SW Washington Fall Theater Line-Up Heads-Up

The Great American Trailer Park Musical, music and lyrics by David Nehls, book by Betsy Kelso September 6th-29th 2013; Friday and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sundays at 2 p.m.

There's a new tenant at Armadillo Acres—and she's wreaking havoc all over Florida's most exclusive trailer park. When Pippi, the stripper on the run, comes between the Dr. Phil–loving, agoraphobic Jeannie and her tollbooth collector husband—the storms begin to brew.http://www.stageworksnorthwest.org/   

The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde, September 20-October 5, 2013. Director: Curtis Hope. Production Manager: Jaynie Roberts. A humorous romp through London’s high society. Part satire, part comedy of manners, this is his most enduring and popular play. Wilde, the consummate darling of London society, provides an inside look at the Victorian self-righteous moralism and hypocrisy. It is fun to see how the costumes have changed but the fashions endure. http://magentatheater.com/

Arsenic and Old Lace, Love Street Playhouse, October 11-27, 2013. When two old biddies take it upon themselves to put lonely old men out of their misery by poisening them with arsenic in their homemade elderberry wine, craziness ensues and the laughter never ends. Directed by Melinda Leuthold. http://www.lovestreetplayhouse.com/

A Musical Double-Header! Two fun children's stories turned into musicals. Pinkalicious is a little girl who loves pink so much that she develops a serious case of pinkatitus. Come and find out what will cure her! October 11, 19 (matinee), 25 and 26, 2013.  http://www.risingstarproductions.org/newseason.html

How I Became a Pirate. Jeremy Jacobs is minding his own business on the beach when suddenly a group of lost pirates turns up and recruits him to help them dig for buried treasure. Come join us for Jeremy's high-seas adventures. October 12, 18, 19, and 26 (matinee), 2013.

http://www.risingstarproductions.org/newseason.html

Serendipity Playhouse has yet to confirm their season. Clark College and Lower Columbia College have not yet released their season information. Prairie Ground Drama and other high school theater departments have not yet released information to us, though we know that PGD will open with the musical, Oliver. We also have yet to officially hear from Pacific Stageworks, MPAA, Journey and CYT.

COMING SOON to a THEATER NEAR YOU: Latest Line-Up for Eight Theater Companies

Here's the skinny (for now) on the winter/spring offerings from Magenta, Serendipity, Love Street, Rising Star, Stageworks NW, LCC, Clark and Prairie/Ground.

WINTER:

• Crossing Delancy Love Street Playhouse, Woodland, Wash., Feb. 8-24, Fri/Sat at 7:30 p.m., Sun matinees at 2 p.m.
• The Cemetery Club Magenta Theater, Feb. 15-Mar. 2; Evenings 7:30 p.m., matinees Feb. 23 and Mar. 2 at 2 p.m.
• In White America Serendipity Playhouse, slated for February; the director is still seeking a male African-American actor.
• An Evening with Tennessee (featuring The Long Goodbye, The Purification and Something Unspoken by Tennessee Williams) Lower Columbia College, AUDITIONS Jan. 7 and 8, 6-9 p.m. at the Rose Center for the Arts, Longview, Wash. Feb. 20-23 and 28, Mar. 1, 2 and 7-9.
• RENT (a musical), Clark College, Feb 22-23 and Mar. 1, 2 and 7-9, 7:30 evenings, matinee 2 p.m. Mar. 2.
• Three One-Acts by Thornton Wilder Prairie/Ground Drama, details forthcoming.

SPRING:

• Harvey, Love Street Playhouse, opens April 5.
• Camelot (the musical), Rising Star Productions, all performances at Three Rivers Mall in Kelso, Wash., Fri/Sat at 7:30 p.m., April 12, 13, 19, 20, 26 and 27. Matinees on Saturdays April 20 and 27 at 2 p.m. (In the meantime a Camelot-themed Masquerade Ball fundraiser is slated for Saturday, Feb. 16 at Three Rivers Mall. Details forthcoming.)
• The Secret Garden (the musical) Stageworks Northwest at 1433 Commerce in Longview, Wash. AUDITIONS are 2 p.m. Jan 2; show dates are April 12-May 17, Fri/Sat at 7:30 p.m., Sat/Sun matinees at 2 p.m.
• Shadowlands, Magenta Theater, opens April 19.
• Reasons to be Pretty Clark, TBA

Mark your calendars and plan now to support these fine theater companies. Reviews will be posted the day following opening night for each of these plays. In the meantime check out the links to each of the company websites (they are listed to the right of this post) for more details.

THANKFUL for THEATER

Many of us were introduced to drama through grade school or
church productions that reenacted historical holiday events.

Oscar Wilde said:

          

"I regard the theatre as the greatest of art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being." 

I didn't know he said that until recently, but I've always felt that way. (The quote was on the playbill for "White Christmas" presented by Rising Star Productions.)

Theater, for me, has always been the place where all art forms converge. It has been the place where I pour out who I am, and best expressed what makes me feel alive. I love making theater. I love seeing live theater. And I love supporting theater.

I'd like to thank those of you who participate in the theater arts here in SW Washington. I know you do it because you enjoy it, but I hope that you also realize that you are giving patrons a gift. Sharing your time, energy and talent--the human quality of artistic expression--brings us joy and helps us discover who we are, too.

There's nothing like the inspiration I feel in my heart as I leave the theater at the end of a great show!

A special thank-you goes out to those extra hardworking visionaries who head up theater companies and venues to make it happen. Thank you to the leaders and supporters of Magenta, Slocum, Serendipity, Love Street, Rising Star Productions, Stageworks NW, Pacific Stageworks and others.

Special appreciation must also be made for the instructors at educational institutions like Lower Columbia College and Clark College, the local high schools, MPAA and CYT (now Journey) who train and encourage rising talent.

Thank you all for allowing us access to your productions.

It has been my privilege to host the SW WA STAR blog with my wife Ruth over the past year. Since we began in late March of 2012, we have witnessed exponential growth every month. We garnered 500 hits in our first thirty days and a thousand in the next. What took us thirty days to do in April now takes us just a weekend.

I could go on, but all I really wanted to do is simply say...

THANK YOU!                                                            Greg & Ruth

UPCOMING REVIEWS:

• Magenta's "Every Christmas Story Ever Told (and then some)" [post date Nov. 30]
• Serendipity's "Christmas Belles" [post date Dec. 1]
• Love Street's "A Christmas Carol" (radio show) [post date Dec. 2]
• 1st Church of God 40th annual "Singing Christmas Tree" [post date Dec. 6]
• Living Hope Church 4th annual "Living Nativity" [post date Dec. 18]

Magenta Offers English Accents for the Stage

Instructor: Jaynie Roberts - a native of Northern England
Dates: August 14 & 28, 2012 (this is a 5-hour class spread over two evenings)
Time: 6:30 - 9 p.m. both days
Recommended for ages 18 and up.
Cost: $20 for both sessions
Pre-registration REQUIRED to ensure sufficient materials

Learn how to master English accents for stage productions. This skill will differentiate you from your fellow Americans who oftentimes turn to "cockney' for their roles. You will NOT learn Cockney in this class! You will learn the differences between a northern and southern English accent, and be able to use these to portray a variety of characters.

Source: Magenta Theater Company