Community Arts » community arts theatre

Good locations to start a new theatre company?

admin — Wed, 16 May 2012 22:10:49 +0000

Hello evreyone, was looking for advice on a good place within the UK to start a new theatre company – in terms of competition, how well theatre is received in the community, people to collaborate with and generally what the theatre/performing arts scene is like etc. We currently reside in Cornwall and this seems to be a good place as their is little theatre around (so less competititon) and the arts are well received. We also had Bristol in mind as there is alot going on, alot of interesting and skilled people to collaborate with and a change of scene could do us well. Any advice on this would be great.

Thanks, Jimmy

Well many people from my drama degree set up companies after leaving. The degree was based in Hull and I know that there were ones set up in Hull, Leeds and Sheffield. All of which have gone on to have successful shows (rash dash, awkward cough and middle child are their names if you are interested) there is some competition but the arts have a good base in those cities.

Musical theatre question/collage question!?

admin — Thu, 10 May 2012 18:18:34 +0000

So I am an actress and singer but I have a question about the future. So My parents don’t want me to be a stage actress, and I mean yeah I know it’s extrememly difficult to make it. So I want to be an archaeologist, but I want to get a feel for the stage on a bigger scale. I am currently taking voice lessons, and have been for a year now, and I am just starting to audition for community theatre(my highschool theatre is out of the question do to schedualing) I’ve only been in one musical when I was little, but have been performing in plays and singing in shows my entire life. So I was wondering, what collages could I go to that have normal majors and courses(so that i can still work on being an archaeologist) but have a good performing arts program so that I can take some classes and perform in collage(for fun mostly). I was thinking about NYU? Because I know that it has an archaeology program and a performing arts program, but I was wondering how that would work for me? If I went to NYU could I still take courses to major in Archaeology, but also take some musical theatre courses, and do soem musicals? And lets say I fell absolutely in love with the stage(i already do love it, im being hypothetical) and i wanted to audition for some off broadway and broadway shows(assume i have an agent) while im attending NYU, would it be possible? and I’d still be working to be an archaeologist and taking the theatre courses, so that way, lets say, I got a big role on a broadway show then I could just be an actress, but if I couldn’t, I could just stick to being an archaeologist. So my overall question is, Could I attend NYU planning to major in archaeology and just taking some musical theatre courses for fun, could i also audition for broadway and off broadway shows, and do all of this at the same time? Would it be possible? ( and believe me I know how hard making it on broadway is and yatta yatta yatta, like i said, I’m just curious, I don’t think id actually plan to do this)
Thankyou!

It sounds to me that you’ve thought this over quite a lot, I myself am doing an Archaeology degree and am in the Creative Writing Society at York UK; I LOVE Archaeology but I LOVE writing too

How can I get involved in Chicago theatre?

admin — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 08:23:09 +0000

I just moved to the Loop in Chicago for school. Last May, I graduated from a creative and performing arts high school with my main focuses being instrumental music and theatre. While there, I interned in the school’s theatre department and was a teacher’s assistant for a theatre class and a music class. I student directed, production managed, ran props and costumes, and acted. I’m fairly well rounded in most aspects of theatre, but right now, my life is totally lacking in all things theatrical. I’ve been looking high and low, but I can’t seem to find any community theatre companies or theatre jobs/internships in the area. I’m an English major, and my school’s theatre program is a conservatory, so I’m not allowed to audition for any of the shows there. Does anyone know if there’s anywhere in Chicago I can get back into theatre?

look in the phone book under community theater. their usually open calls. you will need to keep checking back with the theaters to see when things are coming up you can do.

Musical Theatre dilemma! HELP.?

admin — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 01:14:14 +0000

To make a long story short:

-I’m 14. My dream school is NYU: Tisch. I want to be a musical theatre major.
-I go to a governor’s school for the performing arts. I’m a musical theatre major, but it feels like the classes aren’t challenging enough and I need to get private lessons.
-I’ve been taking voice lessons for 4 years, but I want to improve on my acting and dancing as well.
-I want to take private theatre and dance classes, BUT because of time and money I can only take theatre or dance classes along w/ voice lessons.

What should I do!?!?

Can I perfect my technique(s) in all 3 categories when I turn 17 and college audition time comes!

AND on top of all of that I’m not even sure if I can take dance or acting classes BECAUSE I have rehearsals after school often for community theatre productions. I’m trying to get as much experience as I can get to build up my resumé.

Well, keep in mind you do have an awful lot of time. And it actually seems like so far you’re doing what you’re supposed to. Community Theater and School productions are a great way to build your resume. And both of them typically have people who either themselves can train or know somebody that can give private lessons. Ask your drama teacher or somebody in your community theater if they or somebody they know is willing to give you lessons for a reasonable price! And, 3 years is a lot of time! This may sound silly to you now, but in 3 years you may have found a different school from NYU; and if you don’t, you don’t. But always keep your options, and eyes and ears open.
Break a Leg!

Musical theatre dilemma! Please HELP!?

admin — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 18:12:09 +0000

My dream schools:
-NYU: Tisch. I want to be a Musical Theatre major.
-Carnegie Mellon. Musical Theatre.
-Julliard. Theatre.

Good things going for me:
-I got cast as the lead in a community theatre play (staged reading..its only running for 2 shows though) and I’m a main supporting character in this other community theatre play.
-I go to a Governor’ School for the performing arts. I’m a musical theatre major and they offer classes in theatre, dance, and voice which I am taking right now.

Obstacles in way:
-Dance classes at school are not enough for me, because I’m a bad dancer and need A LOT of help in technique.
-I need to work on perfecting my singing and esp. belting. I’ve been taking voice lessons for 4 years.
-I need more acting experience. Other than school, I’ve had no outside acting classes before.

The problem is…if I want to perfect all 3 (singing, dance, acting) it will cost A LOT of $ to take classes outside of school. I already take voice lessons outside of school. They cost $40 an hour.

Remember my I have limited time so I can’t take classes in all 3 areas AND my family can’t pay for outside classes in all 3 areas. :/

So should I work on my acting or dance (along with voice lessons that I am already having) and how can I juggle all of this around so I can be good at all three by senior year? Can I even perfect all 3 by the time I am 17 for college auditions?

I am 14 btw. A freshman in high school.
***I can’t take classes in all 3 (dance, theatre, voice) AT THE SAME TIME.

Hmmm. Maybe I could spend 4 months on each every year…?

Dance training should be continuous. if you stop you wont keep your muscles in shape. You should know that if you cannot afford all these lessons that they are a drop in the bucket compared to what Tisch costs per year. NYU is about the most expensive school in the USA and Tisch is the most expensive college within NYU. Other than what you get from FICA, don’t count on any merit scholarships. They don’t have much to give and those tend to go to the boys because more girls apply and they need men.
Vocal lessons can be one day a week and you can practice at home. Dance you need classes daily to really improve. You don’t need privates like you do for voice. You can’t really do this at home, because you need a teacher’s eye for corrections and you need to dance on a sprung or floating dance floor and you wont have that at home. You might be able to get away with 3 or 4 days a week but 5 would be best and you need ballet to get strong for other types of dance. Acting classes too should be daily. But you could do less of these and work on it at home. Only dance can’t be handled that way and you need classes and lots of them.
Perhaps you could try the High School summer Musical Theater program at Tisch. You are too late for this year, but maybe for next summer. They prefer to take juniors anyway but they do take some sophomores. http://specialprograms.tisch.nyu.edu/page/hsStudents.html

I can’t help with Carnegie Mellon and I can see you already know that Juilliard does not have a MT department. You should also know that they only take 18 drama students into the freshman class out of the countless number who apply. Many who get in already have worked professionally.

Will a double major in theatre and another form of art work out?

admin — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 04:15:30 +0000

I am at University of North Texas currently as a sophmore with a major in Art-Undecided. Since recently, a good friend of mine who lives in England, passed his grade 8 Exam, and currently is at 2 Am-Drama theatres performing as the Phantom as well as Jekyll, has told me that I have a good voice and could probably make it as an actress if I desire. I have been singing all my life, I sang solos all the way through middle school and was runner-up for a position in my high school jazz choir. The problem has always been that my voice is very quiet, but since I have been practicing on my own I have become more confident and found that my head voice is naturally very loud, as I have always been a first soprano. Unfortunately, my background isnt as good with theatre. In middle school, theatre was defined as writing papers over movies and fooling around, never really getting up on stage. In my junior year of high school, I tried again and found that I love acting. I also was a costume designer for the production of Beauty and the Beast, and recieved the Betty Buckley Award. However, my acting never really left the practice room, I’ve never done a performance in front of a big audience.
So I am trying to make ends meet by getting a degree that will get me a decent job in the future, but I also would like to pursue my dream of acting. I would like to know if possible if there are some tips that could help me out. Im already looking for a possible vocal coach, watching community theatre audition posts regularly, and looking out for an acting school. Any advice on this would also be extremely helpful.
Thanks so much.

I have an arts degree in Theatre and would recommend if you want to double major to choose something non-art related. A few of my friends double majored and it was an overall advantage to them.

Choose anything else you are interested in, outside of arts, and if you have no idea, go with Business. Is is called the entertainment BUSINESS, and having this degree will be very beneficial to your career in acting, or if you had to get a "meanwhile job."

And if you choose not to get a theatre degree, you can still audition for the school’s productions and take a few of the classes. I highly recommend taking at least one class focused solely on Improvisation…it will drastically help any performer become more confident. You can also get together with friends and start your own rehearsal group where you do script readings, monologues, songs, etc. with each other once a week.

This is my advice, hope it helps!

I have a job interview tomorrow as a Box Office Assistant at a small village theatre….?

admin — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 03:22:38 +0000

I have a job interview tomorrow as a Box Office Assistant at a small village theatre, where they put on diferent shows comedy, theatre etc, as well as cinema listings…

Questions I will get asked will be Receptionist based questions, Community based questions (as it is a small close knit village) and Arts based questions…any ideas on what type of questions I will be asked?

I’ve done that kind of work as a volunteer.

As a Box Office Assistant you will be handling telephone calls, people will ask what show is playing, its play dates and times.

People will call in to make reservations, and you will have to take their name and phone number and credit card number and assign them a seat (if that is how the theatre is organized). People will call and cancel reservations and you will have to also document that and reschedule or issue a refund.

Before the show date people might show up to get their physical tickets so they will have them when they arrive and will not have to stand in line. An hour or so before the show when the theatre opens for seating, people will be arriving and you will have to hand out tickets, and also sell tickets, charging them to credit cards or collecting cash.

As for Arts questions, heck if I know. The theatre has a wide range of play topics and a wide range of audience types. Some people don’t like drama, some don’t like comedy. Some don’t like religious topics, some don’t like political topics, some don’t like sex topics.

As for Community questions, heck if I know. Mostly they will talk with you to see if your personality is a good fit for the theatre. People who are Type A aggressive, hard-charging, probably won’t fit into a community theatre, nor will braggarts or people with a political or religious grudge. As the theatre might often deal with touchy subjects, you have to be able to be neutral if a customer starts ranting or raving about the inappropriateness of the play, etc. and still maintain your sanity.

is volunteering at a theatre a good way to meet people?

admin — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 14:57:10 +0000

i just graduated college, so i have lots of free time now, so i am interested in getting involved in the arts. i dont have experience but i think it might be fun and a good way to meet people.

i prefer to find an acting position at a community theatre, but volunteering would suffice, since i have no theatre experience

i am very shy and am desperately trying to get over my shyness. i am in the working world now and i think it is about time i got over my shyness

how old are the other people i’ll meet there? i strongly prefer to meet people close to my age group (i’m 22 years old)

Yes very much so!
I’m in theatre and it’s a lovely way to met people!!!

Answer???

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090720230508AAX1zvN

Cats – Macavity Fight

admin — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 15:59:06 +0000

Vive Les Arts Theatre in Killeen, TX
www.vlatheatre.com

September 2008 – Macavity returns disguised as Old Deuteronomy. When revealed by Demeter, he fights with Munkustrap and the other Jellicles.

Macavity – Matiwane Matthews
Munkustrap – Dylan Hall
Demeter – April Hayes
Alonzo – Kevin Trippe

Artistic Director – Eric Shephard
Music Director – Elaine Garcia
Choreographer – Ashlee Jones
Costumes – Erin Shephard

Duration : 0:2:8

[youtube uWcbdqyssZU]

Blowing Rock NC Theater History – Producer Director Mark Wilson with Tim Baxter – Summer Season 1994

admin — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 00:02:02 +0000

THEATER HISTORY: The original Blowing Rock Stage Company Founder and Theatre Producer-Director Mark Wilson is interviewed by veteran broadcast personality Tim Baxter. Wilson brought the visionary proposal to start a new tradition of theatre excellence to the town of Blowing Rock, North Carolina in 1986 – a bold professional model in the tradition of Flat Rock Playhouse and the Barter Theatre.

In this video, Mark’s outlines in 90 focused seconds the dynamics of targeting the audience, making the mission clear and important personally for the viewer, and providing direction for Blowing Rock theater’s meteoric success. His infectious enthusiasm and authoritative positivity was credible and sincere. (But what was he thinking with that “mullet” hair back in ’94? …Cue the old Magnum PI theme song!)

Mark was a powerful promoter, communicator, salesman, educator and motivator. He articulated the mission of the theater in a manner inclusive of rich and poor, residents and tourists, those who sought art and those seeking just an occasional good-time entertainment. He mobilized the Town of Blowing Rock and appealed to the greater Watauga County and Blue Ridge region, embracing and giving ownership to the community at large.

Under Mark’s artistic direction and fiscal leadership, the theater proceeded to sell out 6 consecutive seasons, establishing the first union professional theater in northwest North Carolina, rapidly growing a reputation for the newest, best and newly-developing shows, Off-Broadway style. By 1989, Wilson was appealing to his audiences in his popular nightly curtain speeches the instability and at-risk community status of being an orphaned company as temporary summer theatre residents of Blowing Rock’s school auditorium.

From the first season in 1986, Mark understood that casting professional actors made the difference in his success. These artists made a full-time career commitment to perfecting their work. They were not locals, students, academics or marginally talented entertainers, and the Blowing Rock audiences appreciated and embraced this bold initiative for distinctive excellence. In fact, audiences expected it.

“We understand where you’re headed – stay on track and we will support this,” said one committed patron during the inaugural 1986 run. “We have plenty of community and college theatre choices here already.”

Within three years, Mark adopted a union contract, gaining access to the nation’s greatest resource of top-level professional talent, bringing a meager but dignified personnel wage, and more importantly: retirement and health benefits to adult professionals. Within the the theater’s first decade, Blowing Rock summer theatre became a reputable and cherished destination in the New York professional network.

The Blowing Rock Stage Company produced 24 consecutive seasons, establishing the regional standard for professional excellence AND providing the seminal inspiration for Blowing Rock North Carolina’s lavish permanent performing arts center.

Tim Baxter, veteran broadcaster and local personality, conducted this 15 year old VHS interview for local cable promotion. He was easy-going, and easy to talk to, bringing the best out of his varied community guests, and he was a generous promoter of all community events.

Tim was an enthusiastic supporter of this theater, and a driving force for the broader tourism economy of Boone, Banner Elk and Blowing Rock. He was a huge factor in bringing community information to the year-round residents of the region, and a vital force in making the Blowing Rock theater project a success.

Tim remains an asset in the hearts of the Boone Blue Ridge Mountain community today with Baxter Mountain Properties. http://baxtermountainproperties.com

Duration : 0:1:40

[youtube r-U1-p3BTf0]