THE NEWSLETTER FOR VILLAGE THEATRE SUBSCRIBERS I ISSAQUAH SEPTEMBER 2015 I VOLUME 36 I ISSUE 2 VILLAGE VOICES My Fair Lady Will Carry You Away to London for the Holiday Season! As we anticipate a shift in the seasons, it s impossible not to think ahead to the cozy charm of Issaquah in the colder months. We are so thrilled to be bringing My Fair Lady to our stage this year for the first time since 1998, and with all of its glamour, style, and...bursting with unforgettable tunes such as I Could Have Danced All Night, On the Street Where You Life, and Wouldn t It Be Loverly, old-fashioned fun, we can t think of a better show for the holiday season. A Lerner and Loewe classic, My Fair Lady has enchanted audiences across the world ever since Julie Andrews and Rex Harrison s debut performance on Broadway in 1956. The charming tale of a lowly Cockney flower girl and her unlikely run-in with a linguistics teacher is bursting with unforgettable tunes such as I Could Have Danced All Night, On the Street Where You Live, and Wouldn t It Be Loverly, so it s no surprise that it captured the hearts of audiences everywhere. Proclaimed by The New York Times as the perfect musical, this Tony Award-winning show, later adapted into an Academy Award-winning film, is a spectacular musical experience, whether you ve hummed along many times before or are seeing it for the first time. My Fair Lady is set to shine with direction by Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Brian Yorkey (Cabaret, The Foreigner), (continued on next page) IN THIS ISSUE KIDSTAGE MESSAGE FROM ROBB & STEVE SPONSOR SPOTLIGHTS
KIDSTAGE A New Year of KIDSTAGE After an exciting summer of globetrotting, high-flying musicals, our KIDSTAGE talent is gearing up for another fun year of classes, camps, and on-stage productions. Uniquely designed to build critical life skills in each participant, KIDSTAGE classes and camps use techniques to encourage creativity, collaboration, problem solving, concentration, public speaking, and a strong work ethic. On the KIDSTAGE stage later this season, don t miss productions of Hello! My Baby, co-produced by Village Originals and directed by Village Theatre s Artistic Director Steve Tomkins, and Beauty and the Beast Jr. Skills for Theatre...Skills for Life (continued from page 1) music direction by Tim Symons and Bruce Monroe (Cabaret, Mary Poppins), and choreography by Kathryn Van Meter (Cabaret, Mary Poppins). Extravagant costumes by designer Cynthia Savage (Mary Poppins) are being handcrafted by Village Theatre s own crew of artists, and the custom set by Bill Forrester (Funny Girl) will carry you away to the streets of London. The all-star cast features 25 incredible local performers, including Allison Standley as the spirited Eliza Doolittle and Mark Anders as Professor Henry Higgins. Recently, Allison performed on the Village Theatre stage in Cabaret and Les Misérables. Mark has worked at theatres across Seattle, including a turn as Henry Higgins in Pygmalion at Seattle Shakespeare Company in 2012. Joining them are many Village Theatre favorites, including Eric Polani Jensen, Ellen McLain, John Patrick Lowrie, and more. We look forward to seeing you soon for My Fair Lady! VILLAGE THEATRE 2015 2016 REASONS TO BE INSPIRED THIS SEASON My Fair Lady director Brian Yorkey also directed Cabaret last season, but his history with the theatre goes back much further. Having grown up in Issaquah, Brian wandered into Village Theatre in middle school and never looked back. After stints as an actor, stage manager, house manager, and eventually Associate Artistic Director, he set his sights to New York. Now, Brian has a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award to show for his work. We re happy to welcome him home for the holidays!
MESSAGE From the Executive Producer and Artistic Director We are so excited to be bringing My Fair Lady to our stage again this season! The show has been at Village Theatre twice before, but not since 1998, and we ve long waited for the perfect time to bring it back. When we sat down to discuss our season with director Brian Yorkey and he also expressed excitement about My Fair Lady, we knew we had a slam-dunk musical production for the holiday season. Brian Yorkey, who helmed Cabaret last season, is a director who understands the nuances in a musical like My Fair Lady. He excels in taking well-known classics and exploring the story and characters from a fresh perspective, invigorating the content in a new way. We can t wait to see this beloved musical come to life through Brian s vision and the incredible cast he has pulled together. Joining Brian will be much of the same creative team that made Mary Poppins so magical last season, including Tim Symons and Bruce Monroe on musical direction, Kathryn Van Meter on choreography, Tom Sturge as lighting designer, and Cynthia Savage on costume design. Bill Forrester will be the scenic designer, with the talented artists at our technical studios working hard to transform his designs into a magnificent set. Together, this experienced team is gearing up to launch a gorgeous, powerful production that the whole family will enjoy. So come celebrate the season with us at Village Theatre, and be enchanted by My Fair Lady, like you ve never seen it before! Robb Hunt, Executive Producer Steve Tomkins, Artistic Director 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
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHTS Microsoft is pleased to sponsor Village Theatre s production of My Fair Lady. Village Theatre is a favorite among our employees and their families, and it s our privilege to be able to support a community arts organization that brings high quality entertainment to the Eastside. Community involvement is an integral part of our corporate culture We are proud to be a Village Theatre sponsor and look forward annually to the high quality, nationally award-winning shows produced right here in our own backyard. Issaquah is fortunate to have such a gem. Not only does the theatre provide access to arts and culture, it at Microsoft. We 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 support an environment in which the arts will thrive for generations to come. Enjoy the show! provides jobs and helps generate revenue for our local restaurants and merchants. It s also more than just a professional theatre; it is a beloved part of our community that contributes to Issaquah s unique charm through its cultural enrichment and uplifting entertainment throughout the year. The Issaquah- Sammamish Reporter is proud to sponsor Village Theatre s production of My Fair Lady. Our mission as the local print and online news and information source for Issaquah and Sammamish is to engage with our community and support such classic productions like My Fair Lady and many other shows brought to you by the amazing and creative talent assembled at our own Village Theatre. We hope you will enjoy My Fair Lady, and come back to Village Theatre again for Crimes of the Heart, My Heart Is the Drum, and Billy Elliot! SEASON SPONSORS SEASON MEDIA SPONSOR SHOW SPONSORS SHOW MEDIA SPONSOR ADDITIONAL SEASON SUPPORT
DATES TO REMEMBER September 9 My Fair Lady Subscriber On-Sale Date in Issaquah September 10 - October 18 Snapshots Francis J. Gaudette Theatre October 17 Sing it Forward Soirée Youth Education Fundraiser First Stage Theatre November 5 - January 3 My Fair Lady Francis J. Gaudette Theatre January 14-24 Hello! My Baby KIDSTAGE First Stage Theatre Box Office (425) 392-2202 VillageTheatre.org YOU RE INVITED SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2015 SING it FORWARD soirée A Festive Evening with Dinner, Silent Auction, and Performances Benefiting Village Theatre s Youth Education Programs Tickets are available online at VillageTheatre.org, or contact Jeannine Clarke at jclarke@villagetheatre.org Mainstage Village Originals KIDSTAGE Pied Piper 303 Front Street North, Issaquah, WA 98027 Box Office (425) 392-2202 VillageTheatre.org