreography
Kevin Inouye for The Tragedy of Macbeth

Outstanding Achievement in Stage Magic
Tom Width for Numerous productions

Best Locally-Developed New Show
Brew: Locally Grown Stories from Richmond's Coffee Community produced by Stage B Theatre Company 
Created by Theatre VCU undergrad alums Tommy Callan, Lucien Restivo & Lisa Hardt, Brew was written by Ian Page

The Bloginator Enjoys an OMG moment!

NOISES OFF!

OMG What a great time!!

Applause, applause for  the entire cast and crew; Anita Maynard-Losh (the wonderful, patient, inspired director); the stage manager - Erin Lowndes, who may get some sleep now; the designers - Chris Hershey - the set • Virginia Varland - costumes,  Zach Townsend - lights, Will Wacker - sound, whose breaking glass noise never failed to make me laugh.
The Blogster is giving you all a standing O in her tiny windowless office as we speak!

And to all the hardworking students who made this hysterically funny gem come together - coaches & carpenters & runners & costume construction... and the guys who turn the set around as a team - every one of you!

The audience howled last night - and you deserved every laugh. It was a funny funny night.

YOU GUYS ROCK!

Below are some cast photos taken by Madeline Lovegrove last night.

Dixon Cashwell, Madeline Lovegrove, John Curry, Elliot Duffy, Jackie Reynolds,  Justin Ahdoot, Jasmine Hammond, Richard Chan, & Lauren Davis in front,

 Noises Off runs tonight and tomorrow night at 7:30

Sunday at 3:00 

and next weekend Thursday - Sunday

at the Singleton Performing Arts Center.

Tickets - theatretix@vcu.edu

Do not miss this show - it will make you laugh... the Bloginator guarantees it

Avenue Q Rehearsals - Don't they look like a good time!

2 for 1 tickets for All VCU/MCV faculty - One NIght Only!!