Volume 19 Issue 9 Somerset Valley Players September 2018 PLAYHOUSE NEWS Inside this issue: Calendar of Events 2018 Sponsors 2 Meeting Bites 3 Smokey Joe s Cafe Feature Story 2018 Perry Award Nominees Audition Notice Dinner/Show Special Be an SVP Sponsor AmazonSmile SVP 2018 Season 7 SVP 2018 Subscription Form SVP 2018 Flex Pass Form SVP 2018 Membership Form 4 5 6 8 9 10 What s Up Next Tickets: $22 Adults $ Seniors/Students To purchase tickets: Visit www.svptheatre.org Words & Music by Leiber and Stoller Directed by Genevieve Estanislau Runs September 7th through 23rd Fridays & Saturdays at 8PM, Sundays at 2PM Leiber and Stoller, as much as anyone, virtually invented rock 'n' roll, and now their songs provide the basis for an electrifying entertainment that illuminates a golden age of American culture. In an idealized '50's setting, the classic themes of love won, love lost and imagined blend with slice-of-life emotions. 601 Route 206 Suite 26-216 Hillsborough, NJ 08844 908-369-7469 www.svptheatre.org Somerset Valley Players Executive Board: President: Emily M. Windus Vice President of Production: Todd R. Bennington Vice President of Theatre Mgmt.: Ed Hayden Vice President of House Mgmt.: Randy J. Coddington, Sr. Vice President of Sales & Marketing: Roberta Steve Secretary: Paula C. Windus Treasurer: Michael A. Muller
Playhouse News Calendar of Events P: SOMERSET VALLEY PLAYHOUSE (U ) S J C S D: S 7 23, 2018 S T: 8PM F# $ S%#, 2PM S%# S M& D: S 10, 2018 T: 7:30PM 9:30 PM B G M M& O M& D: O 8, 2018 T: 7:30PM 9:30 PM B G M M& N, M& D: N, 12, 2018 T: 7:30PM 9:30 PM B G M M& A S C C S D: N, 30 D 16, 2018 S T: 8PM F# $ S%#, 2PM S%# D M& D: D 10, 2018 T: 7:30PM 9:30 PM B G M M& W U D S D: O 19 N, 4, 2018 S T: 8PM F# $ S%#, 2PM S%# SVP is very grateful to our 2018 Season Sponsors Airborne Labs International, Inc. Applebee's Bridgewater Funeral Home Harriet G. Osinski In Loving Memory of Clarence & Sonia Martin JML Landscaping Mailbox Business Center of Hillsborough Petrock s Bar & Grille The Piano Studio The Robert W. Pittenger Family State Line Aviation Super Sundaes Page 2
Playhouse News Meeting Bites - August 2018 Production A table reading of Roberta Steve s play, Three Rivers was held on July 29. Approximately thirty people attended. Roberta received excellent feedback from audience members. Author Doris Parmet contacted Todd and has submitted a play, The Scam, which Todd has sent to board members. Todd told Doris that a possible table read would be scheduled after the 2019 season had been finalized. Roy Barry has also contacted Todd about a table read of his play, The Tomb. Todd will send a digital copy to board members after play selection and after a decision is made on the Parmet play. 2019 Play Selection - The first meeting of the Play Selection Committee was held on July 16 and eighty submissions were narrowed down to about 40. There will be another meeting on August 14. The Sinatra show, Grandma s Jukebox, may be scheduled for 2019. Webmaster Brent Kowalenko announced that the Perry Award nominations are on the website, He also posted pictures of the board members. House Randy Coddington, Sr. reported that the a/c was checked and that the theater passed the fire inspection. Mike Muller has replied to an Eagle Scout s email about doing a project at the theater, asking his time frame. Bonnie Coddington suggested the scout could do the outdoor sign as his project. Sales and Marketing Roberta Steve reported that she had a sponsor for Wait Until Dark. The new Facebook page is up and running and open to the public. A Twitter post of the Smokey Joe s Café cast singing at the Somerset Patriots game was liked and retweeted by Paper Mill Playhouse! Treasurer Mike Muller reported that the Charitable Organization registration has been renewed. The Legalized Games of Chance license has also been renewed. Old Business The tee shirts have been advertised on the website. New Business Emily announced that SVP would be sponsoring an ad in the Perry Awards playbill listing SVP s 2019 season. Linda Konopka will design it as usual. Kyle Hamilton suggested a new idea of having a mobile box office, perhaps the weekend before a show opens, at the Shop Rite at Nelson s Corner (or the municipal building, or Petrock s, or Mailboxes). Tickets could be printed on the spot, with first-time customers receiving a $1 off the ticket price. He was asked to work with Roberta, Ed, and Mike on the logistics. The cast of: Page 3
Playhouse News Classic Songs Center Stage at Somerset Valley Players Smokey Joe s Café Imagine strolling into a little known club on a cold, dark night. The neon sign is bright and the jukebox is playing some of your favorite pop songs. You ve just wandered into the music hot spot known as Smokey Joe s Café The Songs of Leiber and Stoller, a celebration of one of rock and roll s most successful songwriting duos that opens at the Somerset Valley Players on September 7. The intimate performing space at the SVP theatre is so appealing to me, says director and choreographer Genevieve Estanislau. The space naturally lends itself to showcasing the relationships between the actors and the audience. I want the audience to remember it as a personal space shared with friends. Smokey Joe s Café originated on Broadway in 1995 as a cabaret production. Estanislau has taken a different approach with the SVP production. Since there is no script just these classic songs I ve created definitive character arcs/relationships for my performers, she explains. As both the director and choreographer, I ve built scenes out of each song each one becomes a musical vignette. Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller were a songwriting and producing team responsible for some of the most famous rock and roll pop hits of the 1950s and 1960s. Their songs were recorded by The Coasters, The Drifters, Elvis Presley, Ben E. King, and many other artists. Together and with other collaborators, they wrote over 70 chart hits including Hound Dog, Jailhouse Rock, Yakety Yak, There Goes My Baby, Spanish Harlem, and Stand by Me. Both have been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Producer Todd Bennington puts it simply, The Leiber and Stoller songbook is the show. And to do it justice we have an amazing cast of performers who make the songs come alive. Genevieve and Musical Director Anthony Coop Competello are a great leadership team. Genevieve did exhaustive research into each song in the show, knowing how she wanted each one to sound. Coop believes in telling a story through the lyric of a song, not just the notes. Their technical expertise and passion are perfect for this show. What if, like at a real music joint, the audience has the urge to sing along or dance in their seat? They absolutely will! replies Estanislau. My cast is tremendous, the music is timeless, and come opening night, SVP will be the hottest spot around! Smokey Joe s Café opens September 7 and runs through September 23, at the Somerset Valley Players on 689 Amwell Road (Route 514) in Hillsborough. For times and tickets go to www.svptheatre.org. The theatre is air conditioned, wheelchair accessible and barrier free. The cast of Smokey Joe's Café performing at the Somerset Patriots game on August 7. Page 4
Playhouse News 2018 Perry Award Nominees CONGRATULATIONS to SVP s six 2018 nominees: CJ Miller: Outstanding Properties in a Play, and Outstanding Stage Management of a Play - Calendar Girls Roberta Steve: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play - California Suite Harriet Trainor: Outstanding Stage Management of a Play - California Suite Shannen Rivers: Outstanding Stage Management of a Play - The Best Christmas Pageant Ever Holly Lessing: Outstanding Stage Management of a Musical - Grand Hotel Emily M. Windus: Outstanding Stage Management of a Musical - Disaster! The winners will be announced on Sunday, September 16 th, at the Union County Performing Arts Center. Tickets to the award ceremony can be purchased at http://www.ucpac.org/ event/5d2b463f784dc3b5df3d32c56b4bbd86 GOOD LUCK TO ALL OUR NOMINEES! AUDITION NOTICE Date: September 17 & 19 Time: 7:00 PM Place: Somerset Valley Players, 689 Amwell Road, Hillsborough, NJ Synopsis: A whimsical reinvention of Dickens' most beloved Christmas story in wacky rhymed couplets. With zoot fruited juices and binka bird geese, from Bed-Headed Fred to Timmy Loo Hoo, this tale of glorious holiday cheer is similar to something Dr. Seuss might have come up with -- if he ever had his way with the story... Director Emily Windus is seeking to fill the following roles: 5-12 adult females: all ages 6-12 adult males: all ages 6-10 girls: ages 8-17 6-10 boys: ages 8-17 No preparation for auditions is required. Readings will be from the script. Wear comfortable clothing. You only need to attend one evening of auditions. Please bring a headshot or recent photograph, and your acting resume if possible. Please bring your potential rehearsal conflict dates to auditions. Rehearsals will be Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays beginning the week of September 24. Not all actors will be called to all rehearsals in the beginning. Starting in November, all actors will need to attend all rehearsals. Attendance for Tech Week (Sunday, November 25 Thursday, November 29) and ALL performances is mandatory. Performance dates run weekends, November 30 through December 16, 2018 (Friday, Saturday & Sunday). There is an additional matinee on Saturday, December 8 at 2 PM. For further information check our website at www.svptheatre.org or call us at 908-369-7469. Page 5
Playhouse News Dinner and a Show Special SVP s popular Dinner & Show partnership with Caffé Piazza is BACK! Bring your ticket* to Caffé Piazza before the show on Friday or Saturday and receive a 10% discount towards your dinner. When you finish dinner bring your dinner receipt to SVP and receive a $2 per ticket* refund. Dinner and show must be on same date to receive discounts. A valid SVP ticket* must be presented at Caffé Piazza. Valid dinner receipt must be presented at SVP box office. SVP ticket discount offer valid Friday and Saturday only. Dinner discount valid on Sunday after the show. 609 Route 206 North Hillsborough, NJ 08844 (Located in Stop & Shop complex) (908) 359-9494 www.caffepiazza.com *NOTE: Ticket must be a nondiscounted ticket ($18+). Become an SVP Sponsor! A Show Sponsorship delivers you direct marketing to the SVP family and patrons. Your company will become the headline sponsor of a SVP production. Your company name and logo will appear: On the cover of the Show Program for the sponsored production. In all Audition Notices sent for the production. In all Membership Notices and Newsletters for the next 12 months. In all Press Releases sent to local print and broadcast media for the production. On all Inside and Outside Signage during the run of the production. On the SVP Website for the next 12 months. In the production pre-show announcements speech prior to each performance. Plus you will receive passes for 10 free tickets to the sponsored SVP production. Please contact marketing@ svptheatre.org or call 908-369-7469 fore more information! AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your favorite charitable organization - SVP! When you shop at AmazonSmile, Amazon donates 0.5% of the purchase price to Somerset Valley Players! Please keep us in mind the next time you are shopping on Amazon. Bookmark this link: http://smile.amazon.com/ch/22-6290368...and support us every time you shop! Page 6
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