To Sleep, Perchance to Walk the Night

BLUEBARN Theatre Announces auditions for WALK THE NIGHT PART III!

The BLUEBARN Theatre will hold auditions for the immersive theatrical event, Walk the Night:  Visions of Shadows adapted from William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Auditions will be Saturday, June 11th from 11:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Sunday, June 12^th from 12:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. at BLUEBARN’s current location, 1106 S. 10^th Street (10^th & Pacific Streets).

Auditions will be by appointment. To schedule an audition time, please email omahawalkthenight@gmail.com. Time slots will generally last an hour. Walk-ins are welcome but subject to scheduling.

Those auditioning should prepare a classic monologue or text (preferred but not required) and should come dressed ready for a movement portion of the audition.

Rehearsals will begin in September 2016; Performances will run Wednesday – Saturday October 2016.  Walk the Night is seeking performers who are comfortable with audiences much closer to them than the stage and are able to sustain a lengthy performance without leaving audience presence. All ethnicities are encouraged to audition. For more detailed character breakdown or additional information, please email omahawalkthenight@gmail.com.

About The BLUEBARN Theatre

The BLUEBARN Theatre has been bringing professionally-produced plays to area audiences since 1989. Striving to bring artistically significant scripts and professional production values to Omaha and the surrounding region, BLUEBARN is known for high-quality entertainment and the fearless pursuit of stories that challenge both theatre artists and patrons.

 

‘The Producers’ Produce One Heckuva Show

Faded and failed Broadway producer, Max Bialystock, comes up with a crookedly inspired idea when mousey accountant, Leo Bloom, innocently states that, under the right circumstances, a person could make more money with a Broadway flop than a hit.  With Bloom’s help, Bialystock plots to produce the biggest Broadway bomb in history and escape to Rio with the cash.  This is The Producers written by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan and closes the season at the Omaha Community Playhouse.

Brooks and Meehan do an excellent job translating Brooks’ classic movie to the stage.  Overall, it is a tight, well told story, though there were a couple of scenes that felt like they were added solely to pad the show.  Brooks proves himself to be an especially effective songwriter with a score riddled with memorable, rib tickling numbers.  The script is helped by a very effective cast who brought their A game to a nearly sold out opening night house.

Jeff Horger triumphs with a superior piece of direction.  The staging of the show is beyond reproach.  He has led his actors to a series of varied and vibrant performances.  The bits of business are spot on and the scene changes are smooth as satin.

Steve Krambeck caps an impressive season with a sterling performance as Leo Bloom that may stake him a claim to the Playhouse’s prestigious Fonda-McGuire award.  It was a real treat to watch Krambeck play against type as the shy and repressed accountant who dreams to be a Broadway producer.  He stuns with his visceral uncomfortableness around women and his obsessive cuddling of his baby blanket when he gets overstressed.  Krambeck constructs a wonderful arc for Bloom as he grows in confidence during the course of the play and transforms from a mouse to a man.

Krambeck has an incredibly mellow tenor singing voice that I could sit and listen to all day.  This instrument was used to the fullest in numbers such as We Can Do It, I Wanna Be a Producer, and the  sweet That Face and ‘Til Him.  Krambeck also proved himself a surprisingly agile and graceful hoofer with his dance numbers.

Jim McKain’s performance as Max Bialystock is pitch perfect.  He’s so oily, so greedy, so much of a scoundrel.  Yet, deep down, he has a core of decency that peeks out from time to time and only grows stronger as Bloom’s niceness rubs off on him.  McKain has a very mighty tenor voice which soars in The King of Broadway, Where Did We Go Right?, and especially in Betrayed which is not only musically pleasing, but a physical acting tour de force.

Mike Palmreuter’s turn as Franz Liebkind is howlingly funny.  As the off kilter, bird loving, Nazi loyalist, Palmreuter nearly rips off this show.  His character is the author of Springtime for Hitler, the play within the play that Liebkind wrote to clear Hitler’s reputation.  Palmreuter’s bass voice beautifully booms in tunes like Der Guten Tag Hop-Clop and Have You Ever Heard the German Band?  His powerful frame disguises the fact that he is a nimble dancer whose animated moves provided some of the biggest laugh out loud moments of the night.

Lindsey Ussery is a sweet delight as Ulla, the Swedish woman trying to break into entertainment.  Ms Ussery has a good sense of movement maximized in her enticing audition for Bloom and Bialystock in When You’ve Got It, Flaunt It.  She has a pleasant alto voice which I rather enjoyed in This Face and her Swedish accent held up quite well.  Ms Ussery did sound a bit breathy at some points, so she’ll need to remember to keep up the breath support.

Ryan Pivonka is a scream as Roger DeBris.  DeBris is an overwrought queen who thinks shows should always remember to Keep it Gay.  He’s a lousy director who proves to be an equally inept actor when he is compelled to take over the role of Hitler and gives a 5 star horrific performance that had the audience guffawing at the top of their lungs in Springtime for Hitler.  Pivonka also rocks an evening gown surprisingly well.

The show’s ensemble cast was a hit with their sly little acting moments and extremely slick dancing.  Particular notice goes out to Don Harris who excels in several character roles, especially with his performance as Bloom’s bullying boss, Mr. Marks.  Zach Kloppenborg brings it as Carmen Guia, DeBris’ histrionic “common-law assistant”.  And I would also like to tip my hat to the puppeteer of Liebkind’s birds who gave a dandy performance of their own.

Jim Boggess and his orchestra couldn’t hit a wrong note if they tried.  Melanie Walters deserves an award for her choreography.  This was the best choreography I have seen in my 20 years in the business and you’re going to be amazed at what Ms Walters can do with a slew of walkers in Along Came Bialy.  Jim Othuse does some of his best work yet in the many pieces of scenery built from this show from the office of Bloom and Bialystock to the outside of the theatre to the multiple bits of scenery needed for the massive Springtime for Hitler scene.  Amanda Fehlner should be proud of her costuming especially in the musical within a musical as the stormtrooper and chorus girl outfits were some of the most creative I’ve seen.

The Producers is what good comedy is all about.  It doesn’t try to share a message and it doesn’t have a lot of depth.  It’s just a lot of fun and will take you out of yourself for a while.  The work of the entire cast and crew, especially that of Krambeck and McKain, will blow you away and I do believe I hear the sweet sound of cash registers ringing for the Playhouse, so be sure to buy a ticket today.

The Producers runs at the Playhouse through June 26.  Performances are Wednesday-Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2pm.  Tickets are $30 for adults and $20 for students on Wednesdays and $40 for adults and $25 for students Thurs-Sun.  For tickets, contact the box office at 402-553-0800 or visit their website at www.omahaplayhouse.com.  Parental discretion is advised for the show due to a little strong language and some suggestive moments.  The Omaha Playhouse is located at 6915 Cass St in Omaha, NE.

 

A Season of Exploration, Part IV: From the Other Side of the Table

Well, it’s been a while since my last theatre tale and this one will actually conclude this season of tales.

As I stated in my last entry, I was going to serve as an Assistant to the Director for Lara Marsh for the Playhouse production of Lost Boy Found in Whole Foods.  This was an interesting process from start to finish as Lara actually put me through an orientation of sorts before launching me on the project.

First and foremost, she wanted to know why this particular show because she knows how selective I am about the projects I choose to take on.  I’ve always been particularly attracted to scripts that feature great strength of spirit and this play has that in spades in the form of its two leading characters, Christine and Gabriel.  Since I had also read for the role of Michael Dolan back when the show was a staged reading, I had enough familiarity with the script to decide it would be a good project to learn the ropes of directing.

My first assignment was to do some background research for the show.  As the story centers around helping a young refugee from the Sudanese Civil War, I compiled some research about Sudan, the Sudanese Civil War, Sudanese culture and customs, and Somalia and its culture (due to one of the characters being from that region).

Lara had done a large amount of research as well.  Over the past two years Lara had become a living encyclopedia about the Sudan and the Lost Boys in her efforts to bring this show to life.  She had mastered the extremely difficult Dinka dialect, had watched a number of documentaries, and read What is the What by Dave Eggers, a very hard to read, but eye opening account of the trek of the Lost Boys through the eyes of Valentino Achak Deng who lived through it.

I am a big “devil in the details” type of person and Lara is of a similar bent which is why we worked so well together during this process and saw eye to eye on 98% of things.  Some directors prefer actors to have done no prep work before beginning the creative process so they can grow organically.  Others want the actors to have read the script before auditioning.  But Lara wanted her cast to be well grounded in the history behind this play so they would be able to better develop their characters.

Then came the night of auditions where I got to formally meet Jeanne Shelton, a stage manager I had read in front of on numerous occasions.  The auditions were a little less than I hoped for in terms of size.  I had secretly hoped for a slew of actors so we could have an overwhelming selection to pick and choose from.  We had enough people show up to cast the play with just a little overage.  But the lack of quantity was, by and large, made up by the quality shown by the people who did come to audition.

I had once heard it said that a director only needs 15 seconds to determine whether or not he or she is going to cast you.  I agree with that to an extent.  We may need more than 15 seconds to decide to cast you, but it only takes about 15 seconds to decide not to cast you.  And don’t think that means that the audition was bad.  I mentally eliminated a couple of people who had great reads immediately simply because they were not suitable for any of our roles.

Fortunately, we were able to cast most of our cast from the auditions.  A couple of roles didn’t have enough people audition and those that did were not quite right, so Lara had to find people to fill those roles.

Now we had a cast and could begin the creative process.  During the process I learned that directing is a lot more than just handling the artistic side of things.  I’m used to coming early and staying late as an actor, but a director needs to be there much earlier than anyone else and must stay much later.  Countless details need to be considered like sounds, lights, props, etc.

I even learned that directing has its own political side to get the things one needs for a show to be the best that it can be.  One prominent thing I learned is that the season finale in the Playhouse’s smaller theatre is nicknamed the “death slot”.

This isn’t a bad moniker.  But this show takes place at the end of the season so a great deal of money has already been spent by this point and there is still the final musical to be produced on the Playhouse’s Main Stage which is going to need a lot of money as they are usually big, lavish affairs.  It just means that some strategy and negotiation is necessary for the shows in this slot to get what it needs.  Keep in mind that some of the Playhouse’s best shows have taken place in this slot such as Biloxi Blues, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, and our little effort which has become a critical darling.

As Assistant to the Director, you may think that my job duties were relegated to getting Lara’s coffee, sharpening her pencils, and being her all around gofer.  The reality was that I was closer to an Assistant Director.  I gave ideas to Lara and took very copious acting notes for the performers.  Lara took me very seriously, often incorporating my ideas into her own notes.

I learned a great deal about directing under Lara’s learning tree.  Like acting, directing is also an art because it’s about a lot more than telling actors how to perform.  It’s about working with all types of learning curves, temperaments, and experience levels.  It’s about knowing where, when, and why to give a note.

As a details guy, I was ready to get into the grit and gristle of things right away.  Lara taught me that you have to let the actors experiment at first.  Early notes are simple as the performers build the frame of the house.  Directors gently guide it so the proper foundation is built.  As that confidence grows, the notes become more detailed and nuanced to refine and shape the story.

I would have to say that my favorite directing moment came when I was working on a scene with our lead actress, Julie Fitzgerald Ryan, and Victoria Luther, who was playing her daughter.  They were having an argument and Julie’s character has a line where she says, “We’re supposed to be living in circles.  Concentric circles.  Circles within circles.”

When I heard that line, I said, “Do I dare?  Yes, I dare.”  Then I asked Victoria to mouth the words along with Julie as I felt her character had heard this speech about a million times.  It’s hit the mark every single time.

One thing I’ve noticed about working in this slot is that the rehearsal period seems to be a bit reduced.  There’s only about 4 weeks of rehearsal as opposed to the 5 or 6 weeks I’m used to.  That means rehearsals almost every day for 4 to 5 hours at a clip to get where we need to be.

So fast forward to preview night.  I hadn’t been so nervous for a show since my first one.  What will the audience think?  Will they love it?  Will they hate it?  Will they ride me out of town on a rail?

I wait with baited breath until the end of the show and the audience rose to its feet for a standing ovation.  I breathe a sigh of relief.  One hurdle crossed.

Now it’s opening night.  The extra real deal, as it were.  The cast came out all guns a blazing and just nailed it to the floor.  Every review (5 of them at this point) has been glowing making Lost Boys Found at Whole Foods one of the most critically well received shows of the season.  And I had helped make it happen.

I rank this event as one of my prouder accomplishments in theatre and something more remarkable happened.  As I helped to guide this cast, my own skills as an actor were reinforced and, for the first time in a long while, I good and truly felt the itch to perform again.  So now I’m looking to tell a story again and found at least one promising show next year.

Well, that wraps up this season of tales.  I will return with a new season that I like to call “A Season of Renewal”.  We’ll see you then.

Omaha Premiere Closes SNAP! Season

SNAP! Productions is pleased to announce its next offering, the Omaha Premiere of Madeleine George’s comedy Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England which will run from May 26 – June 19, 2016.

Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England tells the story about Dean Wreen, who is not having a good week. Her college is in dire financial straits and a plan to close its tiny, all-but-forgotten natural history museum is sending unexpected shock waves across campus and out into the local community. At home, her ex-lover, Greer, is staying with her—sending shock waves of a different sort through her relationship with her current (and much younger) girlfriend, Andromeda. Town-gown relations are in tatters! The local newspaper is erupting in violent protest! Even the awful, historically inaccurate dioramas in the museum have started mouthing off. A screwball sex comedy about the perils of monogamy, certainty, and academic administration. A thoughtful study in love and extinction…

Echelle Childers has taken the helm of this production as director. She has amassed a great cast of actors to bring to life this poignant comedy. Andy Niess (Early Man 1), Becky Noble (Dean Wreen), Colleen O’Doherty (Andromeda), Sara Planck (Greer), Kate Simmons (Early Man 2) and L. James Wright (Caretaker).

Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England is fortunate to have assembled the following production staff: Daena Schweiger (Sound/Lights), Michal Simpson (Producer), Brian Callaghan (Stage Manager/Booth Operator) and Joshua Mullady (Set Designer).

A few special notes, our THURSDAY, MAY 26th performance will be a TAG Night Out preview show which will benefit the Theatre Arts Guild Scholarship Fund. The ASL Interpreted Performance will be THURSDAY, JUNE 9th at 8 pm, and is made possible due to generous community support and donations made through the Omaha Gives! Campaign.

Buy tickets now for Madeleine George’s funny comedy Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England which will run from May 26th – June 19th, 2016 at 3225 California Street. Curtain times are 8:00 pm, Thursday, Friday and Saturday; 6:00 pm on Sundays. The Sunday, June 19th show will start at 2:00 pm. The theater opens a half hour before curtain time. Reservations must be made on-line at the SNAP! Productions website: http://www.snapproductions.com. Tickets are $15.00 for Adults; $12.00 for Students, TAG and Seniors. We are continuing our “Throwback Thursday” pricing of $10.00 tickets for all Thursday shows.

Implemented at the beginning of 2015, SNAP! Productions will again be doing the NEW FREE STUDENT RUSH TICKET program. This program is made possible by a grant from the Jetton Fund. If you have a valid Student ID, you can get a chance for one of the limited Free Student Rush tickets. Just be at the box office twenty minutes before show time to see if there are any available for that performance. They are based on availability and definitely on a first come/first serve basis.

The Stars this Night Shone Very Bright, Deep in the Heart of Tuna

Welcome to Tuna, TX.  This little town has backwater yokels, ultra “Christians”, secessionist goofballs, and elderly women viciously vying for a class reunion crown.  Incidentally, all of these citizens are played by just two men.  This is Red, White and Tuna currently playing at the Bellevue Little Theatre.

This play is the third part of a trilogy written by Jason Williams, Joe Sears, and Ed Howard.  This particular chapter takes place during the Fourth of July.  The play is written as a series of vignettes featuring the peculiar citizenry of this town.  Some of the short stories are connected while others are standalone.  Due to this unique style of writing, some of the play’s stories are more satisfying than others.  Those that do work are pieces of utter perfection.

I admit to being more of a smiler and chuckler when I watch comedies as I can usually spot the punchline coming from a distance.  But this play had moments that caught me so off guard and had me laughing so hard that I thought I was going to pass out.  Credit for this monumentally funny night goes to Kim Clark-Kaczmarek for her excellent direction and the magnificent work of her performers, Noah Diaz and Anthony Clark-Kaczmarek.

Ms Clark-Kaczmarek’s direction is a nifty piece of work.  She led her actors to extremely well-developed characters (each play 10 distinct personas), created sharp pieces of business to mask the time needed for costume changes, and kept the play moving with a brisk, energetic pace.

Anthony Clark-Kaczmarek is at his clownish best as he sinks his teeth into the quirky characters of Tuna.  His delivery is so smooth and sure that one would think all of his dialogue is extemporaneous.  Clark-Kaczmarek also adopts a different posture and voice for each of his characters, making certain that the audience is in for a surprise each time he steps onto the stage.

Highlights of Clark-Kaczmarek’s myriad performances included the gun toting, gravelly voiced, potty mouthed, Didi Snavely, who owns the used gun store and is waiting out the day so she can finally have her missing husband declared legally dead, the nerdy, reedy-voiced, slouching, Petey Fisk, who values pests and insects above humanity, and Vera Carp, the snobbish, prudish “Christian” who spends her days banning books for words like “poke”.

Noah Diaz was quite amusing in spite of being slightly off his game.  His energy was a little low in Act I, but increased dramatically in Act II.  He also needed to be a bit louder.  Diaz found his volume at the top of Act II, but it began to wane again towards the end of the show.  I attribute a lot of this to the fact that Diaz very recently finished doing double duty as director and actor for another show in the metro area.

Like Clark-Kaczmarek, Diaz nuanced the tar out of his multiple characterizations, but needed to work on the voices for his characters as many sounded the same.  Diaz has a great gift for physical comedy best demonstrated with his histrionics as Joe Bob Lipsey, the local artiste who is upset that he can’t sing about champagne for a show since Tuna is in a dry county, his Michael Jacksonesque gyrations as R.R. Snavely as he communicates with aliens, and his inability to get through any door with his walker as Pearl Burras.

As brilliant as the performances from the actors were, Diaz and Clark-Kaczmarek do need to be certain to maintain their characters as they broke each other up on a couple of occasions.

Lindsay Pape’s costumes were just right for the show ranging from stereotypical overalls to the rather buxom clothing for a couple of Diaz’s female characters.  Tony Schik’s sound design struck all of the right notes with classic country tunes and the radio broadcasts voiced by Diaz and Clark-Kaczmarek.

If you like pure, escapist comedy then you will love Red, White and Tuna.  With the gutbusting work of Diaz and Clark-Kaczmarek, the tears will be streaming down your eyes before the night is out.

Red, White and Tuna plays at the Bellevue Little Theatre through June 5.  Performances are Fri-Sat at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2pm.  Tickets cost $18 for adults, $16 for seniors, and $10 for students with proper ID.  Reservations can be made by calling 402-291-1554 between the hours of 10am-4:30pm Mon-Sat.  The Bellevue Little Theatre is located at 203 E Mission Ave in Bellevue, NE.

OCP Holding Auditions for 16-17 Season Openers

Both auditions at Omaha Community Playhouse (6915 Cass St, Omaha, NE)

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

Production Dates: August 19-September 18, 2016
Performs in: Howard Drew Theatre
Director: Ablan Roblin

Synopsis: Based on Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the most beloved stories of all time. In this moving and heartfelt tale, a quiet Southern town is rocked by a crisis of morality. Despite threats to himself and his family, lawyer Atticus Finch defends a black man wrongly accused of a grave crime. With the recent release of Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman, the newly discovered sequel, this is a wonderful opportunity to revisit To Kill a Mockingbird.Winner of 12 Tony Awards. Contains language and situations related to racial tension and mob violence.

Audition Dates: Sunday, June 5 at 7:00 PM and Monday, June 6 at 7:00 PM

Character Descriptions:

Atticus Finch: Quietly impressive, reserved and civilized. Atticus is courageous and just without the heroics or fanfare. Atticus understands people and their needs without judgment or blame. He is a loving father who cares very deeply for his children.
Age Range 40-55

Scout Finch: Courageous, forthright, and curious. If she has a question she will ask, She is a young girl about to experience the events that will shape the rest of her life.
Age range 9-12

Jem Finch: Scout’s older brother, is a thoughtful protective young boy who will also be facing events that shape his life. Jem is reaching out trying to communicate and understand his father and how he relates to the events that effect his family and their town.
Age Range 11-14

Dill (Charles Baker Harris): Friend to Scout and Jem, who is wise beyond his years. Dill possesses a sense of sophistication, curiosity and adventure. His home life lacks and he develops a connection with the Finches.
Age Range 11-13

Calpurnia: Mother figure to Scout and Jem. She is an African American woman who takes care of the children and the Finch household. She is a self educated, proud, disciplined woman who cares very deeply for the Finches, although she may not show it all the time.
Age Range: 30-45

Maudie Atkinson: Neighbor to the Finches. She is a loving, sensitive woman, who possesses wisdom, and a sharp sense of humor. Mrs. Maudie also shares the same sense of moral conviction as Atticus. She exemplifies a sense of the south, and southern women.
Age Range: 40-55

Stephanie Crawford: Neighbor to the Finches. The neighborhood gossip, who takes an enormous amount of pleasure and enthusiasm in stirring things up in a simple humorous way.
Age Range:30-50

Mrs. Dubose: Neighbor to the Finches. She is older and ill and has great difficulty and pain walking. She is bitter and biting and is struggling with an addiction which is revealed later in the play.
Age range: 55-70

Boo Radley (Arthur Radley): Neighbor to the Finches. He has not been out of his house in 15 years and has become the mystery of the town. He has been emotionally damaged by his cruel father but develops a fondness for Jem, Scout and Dill.
Age Range:
30-40

Tom Robinson: A handsome vital African American farm hand who has been accused of raping Mayella Ewell. He is thoughtful and sensitive and maintains a sense of quiet dignity. Although he has a disabled arm he is a strong and able worker.
Age Range: 25-35

Mayella Ewell: The oldest daughter of Bob Ewell. She is the oldest daughter and takes care of her seven younger siblings. Mayella is overworked, lonely and uneducated. She is very poor and desperate for connection and companionship.
Age Range: 19-25

Bob Ewell: The father of Mayella Ewell and seven other children. He is extremely poor, uneducated, bitter and has a drinking problem. He spends his relief checks on alcohol and cares very little about the well being of his eight children.
Age Range 40-50

Heck Tate: The town sheriff, who does his duty as he sees it, but struggles with the events of the play. He believes in protecting the innocent but is reluctant to show it.
Age Range: 35-55

Horace Gilmer: He is the public prosecutor. He can be hurtful and cruel in his cross examination of Tom Robinson, using racial tension as a tactic.
Age Range: 40-50

Judge John Taylor: He is the Judge presiding over the Tom Robinson case. Judge Taylor has done his best in offering a fair trial to Tom by appointing Atticus as his legal counsel. He is evenhanded and objective.
Age Range: 45-60

Reverend Sykes: African American minister of the First Purchase Church. He is a proud concerned preacher who cares deeply about his congregation and the upcoming trial.
Age Range: 30-55

Walter Cunningham: An honest hard-up farmer who has fallen on hard times. He shares the prejudices of this time and place, but can be reached and reasoned with.
Age Range: 35-50

SISTER ACT
Production Dates: September 16-October 16, 2016
Performs in: Hawks Mainstage Theatre
Director: Kimberly Faith Hickman

Synopsis: Broadway’s smash musical comedy Sister Act will make you jump for joy! Based on the 1992 blockbuster movie and featuring original music by eight-time Oscar winner Alan Menken (Beauty and The Beast, The Little Mermaid, Newsies), this uplifting musical is filled with toe-tapping songs, show-stopping dance numbers and a truly touching story. After witnessing her mafia boyfriend commit a crime, night club singer Deloris Van Cartier seeks help from the local police. She is placed in the witness protection program in the last spot her boyfriend would think to find her—a convent! Struggling to fit in with a group of nuns, Deloris finds her calling working with the convent choir. As she helps her fellow sisters find their voices, she unexpectedly rediscovers her own. Nominated for five Tony Awards, Sister Act is a reason to rejoice!

Audition Dates: Monday, June 13 at 7:00 PM and Tuesday, June 14 at 7:00 PM

Character Descriptions:

Seeking an ethnically diverse cast of men and women high school age and up!

Deloris Van Cartier -­ Philadelphia showgirl hiding as a nun after witnessing a murder. Confident, sexy, fantastic singer. Determined, doesn’t take no for an answer, likes to make mischief and have a good time. She’s got the personality of Diana Ross, Tina Turner and Beyonce all rolled into one. (African­American)

Eddie -­ A good guy and cop (who doesn’t carry a gun) in charge of putting Deloris in witness protection. Has had a crush on Deloris since they were in high school which made him sweat a lot. As a result, she nicknamed him “Sweaty Eddie”. Tries really hard to be smooth and macho. He usually fails ­ but there is a knight in shining armor hiding inside.

Curtis -­ Deloris’s criminal boyfriend, also a club owner. Violent, slimy, sleazy and controlling but with a sense of humor. The kind of guy that gives his girlfriend his wife’s coat as a gift.

Joey -­ one of Curtis’s henchmen. Loves his boss. Thinks he’s a ladies man.

TJ -­ one of Curtis’s henchmen and his nephew. “Smart”. Really thinks he’s a ladies man.

Pablo -­ one of Curtis’s henchmen. Speaks Spanish. Is the best at being a ladies man.

Ernie -­ one of Curtis’s henchmen. He’s also an informant to the cops.

Monsignor O’Hara ­- Older, mature, traditional but finds secular music appealing. Is doing his best to keep his church from closing.

Mother Superior ­– Head nun. Older, mature, loves tradition, solid as a rock. Unwavering in her beliefs but has a huge heart. Is doing her best to keep her church from closing.

Sister Mary Robert -­ The youngest of the nuns. Sweet, innocent, not used to standing up for herself. Buried within a mountain of shyness and insecurities is a confident young woman.

Sister Mary Patrick -­ Also one of the youngest. She’s very cheerful! All of the time! A little adventurous, loves music.

Sister Mary Lazarus -­ The current choir director. Queen of sarcasm. Has hidden rap skills.

Sister Mary Martin­-Of­-Tours -­ Older, mature, doesn’t always know what’s going on. Off in her own little world. Has a secret skill of being able to interpret Spanish.

Sister Mary Theresa ­ The oldest nun, but always knows what’s going on and has excellent
hearing.

Michelle -­ Deloris’s back up singer and close friend. Confident, sassy, great singer and dancer. If Deloris is Diana Ross, Michelle is one of the Supremes.

Tina -­ Deloris’s back up singer and close friend. Confident, sassy, follows the rules, great singer and dancer. If Deloris is Diana Ross, Tina is one of the Supremes.

Ensemble: Nuns, Cops, Hookers, Bar Patrons, Waitresses, Pool Player, Drag Queen, Homeless People, Cab Driver, Newscaster, Fantasy Dancers, etc.

What to Bring for Sister Act:

• Please come prepared with 16 bars of music prepared to sing. An accompanist will be provided.

• There will be a dance audition, pleased come dressed ready to move or bring a change of clothes with you. Boots, sandals, flip-flips, slick shoes, etc. should not be worn during the dance audition.

What to Bring for Both Shows:

• You will be asked to fill out an audition form, please have all necessary contact information and personal schedules handy in order to complete the form.

• A recent photo if you have one available. Please note, photos will not be returned.

The Barn Players Present a Night of Sondheim

“SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM”

The Barn Players 61st Anniversary Musical Benefit A Once-In-A Lifetime Theatrical Experience – June 24-25-26

The Barn Players, Kansas City’s largest, oldest and most renowned community theatre, will present a special 61st Anniversary musical benefit fund raiser, presenting three performances of “SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM”, at the Barn Players, 6219 Martway in Mission, Kansas. The annual benefit raises funds for season productions, Barn Junior and Barn Kids activities and for various operational needs. The Barn Players is a 501-3-c, not-for-profit organization and benefit ticket price of $25 is 100% tax deductible.

“SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM” is a very special musical and is hailed as a “funny, affectionate and revealing tribute to musical theatre’s greatest composer Stephen Sondheim”. It contains music and lyrics written by Sondheim from nineteen of his greatest shows, his personal life and his artistic process. The play is hailed as a once-in-a lifetime theatrical experience and is truly one of the most unique productions ever presented on the Barn Players stage; the play is directed by Rick Baumgardner, with musical direction by Roberta Wilkes.

Audience members may also participate in a raffle for items ranging from services, restaurants and events, and enjoy a wine reception following each performance, all included in the ticket price which is 100% tax deductible.

WHAT: The Barn Players 61st Anniversary Musical Benefit “SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM”

WHERE: The Barn Players, 6219 Martway in Mission, KS

DATES: Friday evening, June 24th at 7:30 p.m. – doors open at 6:30

Saturday evening, June 25th at 7:30 p.m. – doors open at 6:30

Sunday afternoon matinee, June 26th at 2:00 p.m. – doors open at 1:00

TICKETS: for all performances are $25.00 each and include the play, the raffle and wine reception and are available on the theatre webpage – www.thebarnplayers.org.

Mannheim Steamroller is Coming for Christmas

MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER CHRISTMAS

By Chip Davis

Orpheum Theater

Thursday and Friday, December 22 and 23, 2016

OMAHA, Neb. (May 17, 2016) – Mannheim Steamroller will present the best the holiday has to offer this season. The group will perform live for two performances only at Omaha’s Orpheum Theater on Thursday and Friday, December 22 and 23 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets go on sale to the general public Monday, July 25 at 10:00 a.m. exclusively through www.TicketOmaha.com, (402) 345-0606, or at the box office located at 13th and Douglas streets. Ticket prices range from $38.25 to $78.25.

This year marks the 32nd anniversary of the Christmas tour and release of Mannheim Steamroller Christmas, an album that revolutionized the holiday season music category.

Grammy Award® winner Chip Davis will direct and co-produce the tour performances with MagicSpace Entertainment. The show features classic Christmas hits from Mannheim Steamroller and dazzling multimedia effects in an intimate setting. The spirit of the season comes alive with the signature sound of Mannheim Steamroller.

In addition to being a holiday tradition for many families, the Mannheim Steamroller Christmas tour regularly attracts repeat attendance from multi-generational guests and is one of the longest running tours in the music industry. This year’s tour includes many of the performances in a PBS special broadcast airing this year, “Mannheim Steamroller 30/40 Live,” featuring the group’s legendary concert.

Mannheim Steamroller has sold more than 40 million albums, 28 million in the Christmas genre. Their holiday albums have become synonymous with Christmas and consistently occupy top spots on Billboard’s Seasonal Charts every year.

With 19 gold, eight multi-platinum and four platinum-certified records, Chip Davis is among an elite group of artists that include U2, Jay-Z, and The Beach Boys with such certifications.

About Chip Davis and Mannheim Steamroller

From his longtime home in Omaha, Neb., Mannheim Steamroller creator Chip Davis makes innovative music inspired by the sounds of another age. This former teacher and jingle writer founded the music industry’s largest independent recording label, American Gramaphone, in 1974 when industry executives said Davis’ innovative 18th century instrumental rock sound would never sell. In addition to a Grammy Award®, Davis is largely credited with establishing the New Age music category. He went on to revolutionize the making and marketing of holiday music. His first Christmas album was released in 1984; the album’s success made Christmas records a “must do” for all music artists. With more than 40 million total records sold including 28 million Christmas albums, Mannheim Steamroller founder Chip Davis is the #1-selling Christmas music artist of all time. Davis, one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the music industry, offers a rich array of lifestyle products on www.mannheimsteamroller.com including hot chocolate, food, apparel and novelty items. His latest achievement is creating a cutting edge psychoacoustic technology that is being used in major medical institutions such as Mayo Clinic.

About MagicSpace Entertainment

Mannheim Steamroller Christmas by Chip Davis is produced by MagicSpace Entertainment. The company is headed by Lee D. Marshall, Joe Marsh, John Ballard, Steve Boulay, and Bruce Granath and has been producing and presenting national tours, Broadway shows, concerts and museum exhibits worldwide for over 30 years. Consistently one of the top promoters in North America, MagicSpace Entertainment typically produces and presents more than 250 events in 75 cities per year. They have offices in Park City and Salt Lake City, UT. www.magicspace.net

On With the Show

River City Mixed Chorus concert to extol the resilient human spirit

“On With the Show” to be held 7 p.m. on June 18

Omaha, Neb.- The River City Mixed Chorus will present “On With the Show,” a concert featuring modern pop and Broadway hits on Saturday, June 18, 7 p.m. at the Holland Performing Arts Center. This is the chorus’s second performance at the center, following their successful debut there in 2015.

The concert will be a celebration of perseverance in spite of setbacks and challenges, according to Dr. Barron Breland, RCMC artistic director.

“As performers, we know that sometimes things go wrong,” he said. “The spirit that the show must go on regardless is a parallel to the same resiliency in the movement for equality and social justice. Whenever we get knocked down or encounter setbacks in our quest for a better community or in our own personal journey, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and keep pressing forward. What hope there is in knowing that we have these reserves of determination and toughness within us!”

Songs include the upbeat “Come So Far (Got So Far To Go)” from “Hairspray,” the inspirational “The Impossible Dream” from “The Man of LaMancha,” and the unfaltering “You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me” from “Burlesque,” plus a dozen other pop and Broadway hits.

The River City Mixed Chorus is in its 32st season and includes nearly 100 singers. RCMC is one of the longest-running gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and ally (GLBTA) mixed choruses in the United States. In July, the chorus will participate in the GALA (Gay and Lesbian Association) Festival in Denver with thousands of singers from across the United States and around the world.

Reserved seating starts at $25 and can be purchased through TicketOmaha.com or by calling the Ticket Omaha box office at 402-345-0606.

For more information about the River City Mixed Chorus, including future performances, visit www.RCMC.org.

Midtown Crossing Tunes up for Jazz on the Green

OMAHA, NEB. – (May 11, 2016) – Omaha Performing Arts kicks off a cool summer as it again presents Jazz on the Green at Midtown Crossing. The free outdoor concert series runs six consecutive Thursdays, from July 7 to August 11, 2016, in Turner Park at Midtown Crossing. Concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. on the permanent stage of The Pavilion at Turner Park. The lawn is open beginning at 5:00 p.m. every Thursday. This is the sixth year Omaha Performing Arts has presented the popular series, sponsored this year by Mutual of Omaha.

Omaha Performing Arts has partnered with the Blues Society of Omaha and Omaha Ballroom to present free pre-show entertainment. A band from the Blues Society of Omaha’s non-profit youth artist development program, BluesEd, will perform before the start of three Jazz on the Green performances. An instructor from Omaha Ballroom will lead a pre-show dance lesson at two of the performances. Instructors at Omaha Ballroom, under the direction of Elizabeth Edwards, have been teaching dance for more than a decade. The August 11 pre-show entertainment will be the Brownell -Talbot School’s Raider-Blues Jazz Combo. This year’s Jazz on the Green will feature the following groups:

Blue House with the Rent to Own Horns opens this season’s Jazz on the Green, Thursday, July 7. Members of the band have performed with musicians and groups from Ray Charles to Maroon Five. From a twist of blues to powerful horn interludes this group separates itself from other blues bands. Pre-show entertainment from BluesEd is by their “Us & Them Blues Band.” The July 7 concert is sponsored by Mutual of Omaha.

Esencia Latina will perform July 14. There are twelve musicians and vocalists who form the core group of this Omaha-based band. Their mission is to share Salsa and other Latin music with Omaha, the Midwest and beyond. Pre-show Salsa Lessons will be taught by Omaha Ballroom. This week’s concert is sponsored by Fran and Rich Juro.

July 21 Cha Wa will perform. This New Orleans-based band is known for its red-hot combination of two of that city’s best traditions, Mardi Gras Indians and street level funk music.

BluesEd presents “Dilemma” as the pre-show entertainment.

Billy McGuigan and the Omaha Big Band perform Thursday, July 28. This popular performer, the creator of three international touring shows including Rave On!, Yesterday and Today and Rock Legends, brings the big band sound to Jazz on the Green. Swing Dance lessons will be available from Omaha Ballroom during the pre-show. This concert is sponsored by Beardmore Subaru.

The August 4 Davina and the Vagabonds performance will feature musical influences ranging from Fats Domino and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band to Aretha Franklin and Tom Waits. The show will be filled with New Orleans charm and Memphis soul swagger. BluesEd will present “Voodoo Vinyl” as pre-show entertainment. This concert is sponsored by C & A Industries, Inc.

The final Jazz on the Green concert is Saxophone Superstar Kim Waters, Thursday, August 11. This creative musician-composer-record producer has had 16 Top 10 and 14 #1 singles, 4 #1 CDs in his 25-year career of distinctive, soul-imbued melodies and seductive grooves. Brownell -Talbot School’s Raider-Blues Jazz Combo will provide the pre-show entertainment. This concert is sponsored by Nebraska Medicine.

All Jazz on the Green at Midtown Crossing concerts are free to the public, with no reservations or tickets needed. Seating in the center bowl of Turner Park, the grassy circular area with a direct view of the stage, will be permitted at 5:00 p.m., though the green spaces outside the bowl will be available before 5. Pre-show entertainment begins at 6:30 p.m. and the headlining performance starts at 7:30 p.m. Midtown Crossing offers convenient and secure parking for more than 3,000 vehicles. Two parking garages are easily accessible from 33rd, Farnam and Harney streets. In both garages, the first three hours are free, and visitors pay only $1 for each hour thereafter.

For the convenience of concert attendees, Midtown Crossing restaurants will be set up in Turner Park, selling grilled fare, concessions and beverages each week.

The sponsor for Omaha Performing Arts presents Jazz on the Green at MidtownCrossing is Mutual of Omaha. Individual concert sponsors are Beardmore Subaru, C&A Industries, Inc., Fran and Rich Juro, Mutual of Omaha and Nebraska Medicine. Media sponsors for this year’s series are the KETV, KIOS and Omaha World-Herald. For more information about the series and the artists, visit JazzOnTheGreenOmaha.com.