June 2009 Newsletter
The Barn Players Theatre
E-Newsletter -- June 1, 2009
Inside This Issue:
- In The Spotlight: Lucky Stiff and Special Event: Hot Summer Night
- It's A Wrap: Stop Kiss
- Faces at the Barn: Meet Stephen Nichols
- Upcoming: A Midsummer Night's Dream
- Audition Notice: Secret Garden
- News & Tidbits
In the spotlight...
Show your uncle the time of his life
and you'll get six million dollars!
Just one thing...
he's dead.
Music by Stephen Flaherty
Book & Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens
Creators of Ragtime, Once on This Island & Seussical: The Musical
Produced by special arrangement with Music Theatre International, Inc.
This Production Generously Underwritten by
The Credit Union of Johnson County
June 5-7, 12-14 & 19-21
Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm, Sundays at 2:00pm
Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, the authors of ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, MY FAVORITE YEAR, RAGTIME, and the animated film ANASTASIA exploded on the musical theatre scene with this zany, offbeat, and very funny murder mystery farce about an unassuming English shoe salesman forced to take the corpse of his recently-murdered Atlantic City croupier uncle on a week-long vacation to Monte Carlo. Should he succeed, Harry Witherspoon stands to inherit $6,000,000. If not, the money goes to the Universal Dog Home of Brooklyn. Harry comes up against his uncle's insanely jealous and legally blind mistress, her much put-upon optometrist brother and Annabel Glick, a zealous representative from the Universal Dog Home determined to see Harry's inheritance "go to the dogs."
Standing: Phillip Eatherton (Luigi), Front Row: The Lucky Stiff, & Alexander Hamilton (Harry)
LUCKY STIFF at The Barn Players this weekend
By Stephen Nichols
The cast of "Lucky Stiff" is being especially nice to director Melissa Whitaker-Auvil.
They won't let me lift anything or hold anything or carry anything," Whitaker-Auvil said.
That's because while the cast is on their last week of rehearsal, she's on her 18th week of pregnancy. Lucky for her, she's on the second trimester, or the "honeymoon phase" as she calls it, which has made it easier to prepare.
"Lucky Stiff" by the musical team of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty is a farcical comedy that Whitaker-Auvil likens to "Weekend at Bernie's" set in France. The story follows Harry Witherspoon, who discovers that he has received a six million dollar inheritance. The only catch is that to receive the money, he must take his deceased uncle on one last trip to Monte Carlo.
As a musical farce, the show is full of mistaken identities and characters just missing each other. To make it all work on stage, Artistic Director Eric Magnus said that Whitaker-Auvil presented a "series of doors" concept when she was interviewing for the show.
"It's a series of revolving doors across the stage and those revolving doors are the front and back of face cards on a deck of cards since it's set in a casino in Monte Carlo for the majority of the piece," Magnus said.
Ahrens and Flaherty also wrote "Once on this Island," "Ragtime," and "Seussical" which are thematically different from "Lucky Stiff," but musically, Whitaker-Auvil can hear similarities.
"[There are] times in the music where I can tell that it's the same composer especially the very last scene," Whitaker-Auvil said. "There's a moment in there where...musically I go 'Oh yeah, that is the same composer.'"
Magnus believes that the audience will have no problem following the numerous plot turns and general craziness that accompanies the show because of the strength of the cast.
"I think [the audience] will have a great deal of fun following it because these are such endearing characters...from Rita, who can't find her glasses half the time, to Harry Witherspoon who's so quiet and unassuming trying to push his uncle all around Monte Carlo," Magnus said.
The cast had less than six weeks to prepare the show, but Whitaker-Auvil is confident that everyone will be ready by opening night.
"It's crazy and funny and ridiculous and I want people to enjoy every second of it and see it for how fun it is," Whitaker-Auvil said.
LUCKY STIFF by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty runs June 5-7, 12-14 and 19-21 (Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2:00pm) at The Barn Players, 6219 Martway in Mission, KS, on The Margaret Godfrey Stage. Tickets are available by calling 913-432-9100. Adults - $15, Seniors (65 & over) - $12, Students (with a student ID) - $7, Groups (of 10 or more) - $10. Visit The Barn Players website at www.thebarnplayers.org or Contact Eric Magnus, Artistic Director, The Barn Players at emagnitude@yahoo.com.
- Directed by Melissa Whitaker-Auvil
- Musical Direction by Michelle McIntire
- Choreography by Jered Solace
- Set Design by Cynthia Evans
- Lighting Design by Joseph Taylor
- Costume Design by Ric Eberle
- Sound Design by Sean Leistico
- Props by Ashley Jones
- Rehearsal Accompaniment by Casey Carl
- Stage Management by Toi Hunt
FEATURING:
Matt Gerlaugh, Alexander Hamilton, Jennie Williams,
Julia Moriarty, Scott Powell, Phillip Eatherton,
Benjamin Baellow, Wendy Casebier & Norita Taylor
All performances are at:
The Barn Players Theatre
6219 Martway, Mission, KS.
Ticket pricing:
- Regular -- $15.00
- Seniors -- $12.00
- Groups (10 or more) -- $10.00
- Students (with a valid student ID) -- $7.00
The box office opens one hour before curtain time.
For reservations, please call
(913)432-9100 or visit our website at
www.thebarnplayers.org
The Barn Players Box Office Now Accepts Visa, MasterCard and Discover
Upcoming Special Event!!
Hot Summer Night Fundraiser!!
June 18, 6 p.m. at The Barn Players Theatre, 6219 Martway, Mission, KS
Featuring food, wine, a silent auction and great entertainment with multi-talented Kansas City native Eric Bikales, followed by a special performance of the musical farce LUCKY STIFF
Have you ever wanted to take a private voice lesson? Or felt with just a little coaching, you could be a great actor? Well you can cross them off your wish list because we will have these auction items as well as art work, tickets to plays and other events around the city and much, much more at the Barn's Hot Summer Night Fund Raiser on Thursday, June 18th. The fun begins with wine and light food at 6:00 p.m. preceding the silent auction.
Next is a private piano concert by Kansas City native, Eric Bikales. Eric has played with The Pointer Sisters, Tom Wopat and Neil Sedaka. His experience ranges from studio work to TV, composition to producing. And as if THAT wasn't enough, you may then watch a performance of the family musical LUCKY STIFF. A full evening for only $20 a person. There are only 150 seats available so reservations are recommended.
Make your reservations now by calling 913/432-9100 or by visiting our website at www.thebarnplayers.org
It's a Wrap...
By Diana Son
Much appreciation goes to director Tiffany Garrison-Schweigert and the wonderful cast and crew of STOP KISS, which received kudos from audience members for its artistry. Bravo, gang!
- DIRECTION & SET DESIGN by Tiffany Garrison-Schweigert
- Stage Manager & Costume Design -- Carmen Patterson
- Assistant Stage Manager & Props -- Jen LaBruzzo
- Lighting Designer -- Chuck Cline
- Hair & Makeup Design -- Ingrid Torgerson
STARRING
Jennifer Coville, Alli Tunnel, Michael Masterson, Aaron Roose,
Kyle Wallen, Laura Roose & Jen LaBruzzo
Meet Stephen Nichols: The Barn Players' New Intern
We are pleased to have the talents of Stephen Nichols who is joining us this summer as an intern to help out with the many writing and marketing tasks at the Barn. Stephen just graduated from Shawnee Mission East, where he was the editor of the newspaper (one of the premier high school publications in the nation). He won the prestigious Al Neuharth Free Spirit scholarship (two students from every state were flown to Washington, D.C. to learn more about journalism and compete for the $10,000 scholarship) and was a runner-up in the national high school journalist of the year competition. He enjoys and has experience writing news, features, columns, editorials, and reviews. Next year he'll attend the University of Kansas to study journalism and business.
Upcoming - A classic comic evening of fantasy and fun...
July 17-19, 24-26, 31-Aug. 2
by William Shakespeare, adapted by Jeremy Riggs
Young lovers, in order to escape marital law, flee to the forest in order to marry on their own terms. With the interference of a visiting band of fairies and an unsuspecting troupe of actors, chaos and merriment ensue.
Directed and Adapted by Jeremy Riggs
Original Music by Nathan Towns
Asst. Direction and Stage Management by Brandon Ford
Lighting Design by Cat Larrison
Scenic Design by Cynthia Evans
Costume Design by Michelle Stelting-Mauler
Sound Design by Jeremy Riggs
Properties by Madeline McCrae
Cast
Theseus : Allen Harkelroad
Hippolyta : Mandy Lagowski
Egeus : Mike Haskin
Hermia : Christina Martin
Helena : Rochelle Herman
Lysander : Adam Luttrell
Demetrius : Christopher Trepinski
Philostrate and Puck : Rachael Redler
Peter Quince : Patrick Craft
Nick Bottom : David Martin
Snug : Jennifer Coville
Francis Flute : David Martinez
Tom Snout : Alexander Salamat
Robin Starveling : Aaron Roose
Oberon : Erik LaPointe
Titania : Emily Green
Cobweb : Laura Roose
Moth : Alicia Henrikson
Mustardseed : Lavinia Roberts
Peaseblossom : Rebecca Ralstin
Upcoming Auditions...
The Barn Players announce AUDITIONS for
Book and Lyrics by Marsha Norman
Music by Lucy Simon
Based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Directed by Barbara Nichols
Vocal Direction by Martha Risser
Choreographed by Rob Reeder
Audition Dates
Saturday, June 6 (1-4pm) and Sunday,
June 7 (1-4pm), at St. Pius School at 55th and Woodson in
Mission, KS
Auditions will consist of singing and possibly some reading. Please prepare 16-32 bars. An accompanist will be provided. Resumes and headshots are welcome. Please have all conflicts from July 19th through Sept. 13th to list on the audition sheet.
PRODUCTION DATES:
June 5, 6 12, 13, 19 & 20th, 2009 at 7:30pm
June 7th, 14th 21st, 2009 at 2:00pm
All performances take place at The Barn Players Theatre
For more information, please go to our Web site: www.thebarnplayers.org.
News & Tidbits
Prior Attire - Our Annual Black & White Event! Crisp White, True Black and Delightful Black & White prints, Tops, skirts, pants, shorts, purses and shoes. Spring Savings: Red tags 50% off; Yellow Tags 20% off. Rebecca's Jewelry: Rebecca had a surge of creative juice this week! Come see the many new designs using a variety of stones, pendants and unique designs! Check out the newest Rebecca's Jewelry at www.prior-attire.com/Jewelry (Note: New items are posted on Friday afternoon.) Prior Attire - Resale Boutique & Jewelry Company: 4024 W. 95th (NW corner of 95th & Mission) Prairie Village, KS 66207. Phone: 913-648-6012. Shop & Donation Hours: Monday- Saturday 9:00 - 6:00; Thursday until 8:00pm. Closed Sunday. All donations help the Barn Players.
WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY THEATRE? PLEASE JOIN US! We have lots of fun opportunities for you! You can volunteer as an usher or assist with the box office, or even work the concessions booth for one of our upcoming performances. Bonus: you get to see the show for free!!! If you're interested, please email your name and contact information to our friendly Volunteer Coordinator Mandy Lagoski at theatremandy@yahoo.com She'll be happy to hear from you!
For the "latest and greatest" at The Barn Players Theatre, check our website regularly for information about upcoming productions, auditions, and a calendar of future events-or to join our email subscription list-at www.thebarnplayers.org.
See you soon at The Barn!!!
