Go, Go, Go Joseph

Vocal rehearsals began this week for Joseph and we had fun sitting around determining range and parts for the first act. With so many girly men in the brother cast, we are challenged a bit in the alto and bass parts. Next week more of the cast will arrive and lend a vocal cord or two.

The cast sounded great and enjoyed the new material. Potiphar seems to be the favorite if not the most challenging so far. We worked on Jacob and Sons, although we are still shy a brother. With Stephen Brainard and Josh Byrum sharing the role of Potiphar, we may have a hard time keeping the volume up and the giggles down!

This promises to be a very fun show for all involved. Costume committee meets tomorrow and Dr. Hoolala is designing the Pharaoh headgear and Mandi Bussell is going to be creating the fabulous coat of many colors. Ordering wigs and beards for the manly and girly brothers. A whole new twist to this Biblical tale! Don't miss out on tickets for this one.

Any Dream Will Do!

After two weeks of auditions, we are finally ready to announce the cast for the 2010 Summer Stock Production - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat! And yes, it wall be amazing with this cast line-up! Ready to go? We begin next Monday with vocal rehearsals - check the website for the schedule!

Narrator - Cassie Serra
Joseph - Matthew Stevens
Potiphar - Stephen Brainard/Joshua Byrum
Mrs. Potiphar - Courtney Volta
Jacob - Stephen Brainard/Joshua Byrum
Pharaoh - Jasper Freedom

Brothers
Asher - Cristina Hernandez
Simeon - Jasper Freedom
Benjamin - Conner Criswell
Judah - Coleman Byrum
Reuben - Tom Lindskog
Issachar - Sadie Waddell
Levi - DeeDee Mann
Dan - Jack Brainard
Naphtali - Aidan Zeigler Hansen
Gad - Taylor Dalton
Zebulon - Holley Flora

Wives/Choir
Madeline Blumm
Olivia Buss
Kyaia Owens
Courtney Volta
Nealey Summerfeld
Sabrina Gross
Destinee Robertson
Tanner Zeigler Hansen
Katie Brainard
Holley Flora

Some Assembly Required

April showers bring May flowers but at Upstart Crow Studios there is definitely something growing, and growing...and growing. Yes, Audrey II is in the building. Generously loaned to us from Mary Huls, director of a Junction City theater group. Although these seedlings are neatly potted, the final pod will need some "dental" work. Dr. Hoolala, not a dentist or a botanist, has offered to risk life and limb as he goes inside Twooey and fix the missing tooth.

Rehearsals going well with the cast focused on staying out of the pod as they learn the choreography and songs for this dark comedy of plant versus nerd. The Entr'Actes offer a light hearted look at this people eater and the Doo Wop sisters are certainly doing their best to tell the story of a misunderstood 6 foot man eating plant with sass and class.

You won't want to miss this wild musical theatre production of Little Shop of Horrors on May 21 - 23rd. Be sure to put this people eater on your menu, before you find yourself on his!

Tickets on sale now so no whining when you get to the door and find this Little Shop is closed!

Rave In The Nave

Stage Door took the stage this past weekend in Portland at Rave In The Nave, an annual performing arts series at the Christ United Methodist Church. Joined by the resident dance company, All That! Dance, the students at Upstart Crow Studios performed dance, song and drama surrounded by a live audience on a theatre in the half round stage.

Performing their 20 minute show entitled, Defying Gravity, members of the Stage Door Team appeared to be working the audience with humor and style as they opened the show with Seize The Day, a powerful number from Disney's Newsies. The show is filled with other Disney hits, such as I Just Can't Wait To Be King and Spoonful of Sugar, all defining the character of the upstart crow and the resolve to be the best that you can be while ultimately defying the gravity of being different and unique.

All That! took the stage by storm with a hot salsa number. From modern to ballet to ballroom the crowd watched the dancers move with power and grace across the dance floor. The boys hip hop group brought cheers from the audience as they artfully moved to the beat.

Prior to the performance, Stage Door members had the pleasure of working with Devon Allen, the head of Acting at Portland State University. She along with her partner, Matthew, worked with the students on volume, relaxation, a bit of Shakespeare and some intense work with the chairs!

Stage Door moves into Little Shop of Horrors rehearsals these next few weeks. With Audrey II about to make its appearance, things are about to get creepy at the Crow...if you don't mind being on the menu, why don't you join us!

So Many Shows, So Little Time

The vote is in! We are headed into the Summer Stock season on the coat tails of Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat this coming July. It was a tough and close call between Joseph and Singing In The Rain. With Auditions in June quickly approaching, we are gearing up for mounting this show in an intense 3 weeks of rehearsals July 5 - 23rd. You won't want to miss out on this show. So here is a shout out to all the guys - Joseph needs brothers! Stay tuned for audition dates.

Had the unique pleasure of sitting in the audience for Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog produced by Blue Monkey Theatre Company in Portland. What a fun experience for both audience and cast! This show has been on UCS wish list for the past year and we hope to bring it to Eugene in the 2010 season. If you get a chance, schlep on up to the Pacific Crest Community Theatre and check it out. You can also watch it from Netflix. You may find yourself laughing hysterically or better yet an evil maniacal laugh! Check your freeze ray at the door!

Rehearsals begin for Little Shop of Horrors with Entr'actes highlighting this one act dark humor play. Stage Door Production Team will take the lead on this show with younger members also appearing in the fun entr'actes we have planned. Rather than take reprise numbers entr'acte cast members will have their own show within a show with doo wop and modern day numbers to compliment Audrey II, eating up the audience with song and dance. You don't want to miss out on tickets for this Maneater!

Summer camp listings will also be out this coming week of April 5th. The fun never stops and with camps in How To Tame A Dragon and Mother Goose on The Loose there will be much to crow about! Take your vacation at the Crow!

Great Opening Weekend!

This cast doesn't need to wait till "Tomorrow" to hear the ringing in their ears from the applause of a packed house! Annie opened this weekend to sold out houses. The phone was ringing off the hook and ticket sales for next weekend are going fast!

But the real news is the hard work by cast and orchestra, costume and set committee made this a real showstopper! The raves didn't stop in the lobby. Before I could get out of the office last night, there were phone calls to congratulate us on the work at Upstart Crow Studios. Congratulations to all of the dedicated volunteers to make this show a success.

Backstage the tension is high. Most cast members were focused on picking up their props, being ready on cue and helpful to newbies in the cast. The Entr'Actes were so precious and filled the night with their smiles and delightful performance. Without them, the scene changes would seem endless and the costume changes would be impossible.

The long and short of it - it takes MANY hands to cook this soup! Thank you for making Annie such a huge success!

The Best Kept Secret Is Out!

When visitors come to Upstart Crow Studios there is always a familiar refrain, "We never knew you were here. This must be the best kept secret in Eugene". If that be true, Suzi Steffen of the Eugene Weekly, has single handedly "twittered" and "blogged" the secret all over town.

Thursday, March 4th, marked the first time in Upstart Crow Studios 10 year history, that print media has sat up and taken notice of the work done at the Studios. Perhaps it is fitting that the Eugene Weekly has been the rumor monger that spread the word about an organization that embraces diversity and the talents of the individual. One who breaks molds rather than fits into them.

Along with a cover story on the current production of Annie, Upstart Crow is also in contention for the Pepsi Refresh Project. A voting booth was set up for opening night and inserts placed in all the programs to get the word spread farther than the borders of Eugene and Springfield to vote for Curtain Call in this month's Pepsi Refresh selection. The people will speak out and hopefully be heard. We may be a small community but each of us has the power to be heard.

Thank you to the Suzi Steffen, Todd Johnson (the photos were outstanding!) and to all of you who have supported and are now voting (everyday, remember!) to get this best kept secret out there!

Rehearsals Are Over!

Sets and props at the ready. Costumes neatly lined up backstage. Final clean-up rehearsal last night. We are in countdown mode.

Opening night is always a wild card. Jitters, butterflies, tech glitches and just plain nerves sometimes cloud the landscape of the stage as we approach the opening overture. From here there is no turning back and perhaps that is the most exciting challenge of all. No matter what happens, as they say, the show must go on.

Coaching cast members to pick up lines, look to the audience, stay in character...all come into play in but a single moment. You hope that everything they have worked on for the past 3 months is in the queue and ready to burst out on stage with confidence and resolve. With so many being in and out with sickness, I think everybody in the almost 90 member cast for Annie could pick up anybody's line and move on.

The Eugene Weekly did an outstanding job of reporting the truth and nothing but the truth as they covered the show from audition to final curtain. That along with our entry into the Pepsi Refresh Project, hopes are riding high that the best kept secret in town (Upstart Crow Studios) is finally going to burst out and be heard!

Doors open at 6:00 pm, we "Green Room" at 6:30 and the virtual curtain for Annie goes up at 7:00. With community support, we hope that next year, there is an actual curtain to go up in the Crows Nest Theatre and demonstrate what creative expression is really all about!

If you are reading this...stop and go vote for Upstart Crow Studios Curtain Call at the Pepsi Refresh Project for Arts and Culture. Make a difference without spending a dime! Set computer alerts - you can vote everyday!

Break A Leg!

Rags to Riches

The challenges of creating a dark dennison and moving into a swank 5th Avenue mansion, is taken on by our set designer, Laura Stowe Emery. Her magic never ceases to impress as she designs a back drop for the Warbucks mansion. Hanging the canvas drop after penciling out the marble columns and floor to ceiling windows, she paints in the details.

Lisan Mowry paints in the details of the Oval Office where FDR and his cabinet will make decisions to get the country back to work with his famous New Deal. Lisan works on the blue and off white seal and side windows on a tri-fold set that will also double as the back drop for the Oxydent Hour Radio show with Bert Healy and the lovely Boylan Sisters. Bringing these sets to life, is all part of the magic that continues to unfold behind the scenes on The Road To Annie!

Lost Warbucks

It has been a long month of cast members coming in and out of roles. Last night we had the final straw. Both Daddy Warbucks were unable to take on the role! Yikes! How do you do Annie without Daddy Warbucks? These are the headaches of theatre directors.

A serious search and rescue began looking to fill the missing Warbucks' shoes. Who to call and how to convince them that this bald headed role was for them? With only six weeks left until the curtain goes up on this show, it seems a daunting task. Most of our good people are in the play already, or had other commitments and were unable to take part this year.

For "non-theatre" types, I suppose this seems like a simple problem to resolve. Any guy can play Warbucks, shaved head or not. Put a guy in a tux, let go his bravado and before you stands Daddy Warbucks. But this character reaches beyond the shiny dome and flashy duds. Can he carry a bu-bu-bu bathtub tune? Or step lightly across the NY streets with Grace dancing in his arms? And does he like dogs and orphans?

Out come the resumes and the rolodex...

The Road To Annie

Suzi Steffen, Performing Arts Editor for the Eugene Weekly, is writing a series on our Winter Production of Annie from auditions to final curtain. She sat through the parade of over 80 children singing and acting their way on to the stage anxiously wishing to be Annie but excited about being part of the theatre experience. She came to the first rehearsal and is patiently waiting as we finalize the casting.

She asked me a question in an interview today. Suzi asked what prompted me to do this kind of work. I told her the first time I realized I wanted to work in theatre was watching Ted Neely play Jesus Christ Superstar under the stars in Hollywood over 30 years ago. The magic of the cool evening and the dramatic presentation on stage still brings chills.

A year ago, we took Stage Door Production Team to see Wicked in Portland. I had seen the show a few years before, so I wanted to sit behind the kids and watch them have that same experience. Live theatre, is a powerful medium. It moves through you like a tsunami, with such force and energy that you are at once consumed. When the final curtain comes down, those on stage and those in the audience are forever changed.

To share that magic, the suspension of belief, a giant leap into imagination and watching it transform a child's self esteem - that is why, I do this work. Priceless! Thanks, Suzi, for reminding me.

Now let's get to work!