Frost/Nixon Features Passionate Performances

By Toni Wilson Wood
Photos by Matthew R. Kerns

Thomas Carlisle as Nixon

Waterloo - Frost/Nixon, performed by Waterloo Community Playhouse, is an epic juggernaut that covers three years, various locations, and the verbal boxing match between David Frost, the British talk show host who was better known for his handling of models, not presidents, and President Richard Nixon, who was seeking a way to redeem himself without apologizing for something he felt was not something to apologize for.

Sound boring? You would be wrong. While this material could be considered dry, Peter Morgan, author of Frost/Nixon, took a huge amount of information and condensed it into something digestible. He created a text that clocks in at 2 hours (sans intermission) that feels much shorter than it actually is. There isn’t anything extraneous here. Every word, every actor has his place.

Dreamgirls Cast Soars Above Technical Difficulties

By Rachel Korach Howell
Photos by Len Struttmann and Shannon Struttmann

DiAndre Neville as Jimmy; Cameron Byrd as Marty

Cedar Rapids - TCR’s Dreamgirls is a musical mimicking the evolution of the Supreme’s: the cutthroat music business, the solid friendships overtaken by lights and glamour, the extra mile and the extra crap the African American musicians had to deal with to get noticed or even be able to take credit for their work, the girls who became strong women… It’s a lot. And it’s alllll in there, folks.

This show is centered around three phenomenal women, but we can’t get by without talking about the men who, circumstantially, ruin or enhance those ladies’ lives. DiAndre Neville works Jimmy. I love to see an actor sweat because I know that actor is working his/her darndest to give the audience everything they’ve got. He moves up and down the space, singing and dancing, in one of the most demanding performances in the show. His energy is unending and his vocals spot on. Marty (Cameron Byrd) brings a lot to the stage. His acting is subtle, strong, and honest, and that man can MOVE. Seeing him let loose during “Steppin’ to the Bad Side” in the first half of the show was a highlight for me. And I couldn’t help but smile when he popped up again in the second half. CC (Tevin Jones) also really surprised me. He is a soothing presence and it’s hard to dislike him even when he’s convinced to prefer Deena (Staisha Federick) over his sister, Effie (Alicia Strong). His singing is beautiful and he is another slick foot in the cast.

ICCT Holds Competition to Select Plays for AACTFest

Iowa City - Iowa City Community Theatre is thrilled to announce that it will be returning to the AACTFest this year! The AACTFest is an opportunity filled to the brim with fun, collaboration, quick thinking, meeting oodles of like-minded thespians across the country, and being exposed to many hours of performance. The festival pulls together community theaters from across the nation to compete at a state, regional, and national level. It is a fun and unique experience that ICCT is eager to once again participate in.

Saturday, January 24th, ICCT is holding a competition to select a show to represent ICCT at the 2015 Iowa AACTFest competition. There will be two standalone shows from 3-6pm followed by three entries from the ICCT Love & Marriage production beginning at 7:30 pm. Tickets for the competition will go towards hotel and transportation costs associated with the AACTFest. All feedback provided by the stellar adjudicators will be open to the public, making each show a vehicle for new perspectives and learning for everyone in attendance.

Cost: $5 for the stand-alone competition pieces and $16 for Love & Marriage.

Date & Time: January 24th, 3-6pm/7:30pm-10:30pm

Location: Johnson Co. Fairgrounds, Exhibit Hall A. 4261 Oak Crest Hill Rd, Iowa City, IA 52246

Adjudicators:
Megan Gogerty
Jennifer Fawcett
Leslie Charipar

3:00pm Spot's Community by Taylor Cook
Directed by Catherine Shook
Starring:
Spencer Hawk
Yannik Encarnação
Megan Henry
Therese Pechacek

4:30pm A Clean Escape by John Kessel
Directed by Jori Slodki
Starring:
Genevieve Heinrich
Matthew Brewbaker

7:30pm Love & Marriage

1. Bridal Terrorism by Bill Rosenfield
Directed by Nate Sullivan
Starring:
Brad Quinn
Sarah Falcon
Austin Wedemeyer
Kassia Lisinski
Mary Wedemeyer

2. Laundry & Bourbon by James McLure
Directed by Jen Brown
Assistant Directed by Sandy Goodson
Starring:
Erin Mills
Audrey Thompson-Wallace
Valerie Davine Bills

3. I’m Herbert by Robert Anderson
Directed by Katie Boothroyd
Starring:
Evie Stanske
Scott Strode

So come on down and support the teams, watch the shows, and observe the judging.


Source: ICCT

Dogs of Rwanda at the Englert

Iowa City - In the Raw returns to the Englert stage this Friday with Dogs of Rwanda.

Dogs of Rwanda is the story of David, a Midwestern teenager who travels to Uganda on a Christian missionary trip and finds himself on the border of Rwanda at the moment the country explodes in the 1994 Rwandan Civil War. Twenty years later when David releases a book about what happened on that trip, he gets a note from a friend that says, "You didn't tell them everything."

Giving Tree Theater Chooses First Donation Recipient

Marion - The Corridor’s newest performing arts venue and production company has chosen the human services non-profit organization Foundation 2 as the recipient of a portion of ticket profits for all nine performances of The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams.

Foundation 2 is a human services non-profit agency that offers crisis prevention and intervention programs to people of all ages. With services that include a 24-hour crisis hotline, a youth shelter, independent living options for youth, individual and family counseling, support groups, outreach programs and an after hours food pantry, Giving Tree Theater is humbled and happy to support this vital organization.

The production, directed by Heather Akers, will mark Giving Tree Theater’s first show, opening January 30, 2015 at 8:00pm, and will perform every Friday and Saturday (8:00pm), and Sunday (2:00pm) through February 15, 2015. The Glass Menagerie is Tennessee Williams’ beautiful poetic masterpiece, anchored by the aging southern belle Amanda Wingfield, who hopes for her son Tom to fulfill her dreams of finding the perfect “gentleman caller” for her shy and damaged daughter Laura. This character-driven story possesses some of the most beautiful imagery and dialogue in classic American stage plays. (PG, Family Drama) The production stars local actors Traci Rezabek as Amanda Wingfield, Hannah Spina as Laura Wingfield, David Schneider as Tom Wingfield, and Kyle Shedeck as Jim, the gentleman caller.

Giving Tree Theater LLC is committed to sharing profits with local human services organizations, as we shine a refreshed spotlight on truly great stories. In addition to The Glass Menagerie, Giving Tree Theater is set to produce Arsenic and Old Lace, The Miracle Worker, and Barefoot in the Park through May 2015, with additional details and titles to be announced soon. Additional information about auditions, ticket availability, and Giving Tree Theater can be found at www.facebook.com/givingtreetheater or www.givingtreetheater.com.


Source: Giving Tree Theater Press Release

Step Afrika! Comes to Coe

Cedar Rapids - Step Afrika!, one of the top 10 African-American dance companies in the United States, will integrate songs, storytelling and humor with audience participation in an upcoming Marquis Series event at Coe College. The performance will be held on Friday, Jan. 30, beginning at 7:30 p.m. in Sinclair Auditorium.

Tickets are $15 for the general public, $10 for students and seniors. Seating is available by calling the Coe College Box Office at 319-399-8600, Monday – Friday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tickets will also be available at the door the night of the event.

Auditions for City Circle's Into the Woods

Coralville - "Into the Woods is Stephen Sondheim's beloved musical about what happens after "happily ever after."

Actors ages 12 and above are welcome to audition. Casting will be age appropriate. The mysterious man and narrator will not be double cast. The wolf and prince will be double cast. The cow will be cast with a human actor. There are also roles for up to five ensemble people who will double as stage crew and various characters.

Please bring sheet music in the correct key for a one-minute section of a song that shows your ability to communicate a character.

Auditions are Saturday, January 31 and Sunday, February 1 from 2pm-6pm at the Community of Christ Church in Coralville. Signups and more information here."


Source: CCPA newsletter

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Opens January 23

Coralville — "Nolte Academy will present a new musical production, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, January 23rd through January 25th, 2015, at the Coralville Center For The Performing Arts. The fourth in a series of musical productions presented by Nolte Academy for Corridor audiences, Snow White features local singers, actors and dancers from ages 6 to 19, who will perform with a live orchestra.

Love and Marriage Opens January 16

Iowa City - Opening this FRIDAY, January 16, The Proposal (directed by Christina Patramanis), a Chekhov play about a hypochondriac who tries to propose to his neighbor’s daughter and ends up with all of them getting into arguments. Bridal Terrorism (directed by Nate Sullivan), a woman shows up in a park in a wedding dress looking for a groom. Laundry & Bourbon (directed by Jen Brown), three women share gossip and their disappointment with their marriages. I’m Herbert (directed by Katherine Boothroyd), a conversation between an elderly couple with memory problems who tries to remember their former relationships.

Don Giovanni Opens January 16

Cedar Rapids - Indulge in Mozart’s tantalizing opera Don Giovanni at the Paramount Theatre, 123 Third Avenue SE, Friday, January 16 at 8:00PM and Sunday, January 18 at 2:00PM.

Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre’s new production of Don Giovanni, sung in Italian with English supertitles, is directed by William Ferrara with Orchestra Iowa Musicians directed by Daniel Kleinknecht; featuring baritone Christopher Burchett in the title role, baritone Lee Poulis as Leporello, and sopranos Danielle Talamantes (Donna Anna) and Veronica Mitina (Donna Elvira).

Anti-Valentine's Day Cabaret at Mendoza Wine Bar

Coralville - Josh Sazon and Kate Thompson will present “Love Hurts: A Valentine’s Celebration” at Mendoza Wine Bar, February 13 and 14, 2014, at 8:30pm.

Why Torture Is Wrong and the People Who Love Them Cast

Iowa City - Dreamwell is proud to announce the cast of Why Torture Is Wrong and the People Who Love Them by Christopher Durang, directed by Adeara Jean Maurice:

Auditions for Bob: A Life in Five Acts

Iowa City - "BOB: A Life in Five Acts is a big, funny and touching epic about the life of Bob from his birth in a White Castle bathroom through his journey to become a “great, great man” (as foretold by a fortune cookie). His trip across America and across time is populated by dozens of people, each with their own tales to tell. Bob must learn what he can from each of them and try to give them some part of himself in return, as he tries to become the man he wants to be.

Auditions will be at the Iowa City Public Library on January 17 from 1:00-5:00 and January 20 from 6:00-9:00. There will be sides from the script for cold readings, but actors are also welcome to prepare a 1-2 minute monologue. Copies of the script are on reserve at the library information desk. If you are not able to make these times, please contact the director at nate.j.sullivan@gmail.com to make alternate arrangements.

Frost/Nixon Opens January 23

Waterloo - The Waterloo Community Playhouse has cast 8 local, talented actors in roles for its upcoming production of Frost/Nixon. The show is a fictionalization of the famous interviews David Frost conducted with disgraced former President Richard Nixon in 1977, as a part of Nixon’s efforts to improve his image. Nixon, living in San Clemente in Orange County, California, agreed to the interviews when prompted to do so by his literary agent, Irving Lazar. “Structured as a prize fight between two starkly ambitious men in professional crisis, Frost/Nixon makes it clear that the competitor who controls the camera reaps the spoil.”-New York Times

The cast for the show is:

• Mike Anderson (FROST) is making his debut at WCP. He is a reporter with the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. He is originally from the Evanston, Illinois area. He was very active in theatre during high school and lept at the chance to perform in this production.
  
• Thomas Carlisle (NIXON) is a retired professor from UNI. Tom and his wife Jean own the lla lla lland Llama Ranch near Janesville. He has appeared onstage in over 100 roles for various theatres. This will be his debut for the Waterloo Community Playhouse.
  
• Gary Baumgartner (JIM RESTON) is thrilled to return to WCP after a long absence. “Bum”, as he is frequently hailed, and his wife Donna are owners/operators of Viewpoint Adventures Safaris. They are also the chairpeople of the Positive Outlook Association Foundation which raises funds to support a school in Africa.
  
• Joel Zummak (JOHN BIRT) likes to travel frequently to both the Minneapolis and St. Louis areas. He is the youngest of five children. Joel is a data entry clerk at Ocwen Loan Processing in Waterloo.
• Scott Schuster (IRVING LAZAR/MIKE WALLACE) is the new Technical Director/Production Manager at Waterloo Community Playhouse/Black Hawk Children’s Theatre. His favorite role of all time was as Ichabod Crane in a National touring production of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. He previously worked as Designer with the Edge Theatre in Denver, Colorado.
  
• Andrea Morris (CAROLINE CUSHING/EVONNE GOOLAGONG) works as a facilitator with the local Girl Scout office. She received her BA in Theatre Performance from UNI. She interned at the Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor, New York during the summer of 2012.
  
• Chris Hansen (BOB ZELNICK) is beginning his 34th season with the Waterloo Community Playhouse/Black Hawk Children’s Theatre. Chris is a former CNA and currently works at Kohl’s. Some of his previous roles at WCP include Ruckley in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Ellard in The Foreigner.
  
• Anthony Covington(JAMES BRENNAN) has appeared in 5 other productions at WCP/BHCT. He has also served as an Assistant Stage Manager on 7 other shows. Tony serves on the Hope Haven Consumer Advisory Board.

The Waterloo Community Playhouse is working with representatives of both the Republican and Democratic parties to have a voter registration site during the production.

Performance dates and times are January 23, 24, 29 & 30 at 7 pm; January 25 at 2 pm. Tickets for the performance are available online at www.wcpbhct.org or by calling 319.235.0367. The box office will open for public sales on January 15th. Box office hours are Tuesday-Friday from 1-6 pm. The box office is located inside the Waterloo Center for the Arts and can be reach at 319.291.4494. #EngageWithWCP


Source: WCP Press Release

A Modern Salon at Brucemore

Cedar Rapids - "SPT's next A Modern Salon begins January 16th at Brucemore.

Tales from the Writers' Room: 7 Year Itch

Cedar Rapids - "SPT continues it's "Seven" theme with its next Tales from the Writers' Room, entitled 7-Year Itch, February 20 and 21 at 8pm at CSPS

Auditions for WCP's A Murder Is Announced

Waterloo - Waterloo Community Playhouse is casting A Murder Is Announced by Agatha Christie
Translated for the Stage by Leslie Darbon
Directed by Matthew R. Kerns
Costuming by Guest Artist Carol J. Blanchard
Scenic Designer: Scott Schuster | Production Stage Manager: S.K. Buie

Audition Date: Monday, February 2 at 6 pm
Production Dates: March 20-27

BHCT Offers Spring Classes & Workshops

Waterloo - "Black Hawk Children’s Theatre is offering a series of theatre classes starting in January for children at every experience level. Tuition assistance is available based on need.

Junior Players - This is the immersive theatre troupe for creative kids. There is a prerequisite of an audition or previous troupe membership. Auditions are Tuesday, January 6 at 4:30 pm. **Audition stipulation: Please prepare a one-minute piece for auditions. Call Anita at (319) 235-0367 or email anita.ross@wcpbhct.org.
Ages: 10-14| Tuesdays, January 13-May 5| 4:30-6 pm| Fee: $85

Get Into Character - Students will explore theatrical choices through dramatic play and improvisation while developing on-stage skills and confidence.
Ages: 7-10| Thursdays, January 15-February 19| 4-4:50 pm| Fee: $50

Theatre Fundamentals - Students get to explore and develop on-stage skills through scene study and character development. Ages: 11-14| Thursdays, January 15-February 19| 5-5:50 pm| Fee: $50

Storybook Theatre - With improvisation techniques and well-known characters, students will get the chance to explore their own creativity and dramatic play.
Ages: 5-6| Fridays, January 16-February 6| 4-5 pm| Fee: $45

Advanced Theatre Fundamentals - This class is designed for those students who have taken Theatre Fundamentals, Dramatic Arts Workshop or some other equivalent theatre class.
Ages: 11-14| Thursdays, March 26-April 30| 5-5:50 pm| Fee: $50

BHCT has been providing theatre classes to children for over 40 years. These classes will be located in the WCP/BHCT Walker Building at 224 Commercial Street in Waterloo. For class reservations, call the business office at (319) 235-0367 or got to www.wcpbhct.org/take-classes. For more information, contact BHCT Artistic Director, Anita Ross at anita.ross@wcpbhct.org.

Classes will be primarily taught by Anita Ross, who earned both an MFA in Theatre and a MLS in Library Science. Anita has been directing at BHCT since 2009. She previously was an actor/instructor and show manager with Poetry Alive! of Asheville, North Carolina, where she spent four years traveling across the country performing poetry for schools and libraries. She also worked with kindergarten through 12th-grade students in one-day to two-week residencies with Poetry Alive! Anita's experience also includes performing and teaching performance techniques and activities with the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. Before her career in theatre, she worked as a school librarian."


Source: BHCT Press Release

Auditions for Old Creamery's 2015 Season

Amana - "Old Creamery Theatre Company 2015 Auditions

WHEN:
Saturday January 24, 2015, from 3:30pm – 6:30pm
Sunday January 25, 2015, from 3:30pm – 6:30pm

WHERE:
The Old Creamery Theatre Main Stage
39 38th Ave. Amana, IA 52203

TCR Winter Classes Announced

Cedar Rapids - TCR has announced its winter line-up of classes:

TCR's Doubt Cast

Cedar Rapids - The cast for TCR's Doubt has been announced.