Old Town Playhouse is pleased to announce the visit of noted costume designer Mary Nemecek Peterson, who will conduct a number of workshops open to the public. Ms. Peterson, a native of Schwartz Creek, Michigan, has been designing costumes for over 30 years, working in Theatre, Dance, Opera, Network Television, Commercials and Film. Coinciding with OTP’s upcoming production of Doctor Dolittle, Ms. Peterson will be guiding OTP volunteers and the general public in open workshops, working on the animal puppets for Doctor Dolittle. In addition, a children’s workshop in puppetry and movement, an adult workshop in creative sewing and a Q&A session on Ms. Peterson’s work in the arts will all be part of events scheduled at Old Town Playhouse from February 1 – February 8^th.

Come and see this amazing designer who worked with Julie Taymor on the Broadway production of The Lion King.  Young Company workshop is scheduled for Saturday morning at 10:00 and is funded in part by the Worthington Family Foundation.  For a full list of events visit the OTP website at www.oldtownplayhouse.com.  Don't miss it!

Young Company 2011-2012 Repertory Company

Returning: Hannah Weckler     New Members: Sarah Carney    

                    Logan Moore                                     Rachel Carman

                   McKenna Cartwright                          Anna Roth

                    Abigail Stanton                                  Joshua Bancroft

                    Maddie Kachadurian                        Krystal Bancroft

                    Veronica Faller

                    Tuuli Qin-Terrill

                    Dylan McBride

First Rehearsal is Friday, October 7^th from 4:00 to 6:00.  Returning members please bring your Pinocchio and Romeo & Juliet scripts.  Roles will be assigned for Wind in the Willows at first rehearsal.  New members will read for open roles in Romeo & Juliet.  Any former members not listed above who wish to participate this season should plan on attending the October 7^th rehearsal.  Congratulations!

THE REAL INSPECTOR HOUND CAST:

MOON: Maddy Kachadurian

BIRDBOOT: Sidney Mains

MRS. DRUDGE: Lucy Rogers

SIMON GASCOYNE: Nadia Daniels Moehle

BBC ANNOUNCER: Olivia Policastro

FELICITY: Emma Cassey

CYNTHIA: Libby Krcmarik

MAGNUS: Brooke Ostrowski

INSPECTOR HOUND: Madison Hertel

Congratulations, all! Your first rehearsal will be on THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22  from 4:00 - 6:00 at the OTP Studio Theater (not the Depot).  You will receive a copy of your script, as well as your full rehearsal schedule, so you'll know which pages we'll be working on particular days.  This is a great, hilarious show, but it's tough, and it's gonna be a lot of work - and fun! Don't worry, we won't forget the "fun" part. Tuition is $120; make checks payable to the Old Town Playhouse. See you next week! 

Congratulations to the cast of Annie, Jr.! We are all so impressed with the amount of talent that came out for this audition.  There were almost 80 of you that came out, but unfortunately our stage just isn't big enough to handle that amount.  If you weren't cast, please come and see us next time, or join a crew and be a part of the fun!  We would love to have you.

ANNIE: Veyda DeAgro-Ruopp

ANNIE UNDERSTUDY: Grace Zucco

MOLLY: Rayna Archibald

PEPPER: Olivia Policastro

DUFFY: Peyton Diehl

KATE: Lucy Rogers

TESSIE: Sasha Schusterbrown

JULY: Grace Zucco

MISS HANNIGAN: Abigail Stanton

HANNIGAN UNDERSTUDY: Cassidy Merten

BUNDLES McCLOSKEY: Chad Garrett

DOG CATCHER: Chad Garrett

LT. WARD: Cody Davis

GRACE FARRELL: Kaila Szfranski

GRACE UNDERSTUDY: Becca Stagman

DRAKE: Chloe Ammond

CECILLE: Mary Margaret Sutherland

ANNETTE: Jenna Elsenheimer

MRS. GREER: Ally Sickle

OLIVER WARBUCKS: Grayson Lowe

WARBUCKS UNDERSTUDY: Cody Davis

STAR-TO-BE: Becca Stagman

RADIO ANNOUNCER: Chad Garrett

ROOSTER HANNIGAN: Robbie Shields

ROOSTER UNDERSTUDY: Cody Davis

LILY ST. REGIS: Veronica Faller

LILY UNDERSTUDY: Katy Gildner

GERT HEALY: Cassidy Merten

BOYLAN SISTERS: Chloe Ammond, Sierra Creamer, Katy Gildner

PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT: Sidney Mains

ADDITIONAL ORPHANS: Sydney Thomas, Sarah Strom, Jayla Elsenheimer, Beverly Sutherland, Camille Czarny, Caylee White, Peggy Owens

SERVANTS/NYC: Cody Davis, Chloe Ammond, Sierra Creamer, Katy Gildner, Becca Stagman, Cassidy Merten

Auditions for Annie, Jr. will be held at the Old Town Playhouse on Monday, September 19th and Tuesday, September 20th.  Auditionees must be at least 9 years of age and need only attend one day of the auditions.  Bring sheet music (16 bars only) and come prepared to learn a short dance sequence.  Director/Choreographer Minda Nyquist is looking for a cast of 30 - 40 (male and female roles).  Auditions begin at 4:00 and run until 6:00 (sessions may run as late as 6:30 depending on the number of students processed each day) and auditionees should plan on staying for the entire block of time.  Call-backs will be held on Wednesday, September 21st if necessary.  Tuition ($120) will be taken only upon entry into the production.  Students interested in working on a technical crew should plan on attending one of the audition days to sign up for their crew and meet with their Designer.  Contact Mychelle Hopkins at 947-2210 ext. 103 for further details.  Annie, Jr. performance dates are December 14-18, 2011.

ANNIE, JR. CHARACTERS:

ANNIE: An 11-year-old redheaded girl, optimistic and "spunky", seeking her parents

MISS HANNIGAN: The alcoholic orphanage matron, disillusioned, she hates children, but is fond of alcoholic beverages

DADDY OLIVER WARBUCKS: Billionaire businessman who opens his home – and heart – to Annie

GRACE FARRELL: Warbucks' faithful secretary, who loves Annie from the start

ROOSTER: Miss Hannigan's no-good brother, out for the quick buck

LILY ST. REGIS: Rooster's girlfriend, is smarter than she appears

MOLLY, PEPPER, DUFFY, JULY, TESSIE and KATE: The orphans at the orphanage, ages 6 to 13

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT: President of the United States, he aids Warbucks in the search for Annie's parents

LOUIS BRANDEIS: Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, he is called upon to assist in Annie's adoption

BERT HEALY: Radio announcer who agrees to broadcast Annie's search for her parents

THE BOYLAN SISTERS: Singers on the Bert Healy Show and hope to be famous someday

LT. WARD: A policeman sent after Annie, he finds her at the Hoovervilles

The Performing Arts Summer Camp runs from June 20 - July 15, 2011 at the Old Town Playhouse in Traverse City, Michigan.

To register for the Performing Arts Summer Camp call OTP Educational Director Mychelle Hopkins: 231) 947-2210, ext 103

It features professional performers and instructors that present daily, intensive lessons in Musical Theatre designed to educate and stimulate aspiring young actors. 

Young performers at the Traverse City performing arts summer camp will take daily classes in a variety of subjects including:

• Acting
• Music (Voice)
• Dance and Expressive Movement
• Stage Combat
• Improvisation
• Writing
• Shakespeare 
• Technical Theatre

Performing Arts Camp Info

• AGES: For ages 9 to 16 years. (For ages 5-8, please see our CLASSES AND CAMP page for information on our series of four 1-Week Summer Workshops at the Old Town Playhouse in Traverse City)
•  DATES : Monday, June 20, 2011 through Friday, July 15, 2011
• TIMES: Monday through Friday from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm.
• TUITION: $450 ($150 deposit)

** CLICK HERE TO REGISTER ONLINE NOW **

NEW! LATECOMER AUDITION POLICY

Auditions for roles in the Summer Camp show "Hat Trick: Emerald City" will be held on the first two days of Camp. All students are part of the show; auditions determine which roles each actor will play.  We understand that sometimes students wish to attend Camp, but cannot attend during the first week.  In this case, students may arrange an early audition for placement in the Summer Camp show.  If you wish to attend camp but require an early audition, please contact Mychelle Hopkins, and an audition date will be arranged.  Students may begin attending Performing Arts Camp after the first week and without an early audition, but in fairness to those who have auditioned and/or been in attendance, will not be eligible for the show's principal roles (latecoming students will still be eligible for ensemble and small features).

UPDATE!  CLICK "Continue Reading" and scroll down to YOUR QUESTIONS, ANSWERED! for a partial list of what's in the Camp show this year, more about how we do HAT TRICK, and why - your questions, answered!

For more information, visit our CLASSES AND CAMP page. 

NOTES ON THIS YEAR'S 4-WEEK PERFORMING ARTS CAMP FROM DIRECTOR KATE BOTELLO-WEIGEL:

Dear Friends of the Young Company,

Another year, another Performing Arts Camp!  We're so excited for this year's camp that we've been planning it since last year's camp!  The People of the Suspicious Liquids join the Super Flying Yellow Lemon Poppyseed Muffins and the Hiphopaplatypeople in the Camp Champ Hall of Fame - who will be the latest team of theatrical heroes to join them?  What kind of crazy new stuff are we going to pull out of our hat for this year's camp? Let's start with our biggest news first:

NATALIE DOUGLAS & BRIAN NASH DAY:

…becomes NATALIE DOUGLAS AND BRIAN NASH WEEK!  Yes, friends, due to the huge response and incredible results of our intensive day of workshops with our New York professional friends Natalie Douglas and Brian Nash, we have asked them to come back this summer.  Lo and behold, they're not just coming - they're staying almost a whole week (July 5, 6 and 7)!  Natalie and Brian will be working with all of you, from soloists to ensembles, to help you get the most out of everything you do.  The talented twosome will also be leading a Master Class for all ages and presenting a concert at the end of the week.  Hooray!  Learn more about Natalie and Brian in the ABOUT OUR CAMP STAFF section of the CLASSES AND CAMP page.

Other new and fun stuff coming up for 2011's Summer Camp:

REVERSED CLASS/REHEARSAL SCHEDULE:

Classes and rehearsals will switch places during our camp day - rehearsals will be held in the morning, and classes will be held in the afternoon after lunch.

CASTING:

Camp classes will be broken into three groups: Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced.  Teams and learning groups will be determined after auditions, in which some students may be moved to a more advanced level than their age may indicate.  For instance, a Beginning student may be moved up to Intermediate after auditions, or an Intermediate up to Advanced. No one will be moved down - this is for promotions only. Teams will be cast by the directors rather than randomly chosen, to ensure an even balance of age and skill between all three.  Teams will still choose their own names and captains.

BEGINNERS' THEATRE CRASH COURSE: 

This year, our beginners will be taking a sort of "crash course" in Theatre Arts.  Young beginners will have a chance to work creatively and make real decisions about two of the show's musical numbers.  You'll work on your own sets, props and costumes, and contribute your ideas to your group's special performance pieces.  You'll also have a chance to learn and play all of the awesome improv games we play around here - before you go up against the big kids! 

INTENSIVES FOR OUR ADVANCED STUDENTS:

Kate Botello (that's me!) and Minda Nyquist will take our Advanced students aside daily for intensive, small group classes in Acting and Movement.

FRIDAY IS PARENTS' DAY:

Last year we began the practice of closing rehearsals to parents or any adult who was not a member of the Old Town Playhouse or Young Company staff.  This is something we do for the actors while they learn, so they can have private time to work and are not distracted or self-conscious in front of their parents - or anyone else's.  We do, however, understand that it's a lot of fun to watch the actors rehearse, and that parents enjoy watching them learn and do their work.  We instructors have been hogging all the rehearsal fun!  So this year, parents, we will be opening the Mainstage theater on Friday afternoons after lunch so that you may come and observe your fabulous young people at their work. 

YOU ASKED, WE LISTENED:

Many of you have made requests for certain songs or types of music, and we listened!  You've asked for certain songs from certain shows - everything from Little Shop of Horrors to "Glee," - so you got 'em!  This year's camp production will be HAT TRICK: EMERALD CITY, featuring characters from Wicked and beyond!  This year's show will feature three emcees - Glinda, Elphaba and the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, celebrating the Wizard's birthday in the Emerald City.  Joining them will be a pile of crazy characters, with lots of short speaking roles ranging from Dorothy to King Arthur.  Yes, King Arthur - you've been asking for years, so this year we'll be doing not one, but TWO musical numbers and scenes from Monty Python's Spamalot and The Holy Grail!

UPDATE: YOUR QUESTIONS, ANSWERED!

Do I need to prepare something for Camp auditions?

Nope!  We'll hold auditions on the first day of Camp, but you don't need to prepare a single thing.  Just bring your own charming self.  We'll teach a couple of songs from the show to everyone in Camp, and use those for auditions.  We'll also have you read some scenes from the show.  So just be prepared… to have fun!

But… We did HAT TRICK last year! Why are we doing the same show?

HAT TRICK is just what we call the way we perform the show, meaning that most of the scenes or musical numbers in our performances are drawn from a hat and performed in random order.  No two performances are ever exactly the same!  So - "HAT TRICK" only refers to the hat.  

This year's show is totally different from last year, with a new script and entirely new material.  The production is called "HAT TRICK: EMERALD CITY", and has a Wicked theme, set in the throne room of the Wizard of Oz.  We'll be performing a new set of classic Broadway hits, pop songs and comedy sketches, with lots of parts for everyone.

Why are we doing a bunch of things from  different shows and not just one show (like Seussical, Narnia or Annie)?

We feel that the Camp experience is different from that of a Mainstage show.   A Mainstage show may only have a few lead roles, a few supporting roles and a limited chorus, and the purpose of the show is to tell its story.  

The purpose of the Camp show is to show off all the fun and crazy things we've learned in the last four weeks, from all different aspects of theatre.  In this case, rather than finding actors to cast a show that's already written, the Camp show is created specifically to offer a wide range of roles and music for all levels of abilities.  Auditions for the Camp show are only for placement - there's no question as to whether or not you're "in." So here you are in a musical, and maybe you can't sing?  No problem - we have something in the show for everyone, whether you excel at singing, dancing and acting, or you don't.  We work very hard in casting and creating the show to make sure that EVERYONE has a valued place and interesting things to work on.

What will be in the show? Will there be stuff for guys?

Many of you have asked exactly what we'll be performing, so here's a partial list of scenes and songs, and where they come from.  This year we made a special point of making sure there were some great acting and singing features for guys, so take a look below!

One Short Day in the Emerald City (Wicked)

Monty Python's Holy Grail: Arthur and the Guard, Bring Out Yer Dead, She's a Witch! (Songs: Not Dead Yet, Knights of the Round Table)

The Safety Dance (80's Song, Men Without Hats, but we're doing a really cool 4-part arrangement from "Glee")

Ease On Down the Road (The Wiz)

Da-Doo (Little Shop of Horrors - with an Audrey Two puppet!)

Older (Pop song, They Might Be Giants)

Freak Flag (Shrek: The Musical)

Don't Worry, Be Happy (Bobby McFerrin - 80's song, a capella for a "voicestra", no instruments)

Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat (Guys and Dolls)

This year, we worked very hard to balance out the show so there would be a lot of fun, diverse things for different people to do.  Again, the Camp show has no "STAR" and no "CHORUS."  That's why we do the variety show - to try to keep it fun for everybody!  The show is full of LOTS of smaller character roles so we could spread them around as much as possible.

What else will we do at Camp?

There's more to Camp than Acting, Singing and Dance.  In our first week, we'll have Stage Combat and Stage Makeup workshops.  We'll also have workshops for Stage Tech (Lighting, Sound, Costumes, Sets), Writing for Stage, and Shakespeare.  (The information from those two classes will combine, and we'll write our own version of Taming of the Shrew to perform with sock puppets in the show.)  Oh, and don't forget the improv - we will be playing a lot of improvisational games, which tend to be a pretty popular pastime at Camp!  Lots of new games coming this year, too - thanks to the Old Town Playhouse Improv Group, Good On Paper!

For more information about the 4-Week Performing Arts Camp and our instructors, please contact Mychelle Hopkins or visit our CLASSES AND CAMP page.