Rosemary Ponnekanti of the Tribune has written quite a nice review. We are so proud of this cast and crew. It helps to start with a good script and great music, but without a fantastic director and musical director, and a talented cast, we could not have done it justice. Thanks you Chris Nardine (director) and David Duvall (music director) and all the cast, musicians, and production staff! What a wonderful job you are doing!
Our big gala opening of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is tomorrow, February 20th. Anyone who is attending opening night is invited to meet cast after the show in the lobby.
If you are free tonight, however, have we got a deal for you! Tonight, February 19th, we are having a last dress rehearsal, open to the public, on a pay-what-you-can basis. Show starts at 7:30, but there are no reserved seats, so come a bit early. Just show up at Theatre on the Square, donation in hand, no ticket needed.
And if you love the show as much as we do, TELL YOUR FRIENDS!
Want to see what we’ve been up to? Here is a little visit to our scene shop, whose space is generously provided by Puget Sound Builders, NW in Kent.
(Click on a photo for a larger view)
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels director Chris Nardine reports that as of yesterday the play is all blocked and choreography is finished- all with over three weeks until we open! Here is a little glimpse of rehearsal, and our fantastic cast hard at work.
Please click on a photo for the full view
Rachael Boyer (Christine)
Aaron Lamb (Lawrence)
Matthew Vail (Freddy)
Eric Polani Jensen (Andre) AEA Member
Jenny McMurry (Jolene)
Casi Wilkerson (Muriel)
Rebekah Witt (Renee)
Zandi Carlson (Ensemble)
Elizabeth Richmond (Ensemble)
John Huddlestun (Ensemble)
Taylor Richmond (Ensemble)
Jamie Osborne (Ensemble)
James Oestreich (Ensemble)
Kate Kingery (Ensemble)
John E. Olson III (Ensemble)
Matthew Lawrence (Ensemble)
Galen Wicks (Ensemble)
This weekend at our production meeting, set designer Jason Phillips brought the set model. This event always generates excitement for the actors as well as the production staff. While many of get some kind of a sense of what is happening with set on stage by looking at the ground plans and seeing the lines taped in the rehearsal space, the set really doesn’t make sense for most of us until we see that little 3-D model. So here is a little peek at what this thing is going to look like…
Two tall balcony structures with a two-piece movable stair unit behind.
Two rolling platforms can move in and out from the archways underneath the balcony units. Furniture can be loaded offstage, and when they are rolled into place, viola! A new scene! The set can be changed further by rolling only one stair unit into place. By the way, that cutout you see down front is the orchestra pit, because yes, we will have live music.
Here is a bird’s-eye view of the set, showing the escape stairs for actors (not visible to audience) and the stage left stair unit pushed back out of sight, while the stage right unit is being used alone in the center of the stage. The large white backdrop is the cyc, which will be used to great advantage in this production. We will use this to project much of our “background scenery” which is a new technique for us. We are very excited about this set. It is going to be quite spectacular, and I am so honored to have the opportunity to paint for Jason Phillips. I know I’m going to learn a lot.
Saturday was the first big production meeting for our new musical, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and what an exciting, high-energy morning it was. Some of us met each other for the first time, and we all got our first peeks at the set drawings. Our set designer for this production is Jason Phillips. A quick look at Jason’s website will give you an idea why I am so excited to have the privilege of painting for him– and even more excited to be painting with him, since he has let me know that although he has officially retired from the painting part of his business, he cannot resist the lure of the paintbrush. I know there is a lot I can learn from him.
In other news, our director Chris Nardine could not say enough about the dancers (all good!) even after only two rehearsals. We are off to a great start. Our set models should be finished an appear at next Saturday’s production meeting, and as soon as they do, I promise to take a few photos to share. Keep checking back.
Happy New Year! Theatre Northwest has some big fun in store for you this year, but first, here is a look at our last production, The Salvation of Iggy Scrooge.
(Click on a photo for a larger view.)
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (December 18, 19, 20) are the final chances to see our holiday production of The Salvation of Iggy Scrooge. We have had such a great run, and so much fun doing this show. Check out the great reviews we got in the Tribune and the Volcano.
While we will be sad to say goodbye to the cast of Iggy, there are some fantastic productions in the works for 2010. We finally have the cast set for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and rehearsals start in early January. That show is going to be a blockbuster for sure. Tickets will go on sale for the February/March production in January. I mean, how can you go wrong with dancing waiters?
Auditions are underway this week for our May production of Agatha Christie’s BBC Murders. It may be hard to imagine just what a “radio play” is, but once you see them, you will want more. The actors will be top-notch, and the plays, written by Agatha Christie for the BBC, are pure Christie fun. But I’d be willing to wager that many of you will leave thinking that watching the foley (sound effects) guy was worth the ticket price alone, and the plays were just a wonderful bonus.
Theatre Northwest, in association with the International Mystery Writer’s Festival RiverPark Center, will present the Pre-National Tour Premiere of four Agatha Christie classic mysteries in RADIO THEATRE. These four exclusive works are Agatha Christie’s Three Blind Mice, Yellow Iris, Butter in a Lordly Dish, and Personal Call. The Production/Director team of these classic works will be third year International Mystery Writers’ Festival veterans and legendary Grammy winning David Ossman and Judith Walcut of Firesign Theatre fame. Agatha Christie’s BBC Murders is the West Coast Mystery Premier in association with The RiverPark International Mystery Writer’s Festival and Theatre Northwest.
Rehearsals will begin approximately April 16, 2010. The Radio Plays will run at Theatre on the Square May 1 through May 15, 2010.
PLEASE NOTE: Auditions will be by appointment only. Please email our production manager Chris Gildner (cgildner@msn.com) for appointment.
Times and Locations:
Sunday, December 12, 2010 6 PM - 8 PM at Theatre Puget Sound, Room H (in the Center House at Seattle Center)
Monday, December 14 and Tuesday December 15, 2010 6PM- 8 PM at Theatre on the Square, 9th & Broadway, Tacoma
Characters:
British Dialects Required for All Roles
Lead Character - Female 40’s
Younger Character - Female 20’s
Younger Character - Female 20’s
Lead - Male 40’s
Lead Character - Male
2nd Character - Male
Young Male Singer for 30’s Night Club Style - Sheet Music provided
Possible older Cabaret Style Female singer
Ensemble (3 roles)- Male 20’s
Various Male and Female Ensemble for Walla characters
Appointment required. Actors please bring headshot and a brief resume. Auditions will be cold readings from a script. British dialects required for all roles.
You do not need to be a member of Actor’s Equity to audition.
Please do not email headshots or resumes to us.