The Theatre Department Newsletter
Edition 8, Issue 1
September 2007 |
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First Studio Show of the Season Approaches Opening Night
The theatre department's first Studio Theatre show of the year, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, will be presented Sept. 7-9, 2007. A drama by Martin McDonagh, Leenane is a blend of black comedy, melodrama, horror and bleak tragedy. Winner of four Tony Awards, the story is set in the Irish village of Leenane, Connemara in 1989. The entire play takes place in a shabby, poorly lit kitchen, resulting in a claustrophobic sense of entrapment. The play centers on the life of Maureen Folan, a 40-year-old spinster who takes care of her 70-year-old selfish and manipulative mother, Mag. Sisters of Maureen have escaped into marriage and family life, but Maureen, with a history of mental illness, is trapped in a seriously dysfunctional relationship with her mother.
The cast and crew have been working all summer to develop authentic Irish accents and successfully deliver the show in time. Some of the cast and crew of this show have also been working double duty. Directed by newly "alumed" Andrew Harvey (SAU '07), the show also features alum Lou Hare, who will direct another studio show this fall. Sean Tweedale, also a member of the cast, will be directing the next Studio show! Jaci Entwisle, who designed the set, is also stage managing the season's first mainstage show All My Sons, and Jovon Eberhart, the stage manager, is currently in rehearsals for All My Sons.
The Beauty Queen of Leenane looks to be a fantastic show. Tickets are $6 - buy them soon, because this fabulous show is sure to be a sell-out. Call the Galvin Box Office for tickets at (563) 333-6251.
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Auditions for November Studio Show
All currently enrolled St. Ambrose students are encouraged to audition for the second Studio Theatre show of the 2007-2008 season, [sic], written by Melissa James Gibson. [sic] tells the story of three neighbors, their ambitions, and their relationships with each other. The cast includes two men and one woman, as well as a couple who is heard throughout the show, but never seen. Auditions will be held September 11th from 8-10 p.m. and September 12th from 6-8 p.m. in the Studio Theatre. The show will run November 9-11 and is directed by SAU Senior Sean Tweedale.
Those wishing to audition should come prepared to read from the script, which is available to check-out from the Galvin Box Office. It is requested that everyone read the script before auditioning. A one-minute comedic monologue is encouraged, but not required. Several crew positions are also available. If there are any questions, contact Sean Tweedale at (515) 240-2579 or Stage Manager Katie McCormack at (319) 721-9472.
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New SAU Student Writes and Directs for Local Event
This fall, the St. Ambrose Theatre Department is happy to welcome Dustin Oliver, a new student transferring from Scott Community College. Hailing from Attalla, Alabama, Oliver will be bringing some unique and exciting talents to our department.
This summer, Oliver was able to get involved in a local event entitled "Forget-Me-Not: Victorian Day at Oakdale Memorial Gardens". This is a living history experience that takes place in a 150-year-old Davenport cemetery. During the festival, local actors will be performing 'living epitaphs' or, first-person biographies for selected historic figures buried at the Oakdale cemetery. In addition to writing the nine scripts and directing the actors, Oliver is the chairman of the event's planning committee. St. Ambrose is represented well at the festival the actor's costumes are being provided by Dianne Dye in the SAU Costume Shop and two Ambrose faculty members, Art Pitz, adjunct professor of history, and Sharon Hitchcock, a financial aid counselor, will be performing as actors.
The event is Saturday, September 15, from 1:00 to 5:00 pm. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for children 6-12, and 5 & under is free. Besides the 'living epitaphs', there will be three guest lecturers: Dave Deuth from Weerts Funeral Home on historic funerary customs; local author Minda Powers-Douglas on cemetery art & symbolism; and Corps of Engineers historian Ron Deiss on the photography of Henry Bosse. For more information, see the event's website at http://www.geocities.com/oakdalevictorianday.
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SAU Welcomes the Newest Michael Kennedy Scholar
As a new semester begins, the St. Ambrose Theatre Department is proud to announce the third recipient of the Michael Kennedy Scholarship, Ryan Westwood. Originally from Bettendorf, IA, Ryan spent the first two years of his collegiate career at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and is coming to SAU as a junior. We sat down with Ryan after his first two days of class at SAU and asked what brought him to this department. "I saw Michael Kennedy in Death of A Salesman my senior year of high school, and was really impressed," he said. "Then I met Dr. Cory Johnson when she adjudicated Laramie Project for [the Kennedy Center / American College Theatre Festival] while I was at Kirkwood. I was impressed with her knowledge and energy after only an hour. That was the biggest plug for me." In addition to the faculty, Ryan was interested in continuing his education in a smaller school, primarily for the class sizes. After going to three theatre classes and seeing their small size, he was thrilled. "This is going to rock!" he exclaimed.
Ryan has been involved in a variety of theatre over the past few years. His senior year of high school he wrote the lyrics and book for an original musical with a classmate, for which he also directed and acted. When asked if he was planning to pursue more writing or directing, Ryan said he was focusing on his acting currently, but wouldn't rule anything out in the future. "I like it all, but I love acting," he said. He did work at a sports camp in Maine over the summer in which he taught theatre and directed Oliver, and assisted with Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, but has not done directing beyond that recently. Some of his previous acting experience at Kirkwood includes Mr. Cladwell in Urinetown, Vernon Heinz in the Pajama Game, and Greg in Laramie Project.
As for what he wants to accomplish during his time at SAU, Ryan promptly replied, "First and foremost I want to make as many connections as possible and meet everyone I can. Out of the classes and professors, I want to gain a knowledge of how things work in the theatre outside of college. I want to be as involved as I can get without falling over," he laughed. Ryan has a very keen interest in musical theatre. "I just love it. That's what I would do if I had my pick." Anything else Ryan wants us to know about him? "I love my cat dearly. His name is Juice and he's orange."
We send a very warm welcome toward Ryan as he enters the St. Ambrose Theatre Department, and a big congrats' for being named the newest Michael Kennedy Scholar!
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Annual Theatre Picnic Marks Opening of 2007-2008 School Year
The annual Theatre Department picnic was held last Monday, and produced a sizable turnout of both new and old faces. After enjoying a delicious meal on the theatre department, the incoming freshman and newest transfer students were welcomed and the Call Board election was held. The Call Board is a student organization that is elected from the theatre department and helps select the shows for the upcoming season and plans the annual Galvin Theatre Awards. The Call Board for the 2007-2008 school year is comprised of: Senior Sean Tweedale, Junior Seth Kaltwasser, Sophomore Dan Hernandez, and Freshman Will Shaw. Congratulations to all!
Also discussed was this semester's exciting trip to London. Those with any questions about the theatre department's excursions can contact Dr. Cory Johnson at (563) 333-6427.
After a short "plug" by all of our directors this season, the picnic ended. It's already clear that St. Ambrose is in for an exciting year of theatre!
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Cast List Announced for All My Sons
Throughout the first week of classes, auditions were held for this season's first mainstage production, Arthur Miller's All My Sons. Considered one of Miller's best scripts, All My Sons tells the story of two families and the emotional explosions that occur after a crime is committed and a dark secret is reveled. The story has much to say about the relationship between fathers and sons, the danger of deceit, and the responsibility each of us have to those around us. The production is being directed by Michael Kennedy, with SAU Junior Jaci Entwisle stage managing. The cast list is as follows:
Joe Keller Louis Hare
Kate Keller Jovon Eberhart
Chris Keller Ryan Westwood
Ann Deever Jessica Stratton
George Deever Seth Kaltwasser
Dr. Jim Bayliss Dan Hernandez
Sue Bayliss Emily Kurash
Frank Lubey Adam Burnham
Lydia Lubey Catie Osborn
Thanks to all who auditioned and congratulations to those listed above! With its legendary script, skilled director, and exciting cast, this is sure to be a worthy start to our department's promising season.
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Ambrose Alum Opens New Quad City Theatre
Tyson Danner, SAU Alum '07, recently took on a business and artistic venture that is filling a void in the theatre world of the Quad Cities. Tyson, along with Derek Bertelsen (Millikin University Alum '07), created a theatre located in the 2nd Street District of Rock Island, in the old "Brew and View" building. Dubbed "The Green Room," the two revealed their theatre and started off their season with Into the Woods, a Stephen Sondheim musical. Danner and Bertelsen had worked together previously on fundraiser shows, Danner as Music Director and Bertelsen as Director, and decided they wanted to further collaborate and open their own theatre.
"The Green Room" is a relatively small theatre, with seating for 50. "We really want to impress upon people that this is meant to be a totally different experience than a proscenium theatre," said Danner. "We used the entire theatre as playing space," added Sarah Ulloa, an SAU Junior who appeared in Into the Woods as Jack. "It was one of the best experiences I've had in theatre. It was minimalist, and we didn't need to do things big to make our point," she added. The show was done without costumes and no set, with minimal props. "We presented a familiar show in a very different setting in a very different way, and people still understood what we were getting at. The characters were really able to connect with the audience in such a close atmosphere," Danner commented. "After the opening night show we decided to have an audience discussion, and got such great feedback we decided to continue it further for the rest of the sold-out performances. We will continue it for our future shows since we had such audience interest in discussing the show and the process."
Next, "The Green Room" will hold auditions for their upcoming production of Glass Menagerie. For more information on "The Green Room" and their upcoming season CHECK OUT THEIR WEBSITE! www.thegreenroomtheatre.com.
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Center Stage Performing Arts Academy Offers SAU Students Class Opportunities
This fall Center Stage Performing Arts Academy in Davenport, IA on North Brady Street, owned by SAU Adjunct Shellee Frazee, is offering St. Ambrose Students an alternative to enrolling in a full-time dance class. Ten-punch Class Cards are now available for the cost of $80 plus tax, which is the equivalent of only $8 per class! This allows students to work on their dance skills and training, without having to commit to a certain set time once every week. There is no expiration date on these cards, and can be used for several different classes at various times throughout the week.
Available classes include: Ballet (Mondays at 6 p.m. and Wednesdays at 7 p.m.), Tap (Mondays at 6 p.m.), Jazz (Wednesdays at 6 p.m.), Yoga (Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m.), and Modern (Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m.). Class times will be posted on the Callboard in the Galvin Fine Arts Center between the Madsen Recital Hall and the Allaert Theatre. If these class times do not work for you, alternatives are available by calling Shellee at (563) 391-3174.
For more information regarding class cards or Center Stage, check out the website at www.centerstage-arts.com.
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SAU Theatre Newsletter Next Issue
The next issue will feature more information (and a cast list!) for the Studio Theatre's [sic], a story on October's mainstage show, All My Sons, and audition notices for this year's children's musical, Charlotte's Web.
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Department Chair: Kristofer Eitrheim - 563/333-6255
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Corinne Johnson - 563/333-6427
Newsletter Editor: Seth Kaltwasser, SAU junior
Contributing Journalists: Rachel Mayer, SAU junior / Emily Kurash, SAU junior / Catie Osborn, SAU sophomore
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