Auditions This Weekend: "Scrooge" and "Marvin's Room"

   There are two shows holding auditions this weekend:

- Scrooge – First Stage Theatre Company presents the holiday musical based on A Christmas Carol. Auditions are open to all ages (both adult and children encouraged to try out! Be prepared to sing up to one minute of a song (cd player and piano accompanist provided or you may sing a cappella. Be prepared to read. Wear something you can dance in. Auditions will be held Sept. 29 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the First Stage Theater Company building at 222 7th Avenue in Huntington. The show will be directed by Justin and Sydnee Smirl McElroy.

- Marvin’s Room – Company of Dreams will hold auditions Sept. 29 at 2:30 p.m. at Fairview High School in Ashland. The production is under the direction of Jim Maggard. Show dates are Nov. 8-10, 2012 at Hillside Community Church in Ashland. Marvin's Room is a dark and mordantly funny comedy by Scott McPherson, which centers on a woman's commitment to caring for her family first, even in the face of personal tragedy.

On Stage This Weekend: Sweeney, Stock Car and Charlie Brown!

On stage this weekend – three great shows!

- Sweeney Todd – 5th Avenue Theatre is presenting the dark musical about the demon barber from Fleet Street this weekend at Huntington's City Hall Auditorium. The show stars Ryan Hardiman and Mary Olson as it tells the story of a barber who seeks his revenge in a unique way - and the woman who helps him dispose of the evidence in a grisly (but efficient) manner. The show will be presented at the Jean Carlo Stephenson Auditorium in Huntington's City Hall on Sept. 28 and 29 at 8 p.m. and Sept. 30 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $12. For more information, call the City of Huntington Foundation at 304-696-5522.

- The Legend of Ginger and Billy Joe: The Stock Car Musical – Contemporary Youth Arts Company presents this original Dan Kehde and Mark Scarpelli musical at the WVSU Capitol Center Theater at 123 Summers Street in Charleston. The musical comedy is a parody of redneck culture – a bit raunchy and very funny. Shows are Sept. 28, 29, Oct. 4, 5 and 6 at 8 p.m., and Sept. 30 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults, $6 for students and seniors.

- You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown – This is the first show to be presented by the Main Street Players Theatre Company. Based on the beloved comic strip Peanuts, the musical comedy will run Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. and Sept. 30 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for youth (18 and Under) and seniors (55+). It’ll be presented at the Alban Theatre in St. Albans.

So get out there and support your community theatre!

"Scrooge" Auditions on Saturday

Auditions for the musical "Scrooge" are this Saturday! The show is presented by First Stage Theatre Company.

Auditions are open to all ages (both adult and children encouraged to try out!). Be prepared to sing up to one minu

te of a song (cd player and piano accompanist will be provided or you may sing a cappella). Be prepared to read from a provided script. Wear shoes and clothes you can dance in.

Where: First Stage Theater Company building at 222 7th Avenue in Huntington, W.Va.
When: Saturday, Sept. 29, 2012 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Can’t make it? Video auditions are also accepted! Just record a minute of singing and read a monologue (short, one person scene longer than 15 seconds) from a film, play or musical. Either email digital version to scroogequestions@gmail.com or mail a DVD or thumb drive to: Justin McElroy, P.O. Box 54, Huntington, WV 25706

Show will be presented Nov. 29 thru Dec. 2 and Dec. 6 thru Dec. 9. (No rehearsals will be held over Thanksgiving.)

"All Grown Up!"

   Great story in the Herald-Dispatch today by Bill Rosenberger about last night's phenomenal All Grown Up Benefit Concert, which brought back some of First Stage Theatre's talented alumni to kick off that group's fundraising efforts. You can read that story right here - there's also a gallery of photos by Mark Webb right here.

   Here's the story: 

   Huntington native J.T. Walker is a singer and actor whose natural talents would likely have led him to where he is now, serving as an actor, manager and administrator at Shadowbox Live in Columbus, Ohio.

   But the 2000 graduate of Huntington High School gives a lot of credit for his development to First Stage Theatre Company, which has provided the Tri-State area with a children's theater since 1990.

Now in its 23rd year, First Stage Theatre held a benefit concert Saturday night called All Grown Up. The performance featured a host of former actors and singers who have gone on to careers in the arts, medicine and law, among others. The group convened at the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center in Huntington, where Walker and many others sang and told the audience -- comprised of youth involved in the group's current show The Little Mermaid, Jr. and community members -- the impact First Stage had on their lives.

   "This was my second family, where all my best friends and interactions were," Walker said. "That's what I looked forward to every week. This gives so many people an opportunity to have an outlet in the arts."

   Others who took part in the reunion concert were Mary Ellen Wolfe, a professional acrobat and singer; Kathryn Davis, a local attorney who recently starred as Elle Woods in Huntington Outdoor Theatre's Legally Blonde: the Musical, Josh Meredith, a senior theater major at Marshall University; Sarah Hayes, a junior dance major and theater minor at Radford University; Eric Newfeld, a junior at Marshall; Bronson Bush, a professional songwriter and performer; Justin McElroy, the managing editor of the Polygon video game site; Sydnee Smirl McElroy, an attending physician and assistant professor at Marshall University's Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine; Jessica Lamp Jordan, who works in higher education; Levi Kelly, who recently starred as Horton in Seussical; along with actors Jonathan Lamp, Jennifer Leist, Zach Davis, Robyn Welch and Meag Elkins Muller.

   Proceeds from Saturday night's event will be used in transforming First Stage's new space on 2nd Street and 7th Avenue from a warehouse to a full working theater with classrooms and a stage, said First Stage president Chuck Minsker. He said it will help to provide a theatrical program for children that could lead to more fulfilling a dream to perform on stage.

   "As far as community theater goes, children's theater flies under the radar," Minsker said. "The talent here is really amazing."

Stars of the Benefit Show: Jessica Jordan and Jon Lamp

Our next announced performers for "All Grown Up: A Benefit Concert" are a couple of talented Lamps!

Jessica Lamp Jordan grew up local stages, acting along with her brother Jon Lamp (and sometimes their parents joined the show)! A few of her favorite First Stage roles include the Narrator in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” Apassionata in “Lil' Abner,” Gloria in “Bye Bye Birdie,” and Peppermint Patty in “You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown” (among many others).

Jon is a Marshall graduate with a degree in Elementary Education and a specialization in both elementary and special education. He performed in many First Stage shows and is currently in rehearsals for his latest role as Dracula in “Dracula the Musical” with CUP. The performances will be the weekends surrounding Halloween.

They'll join Laura LaCara, J.T. Walker, Mary Ellen Wolfe-Nielsen, Kathryn Davis, Sarah Hayes, Eric Newfeld, Bronson Bush and the rest of the cast (to be announced) in the Benefit Concert.

Tickets for the concert are now available - they're $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors, and are on sale at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena box office, or by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000, or online athttp://www.ticketmaster.com/.

Don't miss it!

First Stage to Present Alumni Concert

   There's a nice story in today's Herald-Dispatch by Dave Lavender previewing the Benefit Concert  (although I have two corrections: Jonathan Joy's play is a one-minute play; and the concert was first suggested by alum Michael Moore.

   Here's an excerpt:  

In less than a month First Stage Theatre group will head underseas with a production of "Little Mermaid." 

But before that song and dance exploration, the group will be piling into the DeLorean and racing "Back to the Future," as an all-star cast of alums has assembled to raise funds for their new warehouse home. 

Called "All Grown Up: A Benefit Concert," the benefit is set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 22 at the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center. 

"All Grown Up," will feature song, dance, laughs and even aerial acrobatics from a who's who of First Stage alums. The cast includes many who are now performing professionally around the country including Mary Ellen Wolfe-Nielson and her husband Tyce Nielson, who are both working as aerialists and performers in the show, Cirque De La Mer at Sea World San Diego. 

Just a few of the other performers include: Laura LaCara, a professional actress from New York, J.T. Walker, a professional actor from Columbus currently starring as Billy Flynn in the musical "Chicago" and Kathryn Davis, a local attorney who recently starred as Elle Woods in HOT's "Legally Blonde: The Musical" and as Martha Jefferson in ARTS' "1776."

   You can read the rest right here.

Benefit Concert Stars: Bronson Bush

The next announced performer for All Grown Up: A Benefit Concert, which will take the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center stage at 7:30 p.m. this Saturday, is a singer-songwriter who divides his time between the Tri-state and Nashville.

Bronson Bush is a professional songwriter and performer who recently recorded an album for a Nickelodeon cartoon. He appeared on stage locally in numerous shows, including Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Oliver. Now he is co-writing with hit songwriters in Nashville and exploring record label opportunities.

He'll join Laura LaCara, J.T. Walker, Mary Ellen Wolfe-Nielsen, Kathryn Davis, Sarah Hayes, Eric Newfeld and the rest of the cast (to be announced) in the Benefit Concert.

Tickets for the concert are now available - they're $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors, and are on sale at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena box office, or by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000, or online at http://www.ticketmaster.com/.

 Don't miss it!

Benefit Concert Stars: Sarah Hayes and Eric Newfeld

   Our next announced performers for All Grown Up: A Benefit Concert are two talented college students who will team up to reprise one of their last roles on stage in Huntington.


   Sarah Hayes and Eric Newfeld last worked together in the First Stage production of Into the Woods, and they’ll reprise one of their songs from that show in the concert which will take the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center stage at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 22.

   Sarah (who will also present a dance in the show) is a junior at Radford University. She’s a dance major with a theater minor and has worked professionally as an actress/dancer the last two summers at WV Public Theatre (Sillibub in CATS) and Theatre West Virginia (Hatfields and McCoys / Honey in the Rock / Rocket Boys - The Musical). Next month Sarah will be performing again in The Choreographers Canvas in NYC for the Bob Boross Freestyle Jazz Company.

   Eric is a junior at Marshall, recently returned to Huntington from Washington University in St. Louis. While in St. Louis, he performed in a Jewish a cappella group called Staam and played varied roles in school plays, including Jimmy Harper in Reefer Madness and Corny Collins in Hairspray.

They'll join Laura LaCara, J.T. Walker, Mary Ellen Wolfe-Nielsen, Kathryn Davis and the rest of the cast (to be announced) in the Benefit Concert.

Tickets for the concert are now available - they're $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors, and are on sale at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena box office, or by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000, or online at http://www.ticketmaster.com/.

Don't miss it!

On Stage This Weekend: Sweeney Todd

   We've been talking a lot about this weekend's Benefit Concert, but it's not the only show taking the stage this weekend - 5th Avenue Theatre is presenting the dark musical Sweeney Todd this weekend and next at Huntington's City Hall Auditorium.

   The show stars Ryan Hardiman and Mary Olson as it tells the story of a barber who seeks his revenge in a unique way - and the woman who helps him dispose of the evidence in a grisly (but efficient) manner.

   The show will be presented at the Jean Carlo Stephenson Auditorium in Huntington's City Hall. Shows will be offered Sept. 21, 22, 28 and 29 at 8 p.m. and Sept. 23 and 30 at 2:30 p.m.

  Tickets are $12. For more information, call the City of Huntington Foundation at 304-696-5522.

Benefit Concert Stars: Kathryn Davis

   The next announced performer for "All Grown Up: A Benefit Concert," which will take the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center stage at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 22, is a theatre major who uses those skills in the courtroom.

   Kathryn Davis is an Ashland native who appeared as Mammy Yokum in First Stage’s 2002 production of "Lil’ Abner." She earned a B.A. in Musical Theatre from Palm Beach Atlantic University and her J.D. from the University of Kentucky. She now practices law in Huntington. She was most recently seen as Elle Woods in HOT’s "Legally Blonde," and, in October, she will play Christine in ACTC’s production of "Phantom of the Opera."

She'll join Laura LaCara, J.T. Walker, Mary Ellen Wolfe-Nielsen and the rest of the cast (to be announced) in the Benefit Concert.

Tickets for the concert are now available - they're $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors, and are on sale at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena box office, or by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000, or online at http://www.ticketmaster.com/.

Don't miss it!

Stars of the Benefit Concert: Mary Ellen Wolfe-Nielsen

The next announced performer for All Grown Up: A Benefit Concert, which will take the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center stage at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 22, is a high-flying artist.

Mary Ellen Wolfe-Nielsen has performed as an aerialist, a stunt woman and performs a high-flying act on trapeze and silks with her husband, Tyce Nielsen (that's the two of them enjoying a day at the beach above).

They're making a return visit to Huntington and will fly above the stage at the Keith Albee Theatre as part of the Benefit Concert.

Mary Ellen grew up in Huntington and performed in a number of First Stage shows, starring as Little Orphan Annie in Annie and in HOT's Wizard of Oz as Dorothy. She and Tyce will join Laura LaCara, J.T.Walker and many other performers in the All Grown Up concert.

Tickets are available from Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com and at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena box office.

Stars of the Benefit Concert: J.T. Walker

Now we continue to reveal the names of the performers who will be taking part in All Grown Up: A Benefit Concert, which will take the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center stage at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 22.

Our second star is J.T. Walker, a professional actor who has been a featured player for years at ShadowBox Live in Columbus, Ohio, and is presently appearing there as Billy Flynn in the musical Chicago (and getting rave reviews)!

He'll join Laura LaCara and a talented cast of performers (more announcements forthcoming) for the event. Here's his bio:

JT Walker is now 30 years old and has been living and working professionally in Columbus, OH since 2003 for the nation's largest resident theatre company, Shadowbox Live.

He was mainly seen in the chorus of various MAG-CT performances ranging from Oliver to Cinderella, The Wizard of Oz and Peter Pan. He played the Mayor in Bye Bye Birdie and the Ghost of Christmas Present in A Christmas Carol.

Shadowbox Live ensemble members perform four different shows ten times a week and JT can be seen acting, singing, dancing and playing keys, harmonica and percussion with the house band, BillWho?, in three of them at any any given time (sometimes all four). Highlights from his career include Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar, Claude in Hair, Dr. Frankenfurter in The Rocky Horror Show and he can currently be seen as Billy Flynn in Chicago.

All performers at Shadowbox Live double as administrators and so working there is a full time job for JT who spends his days as bar manager, hiring and personnel director and as a member of the writing team. 

JT is immensely happy to return to Huntington and even more so for the opportunity to perform again with those who first introduced him to the experience of live theatre. Any time you find yourself in or around Columbus, please pay him a visit!

Tickets for the concert are now available - they're $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors, and are on sale at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena box office, or by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000, or online atwww.ticketmaster.com.

Tomorrow: another star announcement! 

Stars of the Benefit Concert: Laura LaCara

   We've been talking about All Grown Up: A Benefit Concert, which takes the stage at the Keith Albee Theatre on Sept. 22.

   It's time to start telling you which performers are going to be part of the show (we'll have an announcement every day)! Let's start with the lovely and talented Laura LaCara! After starring in an amazing number of community theatre productions while growing up in Huntington (including characters like Ado Annie, Eponine and many others), Laura is now a professional actress in New York and has carved time out of her schedule to be part of this concert.

   (And if her opening song doesn't bring a tear to your eyes, I'll be amazed.)

   More announcements forthcoming!

A Benefit Concert

Whew! Things have been hopping for your pal Chuck of late, so let me apologize for the shortage of posts.

I've been working on two shows at once (I do not recommend this, although I'm having a lot of fun).

The first show that will turn up is something new and different - it's called All Grown Up: A Benefit Concert. We've invited back some of the alumni of the Huntington children's theatre to once again share their talents on the stage of the Keith Albee Theatre (the show takes place at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 22).

The challenge has been tracking down those past stars and then working within their hectic schedules. Not everyone could make it - some are working professionals, some are tied up with college - but thankfully, we've managed to work it out with about 20 of our talented alumni.

It's going to be a terrific, funny and touching show. I'll be talking more over the next two weeks about who will be appearing in the show, and we'll talk more about the "Benefit" part of the show, which will raise money to provide a permanent theatre home for the kids of First Stage.

Tickets are now on sale at the Big Sandy Superstore box office, or you can order them online through Ticketmaster. Don't miss it!

Oh, and the other show I'm working on? It's the production of Disney's The Little Mermaid, Jr. - lots more about that in the weeks ahead, too!

On Stage This Weekend?

So what shows are on stage this weekend?

Amazingly enough - as far as I can tell - there are no shows on stage this weekend. (Please correct me if I've overlooked one.)

But save up those dollars - there are several great shows coming up later this month, including First Stage's alumni concert All Grown Up at the Keith Albee and Sweeney Todd at City Hall!

More about those in the days ahead - but for now, enjoy your weekend off!

Upcoming Shows and Auditions for Company of Dreams

Here's a nifty poster put together to promote the upcoming season of shows for the Ashland-based group known as Company of Dreams.

The poster includes audition dates for the shows, too!

The Cast of "Dracula the Musical"

My pal Danny Ray sends along the cast list for the next Curtains Up Players production: Dracula the Musical!

And a talented bunch it is! Here's the rundown:

Count Dracula - Jon Lamp

Mina Murray - Lara Donahoe

Jonathan Harker - Chris Sunderland

Professor Van Helsing - Alison Smith

Lucy Westenra- Jane Modlin

Quincey Morris - Austin Trimboli

Dr. Jack Seward - Christian Griswald

Arthur Holmwood - Andrew Potter

Renfield - Paul Merritt

Vampire Girls - Kelsey Anderson, Nancy Jackson, Joanna Berner

Vampire Dancer - Chelsey Keathley

Young Child - Brayden Clagg

Ensemble - Kate Jackson, Sydney Smith, Jennifer Simms, Laura Clagg, Ethan Terry, Max Wilson

Music by Frank Wildhorn

Book & Lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton

Conceived by Christopher Hampton, Frank Wildhorn & Des McAnuff

Performances are Friday and Saturday, Oct. 26-27 at 8 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 28 at 2:30 p.m., Thursday - Saturday, Nov. 1-3 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 4 at 2:30 p.m.

The show is directed by Clara Adkins with musical direction by Matthew Moore.

First Stage To Present Benefit Concert at Keith Albee Sept. 22

I admit I'm prejudiced (since I'm one of the directors of the show), but this Benefit Concert promises to be something special. Here's the latest press release:

The First Stage Theatre Company has put hundreds of young actors on stage over the past two decades, and now that group is inviting its graduates to be part of a special event - All Grown Up: A Benefit Concert that will take the Keith Albee Theatre stage on Sept. 22 at 7:30 p.m., featuring past stars of the Tri-state’s children’s theatre.

The concert kicks off a fund-raising campaign to help the organization build a new home for the next generation of performers. First Stage President Chuck Minsker said, “The children’s theatre recently purchased a small warehouse near downtown Huntington - our first “home” in the group’s 22-year history. We’re using the space for storage and set construction, but with some improvements, it will eventually include a small theatre space for performances, rehearsals and drama classes.”

The Benefit Concert will star alumni who appeared in a First Stage (or Musical Arts Guild-Children’s Theatre) show. Minsker said, “This gives us a chance to recognize some of the amazing performers who grew up on stage in Huntington - many of whom now have professionals acting careers - and it’s a great chance for them to ‘Pay it Forward’ to the actors of tomorrow.”

“We’ve had quite a few of our alumni sign up already, but there’s still time for others to join in,” Minsker said. Performers interested in taking part can email firststagewv@gmail.com or call 304-736-4366 for more information.

Tickets for the concert are $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors, and are now on sale at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena box office, or by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000, or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

The Benefit Concert will be directed by Minsker and musical director Mark Smith.

The First Stage Theatre Company is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to providing an educational, developmental experience for young people through the performing arts. Founded in 1990, the organization has staged more than 50 theatrical shows starring children from the Tri-State area.

"Avenue Q" - A Review

My lovely wife and I just got back from seeing Avenue Q, a show that's been getting raves reviews - and we agree that it deserves every one of 'em.

It's easy to see why the Broadway show won the Tony for Best Musical - it's a fast-paced show with lots of heart, some great songs, some hilarious moments and a clever premise.

It's basically an adult version of Sesame Street, so the story unfolds through a number of amazingly well-craft puppets and muppets. There's no effort made to hide the humans operating the characters, but surprisingly enough, it's very effective - you're so focused on the characters that each actor has created, the puppets really seem to come to life!

The key to the show is the terrific cast, who manage to combine wonderful singing and acting to create a wide variety of funny, zany and surprisingly human characters. I can't imagine any professional cast anywhere doing a better job than this group!

Add to that an amazing set that makes maximum use of the Jeslyn stage, an excellent orchestra and flawless tech work, and you have a show that should not be missed!

You just have one more chance to catch the show Sunday at 2:30 p.m. - I urge you to take it!

Kudos to director Danny Ray and his team for outstanding work!

The show isn't for everyone - the humor is raunchy at times, crude at others - but it's a vastly entertaining show, certainly one of the best community theatre productions in our area in recent years - and is highly recommended!

On Stage in September

Some great shows coming up in September - here's the rundown:

- All Grown Up: A First Stage Benefit Concert - Some of the most talented alumni from Huntington's long-running children's theatre will return for a special concert to benefit First Stage’s building fund. The concert will be presented Sept. 22 at 7:30 p.m. at the Keith Albee Theatre.

- Avenue Q - Curtains Up Players presents the hilarious adult musical comedy Sept. 1 at 8 p.m. and Sept. 2 at 2 p.m. at Huntington’s Jeslyn Theatre.

- Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - 5th Avenue Theatre presents the hit Broadway musical Sept. 21, 22, 28 and 29 at 8 p.m. and Sept. 23 and 30 at 2:30 p.m. at City Hall Auditorium.

- John Legend - Marshall Artists Series presents a concert and discussion by the artist Sept. 20 at 8 p.m. at the Keith Albee Theatre.

- Schoolhouse Rock Live - Paramount Players presents the musical based on the ABC animated education cartoons at the Paramount Arts Center Sept. 25 at 7 p.m.

- Dead Man’s Hand - Murder and Merriment present the murder mystery Sept. 21 at 8 p.m. at The Greenhouse of Teays Valley.

It's amazing that so many great shows are available for our enjoyment - so get out there and support your local theatre!