ECC Theatre

I have failed..

2012-02-10T05:04:00.001-08:00

At blogging this week! My apologies- its been a very hectic week. Last night we were able to run Act One almost all the way through without stopping (a major accomplishment). We still have a month to go, so we are actually a little ahead of schedule. Thank goodness, because it looks like it might snow next week! Today Ill be sitting down with my lighting designer to start talking about what the cues will look like, we've got a production meeting and a long list of props to work on as well as my teaching duties. We will also be testing some of the special effects for Seussical that haven't been used in any other show previously. I think that's my favorite part of today- being able to see something new that the audience will experience also. Sometimes something I take for granted will really produce a reaction in an audience- and that's a really wonderful thing!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

An explanation...

2012-02-06T15:02:00.000-08:00

of Friday's picture!

For Seussical, we purchased two intelligent lighting instruments. Intelligent lighting moves by itself, can switch colors, gobos and do a host of other cool things. They're fairly pricey so we started with 2 and we're hoping to add to them as the years go on.
These lights went on quite a journey to get here- they shuld have been here about a month ago. part of the happiness Turk is expressing comes from the fact that we thought they were lost for a while!
You will DEFINETELY notice these lights in Seuss- they are super dramatic and make a great addition to our lighting inventory!

This picture...

2012-02-03T14:28:00.001-08:00

Needs more explanation- but that will have to wait till Monday.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Hot glue and leaves

2012-02-02T18:39:00.001-08:00

It is no secret that higher Ed is in a budget crisis- and ECC is no exception. For Seussical, we're trying to save as much as we can on costumes while not compromising artistic integrity. In that vein- I created this hat today from plastic leaves, Christmas decorations and hot glue. It will appear in Seussical in the circus- keep your eyes peeled!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Another day...

2012-02-01T21:47:00.001-08:00

another blog! This one also features Turk (who gives me a lot to write about.) This is a shot of his desk covered in various things we'll be using in Seussical... Including mousetraps!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Well that didn't go as planned...

2012-01-31T14:14:00.000-08:00

Today I had what I THOUGHT was a great idea. We need a dramatic explosion in Seussical when JoJo gets killed in the Butter Battle (and you thought this was a kids show!). We have a pyro system that we have used to great effect in previous shows and I thought, 'Perfect! We can use one of the pyro pods to approximate an explosion.' Just oen problem. My lighting designer, Turk, HATES pyro- he thinks its over used. Rather than tell him this idea to his face, I decided to take the cowards way out and write it on a post-it note to give him. That way I could be far away when he read it and escaope his wrath. That plan failed becasue the moent he opened the post it and saw the word 'pyro' he promptly ATE the post it while saying, 'NO!'.
So much for my great idea. I guess we'll have to think of something else for the explosion.

In the pit...

2012-01-30T15:22:00.001-08:00

This smart man joined our staff this year- Josh Turk is our Theatre Manager. Here he is down in the orchestra pit, figuring out a unique issue were having with Seussical involving bath sponges...

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Today I ....

2012-01-29T17:10:00.001-08:00

didn't go to work.
It's a Sunday- so you may say '...well of COURSE you didn't go to work. Who works on a Sunday?'
The answer is- me. I go to ECC usually 6 days a week, sometimes 7 during show season.
I'm not saying this to make you feel pity for me (all 3 of you who might read this!) but more to explain what the life of an artist can be like. I could go to work 5 days a week and probably still do adequate work- but I would not be happy with that work.
Directing a musical is a HUGE task- you are ultimately responsible for everything on the stage.
I am not the set designer...but I am responsible for the set. I am not the lighting designer, but I am responsible for how the lighting looks. I have to make a million choices every day that determines how the show looks, feels, lives. I do the publicity for the show- for Seussical, this means coming up with the concepts for the posters, shooting the pictures, creating the posters, getting them printed, etc. I'm really lucky to have a great group of people to work with, but it is ultimately my responsibility to get it all put together. In order to teach classes (which is a HUGE part of my job, obviously and takes up a lot of my day), be prepared for rehearsal (which takes around an hour or so every day to prepare my plans for the evenings rehearsal), run rehearsal (which is around 3 hours per night), prepare for the next show (which starts one week after Seussical closes), get started on NEXT season (which is coming up faster than I want to think about and I am frantically looking for scripts to read/reading scripts), and do everything else that goes into running a theatre department, I have to go into work on the weekends.
Last night I went to a bar in town to celebrate the closing of Borgia Theatre Department's production of The Diviners. My lighting designer was there too. We spent 45 minutes talking about how to make a clover field appear during Seussical. It's impossible to get away from.
Tomorrow I'll start my 1 blog per day for the run of Seuss, but today I just wanted to say...I didn't go into work (but that doesn't mean i didn't think about my job!)

New blog resolution

2012-01-27T13:51:00.000-08:00

We open Seussical in about 2 months- and I have a new resolution! I'm going to blog every day (at least, every weekday!) about the process.
So here's my beginning...discussing production meetings.

Today started with a production meeting. Production meeting are where the production staff (the director, lighting designer, stage manager, set designer and creative team) get together to discuss how the show is going, what needs to be finished, issues that are happening, etc.

Today's meeting was very productive- we're going right along with our prop list (including shower loofahs and ping pong balls), the set is moving at a decent pace and our costumes are going to be gorgeous. Our conductor, Dr. Tim Sexton, was also there and he has started the process of putting together the orchestra that will accompany our show. There are still a lot of things that need to be worked out (how do I make a clover field spring from the ground? Will the actors AND the set pieces be able to fit backstage?). I'm very lucky to have a really great creative team that fixes most of the crisis I come up with (which is many).

In addition to a production meeting- we gathered what is rapidly becoming a signiture musical move- the confetti! Here's a shot of my hard working assistant Elin counting the red and white confetti we'll be using in Seuss!!

Another look..

2012-01-24T06:37:00.001-08:00

At an actor! This is Mark Hewkin, who plays one of the Wickersham Brothers. They will be sporting blue Mohawks and he was kind enough to let me test it out on him.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

First look!

2012-01-05T06:56:00.001-08:00

Here's our Cat in the Hat, Lee Garner!! Seussical tickets go on sale January 19th!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

First Rehearsal

2011-12-08T05:26:00.001-08:00

Each performer gets a copy of the script and score to write in (Although we order an original copy for each performer, I keep all the originals so they stay in one piece!). Stuffing these folders is quite a task- here's Elin surrounded by folders as the process begins!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Behind the scenes

2011-12-06T12:25:00.001-08:00

Seussical will have 4 drops that are used to delineate scenes- we start our technical design by choosing which lines the drops will hang on. The lines are marked by large pieces of paper that say which drops go where- here's a look!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Talent

2011-11-30T05:10:00.001-08:00

We had 118 people audition for Seussical- that is almost reaching the same number as we had for Beauty and the Beast, which was a record. To have the amount of talent available is such a privilege- and to winnow it down is a very tough job. I'll be spending today putting together the callback list and figuring out how to run the callback process with large amounts of people- its always a fun challenge.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Seuss costume preview!

2011-11-21T11:18:00.000-08:00

Waiting...

2011-11-13T12:55:00.001-08:00

I'm waiting for the start of Meet Me In St Louis at Pacific High School so I thought I'd write about waiting! Last night I saw Phantom of the Opera at Nerix High School, Wednesday I saw Sound of Music at Webster Groves and Monday and Tuesday I saw Les Mis at WHS.Waiting has also been what I'm doing for Seussical- waiting to start! It seems like it takes forever to get started on a show- you plan and plan and plan and then everything starts and doesn't stop even when you want it to. I'm envious of these other directors who have gotten to work on their shows already- I've seen a bunch of theatre in the past weeks and it makes me long for the start of my own rehearsal process!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

This tiny camera...

2011-11-05T07:36:00.001-07:00

Will play a crucial role in Seussical. A crucial SECRET role. We're calling it The Clover Cam.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Seuss in 3-D

2011-11-02T07:52:00.001-07:00

One of the things we'll be using in Seussical is a bubble machine (actually 3!). We'll be using them during a song that is set underwater to give the audience a more interactive experience. That's only one thing we have planned... This show will be like nothing else you've seen!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Sharing the space...

2011-10-31T14:20:00.000-07:00

Here at ECC we have a LOT of things going on in the theatre- band, choir, outside groups, dance recitals- our theatre is in almost constant use every day.
When there is something going on (in this case it's rehearsal for the choir concert tomorrow night)we often have to rehearse in spaces that are definetely not 'theatrical'. Today's All My Sons rehearsal is being held in the Band Hall. The things we go through to make our shows great!

All My Sons is coming up!

2011-10-30T13:15:00.000-07:00

Our second show is rapidly approaching- All My Sons opens in two weeks!! Set at the close of WWII, this classic script is an examination of The American Dream gone wrong. Following the tragic demise of the Keller Family, All My Sons asks the question... what happens when our past sins catch up with us?

Tickets are on sale now at The ECC Theatre Box Office. Call 636 584 6693 or stop by to purchase. Performances are November 17-19 at 8pm and November 20 at 2pm.

Following All My Sons, ECC Theatre will be holding auditions for Seussical the Musical- see our webiste for more information and come join us!

Behind the Scenes

2011-10-17T14:58:00.001-07:00

This weekend I took a few actors to St Louis to begin learning the dance combination that will be used at auditions for Seussical. We have been incredibly fortunate the past few years to have a professional dancer, Chris Page, create all our choreography and this year is no exception. Although I know not everyone looks forward to the pressure of a dance combination, it is really more about performance than skill- if you fall flat on your face.. Do it with style! The full combination can be seen on YouTube under ga40456- auditions are coming up so check out ecctheatre.com for more information!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Inspiration

2011-10-13T09:01:00.001-07:00

Since we run a year round season, we are ALWAYS in preproduction on a show in addition to the one we are currently rehearsing. For me, That means I'm gathering ideas for Seussical even as rehearsals are in progress for All My Sons. One of the biggest components of Seussical is color- and that's why I started a color board for

all the characters. The color board lets the lighting and set designer chose their colors to compliment each costume. These will probably change- but it's a start!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Backstage

2011-10-07T06:13:00.001-07:00

Here's a shot of the set for All My Sons under constructions- a little over a month till opening night!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

All My Sons rehearsal

2011-10-04T17:40:00.001-07:00

My apologies for the lack of posts!! We had a fairly quiet

theatre for a while but that's all about to change... The first readthru for our next show, All My Sons, was held tonight and we're thrilled to start on our next adventure. I'll be posting more about set design, costume issues and more- keep looking!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

A successful run

2011-09-11T20:43:00.001-07:00

Today we closed Tower Stories- our opening show of the 2011/2012 season. We ended up with about 500 audience members for the run, which means we raised around $4000 for the two charity organizations we're supporting. The show was touching- and the actors reported seeing people crying in the audience both performances. I'm honored to have been part of this tribute- and I'm excited to see what the rest of our season brings. Here's a photo of our cast with the giant flag that was painted on the lawn at ECC.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

24 hours from now...

2011-09-09T20:23:00.001-07:00

Our first performance of our first show of the season will be over.. and a large number of people will have made their ECC Theatre debuts!! I hope you'll join us for Tower Stories... And if you're interested in being onstage, check our website for audition information! www.ecctheatre.com

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Another radio interview

2011-09-03T09:55:00.001-07:00

Carol Buescher and I went for another Tower Stories interview today- Carol read her monologue and I talked about the creation of the show.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Tech week!

2011-09-02T15:21:00.001-07:00

Painting the stage in preparation for Tower Stories!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

What happens in the shop

2011-08-24T07:59:00.001-07:00

While the actors get all the applause, the unsung heros behind the scenes are the techies. These men and women build, paint, hammer, cut, sweep and do all manner of things to make our show look great. Here's a couple of behind the scenes photos of the crew building the set and writing the projection cues for Tower Stories- we're lucky to have such great people!

Radio interview for Tower Stories

2011-08-20T08:05:00.001-07:00

We're heading into the radio station to be interviewed about Tower Stories. Elin Feldmann and Corbin Kottmann are both with me to read excerpts from monoluges- very excited to start our media blitz for this show!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

New year, new start!

2011-08-19T08:51:00.000-07:00

We graduated a great group of students last year- students who have been in our theatre family a long time. While we'll miss them, we're welcoming a new crew to the theatre. I'm looking forward to seeing what new talent comes to join us (onstage and backstage) and to adding to the growing group of people who call ECC Theatre home. We have so many people come through these doors each year and each of them brings something unique to our stage. We're starting our season in about 3 weeks with Tower Stories- I hope to see all our friends, old and new, there!

Start of our season

2011-08-11T16:30:00.000-07:00

The fabulously talented Tara Steffens put together the mockup poster for the beginning of our season- this show is going to be so moving and powerful. We'll be donating all of our proceeds to The Backstoppers and The Franklin County Gold Star Fund- please join us September 10th at 8pm and September 11th at 1pm for a tribute to the bravery, courage and heroism shown by the first responders and everyday New Yorkers.

MUNY tech rehearsal

2011-08-07T13:06:00.001-07:00

Last night I attended midnight tech rehearsal for the MUNYs production of Bye Bye Birdie- it ran from 12:30 am-4am (I brought coffee!). I love watching other people work and as a director I rarely get to, so it was a really fun experience. It was a pretty general dress rehearsal- set pieces didn't get moved when they should have, costumes were not quite there, the run was stopped when things didn't work right... But it's all the magic of theatre. I was most interested in the fact that even though the MUNY is a huge theatre with a million dollar budget... Their tech/dress was run just like ours at ECC. We may be small... But we're good!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Nerves

2011-08-06T15:17:00.001-07:00

The first readthru for Tower Stories is Monday night, and I am both thrilled and nervous. I've never done this type of a reading before (hence the nerves) and we have a bunch of new actors (which is the thrilling part).
The readings make me feel lucky- hearing what people lived through is harrowing and heartbreaking. I can't wait to hear what each actor brings to their part.
Our season begins- and again- I have the best job in the world.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Tower Stories- where were you?

2011-07-22T11:55:00.001-07:00

This season, we're doing a different type of staged reading. While normally our readings are small cast plays, this year, in honor of 10 year anniversary of September 11, 2001 I decided to do a reading of a book I found called Tower Stories. The book is a series of interviews with paramedics, firefighters, police officers, volunteers, office workers and bystanders who all experienced September 11 and its aftermath up close.

When I first began to think of this project, I immediately knew I wanted to include people from the community who we might not necessarily see on our stage on a regular basis. As I asked more and more people to be a part of honoring this anniversary, I became more and more grateful for the enthusiasm I encountered. I am particularly grateful to Chief Hahn (WPD), who immediately agreed to find me a police officer to take part. I have also enlisted the services of Father Kevin (Borgia), Reverend Mike (Zion UCC), Mr. Carter (PHS Middle School), Greg Myer (Pacific), Dave Sutton, Cheryl Pecka, Tim Bucheit (Borgia), Tara Steffens and many others.

The show will be a multimedia performance- there will be video, audio and imagery from that terrible day that redefined our world. It is a hard show- but it is also a celebration of how far we've come.

I have never done a show like this before- I'm excited (and a bit scared) to do something so different. I'll keep you updated as we make choices about the reading.

Please join us for our tribute to September 11th...where were you?
Grace Austin
ECC Theatre

NEW SEASON!!

2011-05-27T11:46:00.000-07:00

ECC Theatre is proud to announce its 42nd season- check it out!

Summer time!

2011-05-25T17:19:00.001-07:00

Summer is a slightly quieter time around ECC Theatre- we have a musical that goes up in July, a few dance recitals...and a lot of cleaning and organizing to do! It's also a time to get quite a bit of tech stuff done- hence the picture.

Our season for next year is up at www.ecctheatre.com- we have a lot in store so we're taking this time to rest up and recharge.
As always, if you have questions or would like to be involved in the theatre- please email theatre@eastcentral.edu!

Backstage Voices- Episode 1

2011-04-21T13:11:00.000-07:00

Cassie and Carter came to me after their first guest blog and asked if they could add a video component. After a few false starts (there will be a gag reel...) here is the first episode!

Show and Tell

2011-04-19T09:37:00.000-07:00

One of the drawbacks of being in the shows is that you rarely get to actually see the work of your fellow performers- you're usually changing costumes, dashing around backstage to find props or set pieces, or making sure that everything is going smoothly backstage.
So one of the best things about a show like Broadway and Beyond is that since each performer is only in 3 or 4 of our 20 songs, they get to actually enjoy each other's performances. I set aside one day from the rehearsal period to do something called Show and Tell, where each song is performed for the cast.
Well, Show and Tell is coming up this Monday- we'll be seeing about 12 of our 20 songs (the rest need a bit more rehearsal before they're put up). I'm chosing the songs that are ready from rehearsal thsi week- so far, The Actuary Song (from I Love You Because...), Therapy (from Tick, Tick...Boom), You Should Be In That (from The Battery's Down) and I Know It's Today (from Shrek) have all made the list. I still have 3 more days of rehearsal thsi week to figure out what I want to put up- our lighting designer Natalie Smith will also be here to start viewing the songs so she can design the light plot.
Chosing what goes up for Show and Tell is always interestng- sometimes songs I thought were going to be completey ready are...not...and songs I thought would need a lot more time are polished and good to go. We'll see how the next 3 days goes...

Guest Bloggers Cassie and Ryan!

2011-04-05T08:29:00.000-07:00

I'm trying something new this posting- guest bloggers! Cassie Burris and Ryan Carter have been w my program for 2 years and will both be leaving after this year- I asked them to write a joint blog giving some insight into what they've learned at ECCTheatre (in the picture you can faintly see the car that they talk about!):

ECC Theatre has not only been one of the best things we have ever done but has become our family over the past two years. We came from two different schools (Washington and Pacific) with two very different theatre programs .ECC theatre gave us the opportunity to not only become friends with each other but with people varying in age, major, school and profession. One of our favorite things about this program is that you don’t have to be a theatre major to enjoy or be a part of the family. Ryan is an education major wanting to move on and one day become a gym teacher. Cassie is a communications major wanting to direct or stage manage in a theatre. Even though we have different majors this theatre has brought us together. We have come to love our family members very much and will miss them when we move on to different schools next semester. Looking back at the shows we have done we laugh at some of the pranks we have pulled on our friends or the incredibly hard things Grace pushed us to do during a performance and compare injuries we have acquired during the shows here . One story that sticks out in our minds is the story of the car in Crazy for You. This car was huge and bulky; the backstage area is not very big and we had about 15 cast members on that side waiting to go on. To hide the car we had to manipulate three different flats and push it out at a specific moment only halfway and then push it all the way out for a song then loop it around split it in half and send both halves all the way out the doors to the hallway. All of this while people are running on and off stage and three flats are moving and an entire set change. It was a challenge to say the least, our crew for Crazy for You was very small and Cassie was the only techie on the side the car came on. Ryan and the other actors pitched in and we dominated. It was tough and we ran that change about fifteen times to perfect it but the audience only saw what we wanted them to which is the ultimate goal in theatre. This bridged the gap between the tech crew and the cast which is always a challenge in every show. We have learned that it takes everyone on the tech, directorial, and cast side to pull off a truly fantastic show. We have learned much more than that not only about theatre but about teamwork, cooperation, commitment and ownership. This program gave us a break from the hustle and bustle most college student endure and gave us time to step out of our lives and step into a wonderful family with amazing people who have passion for what they do inside and out of the theatre. *Jazz Hands*

Dirty Little Secret...

2011-04-01T14:56:00.000-07:00

...so...I have a confession. When I'm directing a show, sometimes Youtube is my best friend. People post TONS of videos of shows/musical numbers, etc on there- it's AMAZING since videoing a show is illegal.

However...I am always interested in the choices people make in their directing/acting. I learn quite about about what does not work for numbers/scenes from watching people's videos. I am also willing to admit that I 'borrow' cool things that I see...steal from the best! A great example is our closing number for Broadway and Beyond 4- That Smile from a show called It's Only Life. I would never have even discovered this show if I hadn't seen clips online. The number is originally written for 5 people (and that's how the video is) but I loved it so much I took the number and made it our big group closer. After watching the video 10 times I just knew that I could take the original idea and retranslate it to work in a different way.

Youtube is a great resource for directors- we have our own Youtube Channel for ECCTheatre (look under ga40456) and I think it's an excellent way to share what we do. I also post rehearsal videos for actors to learn choreography and audition combinations as well as short promotional clips.

We had our first B4 rehearsal last night- I'll keep you updated on how it goes!!

Auditions

2011-03-29T10:44:00.000-07:00

I just have to rave for a moment about all the great auditions we saw last night- we had 37 people and we still have a night to go! It's so interesting to me what people chose to audition with- some people sing Broadway, some country, some rock...although traditionally you would chose a Broadway song for a musical theatre audition, I don't require it- your song choice tells me a lot about you!
We had people sing in trios (with guitar!), duets and solo auditions. We also had a brand new auditionee who sang Bring Him Home fro Les Mis and brought the house down! I always say- just don't bore me! Tonight we have some 'epic' auditions that will be happening- some of my students have created full audition pieces with sound support, costumes, casts, etc. I love when people get creative with their auditions (although no, it won't help you get cast!). It shows me that you're willing to go out on a limb and take a chance- and that's an actor I want to work with!!

Broadway and Beyond choices

2011-03-24T14:36:00.000-07:00

We'll be rounding out our season this year with our fourth version of Broadway and Beyond- the musical theatre cabaret show that I started my first year here. I'm very fortunate to be able to work with such awesome talent- and I think B&B gives me a chance to show off that talent a little more.
A lot of people ask me how I chose songs for Broadway and Beyond- and the answer is pretty simple- I chose what I like! I do try to balance older and newer songs, male and female, group and small...but sometimes I just chose what I think will be fun for the actors, audience- and what I want to work with! I listen to a lot of broadway shows and I always think 'wow, that would be a great B&B song' when I hear something that's awesome! There are some limitations- songs have to have a story and they have to be 'stand alone'- that is, you have to be able to understand them without knowing the story of the musical. That knocks out some really great songs- but there are always more!
Once auditions are done with (next Monday and Tuesday) I'll have a better idea of exactly what songs we will be doing- but I can say that songs from Aida, It's Only Life, Glory Days, Rent, Seussical, In The Heights and a lot of other shows are on the menu.
Seating is extremely limited for this show- the audience sits on stage for the show, so we can only seat 65 people per night. Tickets are on sale now and are already selling quickly- so call the Box Office and get your tickets now! 636 584 6693.
See you at the theatre!

One show ends...another begins!

2011-03-22T09:59:00.000-07:00

Five extremely successful sold out shows- and Joseph is over! It was an amazing experience- 47 cast members, 10 crew members, an 8 piece orchestra, a 28 member children's choir...it really takes a village. Auditions for our next show, Broadway and Beyond 4, will be held on Monday and Tuesday so we're moving on- see you all there!

4 weeks and 4 days...

2011-02-07T07:33:00.001-08:00

That's how long we've got until our first dress rehearsal- that's when we'll add the costumes, the lights, the special effects (my favorite part!), the orchestra, the crew...and numerous other things that all make a show work.

We've lost a lot of rehearsal time due to snow- more than any other show I've every directed (and that's 34 shows!). My choreographer and I were discussing this problem this past weekend- and he said, "Y'know, if there had to be one cast that you lost rehearsal time with- this is the perfect group because they're so focused. You know that they'll have it together no matter what happens that's outside of your control." He is so right- this group is AMAZING. In my 7 years at ECC, I think this may be my best cast ever.

Mrs. Simmons, our Children's Choir Director, is also so pleased with our CC- she constantly tells me how focused and driven they are (it's also slightly possible that they knew all the colors before my adult cast did!).

We're heading into a hard part of rehearsal- the part where we polish. Sometimes actors have a tough time with this because they want to run the numbers and perform- not have me pick them apart to be sure they're the best they can be! I totally understand that feeling- I cannot wait for opening night. We've still got a lot to so- about 4 numbers to stage, numbers to fix, problems to figure out...but we're ready.

Brace yourselves, folks- here we go!

The model is here!

2011-01-11T11:20:00.000-08:00

First of all, apologies for the blurry Iphone photo!
The start of any musical is always exciting- but this week is proving to be a bit of a let down with all the snow. We had to cancel rehearsal for Monday and our schedule has been a bit thrown off with Campus Orientation on Thursday- so I thought I'd write about the biggest thing for this week...THE MODEL IS HERE!
Vince (our Technical Director) and I usually start talking about the set design for the show in the fall (in between my directing a staged reading and him directing a full length show!) and I'm usually able to give him a rough idea of what I'm thinking I'll need. We usually 'walk the stage', which means we stand on the stage floor and discuss how big the set will be, how tall, other technical issues, etc. After things are solid, Vince draws a scale groundplan and tapes it out on the floor for me. I'm a very visual director, meaning that I have a tough time visualizing how things will look unless I have an actual visual representation (like tape on the floor where walls and stairs will be!). Once that is done, he builds a scale model. Things usually change quite a bit in that process- what is taped on the floor initally ends up being different from what the model looks like, which necessitates some changes in blocking, etc. It keeps me on my toes, that's for sure.
The set for Joseph is partially moveable (the platforms move, as well as the top part of the set) and it has LOTS of levels, which is also a requirement for me as a director. Building the set falls to our Theatre Practicum class, a group of dedicated students who use power tools, paint, tape, nail and in every way make things happen.
I'll keep you updated on the building process- the stage is totally bare right now...you'll be amazed at how much goes on in three months!
Grace

Bootcamp for JOSEPH

2011-01-01T16:48:00.000-08:00

Four years ago, I started working at the Center of Creative Arts in St Louis (COCA). I had been hired to stage manage their summer musical and I was asked to step in and direct when the director suddenly left the production. I met a lot of really great people at COCA, but little did I know how much influence those people would have on my students at ECC.

One of the most important people I met at COCA was Christopher Page, the choreographer of that first summer production (and of the three subsequent shows I've directed at COCA). Chris was a dance major at UMKC that first year and when I decided to direct One on this Island at ECC, I asked him to choreograph the show. He gladly came down and worked with my students and community members on the show which featured African dance, a brand new style for all of us. Chris made a huge impression on everyone and the cast had a great time working with him.

Chris graduated from UMKC and joined the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Company, based out of Denver. As a professional dancer, he has an incredibly busy schedule, but he still made time to join the creative team at ECC.

The next year, I asked Chris to choreograph Crazy for You, our 2010 musical. While he and I were working at COCA, he came to ECC and choreographed some numbers and also came over Christmas break to finish up.

This past summer, Chris and I worked on a production of Aida at COCA and I asked him to join my Joseph team for 2011. He agreed to join us for a week for what I started calling a 'Joseph Bootcamp'.

I knew that I was asking my cast for quite a bit- they would be working 14 hour days, dancing until their feet fell off! I was honestly a little unsure as to how they would react- I was asking for a lot! They stepped up and rocked it- we got over 1/2 the show choreographed and done and had a GREAT time doing it.

I think this is closest cast we've had in quite a while- everyone ate lunch and dinner together and bonded over the endless situps and pushups Chris had them do! They also shared a love of Motrin- dancing that much makes you hurt!

We still have 3 months until Joseph open- and I can safely say this is the best Joseph you'll ever see. This cast is amazing, the choreography is incredible and the energy is through the roof- and its all thanks to Chris!

Reflections on a semester

2010-12-17T19:05:00.000-08:00

As the fall semester draws to a close, I'm inspired to write about this semester, which has seen two very different shows (Rabbit Hole and Incorruptible) and the beginning of a huge show (Joseph).

A lot of colleges do shows that are crowd pleasers- comedies, family friendly, things that are pure 'entertainment'. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that (hey, I chose the most entertainment show of them all for this year's musical!) but over the past few years I've started really considering how we can bring a different type of theatre to our stage. I started with Broadway and Beyond (a show that is done blackbox style which is a huge contrast to our 500 seat mainstage theatre) but there are so many other ways to expand the idea of what we offer. One of the basic things we are here to do is to give our students a well rounded education, and that means giving them challenging material to work on. 'Entertainment' shows can be challenging...but I think that shows that push the envelope not only help our students and community actors to grow but also provide an audience experience that is extremely valuable.

Choosing Rabbit Hole to open our season was a no brainer for me- I had loved the script for a while and knew that it would present a great acting opportunity for our students. Yes, it had strong language and a mature subject matter...but it was also a universal story of grief and healing. The community response was amazing- people loved the show. I am so proud of that show- and also of last year's The Laramie Project, another 'controversial' show that was embraced by the community as a prayer for peace and understanding.

Incorruptible is an entertainment show w a message- the belief in a higher power. While it provided a lot of laughs, I think it also gave a great balance to the darker side of Rabbit Hole. Incorruptible was actually suggested by a community member last year during the Saturday night show of Leading Ladies- another great example of community involvement!

Joseph is definitely a entertainment show- I've got 48 actors, a children's chorus of 25 and a huge set, along w some great special effects and fun tricks up my sleeve. I'm excited to really start working on a show that will wow our community.

Speaking of wows...I'm already thinking of next season and how we'll open it. I've got an idea that I think will bring our ENTIRE community together- I'm keeping it under wraps for now, but it will be announced in a few months. Once its out, I hope that people will share their ideas with me- I truly want this to be a 'group project'.

Thank you for your support of ECC Theatre- don't forget we're on Facebook- please join us there...and in our theatre for next show!

Grace Austin
ECC Theatre

Lots of children!

2010-12-14T17:42:00.000-08:00

Tonight is the audition for The Children's Choir for JOSEPH. Our CC director, Ginny Simmons, asked each local area teacher to reccomend 5 students to audition...but it seems that word spread a little too far as we had over 100 children show up to audition!

I'd like to say a very special thank you to all the parents who brought their children to audition- we really appreciate your patience with the unexpected snafu we ran into with the amount of children who were not on our list!! We were able to get to everyone (I certainly don't want to disappoint any of the children) but it did take longer than we were planning, and we apologize for that.

With that amount of talent, we have a very tough choice ahead of us...the list will be posted on Friday by 12 noon!

The Actor's Showcase

2010-12-09T12:58:00.000-08:00

Each fall, the Beginning and Intermediate Acting classes put on a Showcase of scenes they have worked on throughout the semester. I got the idea from being in grad school at VCU, where every year the graduating seniors would produce a Showcase that they took to NY, LA and DC to show to casting directors and talent agents. My last year in grad school I was the teaching assistant for the Showcase class and I really enjoyed the experience so I thought I'd continue the tradition at ECC.
Above are some shots from the Showcase- I enjoyed working with this group very much. They were a talented, enthusiastic, engergetic group of students!

Callbacks and Beyond

2010-12-03T10:05:00.000-08:00

Another successful auditions and callback experience! We saw a lot of great talent- in fact, we saw so much that I ended up making the cast a little bigger than I had planned on!

Casting is a tough process for all of us- there is so much passion and heartbreak involved. I am close to many of my actors- and it's hard to have to make choices that can involve disappointing people. Serving the needs of the show first can be a sticky business. I am so, so blessed to see so much talent. One of the reasons that I like doing bigger musicals and shows like Broadway and Beyond is that everyone can have a chance to show their stuff! When I choose our season for the year I have to think about who I've worked with in the past and who we'll be seeing in the future- every year brings new suprises. I'm already thinking about next year's big show...and thinking of people!

Congratulations to the Cast of JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT- let get started!
Grace

Here's a little look at what goes into building the set...and during auditions!

2010-12-01T13:48:00.000-08:00

and how the men amuse themselves during their downtime...by playing football on the stage!

Go Go Joe!

2010-11-30T08:32:00.000-08:00

Two shows down...and now we're onto auditions for JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT! Our first night (last night) we saw 43 people- quite a few of whom were new. We saw some great talent. I'd like to say a special thank you to my Dance Captains who stayed through the entire process to teach people the callback combinations- its a huge help to have so many people I can rely on.

Auditions are a hard process for me- we have an AMAZING amount of talent and trying to find a way to show off all that talent can be difficult. JOSEPH is a great show- but there's no denying that it is mainly an ensemble show. ONCE ON THIS ISLAND (which I count as my favorite show I've ever directed at ECC) was the same way. With the way that JOSEPH is written, the ensemble is in almost every number- and when they're offstage, they're frantically changing costumes! I need a strong Joseph and a strong Narrator (or more than one), but what I mostly need is an ensemble of strong singer/dancer/actors who are up for the challenge- and I know that I saw many of them last night.

The cast list will be posted on Friday morning- I'm looking forward to starting the journey!

The beginning of the season...

2010-10-07T18:17:00.001-07:00

RABBIT HOLE opens our 2010/2011 season this year- a show about grief and healing. Typing that sentence makes me think I might be giving you the wrong impression. The show has a lot of humor in it. The family is trying to make their way through the pain however they can- and sometimes it's with laughter.
I hope you'll be able to join us for this amazing, Pulitzer Prize winning show- I'm so proud of the cast- and I'm proud of our theatre!

I am AWFUL at this blog thing!

2010-08-29T17:26:00.000-07:00

...and I apologize! My resolution for this year is to start keeping it up on a regular basis!
We're holding our first set of auditions tomorrow for RABBIT HOLE, the Pulitzer Prize winning show from David Lindsay Abaire. The show deals with a family's loss of a child and how they cope...or fail to cope. It's a gorgeous show and I'm so excited to start working on it!
One thing that's hard about RABBIT HOLE is that there are 5 characters. We have a TON of talent- we have always been blessed with amazing talent at ECC- and it's very hard to cast some shows when everyone is so good. I chose RABBIT HOLE because its a challenge for me as a director and for the 5 actors- but I know there will be some hurt feelings. I hope everyone realizes that it's incredibly hard on a director to have to cast some shows. Being an actor means putting yourself out there for rejection- that's the actors life. I admire everyone who comes through that door to audition- they are so brave and so fearless. Sometimes putting up the cast list feels like a little death. It's very hard.
But enough about me moping about being OVERBURDENED with acting talent (we are so lucky)- here's to a great season!
Grace Austin

A Piece of My Heart Rehearsal Slideshow

2009-09-28T15:31:00.000-07:00

Its been a while....

2009-09-28T15:25:00.000-07:00

and we're back!!! We had a very successful summer production of The Andrews Brothers and we're in full swing rehearsals for A Piece of my Heart. In addition, auditions for Leading Ladies are tonight (Spet 28) and tomorrow (Sept 29) at 6pm in the JEAPAC at 6pm. We hope to see everyone down at the theatre for what will hopefully be our best season yet!

The Patrons of the Arts event

2009-06-07T11:17:00.000-07:00

We are very lucky at ECC to have the support of a special group of people who go by the name of Patrons of the Arts. This group provides financail support for all of the arts programs at ECC and allows ud to produce outstanding work as well as providing support for students in need. Each year, this group gets together for an annual kick off event that starts the Fine and Performing Arts season and celebrates our achievements. This year (Friday, June 19th from 6-9pm at Oak Glenn Winery), the theme of the event is "A Night of Broadway" and the ECC Theatre Department will be performing as the after dinner entertainment. Students and community members will be participating in this event with songs from The Lion King, Song for a New World, Company, A New Brain, Ave Q and many more shows. Directed by Grace Austin with music direction by Paula Nolley, this is an event you don't want to miss! For more information on the Patrons of the Arts, call Shannon Gruss at 636 583 5195 ext 2210.

The Director's Showcase

2009-05-20T11:39:00.000-07:00

On May 13th the Beginning Directing class presented a series of scenes from 6 different shows as a final class project. Below are some photos from that night- it was the first time directing for many of them and they did an outstanding job!

New Logo

2009-05-15T11:21:00.000-07:00

We've decided to update our image a bit- we will be launching a new website this summer on the main ECC page and along with our new website we have decided to start using a new logo for our written correspondance. Here it is!

New Season!!

2009-05-15T10:53:00.001-07:00

Well, its that time of year- we've wrapped our school season and its time to announce our shows for next year! I've gone back and forth on choosing scripts- looking at my original choices, I realized that the season was pretty fluffy- and I wanted to give our actors (and our audiences) more of a challenge.

Our Season:

A Piece of My Heart by Shirley Lauro

The true stories of six courageous women sent to Vietnam and their struggle to make sense of a war that irrevocably changed them and a nation that shunned them. Recommended for ages 12 and up.
October 16 and 17 at 8pm. (Auditions August 24 and 25 at 6:30pm)

Leading Ladies by Ken Ludwig
This sidesplitting comedy features Leo and Jack - two down-on-their luck Shakespearean actors who are touring the Moose Lodge circuit. Penniless and desperate, they hatch a wild plot that leads them to play the roles of their lives. Filled with star crossed romance, mistaken identity and harebrained schemes. November 19, 20, 21 at 8pm, November 22 at 2pm.
(Auditions September 28 and 29 at 6pm.)

Crazy for You by Ken Ludwig, music and lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin

Set in the 1930s, Crazy for You is the story of Bobby Child, the sweet son of a wealthy New York banking family, whose dream in life is to dance on Broadway. Despite protests from his battle-ax of a mother and wealthy soon-to-be-ex-fiancé, Bobby flees to Deadrock, Nevada where he falls in love with the only pretty girl within 50 miles and achieves his dream. Crazy for You is a high energy, screw-ball comedy complete with mistaken identity, plot twists, fabulous dance numbers and classic Gershwin music.
March 18, 19, 20 at 8pm, March 21st at 2pm.
(Auditions November 30 and December 1st at 6:30pm with callbacks December 3 at 6:30pm)

The Laramie Project by Moises Kaufman and the Tectonic Theatre Company
In October 1998 Matthew Shepard was kidnapped, severely beaten and left to die, tied to a fence on the outskirts of Laramie, Wyoming.
The Laramie Project is the true story of the town of Laramie after the death of Matthew Shepherd.
In a small town after a murder…everyone has a story.
May 6, 7, 8 at 8pm
May 9 at 2pm
(Auditions March 29 and 30 at 6:30pm)

Choosing this season was hard...but I think its a perfect mix of comedy, drama, thought provoking subjects and fantastic music. We have so much talent here at the school and at the community level and I think that each script has something to offer our actors in terms of challenge. I am very much looking forward to working with our 'veterans' and new people- come join us at the theatre! If you are interested in reading any of the scripts, please let me know- we have copies in the Box Office.

BBB Slideshow of Production Photos

2009-05-11T09:48:00.001-07:00

Below are some production photos from our last show if the season, Broadway and Beyond 3. The show sold out almost a month before opening night, so if you missed out on tickets, here's a look at what went on!

A change in me...

2009-04-29T12:09:00.000-07:00

Carol told me last night that my post was incorrect- ECC Theatre did three shows a year before I showed up! That's one of the great things about having community members that have been with us for a long time- they have long memories! My apologies.

We are now one week and one day away from opening Broadway and Beyond 3 and things are heating up! We've been sold out for about a month now and we'll probably open our Monday and Wednesday dress rehearsals so that more people can get into see the show. The close of season makes me reflect back on what we've seen so far this year- its been a good season.

Tintypes: John's summer show was a fascinating mix of great classic songs with a wonderful cast. The story was humorous and poignant at the same time- lots of history and stories to tell.

The Cover of Life: I was in a production of TCOL in college and I loved it- I think I'm fascinated by stories about female relationships. I was blessed with six very strong women in my cast and a great set designer- Larry came up with an amazing concept (who knew that a moving set could be so easy?) I wanted to show people that staged readings don't have to be people with music stands and notebooks- staged readings are just another way to make theatre accessible to the audience.

Last Mass: The final play in the Over the Tavern trilogy. Vince has been interested in these shows for a long time. I know he was sad to see the trilogy come to an end- but the story was completed and we are left with an idea of the definition of family.

Once on This Island: People told me I was crazy. "I've never heard of that". "Are you sure that's a good idea?" "People won't come to that". I will admit, I doubted myself (that's what happens when I listen to other people too much!). It turned into the best experience I've had in five years. I asked more of my cast than I've asked before- very different and complicated choreography, almost 90 minutes straight on stage with no break...and they asked for more! It was an incredibly unique experience- I'd come into rehearsal early and see people already up onstage teaching others choreography, going over staging, etc. Watching the show end was very hard- but I think we all came out just a little different for having been part of that team.

B&B3- putting up a 23 song show in one month is CRAZY- but its also very gratifying to see everyone throw themselves into the work! Paula Nolley, my wonderful music director, has been playing her hands off- its a very demanding show for her and she charges ahead every night. Its interesting to see all the songs come together- we're doing songs from 18 different musicals (as well as some 'cabaret' songs) so if you were lucky enough to get a ticket to the show you'll be seeing very different styles of music and performance.

Next season is still being firmed up- We'll definately be doing Leading Ladies and Crazy for You...along with 2 other great shows!! Please stay tuned!

The countdown begins...

2009-04-26T19:28:00.000-07:00

Well, we are coming up quickly on our last show of the 2008/2009 season and at the same time, my 5th year here at ECC. I feel like a lot has changed since I came here- in a good way!We have increased our audience dramatically- I remember looking at the houses for Forum and being SO excited that the front of the theatre was almost full. Now we have completely sold out Beauty and the Beast and Footloose and sold out 90% of the house for Once On This Island (a show w no name recognition. Heck, we had over 200 people each night for Cover of Life- and that was a no name stage reading!!!). It's a good feeling for me- I hope that we're bringing in new people and showing others the joy of theatre. I see new faces in the audience all the time- in fact, we ran a survey for Footloose and found out some very interesting things about our audience- and I think that's what my next post will be about! Following that, I'd like to talk about choosing the season for next year. I made some choices...and then I changed them (big surprise...)
Grace

Two weeks to go!

2009-04-23T09:22:00.000-07:00

Today marks two weeks until we open the third Broadway and Beyond production. The first show I ever directed at ECC was the first B&B and I still remember bring afraid that no one would come and audition!! I got the idea from watching students at VCU (my graduate school) perform in the basement of the Theatre building- there was no musical theatre program at VCU (then) and we had quite a few very talented singers- so the students created their own show. The program was handwritten and xeroxed, the room was just a basement- but I still remember some of the performances (a students named Angel singing from Wild Party really sticks in my head). When i came to ECC, the season consisted of only 2 shows- one play and one musical. I wanted to increase that and I knew that a musical theatre cabaret was easier (and cheaper!) than a full musical, so I started out like that. Some of the folks that auditioned for that very first show of mine are still with me today (Patty, Keith, Cheryl, John Craig) and I'm so happy that they've stuck it out with me! I had never directed a musical before that show- it was my very first and I was TERRIFIED! We were going to try a totally different style (audience on the stage) and a little part of me thought that I would fall flat on my face and be run out of town. Turns out, we had a ton of people audition and we had a great time. Every time I start a show, I still feel a little bit of that fear- who will audition? What if it doesn't work? Will this be the time that I can't pull it off? Every time that voice in my head starts up though- I remind myself of what an amazing group of people always come to my rescue- the ECC Theatre family. Every show brings us new people- I'm always so excited to start auditions because I always make new 'finds' - people who often become permanent fixtures on our stage! Each new show is an adventure- who knows what will happen next?
The picture is from that very first show- who do you recognize?

A quick look at ECC Theatre

2009-04-23T09:21:00.001-07:00

ECC Theatre takes off!

2009-04-23T08:13:00.000-07:00

Okay all you theatre folks out there- I've decided to start a blog about the Theatre Dept!! I'm hoping that it will give some insight as to how things are run down here on the Theatre side of the building! I'll be using it to talk about casting, choosing a show, rehearsal process and other things-. If anyone has comments or ideas, please let me know- remember, this is an experiment for all of us!
Grace