The Dining Room update

Hello Cast/Crew,

Congratulations to all members of the 2016 production of The Dining Room.

Our read-through will begin promptly at 7:15 p.m. on January 5th.
No one may arrive late to the read-through or any rehearsals thereafter.

If a cast member is tardy or is not a responsible and caring actor to the process, they may be asked to leave the production.

We need to be focused and respect the theater, and understand its importance to the actor and community.

Happy New Year!

Lys

Why have Callbacks?

What is a Callback after an Audition?

A Callback means that the casting director and perhaps others involved in casting roles in a project like what they saw in your initial acting audition and are interested in seeing you again for that project.  Obviously, this is a good thing and you must celebrate being called back.

If you do get a callback, you did something the casting director really liked/or you have the “right” look or personality for the role.  The director may also see traits in your performance that might be served well in other roles in regards to the project.

Go in with an open mind-enjoy the experience.

When you don’t get a callback it does not mean that you did not do a good job in your acting.  It may be that you were not right for a particular role.

http://www.youryoungactor.com/2010/04/15/what-is-a-callback-after-an-acting-audition-showbiz-term-of-the-day/

The Dining Room-Callbacks

The Dining Room-Callbacks

7:15-9:15 p.m.

Dear Friends,

Please read the list below carefully, and prepare a character analysis and the lines for the parts listed near your names.  If you are not on the "callback" list, that does NOT imply that you didn't perform well at your audition, nor does it indicate that you will not be casted in the  Spring show.

Auditions will begin promptly at 7:15 p.m.  Do not be late.  If you are, that shows us that you are not ready to be part of this theater community.  Before tomorrow evening, everyone MUST sign up to remind.com

Remember to review the dates and times on the rehearsal schedule that will be posted later today.

Thank you!

Lys

Father

Sam Wollman, Charlie Mangan, 

Michael McGettigan

Margery

Maggie Farr, Madison Gardner, 

Caitlin Frazee, Emily Dubin

Sally

Caitlin Frazee, Matti McNamara, 

Emily Dubin, Dana Bookman, 

Courtney Todaro

Ellie

Maria Cotsis, Avery Misinkavitch,

Alicia McCarthy, Mia Westkaemper

Howard

Steven Charlemagne, Charlie Mangan

Carolyn

Mia Westkaemper, Avery Misinkavitch

Peggy

Avery Misinkavitch, Maggie Farr, 

Maria Cotsis, Mia Westkaemper, Emily Dubin

Paul

Sam Wollman, Sean Cahill

Architect, Ted, Grandfather

Adam Bdeir, Charlie Mangan

Annie

Dana Bookman, Madison Gardner 

Michael

Henry Gifford, Charlie Mangan

Ruth

Alicia McCarthy, Emily Dubin, 

Mia Westkaemper, Avery Misinkavitch
Aggie
Aniya Cager, Emily Dubin
Auther
Sean Cahill

Login-information

Hello Everyone,

Please remember to send me any character work you have.
Also.....go onto remind.com and sign in to our group.

I will post call backs this weekend on the blog.

Enjoy few days off!

Text: 81010
Code: @thedini

The Dining Room Update

Hello Everyone,

Great work tonight. Really, I enjoyed your performances and the time in which you took to do your character analysis. If you have not handed the work in, please get it to me tomorrow.

Call backs will be on Monday evening at 7:15 p.m. if need be.

Again, thank you for respecting the process.

Lys

The Dining Room Auditions

Hello Everyone,

Please print a copy of the audition form and complete the information required.

Bring the form to your audition Thursday evening.

Thank you.

Lys

The Dining Room Audition Information

Dear Friends,

Please take time and read through your scripts this weekend. Our auditions are Thursday evening, December 17th, beginning at 7:15 p.m. I will need to know what scenes you will be reading by Monday.

I encourage you to seek out other actors to work on your scenes. Please prepare two (2) scenes for the auditions. You do NOT have to memorize your parts, but you do have to come prepared with a background of your character (see new page-to your right) that you will be asked to share.

Thank you for supporting the Theater Arts Program. I am looking forward to working you.

Lys

"For every show I direct, each student is asked to go through a detailed char­ac­ter analysis process. I’ve spent the past ten years putting together this com­pre­hen­sive packet. In my expe­ri­ence, a detailed char­ac­ter study is impor­tant in both musi­cals and non-musicals. It seems obvi­ous to the­atre edu­ca­tors to delve into char­ac­ter analy­sis for straight plays. I have also found that it can truly change a musi­cal, espe­cially when the ensem­ble takes time to truly develop their char­ac­ters. The ensem­ble is eas­ily for­got­ten after they have been taught their songs and dances, but they cre­ate the world of the play. The more the ensem­ble under­stands about their char­ac­ters and rela­tion­ships, the more invested they will be in mak­ing them come to life. Feel free to use all or parts of this for your future pro­duc­tions. I hope you find it useful."

Character Analysis
Ginger Morris
Director/Choreographer
Austin, Texas

The Dinning Room Update

Dear Friends,

The JHS Spring production will be The Dinning Room by A.R. Gurney
Auditions will be help on December 17th.

Materials for the audition will be available on Friday, December 4th.

There will be a Theater Arts Show Case on March 12 at 2:30 p.m.

It is my hope that we will be able to support the WLHS (Back-Packs for Haiti) as we did a few years back, and have our Show Case become a fundraiser for the Language Arts Department.

Here we go again!!!!!
Can't wait.
Lys

JHS Theater Arts Department Presents . . .

A.R. Gurney's

The Dinning Room
March 10, 11, 12 2016

Auditions will be held on December 17th
7:15-9:15 p.m. in the High School Auditorium

"Sides" to follow.

All interested students please see Lys

Missing you All!!!!

Painting Update!

Hello Friends,

We are going to pause from painting this Sunday!

JMT has auditions set all day-so we are going to have our painting/hand print party in December.  

Enjoy the weekend off!!  

You all deserve it!!

Lys

Little Shop of Horrors 2015

Bravo, bravo, bravo Lys.

It was just amazing.

The cast looked so happy and proud, as they should be.  Please please pass on these kudos to your cast and crew.

Loved it!

Sue Parisi

2015 Cast/Crew of Little Shop of Horrors!!!!

Congratulations to the 2015 Cast/Crew of

 Little Shop of Horrors!! 

You brought excellence and professionalism to the 

JHS Stage this weekend. 

You were all magnificent to watch!!!!

Little Shop of Horrors!!!!

Hello Little Shop Family,


Life is so special.  Life is a precious gift!

What you have to offer tonight to the theater community is something incredibly wonderful.  

The events of the last 24 hours , have left so many feeling great despair and sadness.  It is your time.....now, to bring laughter and  joy to a community that looks to you for a night filled with only dreams of man (and woman) eating plants, great dancing and just over the top energy!!!!

Enjoy tonight-take a moment-cherish it!!!

All my love,

Lys

To the cast and crew:

Life's like a play; it's not the length but the excellence of the acting that matters. Last night was excellent! Have a great day! Ms. Costner

Please Read!!!!

Hi Ms. Davidson,

My son and I attended the play last evening and I wanted to commend you on the awesome performance.  WOW!!  I can't tell you enough how very wonderful it was.  In all honesty, I wasn't expecting quite that level of a performance since it was being done by high school students.  Well, was I ever WRONG.  My son works for the company that owns Audrey II.  He is 14 years old and takes care of maintaining her.  My sister-in-law owns the company and loves having her nieces and nephews help out at the shop.  It's truly a great experience for a first job.  Although only 2 days after school, it has proven to teach him so many things about people, work and life.  Michael expressed interest in seeing his 'girlfriend' Audrey in action since he had never seen The Little Shop of Horrors.  His aunt remembered this and called for tickets for us.  I too had never seen this show.  

When I awoke this morning, I immediately thought about what a great show we saw!I It made that much of an impression.  Michael too was telling his father how much he loved it too.  Michael was a proud papa seeing his girl up on stage!  :)

Kudos to you and the students!!

Michele DiLella

Rehearsal Update

Call time for November 11

6:00 p.m. for all Cast/Crew.

Thank you!

Little Shop

Great work tonight everyone.

Keep the energy flowing. You guys are all awesome!!!

SELL TICKETS!!!!!!!!

November 9th

Little Shop 
Call Time 5:30 p.m.
Bring Snacks/Dinner/Homework/Smiles/Energy
Good Cheer!

Little Shop

Little Shop Of Horrors, with book and lyrics by Howard Ashman and music by Alan Menken, is based on the low-budget 1960 black comedy film of the same name.  Ashman and Menken made many changes from the original film, such as moving the location from Los Angeles to New York and eliminating many characters in lieu of a smaller ensemble.  

Arguably the largest change is in the ending, where instead of Mushnik and Audrey surviving to see the plant's carnivorous activities (as in the film), nearly all the characters are devoured by the plant.

This musical was only the second collaboration between Ashman and Menken, the first being a 1979 stage adaptation of a Kurt Vonnegut novel.  In writing the book, Ashman chose to use the frame of the story to satirize many different topics, including:  science fiction, "B" movies, musical comedy, and the Faust legend (in which a man sells his soul to the Devil).  In his music, Menken used many of the musical styles of the early 1960s, including rock and roll, doo-wop , and Motown.

Possible Set List for November 8th Performance

Jenkintown Theater Arts Department

Presents

Little Shop of Horrors

November 12, 13,14

7:30 p.m.

Prologue: “Little Shop of Horrors”   

Street Urchins

Da-Doo                                            

Seymour,  Street Urchins

Grow for Me                                                                

Seymour

Ya Never Know           

Mushnik, Street Urchins, Seymour

Dentist!                                                     

Orin, Street Urchins

Mushnik and Sons                             

Mushnik and Seymour

Feed Me (Git it!)                                     

Audrey II, Seymour

Suddenly Seymour         

Seymour, Audrey and Company

Finale Ultimo (Don’t Feed The Plants)              Company

Two Concert Choir Songs as well:

Gently (Walk on the Earth)

I Am Not Yours

Rehearsal Update

ALL CAST/CREW 

11:30 a.m. Saturday November 7th
BRING LUNCH!
We will conclude at approximately 4:30-4:35 p.m.
Cheltenham Art Center Gala-featured performers only.
We will meet at the school at 6:30 p.m. and follow each other to the Art Center.

11:00 a.m. Sunday November 8th
BRING LUNCH!
We will run the show, perform at Kenneseth Israel at 2:30 p.m.
We will return to school; review and talk about the week to come and then enjoy the Pot-Luck sponsored by our parents.

Get rest, stay focused, SELL TICKETS!!!!

Character Shoes!!!!

Reminder:

Entire cast MUST have character shoes on their feet NO LATER than SATURDAY!!!!!

BIOS???????????

No Bios from:

Kiara H.
Sohie M.
Avie M.
Evan C.
Ben D.
Matt S.

Tessa S.

Last Call-FOR REAL!!!!!!

Thank you Avery! I love your enthusiasm and professionalism.

Yes...we are very, very close.

Mr. Kremp and Ryan brought tons of fun things for our set today. It looks great.

Corren, Courtney and I spent many hours last night, lighting the show. We are almost done Act 1, and hope to complete the entire show before Saturday.

Bring smiles and energy from now on to rehearsals. Please take care of yourselves, and support one another. You are all integral to the success of this show.

Please remember to thank Miss Ann, the McGeehans and Heather Farr; who has worked crazy hard getting you all costumes and ready to shine.

Remember we work this weekend, with a performance and a pot-luck on Sunday.

I can't believe that we are here already-didn't we just finish The Complete Works?

Lys

A letter from Avery

Hey everyone!! As we get closer and closer to our performance, it's getting more exciting, but more chaotic too. There are more responsibilities than ever, and it can be very overwhelming. The crew has been doing an amazing job: yes, the cast has been working really hard, but the crew is almost always underrated in shows. It's really not as simple as moving a door backwards. These kids are working your sound, lights, set, and plant!! It's insane!! They hold the power and deserve as much respect as anyone else. Mrs. Farr has been working incredibly hard too. Can you imagine picking out costumes for a huge cast like ours? Please listen closely to what she says, ALWAYS make sure you have everything on the hanger, and treat your costume with care. At rehearsal tonight, I'm going to ask if everyone can move past the taped line in the hall when they are waiting for their cues. That way, it can be a low whisper. Once you are past the line, there is absolutely NO talking. I have a hard time not talking too, but now it's already a habit, and it needs to be stopped by the 12th. I know there are mics and there is the pit, but you can still be heard and you might miss your cue. I'm so so proud of everyone. We're so close!! We've been working soooo hard for this and now we have the chance to show everyone what we're made of. If you're nervous, that only means you care about this show. EMOTE!!! Get into it!! It's not embarrassing because your Little Shop family is right up there with you. This will be a really great show. Please listen to Lys and Miss Ann and ask your friends - when you are off stage - if you have a question: chances are, someone in the cast will know, and Lys will be busy with the crew and pit. Please be patient with the light and sound crew, they only went over cues last night. Oh!! And remember to thank Mr. and Mrs. McGeehan! They have always been huge supporters and they help out with so much. Thanks guys!! See ya tonight

Weekend Update.......

Hello Little Shop Family,

This weekend:
October 31st
Come Dressed to rehearsal in a Halloween Costume, or a funny hat.....something for fun!!!!

All Cast/Crew must be at school by 11:00 a.m.
We will give notes, have the mics checked, talk about Props.

We will run the show ONE time starting at 11:30 a.m.

We will break for 15 minutes (get Audrey 4 ready) and start Act II.

We will break for lunch when the run is completed.

After lunch, we will review any scenes or musical numbers that are in need of some attention.

November 1st-CLOCK CHANGE
Remember to move your clocks "back" one hour Saturday night.

ALL CAST/CREW called at 11:00 a.m.  The pit orchestra will be at this rehearsal.  

Everyone must be quiet, calm and very good listeners.  The band will need a few rehearsals to understand what is needed for each musical selection, and to get a feel for the show.

We will run the show ONE time.  Break for 15 minutes, while we prepare Audrey 4, then run Act II.

We will break for lunch, then work on any musical number or scene that need attention.

Sell TICKETS!!!!!

Fill the seats with your friends and family.

Those who did not bring in any Ads, will need to donate $90 to the Theater Arts Fund.  NO more Ads can be accepted after Friday, October 30, 2015.

Please bring in your check when you are able.

That would be a great help to the the department.  We appreciate your support.

Wear your character shoes this weekend.
Bring in homework or a book to read.

WE WILL BE COLLECTING CELL PHONES THIS WEEKEND!!!!!!!

Be well and bring good energy to each rehearsal from now on!

Lys

Letter to Parents (sent out via e-mail)

Dear Friends,

I hope you are well and enjoying the fall colors.

The Cast/Crew member have been working very hard to produce a wonderful show come November.

As we head into the home stretch, I wanted to take a moment to talk about the upcoming events, and what you can do to help make this season a success.

So...here it goes.

Working backwards.....

Little Shop of Horrors

November 12, 13, 14

Call time for each Cast/Crew member: 5:15 p.m.each night.

November 9-11 TECH WEEK

Each night we run the show once.  We will start at 7:30 p.m. and run the show in its entirety.  It will be a long night for all involved.  

The Cast/Crew will be able to leave when:  the costumes are put back, when the stage/dressing area has been cleaned up. and notes have been given.

I thank you in advance for your understanding.  It is a long but creative process for all.

November 8th

Dress Rehearsal 11:00-2:30 p.m.

Performance at Kenneseth Israel at 3:00 p.m. 

An ALL CAST PERFORMANCE!!!!

WE WILL NEED DRIVERS to and fro.  

We will need to leave school by 2:30 p.m.  The venue is just a few block away.

5:00-6:00 p.m. POT-LUCK dinner sponsored by Parents of Cast/Crew.

November 7th

Dress Rehearsal 11:30-5:00 p.m.

Evening of the 7th

Cheltenham Center for the Arts 

75th Gala Celebration.

7:30-9:20 p.m.

Musical Selections from Little Shop of Horrors in the Theater.

Cast needed (in costume):

Street Urchins, Seymour, Mushnik, Orin, Audrey I and II.

Last remaining rehearsals

October 27, 28, 31

November 1, 3, 4

Rehearsals for all Cast/Crew.

Times are subject to change slightly-depending the Cast/Crew's needs.

All information has been posted on the blog.

Please check blog frequently for updates.

This is where we need your help:

. 

Concessions

We will be running a concessions stand (as we do every season).  It is a great opportunity for us to generate financial support for the production and keep the audience well hydrated and nourished.  

Kiss the Cast/Crew

This is a wonderful way to show how much we support our Cast/Crew by leaving a note with some sweets (in a cool bag) for them to read after the show.  We will need two parents to help run this event.

Allison Gifford will be heading the concessions for the run of the show and will reach out to you shortly; seeking volunteers.

Pot-Luck November 8th 5:00-6:00 p.m.

This is a time when the Cast/Crew and families get together and share a meal; celebrating the community they have established since August.  This is parent run and has always been one of the highlights of the fall season.  

We are in need of two parents to help run this event.  Kristen McNamara can lend support and share information from last year.  Please contact me asap if you are able to help with this awesome festivity.

Tickets

ON SALE NOW!!!

You can go to the school web site and click on the link there, or here:

https://apps.vendini.com/ticket-software.html?t=tix&e=69a279299f84c5e0b0e547270988b99f&vqitq=a96e67e7-7b82-41a0-b23c-c59df34879b5&vqitp=a079b4f9-9398-49b5-a9d2-7192c79c4e6a&vqitts=1445910078&vqitc=vendini&vqite=itl&vqitrt=Safetynet&vqith=af5dadbd347f76f3ce77b0302c352f03

The good tickets will go fast.  The students will be buying their tickets during lunch next week.  Please purchase your tickets in advance to ensure the best seats possible for your family and friends.

Thank you for all you have done to make this show a success.  Your children are fabulous.  They are kind to one another and truly enjoy working together.

Be well and see you all soon!

Lys