Gnawty Times In Beaver Dam

Transcription

1 Gnawty Times In Beaver Dam From February 24 th through February 26 th, Beaver Dam was the sight of a gathering of community theatre people out to be gnawty. The 2006 WACT Off Year Festival kicked off Friday night with an encore performance of the Beaver Dam Area Community Theatre s acclaimed production of The Complete works of William Shakespeare, (abridged). This special performance saw three actors present Shakespeare s thirteen comedies, ten tragedies, ten histories and four romances (abridged). After the performance, festivities moved from BDACT s renovated church facility to Bogeys (a local watering hole) for food, drink, improv entertainment and networking. learned during years of festivals. Jo Scheder continued with a workshop on blocking while Allen Ebert was giving tips for auditions and scene study. Lunchtime saw participants once again gathered in the theatre s basement for a noontime feast which was once again prepared by BDACT volunteers and the beginning of several bidding wars in the silent auction. After lunch the excitement continued with Frank Peot returning to teach makeup techniques and Dennis Kern presenting a workshop on improvisational scene study. Saturday afternoon activities ended with Allen Ebert repeating his auditions/scene study workshop and Tony Slez talking about the art of stage management. Saturday morning activities began with a lavish continental breakfast provided by BDACT volunteers. Morning workshops followed with Frank Peot teaching how improvisation games can be used for character development while Bob Kafka revealed some AACTFest secrets that he s WACT News March, Page 1

2 Saturday night, Watertown s Phoenix Theatre Company presented their festival rendition of The Whole Shebang which related the trials and tribulations of being the director of a one act play festival (the strait jacket was an especially realistic touch). Following the performance, adjudicators Allen Ebert, Dennis Kern and Jo Scheder shared their comments and insights on the show. Afterwards the pyramid shaped Nile Club was the location for karaoke, food, beverages, other frivolities and more networking. New WACT Board Elected At the Annual WACT Membership Meeting in Beaver Dam, elections were held for open positions on the Board of Directors. The four people elected to fill expiring board terms were Heidi-rose Creuziger (Madison), Allen Ebert (La Crosse), Carla Gallun (Beaver Dam) and Bob Kafka (Milwaukee). Terms for the newly elected Directors will end in After the annual meeting the new Board of Directors met to elect officers. The new Board of Directors consists of: The festival concluded Sunday morning with the annual meeting for the Wisconsin Association of Community Theatre back at the Nile club. The events of the year were discussed as was the state of the organization. The meeting concluded with elections for new members of the Board of Directors. Their work done, the tired and hungry crowd enjoyed a splendid brunch before heading for home. A round of applause should go out to all the members of the Beaver Dam Area Community Theatre for the countless hours of work they put in to make sure the festival was a success. And special thanks to co-chairs Carla Gallun and Deb Jahnke and to Managing Director Annette Kamps for all their hard work. And thanks also to all the people that spent the weekend being gnawty. President Vice-President Secretary Treasurer Members at Large Bob Kafka Frank Peot Lynn Ruhl Dee Baldock Heidi-rose Creuziger Allen Ebert Carla Gallun Mark Holten Marie Peterson Jeannie Pitsch Russ Stetler We would also like to express our appreciation to Dick and Elaine Jellings for their many years of faithful service. WACT News is published quarterly by the Wisconsin Association of Community Theatre for its members and is annually distributed to an expanded list of known community theatre organizations and interested individuals. Publication dates are March, June, September (expanded list) and December. Volume 4, Number Wisconsin Association of Community Theatre All Rights Reserved WACT News March, Page 2

3 Region III Association Meets in Beaver Dam During the festival in Beaver Dam the Association of Region III held their annual meeting. The association deals with concerns that affect all five states (Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio) in the great lakes region. A number of items were decided/discussed at this meeting: The regional association is planning on giving the winner of the Region III festival a $ travel award to help with expenses to go to the national festival. The 2007 Region III festival will be at the Prairie Center for the Performing Arts in Schaumburg, Illinois on April 25-27, The Region III representative will perform eighth at the national festival in Charlotte, NC. Due to liability exposure, the Region III festival will require participating groups to show proof of rights to use any copyright protected material in addition to the warranty required by AACT. Important AACTFest Information For the 2007 AACTFest cycle, the national rules no longer require that groups provide proof of permission to use materials protected by copyright. They only require that groups sign a form (with approval of their Board of Directors) stating that have obtained all the necessary rights. However, at the Wisconsin State festival it will continue to be necessary to provide proof that permission has been obtained to use protected materials. The WACT Board decided to retain this rule as they felt that not requiring it created an unacceptable level of litigation exposure for the organization. Who Made Quotable Quotes? WACTFest 2006 generated a number of quotable quotes. Can you match the quote to the person who said it. (Any change in meaning caused by a quote being taken out of context is purely intentional) I did it with three women. I didn t say anything I shouldn t have. Did I? I ve spent the last week on my knees doing guys and dolls. I m not sure he even knows I m not in bed anymore. I never go anywhere without my bingo daubers. Had I known this was going to happen, I would have spent less time drinking. You mean it wasn t your door I slipped the poem under? Mine was newer and better so I had to use it out in the hall. Sandi Weber Allen Ebert Art Barnet Frank Peot Sandi Weber James Steffen Ruth Bardy Mary Breitrick Enquiring Minds Want to Know What would you like to see in future issues of WACT News? We re always looking for new ideas so just drop us a note at info@wactweb.org. Or if you have an article you d like write that s even better. Articles that are already written are OK too. WACT News March, Page 3

4 Upcoming Events April 1, 2006 WACT Board of Directors Meeting Sun Prairie, Wisconsin August 18-20, 2006 Illinois State AACTFest Quincy, Illinois September 1-4, 2006 OCTAFest 2006 Worthington, Ohio September 29 October 1, 2006 CTAM Fall Conference Boyne Highlands, Michigan July 12-15, 2006 Midland, A Stage for All the World AACT International Theatre Festival Midland, Texas April 25-27, 2007 Region III AACTFest Schaumburg, Illinois June 18-24, 2007 Get Caught in Charlotte s Web National AACTFest 2007 Charlotte, North Carolina Arts Day 2006 March 2, 2006 was Arts Day in Madison, an event organized by Arts Wisconsin. WACT was one of a dozen sponsors of this event to promote arts advocacy in the state. is also chair of the Wisconsin Arts Board welcomed the participants. Following her remarks, keynote speaker Carlo Cuesta inspired the Arts Day participants with thoughtful words on the changing and increasingly important role of the arts in large and small communities across the country. Arts Day continued with workshops and panel discussions on how to effectively advocate for the arts in Wisconsin. Other activities included a concert by the Wisconsin Lutheran High School Choir and Band, the first Capitol ArtWalk, and the annual Youth Art Month Exhibit. The afternoon was set aside for individual meetings with state legislators. American for the Arts latest study of the nation s creative industries, shows that Wisconsin boasts over 88,500 creative industry businesses, supporting over 44,500 full-time jobs. In addition, research from the National Governors Association proves that arts-based education helps build students skills, increase academic success, heighten standardized test scores, and lower the incidence of crime among student populations. More information on advocacy and activities can be found on the Arts Wisconsin website at Useful Websites American Association of Community Theatre Volumes of information of interest to community theatres. Field Templates Innovative and easy to use lighting templates Nearly 200 Wisconsin arts, cultural and creative leaders from over 75 communities rallied to show support for greater visibility and increased investment in the arts. At the opening Legislative Arts Breakfast, Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton, who WACT News March, Page 4

5 Dealing With Gels on Stage One of the more challenging aspects in lighting design is the choice of what to do with the light shining on the stage. Anyone who has ever seen a play where none of the lights had any color probably remembers the show as being visually flat and harsh. With entire books having been written on the subject this series of two articles will in no way be an in-depth course on the use of color media. What it will be is a broad overview of color filters and how they are used with a few tricks and tips along the way. This article will deal with the physical aspects of color filters while part two will deal with the aesthetics of using color media. A color filter is the material used in front of lighting instruments to alter the state of the light hitting the stage. Over the years, the physical medium used has gone from bottles of colored water, to pieces of silk to gelatin (hence the term gel), to high-tech plastic. Today most gels are made of either polyester or polycarbonate plastic that has been designed to stand up to the high temperatures generated by modern lighting instruments. The most common form that gel comes in is a sheet, 20 by 24 inches. (Some colors and brands are also available in rolls if a large quantity is needed.) There are several methods of cutting the sheet to the correct size(s) needed. The most common is to slide the sheet into a color frame of the correct size and cut around it with a sharp instrument (sharp matte knives that the set people have left unguarded are particular favorites). An easier and faster method is to use a very large paper cutter. The problem is that good paper cutters large enough to handle a 20 by 24 inch sheet take up a lot of space and are fairly expensive. A compromise is to use a knife and a straight edge to cut the full sheet into strips and use a more common sized office paper cutter to cut the strips to the final size. As soon as they ve been cut, the filters should be labeled with the color number (and brand if your theatre uses multiple brands) so they can be easily identified. They can be labeled with anything that will write on plastic, from a grease pencil to a paint marker. This allows them to be readily identified for ease of handling and later storage. The final step before putting the gels in their respective instruments is to place the color media in gel frames. Without a frame the gel would be too flimsy to stay in the instrument. There are two basic types of gel frames; metal and fiberboard. Metal frames have the advantage of being incredibly sturdy (although they can corrode and be bent). The disadvantages of metal frames are that they are bulkier, retain heat longer (a problem if you need to change gels in a recently used instrument) and if dropped from a height can cause serious injury. Fiberboard frames are extremely light and shed heat quickly making them easier and safer (they re also called safety frames) to handle. Their main flaw is that the fiberboard, while fireproof, does deteriorate and get brittle with use. Which type to use is dependent on how they re to be used, where they re to be used, and, of course, what s in stock. There are two main problems that can occur with gels during the run of a show. Heat degradation which can manifest itself as slightly as a warping of the gel or, in extreme cases, holes can actually be melted through the gel. Heat degradation is especially prevalent in dark colored filters as they will absorb more energy than light colors. A longer-term problem is that of fading. As with anything else, color media fades with exposure to light. However, unless it is an extremely long running production, fading is usually not a cause for concern during the run of a production. Gel frames come with several approximately oneeighth inch holes in them. These can be used to help reduce heat degradation in the gel. After placing the gel in the frame, insert brass paper fasteners though the holes. This will help keep the gel from warping as it softens from the heat of the instrument. Unfortunately this can be a time WACT News March, Page 5

6 consuming task and usually only worth the effort for very dark gels. Once a production is finished, the gels should be checked over. After removing the gels from the instruments and frames, any that are faded or victims of heat degradation should be discarded. The remaining filters should be filed by number (and manufacturer if necessary) for future use. A good stock of gel not only reduces the gel that needs to be purchased in the future, it gives you a safety net in case of emergencies. (The next issue of WACT News will have part two which will deal with the aesthetics of using color media.) WACT Committees Want YOU Despite Wisconsin s long history of community theatre the Wisconsin Association of Community Theatre itself is a very young organization. We began with most work being done by the Board of Directors -- because the things that need to be done to get an organization on its feet are best dealt with by a small group of people. WACT is now at the point where we need to move beyond having everything centered on the Board. If we are to continue to grow as an organization we need involvement from the membership. We have a committee structure in place and there is no skill, talent or person that can t contribute to the success of the organization. But YOU need to let us know how you want to help. Because, as hard as we try, we can t and don t know everyone and their talents. At one point Wisconsin served as the national model for state community theatre organizations. With a committed membership and Board, we can regain national prominence. But it s up to you. Contact Bob at BKafka@wactweb.org and let him know how you d like to help In Community Theatre There Are No Strangers Only Friends You Haven t Met Yet. WACT Membership Application Please fill in the information below and mail this form with your check (payable to WACT) to: WACT/LaCrosse Community Theatre P. O. Box 1852 LaCrosse, WI I have enclosed: $15.00 Individual Dues $50.00 Organizational Dues Name: Address City/State/Zip Phone Address Contact Name (Organizational members) WACT News March, Page 6

7 Upcoming WACT Member Productions February 17-March 5, 2006 Baby Lake Country Players February 24-March 19, 2006 The Supporting Cast Racine Theatre Guild March 10-26, 2006 When We Were Alive La Crosse Community Theatre March 24-26, 2006 Stellaluna and Other Tales Racine Children's Theatre March 24-April 1, 2006 Lend Me a Tenor Sheboygan Theatre Company March 30-April 2, 2006 Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse La Crosse Community Theatre April 6-9, 2006 Peter Pan Eau Claire Children's Theatre April 21-30, 2006 Anne Frank & Me Racine Theatre Guild April 21-May 7, 2006 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum WACT News September, Page 7 Lake Country Players April 21-May 13, 2006 The Book of Liz Over Our Heads Players April 22, 2006 Tom Sawyer Verona Area Community Theatre April 27-30, 2006 Jesus Christ Superstar Chippewa Valley Theatre Guild April 27-May 6, 2006 Birds of Peace - Hiroshima's Legacy La Crosse Community Theatre May 12-June 4, 2006 The Goodbye Girl La Crosse Community Theatre May 19-21, 2006 Honky Tonk Laundry Eau Claire Children's Theatre May 19-June 11, 2006 Lucky Stiff Racine Theatre Guild May 26-June 3, 2006 Damn Yankees Sheboygan Theatre Company June 2-4,2006 Honky Tonk Laundry Eau Claire Children's Theatre June 16-24, 2006 Disney's Beauty and the Beast Verona Area Community Theatre June 22-23, 2006 The Pied Piper of Hamlin Eau Claire Children's Theatre July 7-16, 2006 Disney's 101 Dalmatians - Kids La Crosse Community Theatre July 26-29, 2006 Disney's Beauty and the Beast Eau Claire Children's Theatre October 12-15, 2006 Cats Chippewa Valley Theatre Guild October 19-28, 2006 Legend of Sleepy Hollow Chippewa Valley Theatre Guild December 1-10, 2006 Nunsensations! The Nunsense Vegas Revue Chippewa Valley Theatre Guild January 11-21, 2007 Diary of Anne Frank Chippewa Valley Theatre Guild March 1-11, 2007 Cemetary Club Chippewa Valley Theatre Guild April 26-29, 2007 Good News Chippewa Valley Theatre Guild Is your show not listed here??? All organizations who are WACT members can have their show listed on the WACT website and in WACT News. Just send your schedule to info@wactweb.org

8 WACT Board of Directors President Bob Kafka 2418 N. 111 th Street #2 Wauwatosa, WI (414) Vice-President Frank Peot 1747 Pennsylvania Avenue Sun Prairie, WI (608) Secretary Lynn Ruhl 3528 South Toldt Circle Milwaukee, WI (414) Treasurer Dee Baldock 6394 Grandview Road Verona, WI (608) Member at Large Heidi-rose Creuziger 103 Lakewood Gardens Lane Madison, WI (608) Member at Large Allen Ebert th Street South La Crosse, WI (608) Member at Large Carla Gallun 223 East Maple Avenue Beaver Dam, WI (920) Member at Large Mark Holten 496 Todd Street Verona, WI (608) Member at Large Marie Peterson 112 West James Street Apt 2 Columbus, WI (920) MPeterson@wactweb.org Member at Large Jeannie Pitsch 1605 Heide Lane Marshfield, WI (715) JPitsch@wactweb.org Member at Large Russ Stetler 3315 Ruby Avenue Racine, WI (262) RStetler@wactweb.org Executive Secretary Sandi Weber PO Box 1852 La Crosse, WI (608) SWeber@wactweb.org Wisconsin Association of Community Theatre PO Box 1852 La Crosse, WI 54602