'Arts Collective Bloggin'

Vlogs: A Sneak Peek

2011-07-12T22:37:00.009-04:00

Very soon, we'll be featuring video posts! These vlogs will include interviews with the cast and designers of AC's A Midsummer Night's Dream, and a look into the world of Shakespeare's beloved comedy.

Here is a sneak peek at some of what you can expect to see!

The Pucks
(Matt Winer and Natalie Carlyle)

The Rude Mechanicals
(Top row: Keri Eastridge, Brandon O'Donnell, Jessica Welch; bottom row: Melissa Paper, Ashanti Cooper, Tom Matera).

Photos by Erin Drum.

Be sure to check back soon for the vlogs themselves!

And remember, Midsummer opens August 4th! Tickets on sale mid-July! Please visit our website and Facebook page for more info.

First Look: Midsummer Rehearsals!

2011-07-08T16:38:00.015-04:00

Here is a first look at AC's A Midsummer Night's Dream's rehearsal process!

'Midsummer opens August 4th and runs through the 14th. For more information, visit our website or our Facebook page.

The company.

Matt Winer (Puck), Natalie Carlyle (Puck), KeiLyn Durrel Jones (Oberon).

Phyllis Stanley (Aegea) and John Sisson (Demetrius).

John Sisson, Katie Tyler (Helena), and Chris Sisson (Lysander).

Grace Anastasiadis (director).

Ashanti Cooper, Keri Eastridge, Tom Matera, Jessica Welch, Brendan O'Donnell, and Melissa Paper (The Rude Mechanicals).

Jenny Male ( John Sisson, Rachael Sinnot (Hermia), and Chris Sisson.

Katie Tyler and Chris Sisson.

Natalie Carlyle, KeiLyn Durrel Jones, and Matt Winer.

Photography by Erin Drum.

Announcing: 17th Season Line-Up!

2011-07-01T16:48:00.004-04:00

As we here at Arts Collective like to say (quick shout-out to Steppenwolf)... TODAY IS THE DAY! Today, we are so proud to announce the Arts Collective's 17th season line-up!

We'll be posting full details for all of our shows next week, but for now you can check out all the great productions we have in store for you this season. Let us know what you're most excited about!

A Midsummer Night's Dream

August 4-14, 2011

By William Shakespeare
Directed by Grace Anastasiadis

Shakespeare's classic, comic tale of powerful and mischievous fairies and foolish young lovers comes to life as AC kicks-off it’s 17th season. Just as the pair of lovers are transported to a magical world beyond their imaginations, so too will audiences experience the journey in HCC's beautiful and very cool Smith Theatre —for a Dream unlike any other.

A Passion for Broadway: A Cabaret

October 7, 2011
Presented by the Arts Collective
Directed by Grace Anastasiadis and Jenny Male

Arts Collective brings passion to the stage this fall! Keith Tittermary will tickle the ivories for HCC's wildly gifted students, alumni and guest artists as they croon and belt their way through Broadway's most moving and passionate musical theatre hits! Visit AC’s website after September 10th to view the cast and musical numbers included in this one-night-only cabaret!

Spring's Awakening

November 10 – 20, 2011
Co-Presented by HCC’s Theatre Program and the Arts Collective
A Play by Frank Wedekind
Directed by Michael Stebbins

Frank Wedekind's lyrical, thoughtful, and provocative 1891 play reflects on the mysterious and complex passage from innocence to adulthood. Over a hundred years after being banned throughout Europe for its starkly honest depiction of adolescent emotions and sexuality, this masterpiece went on to inspire the Tony award-winning musical.

What Improv Group?!?!

December 9, 2011
Presented by the Arts Collective
Directed by Susan G. Kramer

HCC's only improv troupe, What Improv Group?!?! (W.I.G.), returns to the stage! Crafty storytelling and rich characters define W.I.G.'s distinct take on improv, featuring everything from the absurdly hilarious to the deeply touching, and everywhere in between. Visit AC’s website mid-October to view the cast and what W.I.G. is up to… just for you!

Student Playwright Showcase

February 2 - 3, 2012
Co-Presented by HCC’s Theatre Program and the Arts Collective

Following the success of last year's debut showcase, audiences are invited to once again sit back and relax in HCC’s amazing Monteabaro Recital Hall! This exciting event features readings of brand-new works written and performed by HCC students and special guest artists. Support today’s fresh voices right here at Howard Community College!

Dance Company Performance

March 1– 4, 2011
Presented by the Arts Collective
Directed by Renée Brozic Barger

Now in its 6th Season, AC's outstanding Student Dance Company will perform the stellar choreography of visiting professional guest artists and faculty. A moving celebration inside dance and imagination, following the same magic featured in last season’s Spring Forward. A tremendous experience for student dancers, local choreographers and audience alike.

Shakespeare's Birthday Celebration

April 17, 2012
Co-Presented by HCC’s Theatre Program and the Arts Collective
Director TBA

Come frolic with us on the back-lawns of HCC’s most magical performance space: Dreier Stage. This spring’s annual celebration will honor the Bard’s reflections on desire and jealousy featuring HCC students, staff, special guests and more! All are invited to this fun, free event which promises sonnets, stage combat, readings, and of course, birthday cake!

Urinetown

May 3 – 13, 2012

Presented by the Arts Collective
Music and Lyrics by Mark Hollmann, book and lyrics by Greg Kotis
Directed by Jenny Male
Musical Direction by Keith Tittermary

In this smart and hilarious satire of American business, no one – and no musical theatre genre – remains unscathed. Due to a 20 year drought, the poor are forced to scrounge for pennies to pay for the privilege to pee. Bobby Strong has the courage to stand up to a tyrannical empire, rousing the poor with musical numbers that parody Broadway’s biggest shows. Through it all, the people fight for love, justice, and the enduring hope of peeing free. Urinetown: the Musical was nominated for ten Tony Awards and won three in 2002.

From the AC Desk: Countdown to Season 17!

2011-06-28T12:28:00.004-04:00

A Note from AC's Producing Artistic Director

July 1^st: The day when we announce Arts Collective’s 17^th season right here! We’re beyond excited to share with you AC’s most eclectic, imaginative, inspiring line-up yet! Check back on Friday!

In the meantime… we wanted to take a moment to celebrate last season; a tough act to follow, as AC’s 16^th was our most successful to date! It was a season which included a plethora of firsts: a first subscription series, a summer partnership with Steppenwolf West, a first “mainstage” co-production (1001) and a first Student Playwright Showcase with HCC’s Theatre Arts Program, a first-time experience flying actors (Peter Pan), and a first summer production—A Midsummer Night’s Dream! AC’s 16^th Season also broke many records with the number of audition opportunities offered and the overwhelming number of stellar actors, dancers and singers who came out and gave their all! AC’s still celebrating last season’s record-breaking, unprecedented audience attendance, which brought in approximately 1,500 more patrons than the year before!

We didn’t want to put AC’s 2010-2011 season to bed without taking a moment to extend armfuls of appreciation to everyone who participated on and off the stage… from the performers, crew, designers, stage managers, directors, choreographers and music directors to our supportive and enthusiastic patrons! Thank you all for always inspiring us to grow and evolve!

Susan G. Kramer, Producing Artistic Director, Arts Collective @HCC

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A Note on the Blog:

We here at AC have been toying with things for the last season, trying to figure out the best way to communicate with you, our wonderful extended family.

Which brings me to the big, awesome, blogosphere-changing news: we’re officially relaunching the blog with a snazzy new layout, new weekly features, video content, and more!

So just what can you expect from this blog to destroy all other blogs? Just in time for last season’s production of Peter Pan, we began to make a series of sweet video blogs (vlogs for my fellow nerds out there) that you can find here on our YouTube page, and found a lot of success with them. So expect lots more video content to be posted: from behind-the-scenes exclusives like interviews with cast, crew, and designers to show trailers and more.

What else can you look forward to? For this summer’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream we’ll have a weekly series of posts following the entire process from the first company meeting to the shows themselves, and everything in between. And of course, the blog will once again be your one-stop-shop for the latest AC news (like the announcement of our 17th Season and subscriptions, coming soon!), audition opportunities, workshops, and pretty much anything you’ll ever want or need to know about ANYTHING! (As long as it’s related to AC, that is. You’ll still have to go to your favorite trashy pop culture website to read about political scandals and view celebrity mug shots.)

In all seriousness, Arts Collective’s 17th season is going to be one to remember, and we want YOU to be a part of it! So keep on checking in with AC Bloggin’ and we promise to continue bringing you the exciting AC content you want.

Sincerely,
The Arts Collective Staff

P.S. - In the meantime, please find us on Facebook here, “Like” us, and then write on our page about your favorite AC productions and/or let us know what you want to see from AC in the future. You can also check out pictures and blog posts from past productions using the links on the right panel of this interweb page; view vlogs, past productions, and other fun videos on our YouTube page; and check out our ever-growing collection of pictures on our Flickr page.

Cast Member Blog - 1001 - Nick Walsh

2010-11-18T14:56:00.004-05:00

Thanks to everyone that came out to see last weekend's run of the show! Unfortunately it's your very LAST CHANCE to see 1001 this weekend, Blogfriends! It's also your LAST CHANCE to purchase season subscriptions! [Buy tickets and subscriptions here.]

Don't miss out on this epic, twisted fantasia. I mean, it has bellydancing, beheadings, behandings, and more. What more could you want from a show?

An epic storyteller himself, let 1001 cast member tell you the tale of his journey to the stage in this week's Cast Member Blog.

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[Editor's Note: This blog was written about two weeks ago. Just so nobody gets confused, the show is playing through the 21st.]

I’m not exactly the typical theater student. I’m a “Secondary Education – English” major, which is really just a fancy term for me wanting to be a high school English teacher. A love for the written word—rather than the spoken word—has blossomed in me ever since I got past my first college composition class. I only took my Acting I class at the recommendation of my advisor, as I needed an art credit and some theatrical training is generally considered a bonus when you’re a teacher. Not to mention that I had done theater in high school.

Fast forward to earlier this semester. I was in my theater class, having a lot more fun and learning a lot more than I thought I would after 4 years of theater in high school in an entry level class. Kasi Campbell, my teacher, was a lot of fun to work with and I was enjoying myself immensely. A few weeks into the class, she mentioned that the Arts Collective and HCC's Theatre Program were putting on a show, 1001, that she would be directing. She said that auditions were that week. Kasi mentioned that the show was unusual and, remembering high school theater and thinking to myself that it couldn’t hurt to audition for the show, I was intrigued and decided to audition.

I hadn’t done an audition in 4 years. Contrary to what you might think, the audition felt extremely natural and familiar to me; I felt myself slipping back into the actor’s mindset, something I’d avoided for four years. I auditioned for several parts that day, and they all felt natural to me. As I auditioned for character after character, I found myself selfishly thinking that I wanted not just A role or ONE of these roles, but ALL of them.

Turns out, I wasn’t too far off. Of the 6 roles that I auditioned for, I got 4 of them. Funny how things work out, huh?

Rehearsing 1001 has been bliss. I’ve been blessed with a cast that is funny, VERY talented, friendly…and, just maybe, has welcomed me into the fold. In Kasi I’ve found a director that I can argue with, who lets me try things, and who critiques me constantly. These are all exceptionally positive things. My own roles are truly challenging, and will be even better in a week when we open, but I doubt they will ever be complete.

This show is my triumphant return to the stage, after 5 years. I’ve thrown my everything into this play. If you want to know me, see this show.

We’re now going into tech week, a mysterious dark void from which there is no escape. When it finally spits us out again in a week, we will have been forged into something truly amazing.

Come see the show.

Thank you for your time.

Cast Member Blog - 1001 - Aaron LeKarz

2010-11-16T15:17:00.003-05:00

It may be a dark, rainy Tuesday, Blogfriends, but I have something to brighten your day: a Cast Member Blog! This blog, from cast member Aaron LeKarz, is a look at the historical background of 1001 and some of the background behind the more belief-driven themes of the show. Oh! And there's a Delorean.

Don't forget to purchase your tickets for 1001's closing weekend, this Thursday through Sunday. Buy early and buy often as seating is limited! You can purchase tickets here.

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As I walked into the auditions for "1001" there was definitely a sense of awesome in the air. Many former cast-mates from tempODYSSEY (February 2010) were among those trying out, as well as an influx of new talent and faces with wonderful theatre backgrounds. Probably one of the more memorable moments of the casting process was my misreading of a script direction to play a role as "Vincent Price" (the voice-over for Thriller) which I confused with "Vincent Offer" (notorious TV salesman). Needless to say, a typical phrase for me to hear from Noah Bird (Shahriyar/Alan) before going on is "slap chop it up."

Besides having an amazing cast full of diverse actors and acting styles, the entire plot and production of "1001" is a mystical unfolding itself. The story, which bleeds reality and fiction in a sort of Delorean-full-of-Arabian-history-books kind of way, is both as amazing to be a part of, as well as fun to watch. It also brings to life many of the real conflicts of the Middle East, through interactions in the "present day" portions of the story. I think many people will see the show and then begin to wonder what parts of history are true, and which were preserved based on bias or popularity.

In fact, even in our current society, one of the biggest conflicts we have is, unknown to many, a difference in historical perspective. You see, both the stories of Islam and Judaism start essentially identical. God creates the world, Adam and Eve are the first human beings and on and on. Until you get to Abraham. See this is where the lineage takes a sharp split, one which has cost more lives throughout time than any other historical conflict. In Jewish history, Abraham awaiting a son to be his heir makes a decision which sends a rift through human history.

Abraham's wife Sarah had been barren for most of her life, so Abraham decides (according to the Judeo-Christian view) that he must sleep with a concubine (Hagar) and thus produce an heir, Ishmael. Later, after three angels appear to Abraham and tell him he is to have a child with his wife, Sarah bears a child, Isaac. According to the text, Abraham is 100 years old when this happens. Therefore it isn't actually as rushed as some may have thought for him to have a child with a concubine to be the heir to his nation. Isaac later has several children, one of who, Jacob, becomes known as Israel, whose lineage was God's chosen people.

Now rewind. Imagine that you took the right of "firstborn" to imply the actual first born of Abraham and not the first born of his first marriage. According to Islam, Ishmael had these rights. And as such the infamous sacrificing of Abraham's son to God to show his loyalty would have been Ishmael instead of Isaac on the altar. For those who might not know, he ends up sacrificing a lamb rather than his son, and the son of the story's choosing goes on to become the start of the Jewish or Islamic (known first as Arabian) Nation.

Many people disassociate the conflicts in the "infamous" territory of Gaza with a land allocation from World War II, or the attempt at a cessation of fighting. But truly the battles in Israel have been going on since the times of Isaac and Ishmael, with both the Qur'an, the Bible, and other historical accounts at least agreeing that fighting for territory had always been going on. It is almost silly to think of ideals like peace in the Middle East, because truly short of the second coming of Christ or the islamic Last Judgement neither side would have the interest in throwing their version of the past five thousand years in the fire. Even more, I would be doubtful if, even in the face of whichever the "true" God may be, that even those with opposing viewpoints would clutch onto whatever version of history they have believed their whole life; people are more likely to want to die believing in something than thinking they died having lived in vain.

Thinking about the infamous historical conflict created by a seemingly simple historical detail like "who is the true descendant of Abraham" really comes full circle in a play like "1001" where you get to see both sides of the story told and untold. Ideas of time, history and places being linear dissolves into the thought that maybe all these things are cyclical, continuous or maybe even indescribable by our current natures of understanding. Needless to say, if you are looking for an outstanding play that will make you think about the nature of storytelling and it's part in history, then be sure to see 1001, where you will find the ideas around storytelling unfold in both entertaining and thought-provoking ways.

DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Arts Collective at HCC.

cast Member Blog - 1001 - Naomi Place

2010-11-12T12:58:00.005-05:00

They did it, Blogfriends! [Cue the confetti cannon.]

Last night, the cast and crew of 1001 finally had the pleasure of letting the outside world into the fascinating and complex world of Jason Grote's fantastic play. Of course if you missed it last night, you still have 7 more chances to see this show, however seating is limited and tickets are selling fast, so buy them now. No seriously. Now. Here.

Now of course opening night and inviting the audience in for the run of this show is, in many ways, what theatre is all about; this production, however, has been months and months in the making. As a treat for you, Blogfriends, and in thanks and gratification to the incredibly talented folks who have worked so hard on this show, I present to you today's 1001 Cast Member Blog. Join cast member Naomi Place as she takes you on a journey to the journey of 1001. Too meta?

Take it away, Naomi...

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Hello! My name is Naomi and I am a featured belly dancer and ensemble member in 1001. Although this is my first experience participating in a performing arts production at Howard Community College, I am not by any means new to the stage.

As you may know, the play 1001 is about storytelling. Whether the story takes place in the past, present, or future is irrelevant (as playwright Jason Grote has shown in this work). I wanted to use this entry to tell a little story about the demands of a performance of this caliber, and about the outstanding crew who is organizing it, as they simply are the backbone of this show.

Each individual scene is blocked and meticulously tweaked by our amazing and extremely patient director, Kasi Campbell. Dancers attend an additional 2 or more rehearsals per week to learn and polish choreography. The entire cast meets together at least 3 times a week (for a minimum of 3 hours) to run through the show in its entirety. The average cast member contributes 20+ hours per week to rehearse this play. Add to that the fact that we are all full time students, and many of us are involved in concurrent productions, and/or have jobs, children, pets, et cetera.

Our crew is the best. Not only do they put in the time and dedication as the cast does, but they help organize everything from schedules to sets, costumes, music, props, audio-visual and more. For me personally, one of the greatest pleasures has been to work with stage manager Erin Drum. She has shown to be the most level-headed, patient, and organized professional I have worked with in quite some time. I’m sure the entire cast will agree. Thank you Erin!

The story I tell may not be the most exciting one, as it happens behind the scenes where no one is looking; however, it is one of the most important, and it needed to be told. I hope you, your friends, and family make it to the play and get to see how our phenomenal crew has perfected the task of making something so challenging, look simple and beautiful! See you there!

Cast Member Blog - 1001 - Brianna Freeman

2010-11-11T14:47:00.007-05:00

Today is the day, Blogfriends!

Tonight at 8 p.m. in the Horowitz Center's Studio Theatre is the premiere of Jason Grote's 1001, a post-modern re-telling of Arabian Nights. The show centers on the characters of Shahriyar--a Persian king that marries women from his kingdom, consummates the relationship, and then beheads them so that he can marry a new woman the next day-- and Scheherazade--one of the last women left alive in the kingdom, who is determined to save her people and stop the maddening cycle.

1001 is a fascinating, labyrinthine tale that will take you on a twisting journey to the heart of storytelling itself. Tickets can be purchased online here, or at the Horowitz Center Box Office.

Now as you wait for your credit card information to be accepted, check out today's Cast Member Blog from Brianna Freeman! See you tonight!

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Hey everyone!

It's Brianna, and I am thrilled to be in my 2nd Arts Collective production. I was last in On Broadway, a musical theater review, and now I'm in AC's next show, 1001!

When I first heard 1001 was a straight play [as opposed to a musical] I was simultaneously excited and terrified. I am very familiar with musical theater, but not as familiar with straight theater, so I knew I was getting myself into a very different experience.

The 1st rehearsal was so interesting because it was so different than anything I have ever experienced in any production. We sat in a circle and Kasi asked everyone how we thought the different characters fit into the story, so I thought to myself oh this should be easy, I read the play. I was completely wrong. Everyone had such deep interpretations of what they thought the themes of the story were, and how their characters contributed to theme. That's when I knew I was going to get an amazing experience; in musical theater the meaning of the story is right in front of your face, but with straight theater I've found that the story always needs to be interpreted through the performers. I am honestly learning so much about theater and interpreting a story by being in this production.

When first reading this script you do not really get the full understanding of what this story really is, but under Kasi and her amazing direction this story really comes alive on the stage. I hope everyone comes to see 1001 because this story, cast, crew, set, and even dancing is incredibly amazing . So come and enjoy this story with us, starting tonight, and playing through the 21st!

Cast Member Blog - 1001 - Kyla Hammond

2010-11-05T14:26:00.008-04:00

It's November, blogfriends, and that can only mean one thing: "In November's gusy gale I will flop my flippy tail and spout hot soup--I'll be a whale!" "Chicken Soup with Rice," by Carole King, anyone? No? Ok, well beside that, November also means that it's time for our big fall production of 1001, a dark, post-modern re-telling of The Arabian Nights. 1001 opens November 11 and plays through the 21st. Purchase your tickets here, and RSVP on Facebook here, and then meet me down at the next paragraph.

Whoo, buying your tickets was quick and easy, right? And good thing you got them now, too, as seating is limited. Anyway, now for today's Cast Member Blog written by Kyla Hammond, who plays two characters in 1001... except in this case you're supposed to see the resemblance for both the characters. But that gets into possible spoilers, and, well... read on to find out what Kyla thinks about spoilers, along with how the rehearsal process has gone thus far!

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Hey guys!

This is the coolest thing: writing a blog for alll to read! I'm having such a good time with 1001. I am playing Maridah, who has an amazing yet challenging speech impediment. That alone has me reading and re-reading, just to perfect it. Thanks Shawn [Naar, fellow cast member and scene partner] for loving me despite my speech issues. I am also playing Juml, who kind of pulls my part of this tale together. That's all I'll say though, no spoilers here.

Being a part of this project has given me the chance to get to know so many funny and interesting people. This is my extended family for a while, and I couldn't ask for a better one. My first rehearsal was extremely productive; within those three or so hours I learned and memorized a great portion of my lines and was pushed in many different ways by Kasi [Campbell, director] who has been great.

Wait for it...i lied. SPOILER ALERT:Bellydancing. Bellydancing. Bellydancing. Uhh can I quickly say that belly dancing is something I've always wanted to do and now get the chance to receive free lessons with some amazing ladies * cough cough* SAM [Mauceri, fellow cast member]! Haha! Put it this way: 1001 is the new red.

Meet W.I.G.! What Improv Group Halloween Show - for Grown-ups! Friday, October 29

2010-10-27T16:27:00.003-04:00

Trick or Treat, Blogfriends!

Halloween, which is possibly this blogger's favorite holiday, is coming up this weekend! [Editor's note: I am desperately in need of costume ideas, if anyone has anything good.] More important than even Halloween, however, is this Friday's What Improv Group (W.I.G.) Halloween Special - for Grown-ups!

Although I'm sure you already know this, improv is all about the creation of characters and "scenes" on the spot, often with suggestions from the audience. While often comedic, scenes can be scary or dramatic, etc. as well. This Friday at 8 p.m. in the Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center's Studio Theatre, W.I.G. will explore all the facets of Halloween, from the hilariously irreverent to the skin-crawling creepy, and everything in between. You can buy tickets here, become Arts Collective's Facebook friend and look at some more rehearsal images here, and you can watch a jack-o-lantern man dance to a Ke$ha song here.

To prep for an evening of Halloween-themed improvised exploits, I asked the cast and director of W.I.G. some questions about the spooky holiday and the show itself:

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What is your favorite past Halloween costume?

Sarah Brodine, Ensemble: When I was a kid I wanted to be Marylin Monroe one year, with the red fingernails and the lipstick and the hair. My mom was helping me to make my hair Marylin perfect, and she actually burned me with the curler by accident. Obviously I got upset by this and started to cry, but my mom told me to stop because I would ruin my make-up. We also made boobs out of socks. Unfortunately, by the end of the night my boobs were around my stomach.

Stefany Thomas, Ensemble: The blue ballerina costume I wore when I was six. I wanted the red ballerina costume but it was too small. So my younger cousin wore it instead. I would love to be a blue ballerina now. Lol. As blue is my favorite color.

Candace Cooper, Ensemble: I think my favorite costume was probably the year i was a genie- actually i think that year my sister and I had the same costume but i thought it was the coolest little costume and it had pink slippers to match!

Daniel Johnston, Ensemble: I remember trying to shred some old jeans one time because I was doing a makeshift zombie outfit (this was before I'd ever done any costume designing) and so i took a blunt box cutter to them . . . either way, the pants ended up with completely straight cuts going down the sides as though a cat had gotten hold of them. So then I just took another pair outside and got them dirty.

Favorite Halloween memory?

Candace: I think my favorite Halloween memory is when my siblings and I were young, my father would take us trick-or-treating and he would where this striped sweater and hat that resembled Freddy Krueger's. My dad never watched horror movies really so he never really got it when kids were like, "ah man you look like Freddy! that's so awesome!"

Melissa Paper, Ensemble: When I was around 12 or 13, I decided to play Ouji board with a bunch of friends. My dad decided to flip the circuit breaker to make the lights go out. The next thing you know everyone runs out of the room freaking out. The adults pretended not to know what was going on, but when I caught my dad laughing later, I realized it was him. It was a good time.

Susan G. Kramer, Director: I grew up in a typical suburban neighborhood in Arbutus. Typical with one exception... a few houses down the street sat a haunted mansion way up on a hill. To approach the house, you had to go up two hundred steep brick stairs, walk down a long brick sidewalk which led to even more stairs... to the giant front porch. My friends and I KNEW this house was HAUNTED... 1). it was a mansion! 2). we never once saw ANYone who lived there... EVER... mowing the lawn, nothing! Year after year we dared each other to knock on the door on Halloween night! We never had the guts, until one year. A dozen or so 10 and 11 year-olds took a collective deep breath and began the journey up those dark stairs, cackling and panicking at the same time. Finally, FINALLY we knocked on the door! When the giant door creaked open, these screaming creatures (in costume) came at us from all sides... from inside the house, from the bushes! My friends and I were frozen in our footsteps until one kid eeked "RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!" And oh we ran... shrieking and crying and laughing the whole way home! It took us days to recover! By the way, the second the door opened, I was able to see inside the house... they were having a party. And the people who lived there? Hippies. Then I felt all cool because I lived down the street from hippies.

What's your favorite thing about Halloween?

Matt Winer, Ensemble: I absolutely love being scared. Going to haunted houses and corn mazes, watching horror movies, and seeing people in costumes just makes you that much more suspicious of any little noise or movement. Like that strange noise coming from RIGHT BEHIND YOU.

Chris Adams, Ensemble: Pretending to be someone else. The creative freedom; since you don't have to conform to someone else's social norms, you can pretty much do what you want.

Do you have a favorite ghost story or urban legend?

Daniel: I'm a big fan of "there's someone in the backseat!" But nothing is more terrifying to me than "the calls are coming from upstairs!"

What's your favorite scary movie?

Matt: It's definitely a tie between the Nightmare on Elm Street series and the Scream trilogy (soon to be a quadlogy!) Both series have the ability to make you LOL (that's laugh out loud) one moment and PYP (that's pee your pants) the next. I like a good morbid sense of humor.

Susan: THE EXORCIST. Without question! I was a "child" when this film came hit the theatres... and ohhh, it hit those theaters with more warnings and hub-ub than I ever remember (back then). The media reported those who viewed the film were forever changed and even placed into madness!!! It was CRAZY! Then, when I viewed it for the first time, at the Hollywood Movie Theatre, in Arbutus, the walk home with friends after was unnerving, very scary. That night. I had to baby-sit. Years later, I still view that film as being so ahead of its time... as well as such a perfect depiction of that exactly era. Beautiful writing, direction, editing... and purity in performances. None will ever surpass this film. (In my humble opinion).

Tom Matera, Ensemble: The Exorcist. Fantastic director, great characters... and the fact that it happened right around my house made it extra cool.

Favorite scary movie villain?

Candace: This is a tough one- I guess I would have to say the unknown or evil in movies like Emily Rose, the Exorcist, and Amittyville Horror the fact that you cant actually see the things that are possessing them or hurting them is what gets me the most!

Daniel: Pamela and Jason Voorhees. One day I intend to marry into the Voorhee's family. Can you imagine Thanksgiving?

Stefany: Leatherface. Lol. He was a psycho dumbass that was too smart for his own good. There was no escaping Leatherface and if you thought you were in the clear you were "dead" wrong.

What scares you?

Matt: When it comes to scary movies, anything where there's human beings inflicting terror on other human beings for seemingly no purpose--or just because they're crazyballs--scares the crap out of me. Honorable mentions go to: bugs laying eggs in one's body, the THX sound that plays before movies, and drowning in a pool of mayonnaise.

Melissa: Jaws. I saw it when I was way too little, 5 or 6, and I was convinced by the time I went to bed that he was under my bed. I was sure that if I had a limb hanging off the bed he would get me.

Chris: Things that come back to life, dead people. You know them, so you don't want to kill them.

Why do a Halloween-themed improv show?

Candace: Halloween is a holiday that people can relate to on many levels I think its a lot of peoples favorite holiday. it's a time to dress up and be silly or scary, perhaps be someone else, and use your imagination. What better vehicle for that then improv?!

Ashanti Cooper, Ensemble: It's fun! Because it's Halloween.

Chris: When you do improv in general, you can explore the truths in life. The same is true for horror movies, which explore the truths of life in subversive, thrilling ways. So this gives you an opportunity to further explore what horror films etc., were saying at the time.

What's been your favorite part of the "rehearsal" process so far?

Stefany: We played a game during one rehearsal where I played an orphan on a train. I truly enjoyed listening to the story and finding a way to tie her into the plot. To me, she was really just a spirit.

Ashanti: Exploring different characters, games, etc. because it opens up a lot of different ideas and lets us play. I think I really enjoyed a scene we did called the Red Room because it was a great story that flowed very well.

Tom: To expound upon what Ashanti was saying, it's fun to get to delve deeply into the characters.

Cast Member Blog - 1001 - Sam Mauceri

2010-10-21T13:45:00.006-04:00

Marhaban, Blogfriends!

If I did my research correctly--which I'll admit may be shaky as it's from Wikipedia and this instructional video on the YouTubes--then I just said "Hi/Hey, Blogfriends!"

Now, I'm not going all Sesame Street on you for no reason; today's 1001 Cast Member Blog comes from Sam Mauceri, and is all about how her once random interest in the Arabic language has helped her when preparing for the show. It's pretty fascinating stuff, so read on, purchase your tickets here, and then head on over to Facebook to RSVP for the show.

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Many people are surprised to learn that I speak Arabic. I am not Muslim; I don’t have any Middle Eastern heritage; I didn’t even have any burning passion to speak it before I started learning it. But now, a few years later, it is part of who I am, ingrained in my story.

Having taken only six semesters worth of Arabic at HCC over the past 2 and ½ years, I am not exactly fluent in Arabic yet, nor would I consider myself proficient in the language. I would, however, say that I speak “a bit of Arabic, with the intention of becoming fluent.”

Visually, Arabic is a beautiful and distinctive language, and whenever I see Arabic writing on a sign or a building, I will inevitably jump up and down, tug the arm of the poor soul next to me, and shout, at an embarrassingly loud volume, “I CAN READ THAT!”

And now, with 1001, I am given the opportunity to do this throughout an entire rehearsal process! Although there is no Arabic writing in the script, there are plenty of transliterated Arabic phrases, terms, and names. And so, while I use only a few Arabic phrases during the course of the play, I have been deemed the pronunciation corrector to the rest of the company. Admittedly, I’m still working on holding back a wince anytime someone mispronounces the phrase ان شاء الله (‘in shah Allah’: God willing).

After years of taking Arabic and theatre classes side by side at HCC, it’s amazing to me that they have actually come together, right before my eyes, to form something that I am so thankful to be a part of. This play is exciting, intellectual, daring, and infused with the Arabic language and Middle Eastern culture and politics. 1001 has an important story to tell, and it is only fitting that much of it is told with Arabic.

Cast Member Blog - 1001 - Noah Bird

2010-10-20T14:27:00.004-04:00

As the curtain closed on On Broadway this past Sunday--which, just so you know Blogfriends, was successfully sold out for three out of four performances!!!--Arts Collective took a second to celebrate and relax... and then jumped right back into work on the rest of our season!

Coming up next month, November 11-21, is our big fall production of 1001 by Jason Grote. 1001 is a dark, post-modern retelling of The Arabian Nights, among many other things. You can buy your tickets NOW by clicking here. Today's cast member blog is from cast member Noah Bird. Read on to find out more about how he relates to his characters, as well as the importance of doing this show "in the round."

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My name is Noah Bird and I'm playing Shahriyar, a Persian king, and Alan, a young Jewish man. Personally, I'm 1/4 Lebanese and was raised half my life by my stepfather--a Jewish man from New Jersey--so I can't help but feel a connection with both my characters, distant though they may be. Furthermore, the Arab name that was my grandmother's maiden name means, "The Loved One" (I know how to pronounce the name I just don't know how to spell it). I find this interesting because, in my opinion, Shahriyar's biggest hang-up is that he just wants to be loved deep down, which is where a lot of his drive comes from to do the things he does.

On another note, this is the first time I have ever done theatre in the round. [Editor's note: theatre in the round is when there is audience seating almost entirely around the stage area.] I've found it very interesting, the things that need to be taken into consideration prop-wise, blocking-wise and set design-wise. I really feel that doing it in the round is an excellent choice, and only makes more and more sense the more we delve into the ever-spiraling themes and stories that occur throughout the play. Another thing about doing it in the round, and this is just occurring to me as I write this, is that it will make the actors feel more like we are "trapped in a grand narrative" as Dahna--my character's love interest-- describes, walled in by the audience on all sides. It is revelations like that that make me love this play because it is always forcing our minds to run in circles searching for more answers.

Cast Member Blog - On Broadway - Becca Ballinger

2010-10-13T15:21:00.005-04:00

Sing out, Blogfriends! Tonight is the opening night of Arts Collective's On Broadway: A Musical Theatre Revue. Spanning over 80 years of Broadway's most mesmerizing pieces, On Broadway is... well, let me put it this way: I'm admittedly not the biggest fan of musical theatre, but I've seen the show twice already, and will be there for each and every show this weekend. The singing is fantastic, the dancing is fun and sexy, the acting is honest, and the lights and costumes work together to make eye candy tastier than anything Willy Wonka could dream up. There isn't a single area in which this show falters. And coming in at around a mere 90 minutes, I guarantee you'll wonder where the time went as the house lights come up. If you haven't bought your tickets yet, I recommend doing so RIGHT NOW, as tickets are going quickly for this one-weekend only extravaganza! Basically, what I'm saying is that I promise you, this will be one of the best (if not THE BEST) piece of musical theatre you'll see anywhere this year. Oh yeah, I said it.

Ok, I've gotta go take a trip down ol' Broadway, but while you wait for the show to start, might I suggest our final (sadface) cast member blog for the show? Cast member Becca Ballinger is on hand today to explain why tradition is so important in musical theatre, and how to build on that tradition to make a show like the audience has never seen before... kinda like On Broadway. Huh, imagine that! Take it away, gurl.

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Lights fade on “Rockette” kick line. After the company has exited—mirror panels to black—the house lights slowly come up. . . There are no additional “Bows” after this—leaving the audience with an image of a kick line that goes on forever.

This was my father’s least favorite part of Arts Collective’s production of A Chorus Line last fall. Numerous heated debates about this final stage direction have occurred between my dad and me. “The kick line is what the show is famous for! It’s magical!” I yell. “You guys didn’t get the praise you deserved because the audience didn’t know the kick line was considered the bows. Not to mention band wasn’t even acknowledged and they were great!” he retorts. “Well, that’s just the way it’s done.” And that will be that.

I’m the only person in my immediate family that is active in the theatre arts, so you can imagine how frustrating it can become when the beauty of tradition goes unappreciated. I’m a strong believer that if something as legendary as Chorus Line’s kick line or Fosse’s isolations exist, then it is sometimes necessary to stick with tradition. If something is renowned for its excellence, why mess with it?

Now don’t get me wrong, in theater there is always room to make something “your own,” and nothing compares to the creativity of a true artist. One should always add a personal flair to their work. It’s a very tricky process, but once you reach that perfect blend of new and old, it’s really something extraordinary.

In On Broadway, we are staying true to a lot of the choreography and style of the original Broadway productions. But thanks to the pure genius of our choreographers, this revue is turning into a fine, one-of-a-kind hit.

A great example of reaching that “perfect blend” is presented in the number “Razzle Dazzle,” choreographed by the fabulous Jill Grabau. My mind was blown with what this girl came up with! No, seriously. I was squealing every time we learned a new step. While the Fosse style was very present in her choreography, it was 100% Grabau. (Okay, so one move was inspired by the movie, but what else can you do when the lyrics are “Roar! Roar! Roar!”?)

You really do not want to miss out on the gorgeous gift this cast and crew is bringing you. Get your tickets now! (And you should probably subscribe while you’re at it.) See you this weekend!

Cast Member Blog - 1001 - Adrianne DuChateau

2010-10-12T15:50:00.007-04:00

As you may have heard, Blogfriends, our big fall production of 1001 is already in rehearsals, preparing to open November 11, 2010. 1001 is a postmodern retelling of Arabian Nights; a dark fantasy with more layers than a Mexican dip; a storytelling fantasia with political and comic overtones. In other words, it's something you need to experience. Remember, you can buy tickets already at the Horowitz Center Box Office, or online by clicking here.

As usual, I've got a great blog for you today. Written by 1001 ensemble member Adrianne DuChateau, Adrienne shares her journey through the 1001 casting process. Hit it, Adrianne.

I signed up to audition for 1001 the very last day of auditions. I grabbed a copy of the script and read as much as i could for twenty minutes, then nervously rushed to the Smith Theatre. I knew no one, and had no clue what to expect, but I lucked out because I had the most comfortable audition experience imaginable. I went in to read scene after scene, and was actually having fun with it. I remember wanting to learn more about acting, and how I could make even better choices. By the end of the audition, I had had a positive experience and really wanted to be in the show.

After the audition I went home and immediately lost the little slip of paper that had information about callbacks. I searched vigorously for a moment then moved on, hoping I would receive that call. I did, and realized I was scheduled to work for the time of the callbacks. A really stressful shift at work took place the night before callbacks. I kept trying to find someone to fill in for me. The trouble was, everyone was already scheduled to work on a Friday night! Finally, the managers cut me some slack and let me take the night off. They said I had better do well if I'm gonna be missing work.

Once I was free to attend callbacks, I looked over the scenes nervously, and went for it. Everyone was wacky and fun. I remember thinking that no matter who plays these characters, everyone working together will make it a great show. I got the call a couple days later and learned some glorious news! I was cast in the play. So thats that. My freshman year of college and I've gotten into my first, hopefully not my last, show. I'm excited to perform with everyone!!! I'm sure I'll learn a ton from it.

Cast Member Blog - On Broadway - Kami Elrod

2010-10-12T15:02:00.007-04:00

The countdown is on, Blogfriends. The first show of Arts Collective's 16th season, On Broadway: A Musical Theatre Revue, is only three days away! This lucky blogger was able to see last night's run of the show, and let me tell you... it's some of the most fun, incredibly entertaining, visually stunning musical theatre I've seen in a long time. Tickets are selling fast, so click here and buy your tickets now!

For your reading pleasure today, we have a fantastic blog from cast member Kami Elrod. Read on to learn more about Kami's audition, her introduction to the world of musical theatre by her grandmother, and lots of Kami talking to herself.

The words dizzy, nauseous, and completely petrified do not even begin to describe how nervous I was as I got ready to sing for my On Broadway audition. There I stood, square in the middle of the big dance room, in front of the row of people who would soon decide whether or not I would be a part of this production, or if I would simply be watching it among the other audience members. Hands literally shaking by my side, I remember starting to sing my audition song choice of “If I Loved You” from Carousel and thinking, ”c’mon Kami, for goodness sakes dude pull yourself together! CRAP here comes the high note…”

If you’ve ever had one of those moments where you do something and then immediately want to pound your head chanting “stupid! Stupid stupid!” you’ll know exactly how I felt as I walked out of that audition room. I had sung that song a million and one times, and I had let my nerves get the best of me. I realized that probably most of the reason I was so utterly nervous, besides the fact that I NEVER let people hear me sing, is because I wanted to be a part of On Broadway more than anything.

When I first found out about the upcoming On Broadway production, I pretty much had a jump for joy session. Singing and dancing had always been huge passions in my life, and here was a production that not only had both, but was also dedicated to the classic unforgettable Broadway songs and performances throughout the decades. I knew I wanted to be in this show. BADLY.

Thanks to my Grandma, I grew up on oldies and Broadway music. My first play she took me to was at Toby’s Dinner Theater. After that first night of listening to Dorothy and her gang sing about following the yellow brick road, several other plays followed over the years. Oklahoma! The Sound Of Music, Phantom of the Opera, Beauty and the Beast, and the countless other plays she took me to I completely fell in love with.

After she passed away, her music still lived on with me. Along with an insane amount of Broadway songs, composers like Frank Sinatra, Patsy Cline, and Perry Como took over my ipod. Songs from a time when music was so completely different from today’s latest K$sha or Lil’ Wayne pop hit. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy busting out to “Your Love Is My Drug” as much as the next American teenager, but Broadway, 50’s and 60’s music will always be my most beloved songs, closest to my heart.

I must have replayed my audition that day in my head a hundred times, going over what I wished I could change about my performance, and hoping that they would give me another chance to come back and audition again. So when I finally got a call from the wonderful On Broadway producer, Sue Kramer, asking if I would like to be a cast member, I pretty much had a joyous freak out of sorts that I could only compare to a bunch of pre-teen girls getting a chance to meet Edward Cullen from the Twilight saga…

Now, weeks later of practices and meetings (not to mention sore feet from trying to perfect that one tap number move I cannot for the life of me seem to get down [Editor's Note: This blog was originally written back in September, so I know Kami's gotten that move down!]) I am still just as ecstatic to be a part of this show as I was the day I got the phone call.

Thanks to our fabulous choreographers Jenny Male, Jill Grabau, and Sarah Brodine (all of whom I’d like to give a big “thank you for all your patience with me and my goldfish-like memory” shout out J ) the dances are absolutely AMAZING. The songs are fun, sassy, full of passion, and mesmerizing. And as for the production, well, you’re just gonna have to see it for yourself now aren’t you?

Cast Member Blog - 1001 - Wonsup Chung

2010-10-06T12:31:00.007-04:00

Oh snap, Blogfriends! Things are really picking up speed at Arts Collective HQ. Not only do we have the incredible musical theatre revue, "On Broadway," coming up October 14-17 (Buy your tickets now! They're selling faster than "fleas on locusts, according to AC resident photographer Erin Drum. Whatever that means, Erin.) but we're now in rehearsals for AC's big fall show, "1001." To celebrate, we have for you the first "1001" Cast Member Blog! Today's blog is written by HCC student Wonsup Chung, who plays The Eunuch and is part of the ensemble. Take it away, Wonsup...

Part of the reason that “1001” is so interesting to me is because it deals with the issues of nationality and identity that I deal with every day as an HCC student.

I came to America right before last year's snow storms in Maryland. South Korea had had some historically memorable snow storms in the past, so I was so excited to get away from horrible snow. However, even before I got a chance to look around the Columbia Mall and try on an American Eagle jacket, I had to shovel snow. I was pretty much stuck at home every day until I shoveled my way out of the snow.

Since I had been living in Korea for 22 years, sometimes I forget that I am in America and not Korea—until the English signs on the highway remind me. When I first got to Howard Community College for the new student orientation, I felt like I was watching a 3D movie at the movie theater; watching westerners talking to each other was familiar, but being in the same place with them was not familiar, so it seemed like virtual reality. Even though I was sharing space with them, I still felt like an audience member watching a movie screen.

In “1001,” Dahna is a minority who looks at herself closely, analyzing herself in the third person, as if she were an actor on stage. She wonders about what parts of herself are traditional, and what parts are modern. She wonders about how her identity plays out when she interacts with other people at her school. Now, I’m so excited to make a connection between my observations and myself. I can stop looking at my life like a third person narrator, and participate in my own life. I’m looking forward to both living and playing these realities in our performances of “1001.”

On Broadway Rehearsal Images!

2010-09-29T11:16:00.007-04:00

Life is a Cabaret, my Blogfriends...

Kicking off our 16th season, Arts Collective's musical theater revue "On Broadway" opens in just two short weeks! In anticipation of the big premiere, we've got a special treat for you today. Resident Arts Collective photographer Erin Drum recently snuck into the "On Broadway" designer run and snapped a few shots. What follows are the exclusive pictures, not available anywhere else! Check them out, friend us on Facebook, and then don't forget to visit the Arts Collective website to buy your tickets for this exciting one-weekend only event, October 14th-17th!

From left to right:Vanessa Kinzey, Katie Tyler, Timothy Robinson,

Grace Anastasiadis,Becca Ballinger, JilliAnne Grabau, Kevin James Logan

JilliAnne Grabau, Brianna Freeman, Cody McNeely, Kevin James Logan, Sarah Brodine

Bottom Row: Vanessa Kinzey, Rachel Plunkett, Becca Ballinger,

Keri Eastridge, Kami Elrod, Grace Anastasiadis

Middle Row: Sean Hipp, Sarah Brodine, Brianna Freeman,

Candace Cooper, Katie Tyler, Nick Zients

Top Row: Cody McNeely, Tyler Houston, Timothy Robinson

Katie Tyler, Vanessa Kinzey, Grace Anastasiadis, Timothy Robinson, Kevin James Logan, Cody McNeely

Kami Elrod, Grace Anastasiadis, Brianna Freeman, Becca Ballinger, Sarah Brodine, Kevin James Logan

Brianna Freeman, Grace Anastasiadis, Kami Elrod

Nick Zients, Brianna Freeman, Keri Eastridge, Becca Ballinger, Kami Elrod,

JilliAnne Grabau, Tyler Houston, Cody McNeely, Sarah Brodine, Kevin James Logan

Bottom row: Sean Hipp, Kevin James Logan, Keri Eastridge, Tyler Houston

Top row: Cody McNeely, JilliAnne Grabau, Timothy Robinson, Katie Tyler, Nick Zients

Christine Nelson

Tyler Houston, Christine Nelson

Kevin James Logan, Kami Elrod

Ensemble

Sean Hipp, Brianna Freeman, Grace Anastasiadis, Kami Elrod

Sarah Brodine, Katie Tyler, Cody McNeely

Grace Anastasiadis, Sarah Carlson Brodine, Kami Elrod

Nick Zients

Becca Ballinger, JilliAnne Grabau, Kami Elrod

Candace Cooper

Grace Anastasiadis, Katie, Tyler, Vanessa Kinzey,

Candace Cooper, Kami Elrod, Brianna Freeman

Becca Ballinger

Candace Cooper, Vanessa Kinzey

Cast Member Blog - Brianna Freeman

2010-08-30T14:29:00.005-04:00

Happy first day of the semester, Blogfriends! I hope your classes are going well and homework is light to non-existent.

As you should all know by now, today is Cast Member Blog Monday! In today's entry, Arts Collective newcomer Brianna Freeman discusses what makes On Broadway such an exciting opportunity for cast and audience members alike, as well as her favorite role in the show!

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Hey everyone, its Brianna! This is my first blog with the Arts Collective, and I'm ecstatic!

When I found out I was going to be a part of the Arts Collective I was very excited, but I was even more excited with the show selection. On Broadway is a musical revue starting from the 1920s, working its way up to the 2000s. As you travel through the wonderful world of Broadway, you experience all different styles of music and dance.

This show is an amazing experience because you get to see the cast members play various roles in one show. This versatile production has provided me the opportunity to play Effee White, from the show Dreamgirls. Effee White was the leading lady of her girl group "The Dreamettes", until the producers took a drastic turn which forced Effee out of the group. Effee's drive and determination to become a star in her own is very inspiring, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to play her in this show.

So come see On Broadway because this talented cast will take you on a journey through some of Broadway's greatest classics, and I promise you will not go home disappointed. On Broadway's performances are on October 14, 15, 16 at 8 p.m. and October 17 at 3 p.m. at the Studio Theater, so be there, and be ready to be entertained!

Cast Member Blog - Katie Tyler

2010-08-27T10:25:00.005-04:00

I'm making this short and sweet today Blogfriends, because the following On Broadway Cast Member Blog speaks for itself. Today's blog comes to you from the scrumtrulescent Katie Tyler. Consider it an exploration of musical theatre through The Breakfast Club that is so fun and sweet that by the end you'll be frozen with your fist held in the air while sweet 80's tunes play in the background. Yes, it's that good.

Don't forget to become a fan on Facebook or check out our website. Also, if you're interested in audition to be in On Broadway, a second round of auditions is being held September 10th. Check out the website for more details. Ok, take it away, Katie...

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The Breakfast Club, which is one of my personal favorites, displays all of the different types of kids one will find in a typical high school setting. You have the jock, the brain, the loner, and so on. While I love this movie, and any 1980’s Molly Ringwald movie, they left out one very important high school student: the theater geek. This may be because we were all perfect students who never got detention . . . or maybe that is not true. Now being said geek since middle school, I feel offended and that it is my personal obligation to let you into the mind of the teenage theater geek and why the stage makes our world go ‘round.

I wish I could say that I grew up going to ballet class or performing as one of the Von Trapp children in The Sound of Music. Regretfully, I was not this little girl. I did not obsess with Broadway and performing until I saw Hairspray in the very last row of the Neil Simon theater. Hearing that overture gave me goose bumps and I was instantly hooked. From that moment on, I knew the stage was where I belonged and that I would do anything to be on it.

I immediately dug into research about all of the amazing (and not so amazing) musicals that have graced the Great White Way. With every show I watched, I would so desperately wish to be involved in it and I would always find a new “dream role.” Knowing it would be impossible to be in every show I loved, I would just pretend to be Anita in West Side Story or Natalie in Next to Normal. Then I found out about the On Broadway auditions and there was finally a way to squeeze all of these fabulous shows and characters into one mind-blowing production.

This process has been so amazing and fulfilling. The feeling I had when singing “Mama Who Bore Me” for the first time, without Lea Michele in the background, was beyond words. I am so thrilled that the review is incorporating musicals like Spring Awakening along with shows like Oklahoma. Two very different shows, but both shows that shaped generations of musical theatergoers. They are definitely shows that shaped me and I am sure that everyone else involved feels the same way.

Being involved in this show is the perfect way to end my musical theater education at Howard Community College and the with Arts Collective. Making the decision to go to HCC and work with the Arts Collective was such a great choice and I cannot imagine my life without it. I remember coming in as a shy freshman and being so intimidated by the people around me. I was so scared that I did not want to even audition for the fall musical; but I am so grateful that I did, because from that, I made some of my best friends. Now, two years later, I get to be a part of a show with some of those same people and I feel truly blessed.

I am extremely excited to share this show with the public. Everyone involved is so amazing at what they do, and what is even better is that everyone not only wants to be here, but they also love to be here, which is hard to find. I watch the rehearsals in awe, both at the fierceness in the room and the masterminds that brought this music to us so that we could perform it. I walk into rehearsal and I know, without question, that this is where I belong. So now, whenever I watch The Breakfast Club, I always add “the theater geek” at the end of the movie, and hopefully you will too!

Cast Member Blog - Sarah Brodine

2010-08-23T13:17:00.009-04:00

Happy Monday, Blogfriends! I know, a Monday isn't normally something to celebrate. This is no ordinary Monday, though; today is Cast Member Blog Monday! Today, On Broadway cast member Sarah Brodine gives us a fascinating look at the history of Broadway that includes togas, bump and grind stripping, and yo-yos. Now that is my kind of blog.

For more info on upcoming shows, auditions, tech opportunities, workshops, and much more, visit the Arts Collective website and Facebook page.

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“Oh sure, I saw it on Broadway…”

Intoxicating. Delicious. Amazing. Surreal. Extraordinary. Perfection. A wide breadth of descriptors that covers an expanse of timeless stage performance that equals BROADWAY!

Though there are streets, cities, and even boats bearing the name “Broadway,” it is primarily thought of worldwide as the word that symbolizes all that is quintessential theater.

Quite literally, Broadway is the longest street in New York, beginning in downtown Manhattan and ending in the Bronx. When referring to the theater culture, it is inclusive of 40 professional theaters located between West 41st and 53rd Streets and 6th and 8th Avenues in New York. The area is also referred to as “The Great White Way,” due to the lights along the street. They lit up the night in “white” light…hence the name – duh.

[Fun Fact: Broadway was one of the first streets in the US to be lit by electric lights. In 1880, Brush arc lamps lit nearly a mile-long stretch of the street; about 20 years later a headline in the New York Evening Telegram called the stretch the Great White Way.]

Theater has been around since togas were the height of fashion and comes from the Greek “theatre” which means “place for seeing.” It was not until 1750, though, that a permanent theater was established in the Broadway area AND the first professionally performed musical in New York (“The Beggar’s Opera”) debuted. Prior to that time, America’s actors were all London imports who performed an unknown repertoire of plays.

[It just makes you wonder how people got their entertainment…which I guess explains why this is around the same time that yo-yos were patented…]

In the 1800s, Broadway was New York’s main street and therefore the most likely place for entrepreneurs to build their entertainment establishments**.

**Please note: my internet research has led me to believe the phrase “entertainment establishment” is up for interpretation…

Along with straight plays and musicals, vaudeville and burlesque (which started out as musical comedy productions –not bump and grind stripping) were all in full swing by the end of the 19th Century.

Throughout the 1900’s, Broadway shows were strongly influenced by the events of the time, from comedic spoofs to heartfelt dramas. (I mean, think of what they had to work with: prohibition, a stock market crash, world wars, etc.)

Today, Broadway is one of New York City’s most important tourist attractions (right up there with those nifty “I Heart NY" shirts, and the Statue of Liberty).

So that's Broadway history in a nutshell. Sometimes serious, sometimes sexy, sometimes funny, but always a razzle dazzle good time. So make sure you come out October 14th to see me and the rest of the cast give you a show like you've never seen before... On Broadway!

Cast Member Blog - Jill Grabau

2010-08-20T16:30:00.015-04:00

Well hello there, Blogfriends. I hope you all are enjoying these last days of summer before classes and such start up in less than 2 weeks! Personally, I know that we here at Arts Collective are super excited for the beginning of the year. In fact, we just announced the line-up for our 16th season and our first Subscriber Series! For more info on upcoming shows, auditions, tech opportunities, workshops, and much more, visit the Arts Collective website and Facebook page.

Now that that's out of the way, we have the first Cast Member Blog of the season!

On Broadway, a musical revue spanning the better half of a century of the most memorable musical theatre pieces from Broadway, is our first production of the season, playing the weekend of October 14th. Jill Grabau, On Broadway cast member and all-around Arts Collective all-star, has the honors of starting off AC's 16th season with her blog entry. Read on for a musical theatre nerdgasm, including what numbers Jill is choreographing and a super-sweet Cliff Notes-style rundown of Bob Fosse.

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Calling all musical theater geeks! Whether you love to be in musicals or just love to watch people sing and dance their butts off on stage, then this is the show for you!

When I found out that I was going to be a part of On Broadway, I got a serious case of the jitters. Not only is this a combination of some of the greatest shows on earth, it's also every musical theater nerd’s dream! And being an uber musical theater nerd, I'd say I'm in heaven!

From Showboat to Legally Blonde, and all that's in between, this show is off the chain. Some of these shows I've only ever dreamed of being a part of and now it's really happening! Please, someone pinch me!

I have been given the honor of playing the lovely part of Charity from the Bob Fosse original, Sweet Charity. The show itself is a wonder, about a woman seeking a life far more interesting than the one she's got. Although I'm rather content with my own life, and don't relate exactly to Charity's story, I still find the role intriguing. Perhaps not one of the most memorable, but probably the most fun number from the show just so happens to be the one in which I'll be making my debut, entitled "There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This". In this number, Charity and her two friends, working at a dance club, dream of a life beyond what they have, "something far better than the Fandango Ballroom..."

I was offered the chance to re-stage this number, based on its original version starring Shirely McClain and Cita Rivera. Choreography has recently become my new frontier, specifically musical theater choreography. I've always loved to act and dance and create, and finally I have found the courage to combine all three. So given that, Jenny Male (director and choreographer) offered me the position of Dance Captain and asked if I would choreograph two pieces from the show: "There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This" from Sweet Charity, and "Razzle Dazzle" from the sassy classic Chicago. The ironic thing is that both these numbers belong to Bob Fosse shows, who I just so happen to ADORE!

Bob Fosse—actor, dancer, director, choreographer, and more—has eased his way into claiming 1st place on my "Top 10 Favorite Dance Styles" list (yes, I have that list). His style is legendary and therefore...awesome!
Here are just a few fun facts about Fosse (other than his wicked sweetness and ever-so-classic "jazz hands!"):

• When he was a kid, he was pigeon-toed and had scoliosis, making it challenging to "turn-out" in classical dance styles. So instead, he created his own style –turned in toes, rounded shoulders and arched backs. Fosse liked to play with the abnormal; if it was weird, he liked it.

• Over time, he started to lose his hair and developed male-pattern baldness. Naturally, he wore a hat 99% percent of the time to cover his thinning grays (a bowler hat being amongst his favorites). So naturally, his hat forged a new part in his dance style and choreography.

• Fosse also adored wearing all black as much as possible, in performances, rehearsals, you name it. But the actual reason behind this stands to rumor. Some people believe that he wore all black because he spent most of his time in the theater and accordingly wanted to blend in backstage. Others think that, because he smoked like a chimney, he didn't want to discolor any of his clothing. But as for me, I believe that he chose black because it contrasted with his light-colored skin and therefore made each and every movement of his hands, fingers, neck, and head extremely noticeable—even to an audience 100 yards away.

Being a FosseHead myself, I felt it only right to stick to Fosse's effervescent style in the two numbers I'm choreographing. I thought of it as a way to pay homage to this great choreographer. The dancing is nothing flashy, but it definitely speaks for itself and holds its own amongst the many Broadway styles out there.

I told you, I'm a nerd...a big one.

So in conclusion, if you love musicals, if you love Fosse, and if you love...people running around in purple gorilla suits (no, just kidding, there won't be any purple gorillas) then On Broadway is the show for you! Buy your tickets now!

See you...On Broadway!
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Ok blogfriends, we'll see you back here Fridays and Mondays for more Cast Member Blogs, and check back often for Arts Collective news and developments! Stop by this Monday for a brief, fascinating Broadway history lesson with cast member Sarah Brodine.

Steppenwolf Workshop: Aug. 2-14 (Spots Still Available!)

2010-07-15T12:20:00.011-04:00

My dearest Blogfriends,

I was just doing research for today's blog post, and I have to say that I am so incredibly, unbelievably excited right now. So let's get started.

As I mentioned in the Year in Review post last week (which is a fabulous read, if I do say so myself), there is an exciting workshop coming up in two weeks; consider yourself cordially invited.

Because of a year-in-the-making partnership between Los Angeles-based Steppenwolf West and Arts Collective, two astonishingly talented teachers from Steppenwolf West, Alexandra Billings and Eric Hunicutt, will be leading an acting workshop right here at Howard Community College! This very blogger is going to be attending said workshop, and as I've already stated, I could not be more excited.

Can you tell I'm excited? (Ok, I'm done now. Excited.)

The workshop, using the Viewpoints and Scenic Improvisation as the primary teaching tools, will give actors of all levels of experience a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore their process and discover new possibilities within their work. Now you might be asking youself, sure that sounds neat Matt, but WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

Well, blogfriend, first I'm going to need you to calm down. Everyone knows writing in all caps is hostile. What the previous paragraph means is that this workshop isn't meant to replace the way you work as an actor; it's more about giving a vocabulary to what you already know instinctually, and how to hone those instincts to make you a better, more honest actor.

Quote break! Says instructor Alexandra Billings:

Viewpoints is about working from the inside out and the outside in. It's about
what's possible. It's about finding your instinct and owning your power. It's
about the Imagination and the power that only you have. It's about the Truth.
Your Truth.

So how are we fortunate enough to get professional actors and instructors from the west coast to come teach a workshop here in Columbia, MD, at an affordable price? Well, after a fortuitous introduction through a mutual friend, Ms. Billings and Arts Collective Producing Artistic Director Sue Kramer met, and a workshop was set up at HCC last year (pictured right). Condensed into a couple days and focusing on the Viewpoints, a group of eleven students went on a journey to new artistic worlds with Sue and Alexandra.

Here’s a few things some of those students had to say:

“It was terrifying, but exciting. I’m able to be more in the moment with
someone, instead of going off and doing my own thing. I’m just able to share
the stage more.”

-NJ Agwuna

“[The workshop was] all about discovering things about yourself that you didn’t
necessarily know; it was like an internal awakening. It’s not one of those
things where you learn about it in class and then forget it later on. It’s
something that stays in your head.”

-Darius McKeiver

“I wasn’t sure what to expect, but when I met Alex she was so warm, welcoming,
fun, funny, and so very ‘there’ for all of us, that you couldn’t help but
instantly receive her in your group of closest friends. She knew how to speak to all of
us, each one in a different way, so we could understand what she was saying.”

-Grace Anastasiadis

So just imagine: if all those wonderful things could be said about a workshop that only lasted a few days, how awesome of an experience will it be to participate in a TWO-WEEK workshop with not only the raved-about Alexandra Billings, but her equally talented co-instructor Eric Hunicutt?

Quote Break! Says Mr. Hunicutt:

Playing: it's about discovery, not invention; about being engaged, not feeling
the pressure to be engaging; something we all did really well when we were 5 and
in the sandbox, yet seem to have forgotten in the years since. Improvisation is
all about recapturing that sense of freedom, play, and permission.

I think you can see why I’m so excited, blogfriends.

Now as I said, we’re about two weeks out, but as of this blog’s writing there are a few spots left. Space is limited, however, so if you are interested in signing up for the workshop, please click here for more details and to register! If you have any questions at all, please feel free to call the Arts Collective offices at 410-772-4515. Use vacation time and that money you’ve saved up if necessary… I promise it will be worth it!

Until next time, blogfriends.

Looking Back on Season 15, What's Ahead

2010-07-06T10:43:00.026-04:00

Well, hello there, Blogfriends. It's been quite some time since the last blog entry, but cut us some slack. After our incredible and groundbreaking 15th season, you may think that we've been resting on our laurels (I'll admit I don't exactly know where on my body my laurels are), but in fact we've been getting ready for our upcoming SIXTEENTH SEASON! Be sure to check the blog and website frequently over the next days and weeks, as we will have more information on season 16's can't-miss auditions, shows, workshops, and more! For now though, why don't we take a jaunty stroll down memory lane and explore our previous season, which many consider to be our best yet!

What Improv Group?!?! (W.I.G.)

Season 15 started out with HCC's only improv troupe, What Improv Group?!?! (W.I.G.), bringing the seriously funny in creative and wholly original ways. For those who need a refresher, improv is a style of theatre in which characters and scenes are created on the spot by quick-witted and hilarious actors, oftentimes with the aid of some audience interaction . What makes W.I.G. so special is that they think outside the box of your average improv show, creating their own improv styles and games. Also, there are wigs. Lots and lots of wigs. Directed by Susan G. Kramer, W.I.G.'s second year was a triumphant success, with show after show of audiences leaving the theater aching from laughter and impressed with the skills of W.I.G.'s talented cast.

Fall Production: A Chorus Line

Next up, the Arts Collective really kicked things into high gear with their spectacular fall production, Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning A Chorus Line. The story of seventeen dancers trying to achieve their dreams of making it into the chorus line of a new Broadway show, A Chorus Line is all about human aspiration and what people are willing to do for their dreams and for love. Directed by Susan G. Kramer and Jenny Male, with Musical Director Keith Tittermary, A Chorus Line was a smash hit with audiences, selling out in advance almost every show in its three week run. One reviewer called the cast "talented", saying that the show, "complete with dazzling costumes, high-flying kicks, and sweet singing...will put a smile on your face".

Workshop Co-Production:

tempODYSSEY

To kick off 2010, Arts Collective partnered with HCC's very own Theatre Program for the very first time! Following the success of their first workshop production Last Train to Nibroc, the Theatre Program teamed up with Arts Collective for another workshop production, tempODYSSEY. Directed by Assistant Professor of Theatre and Helen Hayes Award-winning director Kasi Campbell, this "post-modern fairytale" chronicles the trials of a young girl who runs away from her future as a chicken-choker on a farm and winds up working as a temp for a company that builds bombs. Differing from most productions staged by AC, which hold open auditions to both current HCC students and alumni, tempODYSSEY was cast solely with current HCC students. Despite scheduling conflicts due to the Snowpocalypse, the show went on to great acclaim from audience members.

Dance Company:

Holding Change

For it's official fourth season, the Arts Collective Dance Company pulled out all the stops. Holding Change, successor to AC Dance Company performances such as audience favorites Vodoo Child and Sunshine in Blue, celebrated a myriad of dance styles from Ballet to Contemporary to Hip-Hop. For the first time in ACDC's history, HCC's Coordinator of Dance and Director of Holding Change, Renee Brozic Barger, was joined by guest choreographers Esperonto Bean, Nicole McClam, Donald McKayle, Helanius J. Wilkins, and Stephanie Yezek, with Adrienne Judson staging Mr. McKayle's choreography. Like a fine wine or Helen Mirren, ACDC just gets better with each season.

Spring Production:

Angels in America

How do you possibly cap off a season as exciting, as groundbreaking, as fantastic as our 15th season? Angels, duh. But I'm not talking Roma Downy kind of angels. I'm talking about Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning epic Angels in America. One of our most controversial and more modern pieces to date, the story revolves around a number of seemingly unrelated characters stumbling their way through life in the 80's, drawn together and pulled apart by love, AIDS, miracles, suffering, and, hopefully, redemption. Directed by Susan G. Kramer, this "gay fantasia on national themes" proved to be both an immense challenge and an outright blessing. Along with a staged production of Angels in America: Millenium Approaches--as if that weren't enough--AC hosted two very special readings of Part 2, Perestroika, as well as post-show discussions with the cast and crew. Want to know some more about what staging Angels was like? Look through our past entries for our Cast Member Blogs with some great insights into the story and the production.

Wrap Up & What's Ahead...

So, folks. That is Season 15, in a nutshell. Of course there are things that have been left out--like Shakespeare's Birthday Celebration co-sponsored with the Theatre Program, etc.--but with the number of events we do every season, a blog entry with everything would take years to read--and more importantly years for this blogger to write.

Plus, we can't dwell too much on the past when we have Season Sixteen knocking on the door. Big things are happening around the Arts Collective offices! As I said earlier, we are hard at work finalizing our 16th season; we have an AMAZING acting workshop coming up in August, led by instructors from Los Angeles-based Steppenwolf Classes West (which I will be writing about on this blog very shortly); and major changes are being done in the AC offices with regard to Prop World, Costume World, and Office World.

Of course if you haven't already, please "Like" us on Facebook...as everyone knows, if it isn't on Facebook, it isn't true. Also, please sign up for our mailing list to get the latest Arts Collective news.

We hope you're having a great summer, Blogfriends! Stay healthy and safe in this heat. Make sure to drink lots of water and check back here soon for even more from AC Bloggin! Yes, checking the AC blog is good for your health.

[Photos provided by resident AC photographer Erin Drum, with the exception of tempODYSSEY]

Cast Member Blog - Sarah Brodine

2010-04-26T11:10:00.009-04:00

Oh, hello there, Blogfriend. I didn't notice you. Probably because I'm in some exhaustion-induced fog from the last couple days, as the Angels cast and crew gear up for opening night, which is now only FOUR DAYS away. We are all so incredibly excited to show you all of our hard work, and put on the most incredible show you've ever seen. [While I have you for a moment, don't forget to buy tickets, join our Facebook group, and watch this.]

Now, welcome to another edition of AC Bloggin', with your host, the AC Bloggin' Blog. Today's cast member blog comes to you from the hilarious, lovely, and talented Sarah Brodine. Keep on keeping on to learn everything you ever needed to know about Ethel Rosenberg, Hitchcock films starring Will Smith, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. But not the dumb, TMNT CGI kind. The kind in big rubber suits, duh.

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The Opening:

I am a Mormon sister. I am a ghost.

What does this mean, dear reader? Am I a religiously motivated individual with some existential-themed depression? Hardly. Am I one of those odd jobbies that loves posing Matrix-style questions to confuse the general public? You bet! Fortunately, I’m all for spoiler alerts!

Spoiler Alert!: Sister Ella Chapter (the Mormon) and Ethel Rosenberg (Ghost – like of the Jacob Marley/Christmas Carol variety) are two characters in our production of Angels in America. Woah.

The Middle Bits:

What’s it like playing a character that was a real live historical figure? You’re right, its not easy--and yes, “Ella Chapter,” would be a great name for a rock band. In all seriousness though, it took some in-depth preparation to comfortably play the character of Ethel Rosenberg.

Information Insert: I’ll bet the majority of the under 20/generation double-A-battery-types don’t have any idea who Ethel Rosenberg is. Mostly because she belongs to a time period called “the 50s” (think poodle skirts, malt shops, and “greasers” as seen in the movie…“Grease”), and anything before the 80’s (i.e. Madonna and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), is seen as a vague sort of history lesson that is not applicable to the 21^st Century lifestyle. For example, I asked my 15 year old brother if he liked Alfred Hitchcock movies. His response: Yea, Will Smith WAS good in that “Hitch” movie. It is a sad sign of the times.

What I Learned (Some Fun Facts That Aren’t So…Fun):

- Ethel Greenglass Rosenberg and her husband Julius were American communists who were executed in 1953 for conspiracy to commit espionage.

- Both Ethel and Julius, born to Jewish families, lived in New York City and were part of the Young Communist League where they met.

- Julius was recruited by the KGB to spy against the US in 1942 (this is during WWII for all you folks playing the home game).

- Julius learned that David Greenglass (Ethel’s brother) was working on the top-secret Manhattan Project - the codename for a project led by the US and conducted during World War II to develop the first atomic bomb. That’s some serious business.

- Julius Rosenberg and David Greenglass then worked together, offering secrets of the US scientific variety to the Russians.

- When Russian physicists were able to develop their own nuclear weapons by 1949, the West (meaning the US) was shocked at how quickly they were matching the US development of weapons.

- The US began investigations into tracking their own discoveries, to see if and what information was passed along. As Elmer Fudd so eloquently put it: “There’s something very screwy going on here…”.

- To make a long story short, the information exchange was pinpointed to, amongst other people, David Greenglass and Julius Rosenberg.

- David Greenglass testified against his own brother-in-law and sister, stating Ethel would type up documents for the two men and was fully aware of the implications of such documents.

- Despite not being able to produce any documents or produce any concrete evidence that Ethel really was involved in such espionage, the prosecution based their conviction solely on her brother’s testimony.

- There was strong evidence against Julius, but Ethel was wrongly convicted.

- Both were charged with treason and convicted to suffer Capital Punishment.

- On June 19^th, 1953, Julius, aged 35, and Ethel, aged 37, were electrocuted in Sing Sing Prison. They left behind 2 children and an outraged nation that felt these people were unjustly made an example of by the McCartney-driven Republican prosecution.

Puzzle Pieces Put Together:

How does Ethel Rosenberg fit into this Angels show, you might ask? Prepare to be dazzled! One of the members of the Angels ensemble--of the lead character variety--is Roy Cohn. Amongst other things, he is a real-life historical figure (just like our girl Ethel) that just so happened to be on the prosecuting team against Ethel Rosenberg. He very illegally and very unethically spoke with the judge of the trail on a daily basis to help convict both the Rosenbergs.

During the play we see Roy in the not-so-peaceful twilight of his life as he is deteriorating from the AIDS virus. Whether he is delusional or just plain haunted, Ethel visits him in his last days – a none-too-friendly apparition.

The End/Finis:

It has been quite a challenge to channel a character with seemingly endless reserves of inner strength and a quiet assuredness, peppered by a Jewish/New York accent. Is she vindictive? Is she someone of substance? Or is she barely-there; a memory, seeped with age and larger-than-life color. These are decisions that only direction and practice can determine.

I imagine her appearing with a sort of glow. Like after a rain fall, all the earth is coated with moisture and when the light reflects off of it, the color and vibrancy is magnified, making you notice and breathe a little deeper and think a little longer than you’re used to. I want to instill that kind of reaction when I appear.

The Closer:

Come see the show!

Cast Member Blog - Gareth Kelly

2010-04-23T11:13:00.008-04:00

No beating around the bush today, Blogfriends. We are officially LESS THAN ONE WEEK away from opening night. To say that I'm not peeing my pants right now out of excitement and nervous energy would be... well, it would be true. But emotionally, in a metaphorical way, it's definitely true. If you haven't bought your tickets yet, stop reading this right now and go to our online ticketing website and buy them right now. Seriously, now! Once you've done so, meet me below. I'll wait...

Nicely done! Glad that's out of the way, right? Right. Now onto today's cast member blog! Today's entry comes from Gareth Kelly, a fine young gent portraying the role of one Roy Marcus Cohn. Allow Gareth to take you on a blogospherical journey into his decision to audition forAngels, why you might overhear him yelling "curses!", and his lackadaisical approach to laundry.

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When my daughter was born 5 years ago, I decided to swear off theatre for a few years so that I might actually be home to help raise her. A few years later my son was born. Both the theatre and raising children require a sizable amount of dedication, and it is only now that I am comfortable attempting to take part in a project likeAngels in America.

When Sue [Kramer, Director] called me to inquire if I would be interested in auditioning for the role of Roy, my initial reaction was tepid. Unlike many of you reading this, I had only heard of Angels in America, and I wasn't sure it was the play I wanted to break back in on. Then Sue told me that Al Pacino played the role in the miniseries, and I was sold (not that I let on). Next I found out that Roy was Roy Cohn, an historical figure that I had heard of but knew absolutely nothing about. This really whet my appetite for acting, but by the end of the audition, I was chomping at the bit. I used to curse like a sailor, or at least a delinquent, but with the kids around I find myself saying things like "Dagnabbit!" or my new favorite, "Curses!" By the end of the audition, I must have dropped like 50 F bombs just reading the script. So liberating. That role was MINE. I had to have it.

Luckily, I got it.

That was the first hurdle. I arrived at the first read through full of excitement that I hope I have carried throughout most of the process, but that first night it hit me: This is college theatre. I haven't been here in about 15 years! I'm old!
Turns out I'm not the oldest member of the cast (I'll never tell who is), but the youthful energy and enthusiasm was a bit intimidating at first. In one early rehearsal we had to take our shoes off, and I hadn't had time to do laundry or trim my toenails. So, I'm wearing these holy socks (you know, the kinds angels wear) and anyway...TMI...but definitely embarrassing. I've since trimmed the toenails and retired the socks. [Not that this blogger noticed the original offense, but we thank you.]

The cast and crew have been great though. I have truly enjoyed getting to know and work with every one of them, and to say that and mean it is rare in the theatre. There's usually at least one psychopath. I hope that doesn't mean it's me.

The process has been a journey worth taking with many challenges along the path. Beginning with research on the internet as to who Roy was, what he looked like, what he did. Having Emma as a dramaturg has come in handy on a couple of occasions. Then, there's the Pulitzer Prize winning script. Beyond getting to curse a lot, there's a rhythm and purpose to the words that lend so much to the character. Memorizing the lines has become a particular challenge as a father of young children. There's nothing like testing your memorization while responding to the calls for "Daddy...!", every 5 minutes. Add to that incorporating Sue's invaluable direction into my own (overly?) analytical assessments of the character and script. Another challenge has been finding a way to embrace a character who is my polar opposite in almost every way. Plus, they cut off all my hair! And finally, there is the challenge I now face of surrendering, letting me go and Roy come in whilst not F-ing up my queues or important blocking.

So, it has been a challenging and fervent time for me, but all well worth it. I can't wait for you to see it. We're working very hard. I expect us to make this an experience the audience will remember and value. Hope you can be there.

Cast Member Blog - Matt Winer

2010-04-21T17:45:00.005-04:00

Hey there blog-friends. We missed you. No really, we did. Things have been VERY busy on our end. As these words are being typed, opening night looms, only a week away. We've been rehearsing and building and painting like crazy, and very soon we will be showing all of you the evidence of our labors. We can't wait. Have you bought your tickets yet?

Today's cast member blog comes from the extremely talented, attractive, intelligent, and all-around incredible Matt Winer. Read on to learn more about what I... I mean he feels about the show, Fantasia, and the meaning of Life.

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Why thank you for that incredibly nice, spot on introduction, mysterious AC Bloggin' Editor. My name is Matt Winer, and I am playing Louis Ironson in our production of Angels in America. Tonight, I've decided to go in a slightly different direction with my cast member blog. Whereas others have posted about their progress in the show so far, I've decided I want to write about the show itself.

As Marketing and Community Outreach Coordinator for the Student Arts Collective--a very fancy name that I didn't make up all by myself--I talk to a lot of different people about either coming to see the show or partnering with us in some way, because I am a very important person. When doing such a crucial job, it's necessary to be knowledgeable about what you are preaching, otherwise people might think you're talking out of an orifice that ain't your mouth. I like to think that when I discuss Angels, I sound like I know what I'm talking about.

However, when people ask me what the show is about, words stumble out of my mouth like a Frat Guy walking down Sorority Row on a Saturday night:

"Well...there's these four kind of main characters and they... I mean the story goes in and out and how they're connected...and the main-ish character, Prior, has AIDS and... I play his boyfriend, Louis, who can't handle it...and then there's some Mormons, and one's gay and the other is a Valium addict...I mean they're married....oh, and then there's an Angel..."

Basically, I sound like an idiot. But I swear I'm totally not. It's just that this particular play covers so many different topics, has so many interesting characters, that it's hard for me as a child of the ADHD generation to pin down the plot in a cohesive way.

Angels in America is about love, hate, loss, politics, religion, sexuality, struggle, hope, and forgiveness. It's about America, and what America represents. It's about god, however you spell it, whatever language you might pray to it in. This play is about people who are lost (don't worry, there's no Smoke Monster). People who are abandoned. People who create fictitious lives out of lies and desperation to escape from the realities they can't handle.

[I think now would be a good time to let you know that the show is actually a comedy, if only a dark one. Seriously.]

But those are just ideas, right? They're just words. But I'm thinking that's kind of the point. Follow me for a second.

On the front cover of the Angels script, it calls itself a "Gay Fantasia on National Themes". Now, if you're anything like me, you got to "Gay" and you thought, well that narrows it down. Why would straight people be interested? And once you got to Fantasia all you could think of were terrifying (this kid was totally a-scared of Fantasia) dancing buckets and brooms and Mickey Mouse channeling his inner Harry Potter. And if you made it to "National Themes" and you're anything like me, you probably thought, "well, that sounds pretentious". And in a way, Angels is a little pretentious, although in a good way, like a really good indie movie.

But mostly, it's genius.

Angels in America is about life. And I don't mean that in a "the beauty of life and living" kind of way. I mean about Life. Purpose. Being. I apologize for getting hippy-dippy with my blog, but I can't help it, I'm a homosexual actor. For every collapse in Angels, there is a new beginning. For every heart-wrenching or tearjerker moment, there's a heart-warming or hilarious moment. Things are messy in Angels. Sometimes it's confusing and you don't know where things will go next. And as I said before, it's sometimes verbose and pretentious, but there are also moments of honest, unspoken humility.

If I might, Angels is kind of like this blog entry. It's trying to explain something unexplainable. It's a verbose attempt to clarify something complex and sometimes intangible. It's less like this blog entry in that it is a beautiful, touching piece of art that everyone really needs to see.

So, did that clear anything up? Even if it didn't, I hope it gave you just enough of an idea to make you need see the show. Because like life, you can't describe what it is with words. You need to experience it. Just like Angels in America.

Cast Member Blog - Daniel Johnston

2010-04-09T14:22:00.006-04:00

Two posts in one day? I know, that's cray-cray...err crazy. Sorry, I got a little excited. Anyway we have so many things coming up, we didn't want to hold on to anything, so you're getting a Super Friday Twofer. In today's second (but not in our hearts) blog, Daniel tells us all about the recent designer run, rehearsals, and having our designers as our first audience. Plus, he uses the word "hitherto". Because he's a baller.

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Hello, my name is Daniel Johnston and I play Joseph Pitt in the Student Arts Collective’s production of Angels in America. Last Saturday was our designer run. For those of you who don’t know what that is, a designer run is when the folks who will be designing the show (i.e. Props Designer, Costume Designer, Set Designer, etc.) come and watch a full run through of the play to get a better idea of the show; having seen the run through, the designers can then begin to bring their visions to life.

It was also incredibly helpful for the actors because it was their first full run of the show. Hitherto, rehearsals have been scene specific so that, as actors, we could really dig in and find the true meaning of each scene. I, personally, was having some difficulty beginning a scene that is an immediate follow up to something tragic or joyous that had just occurred. However, upon having a full run through and going from scene to scene, the emotions were able to build throughout the entire piece and I feel confident now that I will no longer have these difficulties.

But enough about me . . . this designer run was made all the more empowering by the support of our designers in the audience, and my fellow actors. Everyone’s energy was so high, and everyone had such great expectations. There was no “phoning in,” as some may say. Everyone gave their all, whether they were on stage or supporting from the audience.

I truly can not wait to run through this show again, and I especially can not wait to see what beautiful things our designers have in mind for us. Whatever these visisions are, I know they will be powerful and moving, just like Angels in America.

Director Blog - Where We Are

2010-04-09T13:30:00.011-04:00

Today we have something extra special for you, blogfriends. Student Arts Collective's Producing Artistic Director and the incredibly talented Director of our upcoming staging of Angels in America, Susan Kramer. Sue has taken time out of her busy schedule to write a special note to key us into where both she and the play are, now less than a month until opening night. Read on for her beautiful words.

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And here we are. Back. Our blog is alive, breathing, full of color again. It was time.

And so, now? Now, in our 15th Season, we bravely mount Tony Kushner's ANGELS IN AMERICA.

I have wanted to contribute to this blog since we resuscitated, jump started it... but I seemed to hit the wall. Writers' block.

Until I saw the images here, on this blog, taken during our ANGELS IN AMERICA Designer Run.

And I was left completely, unabashedly... breathless. Breathless.

Suddenly I am no longer speechless. My voice unleashed, inside this blogplace.

Wondering about--and asking you, too--to imagine this collection of actors, this collection of artists, who entered the process from all corners, all walked in imagining this experience would be like none other.

I'm still thrown back to our auditions, callbacks, the choosing of artists. Somehow, it seems, we all ran feverishly toward this text, this play, at this time.

But now, four weeks until opening night, after living with the text for months, we know. Something has changed. The Earth has shifted. And without noticing--until now--somehow this production dances and rests and breathes into something more huge than we've ever, ever known. ANGELS IN AMERICA.

All of us have been swept away by a much greater journey than any one of us knew... or dreamed of. Into the past, the history, these lives... so much research, so much reaching out... to learn about everything inside Kushner's text! Layers upon layers of questions bring even more magic; the NEW questioning. Not just WHAT, HOW it was in 1985... but WHY?! And inside the NOW. Why NOW???

This journey, with these artists... no doors will be left unopened. We stand collectively with cleavers held high, ripping, tearing away at all doors and passages previously nailed shut, barred, slamming... hacking away! Reaching INSIDE THE TRUTH!!! Only then can we fly inside, roll around in it, dance in it, scream, cry, hold it close, hold each other close... and sing inside it all!!! And only THEN? Tell YOU the truth.

The artists in the powerful images posted here... the eyes, the hands, the faces... we are clearly preparing for this, our message. And within this heart, I can see now, we are exactly where we should be. Right now. If these images are taken from a Designer Run... imagine, JUST IMAGINE what another 3 weeks will bring!

That kind of magic is unspeakable. Immeasurable. And this very journey could only be explored with the open hearts and souls belonging to this cast and the artists, our designers.

Within my next post, I will write about the many, many beautiful folks who have helped pave they way, deeper inside the core of this project, across America... from Baltimore, New York, Boston, Chicago, New Mexico, to L.A. That will be my next post... THAT journey!!!

But for now... This is about giving it a name... and I will ask you to please, in this time, in this place, help me honor the artists who are living inside this production of ANGELS IN AMERICA. It is with absolute pride I work beside each of them. What a privilege and honor. A gift.

Angels Designer Run Pictures

2010-04-05T15:24:00.015-04:00

In case you've been busy decorating and hiding eggs, avoiding bread-products, or just enjoying the Spring that has sprung for the last week and forgot, the Student Arts Collective will be staging a production of Tony Kushner'sAngels in America April 29th through May 16th (Shameless plug: Tickets available through our website, here).

Last week, the cast completed their first full run-through of the show for the designers (set, lights, props, costumes, etc.), called a Designer Run. Hmm, imagine that. We'll have a special note from the Director and a cast member blog to tell you more about how the Designer Run works and how it went later this week. In the meantime, I think you'll be pleased to know that our wonderful stage manager Erin Drum snapped some photos during the run, and we wanted to share them with you, our blog-friends.

So please, check them out, and let us know what you think in the comments below!

(Unless you are viewing these pictures in Hebrew, captions are left to right.)

Ben Tschirgi as Prior Walter

Matt Winer as Louis Ironson, Daniel Johnston as Joe Pitt

Matt Winer, Daniel Johnston

Sarah Brodine as Ethel Rosenberg

Gareth Kelly as Roy Cohn, Daniel Johnston

Matt Winer, Timoth David Copney as Belize

Timoth David Copney

John Sisson as Prior 2, Ben Tschirgi, Becca Ballinger as Prior 1

Ben Tschirgi, Becca Ballinger, John Sisson

Becca Ballinger

Becca Ballinger, Ben Tschirgi

Lindsay Hall as Hannah Pitt, Sarah Brodine as Sister Ella Chapter

Daniel Johnston, Katie Tyler as Harper Pitt

Timoth David Copney, Ben Tschirgi

Gareth Kelly, Daniel Johnston

Ashanti Cooper as Nurse Emily

Katie Tyler, Daniel Johnston

Ben Tschirgi, Matt Winer

Gareth Kelly, Lindsay Hall as Dr. Henry

Gareth Kelly, Lindsay Hall

Katie Tyler

Ben Tschirgi, Matt Winer

Ben Tschirgi, Katie Tyler

Katie Tyler, Daniel Johnston

Becca Ballinger as Mr. Lies, Katie Tyler

Katie Tyler

Daniel Johnston, Gareth Kelly

Ashanti Cooper as Rabbi Isidor Chemelwitz

Cast Member Blog - Ashanti Cooper

2010-04-01T11:52:00.010-04:00

Each week we'll be bringing you blog entries written by members of the cast and crew of our production of Angels in America, playing at the Studio Theater April 29th through May 16th. Today's cast member blog comes from Student Arts Collective all-star Ashanti Cooper. Read on to find out about the rewards and challenges of playing multiple roles, just "getting it", and the thought process of a celestial being. No, really. The thought process of celestial beings. Where else are you going to learn this stuff?

Hey! Ashanti Cooper here. When asked to be a part of the play Angels in America I was thrilled. What makes Angels such an incredible story is that the characters are so real and relatable. And I love the show's message of hope; that even when faced with something difficult, there's always a light at the end of the tunnel.

When I was told I would be playing multiple roles--a rabbi, a nurse, and the Angel--I was even more excited. Playing multiple roles is something I enjoy doing. [Flashback Sequence] I remember back in my acting two class, fifty-two years ago, when I had to do a dualogue. I played a man and a woman in the same scene. It was great! [End Flashback Sequence]

Anyway, back to Angels. There's something refreshing about playing different people in general; you get to strip away any fear or insecurity you may have in yourself and just be. I don't quite know how to explain it but its freeing and challenging. It's also really interesting because each of my characters are so different. I don't know much about Judaism, or nursing, or heaven, and I enjoy researching new subjects when preparing for a role. The only challenge in playing such unique characters is that, at least with the Angel...she isn't a human being. She thinks in a totally different way. I mean, how would a celestial being think?

But when you finally understand something, when you get a note from the director and it clicks...that's my favorite part of the process. You just get what the vision is supposed to be. It's a great feeling.

Don't forget: You can buy tickets NOW to see Angels in America on the Student Arts Collective website. Which you should do. Now-ish. And, you should definitely become a fan of Student Arts Collective on Facebook!

Cast Member Blog - Lindsay Hall

2010-03-26T13:29:00.005-04:00

Each week we'll be bringing you blog entries written by members of the cast and crew of Angels in America. This week, cast member Lindsay Hall talks about her excitement for the show, some backstage info on the process so far, and...was that really a Miami Vice reference? For more information on performance dates, how to buy tickets, and more, please visit our website. And don't forget to become a fan of Student Arts Collective through Facebook! Now, Ms. Hall, what say you?

What a ride!! My name is Lindsay Hall, and I am playing the roles of Hannah Pitt and Dr. Henry in our production of Angels in America. Work on this amazing piece started March 7th, and ever since it has been quite an adventure. The Studio Theater is finally ours, now that Rep Stage's production of The Glass Menagerie has closed, and it feels really good to just throw ourselves into such a vulnerable world!! Sue [Kramer, Director] and Erin [Drum, Stage Manager] have been wonderful; coaching, listening, and feeling everything along with us. I haven't gotten to "play" in costume yet, but the ugly doctor shoes I purchased for the role are actually growing on me :). I really wish Daniel would pop his collar more often...Don Johnson would be so proud :). As for the actual script, seeing it up on its feet in a way is really helping to pull the story together. It's such a powerful story and I am so glad that it is here for a short while for us to experience as a cast, as a community, as a family. The best is yet to come!!!!!

Introducing the Angels, and W.I.G.'s Final Show!

2010-03-24T13:38:00.014-04:00

So in today's post we wanted to show you some really exciting things coming from our production of Angels in America, which runs April 29th through May 16th.

First of all, we would like to introduce you to our incredibly talented cast. Each week, you'll have an opportunity to get to know the individual members of the cast, finding out more about them and the goings-on behind the scenes, a.k.a. the process. Later this week you'll hear from cast member Lindsay Hall, who portrays Hannah Pitt as well as Dr. Henry.

I don't know about you, blog-friends, but I'm a visual learner, so perhaps a picture might help? [Plus, it's an extremely attractive cast (if we say so ourselves), so keeping them faceless names would do this blog a disservice.]

Here it is, the first cast photo, taken at the read-through of the script:

From left to right.

Top row: Lindsay Hall, Katie Tyler, Daniel Johnston, Ashanti Cooper, Sarah Carlson Brodine, John Sisson, Jake Fischer

Middle Row: Chris Perillo, Timoth David Copney, Gareth Kelly, Caitlin Leary

Bottom Row: Matt Winer, Ben Tschirgi, Becca Ballinger

We also have another, very exciting picture to share today: the first peek (unless you've already seen it on Facebook) at the image that will be used to promote the show on posters and postcards coming to a community bulletin board near you:

Beautiful, right? Take a minute if you need to, and meet me below.

As the poster notes, there will be twelve performances of Part 1: Millennium Approaches, two very special readings of Part 2: Perestroika, talkback discussions, and more. Details about performances, readings, and talkbacks will be posted on the blog shortly. Tickets can be bought on the Student Arts Collective website; just click the online ticket sales on the right of the page.

Don't forget to check back later this week for more fun stuff coming from our Angels.

And in not-completely-related-but-still-awesomely-AC-news, don't forget about What Improv Group?!?!'s FINAL regular season show! The show is this Friday, March 26th, at 8 p.m. in the Smith Theatre. Again, tickets can be purchased at the Student Arts Collective website, or at the door.

Be there or be W.I.G.less.

ACBloggin' Welcome Back

2010-03-22T14:40:00.008-04:00

Welcome back.

It may have been a while since our last blog post, but the Student Arts Collective has come back to the blogosphere--and like Die Hard 3, it's with a vengeance. Arts Collective Bloggin' is your one-stop resource for everything new and magical coming from your favorite Howard Community College student organization.

Now in our fifteenth season, we are thrilled to be able to continue showcasing some of the most exciting, honest, and compelling storytelling around. And while we are incredibly busy, working to bring you everything you expect from us here at AC, some pretty incredible stuff is going to be happening right here on the interwebs. Each week, we will be bringing you up-to-the-minute news regarding Student Arts Collective productions, including: our upcoming staging of Tony Kushner's Angels in America; performances by everyones favorite wig-loving improv group, What Improv Group?!?! (W.I.G.); and so, so much more.

You think that's all we'll be bloggin' about? No way. In the upcoming weeks, this space will be jam packed with fun and entertaining blog posts from the Angels cast and crew, top-secret posts that will take you backstage with AC, and perhaps even a contest or two with prizes that Student Arts Collective fans will not want to miss out on.

Of course, the blog platform allows this to be a totally interactive space, and we welcome comments, questions, and professions of love in the comments section below.

[But just like that night you ate an entire box of Oreos by yourself, ick and inappropriate comments are best kept to yourself.]

So make sure you bookmark this blog, become a fan of the Student Arts Collective on Facebook, and if you ever manage to step away from the internet machine, feel free to visit us in HVPA 126 on campus.

Get ready people. The great work begins.

-The Student Arts Collective Management Team

ALL 'CHARLIE BROWNIE . . .

2006-11-28T04:23:00.000-05:00

A cliffjump from the moon, we mount YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN. We dance thru all seasons effortlessly inside the unfamiliar, (this brand new space, after being in the OUTBACK for the past 12 years,) but so wide open for magic. The kind of magic we've never known. The kind of magic that awakens and reminds... what's real. Things that matter. Gifts.

Starting over... or the chance to begin again. A prospect rich with promise. Hope.

Yeah, this our second visit to Charlie Brown's playground. But given the choice between this and any other play in the world to begin this journey... the playground I'd (we'd) choose over and over again. Without hesitation. The stories here ring true... to our baser selves. Like no other.

So this production of YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN is a celebration of the passing of time. And the actors inside are ready to carry you home.

Because that is how we roll.

Post here your playground-ish memories with SAArts... or anywhere else.

And please. See the show. Celebrate, support this leap into this new era!

YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN
a student-alumni arts production @hcc
NOVEMBER 30 - DECEMBER 17
www.howardcc.edu/studentarts
ON-LINE TIX AVAILABLE! Or call 410-772-4900

Thanks for the listening. Always.

2006-05-07T03:24:00.000-04:00

Something new we're trying; blogging.

SAArts' longtime goal = creating and nurturing a breeding-ground for community... in art... in each other... in ourselves.

Bloggin' = an open forum of the giving and sharing of information --- specific and random-like.

Seems right for this time... this End of an Era.

SAArts' current (and 28th) production, OUR TOWN, will be the last inside HCC's THEATRE OUTBACK ... SAArts' birthplace. A black box space that's seen thousands of auditions and rehearsals... hundreds upon hundreds of performances...

Productions
Open Mic's
Play Readings
Original Works
Improv Shows
Concerts & Showcases
... and all the magic in the in between!

SAArts will continue it's artistic journey inside another black box theatre next fall within HCC's new Visual and Performing Arts Building.

No real surprise we're awash with nostalgia this spring.

We were wondering... how do we SAArts folks pay our final respsects to the OUTBACK? There are a few ideas floatin' about... we promise to keep you posted!

In the meantime -- you're invited to post here any and all of the following... all about the OUTBACK.. we'd love to hear it all:

Favorite memory(ies) inside the OUTBACK?
Most memorable performance/s inside the OUTBACK?
Most memorable production/s inside the OUTBACK?
Any thoughts, feedback on OUR TOWN... or any SAArts project?

Bring it on... post it all right here!

COMING SOON:
More about OUR TOWN... SAArts Images... & CLOSING THE OUTBACK-CHAPTER...

-sgk
p.s. This blog welcomes honesty, but not ick. Thank you.