Ellie's going back to...Talley

After almost four years with University Theatre, I am excited to announce that I will be moving back to Talley Student Center to work with ARTS Development as the ARTS NC State Development Specialist beginning September 19.

I will be sad to leave the place I spent many hours working and taking classes as a student. I have many fond memories with the UT staff as a student and, more recently, a colleague. I have learned so much in my time here. Without a doubt, I will miss seeing all the current UT students who frequent the building and stop in my office to say "hello." However, I am looking forward to working in a new capacity with ARTS NC State and hope to maintain contact with the students as they become alumni and supporters of the arts.

For now, if you have general questions, contact Nancy Breeding and questions regarding reservations or the calendar should go to Nick Purdy.

Thank you to everyone who has made my experience at University Theatre so memorable: students, patrons and staff!

If you ever need to find me, I'll only be a few steps away!

This week in pictures

Happy Friday everyone! Here is this week in pictures:

(I'm cheating, this one is from last Friday!)

Nat came in to grill me on things that were interesting about me while he was pledging for APO!

I also got to hear his Shylock monologue from The Merchant of Venice - so good!

I've said it before and I'll say it again - our students rock!

Our scene shop is building palatial items for The Philadelphia Story.

Like this 6 foot fire place...

And these giant columns...

Oh yeah, and the President of the United States of America came for a visit next door.

The traffic prep:

Part of the line:

The rest wrapped around to Pullen Road. You'd think he was famous or something.

Ellie's box o' stuff!
Moving to Talley as of Monday to work with the ARTS Development office!

Here's to next week...

This week in pictures

Happy Friday everyone! This week in pictures...

We weathered Irene well, the only damage being a few branches here and there:

We've got calendars on the brain, already planning a year in advance!

The Philadelphia Story is underway! 

Our crews are building, painting and getting costumes ready!

We are really looking forward to this year's productions, getting to know the new students and working with our "regulars" again!

Here's to next week...

The New Guy

In August, University Theatre hired a new Lighting and Sound Designer and we are excited to start hanging, focusing... and pranking with the new guy!

Read on to learn more about our new lighting and sound guru!
(I already learned we share a North Carolina education and NEED for organization!)

UT: Give us a quick synopsis of your educational/professional background.

JR: Well, I am originally from Raleigh, undergrad at UNCG. Went out into the world for a few years as a designer then took two years off from it, thought I was done with the starving artist lifestyle. But, I started doing smaller shows here and there and decided to go back to school for my MFA in lighting design. So two years at CCM in Cincinnati I moved back to NC and found a job at Campbell University. Two years later I showed up here.

UT: What drew you to University Theatre?

JR: The atmosphere, the people, and the level of artistry produced here.

UT: What are you most excited about accomplishing this year as the new lighting and sound designer?

JR: Right now... organizing! I'm such a neat freak. But once that's out of the way, I'm excited about finding my way, meeting new students, and putting on a couple of shows.

UT: What aspect of working with the students are you looking forward to most?

JR: That "oh" moment they have when they learn something new.

UT: What do you love most about lighting design? Sound design?

JR: I love the movement of lighting, and sound. They are both a living things that constantly change and grow throughout the performance.

UT: How did you decide to go into lighting and sound design?

JR: Again, I think it's the living part of lighting and sound, it's not static. I also like the idea that this week I will work hour after hour to create something that will be gone next week - its once in a lifetime. But the best part is I get to do something completely different the following week!

UT: What was your initial reaction to the UT staff on your first day, especially after seeing your modern office set up?

Our UT staff has a strong tradition of pranking each other.
On Josh's first day, he was met with a state-of-the-art office.
Complete with typed letter explaining the budget cuts...

(note: the phone works and is now in Jayme's office.
The ring can be heard a mile away, take it from the girl whose office is right next door...)

JR: Honestly, at first I didn't notice it, David had to point it out. I was still in the "okay, I came through that door, now where am I in this building?" But after seeing what the staff I did I knew I was in the right place - and looking forward to my turn in someones office.

UT: When you are not in the theatre, what do you like to do in your spare time?

JR: Spare time... really? Well, I like to be outside. Golf, fishing, or in my garden. Sunshine, that's what I like to do in my spare time.

UT: What are some of the most important lessons you learned in undergrad and do you have any advice for students, either in general or if they are planning on pursuing theatre after college?

JR: Do what ever you want to while you're in undergrad, it is your time to discover yourself. Continue to do something outside of your field, as many undergrads here do by participating in University Theater. If you plan to pursue theater after college, find something else you like to do while your here at NCSU. I have found the greatest lessons I have learned about my career came from classes or activities that had nothing to do with theater.

UT: Over your entire career, what show have you enjoyed working on the most? Why?

JR: Madame Butterfly at the Cincinnati Opera. Before I assisted on this show, I didn't know the first thing about opera and thought I knew all there was to lighting design. After this show, I had learned so much and gained not only an appreciation for opera but a thirst for it.

UT: What else should we know about you?

JR: Well, we are expecting out first child, a little girl, at the end of September.

__________________________________________

Thanks for sharing, Josh!

We all look forward to working with you and expect to see 100 wallet-sized photos of your child's first day in the world very soon!

Student Spotlight - Kenny Hertling

This summer, a handful of our students took advantage of our 2011 TheatreFest season (3 shows in rolling repertory), Southern Comforts. From acting, to working backstage, to filling in as understudies, our students had the opportunity to work together and with professionals from the community to create a wonderful summer of shows!

Kenny Hertling, Sophomore in Political Science, was able to participate in TheatreFest for class credit, something University Theatre offers every summer. Below, Kenny gives us the low-down on what it took to complete the course successfully and everything else he discovered along the way!

Among other backstage duties, Kenny played the role of "guard" in
WMKS: Where Music Kills Sorrow.

UT: Why did you choose to participate in TheatreFest for class credit?

KH: I chose to participate in TheatreFest for class credit because it gave me a chance to develop my skills as an actor as well as a stage hand.

UT: What did you have to do in order to get class credit?

KH: In order to get class credit, I was the light board operator for Dixie Swim Club and an actor in WMKS: Where Music Kills Sorrow. I enjoyed this because it allowed me to be on both the acting and technical side of theater. It also gave me the opportunity to work with many actors that I would not have had the chance to work with otherwise.

UT: How did the rehearsal process differ with this being a play and musical rolled in one?

KH: The rehearsal process for WMKS varied for me because I was not one of the singers, but I enjoyed going to the music portions of the rehearsals just to get to know the songs and my fellow cast members.

UT: Describe your experience working with professional actors and stage manager. Have you come away learning anything new or taking on any new practices before, during or after a show?

KH: Through TheatreFest I learned a lot about ways to rehearse lines that I had never heard of and I also learned some theatrical lingo that had once been foreign to me.

UT: Would you encourage other students to be a part of TheatreFest in the future and why?

KH: I would encourage other students to participate in TheatreFest because it is a great opportunity to meet actors from outside of campus and to work with people that did not have enough time during the year to audition for any shows.

Thanks for sharing, Kenny!

Interested in being a part of TheatreFest? Keep an eye out for more information this spring or ask our students about it!

Student Spotlight - Brett Williams

This summer, a handful of our students took advantage of our 2011 TheatreFest season (3 shows in rolling repertory), Southern Comforts. From acting, to working backstage, to filling in as understudies, our students had the opportunity to work together and with professionals from the community to create a wonderful summer of shows!

Today, we'll get the inside scoop about TheatreFest, from auditions to rehearsals,
from Brett Williams, who played Cindy in WMKS: Where Music Kills Sorrow.

Brett is currently a Junior majoring in Zoology.

I auditioned for WMKS: Where Music Kills Sorrow, because quite frankly, I can’t keep away from the theatre! I knew I was going to be on campus in the morning for summer classes and I knew that if I didn’t audition, I’d be missing out. The audition was definitely different from what I was used to. We had to go into the theatre one at a time and perform a monologue and two songs. I accompanied myself on the guitar for both songs, something I had never done before as I had only been playing the guitar for about six months prior to the audition.

The rehearsals were about 4 hours long, though they actually seemed less stressful than most shows I’ve done. Probably because I was only taking one, instead of five, classes at the time. We even got at least one day a week without rehearsal, which we often used to see the other TheatreFest shows. A good portion of the rehearsal process was spent mainly on the music, which is understandable as the show had about 30 songs. This often took up time that would have otherwise been spent on characterization, time that you often have more than enough of in straight plays. Thankfully, most of the actors came into the first rehearsal with a pretty good idea of who their characters really were, and if they didn’t, they figured it out by the end of the first read through. That was immediately one of the benefits I found working with professionals in the business. There was a certain level of ease and confidence that just radiated from the other actors. I’ve always found that dialogue means nothing until the actors start listening and responding. Everyone in the cast seemed to know that, and I didn’t feel like I needed to try to make sense out of what they were saying. Much of the time I found that we were communicating more without saying anything. Acting comes easy when you have such talented people supporting you out there.

We seemed to have professionals from every corner of show business (acting, singing, playing music), except for dancing. I took tap dancing lessons in high school, but I wouldn’t say that that makes me a dancer. Thankfully, clogging isn’t a far cry from tap and I picked it up pretty quickly. I met up with the captain of NC State’s clogging team, Derek Starnes, a few times and he showed me some basic moves. I also got a little help from another University Theatre actor, Jill Varner, who showed me how to Céilidh dance, who had conveniently just learned how for her role in Dancing at Lughnasa.

I would certainly encourage students to audition for TheatreFest if they can, especially if they are thinking about going into the theatre business professionally. I have come out of this experience with a brand new set of skills (clogging and playing the guitar and the dulcimer), and it has allowed me to not only grow as an actor, but as a performer. It has been a truly unique experience for me, and I know that it is something that I will never forget.

Thank you for telling about your experiences with TheatreFest, Brett!
Do you have questions about TheatreFest? Come ask us!

This Week in Pictures

I'll admit, I'm behind already on my "this week in pictures" posts, and it's only the second week of classes! Does anyone else already feel behind?

In case you are new to this blog, I'll catch you up. Each week I make an effort to capture the goings on around the building and with University Theatre. If you happen to catch anything from your classes, rehearsal or anything else to do with University Theatre, send your pictures on to me!

Here's what we had in store from last week:

 Campus Crawl

Set up/a view from the bridge!

The Crafts Center working hard

Some of our fearless APO members spreading the word about the open house (thanks guys!):

busy, busy!

The pipers played:

It was a great event, despite not being on Cates Ave. this year!

Open House:

Yours Truly and Nancy greeting everyone at the door:

Our production staff answering questions about crew and everything else!

The directors taking a quick break from answering questions about the productions.

Thanks to everyone who stayed for the Info Meet Up!

If you somehow missed it, you must check out the video 

we made from those who attended and participated at the video booth!

I've said it before and I'll say it again - our students rock!

Here's to a great semester!

Welcome back!

Another summer wanes and the campus slowly fills with minivans full of parents schlepping bins up endless flights of stairs. You miraculously cram your entire life into a sardine can of a room hoping your roomie is tolerable at best. Already, dining halls, Wolfline diesel fuel and smells of your newly unwrapped laptop fills your nostrils, your mind rapidly recalling the caffeine-induced trauma of all-nighters and piles of laundry much overdue for a spin cycle.

Enter University Theatre, the tonic for all of your academic ailments.

While we can't provide home cooked meals (unless you attend our strike cookouts) or do your laundry (but you can do ours if you are part of our costume crew), we can provide you with a haven of a few hundred square feet to let your imaginations (with the help of our professional staff) bring our productions to reality.

How do become a part of our community? We know your heads are whizzing with a ton of information about navigating the campus and life outside of classes so we'll keep it simple:

1. Come to our Open House and Info Meet Up on Tuesday, August 16:

2. Like us on Facebook.

3. Visit our website.

4. Get involved backstage or on stage.

5. Take classes (Look us up under COM or ARS).

Our motto is "Open Doors. Open Minds." and we stick to it. We welcome everyone who wants to be involved to find their place. We'll even help you find it.

We look forward to seeing our "regulars" and welcoming new students into our fold for our "See it on Stage" season. Let us know if you have questions about our program or ways for you to get involved.

Farewell, Paul!

Our Lighting and Sound Designer, Paul Pharris, has left us for greener pastures... or at least the blues and beignets.

As of July, Paul made it back to his old stomping grounds of Louisiana to take a wonderful position with Northwestern State University. We wish him and his family well in their future endeavors and will miss the Cajun flavor he brought to University Theatre.

We are in the process of hiring a new Lighting and Sound Designer and look forward to working with them on our "See it on Stage" season!

The People in the Picture - Volume 3

Allison has headed off for the premiere of The People in the Picture! Today is our last entry about her involvement in the production:

Describe the process of getting the show on "its feet", how long it has taken to become produced, and why it took so long (were there speed bumps along the way and what were they?)

It is not unusual for a large musical to take 7-10 years to finally see a full scale production. The development is dependent on a continuous swing back and forth from script work, to new song development, hearing and seeing it with performers in workshops, and then back to the drawing board for more rewrites.  Every step along the way has to be funded, and supported, and shepherded by fans and friends.  Tenacity is key.  There are always hurdles to overcome when you are working in a collaborative art form. So, it's not unusual for the development to have fits and starts.  People go about their lives, create other plays and songs, and have many irons in the fire while they are working on the show.  They also have to make a living of course.  Rarely do they see any monetary gain until the show is produced, running for a while, and of course well received by audiences and critics.  It's a gamble, at best.

What else should we know about this production and your role in it?

A few years ago, a well known director became attached to the project, named Leonard Foglia. Many directors of new musical take over the dramaturgy as they prepare for production, and start to consider casting and staging issues. It was an indicator to me that the piece would have legs, as they say. I passed the baton to him, and I am happy to report, I was correct.  He is directing the Broadway production, and Donna Murphy stars in the lead role.  I am so proud to have traveled this journey with these amazing artists. Can't wait to see it!

For more information, visit their website!

The People in the Picture - Volume 2

Last week, we were introduced to The People in the Picture.

This week, Allison talks a bit more about her specific role (as dramaturg) with the project and how she became involved:

What is a dramaturg (dramaturge - I've seen it spelled both ways, which is correct?) and what were your duties as such?

A dramaturg (either spelling is correct) in terms of new play development, is the writer's consultant regarding story arc, plot, characters, dialogue and lyrics.

How did you become involved in this production?

Iris Dart, the bookwriter and lyricist, is a close friend of the creator of STORMY WEATHER (A musical biography of Lena Horne).  I had helped to develop that property when I was the Artistic Director of Broadway on Sunset (a musical theatre development company in Los Angeles) from 1995-2000. She asked me to consult on the piece beginning in 2001. At that time, the script had not yet been read aloud, even once. That began a series of reading, rewrites, workshops, and recordings that continued for the next 10 years.

More information on The People in the Picture can be found here. 

Tune in next Wednesday for our final installation! 

This week: the calm before the storm

Hi readers!

No pictures this week... sorry! I think my title accurately suggests the goings on in Thompson Hall. Right now, everyone is basking in the fact that Dancing at Lughnasa is up and running (if you haven't seen it, you only have until Sunday to catch it!).

Classes are slowly prepping for the dreaded exam week and many other end of the year special events are in our midst. 

Take a moment to peruse our website (ncsu.edu/theatre) for upcoming events (tickets for Theatrefest 2011 are on sale now!) and get ready for a lot of pictures over the next couple of Fridays!

Have a great weekend!

The People in the Picture

You may know University Theatre's Assistant Director, Allison Bergman, as instructor, director and acting coach to University Theatre students, but she has been working diligently on The People in the Picture for several years. The show is now opening on Broadway in April. 

Of course we wanted to take the opportunity to ask Allison some questions about her experiences working on this production. I will post this series every Wednesday through the end of April, enjoy!

1.  What is the title of show, what is it about and when and where does it open?

The show is called THE PEOPLE IN THE PICTURE.  By Iris Dart, with music by Mike Stoller and Artie Butler. It is actually two stories, one taking place in 1930s Poland, and one in 1970s New York.  What connects them is the lone survivor of a Yiddish acting troupe who, in 1970s New York, is the mother to a TV comedy writer trying to make ends meet on her own, and also the grandmother to a young precocious child. She is caught between her two worlds; one of memory and one, reality. The major themes center around the power of laughter, and the celebration of cultural heritage. It opens on Broadway April 28 at Studio 54.

More information can be found on their website.

Join us next week for more from Allison!