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Baltimore's Theatre Project: 41st Season

Theatre Project has announced plans for its 41st season. There will be a strong emphasis on support for Baltimore's burgeoning theater ensemble community. Local companies in residence this season will include Dreams & Nightmares Aerial (DNA) Theatre (September), Iron Crow Theatre (October, March/April, and May/June), The Generous Company (January), and In-Flight Theatre (November and February), each of whom will have two-to-three week-long runs.

A highlight of visiting companies in residence will be the December presentation of Double Edge Theatre's The Grand Parade. Imagined through the lens of Marc Chagall's paintings, The Grand Parade takes audiences on an emotionally stunning journey through the 20th century with the use of aerial flight, puppetry and music. The Grand Parade is the first performance in Double Edge Theatre's multi-year performance cycle inspired by Chagall's visionary art, life and times and will make its official world premiere during a limited run at Washington DC's Arena Stage February 6-10, 2013. The Grand Parade is conceived and directed by Baltimore native Stacey Klein, and realized with a collaborative team of artists from the US, Argentina and Russia. 

Additionally, Theatre Project will continue its ongoing collaboration with the utterly unique High Zero Festival in September 2012, always a highlight of BTP's experimental offerings. Theatre Project will also present two productions in 2013 with long-time partner Peabody Chamber Opera, which has presented new operas and imaginative re-stagings of older works at Theatre Project for sixteen years.

Theatre Project's dedication to dance will continue with a festival of dance events planned in March 2013. Featured companies will include VT Dance, Ballet Theatre of Maryland, The Collective, ClancyWorks, and a second year of presenting the winners of the John F. Kennedy Center Local Dance Commissioning Project. Our popular Dance Mixer will also return in Spring 2013 with a chance for the burgeoning dance community to showcase its work. 

The 2012/2013 season will be the first in eleven years not overseen by Anne Cantler Fulwiler, who steps down from her duties as Producing Director at the end of June. 

"It just felt like the right time in the life of Theatre Project for me to step down from this role," says Fulwiler. "It's been a truly amazing time. I've had the honor of presenting nearly 400 productions involving over 3,000 artists from right here in Baltimore, across the US, and seventeen foreign countries. I look forward to seeing many more shows here for many years to come."

Chris Pfingsten, who has served as Managing Director for the past season, will continue in that capacity for the 2012/2013 season. The Board of Directors will take the next few months to consider the theater's future structure. 

Detailed show and schedule information is still forthcoming and updates to Theatre Project's website, www.theatreproject.org, will be made regularly. 

Chris Pfingsten
Managing Director
Theatre Project
chris@theatreproject.org
410-539-3091

Theatre Project is funded in part by The William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, creator of The Baker Artist Awards, www.BakerArtistAwards.org 

Theatre Project is funded by an operating grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive. 

Theatre Project
45 W. Preston Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
410-539-3091 (office)
410-752-8558 (box office)

www.theatreproject.org
office@theatreproject.org

Very Special Video: "You Can't Take it With You" - from Baltimore's Everyman Theatre

Fireworks, police raids, and a xylophone are just the tip of the iceberg in this zany Kaufman and Hart comedy classic. It's a comedy that's often listed in the madcap category because it is, it really is. If there was a magnificent category it would be listed there, also.

Meet the Sycamore family, politically independent with healthy distrust of government. They open their New York City home to all sorts of free spirits. When their daughter Alice, decides to invite her conservative boyfriend’s family to dinner, they promise to be on their best behavior. However…!

 

This extraordinary production stars an all-star Everyman cast. This production ends June 17th and it you only see one show at Everyman this season, please make it this one. I've posted a few highlights from some of the reviews of this production below. I'll add mine here.

"BRANDHAGEN PLAYS XYLOPHONE!
SMOKE, SETS, LOVE, AND LAUGHTER!
The best ticket in town; the finest set you've ever seen."
-Stephen Brockelman, Baltimore 21201

The Cast:         

Megan Anderson* — Essie
Clinton Brandhagen* — Ed
Chinai Hardy — Rheba
Deborah Hazlett* — Mrs. Kirby
Brianna Letourneau —  Alice Sycamore
Wil Love* — Mr. De Pinna
Bruce Randolph Nelson* — Kohlenkov
Caitlin O'Connell — Penny Sycamore
Jon Odom — Donald
Barbara Pinolini — Gay Wellington
Steve Sawicki —  Henderson
Kimberly Schraf — Olga
Matthew Schleigh — Tony Kirby
Carl Schurr* — Mr. Kirby
Stan Weiman* — Martin Vanderhof
Tom Weyburn — Paul Sycamore
and
Michael Leicht
Evan Moritz
Kyle Jackson  — Three Men
*Everyman company member

“COMIC DYNAMITE!
DELICIOUSLY RADICAL!”
-Tim Smith, The Baltimore Sun

“FIVE STARS!
NOT TO BE MISSSED!”
-DC Metro Theater Arts

“TERRIFIC!
HILARIOUS!
I definitely recommend. You’ll laugh throughout.”
-Eddie Applefeld, WCBM 680 AM

“UPLIFTING! DELIGHTFUL! LIVELY!
‘You Can’t Take it With You’ has Everyman favorites in roles that they seem born to play!”
-Mike Giuliano, Patuxent Papers

“HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!”
-DC Theatre Scene

“Leaves you hankering for a place at the family's dining room table!"
-Judy Rousuck, WYPR Maryland Morning

“Thoroughly enjoyable...a really fun evening at the theater. Buy tickets now because it's likely to sell out very quickly!"
-MD Theatre Guide

Tickets. Get your tickets here.

Baltimore SAG-AFTRA Members: Must Read

Remember, fellow members, we now have the power to speak with a unified voice.

On May 19-20, the SAG-AFTRA National Board will consider a unanimous recommendation by the Executive Committee to implement a Do Not Work notice against music video productions.

Once implemented, SAG-AFTRA members may not accept employment as performers in any music video not produced under a SAG-AFTRA contract. A Do Not Work order for music videos is a result of the major record labels refusing to agree to a contract that meets the critical needs of music video performers.

This action will affect any SAG-AFTRA member hired to sing, dance, act or otherwise perform as talent on any music video that is not covered by the appropriate SAG-AFTRA contract, except for a royalty artist who is already contractually obligated to deliver certain services under an existing royalty agreement with a record label.  Specifically included are SAG-AFTRA members working as dancers, singers, choreographers, cameo performers, models, actors, and most other talent. SAG-AFTRA members who violate a Do Not Work order can be subject to discipline, up to and including expulsion from membership.

This action follows performers’ efforts to secure an industry-wide contract for music video work, which most recently involved several rounds of contract discussions with the major record labels throughout 2011. SAG-AFTRA is continuing its efforts to reach agreement with the labels however this action is necessary because the labels have failed to agree to some of the most basic contract terms. Some of the outstanding issues involve guaranteed access to water and toilet facilities, proper safety protections for hard surface dancing, overtime provisions, health and retirement contributions and standardized rates of pay.

Please stand together with your fellow SAG-AFTRA members and fellow performers for safety and dignity on the job.  Together we can ensure a safe and fair future for all of us.

If you have questions or wish to volunteer to support your fellow SAG-AFTRA members who are working to ensure basic union standards on music videos, you can help by contacting:

Randall Himes
Assistant National Executive Director, Sound Recordings at randall.himes@sagaftra.org

Stefanie Taub
National Manager of Sound Recordings, West Coast at stefanie.taub@sagaftra.org

Steve Sidawi
National Organizer/Representative at steve.sidawi@sagaftra.org

A Musical Within a Comedy - See It at JHU

The title of this wonderful play—to be presented in April—is The Drowsy Chaperone. It was written by Bob Martin and Don McKellar with music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison.

The show was launched in 1998 at The Rivoli in Toronto and opened on Broadway on May 1 2006. The show won two Tony Awards, Best Book and Best Score. The concept began as a spoof of old musicals written by friends for the wedding of Bob Martin and his wife, Janet as a wedding gift for . The show has had major productions in Toronto, Los Angeles, New York, London, and Japan, as well as two North American tours.

                         Broadway Cast Recording - Cover Art

Here's the story:

The Johns Hopkins University Barnstormers are performing the hilarious musical comedy The Drowsy Chaperone.

A rare combination of unprecedented originality and blinding talent, The Drowsy Chaperone boldly addresses a great unspoken desire in all of our hearts: to be entertained. If you've ever found yourself sitting in a dark theatre and thought, "Dear Lord in heaven, please let it be good," this is the show for you!

It all begins when a die-hard musical-theater fan plays her favorite cast album on her turntable, and the musical literally bursts to life in her living room, telling the rambunctious tale of a brazen Broadway starlet trying to find, and keep, her true love.

The Barnstormers are working with director Jayme Kilburn of Baltimore and music director Rodney Long of Silver Springs on this production.

Performance Schedule:
Thursday, April 5th at 8p.m.
Saturday, April 7th at 3p.m. and 8p.m.
Friday, April 13th at 8p.m.
Saturday, April 14th at 8p.m.
Sunday, April 15th at 3p.m.

Ticket Prices:
To reserve tickets, visit thejhubarnstormers.org

College students - $5
General admission - $10

Location:
All performances will take place in the Swirnow Theater in the Mattin Center on the Johns Hopkins University Homewood campus, located on North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD.

About the Barnstormers:
The JHU Barnstormers, originally chartered in 1919, are the University's oldest and largest theatrical troupe on campus. They are organized entirely by students and perform published plays and musicals of all genres. Of the six shows they produce each year, they invite professional directors to direct two "mainstage" shows including the fall drama as well as the spring musical.

I say this to you: Go. See. Enjoy. Laugh and tap your feet.

ClancyWorks in Concert: 10 Years in the Making | at Baltimore Theatre Project

In Chorus Line it was Dance 10, looks 3. In these performances it's Dance 10, looks 10.

ClancyWorks Dance Company presents an evening of original choreography on Saturday, April 28th at 8:00pm and Sunday, April 29th at 3:00pm at Baltimore Theater Project.

                                           Love Strings

The Washington Post has described Adrienne Clancy, as a “wizard of invention,” and her choreography as “a tour de force of unpredictable partnering.”

This evening-length concert, part of the 10th anniversary season of ClancyWorks, is a clear continuation of the mission of the company. It will feature students from residencies at George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology and Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts, a performance by The Collective, a Baltimore-based dance company, and some of Clancy’s original works that span the 10-year existence of the company.

This performance manifests the major role that both physical and metaphorical partnering play in Clancy’s work. Specific to Clancy’s creative process is an exploration of architecturally informed partnering work that uses dance to further pedagogical practices by promoting tolerance, teamwork, community activism, and individual empowerment.

                                         Wall Dance

Partnering is not only the artistic strength of the company, but also the baseline of their organizational work! From the partnering of physical objects, to the partnering of ideas, ClancyWorks: 10 Years in the Making features diverse dance works that embody Clancy’s use of partnering work not only as an aesthetic statement, but also as a symbol of trust and support.

Spinning Webs explores the wondrous, whirling, win some, lose some, web of relationships. The plots of Cupid and Aphrodite are transformed into the mythic Spider Grandmother—who, according to Native American emergence tales, spun the world into creation. Clancy’s choreography builds upon Spider Grandmother emergence tales and asks: how do we maneuver through our own webs of life, and how do we cultivate a web of relationships? Spinning Webs is part four in Clancy’s exploration of the Spider Grandmother dances.

Drift, showcases Adrienne Clancy and Sandra Lacy in a dynamic duet not to be missed! Prior to founding ClancyWorks Dance Company, Clancy was a member of the Bella Lewitzky Dance Company and the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, where she held leadership roles as Rehearsal Director, Community Arts Project Director and a lead performer. Lacy previously performed with the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company. Together, these alpha forces have created a collaboration that examines philosophical questions of pathways and explores who walks with us along these paths.

The Collective, named Baltimore’s Best Dance Company in 2008/2009, will present Sisters choreographed by Adrienne Clancy. As a hub for professional dance in Baltimore, the sixteen-member company will present a dynamic Clancy work based on female relationships.

The concert will also feature students from ClancyWorks’ Arts in Education residencies, where they will be showcased alongside the professional company. These programs include high school students from Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts and George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology from Baltimore County. Working together, these students and ClancyWorks Company members have created pieces that demonstrate working as a team yields greater results than an individual could achieve by him or herself.

What:
ClancyWorks Dance Company
When:
Saturday, April 28 at 8:00pm
Sunday, April 29 at 3:00pm
Where:
Baltimore Theater Project
45 West Preston Street
Baltimore, MD 21201

Tickets: $20 General Admission; $15 Seniors, Teachers, Artists; $10 Students
To purchase tickets visit www.theatreproject.org or call (410) 752-8558.