Coast to Coast Theaters: Alabama

South City Theatre, located in Columbiana, Alabama, is considered the best little theatre in the state. They have own Best in Show multiple times in Alabama, as well as represented Alabama in the Southeastern Theatre Confrence. The theater is run by Sue Ellen Gerrells, who is on the board for the AACT and is on the vice chair for the Southeastern Theater Community Confrence, and her husband Mike, who was the past president of The Seasoned Performers.

SCT is located in what used to be an old church. The theater puts on six stage shows a year, along with classes for children. The shows tour around the Alabama area as well. This coming season includes: 

Wait Until Dark

Oh No, Here Comes Christmas

Cat On A Hot Tin Roof

The Real Queen of Hearts Isn't Even Pretty

Mama Won't Fly

The theatrr offers classes for children, all the way up to high school. Their most recent class was a Summer camp that ran for two weeks, Monday through Friday. Students learn many aspects of theatre, from presence, to dance, to song, before putting on a showcase on the last day.

Check put their website at southcitytheater.com.

Community theatre is the best way to get involved, as well as bringing a smile to many faces of the public. Support your local theatre by auditioning or attending upcoming shows, and live in the magical moment for just a little while.

Leave any comment below and come back again for another post!

Kendall

ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

You have probably seen all your friends and even your favorite celebrities blowing up Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram with this tag video. ALS, or Lou Gehrig's Disease, affects the nerve cells of the body, shutting down control of the body. For the past few years, ALS Association has been using the ice bucket challenge to raise awareness and money for the cause, but it hadn't been so popular until this year.

The official site for ALS describes it as:
"Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death. When the motor neurons  die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed."

Woah. Even though ALS has been known since the late 1800's, it wasn't until famed baseball star Lou Gehrig retired after finding out he had ALS himself. The disease has taken many lives and so far there is no treatment that stops or slows down the process, only drugs that make living more comfortable.

If you haven't seen the ice bucket challenge yet, here's how it works. You take a giant bucket (I've also seen bowls, Gatorade tubs, and coolers), fill it with ice and then water, and turn on a video camera. In the video, you say you are raising awareness for ALS, who tagged you, if someone did, and then three people you want to tag. Then you pour the ice and water on your head. Some people have done this fully clothed, while some are brave and go down to only a bathing suit. 

Here's the catch though: if you don't do the challenge, you have to go to the ALS website and donate $100. Last year, it raised just about 1 million dollars. Today, August 16th, ALS Association announced that the donations have surpassed 10 million dollars! This money will be used to help people with ALS, and to continue in the search for a treatment.

Now, this is a theatre blog, so I've got to throw Broadway in this somehow. The Once cast on Broadwya have done the challenge, and now put the Once touring cast, the Pippin cast, and the Les Mis cast up to the test as well. I just hope none of them catch a cold!

Are you up to the challenge as well?  Let us know what you think!
Kendall

Preview for the 2014-2015 Broadway Season (Musical Edition)

There’s nothing like the anticipation of a new show coming to Broadway!! And already it looks like we’re getting some pretty great ones! In this blog I will be going through the musicals that are set to come to Broadway! Just to be clear, some of these shows do not have a set theatre and are only eyeing a 2014-2015 opening. I will make this clear in the synopsis below the shows. These are only shows who I believe will make it in time for a 2014-2015 release. Also, when I say when a show “opens”, I mean they start previews on that date.

Original Productions:

Finding Neverland

The musical that is based on the film which is based on the author of Peter Pan’s life. Jeremy Jordan (Newsies, Bonnie & Clyde) plays Barrie, a struggling playwright who creates a special bond with a family when one of his plays flops. The original production opened to mixed reviews in England and since then, the entire creative team has been replaced with Diane Paulus (Pippin, 2013) directing and featuring James Graham, the author of the book and the composers Gary Barlow and Elliot Kennedy. Right now, it’s playing at American Repertory Theatre and it has just been announced that it will make the transfer in the spring. This is a show to watch for, expect great things to come to this one. If you’re interested and want to listen more, look up Jennifer Hudson singing one of the songs in last year’s Tony awards on YouTube.

The Last Ship

The story about a young man who travels and returns home to find his love engaged to another man. With music written by Sting and the book written by Brian Yorkey (Next to Normal) and John Logan (Gladiator, Skyfall), this musical opened to pretty decent reviews in its Chicago tryout, which had critics praising the score and the cast, but had some faults with the plot. The show will open on Broadway September 29 at the Neil Simon Theatre.

Honeymoon in Vegas

This new musical with music written by Jason Robert Brown (Last 5 Years, Bridges of Madison County) and a book written by Andrew Bergman, who wrote the screenplay of the movie of the same, tells the story of a man named Jack who is afraid of commitment with his girlfriend, Betsy, and a man who falls in love with Betsy! This show is set to open in November at the Nederlander Theatre on Broadway after a try out at the Paper Mill Playhouse. Definitely expect a Tony nom for JRB for this one.

Fun Home

Just recently announced, this musical just closed off-Broadway and I’m so excited that it’s making the transfer. The musical is based on the graphic novel of Alison Bechdel’s graphic novel which in turn is based on Alison’s relationship with her father as she comes out as a lesbian and their struggles with sexuality together. With a powerful book and lyrics by Lisa Kron and a fantastic score written by Jeanine Tesori, this musical was nominated for several awards, including the Pulitzer Prize. This show will open at the Circle in the Square Theatre on April 4, right before Tony deadlines. Sound familiar? Yeah, that’s what the Pippin revival did. Look where it got now. Smart move, Fun Home.

Not many original works have been announced. Sad. Because there’s a massive amount of revivals heading our way. Let’s take a look at some of them!

Revivals:

On the Town

The classic story that spawned the fantastic Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra movie returns to Broadway this fall in October at the Lyric Theatre. Hopefully this will prove to be a great revival and not just a rehash. Directed by John Rando.

An American in Paris

Hey look, another classic Gene Kelly movie-musical. Wonderful. Already it seems like the revival category might be overcrowded by Golden Age musicals. Although the cast has been announced and an opening set for March 2015, no theatre has been set. Directed by Christopher Wheeldon.

The King and I

Now this, I am looking forward to. Kelli O’Hara (Bridges of Madison County) and Ken Watanabe (Inception) lead this production with Tony award winning director Bartlett Sher taking the helm. Expect definite Tony noms for this one. Opens March 12 at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre.

On The Twentieth Century

Kristin Chenoweth (Wicked) and Peter Gallagher (Guys and Dolls) return to Broadway! Directed by Scott Ellis, the story of a Broadway producer trying to convince a former love to return to his life while on board a luxury train comes back onto the stage! Will open February 12 at the American Airlines Theatre.

Side Show

This new reimagining of one of my favorite shows is coming to Broadway! The original musical featured Alice Ripley and Norm Lewis, and while it was nominated for Tony awards, did not receive that much acclaim but this new reimagining is apparently fantastic! Featuring a reimagined new score as well, this darker take on the story will certainly be in the running for Tonys. This revival will open October 28 at the St. James theatre and is directed by Bill Condon.

Sorry for it being this late, but this took a while! Have any comments on my picks? Have any questions about any other planned shows? Comment below!

Andrew

Stage Makeup for Everyone

Wearing stage makeup is not about unattractiveness or flaws, it's about being able to be seen on stage.  Naturally, the face gets washed out by stage lights and distance from the stage to the audience, so stage makeup is helpful to looks more defined. Both men and women should use stage makeup, and even if you don't wear makeup regulary, it wouldn't hurt to stop by a drugstore, Sephora,
Ulta, or anywhere else near you that sells makeup to pick up a few nesecities.

Remember that every theater is different and requirements for makeup vary.  Some more difficult makeup such as age makeup, scars, dirt, and other techniques may be done by someone for you, or you have to do them yourself.

Moisturizing skin is vital to both healthy skin and long lasting makeup. Depending on your skin type, you can get many types of moisturizers and lotions. These should be applied before makeup and should have time to set.

A good makeup primer is helpful if you tend to have oily skin, especially under hot lights. If you tend to have drier skin, you might be able to get away with skipping this step.

Foundation should be next, and about 2 shades darker than your natural skin tone. Apply this all of the face, ears, neck, and possibly to the top of your chest. Remember to blend evenly so no lines or steaks are shown.

I recommend two different concealers. One should match your foundation color for blemishes, dark spots, or scars on your face. This can also be used to hide an visible tattoos on your body. The other concealer should be a shade or 2 lighter for under your eyes. Apply this in a V shape underneath to highlight more naturally.

Set your foundation and concealer with a powder. Match the color to your face and apply anywhere you applied makeup.

An important step that if often overlooked is eyebrows. Simply filling them in can open up the face. You can get eyebrow pencils, gels, or waxes, but the simist way is just to use an eyeshadow that matches your eyebrow color and an angled makeup brush.

Eyeshadows, unless specificied by the script, director, or anyone in charge if makeup, should be kept naturall. Whites, tans,  creams,  bieges, browns, and blacks are best. A beige or tan on the lid and then brown in the crease  is the most basic look you can create. White under the brow and in the  inner corner highlights the eye.

To contour the face, use a bronzer. This can be put around the face and under the cheeks bones to slim the face. Highlighter can be put the the center of the face, as in the forehead, nose, and chin. It can also be applied above the cheek bones. Blush should be put one the cheeks. As for colors, choose ones best for your skin tone.

Eyeliner is very important for bring out the eyes. It can be applied all along the top lash line and half way on the bottom, to keep the eyes open. The best color for women is black, and men as best suited in brown.

Mascara is basic and should match the eyeliner used. Apply simply to the top and bottom lashes.

An extra step at the end is a setting spray. This can refresh the makeup and  make it last longer.

Makeup varies from high end to drugstore to cheap cheap cheap. Quality all depends on how much you're willingly to pay. Always remember to make sure you know exactly want your director wants you to look like and if you have an problems, YouTube has a multitude of videos to learn how to create costume makeup.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below. Best of luck!
Kendall

How to Grow Your Theatrical Knowledge and Your Auditon Book (Without Really Trying)

Sorry I couldn't resist with the title. Today was a crazy day so this will be a short post but hopefully it will still be beneficial!

We could all expand our knowledge when it comes to theatre. The question is: how do we go about doing that? Seeing Broadway shows is crazy expensive and also we don't want to leave to comfort of our beds (well that's me at least). So what do we do? Let me tell ya:

1)  WHAT'S ON BROADWAY NOW?

Look at what's on Broadway right now. That's a great place to start, and from there, look at youtube clips and maybe you can find a bootleg! Bootlegs are the best, but of course, illegal. Beneficial for us fans, but it really sucks if it's your show.

Next, look at the stars. See some familiar faces? Research what they've done! Revivals are some of the best way to look at new stars in old shows!

2)  WHAT HAS BEEN DONE?

Sometimes I feel some thespians look over the classics. NO. Those are the best! Definitely look at old musical movies. Gene Kelley, Fred Astaire, and Bing Crosby are some of my idols and they have really impacted the theatrical world today. Definitely look into them.

3)  ASK!

I have learned that not everyone is at the same place when it comes to theatre. I think of myself as pretty knowledgeable when it comes to shows, so I sometimes can be rude when a theatre kid says, "what's les mis about?". This actually happened and I wish I could've changed my response. So please: feel free to ask questions. I know I would be glad to help and so would anyone part of Actor Problems. Ask away! Ask for scripts, sheet music, old high school recordings, whatever! Help one another!

If you have any other ideas, again, feel free to commet below. And if you have any questions for me, either comment below or find me on twitter y'all! My twitter name will be below! Happy Researching!

Andrew
Andrew's Twitter: @theatreginger

A Guide to Your Shoes

You have to wear shoes, thats a given. There aren't many shows you can be barefoot. And it's never exactly safe to be barefoot on stage. Or backstage. Or in a theater. So here's a quick guide to the many shoe options.
Reminder, always check in with your director and costume department for the required shoes. This is just to show the options.


WOMENS CHARACTER SHOES
These are the basic of the basic when it comes to shoes. They come in many colors, but te most common are usually black or tan. They vary in heel height, so always double check before purchasing. All in all, if you get good quality ones, they can last somewhere between 3-6 shows, depending on the severity of dance numbers and performing. Character shoes can also vary in styles, from the simple Mary Jane to te classic T-strap to the sultry open toe or open shank shoe.

MENS CHARACTER SHOES
Men's shoes are typically professional looking, often described as 'Oxford' styled. They come with a short heel and tie up. Similarly, character shoes can also include a tap on the ball and heel for specific shoes. Some may also include a rubber padding behind the ball tap to insure a sturdy footing and grip.

JAZZ SHOES
Jazz shoes are very flexible shoes that can be slip-on or tied up, depending on style. Usually, these shoes are best to be worn during choreography before wearing the actual shoe that will be used on stage. These are the best bet when it come to a rehearsal shoe that is durable and easy.

DANCE BOOTS
For a more traditional show, the shoe may have to be taller. Lace up Dane boots are similar to men's character shoes, but with a taller heel for ladies, and usually come up to the calf.

SNEAKERS
The best place to find sneakers in a theater is when the show is high performance, with lots of running around. Eventually, an actual stage shoe will take the place of the sneaker.

TECH SHOES
All black is the most common rule for a techies shoe, and should always be a sneaker. Depending in the theatre, people who move set pieces might have a costume that goes with the show, so more of a character shoe is needed.

DESIGNER BRAND
More recently, brand shoes such as Converse, Keds, or TOMs have come quite popular for stage shoes. These shoes are best for children's shows, or more current shoes, for the modern day person. This comes down to the directors vision and interpretation of the show.

Just to stress it again, always always check and double check to make your shoe is correct for the show. Even the color or heel height can make a big differnece to the appearance on stage.

As always, leave comments below and make sure to look at all the other posts!

Spotlight: Jekyll & Hyde

This has always been an interesting show for me. Not a very well-known show, due to some mixed reviews by audiences and critics alike, this has become an obsession of mine recently so I decided to research this show a little more.

The plot is based off the original novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, but with some slight moderation. Love interests are given to the character of Jekyll to add more depth and character arc. Also, Jekyll is under pressure from the board of governors as they will not allow him to continue on with his experiments as he tries to experiment on the human mind. This show has some great songs, such as “This is The Moment”, “Someone Like You”, and “Murder, Murder”. Although the plot is somewhat lacking, and only some productions do the show justice, I had the privilege of seeing a really phenomenal production of Jekyll. And what was great about it, was it was not like any other production I have seen.

 

The composers Wildhorn and Cuden had drawn up the score in 1980, but released a concept album in 1986 featuring Colm Wilkinson (the original Jean Valjean from Les Miserables). Then a tour was sparked in 1990 where it received critical acclaim before finally coming to Broadway in 1997. But the production did not receive as much praise as the tour had, and it lost money in revenues. The show did run for over 1,500 performances and it quickly became a cult favorite. There is a recording of the final cast that includes David Hasselhoff as Jekyll and Colleen Sexton as Lucy. If y’all are interested in watching, the link to it can be found on the bottom of this article. Just be aware: it’s David Hasselhoff. Don’t expect high quality. There was also a 2012 tour that led into a Broadway revival with Constantine Maroulis and Deborah Cox, with new orchestrations to give it a heavy rock feel. But this epically flopped, and it closed after 29 performances.

Heehee. Derpin' Hasselhoff. 

I had seen this before and I thought the show was alright. The music was good, and I liked the themes and the characters. I just wish it could’ve been better. Then last Saturday, I saw Casa Manana’s production of Jekyll in Fort Worth, Texas as part of their Apprentice Program. All I could say was, wow. I was amazed by the set, the lights, and the actors! All of these things topped the Broadway production for me. What did they do different, you may ask? Well let me tell you. It’s a simple rule that all theaters must try to follow, no matter what they do. 

THEY TOOK RISKS.

The set was very minimal, with just paneling and scaffolding. The lights did most of the work and told most of the story. Sounds great right? But get this: the feel of the show? Punk rock. The orchestrations were only about 8 people, but the music had a very heavy, yet light rock feel. The costumes were what did it for me. The upper-class characters were dressed as Gothic characters while lower class were punks. The whole show worked with these themes! The show can easily have an edgy rock feel but you just don’t want to overpower the show with rock. Vocally, everything was the same if not a little more “popier” but I was fine with that! I didn’t want to see a classic Jekyll with Victorian style set and clothes! They did something different, and most theatres are scared of interpretation. As long as you do the true story justice, interpretation can be great! Don’t be afraid to put new ideas out there!

Link to Derp Hasselhoff Jekyll: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAQKsUolXGU

Link to Constantine singing This is The Moment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuMgllxdNh8

Link to Casa Manana Behind the Scenes Video of Jekyll: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFWoOM-I6Xw

Hopefully, with these Spotlight articles we will help introduce people to new shows and help broaden their theatrical knowledge. Any questions or comments, feel free to let us know below or on twitter! 

Andrew