Backstage Fayette

Backstage Fayette is now Backstage Georgia

2009-03-22T20:36:00.002-04:00

We've had two blogs running for quite some time that focused on theater, Backstage Fayette and Backstage Georgia. We've decided to combine the two since there are so many cross overs. So, we'd love it if you'd bookmark Backstage Georgia, "follow" it or subscribe to updates.

We're always interested in receiving news about the theater so we can share it with our readers. Visit www.FayetteFrontPage.com or www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com for more info.

Murder Off the Cuff: Offshoot's Next Three Performances

2009-03-19T16:07:00.001-04:00

Offshoot Productions presents Murder Off the Cuff, featuring the Gallery Players improvisation troupe in an evening of merry mayhem fueled by audience suggestions. Catch the show in Woodstock, Peachtree City or Newnan during the next few weekends.

Sunday, March 22, 7:30 p.m. in Woodstock
Location: Atlanta Bread Company, 180 Woodstock Square Avenue (in the Target /Kohl’s shopping center). Telephone: (678) 445-2794.
Come early and purchase dinner, or enjoy mouth-watering desserts and beverages at intermission.
Tickets, $10 each, are available at the restaurant or online with a credit card at www.offshoot.org. Additional information: Offshoot Productions at (770) 631-2362 or offshootpr@aol.com.

Sunday, March 29, 7:30 p.m. in Peachtree City
Location: Atlanta Bread Company, 401 City Circle in The Avenue, Peachtree City, at the intersection of GA 74 and GA 54. Telephone: (770) 486-1330.
Our last show here was totally sold out in advance, so early ticket purchase is wise. Come for dinner or enjoy mouth-watering desserts and beverages at intermission.
Tickets, $10 each, are available at the restaurant, online with a credit card at ww.offshoot.org, or by mail with checks made out to Offshoot Productions, P.O. Box 2462, Peachtree City, GA 30269.
Additional information: Offshoot Productions at (770) 631-2362 or offshootpr@aol.com.

Sunday, April 5, 7:00 p.m. in Newnan (Dinner Theatre)
Location: Baja’s, 385 Jackson St., Newnan, GA 30263. Telephone: (770) 683-3474.
A casual taco buffet dinner combined with laughter results in an unforgettable evening.
Tickets, $20 each, include dinner, and may be picked up in person at Bajas, charged by phone at (770) 683-3474, or purchased with a check made out to Offshoot Productions, and mailed to P.O. Box 2462, Peachtree City, GA 30269.

Offshoot Productions is the longest-running professional theatre on the Southside.
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Offshoot Productions Acting Class for Teens on Tap for Spring

2009-03-15T17:44:00.001-04:00

Offshoot Productions’ artistic director Susan M. Steadman, Ph.D., is slated to teach “Taking Stage: An Acting Class for Teens” for the Tyrone Recreation Department, on Wednesdays from April 15 to May 13. Steadman, who has been teaching and directing for over three decades, will guide middle and high school age students on an exciting exploration of acting techniques. Each information-packed meeting focuses on a different area: improvisation, character development, scene study, and auditioning.

“In a way, you can think of ‘Taking Stage’ is a kind of theatre sampler, said Steadman. “While it provides a great intro for less experienced students, it also fills in some of the gaps for students who have performed in the past.”

The class meets from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.on Wednesdays at the Roger Spencer Community Center, 145 Commerce Drive, in Tyrone. (Note: there is no meeting on May 6.) The cost is $50.

For registration information, call Tyrone Recreation at (770) 487-4694 or send e-mail to tyronerec@tyrone.org. For additional information on class content, contact Offshoot Productions at (770) 631-2362 or offshootpr@aol.com.
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Gallery Players Offers a “Youdunit” Evening of Improv

2009-02-19T12:38:00.001-05:00

When coming up with a title for the new project by Offshoot Productions’ Gallery Players improv troupe, artistic director Susan M. Steadman, Ph.D. considered "Whodunit? Youdunit!" The reasoning was that the audience plays such a large part in creating the characters, weapons and murders in the entertainment that, in a sense, they “dunit.” However, the title "Murder Off the Cuff" made the cut, and the improvised show debuts Friday, March 6 at Fayetteville’s It’s a Grind coffee house.

“All improv is a kind of contract between the audience and the actors,” says Steadman. “What makes this production different is our focus on the mystery genre which our audiences enjoy so much. All the scenes deal with conspiring to commit a crime, motivation, the victimsE2 characteristics, the deed itself, and the ensuing detective work.”

The rogue’s gallery of performers, most of whom have worked with this southside professional theatre company for years, includes Elizabeth Clausen, Andy Fleming, Kristi Israel, Paige Steadman, Chrisi Talyn, and Joey Waldrop. Usually four or five actors perform at each venue.

Dr. Steadman, a native New Yorker, has widely taught improv at universities, theatre conferences, schools and other locations in six states. She directed the first theatre program at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, where she headed a successful improv troupe.

Tickets for the 8:00 p.m. March 6 performance are $10 each, and may be picked up in person at It’s a Grind, 1240 Hwy 54 West, Fayetteville, across from Piedmont Fayette Hospital, (770) 460-1191.

They may also be purchased online with a credit card at www.offshoot.org, or by mail with checks made out to Offshoot Productions, P.O. Box 2462, Peachtree City, GA 30269.

Additional performances are slated for Atlanta Bread Company in both in Woodstock (March 22) and in Peachtree City (March 29), and at Baja’s in Newnan (April 5). The Gallery Players ensemble, now booking other engagements, is available for corporate events, parties, and
fundraisers.

For more information contact Offshoot Productions at (770) 631-2362 or offshootpr@aol.com.
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Offshoot Productions’ Murder Off the Cuff to Show in Three Locations in March

2009-02-15T18:22:00.001-05:00

Friday, March 6, 8:00 p.m.

Offshoot Productions presents Murder Off the Cuff, featuring the Gallery Players improvisation troupe in an evening of merry mayhem fueled by audience suggestions.

Location: It’s a Grind coffee house, 1240 Hwy 54 West, Fayetteville (across from Piedmont Fayette Hospital). Telephone: (770) 460-1191.

Purchase tickets, $10 each, in person at It’s a Grind, online with a credit card at www.offshoot.org, or by mail with checks made out to Offshoot Productions, P.O. Box 2462, Peachtree City, GA 30269.

Additional information: Offshoot Productions at (770) 631-2362 or offshootpr@aol.com.

Sunday, March 22, 7:30 p.m.

Offshoot Productions presents Murder Off the Cuff, featuring the Gallery Players improvisation troupe in an evening of merry mayhem fueled by audience suggestions.

Location: Atlanta Bread Company in Woodstock, 180 Woodstock Square Avenue (in the Target /Kohl’s shopping center). Telephone: (678) 445-2794.

Purchase tickets, $10 each, at the restaurant, online with a credit card at www.offshoot.org, or by mail with checks made out to Offshoot Productions, P.O. Box 2462, Peachtree City, GA 30269.

Additional information: Offshoot Productions at (770) 631-2362 or offshootpr@aol.com.

Sunday, March 29

Offshoot Productions presents Murder Off the Cuff, featuring the Gallery Players improvisation troupe in an evening of merry mayhem fueled by audience suggestions.

Location: Atlanta Bread in Peachtree City, 401 City Circle in The Avenue, located at the intersection of GA 74 and GA 54. (770) 486-1330.

Purchase tickets, $10 each, at the restaurant, online with a credit card at www.offshoot.org, or by mail with checks made out to Offshoot Productions, P.O. Box 2462, Peachtree City, GA 30269.

Additional information: Offshoot Productions at (770) 631-2362 or offshootpr@aol.com.
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Murder Off the Cuff Debuts March 6 at It’s a Grind

2009-02-10T22:24:00.001-05:00

Murder Off the Cuff, a new offering from Fayette County based Offshoot Productions, is actually a performance by the company’s Gallery Players improv troupe--with a twist. The quick-witted ensemble has performed frequently and in many locations over the past year, but this is the first time that a major theme influences all the scenes in an evening. Murder, from motives to weapons, conspiracies and detective work, is on the menu, with a large dollop of audience input. Add the aromatic beverages, mouth-watering desserts and cozy atmosphere of the venue, Fayetteville’s It’s a Grind coffee house, and the Friday, March 6 event is a certain hit.

Tickets for the show, which begins at 8:00 p.m., are $10 each, and may be picked up in person at It’s a Grind or purchased online with a credit card at www.offshoot.org. Tickets may also be ordered by mail, with checks made out to Offshoot Productions and sent to P.O. Box 2462, Peachtree City, GA 30269.

It’s a Grind is located at 1240 Hwy 54 West, across from Piedmont Fayette Hospital. The phone number is (770) 460-1191.

For additional information, contact Offshoot Productions at (770) 631-2362 or offshootpr@aol.com.

Smoke on the Mountain and Children's Series at the Legacy Theatre, Tyrone

2009-01-19T21:51:00.002-05:00

SMOKE ON THE MOUNTAIN
Book by Constance Ray, Conceived by Alan Bailey, Musical arrangements by Mike Craver & Mark Hardwick.
January 30th - Feb 22nd, 2009
Performances Fridays-Saturdays 8pm, Saturdays-Sundays 3pm
Tickets: Adults $25, Seniors 60+/Students $22, Children 12 and under $15 Group rates available

The year is 1938. It's Saturday night in Mount Pleasant, NC, and the Reverend Oglethorpe has invited the Sanders Family Singers to provide an upliftin' evening of singin' and witnessin'. The audience is invited to pull up a pew and join in the rollicking good time. More than two dozen songs, many of them vintage pop hymns, and hilarious stories from the more or less devout Sanders provide a richly entertaining evening that has audiences clapping, singing, laughing and cheering.

LEGACY CHILDREN'S SERIES.......

Most Valuable Player: The Jackie Robinson Story

Written by Gayle Cornelison, Mary Hall Surface, Charles Abernathy, Joseph Bostick, Duncan W. Graham, Helen Pettit, Kevin Reese, J. Steven White and Dorien Wilson
Public Performance Saturday, February 14th at 11am
Ticket are $10 General Admission

Written by Gayle Cornelison, Mary Hall Surface, Charles Abernathy, Joseph Bostick, Duncan W. Graham, Helen Pettit, Kevin Reese, J. Steven White and Dorien Wilson

A true hero on and off the field, Jackie Robinson proved his friends, his enemies and the entire world wrong by breaking the color barrier within Major League Baseball. Through captivating multi-media and stellar acting, this award-winning and historically accurate play follows Jackie from the sandlots of his childhood through his acceptance of the National League's MVP Award in 1949. Grade 4 and Up

Most Valuable Player has been presented to audiences of children and adults throughout the world. The production has been featured in a one-week residency at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.; at the Edmonton, Toronto, and Vancouver International Children's Theatre Festivals; on a one-month tour of Canada sponsored by the Canada Council; on a fifty-two-day tour of Europe sponsored by the United States Government; and as the only American company at an International Theatre Festival in Lima, Peru. The strength of Jackie Robinson's character and his courage crosses boundaries of age, race, and nationality.

"A semester of instruction on human rights and social equality could not equal the insights gained from one hour's viewing of this powerful play."--Donal W. Zacharias, President Emeritus, Mississippi State University
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Comedy and Surprise Define World Premiere Smart Cookie at the Alliance

2009-01-16T09:39:00.000-05:00

Playwright Julia Brownell’s Smart Cookie is a wickedly funny comedy about how a shocking surprise helps a wealthy Manhattan socialite become the woman she never realized she wanted to be. The clear favorite of the 2008 Kendeda Graduate Playwriting Competition judges, this World Premiere play combines laugh-out-loud humor with a provocative story about social image and the powers that can change a person’s attitudes... Click to read: Comedy and Surprise Define World Premiere Smart Cookie at the Alliance

Legacy Theatre Announces Auditions for Disney's High School Musical 2 (Youth Ensemble and Professional)

2009-01-03T07:49:00.001-05:00

Professional Auditions for Disney’s High School Musical 2!

The Legacy Theatre, a full-time professional theatre, is holding auditions by appointment only for Disney’s High School Musical 2. NON-EQUITY PERFORMERS. Auditions will be held Sunday, March 1 from 1:00PM-4:30PM at The Legacy Theatre at 1175 Senoia Road, Tyrone, GA 30290. Auditions are open to ages 18+. Those 17 and under, please refer to our Youth Ensemble Auditions. Seeking high-energy actor/singer/dancers who can portray teenagers. Please prepare one contemporary pop or musical theatre song in the style of High School Musical or from any of the three HSM movies. Accompanist provided. Recorded accompaniment is fine, player provided. May be asked to read from the script or sing a selection from the show. May be asked to attend a dance callback to be held later in the afternoon. Please bring appropriate attire. Paid positions and apprenticeships available. Must have appointment. Rehearsals begin June 22. Performances are July 10-August 2. For more info or to make an audition appointment e-mail Mark Smith, Artistic Director, mark@thelegacytheatre.org or call (404) 895-1473

Auditions for the Youth Ensemble of Disney’s High School Musical 2!

The Legacy Theatre, a full time professional theatre, is holding open auditions for the Youth Ensemble of Disney’s High School Musical 2. NON-EQUITY PERFORMERS. Auditions will be held Saturday, February 28 from 8:30AM to 1:00PM at The Legacy Theatre at 1175 Senoia Road, Tyrone, GA 30290. Auditions on the 28th are for the Youth Ensemble ONLY, ages 8-17. Those wishing to audition must prepare a short, contemporary pop or musical theatre song in the style of High School Musical. A selection from any of the three HSM movies is fine. Please bring piano sheet music (accompanist provided) or tape/CD accompaniment (player provided). Singing a cappella is fine. All auditionees will perform a short dance combination that will be taught at the audition. Three casts will be selected from these auditions. Cast A will rehearse June 22-26 and will perform July 10-19; Cast B will rehearse June 29-July 3 and will perform July 21-26; Cast C will rehearse July 6-10 and will perform July 28-August 2. Rehearsal times will be from 10:00AM to 3:00PM. A performance fee is required if casting. For those interested in other opportunities, a one-week, all-day High School Musical Summer Camp will be held from July 13-17. For more info e-mail Mark Smith, Art. Director, mark@thelegacytheatre.org or call the theatre at (404) 895-1473
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Auditions for "The Importance of Being Earnest", Main Street Players, Griffin

2008-12-31T08:18:00.003-05:00

Auditions for “The Importance of Being Earnest,” Main Street Players next production, will be held Wednesday and Thursday, January 7th and 8th, at The Main Street Theatre, 115 North Hill Street, in Griffin, Ga, starting each at 7:00PM each night.

Auditioners need to prepare a one-minute monologue.

Roles open are for two women in their 20's, two men in their 20's, two men any age over 20, one man 35 plus, one woman 40 plus and one man 40 plus.

Call 770-827-9821 for an appointment to audition.

Callbacks are possible for the following Saturday, January 10th.

“The Importance of Being Earnest,” by Oscar Wilde, will perform February 26 through March 8, 2009, with performances Thursday, Friday and Saturdays at 7:30PM and Sundays at 3:00PM. Anyone winning an audition is expected to perform in every performance as well as rehearsals four weeks prior to the performance dates.
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Peachtree City Atlanta Bread Company to Host Whodunit

2008-12-30T23:32:00.001-05:00

Offshoot Productions’ latest audience-participation mystery, Rehearsal for Murder, is headed to a new venue. The popular show, which played to standing room only audiences in the fall, will be performed at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, January 25, at Atlanta Bread Company in Peachtree City.

The play involves two striving actors, Toby and Anne, and director/playwright Marcy Masters, who has recently escaped punishment for murder with a successful insanity plea. The characters may seem familiar to some audience members as the play is a sequel to Audition for Murder, which Offshoot presented two years ago. Co-written by Susan M. Steadman, Ph.D., Offshoot’s artistic director, and Paige Steadman, Rehearsal for Murder takes place several years after Audition for Murder, when all the characters (except, of course, the one murdered in Audition) meet at a regional audition where they are trapped in a malfunctioning freight elevator. Here, old disagreements, yearnings and blame mix and ignite, resulting in the death of one of the characters.

The audience plays the roles of police detectives, with one lucky audience member providing the offstage voice of the elevator repairman. At the conclusion of the action, the occupants of each table vote on whether the death was accident, suicide or murder…and if it was murder, whodunit.

Tickets, $10 each, may be picked up in person at Atlanta Bread, 401 City Circle in the Avenue shopping center, which is located at the intersection of GA 74 and GA 54. Tickets may also be purchased by credit card online at www.offshoot.org, or ordered by mail. Checks should be sent to Offshoot Productions, P.O. Box 2462, Peachtree City, GA 30269. As previous performances of the comic puzzler have been sold out, early ticket purchase is strongly recommended.

To contact the Atlanta Bread Company, call (770) 486-1330.

For questions and additional information about the performance, contact Offshoot Productions at (770) 631-2362 or offshootpr@aol.com.

Offshoot Productions is the longest-running professional theatre on Atlanta’s Southside.
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Twilight Theatre presents The Civil War

2008-11-10T11:00:00.001-05:00

November 14, 15, 21, 22, 2008
Opening/Media Night November 14, 2008

The Civil War is a dramatic musical event about the lives of people who lived during the single most defining period in American history. Composer Frank Wildhorn incorporates diaries, letters, historical documents, speeches, and poetry to portray the effects of the war on many levels: cultural, societal, familiar, and individual. Unlike the usual musical that tells a story in chronological order, The Civil War is a series of musical vignettes through which stories of real people affected by the war are told - wives, children, brothers, friends, parents, slaves, soldiers.

The powerful music in this show covers a wide range of emotions. The Union and Confederate armies sing of their excitement as they prepare to go into war and defend their respective causes. The enslaved sing of their pain and misery as they are sold as property. A soldier and his wife try to ease their separation by writing frequent letters. An abolitionist lobbies his cause, and expresses his frustration with both the injustice that his people suffer and the reluctance of President Lincoln and the Union to address it. A nurse reflects on the work that she is trying to do. Captains from the two armies grapple with the decisions that they must make, not only for themselves but for the soldiers who follow them. The enslaved join in rousing gospel numbers, keeping their hopes and their spirits alive despite everything that they endure. The soldiers of both armies, gradually realizing the horrors of war, face despair, death, and defeat.

This intense work delves into one of our nation's most defining times, and is packed with feeling and messages, expressed directly through the wide variety of musical numbers performed. A large cast and full orchestra will provide a wonderful evening of music and drama.

Members of the Artistic Team that bring this show to the stage include Tony Peregoy, Director; Ellie Shelton, Vocal Director; and Laini Benefield, Music Director.

Performances are November 14, 15, 21, and 22 at 8 p.m. at the beautiful Charles Wadsworth Auditorium in Newnan.

Opening/Media Night is Friday, November 14 at 8 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.brownpapertickets.com or at the door. Tickets are $15 adult / $12 students, seniors, and military. For more information, visit us online at www.thetwilighttheatre.com.
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Congratulations to Twilight Theatre's New Apprentice Company!

2008-10-30T21:15:00.001-04:00

Congratulations to the following young people who were recently accepted into Twilight Theatre's new Apprenticeship Company.

Kathleen Balmes
Ashley Berry
Robin Burton
Corey Couch
Reagan Grillo
Mallory Hu
Kelly McCarty
Maria McCranie
Grace Nelmes
Sara Nelmes
Nicole Nipper
Andrew Perry
Marissa Shenkle
Anna Kate Spears
Maggie Spears
Nora Wilfong
Kirstie Wilkinson

Under the direction of Dana Spears, the Apprenticeship Company is for students in grades 6 through 12 who are interested in learning more about all aspects of theatre. Participation in the Apprenticeship Company provides hands-on learning opportunities and monthly meetings featuring guest speakers. Education on a wide range of theatre topics is provided at the apprentice-only monthly meetings featuring guest speakers, and Apprentices will enjoy various opportunities for hands- on learning under the tutelage of knowledgeable, experienced mentors.

Membership in Twilight's Apprenticeship Company will focus on building an impressive body of well-rounded knowledge about theatre and developing skills and experiences that will help Apprentices land good jobs and admittance to colleges.
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Twilight Theatre Announces Workshops for Youth and Teens

2008-10-30T20:57:00.001-04:00

The Twilight Theatre and The Twilight Apprentice Company are excited to offer a Christmas workshop: Little Cosette and Father Christmas. Directed by Dana Spears with Music Director Barbara Zellner, this one-act play for teens and children was adapted by Adele Thane from Victor Hugo's Les Miserables.

Auditions for named parts is on Thursday, November 6th at 6:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Fayetteville, GA. This is a workshop. NO AUDITION IS REQUIRED for Villagers and Children (ensemble), but paid registration is required on Nov. 6th. Parts will be announced that night.

Parts are marked as L (large: many/several lines to learn) or S (few/no lines to learn).

Cast and suggested age range:

Must be Males
Henri Thenardier (villain) (age 14+) L
Schoolmaster (age 14+) L
Pierre Boulatruelle (age 13+) L
Wagoner (age 10+) S
Jean Valjean (age 14+) L

Must be Females
Madame Thenardier (age 12+) L
Ponin (age 8-12) L
Zelma (age 6-10) L
Cosette (age 8-12) L
Gypsy (age 14+) S

Male or Female (age-range flexible)
Juggler S (needs to juggle)
Clown L
Peddler 1 S
Peddler 2 S (acting, no lines)
Toy vendor L
Candy seller S (acting, no lines)
Villagers (ensemble)
Children (ensemble)

The fee for the workshop is $75 (includes all instruction, costumes, and production fees) and must be paid on Nov. 6th to hold your spot. Every actor will receive 2 free tickets to the performance on December 4.

Rehearsals will be on Thursday nights (beginning November 8) and Saturday mornings with no rehearsals the week of Thanksgiving.

Audition hints:
There will be a singing audition for Little Cosette only. Please be prepared to sing Castle on a Cloud from the Broadway musical Les Miserables if you are auditioning for Little Cosette.

To audition for all other named parts, be prepared to read from the script in front of the other students and their parents. We will have copies for you to study and use to prepare in the hall if you would like. You can look at the script that night to decide which parts interest you. Reading ability is less important than acting the role with energy and volume. We will not be using microphones in the performances, so volume is required.

This open-audition format (with an audience) is being used by theaters in Atlanta, so this will be great practice (which is what workshops are all about). Everyone who does not get a named part will be casted in the ensemble. Ensemble members are on the stage a lot (more than some of the named characters). Being in an ensemble is great experience. Remember that most Broadway stars started in the ensemble.

Please send this information to your friends who want to try theater. This is a fun and low-cost opportunity to learn what it's like to be on stage. The script is not "corny" as so many children's plays can be, but instead has the true flavor of the Victor Hugo book and will be a nice Christmas experience for your friends and family.

For more information, email Dana Spears at dana@thetwilighttheatre.com.

Anyone wanting to have an individual coaching and confidence-boosting session in preparation for the audition and/or a private voice lesson to prepare Castle on a Cloud can contact Alison Chambers for more information on times and cost at alison@thetwilighttheatre.com.
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Fayette Senior Services Premiers it's First Murder Mystery Theater Evening

2008-10-15T07:17:00.001-04:00

Fayette Senior Services invites the public to enjoy a "dinner and show" evening in their own Center Theater presenting "Some Show!" The October 23rd performance, 6 - 9 p.m. will include a prime rib dinner prepared by the Center's own Chef Todd Rossi. Tickets are $22.50 per person for members and $25 per person for non-members. Tickets may be purchased in advance at the Fayette Senior Services Center located at 4 Center Drive, Fayetteville. Cash or check is accepted. No tickets will be sold at the door.

"Some Show" is a murder mystery that starts out as a "talk show" about "talk shows" but gets heated with a few ego and personality clashes with guests that include the Vegas Lounge singing team of Shecky Scagnetti and Edie Buffet, new age guru Celeste Ethereal, home economist Phoebe St. Self and gossip columnist Gordon Bennet. Sure, it sounds like every other talk show. But, Phoebe turns up dead back-stage, "poisoned" by a "taineted wet-nap." Who would want to render Phoebe harm? Or is the question, who wouldn't? Can Nickie and Ricky solve the murder on the air and boost their ratings? Must the Show go on? Tune in and find out.

Fayette Senior Services is a non-profit organization that provides a wide variety of life-enhancing social, leisure and educational opportunities for older adults age 50 and better.

Since 1978, Fayette Senior Services has provided services to eligible older adults to improve their quality of life and foster independence. Our social services include: Meals on Wheels, Adult Day Care Referral Service, Information and Referrals, Transportation Services, In-Home Services, and Case Management.

For more information visit www.fayss.org or call Fayette Senior Services at 770-461-0813.
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Auditions for Children for CCCT’s Nuncrackers

2008-10-02T18:25:00.001-04:00

Carroll County Community Theatre has cast the adults for the holiday production of Nuncrackers: The Nunsense Christmas Musical by Dan Goggin. The cast is Becky Allen (Reverend Mother), Martie Abney (Mary Hubert), Liz Banks (Robert Ann), Heather Miller (Amnesia), and Bill Easterly (Father Virgil). CCCT still needs to cast children ages 8 to 14 and will hold an audition on Thursday, October 9 at 6 pm in the Theatre Rehearsal Room. All cast members are required to pay a $10 participation fee if cast. Children should bring a short song to sing acapella to the audition. This musical comedy is directed by Laurence Smith and Kathy Waldrop Production dates are December 4-6 at 7:30 and Sunday, December 7 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $10. Perusal scripts are available at the Art Center. Call 770-838-1083 or email plewis@carrollton-ga.gov for more information.
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Offshoot Productions Offers a Free Performance in Tyrone on October 16

2008-10-01T18:54:00.000-04:00

Offshoot Productions’ Gallery Players improvisation troupe, which is quickly gaining a loyal following, will perform at Tyrone’s Boxcar Café at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 16. This lively performance is entirely free of charge, as it is part of the Theatre Communications Group's national audience-development program, Free Night of Theatre.

Although there is no ticket cost, reservations are required and seating is limited. To reserve up to two tickets, visit Offshoot’s web site, www.offshoot.org. Scroll down for a link to Free Night of Theatre. Once you are on the Free Night web site, click “Find a Show.”

The Boxcar Café, where the theatre company has performed previously to full houses, is located at 865 Senoia Road, Tyrone, GA 30290. Beverages and desserts will be available for purchase.

The actors in Offshoot Productions’ Gallery Players—Elizabeth Clausen, Andy Fleming, Kristi Israel, Betty Mitchell, Paige Steadman and Joey Waldrop—bring a wide range of performing experience to the seemingly effortless improvisation they create for delighted audiences. Despite their different ages and backgrounds, they show an obvious mutual respect and delight in one another’s characters and antics. The director, Susan M. Steadman, Ph.D. has previously helmed an improv troupe in Michigan and has taught improvisation skills in workshops, classes, theatre festivals and conferences.

Each show is always different from preceding ones, depending upon audience input and the selection of scene formats from among dozens in the group’s repertoire. Examples? Well, how about a scene in which each line has to begin with the subsequent letter of the alphabet? (And the audience gets to blow the whistle—literally—when an actor slips up.) Or a dating game in which the audience assigns different characters (real or fictional, from Cleopatra to Orphan Annie) to the women competing for a guy? Like variety? Watch the actors turn an everyday scene into a Shakespearean tragedy, science fiction, situation comedy and more.

For additional information on the Gallery Players, contact Offshoot Productions at (770) 631-2362 or offshootp@aol.com. For general information on the Free Night program, go to http://www.freenightoftheater.net/. To reach Tyrone’s Boxcar Café, call (770) 486-8931.

Offshoot Productions is the longest running professional theatre on the Southside.
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Kedron Receives Target Grant for Children’s Theater

2008-10-01T12:46:00.001-04:00

Students at Kedron Elementary are going to star in their own full-scale musical, complete with professional sets and costumes, thanks to the generosity of Target.

Fifth grade teacher Carla Zonneveld was instrumental in helping Kedron receive a $5,000 Target grant to bring the Missoula Children’s Theater to the school in 2009. The grant will fund the weeklong residency of two professional actors/directors who arrive in town with all the costumes, props and sets necessary for a full-scale musical production. The only thing missing is the cast, which is where the students become involved.

The week begins with a casting call on where 50-60 students are selected to fill the roles of a popular children’s story that has been adapted to a musical. Other students will serve as backstage directors, helping with the curtains and lighting and making sure that the actors enter the stage on cue. By Saturday, after a week of intensive rehearsals involving memorizing lines, learning songs and practicing choreography, the students put on two public performances. Tickets are sold to the community for both performances with the school keeping all of the proceeds, which will be used to bring the theatrical group back to the school the following year.

“Bringing a program to a school that will make a lasting impact on some of its students is not difficult, but introducing one that will change the lives of an entire school community is nearly impossible,” say Zonneveld.

This grant is part of ongoing efforts by Target to strengthen families and communities throughout the country. Since opening its doors, Target has given 5 percent of its income to organizations that support education, the arts, social services and volunteerism. Today, that translates into more than $3 million every week.

Zonneveld says the Missoula Children’s Theater experience will give students the confidence and skills they need to be effective students while instilling important character traits that they will use for the rest of their lives.

“I have witnessed first-hand the effect this type of training can have on a large group of children. As my daughter attended rehearsals after school, I began to see the whole group changing. By performance day, I was in awe of the talent being displayed with complete confidence. Even the youngest children had developed the discipline and demeanor of seasoned performers,” says Zonneveld.

Schools can apply for Target grants between March 1 and May 31 of each year. Target funds arts programs that bring the arts to schools or make it affordable for youth and families to participate in cultural experiences such as touring programs, field trips to the theater or symphony or artist in residencies and workshops in schools.

“I hope that with the generous support of this grant we will be able to start a tradition of showcasing the arts in our community and changing the lives of many generations of Kedron Knights to come,” says Zonneveld.
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Lacuna Group to Perform Coriolanus

2008-09-30T09:22:00.000-04:00

Coriolanus, by William Shakespeare, will be performed by Lacuna Group on Saturday, October 25, and Sunday, October 26, in the Greenville Street Park in downtown Newnan. Both performances start at 3:00 p.m. There is no admission charge, and the group will host a pre-show talk at 2:30.

Lacuna Group, a local theatre collaborative, will perform Shakespeare’s complex political thriller with an all-male cast of ten, doubling and tripling roles as the play progresses.

“We played around in the park last weekend to see how we would need to adapt our performance to the space,” said Dale Lyles, member of the group. “We realized we needed to make a lot of changes, but we also came up with a list of recommendations for our audience, since this is a new experience for all of us.”

Those audience suggestions include bringing seating (chairs or blankets), sunglasses, and “a hat with a brim to keep the sun out of your eyes,” said Lyles. Sunscreen would probably be a good idea as well. There are no restrooms in the park. There will be one intermission.

Since it is outdoors, the play also presents a listening challenge to the audience.

“We were surprised at how good the acoustics are,” Lyles said, “but the fact is that we’re always competing with outside noises, traffic, birds, passersby. The audience will have no problem hearing us, but I think listening is different from hearing, and Shakespeare always demands a different kind of listening than other performances. Our audience is going to find itself paying attention just like the groundlings did 400 years ago.”

The Tragedy of Coriolanus tells the story of Caius Martius, a Roman general who is always successful on the battlefield. However, when his overbearing mother pushes him to stand for consul, the highest magistracy in Rome, he cannot hide his disdain for the common people. The tribunes lure him into betraying himself with his own anger, and the people banish him. He then seeks out his great opponent, Aufidius, and offers his services as a general to Rome’s enemies.

“This is one of those Shakespeare plays that many people have never heard of, and fewer have read,” said Lyles. “However, that doesn’t make it a ‘hard’ play to understand. In fact, I think people will be shocked at how contemporary the play feels, especially with an election of our own coming up. I’m betting that people are going to accuse us of translating or inserting passages, but every word is four centuries old. People are just people, and politics are politics, for good or bad, and William Shakespeare was the master at portraying them.”

Cast members include Jeff Allen, John Bilon, Jeff Bishop, Dan Coleman, Marc Honea, Greg Lee, Dale Lyles, Kevin McInturff, Andrew Stroud, and Scott Stroud.
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Twilight Apprenticeship Company Accepting Applications for Innovative New Program!

2008-09-21T12:20:00.001-04:00

The Twilight Theatre is now accepting applications for the new Twilight Apprenticeship Company. Operating on a school-year calendar, the Apprenticeship Company will provide students in grades 6 to 12 opportunities to learn about various aspects of theatre from hands-on involvement, networking with experts at monthly meetings, and working under the tutelage of knowledgeable mentors.

The Apprenticeship Company will operate under the direction of Dana Spears. We recently interviewed Ms. Spears about her vision and plans.

FFP: You came up with the idea for the Twilight Apprenticeship Company -
Where did the idea come from?

DS: I’m a child development specialist and through my work and reading I’ve discovered that preteens and teens need mentoring to help them explore career options and to come to better understand their own gifts and abilities. Just at the age when they need to be thinking about the transition to adulthood, some become stuck in adolescence. Their peers encourage them to see adults as the enemy when they desperately need adult role models in their areas of interest. Athletes sometimes get this kind of mentoring. Creative kids too often do not. I want to be sure that my children and the youth I know are coming in contact with adults who have talent and maturity, and are getting encouragement from them. I’ve met some wonderful adults through The Twilight Theatre who have great insight to offer into the creative process.

FFP: You have acted, directed musicals and workshops, costumed (you and your daughters Anna Kate and Maggie have singlehandedly created Twilight's costume closet). Why the venture into something different?

DS: My professional and volunteer activities have usually been with kids. I’ve been a counselor for children and families for many years and have written a book about creative, ”Dreamer” kids. I’m also a youth ministry volunteer and Cub Scout leader. When my children became interested in theater, I jumped in with them, both to be sure I knew what was going on in their lives and to support their dreams. Like most community theater groups, Twilight offers lots of opportunities to volunteer and perform. The Apprenticeship Company offers me a chance to combine my interest in youth with my love of theater.

FFP: Have you always been interested in theatre?

DS: I was a dancer first. I started acting at about age ten with a children’s theater company. I continued doing musical theater in high school. In youth ministry, I wrote skits and performed all the crazy roles. I’ve been a professor and public speaker in the years since. Twilight got me back onto the stage starting with “Annie.”

FFP: What do you do other than theatre/in your spare time?

DS: As I mentioned, I do a lot of volunteer work. I am in private practice as a counselor with A New Start Counseling Center, and I home school my three children. I like to invest my time in people. I’m good at starting things and helping others. Unfortunately, maintenance tasks like housekeeping tend to fall by the wayside. I also watch a lot of old movies, mostly musicals.

FFP: What areas of theatre do you hope to offer as options for education
and experience?

DS: Youth will learn sound and light, plus choreography, directing, costume and set design, and administration. Adults with specific areas of giftedness will mentor students in these different areas. We aren’t looking for actors only. Students with technical interests won’t be required to act if they prefer to work behind the scenes. For those who are career-minded, the technical jobs are a lot more numerous than the acting jobs. Learning to do both can give an actor a more stable career and variety in their work.

FFP: Tell me about opportunities this program offers for adults.

DS: Adults who want to support community theater through Twilight, but don’t have time to work on show after show, can train students to take over the tasks they’ve been doing. Also, adults with untapped talents can come alongside these kids to help them follow their dreams. A small amount of supervision, encouragement, and accountability is often all that’s needed to help a student step up and succeed. We’ll also need one-time speakers to come in to our monthly meetings and discuss their areas of expertise.

FFP: Why do you think this program is important?

DS: How long do you have? As I’ve already mentioned, individual mentoring is critical in helping students transition to adulthood. Also, theater kids enjoy getting together. As a director, I’ve learned that they want to talk. If they have opportunities to socialize beyond rehearsals (when they need to be quiet) they can be more focused when the curtain goes up. So we’ll have social events and field trips to shows in addition to the monthly meetings. Creative kids often feel alone and weird because they think differently and have different interests that a lot of their peers. They need to learn that they aren’t alone and that’s it can be good to be different. I remember being at a cast party and seeing teens gathered around a piano singing show tunes…not a typical teen party, but a very positive way to spend an evening. I want to help youth see the positive and put aside the competition with one another to work as a team.

FFP: How can students become a part of this program?

DS: Apprentices are accepted based on their application, 1 personal reference, 1 theatre/arts reference, and an interview. The interview is NOT an audition, but an opportunity for applicants to show their enthusiasm, their eagerness to learn, their willingness to listen, and their commitment to the program. Applications and reference forms are available for download at www.TheTwilightTheatre.com/Apprenticeship.html. Due to scheduling difficulties among members of the selection committee, the deadline for applications has been extended to Monday, September 29, 2008. Once the complete application packet is received, applicants will be notified and an interview date and time scheduled.

FFP: Thank you, Dana. We look forward to hearing more as this innovative, worthwhile program takes off.

DS: Thank you, too. We’ll definitely keep you posted.

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Theatre Sells Costumes and More on September 12 and 13

2008-09-01T18:38:00.000-04:00

Fayette County based Offshoot Productions is holding a sale of hundreds of costumes pieces as well as front-of-house items and small props on Friday, September 12 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and Saturday, September 13, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. The sale will take place at the Peachtree City home of artistic director Susan M. Steadman, Ph.D.

Costumes, mostly in adult and teen sizes, include various period pieces, animals, fantasy creatures and children’s story characters. In addition, material, small props and front-of-house equipment such as brochure holders, lanterns, tablecloths and storage bins will be available.

The goal is to consolidate belongings and make available to other performing arts groups and individuals much of what the company has accumulated in its 15 seasons.

For additional information and directions, contact Offshoot at (770) 631-2362 or offshootpr@aol.com
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Offshoot Seeks Actor for Murder Mystery

2008-09-01T17:32:00.000-04:00

Offshoot Productions is looking for an actor, late 20s to mid-30s, to fill the role of Toby in Rehearsal for Murder. The actor needs to be quick study with some improvisation background and a flexible schedule. Performances are on an occasional basis in restaurants and other intimate settings.

The play takes place at a regional audition, where Toby, an actor, finds himself trapped in a freight elevator with a off-kilter director and a lovely aspiring actress. He is a flirt and an egotist, but not without talent.

Interested actors should contact the Offshoot office at (770) 631-2362 or offshootpr@aol.com to set up an audition appointment. Please note that stipends are paid for each performance, and that most rehearsals and performances are in Fayette County.
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Gallery Players Return to Gallery Row on September 7

2008-08-30T21:26:00.000-04:00

After an audience-pleasing initial performance at the Gallery Row coffee shop in Peachtree City, the Gallery Players improvisation troupe is set to return on Sunday evening, September 7.

This Offshoot Productions ensemble features diverse actors ranging in age from twenties to fifties and with a variety of backgrounds in theatre and music. Rehearsals and several performances have enabled the Players to develop into a cohesive and very funny troupe. Actors include Elizabeth Clausen, Andy Fleming, Kristi Israel, Betty Mitchell, Paige Steadman and Joey Waldrop, all of whom have appeared in previous Offshoot shows over the years.

The director, Susan M. Steadman, has staged nearly 70 productions for professional, alternative, community and university theatres. While establishing the first theatre program at the University of Michigan, Dearborn, she led a popular improvisation troupe and has widely taught improvisation techniques. A Dramatists Guild member and produced playwright, she has also authored many publications on theatrical literature and practice. She holds a Ph.D. in Theatre from Louisiana State University.

Gallery Row’s Peachtree City location is 1255 North Peachtree Parkway, in the Kedron shopping center. A $10 cover charge, which may be paid at the door, includes complimentary coffee, with mouth-watering desserts available for purchase. Reservations are suggested.

Contact Offshoot Productions for details and reservations at (770) 631-2362 or offshootpr@aol.com. To learn more about Offshoot, the longest-running professional theatre on the Southside, visit www.offshoot.org.
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Fun and Creative Workshop for the Youngest Performers... Little Ones Production Shop~ Little Red Riding Hood

2008-08-15T17:47:00.001-04:00

One of FCFT's most popular shops are our "Production Shops" were participants actually get to design costumes and sets and work toward the presentation of a show for an invited audience. Our entry level Production Shop is the "Little Ones Production Shop" for ages 5 to 8 years of age. Our next session of this popular shop will be September 23, 24 and 25 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. each evening. The shop will be producing the narrated 15-minute play "Little Red Riding Hood" which will be presented to family and friends at 7:15 p.m. on Wednesday, September 24. This shop requires no prior theatrical experience or memorization and all who register are assured of a role in the show. Registration fee is $90.00 and preregistration is required. Shop is limited to a total of twelve participants. To register call 770-599-0051 or visit www.fcft.net/Shops
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FCFT's Dinner Theatre Production "Twelve Angry Men"

2008-08-15T17:20:00.001-04:00

Mark you calendars for a spectacular evening or afternoon of delicious food and powerful theatre, as FCFT brings to the stage the Reginald Rose classic jury room drama~ "Twelve Angry Men." This three act dramatic masterpiece plays like a bullet across the stage and will have audiences on the edge of their seats throughout the entire show. Join 12 amazing male actors as the jury room explodes with passion and male energy.

A young Hispanic man is on trial for the murder of his father, and what seems to be an open and shut cast, soon becomes a mix of opinions, prejudices and reasonable doubts.

Presented in the intimate venue of the Fayette YMCA Lodge House Blackbox Theatre at 215 Huiet Road in Fayetteville, this production promises to grab you and not let go!

Show Only Performances (Only $10~ Reservations Highly Suggested)
Thursday, September 11 at 7:30 p.m. and Friday, September 19 at 7:30 p.m.

Dinner Theatre Performances ($22 General / $20 under 13 and Seniors)
Dinner Productions~ Reservations A MUST!
(Entire tables that seat 8 are available for $150.00 ~ Tables MUST be prepaid in the form of 1 check prior to show date.)
Friday, September 11 ~ Dinner 6:30 p.m. / Show 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 12 ~ Dinner at 6:30 p.m. / Show at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, September 13 ~ Dinner at 1:30 p.m. / Show at 2:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 20~ Dinner at 6:30 p.m. / Show at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, September 21 ~ Dinner at 1:30 p.m. / Show at 2:30 p.m.

Catered Menu for Dinner Theatre Performances
Mixed Salad w/dressing
Hot Roles
Barbecue Chicken
Home made Macaroni and Cheese
Seasoned Green Beans
Tea, Coffee, Lemonade, Ice Water
Assorted Desserts

Don't miss this opportunity to see a magnificent production and share a tasty meal. To make reservations call 770-251-7611 or through the e-mail link at www.fcft.net/TwelveAngryMen.

FCFT rates this production PG for intense situations.
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