In Summer: Time for a Theater Camp

There are several options this summer to get the kids involved in theater (and keep them out of your hair). Theater builds confidence and performance skills. Whether for skill-building, fun or socialization theater provides a great opportunity for people of all ages.

Several camps are being offered by the YMCA, the Metropolitan Performing Arts Academy (MPAA), Journey Theatre Arts Group (JTAG), Christian Youth Theatre (CYT), and the Riverside Performing Arts Academy (RPAA). And...

Woodland's Love Street Playhouse is back by popular demand! LSP will be conducting three sessions this June for their annual Youth Theatre Program. Students ages 10-18 will spend just five days rehearsing for this year's production "Cinderella: The Untold Story" by John O'Hara. Space is limited so sign up now! If they find that there is a demand for a 4th session they will consider adding it to the schedule in July.

I have no way of knowing which camp is best, or what will work best for you, so check around. Space is going to be limited, so book now. Contact the theater group(s) of your interest for more information.

MPAA to Present "CATS" Junior

I would have never imagined a CATS, Jr., but here it is presented by MPAA.

The musical is based on T.S. Eliot’s "Old Possum’s Book Of Practical Cats" and is one of the longest running musicals in Broadway and West End history. The Jellicle cats are celebrating at the Jellicle Ball, awaiting Old Deuteronomy’s choice of which cat will be reborn into a new life. One by one, the cats step forward to introduce themselves, auditioning for the chance to take the journey to the Heaviside layer.

Presented by MPAA’s Musical Theatre Program students , one weekend only!

Show Info: Friday, April 18, 7 p.m.; Saturday, April 19, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Sunday, April 20, 3 p.m. only. Tickets are $10, all seats. Showing at the Washburn Performing Arts Center, 1201 39th Street, Washougal, Wash. For tickets click here.

Metro Opens "Legally Blonde: the Musical" 01/11/12

The Metropolitan Performing Arts Academy* presents the musical adaption of the rom-com "Legally Blonde"  at Washougal High School, 1208 39th St., Washougal, Wash. beginning January 11, 12, 13, 18, and 19.

All performances except Sunday the 13th are at 7 p.m.; Sunday's matinee is at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 general, $8 for students and seniors.

Call 360.975.1585 or visit www.metropaa.org for more information and tickets.

*MPAA offers performing arts training and development for children, teens and adults; beginners and up. All performers for this production are between the ages of 13 and 20.

Heads Up: SW Washington Fall Show Line-up

• "Murder at the Mansion" opens October 4 at Stageworks Northwest in Longview
• "Annie" will be presented by Metropolitan Performing Arts Academy at the Washburn Center for the Performing Arts in Camas beginning October 5 
• "The Sunshine Boys," presented by the Serendipity Players also opens October 5 at the Serendipity Playhouse in Vancouver
• "Something to Hide" is being mounted at Magenta Theater in Vancouver beginning October 12               
• "Wait Until Dark" will be staged at Woodland's Love Street Playhouse beginning October 12                 
• "Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf" opens November 2 at the Clark College Decker Theater   
• "The Notorious Ladies of Humbug" is also slated for a fall opening by the Vancouver Community Theater, dates TBA
• The Slocum Players also hope to present a show in the new Sassy Ape Theater, TBA

Watch this site for more information and reviews.

MPAA Workshop Production of Disney's "The Little Mermaid, Jr."* This Weekend Only

METRO will present the result of the summer workshop production of Disney's "The Little Mermaid, Jr."* (* Editor's Note: That means simplified and truncated) for ONE WEEKEND ONLY at the Fort Vancouver High School Auditorium.

Performance Dates and Times are as follows:

Friday, August 17, 7 p.m.
Saturday, August 18, 2 and 7 p.m.

$ 8.00 Child/Senior (12 & Under; 55+)
$10.00 General Admission

http://www.metropaa.org/

Source: Facebook post

AUDITIONS: All Ages "Annie" Auditions at Alki

"Annie" auditions will be held at Alki Middle School, 1800 NW Bliss Road, Saturday, June 9 subject to the following schedule:

Children: 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Teen/adults: 1-5 p.m.
Callbacks for Annie, Warbucks, Hannigan, Rooster, Lily and Grace: 5-7 p.m.

ALL ROLES ARE OPEN. This Community Theatre Production is available to all members of the community ages six to adult.

Please spread the word and let people know. All auditionees must sing 32 bars. A tap combo and jazz will be taught for both teen and adult auditions. Children will also learn a dance routine. Wear comfortable clothes and appropriate shoes. 

The show is scheduled for October.

For more information see: www.metropaa.org

NOW PLAYING at a Theater Near You (04/13/12): Magenta's "The 39 Steps" & Metro's "Anything Goes"

The 39 Steps & Anything Goes open.

Did you know it's considered bad luck to say, "good luck" in the theater? Instead, for good luck, you say, "break a leg." Makes perfect sense, huh? I don't know if I'd be brave enough to open a show on Friday the 13th--someone could break a leg--but here are two that are debuting today:

1. "The 39 Steps" (see previous post for details) at Magenta Theater
2. "Anything Goes" (see related post) by Metropolitan Performing Arts Academy

Based on my previous, but limited, viewing experiences with both companies my bets are on Magenta. If I could see just one show this weekend I'd pick "The 39 Steps." Of course, if you can see both, go out and support the teen cast presenting "Anything Goes" as well. And...

Break a leg.

Look for my review of "The 39 Steps" tomorrow (04/14/12) at noon.

By Gregory E. Zschomler

REVIEW: Metropolitan presents Disney's "Beauty and the Beast, Jr." Tonight and Tomorrow ONLY

"It was a face that only a mother could love." You've heard the saying. Well, this was a production that only a mother could love. Don't get me wrong, there were some things to like about this show, but I didn't LOVE it.

The cast performs "Be Our Guest." Photo by Gregory E. Zschomler.

First of all I didn't know what to expect. I'd never been to a Metropolitan Performing Arts Academy production, but I knew it would be children performing all the roles. MTI rents a variety of junior show packages including an array of Disney classics.

These are truncated versions of the Broadway musicals that come with just about everything you need to put on a show but the set, costume and props, but you can even rent some of those.

I admit, I'm not a big fan of amateur kid shows, especially when I have to shell out more than five bucks to see one (this was nearly $12 with the ticket fee). They don't tend to be all that good and to really get jazzed you need to know someone in the to-do. I didn't.

And yet, this production had some charm. The chorus numbers were very nice. They were full of energy, sounded great and the dance numbers were pretty tight. The costumes were great, too! (I do believe that Disney imposes particular standards on certain things, so that you get a classic Disney experience.)

The female leads, while sometimes slipping from the written melody or key, sang well enough. The young men? Not so much. Out of a cast of around 40, only eight were boys and the show calls for "mostly men." It seems beggars can't be choosy--you take what you get and work with it.

The entire cast at curtain call. Photo by Gregory E. Zschomler

And that's the nature of Metropolitan: Parents sign their kids up for classes and pay for them to go. All the kids get to be in the show which is both good and bad. It builds confidence, skill, self-esteem and more, but it can't create talent. It can bring it out and hone it, but if it isn't there to begin with...

The Good

You have to admire the director (Noah Scott, directed) that would take on a show like that. He's gotta love kids and believe in them and...well...have LOTS of patience. I am reminded of the words of W.C. Fields: "Never work with children or animals." I imagine it's a lot like herding cats. And that does not take into account of having to deal with "stage moms" (which should include hazard pay).

But I digress. 

The best lead performance of the show was given by Bridgette McCarthy in the role of Lumiere. Her accent was fun, her singing nearly dead on and her acting delightful. Kiara (what a pretty name) Kennington, as Mrs. Potts, also gave a winning performance all around, though she began her solo a little shaky. I'm sure it was performance anxiety; there's a lot of pressure in singing the well-known title song.

The very lovely Aubrey Porter starred as Belle and did nicely in the role. She has a nice voice and with some more training she will learn to keep it on pitch. I THINK that Mardee Willman (Cogsworth) sang well, but most of the time her mic wasn't working. Sigh.

"Silly Girl" Kelly Jung

The stand out performance of the entire production was delivered by Kelly Jung who was one of the Silly Girls that fawn over Gaston.

She was a pure delight.

The energy, the facial expression, the acting, the dance moves--everything was star quality right down to her dimple. I can envision this kid in a real Disney production. 

The Not So Good 

The show was NOT well lit--the castle scenes, especially, were difficult to see. But the real irritation came from a generally bad audio mix and a lot of malfunctioning wireless mics. Pretty much what could go wrong, did go wrong. They hummed, the crackled, they boomed, they fell off, they weren't turned on... 

I really felt bad for the kids; that sort of thing doesn't help your confidence level. [You'd think after more than a dozen different shows over a three year period they would have worked out these kinds of bugs.]

And the set needed textured and detailed to bring it completely to life.

All in all, the production has such a great story and the music is so well written (by Alan Meken, Howard Ashman and Tim Rice) that you can't help but be moved. Even with the simplified effects (quite a bit less magical than the professional tour) and technical distractions, the show was uplifting and fun.

The show plays again 7 p.m., Saturday, March 31 and Sunday April 1, 2012 at the Washburn Performing Arts Center in Washougal, Wash. Tickets can be purchased by calling 360-975-1585 or at www.metropaa.org. "Anything Goes" opens in April. See the website for more information about classes, shows and auditions.

Here's a short video of "Be Our Guest" from the show.

Story, photos and video by Gregory E. Zschomler