SUMMER 2017 Greetings from Lesa Maatouk TSF Guild President INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Guild Opportunities...2 Community Sponsors...2 Play by Raymond Caldwell...2 Chinese Theater Night...2 Shakespeare at WOW...3 Panel Discussions...3 Roadshow...3 Record Ticket Sales...3 Bard & Breakfast...3 High School Acting Workshop...3 Green Group...4 Guild Board...4 Welcome to the 2017 season of the Texas Shakespeare Festival! The shows promise to be an interesting assortment with something to please everyone: comedy, drama, music, and heartbreak. The 2017 TSF Company is busy acting, building, sewing, and doing everything else that they do to bring magic into our lives during the summer. The carpenters are especially grateful to finally have an actual building for their work, which was provided by the TSF Foundation. Please join us at Van Cliburn auditorium and in the black box theater in the Festival Center for all of the plays. There is no better way to spend a hot July afternoon or evening in Texas! The children s play is a wonderful way to introduce young people to the theater. The TSF Guild members play a valuable and enjoyable role in our support for the Company. Besides assisting with monetary and supply needs, we also provide food for the company lunches and host company members at Adopt an Artist dinners, which can be held at your home or at a restaurant. Please remember that Chili s in Kilgore is giving back to the Festival on Tuesdays if you tell them that you are a TSF patron. Brothers Restaurant and Downtown Delites also have discounts or give back programs for TSF. If you have not yet joined the Guild, we welcome you to become a member. We have over 900 members from all over the United States. Please join us. Enjoy the shows! Presentation on TSF /KC Connections Made to Kilgore College Board The Festival, the TSF Foundation and Guild, and Kilgore College have created a sort of three-legged table of support for theatre in East Texas. The college helped birth the Festival during the Texas Sesquicentennial time and has continued to provide the theater, the Festival Center, and other services utilized by TSF. The Foundation and Guild have provided the donations to allow the Festival s artists and craftspeople to have the tools, materials, and work spaces to create wonderful costumes, sets, lighting, sound, and acting for their professional productions. These tools, costumes, sets, rehearsal spaces, etc. are then utilized by the KC Theatre Dept. for its own productions and teaching during the academic year. These mutually supportive connections have been constructed gradually over the years and have worked so solidly that they may be sometimes overlooked. The TSF Foundation Board recently took a step to raise awareness about the benefits of these relationships. On June 20th, the Foundation Board made a presentation to the Kilgore College Board of Trustees during the dinner prior to the KC board meeting. The presentation opened with TSF Foundation President Sue Brown thanking the KC Board for the opportunity to share more about the rewarding relationship between the TSF Foundation, the Texas Shakespeare Festival, and Kilgore College. The bulk of the presentation was contained in a video narrated by incoming TSF Foundation president, Christina Anderson. The video briefly explained the history of the TSF Foundation and Guild, including how the idea for their formation was originally proposed by a Kilgore College president. The presentation explained the many ways the Foundation and Guild have benefited Kilgore College and shed light on how the TSF Foundation and Guild work with Kilgore College to provide support for the Texas Shakespeare Festival. KC s monetary and in-kind contributions cover 30% of the cost of the Festival each year, with the TSF Foundation and Guild providing another 30% and the Festival bringing in the final 40% through ticket sales and programing. Excerpts of the presentation to the KC Board will be played in the lobby of the Van Cliburn Auditorium during TSF performances this summer.
TSF Guild Volunteer Opportunities Abound The 2017 Texas Shakespeare Festival Company arrived in May, and they are busy preparing the fabulous shows which will entertain us between June 29-July 30. The Company Events Committee coordinates opportunities to meet, interact with, and host our artists who design, build and act in the six productions. Helping out and getting to know the Company each year is engaging, stimulating and satisfying. Choose an opportunity to get involved and contact the appropriate person listed. Thanks in advance for your participation! Adopt-an-Artist your venue This is your time for a one-on-one visit. Guild members can invite two or more company members to dinner or lunch. If you want to know the artists as individuals, this is a great way. In 2017 they hail from throughout Texas and the United States. We have returning artists as well as new company members who were selected from a field of 2000. For information, call John Dodd, 903-983-8119. Lunch Bunch, Festival Center, Kilgore Volunteers are needed to bring extras for 20 people on each Wednesday, Friday and Sunday in July. Your dues provide breakfast and sandwich basics (including green salad and fruits every day), but we like to show our East Texas hospitality on three days of the week. By extras we mean items like these: hearty salads (such as potato, pasta, fruit, taco) dips/crackers/chips sides that do not have to be cooked or reheated (such as pre-cooked casseroles, a pot of veggies, a pan of beans, cornbread, or something in a crock pot -- use your imagination) desserts You don t have to be a cook; extras can come from carry-out or the grocery store. For information or to coordinate days and times, call, email, or text: Gem Meacham, 903-983-2554 (cell); gemmeacham@gmail.com Changeover Meals, July, Van Cliburn Auditorium, Kilgore A crew of 30 company members work the open set changeovers between matinee and evening shows on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday once the performances begin. The Guild feeds them with specified donations of $250 per day. If you want to contribute to this special fund, your help is needed and welcome. If you want to sponsor one or more days, we would be grateful. Or if you d like to bring home-cooked or carry-out meals to the hard-working crew around 6:00 p.m., that is also welcome. For information, call John Dodd, 903-983-8119. Strike Dinner, Mon., July 31 And then it is time to say goodbye. The Guild sponsors a pot-luck dinner on Strike Day as a final send-off. We ve outgrown the Festival Center so this year the dinner will be held at the Christ The King Catholic Church Fellowship Hall in Kilgore located at the corner of Laird and Broadway Streets (across Laird from the KC Parks Fitness Center). You will receive notice in July but in case you want to plan ahead, the assignments according to your last name are: A-G Dessert, H-O Side Dish, P-Z Salad. The Guild will provide the barbecue. tsf Guild Table, Van Cliburn Auditorium Each time you attend a show, be sure to stop by the Guild Table in the lobby of the theater. You can pick up a sticker to wear which proudly proclaims that you are a TSF GUILD MEMBER. TSF Performs Original play by Raymond Caldwell Did You Hear Thunder? This prose-poem is about our solitary journey through Life the loneliness of searching for connections when we are young, and the aloneness of questioning Life s purpose as we grow old. Four generic strangers (Woman, Boy, Man, and Girl) meet by chance in a public pavilion and share personal confessions in their plea for mutual acceptance and understanding. July 13th, July 15th, July 18th, July 19th*, July 21st* and July 23rd* *Denotes Matinee 2:00 PM; Evening performances at 7:30 PM Thank you to our Community Supporters To ABC Auto Parts East Texas for donating water throughout the season for the hard-working crew. To East Texas Oil Museum for hosting the Lunch Bunch volunteer reception. To Christ The King Catholic Church for hosting the Strike Dinner. To Chili s and 2 Brothers Po Boys for sponsoring a give-back day for the Guild. The Guild is grateful for the support from our East Texas merchants. Guild Board Co-Vice Presidents of Company Events: Gem Meacham 903-983-2554 (voice/text); gemmeacham@gmail.com Eileen Kosnik 903-330-1946 (voice/text); ekosnik@mac.com Kilgore Restaurants Support the Festival with Discounts and Give-Back Days Chili s, 1212 US HWY 259 N, Kilgore: 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Tuesdays from June 13-July 25. Chili s will GIVE BACK 15% of your purchase to the Festival on Tuesdays if you mention TSF. Consider Adopting Artists for one or more Tuesdays at Chili s; it s a two-fer of support. Two Brothers Po-Boys, 107 N. Kilgore St., Kilgore: 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Mon.-Sat.2 Brothers Cajun and Creole Cafe offers a 15% discount to TSF patrons who identify themselves. Downtown D Lites, 103 N. Kilgore St., Kilgore: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Mon.- Fri.; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat. Downtown D Lites Café & Frozen Yogurt Bar offers a 10% discount to TSF patrons who identify themselves. Chinese Theater Night Since 2009, the Festival has had the pleasure of hosting a group of theatre artists from Chongqing and Shanghai, China. Each year we celebrate their work and get a glimpse into their artistic process as they perform an original piece that premieres at the Texas Shakespeare Festival. Admission to this event is free, and the audience is invited to join the company for a post-performance reception. This year s Chinese Theater Night is Tuesday, July 25th, at 7:30 p.m. in the Van Cliburn Theater. The production is called Fabulous, featuring three stories about the bad influence and side effects of the fabulous fashion industry. 2
WOW for Kids Deep Dive with Panel Discussions The Bard & Breakfast Teacher Training Workshop TSF partnered with Longview World of Wonders Center for their seventh annual event: World of William: Reinvented. Festival Associate Matthew Simpson and the cast of this year s children s play, The Witch of Pickle Patch, led 24 participants in improvisation exercises and theatre games, such as traveling to a birthday party while carrying a present for the guest of honor an imaginary but fragile blue vase. The participants made quite a journey with their presents through quicksand, water, woods, and other imaginary obstacles along the way (including an encounter with an imaginary but dangerous bear). As Simpson stated in a feature article in the Longview News-Journal, the goal was to teach the kids some basic elements of theater, such as how to use their voices and their bodies to create characters on stage. The Witch of Pickle Patch playwright, Jason Richards, also sat down with the participants to explain his process for creating the story. This was the first year the fun was scheduled in Longview World of Wonder s Discovery Center in downtown Longview, after having been held at the Festival Center the past six summers. All participants were given vouchers for two free tickets to The Witch of Pickle Patch. The Witch of Pickle Patch opens on July 19th. Prepare to be wowed by the premiere of this original play for kids. Join Texas Shakespeare Festival associates and a panel of artists on Saturday mornings for a lively discussion about the previous evening s play. Learn about the inner workings of each production from the scenic design and artistic concepts to the daily schedule and rehearsal process of the Texas Shakespeare Festival. Panel discussions take place on the second floor of the Technical Vocational building directly behind the theater. Admission is free, and discussions last for about an hour. Here s the schedule: Richard III Panel- Saturday, July 8th at 11:00 a.m. Cyrano de Bergerac Panel- Saturday, July 15th at 11:00 a.m. Much Ado about Nothing Panel- Saturday, July 22nd at 11:00 a.m. The Marvelous Wonderettes Panel- Saturday, July 29th at 11:00 a.m. Roadshow Moving to the Fall The TSF Roadshow, the Festival s traveling outreach to schools and their communities, will be rolling into the fall. With a change in the scheduling of the UIL One Act Play state meet in the spring, a fall Roadshow can fit more easily into Texas school schedules. The 2017 Roadshow Company will arrive in Kilgore on October 15th and begin rehearsals for two productions that will be brought on tour throughout the state during the month of November. 2017 productions will be The Taming of the Shrew and a new adaptation of TSF s original play, Shakespeare s Greatest Hits. The 2017 Roadshow Company will be comprised of six actors and one tour manager. This group will perform for schools and communities in the East Texas region as well as going on the road to San Antonio and Odessa. In the two years since the Roadshow s revival, the touring program has reached 32 schools and over 6,600 students. To bring a performance to your school or community, contact Matthew Simpson at 903-983-8610 or Msimpson@ texasshakespeare.com. Ticket Sales Have Strong Start It has been a record-breaking year for ticket sales at the Texas Shakespeare Festival. In the first week TSF sold 25% of all available seats for the season. As of June 17th, TSF had sold 56.3% of all available seats. This was the first year that tickets were made available in early May prior to the TSF Box Office Staff s arrival. Tickets were sold exclusively online, with TSF Guild members having one week of early ticket-buying privileges with the use of a promotional code. TSF began selling tickets online in 2013 and now sells approximately 40% of all tickets through its online ticketing system. Tickets continue to be available over the phone or in person at the During opening weekend, TSF welcomes fourteen theatre teachers from around the state of Texas for the fourth annual Bard & Breakfast Workshop. The teachers go behind the scenes and engage in a variety of hands-on exercises, discussions, Q&A Panels, and demonstrations to create a wellrounded approach to teaching the fine arts. This workshop is designed and taught by TSF artists and associates. Past participants found this experience working with members of the company and close to the Festival to be both beneficial and motivational as well as fabulously entertaining. High School Acting Workshop From July 15th-23rd TSF will be hosting the third annual High School Acting Workshop. This workshop allows students to immerse themselves in the life of a professional actor as they live and train amongst the TSF Company. Students will see all six TSF productions and take classes in voice, movement, acting, Shakespeare, auditioning, and much more The workshop culminates in a showcase performance on Sunday, July 23rd, at 11:00 a.m. Registration is full, but if you or someone you know would like to be added to the wait list, contact Meaghan Simpson at 903-983-8613. TSF Box Office on Tuesdays-Sundays from 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM. Box office phone number: 903-983-8601 TSF website: www.texasshakespeare.com 3
Join the Green Group for Three Reasons If you have not yet joined the Green Group by signing up to receive The Stratford Tribune newsletter via email rather than through regular postal service, please consider doing it today for three reasons: (1) it saves the Guild substantial cost in printing and postage; (2) it allows you to receive a greatly enhanced version of the newsletter, including full-color pictures; and (3) it includes you on the Festival s email list, which lets you receive more timely notifications of many TSF activities. And there is a fourth reason, too: it saves trees! We are dividing the TSF Green Group into two specific groups. Green Group You will receive the TSF newsletters only via email. Green Group Plus You will receive the TSF newsletters via email and occasional correspondence about Festival activities. Examples of these might be info about the Lunch Bunch, TSF Foundation, raffles, and special TSF events, and so forth. These emails might be informative or request help with events, etc. and will not be excessive. We do not share your email address with other entities. When you join the Green Group, please let us know your choice Green Group or Green Group Plus. 2016 2017 Executive Board President Lesa Maatouk President Elect Claudia Morgan-Gray Recording Secretary Cornelia Chambers Membership Secretary Lois Knouse Treasurer Sue Brown Past President Nell Collins VP Meetings/Programs Kimberly Macedo Co VP s Company Events Gem Meacham Eileen Kosnik Co VP s House Events Melinda Johnson Martha Rutherford VP Publicity Martha Dalby VP Membership Claudia Morgan-Gray To join either Green Group, send an email to LoisKnouse@letu.edu. Please be sure to include your name. Sometimes it is difficult to identify you by your email address. TSF Artistic Director TSF Managing Director Artistic Associates Raymond Caldwell John Dodd Meaghan Simpson Matthew Simpson Carpenters and Scenic Painters enjoying their new TSF workspace.
Richard III 5
Cyrano de Bergerac 6
Much Ado About Nothing 7
The Marvelous Wonderettes 8