Canyon Theatre Spotlight

Transcription

1 January - February 2011 Canyon Theatre Spotlight The Mission of the Canyon Theatre Guild is to make the world a better place by entertaining, educating, enlightening, and enriching our community through quality live theatre. The Candyman is Here! Many of you will remember the movie Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory that starred Gene Wilder and featured such songs as The Candy Man and Pure Imagination. Well, Roald Dahl s story of the world-famous candy man and his quest to find an heir, is live, on stage, in the Canyon Theatre Guild s production of Willy Wonka which features not only the songs from the original movie, but several new ones as well. The imaginative set was designed by John Alexopoulos, Frank Rock, and Doug Holiday, with gadgets and special effects that will enchant all ages. Under the direction of Patti Finley, the talented cast brings to life all the famous characters from the movie. Tim McGowan plays Willy Wonka, the famous, eccentric, and whimsical candy wizard, who welcomes us into his world of amazing sweets. He announces, to his Oompa-Loompa workers that he is planning to retire. His search for an heir to run the chocolate factory will begin with a contest. Five candy bars will contain Golden Tickets and the five lucky winners will be treated to a once in a lifetime offer: a tour of the chocolate factory and a lifetime supply of chocolate! Of course, children all over the world are in a frenzy to find those Golden Tickets! Poor Charlie Bucket (Dylan Harris), who lives with his impoverished parents and grandparents, doesn t have the money to buy candy bars, so he resigns himself to never seeing the inside of the magical chocolate factory. However, Charlie keeps a positive attitude, eventually finds a ticket (thanks to a bit of magic and good luck), and has his chance to tour the factory, bringing Grandpa Joe (Randy Aronson) along as his chaperone. Charlie and the other ticket holders do get a tour of the chocolate factory that none of them will ever forget. Issue No. 4, Season The cast includes John Morris as the Candyman, Patrick McKenna as Phineous Trout, Carla Bambo and Jim Crawford as Mr. and Mrs. Bucket, Keri Pierson, Marla Khayat and Jim McGowan as Charlie s grandparents, Eric Osovsky as Augustus Gloop and Jean Paletz as his mother, Fiona Perra as Veruca, and Greg Snyder as her father, Sebastian Tripp as Mike Teavee, with Lydia Saxton as his mother, and Emma Howard as Violet and Janice Wald as her mother. Katie Jurkowski understudies Veruca and Violet. Others in the cast are Dylan Perry, Cambria Jenkins, Caroline O Brien, Taylor Lane, Daniel Hart, Tyler Allen, Marcum Reyes, and Sarah Rudd. Lydia Botello, Emma Cook, Savannah Schultz, Luke Crawford, Brennah Reyes and Matthew Villar play the Oompa-Loompas. Cheri Bradford is Assistant Director and Jim Robinson is the stage manager. Jamie Aronson is Assistant Stage Manager, Janet McAnany is designing the costumes (with an assist from Theresa Cook), Tim Christianson is lighting designer (with Curtis Crawford assisting), Claudia Alexopoulos is the set decorator. Greg Finley and John Morris are co-vocal directors and sound designers. For a fanciful musical adventure that s just right for the whole family, you won t want to miss Willy Wonka. Performances are Saturday evenings at 8pm on January 29, February 5, 12, 19, and 26th. Saturday and Sunday matinees are at 2pm on January 30, Feb. 6, 13, 19, 20, 26, and 27th. There is one Friday evening performance on Feb. 25 at 8pm. Ticket prices are $15-$17 for adults and $12-$15 for Juniors/Seniors (under 18/over 62). Call the box office for reservations at

2 Page 2 Artistic Impressions TimBen Boydston Executive Director of the CTG, Artistic Director As we begin a new year on the calendar, it is time to take stock and look at our organization in light of the dawning I am both hopeful and optimistic as we began this New Year. The worst economy in 50 years has certainly affected us. As disposable income has dried up for many of our theatergoers, we have seen a negative effect on our box office. Since the majority of our revenue is earned income, we have been forced to make cuts and to do more with less. Many thanks to our Board of Directors for allowing me the freedom to make the hard decisions - and to make them quickly. We did not even wait until the end of the first year of the recession and make the necessary decisions. We cut budgets within a few months of the economy s slide. This fast action assured that we remained on solid financial footing. We own Reservation Reminders Reservations need to be made at least TWO WEEKS in advance to ensure preferred seating. The more people in your party, the sooner you need to call us. The box office is open Tuesday through Thursday from 11a m to 6p m, and Friday through Sunday from noon to 7p m. You may either phone or come by in person. REMEMBER TO RESERVE EARLY! January - February 2011 our property. We have solid cash reserves. And we have the best people in the Business (on stage, off stage, and in the office)! We are making plans for our future because we have a bright one. We have watched with sadness as great Arts Organizations like The Santa Clarita Symphony and the Pasadena Playhouse stopped producing. We on the other hand have had the joy of celebrating our 40th anniversary of producing great live theatre. We have much to be thankful for. I would like to thank you our audience, you our volunteers, you our corporate and business supporters, you our fellow artists, you our Board Members, and you fellow staff members. Thank you. You are wonderful. We are going to have a great I look forward to seeing you at the Theatre! Important Parking News! The parking lot on the corner of 6th and Main is no longer available for public parking, but there are plenty of spaces available just behind the theatre in the Metrolink Station. After (carefully) crossing Railroad Avenue, you can walk through our parking lot and lovely patio to get to the theatre. Demand for Seats is High Due to the increased popularity of our shows, PLEASE call and cancel if you are unable to use your reservations so we can release your tickets to others who d like to see the show! THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH! Issue No. 4, Season Youth Workshop Updates Patti Finley Assistant Director of the CTG, Artistic Director of the Family Season Did you know that children who participate in our workshops do better at our main stage auditions? Did you know that being part of our workshops has helped children develop not only their social skills, but also their reading skills? There s a reason why so many workshop participants come back semester after semester they enjoy themselves! And they learn a lot! The CTG has been offering youth workshops for twelve years, and our program has grown from one summer session each year to 10 workshop sessions each year. Our student participation has grown from 30 children to over 250 children each year! We are proud to have been an influence in the lives of so many young people. This is due in no small part to the quality of instruction our students receive. Our class sizes are strictly limited so that each child can receive the attention and direction he/she needs to have the confidence to perform before an audience. Our instructors are dedicated, committed professionals who have either had extensive experience in live theatre performance and/or years of professional teaching experience. Your child couldn t be in better hands! In addition to instruction in theatre terminology, stage techniques, voice production, choreography and/or body techniques, students learn how to work as a member of a team, how (See Workshop Updates,, page 3)

3 Issue No. 4, Season January - February 2011 (...Workshop Updates, from page 2) to make new friends, and how to follow instructions. The confidence they gain during our workshops will help them in future public speaking and oral presentations, and even in future job interviews! Our spring workshop semester has just begun and we re very excited about them. The Adventures in Theatre daytime workshop for home schooled children has 26 children enrolled, and 16 of those students have been through at least one of our workshops before! They will be presenting The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in March. The After School workshop has 25 children participating and many of them are also repeat participants. Their group will be presenting the musical, Once Upon a Leprechaun. With so many students eager to come back time and time again, we must be doing something right! So, if your child or someone you know has expressed the desire to perform on stage, be sure you keep an eye out for news of our Summer Youth Workshops so they won t be left out! If you d like more information on upcoming classes, check our website, and click on Education. Or, you can call Patti at with your questions. Give your child the gift of live theatre you ll be glad you did. Feb. 7 Feb 27 Mar. 12 Mar. 20 Save these Dates! Board Meeting, 7pm Willie Wonka Closes Sunday at 2pm CHICAGO Opens at COC Saturday at 8pm CHICAGO Closes at COC Sunday at 2pm President s Message Jeff Johnson President of the CTG Board of Directors Have you ever sat in our theatre and thought I have a great idea that would be a benefit to the CTG but I m not sure what to do about it, or maybe felt like you had a good idea but thought If it ain t broke don t fix it. Who am I to suggest change to a successful organization? We ve all found ourselves not speaking up about a great idea because of this, or simply because we don t want to feel presumptuous. The truth of the matter is that no business or organization can afford to ignore good ideas whether something is broke or not. A strong organization like ours thrives because it is forward thinking, it must be looking to improve or evolve before an urgent need to do so arises. If an organization waited for something to be broke before worrying about fixing it we may find that the damage runs too deep to make a quick fix. With regards to our organization we rely heavily on fundraising and volunteer efforts, if we waited until our funds had run dry or all of our volunteers vanished to replenish those efforts we would be in serious trouble. The same logic is true for fresh ideas. We do not wait to see a problem in order to be forward thinking, creative and innovative in the ways that we do things. A good organization that grows and evolves in the face of a changing marketplace and economy is one that welcomes fresh ideas and input; it never rests on the glory of past success but strives to improve at every turn. Not every fund rais- Page 3 ing idea will be a home run, but it s important to try new things. We ve tried several new ideas this past year all with varying degrees of success, but all worth doing. If you have ideas, if you ve been involved with other successful fundraisers elsewhere and have a desire to help please don t be shy about talking to us about it. This also holds true if you see something that you feel could be improved, and you have an idea of how to do that. If you re reading this newsletter then you care about the CTG in some way and your input is valuable. I personally am grateful for what each of you brings to our theatre, whether it be as a patron who loves to see the art of what is on the stage, a set builder, an actor, a light or sound technician, a stage manager etc, etc. What each of you brings to the equation is what makes the CTG a place that people want to be. We are profoundly fortunate to have a wonderful home for the arts like the CTG in our community and I hope that you will each take the time to spread the word to others who may not know we are here or who just haven t taken the time to get to know us yet. I have thoroughly enjoyed the individual conversations with so many of you who have taken the time to tell me what you think of the work that the CTG does, I look forward to many more of these conversations and getting to know all of the wonderful people who make this place great. Here s hoping I ll see you at an upcoming performance of Willy Wonka, Little Women, or Social Security, all are fun scripts with incredibly talented and dedicated artists working to bring them to life. See you at your Canyon Theatre Guild! Sincerely, Jeff Johnson

4 Page 4 Please Ask the City for HELP! The City of Santa Clarita used to rent the parking lot across from the Canyon Theatre Guild. If you would like that parking lot to be available to you once more, please ask the City to rent that space again. It is not only convenient for patrons of the CTG, but also for the other shops along Main Street. Please take a moment and write to the City Council asking them to once again rent that lot to help make parking available for downtown Newhall. If you don t have the time, or aren t sure what to say in a letter, we have sample letters available for you at the box office. You can just come in and sign one and we will mail it for you. Thank you for your help. TANGO TIME AT THE January - February 2011 CHICAGO Here for Limited Run The hit Broadway musical CHICAGO has everything that makes Broadway great: a universal tale of fame, fortune and all that jazz; one show-stopping song after another; and the most astonishing dancing you ve ever seen. And it s all here in Santa Clarita for only five performances! You won t want to miss this amazing production! No wonder CHICAGO has been honored with 6 Tony Awards, 2 Olivier Awards, a Grammy and thousands of standing ovations. It s also no surprise that CHICAGO has wowed audiences all around the world, from Mexico City to Moscow, from Sao Paulo to South Africa, and now Santa Clarita. CHICAGO is set in Prohibitionera Chicago, with music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse, who also choreographed the original production. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and the concept of the celebrity criminals, all of which is based on actual criminals and crimes. Whether you re looking to see your first Broadway musical, whether you ve seen the Academy Award -winning film and want to experience the show live on stage or whether you ve seen the show before and want to recapture the magic, CHICAGO always delivers. Director Leslie Berra said, Our production is based on the 1996 Broadway Revival, a slick, fastpaced, scaled-down vaudeville style show. If you re a fan of the Issue No. 4, Season movie, all the characters and songs you love will be there however; the presentation will be much different and there are a few minor plot points that were added to the film that don t exist in this stage version. CHICAGO is presented by the Santa Clarita Regional Theatre at the Performing Arts Center at College of the Canyons, and is under the direction of Leslie Berra, with choreography by Nancy Alterman. Performances are on Saturday, March 12 and 20 at 8pm, and at 2pm on March 13, 19, and 20. Ticket prices range from $12 - $29, depending on seat location and Senior discounts. The show is not recommended for young audiences. Tickets are now on sale. Call the box office at W ILLIE WONKA OPENING

5 Issue No. 4, Season January - February 2011 Dancing with Our Stars 2011 Get out your dancin shoes because the Dancing With Our Stars event is back and the CTG is hoping you ll vote for our Dancing Stars Roxie Ramey (affiliated with Prudential California Realty) and our very own Shannon Michael Gallagher. Dance Studio 84 is the choreographer, and this dance is sure to bring Disco back! Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 2, and save the date. It will be yet another spectacular event where the stars and the pros will shimmy the shake the night away. Raising nearly $80,000 in its inaugural year to a sold out crowd, last year s Dancing With Our Stars raised even more over $200,000 for our non-profit organizations! YOU can help raise money for the Canyon Theatre Guild by voting for our team. Page 5 Votes are $25 each, and the duo who raises the most will be the winner! Any money raised by voting for our dancers will go directly to the CTG so call the box office now and vote! Vote early and vote often every $25 vote will help! The Magazine of Santa Clarita, élite Magazine and Bellasport are pleased to bring back Dancing With Our Stars, set to take place at the beautiful Odyssey Restaurant in Granada Hills. See the stars shine as they pair up with professional dancers all to raise money for our local nonprofit organizations. The dancing duos will compete against each other for top prize. Who will raise the money and get the most votes? You decide. Call now: CTG Board of Directo r s President... Jeff Johnson 1st Vice President...Leslie Berra 2nd Vice President... Frank Rock Secretary...Wade Bradford Treasurer...John Morris Members-At-Large:...Tim Christianson... Claudia Alexopoulos... Marla Khayat...Michael Keane... Andy Fried Other People You Should Know Executive Director & Artistic Director of the Playhouse Season..TimBen Boydston Assistant Director & Artistic Director of the Family Season...Patti Finley Newsletter Editor...David Barsky The Arts in Santa Clarita If you would like more information on what s going on in the world of the Arts in Santa Clarita, put your name on the City s enotify list. Just go to and click on Arts & Events Footloose Auditions In the CTG Studio adjacent to the Theatre Saturday, March 5, 10am-4pm Sunday, March 6, Noon-4pm Callbacks Sunday night at 7pm Directed by Leslie Berra, Choreographed by Rena Bailey Barrett Opens May 21 and runs weekends through June This is a large-cast musical. Roles vary in age. There are no roles for children. Must be able to play high-school age and up. Several featured middle-aged roles for both males and females. Please come prepared to sing approximately one minute of a Broadway show tune (more current pop/rock style is preferred). Bring an instrumental accompaniment (karaoke) CD as there WILL NOT be a pianist at the auditions. No a capella singing will be allowed. Dress comfortably for a dance audition. Cold reading from the script at callbacks only. This is FOOTLOOSE THE MUSICAL, the stage version of the movie. Questions? Contact the director, Leslie Berra at L.Berra@att.net.

6 Page 6 Spotlight on Jim and Pat Robinson If you have ever volunteered to help build and paint sets, there is a very good chance you have seen Jim and Pat Robinson working their magic. Jim and Pat have been two of the most productive and inspiring members of the Canyon Theater Guild for almost fifteen years. I asked Jim how they met, wondering if it was love at first sight. Jim told me that when he first met Pat she was working under the hood of a car. They said hello to each other, and then a year passed before they saw each other again! The timing was right the second time around, though. They were both getting over a break up, and it wasn t long before they became engaged. They married in 1972, during Jim s 20-year military career in the Marines. While they raised a family, Jim recalled how much he enjoyed his theater experience during his high school days. However, Jim didn t want to get involved again, because he thought he would become too immersed in the theater. Fortunately, after the kids had grown-up, Pat convinced him to audition for CTG s 1998 production of The Wizard of Oz. Not only did Jim get a part, he found he wasn t just interested in acting on stage. He wanted to contribute to every aspect of the theatre. He showed up with his tool belt, hammer, and nails ready to build. Ever since then, Jim Robinson has helped build sets, stage managed large January - February 2011 cast musicals, and acted in dozens of roles. Some of his favorite roles have included Bob Ewell in To Kill a Mockingbird and Jacob Marley in A Christmas Carol. His amazing wife, Pat helps behind the scenes. She is a genius at set decoration and creating food props that look good enough to eat. Some of her finest work has included the incredible set-décor seen in You Can t Take It With You and South Pacific. She also has a flair for specialty costumes. When she isn t busy gathering props or putting the final touches on an Elizabethan gown, you can probably find Pat gathering donations for gift baskets. I asked Jim about the social importance of theater, and here s what he had to say: What I have learned since I joined the Canyon Theatre Guild is that the families that bring their children here, that become involved with these shows It just becomes a great big extended family. And kids get an opportunity to mature here. Our kids get a sense of self-esteem. They get a sense of accomplishment. When they finish a show, after working on it for weeks and weeks, they walk away from it feeling: I accomplished something. What Issue No. 4, Season this theater does for children and families is absolutely amazing. Pat and Jim Robinson have put their heart and soul into the Canyon Theater Guild, and our community has been blessed by their creativity and generosity. They have both received the CTG s Irving G. Wallpaper award for exceptional behind-the-scenes contributions. Jim has won many Goldies for both set design and acting, and Pat has won the set decoration Goldie many times. They are a great team andan invaluable asset to the Canyon Theatre Guild. Come to set building one weekend and meet them.

7 Issue No. 4, Season January - February 2011 Lisa Barr Art on Display Art has always been important to me, even from an early age. I am in awe of the beauty that surrounds me every day, whether it be just driving to work, hiking, or traveling. I began drawing in junior high school after admiring the paintings my dad did. I did not start oil painting until 2006 and have not stopped since! Most of my paintings are inspired by trips that I have taken with my husband, or when hiking with my girlfriends. I like bright, vivid colors with a lot of texture. Some of my paintings are partially done with palette knife, which I m finding quite enjoyable! I just paint whatever makes me feel happy and like to experiment with different techniques. I also enjoy photography and pastels. I am currently holding the position of Secretary and Programs Coordinator for the Santa Clarita Artists Association and feel passionate about promoting the Arts in the Santa Clarita Valley. There is so much great art in our community! Patricia O Hearn Art on Display Patricia was born in breezy Santa Monica where the sea, the sky, and the local gardens provided many beautiful mental images. She was one of those children who was constantly doodling and painting in a tablet at the dining room table. There still is a huge splotch of India ink on the lace table cloth as a reminder of a day of drawing with pen and ink. Later she went on to teach elementary age children and work with teachers for thirty five years always integrating the arts (paint, pastels, clay, music, drama, collage, stitchery, etc.) into the academic program whenever appropriate and possible. She has studied various art forms over the years in college, in classes, and in workshops. She has also traveled across the United States and to Mexico, Japan, Guam, China, Canada, and Peru, with elements and flavors of each region working their way into her method of interpreting the environment and into her creative process. Oil on canvas can provide a rich, vibrant world or an ethereal, tranquil mood. Patricia is a California Impressionist who paints in studio and plein air. She seeks out vistas in various locations such as the foothills near Santa Page 7 Food and Fun for the Body and Soul As you know, every Thursday is the day the Farmers Market sets up on Main Street. There are always delicious fresh fruits and vegetables as well as breads, tamales, freshly made tacos and vendors of all kinds. What you may not know is that on the First Thursday of each month, there is also an Art Walk, featuring the works of wonderful visual artists and street entertainers, and drink specials at El Trocadero Restaurant, the Hydeaway Bar at the REP, and the Pulchella Winery across the street. On Thursday, February 3 there will be six Gourmet Food Trucks for you to enjoy. Traveling gourmet food trucks are all the rage and people travel from all over to sample their various specialties. So plan to visit Main Street on Thursday, February 3, have dinner at the food trucks and take home some fresh produce as well. Don t miss this fun Santa Clarita happening! See you on Main Street. Clarita, Eaton Canyon, local public gardens, Pine Mountain, National Parks, the California Coast, historic locations, and the wine country. She finds the darks, lights, and rainbow of colors in nature very compelling and hypnotizing. Color theory, composition, tension and harmony, shapes, line, mood, negative space, and texture, all play a role in the process of planning and creating her paintings.

8 Page 8 January - February 2011 Issue No. 4, Season Adventures In Theatre Workshop Performances Of Daytime Performances March 21t h through April 1s t Call Box Office at for Performance Times $7 per Person One Evening Performance Wednesday, March 30t h at 7p m

9 Issue No. 4, Season January - February 2011 Page 9 ACT III After School Workshop Performance Saint Patrick s Day Special A Musical Romp Wednesday, March 17t h at 7p m $7 per Person