VILLAGE VOICES The E-Newsletter for Village Theatre Subscribers Francis J. Gaudette Theatre, 303 Front Street North Issaquah, WA 98027 (425) 392-2202 November 2014 Volume 35, Issue 2 Everett Performing Arts Center, 2710 Wetmore Avenue Everett, WA 98201 (425) 257-8600 Bringing The Magic of Mary Poppins To Life on Mainstage Mary Poppins has been charming people around the globe since P.L. Travers first book of the series made its debut in 1934. Since then, Travers completed her series with seven more books, Disney made a musical film adaptation, and of course, Mary Poppins became a stage musical in 2004. Practically perfect in every way, we are so excited to create this magical show on our stage this holiday season. Our leading lady, Miss Mary Poppins herself, will be played by Cayman Ilika. Last seen in The Gypsy King as Anastasia/ Ensemble, as well as Julie LaVerne in Show Boat, we are thrilled to be welcoming Cayman back to our Mainstage. Joining Mary in this Jolly Holiday on stage is Village Theatre favorite Greg McCormick Allen as the humorous and witty Bert. Greg was last seen at Village Theatre as The Duke in Big River and Frank Schultz in Show Boat, and recently was in The 5th Avenue s productions of Spamalot and A Chorus Line. Don t forget: Subscriber tickets are available on November 5, two weeks before Mary Poppins tickets are available to the general public! We plan to pull out all the stops for this production, including magic tricks and yes, Mary Poppins soaring over the rooftops of London! Julian Fellowes (best known as the creator and writer of the hit TV series Downton Abbey) was hired by Cameron Mackintosh in 2002 to write the script for the stage adaptation of Mary Poppins due to his knowledge of the English social classes in the era of Poppins. All of the beloved Mary Poppins Disney songs will be present, plus some new songs written specifically for the stage musical. All in all, this will be one magical musical production and we cannot wait for you to join us at the theatre in the New Year! Village Theatre Programming is Funded in Part by: Season Sponsors: Season Media Sponsor:
Page 2 Message from the Executive Producer and Artistic Director Mary Poppins has been a beloved part of many generations lives from P.L. Travers magical book series, to the much celebrated Disney film adaptation. After waiting years for the rights to become available, and hearing countless requests for this show from our audiences, we are thrilled to be kicking off the holiday season with this all-time favorite family musical. The terrific design team behind Les Misérables will be pulling out all of the stops once again to bring the magic of Mary Poppins to our Mainstage. Steve will be co-directing alongside Kathryn Van Meter, who is also choreographing! Our resident music director Tim Symons will be joined by Bruce Monroe to co-music direct. Resident scenic designer Scott Fyfe will bring London to life on stage as our Scenic Designer, and Tom Sturge who just finished up doing the stunning scenic/lighting design for In The Heights will be the lighting designer. Combined with an incredible cast, we cannot wait to see the magic of this show come to life on stage. Whether you have loved Mary Poppins for years, or this is your first time hearing supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, this magical show is sure to delight audiences of all ages and leave a smile upon your face. Mary Poppins will have a pre-sale to select groups starting November 12. Get your tickets before then for the best seating selections! Robb Hunt, Executive Producer dates to remember Steve Tomkins, Artistic Director October 31 - November 23, 2014 In The Heights On Stage in Everett November 5, 2014 Subscriber On Sale Date For Mary Poppins November 7-22, 2014 KIDSTAGE Presents Young Frankenstein Village Theatre Second Stage, 2730 Wetmore Ave December 6, 2014 Pied Piper Presents The Very Hungry Caterpillar & Other Eric Carle Favorites Everett Performing Arts Center January 7, 2015 Subscriber On Sale Date for Around The World In 80 Days January 9 - February 8, 2015 Mary Poppins On Stage in Everett
Page 3 Youth Education Everett KIDSTAGE Presents Young Frankenstein IT S ALIVE! When the grandson of the infamous Victor Frankenstein inherits his family s estate in Transylvania, he finds himself assuming his ancestors knack for mad science. With the help of his hunchbacked side-kick Igor and a leggy lab assistant, Inga, he brings to life a creature to rival his grandfather s. When the monster inevitably escapes, hilarity and madness ensue. From the genius of Mel Brooks (The Producers), Young Frankenstein is a musical adaptation of the popular film that is electrifyingly good fun and will certainly leave you in stitches. The show will be on Second Stage from November 7-22. For more information, visit VillageKidstage.org. Eric Carle s Stories Come To Life With Pied Piper! Join Village Theatre on December 6 at the Everett Performing Arts Center for a holiday party and captivating show where three beloved Eric Carle tales will come to life! The afternoon begins at 1PM with a holiday party filled to the brim with cheer and tasty treats. The Very Hungry Caterpillar & Other Eric Carle Favorites will begin afterward at 2PM where the Mermaid Theatre s signature style of larger-than-life innovative puppetry and stunning visual effects will bring the illustrations from the books to life. The Very Hungry Caterpillar is joined by whimsical characters drawn from the pages of The Mixed Up Chameleon, and Little Cloud. An engaging lights on demonstration of the puppets closes this no shushing show. Don t miss out on this magical journey through the stories of one of the most beloved children s authors of all time. For more information or tickets, please visit VillagePiedPiper.org or call the Box Office at (425) 257-8600. Save The Date For The Everett Sing It Forward Soirée Photo Credit: Jenni El Fattal The fourth annual Sing it Forward Soirée is just around the corner on January 24, 2015. This popular, entertaining, and inspiring evening is open to those 21 years and older and includes a concert with music performed by accomplished Everett KIDSTAGE students, along with alumni and special guests from Village Theatre s Mainstage. Once again, R.J. Tancioco, a former KIDSTAGE student himself, will music direct the soireé. R.J. is now one of the most sought after music directors in the region and is currently music directing In The Heights for Village Theatre s Mainstage Two students created this event to help ensure that any young person, regardless of their financial circumstances, could experience the excellent arts education programs that Village Theatre offers. Proceeds from Sing It Forward Soirée support Youth Education Programs in Everett, including scholarships for Everett KIDSTAGE students. The entire cast volunteers their time so they can pay (or sing) it forward! The night begins with a hosted wine bar and delicious appetizers, catered by Lombardi s, followed by the fabulous concert and an opportunity to give. We ll wrap up the evening with dessert on stage with the cast and our special guests. For information about tickets or sponsorships, please contact Mary Rucker Guyer, Community Relations Manager, at (425) 257-6344 or mguyer@villagetheatre.org.
Page 4 a special and exciting update Arts Educator of the Year, Village s Kati Nickerson Congratulations to our own Kati Nickerson, Village Theatre s Director of Youth Education and Outreach, who will be awarded The Mayor s Award for Arts Educator of the Year by the City of Everett s Cultural Commission at a public ceremony on November 19th! Now in her 17th year with Village Theatre, Kati is more dedicated than ever to youth development and arts education; and has guided our programs in both Everett and Issaquah, reaching thousands of young people, families, and teachers throughout the region annually. Under Kati s capable leadership, Village Theatre s Youth Education Programs build theatre skills, encourage creativity, collaboration, problem solving, concentration, public speaking, and a strong work ethic. How do you feel about receiving this award? On behalf of Village Theatre, I feel deeply honored and very surprised about receiving this award! How does this award honor Village Theatre s programs? The award honors Village Theatre Youth Education programs by shining a light on the work that has been done over the years by some very dedicated staff and students. What parts of your job bring you joy? I have a dream job. I pinch myself every day. Everything is joyous: from the most tedious administrative task, to fine-tuning a new program, to leading a workshop with our inspiring teaching artists. Everything leads to transformation. I hold back tears in almost every class or rehearsal as I watch students stretch themselves, take risks, and support each other. The programs are life-changing machines! Children come out the other side stronger, more emotionally intelligent, and with the confidence and skills to thrive in the 21st Century. What makes the programs special and why are they important to our communities? Our afterschool program KIDSTAGE offers an environment intentionally created to foster youth development. Both the physical and emotional environments are safe, welcoming, and stimulate growth and learning. Imagine being a young person interested in theatre who first walks through the doors at Second Stage. If it was me at 15, I would think, What?! This theatre has 170 seats and is just for kids? There s a technical booth that runs sound and lights, and I can learn about and do that?! The rehearsal spaces, classrooms, greenroom, and dressing rooms are the same kind of spaces professionals use? The teachers, directors, and designers are actual professionals? No way! That Everett is a place where such a venue exists is extraordinary. Arts education has been proven to help reduce the achievement gap between high and low income students. So Village Theatre provides programs in school as well. Students can see theatre at our venue or enjoy arts learning in their classroom with a professional teaching artist. All of our programs are available regardless of the ability to pay. In my 17 years, I have seen Village Theatre s youth programs in Snohomish County grow to impacting over 30,000 people in the community each year. What a thrilling journey it has been! Board of Directors A corporation, whether for-profit or nonprofit, is required to have a governing Board of Directors. As a non-profit, Village Theatre s Board of Director s is comprised of dedicated volunteers, whose passion for the theatre causes them to give generously of their time, talent, and resources to ensure the organization remains artistically excellent and fiscally stable. Bruce Wanta, President Heather Goff, Past President Leigh Kraft, Treasurer Beth Meidinger, Secretary Derek Watanabe, Vice President, Board Development Dan Anderson Chuck Dennis Susann Edmond Brett Ferullo Amy Gibart Lissa Griffith D. Edward Jones Lynnda Kilpatrick Gary Kneepkens Twyla Lucas Amy Murray Kevin Pazaski Matt Poischbeg John Seethoff Christine Shuken Judy Yu
Page 5 Sponsor Spotlights Microsoft is pleased to sponsor Village Theatre s production of Mary Poppins. Village Theatre is a favorite among our employees and their families for its engaging, energetic, and family-friendly productions. Community involvement is an integral part of our corporate culture at Microsoft. A key part of that work is Microsoft YouthSpark, our global initiative to create opportunities for 300 million youth by 2015. We also encourage employee investment and volunteerism in the community throughout the year and during our annual Giving campaign. And through sponsorships of great organizations such as Village Theatre, we aim to create an environment in which the arts will thrive for generations to come. Enjoy the show! Klein Honda in Everett serves Snohomish County and the Seattle metro area. It has been run from day one strictly by its motto A Friend of the Family. We are honored and proud to be a sponsor of Village Theatre s production of Mary Poppins. We have been committed to a better community since 1976 and we value our relationships and region deeply. We love giving to our community that has given us so much. It is our way of saying thank you. We believe we have a responsibility to assist with strengthening our area by supporting Village Theatre. The arts bring people together and increase the livability of our area and ensure the cultural and economic vibrancy of our region. It is our pleasure to be associated with Village Theatre and we are truly inspired by their passion, talent, and exceptional work. ParentMap is a proud sponsor of Village Theatre, whose work inspires and delights families from Issaquah to Everett. ParentMap provides trusted, innovative, and awardwinning editorial content through a variety of media to support parents in their most essential role: their child s first and most important teacher. ParentMap s unique social-venture business model drives its vision and day-to-day operation. Its daily involvement and support of local businesses and nonprofit organizations ensure that families are given the most current information related to early learning, child health and development, and parenting. Mission of Village theatre To be a regionally recognized and nationally influential center of excellence in family theatre: To promote a season of top quality productions To commission and produce new musicals that achieve national exposure To train young people in theatre skills for career opportunities and enriched lives To develop a broad-based appreciation for live theatre To promote positive values through art