Okay so my short term memory loss is really kicking in today. Alexis started on the Tech weekend of Annie Get Your Gun. The show had Audra Hall flying through the air upside down on a trapeze. I knew there was a symmetry between flying actors in both shows. Alexis has been here for 3 June musicals- Annie Get Your Gun, Beauty and the Beast, and Anything Goes.
The most recent newsletter from the American Association of Community theatres just had an article called how to work with different kinds of people. In it they identify people as Dominators, Influencers, Correctors and Stabilizers. Alexis self identified herself as a corrector. A person who is very detail oriented and wants to make sure that the facts are correct. She didn't want to post my last blog on the MHT Facebook page with incorrect information. That's why I have valued her work at MHT. She has kept me on my toes and tried her best to keep me from putting out incorrect information.
According to the AACT article my style of personality is the Stabilizer. I work on getting groups of people involved in a production and being the glue that holds it all together. Right now I'm running like crazy up and down a line of spinning plates on top of sticks trying to keep them all in place.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Thursday May 28
The board of directors met last night and approved the slate of candidates for the next fiscal year which begins July 1. All Officers are nominated for a 1 year term. Cindy Miller was nominated as President, Heather Dorr was nominated for a second term as Vice President, Wendy Kester was nominated for a second term as Secretary, Scott Taylor was nominated for a third term as Treasurer, and Renie Barger was nominated as Past President. Nominees for a 3 term as director were Denise Bristol, Pam Benzing, Sid Hancock, and Heather Overby. Continuing on the board are Bobbie Allen, Chip Bohle, Sarah Bynum, Ann Counts, and Jennifer Hughes. Completing their board terms and retiring from the board are Randy Davis, Mary Jean Grief, and Past President Valerie Pollard.
We still have a month to go in the current year but President Renie Barger has done a great job of leading the organization during a difficult year with the economy downturn. She and Past President Valerie Pollard have given the theatre a solid foundation in which we move forward into next year and they deserve a great deal of thanks for all their hard work. Valerie has served as the Special Events chair for a couple of years now and has really worked hard to come up with great events and raise money for the theatre's ongoing operations. Randy Davis and Mary Jean Grief have been involved with the theatre for over 3 years and they have helped design and coordinate the Holiday Home Tour and several other events.
Being on the board of directors is accepting a challenge to work behind the scenes without a lot of fanfare to sustain MHT and to help chart a course for the future. The theatre owes a lot of its success to these hard working volunteers from the community who give 3-7 years of service to the theatre. Valerie Pollard who will be retiring from the board after 7 years has been a huge source of inspiration and dedication to the theatre in her tireless work to raise funds and promote MHT. She will be missed on the board however she has graciously promised to continue to help out with several committees as a non board member.
MHT has lots of challenges facing us next year and lots of opportunities. Nominated board member Denise Bristol has served on the play selection committee for several years, stage managed 2-3 shows each season, and helped with fundraising events and other volunteer needs at the theatre. Denise works at the Houseman Law Firm. Pam Benzing has a daughter Rachel who has acted in several MHT youth productions and last year Pam stepped onstage in Anything Goes last year. Pam works for Computer Services Inc. Syd Hancock served on the MHT board several years ago and has a daughter Meg, who takes Footlights classes and has acted in several MHT youth productions. Syd has coordinated several big events for Clark Elementary and other non-profits in Paducah. Heather Overby got involved at MHT when her daughter Shelbe joined Footlights and performed in several youth productions. Heather works at Paducah Power System and she and her husband have volunteered at MHT over the past couple of years.
The Wizard of Oz has slowly become the biggest technical challenge in my history at the theatre. Jim Keeney yesterday joked that he now looked back at Beauty and the Beast as a much easier show. Beauty and the Beast had been the theatre's most expensive show. Wizard will surpass that. We ran Act Two twice last night. The back stage area is a constantly shifting staging area for the scenery that moves on and off the stage. I intentionally cast a limited number of actors because of the small stage and the cost of costuming lots of actors. However that means people are constantly changing costumes, makeup while the sets are constantly changing. This means a large crew to run the show. I think this is the largest crew in my memory for a play. Lights, sound, follow spots, digital projection operation, 3 floor crew and a stage manager. In the space of 3 scenes we move from the witches castle with several scenic pieces where the witch melts in front of the winkie guards, to the next scene of the Wizards chamber with lots of smoke and effects to the main square of Oz with a large balloon that flies out followed immediately by Glinda making her appearance with her machines that create her entrance. The winkies all have to change costumes and makeup to become Ozians during the Wizard chamber scene and be onstage at the start of the Oz town square scene.
Jim and I left about 2 hours after rehearsal ended last night after talking through several changes in the scenery and working with Sarah Cathcart who is designing the makeup for the characters.
Long days and long nights and it will only get longer. Two days until tech rehearsal which means everything an actor touches has to be in place. It doesn't have to be totally finished painting etc but has to be workable. We open 1 week from today.
Just in case I don't have a chance to blog tomorrow I want to note that this Friday is Alexis Davis's last day. It is somehow fitting that Alexis started work at MHT on the tech weekend of the most difficult show we had ever produced (Beauty and the Beast)and will be leaving us on the tech weekend for the newest version of the most difficult show the theatre has ever produced (Wizard of Oz). We will miss her a great deal. It's been great having her as a part of the MHT family. Alexis you always have friends in Paducah! Come back to visit us often.
We still have a month to go in the current year but President Renie Barger has done a great job of leading the organization during a difficult year with the economy downturn. She and Past President Valerie Pollard have given the theatre a solid foundation in which we move forward into next year and they deserve a great deal of thanks for all their hard work. Valerie has served as the Special Events chair for a couple of years now and has really worked hard to come up with great events and raise money for the theatre's ongoing operations. Randy Davis and Mary Jean Grief have been involved with the theatre for over 3 years and they have helped design and coordinate the Holiday Home Tour and several other events.
Being on the board of directors is accepting a challenge to work behind the scenes without a lot of fanfare to sustain MHT and to help chart a course for the future. The theatre owes a lot of its success to these hard working volunteers from the community who give 3-7 years of service to the theatre. Valerie Pollard who will be retiring from the board after 7 years has been a huge source of inspiration and dedication to the theatre in her tireless work to raise funds and promote MHT. She will be missed on the board however she has graciously promised to continue to help out with several committees as a non board member.
MHT has lots of challenges facing us next year and lots of opportunities. Nominated board member Denise Bristol has served on the play selection committee for several years, stage managed 2-3 shows each season, and helped with fundraising events and other volunteer needs at the theatre. Denise works at the Houseman Law Firm. Pam Benzing has a daughter Rachel who has acted in several MHT youth productions and last year Pam stepped onstage in Anything Goes last year. Pam works for Computer Services Inc. Syd Hancock served on the MHT board several years ago and has a daughter Meg, who takes Footlights classes and has acted in several MHT youth productions. Syd has coordinated several big events for Clark Elementary and other non-profits in Paducah. Heather Overby got involved at MHT when her daughter Shelbe joined Footlights and performed in several youth productions. Heather works at Paducah Power System and she and her husband have volunteered at MHT over the past couple of years.
The Wizard of Oz has slowly become the biggest technical challenge in my history at the theatre. Jim Keeney yesterday joked that he now looked back at Beauty and the Beast as a much easier show. Beauty and the Beast had been the theatre's most expensive show. Wizard will surpass that. We ran Act Two twice last night. The back stage area is a constantly shifting staging area for the scenery that moves on and off the stage. I intentionally cast a limited number of actors because of the small stage and the cost of costuming lots of actors. However that means people are constantly changing costumes, makeup while the sets are constantly changing. This means a large crew to run the show. I think this is the largest crew in my memory for a play. Lights, sound, follow spots, digital projection operation, 3 floor crew and a stage manager. In the space of 3 scenes we move from the witches castle with several scenic pieces where the witch melts in front of the winkie guards, to the next scene of the Wizards chamber with lots of smoke and effects to the main square of Oz with a large balloon that flies out followed immediately by Glinda making her appearance with her machines that create her entrance. The winkies all have to change costumes and makeup to become Ozians during the Wizard chamber scene and be onstage at the start of the Oz town square scene.
Jim and I left about 2 hours after rehearsal ended last night after talking through several changes in the scenery and working with Sarah Cathcart who is designing the makeup for the characters.
Long days and long nights and it will only get longer. Two days until tech rehearsal which means everything an actor touches has to be in place. It doesn't have to be totally finished painting etc but has to be workable. We open 1 week from today.
Just in case I don't have a chance to blog tomorrow I want to note that this Friday is Alexis Davis's last day. It is somehow fitting that Alexis started work at MHT on the tech weekend of the most difficult show we had ever produced (Beauty and the Beast)and will be leaving us on the tech weekend for the newest version of the most difficult show the theatre has ever produced (Wizard of Oz). We will miss her a great deal. It's been great having her as a part of the MHT family. Alexis you always have friends in Paducah! Come back to visit us often.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Hell Week
As we enter the final week of prep for the show opening (known by most in the theatre as Hell Week) there are a tremendous amount of hours that have to get put in to make things happen. Some things are coming together quickly and still with agonizing slowness at the same time. Yesterday I spent 2 hours designing the large head that will be the Wizard's in the Wizard's chamber. It is a series of layers that form a head that has to be human like and yet mechanical. The same was true for a portcullis (the entry arch for a castle) which is outside the Witches castle. As I designed the arch it needed to fit the opening that we have. Be recognizable for what it is and yet be dream like at the same time. Generally if you look closely most of the design elements contain some symbols that relate to other things. There is an a series of sharp angles above the portcullis which when looked at abstractly is a series of w's. (Wicked Witch West). I don't know how many people will catch that but it is there. The Wizards mechanical head has a massive brow and elements that when looked at symbolically have elements of being a turban which the professor wears in Kansas when Dorothy runs away. For the forest that we find the tin man and the cowardly lion I have chosen a more tropical feel to them because it is an exotic land to Dorothy. As we re-create the scenery for this play I'm constantly aware of the conceptual foundation that all of Oz is a dream world that has elements of real life.
We currently have several volunteers onstage all helping to create the scenery. Denise Bohle is bringing her painting talents to the Munchkinland walls and borders and her daughter Leah has been down to help with painting as well. Aaron Spoden has been here since getting out of college for the summer helping to base coat walls and cut out trees and bushes. Yesterday (Memorial Day) we worked all day with the help of Chris Schnarr to build the mechanism that will make Glinda appear. Some of these design ideas start out in my head as visual images that have to move in certain ways. If you saw me working on the Glinda design you would have seen me sitting at a table with my hands pretending to hold round balls that moved through the air in arcs and the created a ball from two side in the center. It's almost like an illusionist creating a magic trick. As my hands move I'm watching a movie in my head of what it would look like onstage in real size.
Last night we worked from the haunted forest to the witch melting. During and after the rehearsal on the main stage the dancers in the jitterbug scene led by Katy Miller worked for almost two hours on perfecting the intricate dance moves of the song. Everyone walked out of rehearsal having put in lots of hard work. One of the dancers said she had just burned off the whole plate of cheese fries she ate right before the rehearsal.
This show is a true community effort. In the old Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland movies they would say "Hey let's put on a show!" Then they would have a fabulous event that only Hollywood could dream of. With over 50 people involved in the creation of the Wizard of Oz- this is truly a community endeavor that will make people proud of for years to come. It may be "hell week" but the payoff is can be heavenly when it all comes together.
We currently have several volunteers onstage all helping to create the scenery. Denise Bohle is bringing her painting talents to the Munchkinland walls and borders and her daughter Leah has been down to help with painting as well. Aaron Spoden has been here since getting out of college for the summer helping to base coat walls and cut out trees and bushes. Yesterday (Memorial Day) we worked all day with the help of Chris Schnarr to build the mechanism that will make Glinda appear. Some of these design ideas start out in my head as visual images that have to move in certain ways. If you saw me working on the Glinda design you would have seen me sitting at a table with my hands pretending to hold round balls that moved through the air in arcs and the created a ball from two side in the center. It's almost like an illusionist creating a magic trick. As my hands move I'm watching a movie in my head of what it would look like onstage in real size.
Last night we worked from the haunted forest to the witch melting. During and after the rehearsal on the main stage the dancers in the jitterbug scene led by Katy Miller worked for almost two hours on perfecting the intricate dance moves of the song. Everyone walked out of rehearsal having put in lots of hard work. One of the dancers said she had just burned off the whole plate of cheese fries she ate right before the rehearsal.
This show is a true community effort. In the old Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland movies they would say "Hey let's put on a show!" Then they would have a fabulous event that only Hollywood could dream of. With over 50 people involved in the creation of the Wizard of Oz- this is truly a community endeavor that will make people proud of for years to come. It may be "hell week" but the payoff is can be heavenly when it all comes together.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Busy Saturday
Saturday began with a 7 am run to the grocery store to get water and ice for MHT volunteers at the Lower Town Art and Music Festival. Over 20 volunteers worked in 3 hour shifts to help serve food for the Buzzard Brothers and help MHT raise money to help with operating costs. A crew of volunteers helped setup on Friday for the weekend event. The first shift started at 9:30 am Saturday and the last shift ended at 10 pm.
While the Lower Town activity was going on MHT had the final performances of the Footlights troupes for the year. The High School troupe performed a comedy improv show in the studio theatre at 11 a.m. The elementary troupe performed 2 shows in the afternoon at 2 p.m. and 2:50 p.m. in the studio theatre. By the end of the day just under one hundred people participated in some type of MHT activity and over 200 people attended as audience members.
In addition to all that Wizard of Oz choreographer Katy Miller was working with individual performers to brush up their dance moves in preparation for the June 4th opening of the Wizard of Oz.
I wrapped up the day about midnight last night after working on marketing materials for the Wizard of Oz show opening.
Today the Lower Town festival will have 2 shifts of workers and the elementary footlights troupe presents a performance at 2 p.m. Katy will work with dancers again this afternoon and more work will be done on the set and props for Wizard of Oz. On Memorial Day the work doesn't slow down as there is a full day of painting and building and then rehearsal in the evening. We open in 12 days!
Friday, May 22, 2009
Post Oz rehearsal
Last night we ran through Act One of Wizard of Oz. Tonight we worked scenes 1-5 of Act Two. We spent about 1 1/2 hours on the Merry Old Land of Oz dance. We are working with theMTpit to provide the music for the show. They sent a final version of the music without the cuts that Doug Arnold (Musical Director) and I had requested. This has made for a difficult transition. We have opted to cut out a couple of sections of music because our stage is small. Telling the dancers to freeze in place while a section of dance music plays and then pick back up again is very difficult. After the rehearsal tonight I took publicity photos of the witch, Dorothy, scarecrow, tin man, and cowardly lion. Since this was the first time the characters had tried on costumes it was a matter of trying to figure out how the hood for the scarecrow covered his hair and not his face. but we ultimately figured it out.
Each day seems like it is so long from 8 am to when I walk out the door at 11pm each night. Marsha Cash is at home recovering from some surgery she had last weekend. Alexis has been sick all week but has been in to work every day. Everyone is trying to pitch in to help each other out. Alexis's final day is next Friday. I really will be sad to see her go. I know the entire staff feels that way to. She has made a wonderful contribution to the theatre and is wonderful person to get to know personally as well. Because of getting the Wizard of Oz ready I'm often out of the office most of the day. When Marsha is gone that leaves Alexis in the box office by herself most of the day as other staff members run in and out. The job of box office manager is not an easy job. Alexis has done a great job running the box office at MHT. As she starts her last week we wish her lots of success as she moves into a new level of her career and we hope that she keeps in touch.
The Lowertown festival kicks off tomorrow. Tonight Jim Keeney, Chip Bohle, Bobbie Allen, and Renie Barger all went to help the Buzzard brothers setup for tomorrow. Our first crew starts work at 9:30 am tomorrow. We have 3 hours shifts of MHT volunteers all day long Saturday and Sunday. High School improv has a show tomorrow at 11am, the elementary age troupe will present 2 shows of the musical Character Matters tomorrow afternoon for family and friends. Katy Miller has called a dance rehearsal for 1 pm Sat. and Sun. for the Wizard cast. Jim and I will be working on the sets and lights all weekend. There is a great deal going on behind the scenes of the theatre at the present time.
Each day seems like it is so long from 8 am to when I walk out the door at 11pm each night. Marsha Cash is at home recovering from some surgery she had last weekend. Alexis has been sick all week but has been in to work every day. Everyone is trying to pitch in to help each other out. Alexis's final day is next Friday. I really will be sad to see her go. I know the entire staff feels that way to. She has made a wonderful contribution to the theatre and is wonderful person to get to know personally as well. Because of getting the Wizard of Oz ready I'm often out of the office most of the day. When Marsha is gone that leaves Alexis in the box office by herself most of the day as other staff members run in and out. The job of box office manager is not an easy job. Alexis has done a great job running the box office at MHT. As she starts her last week we wish her lots of success as she moves into a new level of her career and we hope that she keeps in touch.
The Lowertown festival kicks off tomorrow. Tonight Jim Keeney, Chip Bohle, Bobbie Allen, and Renie Barger all went to help the Buzzard brothers setup for tomorrow. Our first crew starts work at 9:30 am tomorrow. We have 3 hours shifts of MHT volunteers all day long Saturday and Sunday. High School improv has a show tomorrow at 11am, the elementary age troupe will present 2 shows of the musical Character Matters tomorrow afternoon for family and friends. Katy Miller has called a dance rehearsal for 1 pm Sat. and Sun. for the Wizard cast. Jim and I will be working on the sets and lights all weekend. There is a great deal going on behind the scenes of the theatre at the present time.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
The Secret Life of Oz
My brain is swimming from all the activity lately. Secret Life has been on break and will resume on Saturday. In the meantime The Wizard of Oz is in high gear. We have only one scene left to stage in the show and because I'm missing so many people tonight with the Tilghman Honors program I had to cancel rehearsal tonight and try to stage it tomorrow when we review Act Two.
We made our final orchestration cuts last night. The orchestration has long sections for large stages and in some of the scene changes we don't need as much music to cover the change. Although we have a tremendous amount of choreography in the show we are also cutting a few measures here and there to tighten up the dance sequences. I'm also not a big believer in doing reprises of big songs as an encore unless it helps to further the plot so we have trimmed a few of the big company songs where we can.
The biggest addition to the show is the Jitterbug dance number. It is a high energy dance number that is supposed to tire out Dorothy and the Scarecrow, Tinman, and Lion so the flying monkey's can easily steal Dorothy away. Watching the number the other night -I think most people would agree that the characters won't have to embellish their heavy breathing when the number is done! Of course keeping he Jitterbug makes me worry that the show's running time will be longer and then I worry about how long an act runs, etc. etc... Right now I'm just in the worry mode about everything. I envy Directors who aren't trying to design the sets and lights and props, marketing the show, and keep everything else going while they work on a show. Some day I when I grow up I want to just direct a play. But then I would probably be bored and complain and worry about that too!
The schools are making rehearsals very difficult at the moment! With choir concerts, recitals, and honors programs, along with graduation all rescheduled at the last minute, I'm having to do lots of scrambling in the rehearsals.
MHT's Box Office Manager Alexis Davis will be leaving us at the end of this month. She has taken a new position as Box Office and Patron Club Coordinator for Southern Illinois University at Carbondale Event Services. This will be a big career move up for Alexis and we all wish her the very best and hope that she keeps in touch! Alexis has been with MHT for 3 years almost to the date! Marsha Cash who is the Business Manager of the theatre will take over Box Office management. Marsha has filled this position a couple of times before in the theatre history. Rhiannon Dodds our Box Office Assistant will be working more hours on a weekly basis to help as well.
MHT's board has been busy this past week as well. Tuesday we had a budget meeting trying to work out the final budget for next year. Wednesday the Trustee committee met and reviewed the theatre's present operations and challenges and gave their input on how to address the theatre's long term goals. The trustee committee is an invaluable tool for the MHT board of Directors and for me personally in getting community leaders from several areas to offer their advice to help MHT.
Prospective Board Members are being interviewed by the Nominations committee and a slate for next year will be presented at the May Board of Directors Meeting.
Lots of exciting things are happening behind the scenes.
One of the questions that was asked of me the other day was is required of a Board Member at MHT? Some things change each year as the board faces different challenges and responsibilities. However the basic requirements are to be at least a $100 member each year. Board members must have season tickets to the main stage shows and make an attempt to see at least one of the Youth productions each year. They help develop, and coordinate fundraising events at the theatre. Sometimes the board will decide that board members sell tickets to fundraising events. Board members often purchase tickets to the fundraising events as well as working them. Board members help with the annual fund drive that is held during the year by identifying prospective donors, writing letters and making phone calls to current donors and past donors. The board as a whole meets once a month generally on the 4th Wednesday of the month and committees meet as needed. Board members set the theatre policy and discuss issues related the mission and values of the theatre. Many board members chair a committee. You don't have to be a board member to serve on theatre committees! However some committees such as Nomination are filled with all board members because of our by-laws. Board committees include Finance, Property, Nomination, Volunteer Appreciation and Resources, Play Selection, and others as needed. Board members serve anywhere from a 1 to 3 year term with 1/3 of the board up for election each year. Board members can only serve a maximum of two- 3 year terms and then they must take a 3 year term off. When the nomination committee looks for prospective board members they generally start by looking for people who make an annual financial contribution to the theatre, attend many of the plays and events, and have a passion for the theatre. Prospective board members are also people who bring different types of perspectives to the theatre board- business leaders, parents of youth involved, legal and financial experience, and marketing experience.
The MHT board is a wonderful hardworking group of people who often are the unsung heroes behind the scenes that work tirelessly to improve and support the mission of MHT in our community.
We made our final orchestration cuts last night. The orchestration has long sections for large stages and in some of the scene changes we don't need as much music to cover the change. Although we have a tremendous amount of choreography in the show we are also cutting a few measures here and there to tighten up the dance sequences. I'm also not a big believer in doing reprises of big songs as an encore unless it helps to further the plot so we have trimmed a few of the big company songs where we can.
The biggest addition to the show is the Jitterbug dance number. It is a high energy dance number that is supposed to tire out Dorothy and the Scarecrow, Tinman, and Lion so the flying monkey's can easily steal Dorothy away. Watching the number the other night -I think most people would agree that the characters won't have to embellish their heavy breathing when the number is done! Of course keeping he Jitterbug makes me worry that the show's running time will be longer and then I worry about how long an act runs, etc. etc... Right now I'm just in the worry mode about everything. I envy Directors who aren't trying to design the sets and lights and props, marketing the show, and keep everything else going while they work on a show. Some day I when I grow up I want to just direct a play. But then I would probably be bored and complain and worry about that too!
The schools are making rehearsals very difficult at the moment! With choir concerts, recitals, and honors programs, along with graduation all rescheduled at the last minute, I'm having to do lots of scrambling in the rehearsals.
MHT's Box Office Manager Alexis Davis will be leaving us at the end of this month. She has taken a new position as Box Office and Patron Club Coordinator for Southern Illinois University at Carbondale Event Services. This will be a big career move up for Alexis and we all wish her the very best and hope that she keeps in touch! Alexis has been with MHT for 3 years almost to the date! Marsha Cash who is the Business Manager of the theatre will take over Box Office management. Marsha has filled this position a couple of times before in the theatre history. Rhiannon Dodds our Box Office Assistant will be working more hours on a weekly basis to help as well.
MHT's board has been busy this past week as well. Tuesday we had a budget meeting trying to work out the final budget for next year. Wednesday the Trustee committee met and reviewed the theatre's present operations and challenges and gave their input on how to address the theatre's long term goals. The trustee committee is an invaluable tool for the MHT board of Directors and for me personally in getting community leaders from several areas to offer their advice to help MHT.
Prospective Board Members are being interviewed by the Nominations committee and a slate for next year will be presented at the May Board of Directors Meeting.
Lots of exciting things are happening behind the scenes.
One of the questions that was asked of me the other day was is required of a Board Member at MHT? Some things change each year as the board faces different challenges and responsibilities. However the basic requirements are to be at least a $100 member each year. Board members must have season tickets to the main stage shows and make an attempt to see at least one of the Youth productions each year. They help develop, and coordinate fundraising events at the theatre. Sometimes the board will decide that board members sell tickets to fundraising events. Board members often purchase tickets to the fundraising events as well as working them. Board members help with the annual fund drive that is held during the year by identifying prospective donors, writing letters and making phone calls to current donors and past donors. The board as a whole meets once a month generally on the 4th Wednesday of the month and committees meet as needed. Board members set the theatre policy and discuss issues related the mission and values of the theatre. Many board members chair a committee. You don't have to be a board member to serve on theatre committees! However some committees such as Nomination are filled with all board members because of our by-laws. Board committees include Finance, Property, Nomination, Volunteer Appreciation and Resources, Play Selection, and others as needed. Board members serve anywhere from a 1 to 3 year term with 1/3 of the board up for election each year. Board members can only serve a maximum of two- 3 year terms and then they must take a 3 year term off. When the nomination committee looks for prospective board members they generally start by looking for people who make an annual financial contribution to the theatre, attend many of the plays and events, and have a passion for the theatre. Prospective board members are also people who bring different types of perspectives to the theatre board- business leaders, parents of youth involved, legal and financial experience, and marketing experience.
The MHT board is a wonderful hardworking group of people who often are the unsung heroes behind the scenes that work tirelessly to improve and support the mission of MHT in our community.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Secret Life of Girls Note
Subject: Hello from the author of "The Secret Life of Girls"
Hello to the director, cast and crew of "The Secret Life of Girls!"Here's wishing you a terrific opening and run! Thanks so much for doing my play! I'd love to hear how it goes!
BREAK A LEG!!!
Best,
Linda Daugherty
Hello to the director, cast and crew of "The Secret Life of Girls!"Here's wishing you a terrific opening and run! Thanks so much for doing my play! I'd love to hear how it goes!
BREAK A LEG!!!
Best,
Linda Daugherty
Positive experiences
Tonight is the final rehearsal before the Secret Life of Girls opens. I strongly encourage everyone who has a daughter in middle or high school to see this play and to bring your daughter with you. I have always heard that when girls turn on each other it can be so much more destructive than when boys do it. As a parent of a daughter in elementary school I've watched the dynamics of girls socializing. I've seen it done to my daughter and I've seen my daughter do it others. What used to be bad behavior, only associated with high school teens, is working its way down even into the elementary schools. This destructive behavior seems to go along with our popular and celebrity culture. Our instant communications world has made this even worse. With texting, instant messaging, and email and especially cell phone cameras a false rumor, a negative comment, or a destructive photo can circulate in seconds. When April became aware of this play we knew it was important to present in our community.
One of MHT's strongest values is that "We don't just entertain. We change lives..." After the play there will be a 15 minute talk back using some scripted sections of the show to give parents and children simple tools to help cope with and even stop some of the social bullying.
As I write this so many other related issues come to mind. I'm reminded of the old Dennis Miller show on HBO when he says "I don't want to go off on a rant" and then proceeds to do so. Well here is my rant-While this play deals primarily with teen girls, I've seen this behavior present in all ages. There is an awful need by some people to tear down others in order to boost their own egos. Teenagers are at a fragile time in life. In the same way people working on a play who are creating something and putting themselves out in front of their peers are also taking a risk. I hope that everyone who sees this production will walk away aware of how much damage can be done by negative comments no matter what the age. The stereotype of community theatre is that it is very "clique-ish". MHT has worked very hard to make this a welcoming and positive environment for new people who have never participated, as well as the many veterans who have worked on shows for years. In any creative venture there are always critics eager to stand on the sidelines and tear apart the work of others because it builds their own sense of superiority to hide their insecurities. Just as the "Queen Bee" in Secret Life of Girls tries to keep everyone revolving around her need to be the center of everything.
I remember a particular reviewer who worked free lance for the Paducah Sun doing play reviews. She was superb at celebrating the strengths of the production and individuals in the productions while still giving constructive comments that helped the performers, directors and designers grow. I've always valued that ability to be positive where people are taking a risk in front of their peer group.
It is easy for me to be positive with praise for what high school student Katy Miller is doing with the choreography for Wizard of Oz. We rehearsed the opening of Act Two last night with a big dance number and she has everyone from Mary Kathryn Dorr flying around the stage with gymnastics to the youngest actors swinging through the air hanging on to adult arms. This is the first time I've handed over the choreography for an entire show to a high school student and it couldn't be in better hands.
I watched Bye Bye Birdie two weeks ago and Fiddler on the Roof last week. I saw several great individual performances by adult and teen actors, some I've worked with before and great performances by some new people I don't know at all. There is a great deal of talent present in this community and MHT is proud to share a role in helping to develop and share that talent with the rest of the community!
Come see The Secret Life of Girls. I promise you it will be a positive experience!
One of MHT's strongest values is that "We don't just entertain. We change lives..." After the play there will be a 15 minute talk back using some scripted sections of the show to give parents and children simple tools to help cope with and even stop some of the social bullying.
As I write this so many other related issues come to mind. I'm reminded of the old Dennis Miller show on HBO when he says "I don't want to go off on a rant" and then proceeds to do so. Well here is my rant-While this play deals primarily with teen girls, I've seen this behavior present in all ages. There is an awful need by some people to tear down others in order to boost their own egos. Teenagers are at a fragile time in life. In the same way people working on a play who are creating something and putting themselves out in front of their peers are also taking a risk. I hope that everyone who sees this production will walk away aware of how much damage can be done by negative comments no matter what the age. The stereotype of community theatre is that it is very "clique-ish". MHT has worked very hard to make this a welcoming and positive environment for new people who have never participated, as well as the many veterans who have worked on shows for years. In any creative venture there are always critics eager to stand on the sidelines and tear apart the work of others because it builds their own sense of superiority to hide their insecurities. Just as the "Queen Bee" in Secret Life of Girls tries to keep everyone revolving around her need to be the center of everything.
I remember a particular reviewer who worked free lance for the Paducah Sun doing play reviews. She was superb at celebrating the strengths of the production and individuals in the productions while still giving constructive comments that helped the performers, directors and designers grow. I've always valued that ability to be positive where people are taking a risk in front of their peer group.
It is easy for me to be positive with praise for what high school student Katy Miller is doing with the choreography for Wizard of Oz. We rehearsed the opening of Act Two last night with a big dance number and she has everyone from Mary Kathryn Dorr flying around the stage with gymnastics to the youngest actors swinging through the air hanging on to adult arms. This is the first time I've handed over the choreography for an entire show to a high school student and it couldn't be in better hands.
I watched Bye Bye Birdie two weeks ago and Fiddler on the Roof last week. I saw several great individual performances by adult and teen actors, some I've worked with before and great performances by some new people I don't know at all. There is a great deal of talent present in this community and MHT is proud to share a role in helping to develop and share that talent with the rest of the community!
Come see The Secret Life of Girls. I promise you it will be a positive experience!
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