theater

Le Roy high schoolers Margaret Kovach, Erica Parker and Ben Neumann posed in character during a rehearsal of "Anything Goes," Le Roy Jr./Sr. High School's 2013 musical production. They will be playing Reno, Bonnie and Moonface Martin, respectively.

Jackie McLean, chorus teacher for the Le Roy schools and musical director for the play, described "Anything Goes" as an intricate, laugh-out-loud funny show with great characters.

More than 80 kids are involved in this production, including cast and crew members.

With music and lyrics by Cole Porter, the show takes place on a cruise ship and features comic circumstances resulting from three love triangles.

Pictured Ashley Webb (Hope), Steven Farnholz (Evelyn) and Natalie Salphine (Mrs. Harcourt)

"The script is jam-packed with funny moments and intricacies," McClean said.

She also said that the cast, which is made up of students in grades seven through 12, "did a great job of making the characters believable."

Danny Weaver and Jayce Seeley play Mr. Whitney and Billy, respectively.

Having "believable" characters is a big change from last year's performance of "Cinderella," which had a fanciful fairy tale atmosphere. With "Anything Goes," the kids have switched to a more realistic setting.

"It was a challenge, but they've done a great job," McClean said. "It's a great group of kids."

For her part, McClean understands and appreciates the challenge of bringing these characters to life. She was in "Anything Goes" as a junior at Batavia High School, which put on its own performance of the show in 2001.

"I picked the show (for the 2013 musical) because I loved it when I was in it," she said. "I understand the challenges, and also the funny moments and the characters, because I lived it. That gives you a different perspective."

As for the music, McClean describes it as old-style jazz with a "huge choral involvement." So in addition to great sets and lots of humor, "Anything Goes" will also boast a large chorus.

Le Roy is known for setting a high bar when it comes to its school musicals. Each year, staff and students like to give audiences something new to look forward to.

This year, audiences can look forward to huge, elaborate tap dance numbers by the whole cast, as well as a six-foot platform of the cruise ship built by Patrick Patton, complete with the look of a real ship and lights that go on at night.

Patton, the father of a Le Roy High School student, has been building sets for these productions for seven years. McClean said he sets a new challenge for himself with each one.

"He's amazing," she said. "(His sets) get better each year."

Performances of "Anything Goes" will be held Thursday, Friday and Saturday in the high school auditorium, at 9300 South St. Road in Le Roy. All performances will begin at 7 p.m.

All tickets are $8 each and can be purchased at the door, via the district Web site or at the school's main office.

Supplemental Photos: Past Performances

Tonight, I stopped by Batavia High School to get some shots of the backstage scene for the opening of "Guys and Dolls" -- one of the greatest Broadway shows ever -- the last Batavia Rotary show ever.

Tickets are $10 and there are shows at 7 p.m., Saturday and at 2 p.m, Sunday.

Press release:

Camelot -- one of Lerner and Loewe’s most popular musicals -- is the Batavia Players offering for their 16th Annual Summer Youth Theater.

Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. tonight, Friday and Saturday at Elba Central School, 57 S. Main St. in Elba.

Camelot is the timeless story of Arthur, the boy who became king when he removed an enchanted sword from the stone.

The story begins as Arthur learns that he is to be married to Guinevere in order to maintain peace for the idyllic kingdom of Camelot.

Featuring such favorites as "If Ever I Would Leave You" and "The Lusty Month of May," the pageantry and magic includes Merlin, invisible castles and the beginning of the Knights of the Round Table.

Lyrics and book by Allan J. Lerner, music by Frederick Loewe. Directed by Pat Burk.

"Legally Blonde" is a musical with music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin, and script by Heather Hach. Local auditions are scheduled next weekend and the show will premiere in Genesee County in July.

The show is based on the novel "Legally Blonde" by Amanda Brown and the 2001 film of the same name.

It tells the story of Elle Woods, a sorority girl who enrolls at Harvard Law School to win back her ex-boyfriend Warner. She discovers how her knowledge of the law can help others, and successfully defends exercise queen Brooke Wyndham in a murder trial.

"Legally Blonde" will be directed by Ann Marie Gsell, with vocal direction by Jacqueline McLean, choreography by Kris Ashley, and produced by Jason Juliano in conjunction with the WNY Arts Society.

Auditions are at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 28, and at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 29 (with call backs at 6:30 p.m. on the 29th). Auditions are at Stuart Steiner Theatre at Genesee Community College, 1 College Road, in Batavia.

Auditioners are asked to prepare a song of at least 16-bars from a modern/pop musical that showcases his/her vocal abilities. An accompanist will be provided. Auditioners are asked to bring their own sheet music. There will be a dance/movement portion of auditions; those auditioning should come prepared to dance. Those considered for a role will be asked to stay or return for call backs to sing a song selection from the show and read from the script.

(The musical was recorded in September 2007 and aired on MTV in October 2007. Following this, a reality TV show was aired showing the audition process for the next person to play Elle Woods on Broadway.)

In the Genesee County premiere, performances of "Legally Blonde" will be at 7:30 p.m. July 12-14 and there's a matinee at 2 p.m. July 15.

For more information, those interested in auditioning can call Jason Juliano at (716) 390-7615 or visit www.FaceBook.com/wnyarts.

Back in the spring of 2003, an ambitious group of local thespians decided to take a risk by boldly staging in Genesee County what no local troupe had staged here before: Shakespeare. Nine years later, "Shakespeare in Springtime" is thriving. This weekend the group is celebrating its 10th springtime with a repeat production of its first show, "A Midsummer Night’s Dream."

“Shakespeare wrote so many plays, and we wanted to choose something familiar that we could do justice to,” Director E. Jane Burk says of the group’s original decision to perform the show nine years ago. “It was very well-received. It showed us that there really are some people out there who are willing to come see Shakespeare.”

The characters, comedy, and iambic pentameter may be the same as it was a decade ago, but make no mistake — this show is “entirely different” and definitely “not a repeat of last time.” Whereas the pioneer effort took place in a Midwestern 1950s carnival, this time around the show has a San Francisco setting circa the 1960s. The traditional fairy characters have been changed to hippies, demonstrating, Burk explains, “the difference between establishment and anti-establishment.”

Cast members agree that despite the large gap in time periods, the play translates easily from the intended Shakespearean setting to the more contemporary backdrop.

“The characters are universal,” says Malloryann Flanagan, who has the role of Puck. “A lot of the themes are still prevalent in society and are still relevant today.”

Flanagan and her sister, Caryn Burk, are the only two cast members who also appeared in the original production. But although the majority of the ensemble did not take part in the first “Shakespeare in Springtime” show, many of them have been seen in at least one other production put on by the group. One such actor is Paul Judkins, who has the part of Egeus.

“It’s always a challenge,” says Judkins, who cites his favorite previous Shakespearean role as the title character in "Julius Caesar." “You can’t use your natural language — you have to find the meaning behind the words. At first it was mystifying.”

Derrick Pechie, who has the role of Oberon, the fairy king, agrees that understanding the language gets easier with time:

“My first lead role in a Shakespeare play was in 'Richard III' two years ago. I did not know what I was saying. But now I can read the script and right away I know what it’s talking about.”

The difficult language and seemingly hidden meanings are exactly what makes Shakespeare so attractive to cast member Shellene Bailey, however.

“The language is sneaky,” she declares. “It’s very in-depth and very funny. There are lots of jokes and innuendos. It's very beautiful.” 

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. March 22-24 and at 2 p.m. March 25 at the Harvester 56 Theater (located at 56 Harvester Ave. in Batavia). There will also be a dinner theater performance at Terry Hills on the 31st.  

A fast-paced performance entitled "Therapy" opens tonight in the Harvester 56 Theater on Harvester Avenue, Batavia.

The performance consists of various dances set to pop and rock songs that many members of the audience may identify. 

Genesee County natives Tara Pocock and Trent Jeffords came up with the concept and choreographed the production. In addition to the two choreographers, the cast includes Amanda Crowley, Zack Durkin and Erin Dunham.

The show, which lasts approximately one hour, is composed of numerous dances and a few spoken lines that tell the stories of fictional characters who take part in a group-therapy session. 

Due to the adult themes depicted in the dances, the production is recommended for teenagers and adults. 

Each of the characters has a specific personality and unique problems, which are more fully developed in the second act. The performers make good use of the black box stage, which allows audience members to have a good view of the dancers from three sides of the stage in this intimate setting.

"Sometimes we discover that what seems like the smallest of problems actually have an enormous effect on our lives, Jeffords said. "This show is the embodiment of this concept."

"Therapy" will be performed at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The proceeds collected from audience members' suggested donation of $5 will be used to support community theater through the Batavia Players.

What the Dickens are the Batavia Players up to now?

According to Patrick Burk, the popular local theater group's president, they "wanted to do a wonderful Christmas gift to the community for the support of our new Harvester 56 Theater" this holiday season.

So they're putting on their own rendition of Charles Dickens' classic, "A Christmas Carol," the story of Ebenezer Scrooge -- a greedy, bitter, lonely old miser whose whole way of looking at the world gets turned upside down by a series of ghostly visitations on Christmas Eve.

Burk described the show as "bright and colorful as well as technically magical."

"It has a classic storyline and has always been one of my favorites," he said. "I could never find where an original version had been done (in Batavia, at least). A couple of contemporary versions with modern day spins were done in the '70s and early '80s."

The Players, on the other hand, will be giving folks pure Dickens, without any modern spin. All costumes and sets are going to be traditional. The music will be "contemporary for the time (the early 1840s, to be precise)," but with a few newer carols, according to Burk.

Performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, in addition to a matinée performance at 2 o'clock on Sunday. All performances will be at the Harvester 56 Theatre, at 56 Harvester Ave. in Batavia.

Sunday's performance will be held for the benefit of the Michael Napoleone Memorial Foundation.

"Many of (the foundation's) members have been very supportive of us," Burk said, "I am so happy to be able to do this for them."

For those who are not familiar with Dickens' story, one of its most well-known and endearing characters is a sick child named Tiny Tim. Burk felt the Napoleone Foundation would be a "good fit" for this story.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for children and seniors. They can be purchased through www.showtix4u.com.

The cast of "The Producers," this year's choice for the annual theater production of the Batavia Rotary Club (this year, in conjunction with Encore! Theatre Arts, is starting to nail their performances in rehearsals.

Director Lynda Hodgins invited me into the Batavia HS auditorium tonight to take some pictures during the non-dress rehearsal. She allowed me right on the stage during the performance. Thank you to the indulgence of the cast for carrying on as I moved around trying to get some interesting shots.

The show is high-energy and fun. It's not easy to take pictures when you're laughing out loud.

Starring are Steve Valvano and Cal Young as Max Bialystock and Leopold Bloom (pictured above).

The Mel Brooks-written musical is about a broadway producer whose career is in a downward trend when an accountant, Leopold Bloom, suggests that there's more money to be made in producing a real stinker of a show than in producing a hit.

Performances are 7:30 p.m. Nov. 3 to 5 and 2 p.m. Nov. 6 at Batavia High School.

Tickets are $12 for the Nov. 3 show, and $15 for all other shows. Tickets may be purchased online at bataviarotary.com and encoretheatrearts.com, and in person at Lawley Insurance or The Insurance Center.

There's something for everyone in the Genesee Community College Forum Players' evening of "One Acts: Fast, Funny & Fabulous," which opens tonight at the Stuart Steiner Theatre.

"I wanted to give the students the widest variety of experiences I could," says GCC Fine Arts Director Maryanne Arena. "We have everything from a satire on Hamlet to a very farcical comedy to something very touching, and I like them all for different reasons. 'Naomi in the Living Room' is very slapstick, physical comedy. 'Blind Date' is the best written and the most poignant. 'Second Beam' is about actresses auditioning for a role, and I certainly haven't forgotten what that was like."

The aforementioned "Naomi in the Living Room" stars Peggy Marone as an insane, "child-like" woman who is visited by her son and his wife. Marone says the show was a step outside her usual comfort zone.

"At work sometimes I multitask and feel psychotic," Marone laughs. "But I don't know if I've ever been this psychotic." 

Tyler Eldred also faced challenges with character development, but for a different reason: Tyler is featured in three of the one acts -- "The Philadelphia", "15-Minute Hamlet", and "Foreplay or the Art of the Fugue" -- and plays four different characters within those shows. Although the third-year theater and theater tech student has been involved with shows offstage more often than on, he says he enjoys acting more than technical work.

"It's probably because I'm a sadist, and being onstage involves so much more work," he jokes. "It's also an opportunity for me to step outside my comfort zone."

Emily Jones, a sophomore theater arts major, also has her acting hands full.  She is in four of the one acts, and performs with a singing and dancing quartet in between each show. 

"It's so hard," she says of getting into character for each performance. "With a regular show you have the whole show to work up to it, but with this you only have a few minutes for each show. It's probably the hardest thing I've done in 10  years."

Fellow sophomore theater major Patrick Dodge is just as busy as Jones, with involvement in five of the shows. His amount of stage time, he says, is approximately the equivalent of having a role in a full-length production.

His favorite show out of the five is "Blind Date" -- a Horton Foote comedy about a seemingly sullen teenage girl who is set up on a blind date by her aunt, a former beauty queen. 

"I get to play kind of a nerdy guy," he explains. "And secretly I'm very clumsy and nerdy."

Playing opposite Dodge in the role of the sullen teenage girl is Sarah Lawson, a sophomore education major. Lawson also enjoys portraying her "Blind Date" character, but for different reasons.

"It's been really interesting finding out who (my character) is," she says. "At first she seems like an unpleasant person, but she's really just lonely and not very skilled socially. And she loves Rudy Vallee."

Three of the shows--"The Philadelphia", "15-Minute Hamlet", and "The Second Beam" -- are directed by Norm Gayford, an English professor at the college who has been extremely involved with the Forum Players for the past five years. 

"It's very challenging because you have to keep changing moods, and it's hard getting everybody focused," he says about the evening's fast pace. "It's like reading multiple short stories rather than reading a novel."

The showtimes are as follows:

Oct. 13 at 7:30 p.m.; Oct. 14 at 7:30 p.m., Oct. 15 at 7:30 p.m.; and Oct. 16 at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $8 for adults, $5 for high school students, GCC faculty and staff, and senior citizens (55+), and $3 for GCC students with a valid ID. Tickets can be purchased at the box office or advance by calling 345-6814. The Stuart Steiner Theatre is located at 1 College Road in Batavia.

Jon used to think of himself as a promising composer, but...

"Instead, I've been promising for so long I'm afraid I'm about to break my promise."

That's the paraphrased line of the main character in "Tick, Tick...Boom," a semi-autographical musical by Jonathan Larson, the writer of "Rent." It will be performed this weekend at Harvester 56 Theater in Batavia.

Directors Shellene Bailey and Thorin Vallentin are members of the newly formed local theater group, JNS Productions -- named after the founders: Joel, Shellene, and Nick. They look forward to bringing this lesser known work of Larson's to the local stage.

"The music is very similar (to the music in "Rent")," Vallentin said. "It has some of the same styles, with roots in rock music but including various other styles as well."

"Rent" fans may be interested to know that Larson worked on this play first. When listening to the music, according to Vallentin, they might notice the seeds of a style that will further develop in the tunes of "Rent."

While it is similar to "Rent" stylistically, it has what Vallentin calls a "lighter feel."

"It's not as heavy," he said. "It does deal with emotional issues, but it's not as in-your-face."

The show also doesn't have as much R-rated material as "Rent," although there is some bad language (including the f-word) and a somewhat provocative dance number.

Pictured are Amanda Taylor and Drew Williams, the actors in the roles of Susan (Jon's girlfriend) and Jon, an aspiring Broadway playwright

A little information on the story: Jon is approaching his 30th birthday, and he is having what Williams calls a "pre-midlife crisis."

"His career isn't where he thought it would be by the time he turned 30," Bailey said.

At this pivotal point in his life, Jon has to decide whether he wants to continue to pursue a career in musical theater, which is his true passion, or choose a safer and more realistic path in life, as Susan and Michael, Jon's friend since childhood and an executive in corporate America, advise.

"He doesn't want to give up his dream," Bailey said.

Williams said he sees a couple of similarities between himself and the character he's portraying.

Like Jon, Williams is also about to turn 30.

"Also, he has a real passion for music," he said, "like I do. So I can kind of relate."

"Tick, Tick...Boom!" will have four performances: this Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and then a matinée at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

General admission tickets are $10 and can be purchased online at www.showtix4u.com (through the Batavia Players, Inc). People can also buy tickets at the door.

At this point, there are still tickets available for all four shows. The Harvester 56 theater seats about 110 people.

For more information, e-mail Nick Russo at nickrusso224@gmail.com

This Thursday, the London smash hit "Blood Brothers" will make its local debut at Genesee Community College. 

The show, written by Willy Russell, is based on the 1844 novella "The Corsican Brothers." It has won multiple awards, including the 1983 Olivier Award for Best New Musical and a Tony nomination.

The current West End revival is one of the longest-running productions in history due to its nearly 20-plus year run. But despite its immense popularity across the pond, the musical is rarely heard of, much less performed, in America. 

Director Maryanne Arena says its obscurity is one of the reasons she chose "Blood Brothers." 

"I like doing shows that not everyone does," she said.

The story centers around two twins who are tragically separated at birth, grow up in radically different environments, and become best friends, all the while unaware of their biological connection.

It is a musical, with songs that Arena describes as "a cross between '70s pop and Broadway tunes." Much of the score is accentuated with dancing by Tara Pocock and Leland Fuller.

The director chose the show for both personal and professional reasons.

"The show has always been very close to me because I'm adopted, and it's partially about adoption. I think the topic of nature versus nurture is very interesting: are the genes our parents gave us ones we can't get away from, or is it a matter of our environment and how we're raised? And also, I always pick a show where the kids learn new things. In this case, it was the dialect."

Said dialect is a British accent -- but not the traditional posh one that first comes to mind when thinking of the English. The actors had to learn to talk with a "Northern British" accent, which Arena describes as having stronger Irish and Scottish undertones.

Cal Young, the first-year theater major portraying the twin Mickey, says that prior to the auditions he hadn't ever heard of "Blood Brothers."

"At first I was a little skeptical," he says. "But after a while I began to really relate to the characters emotionally."

Mickey's other half, Edward, is played by Anthony Shoap. Like his fictional twin, he is also a first-year theater major, and also wasn't familiar with the show before this production.

"At first I didn't really like it," he admits. "But I've come to like it a lot more in these past few weeks now that I'm starting to understand all the underlying subtext better."

The story is partially told by a narrator, who is alternately played by Alex Grayson and Patrick Dodge. The role of Mrs. Johnstone, the real biological mother of the twins, is also double-cast with Kiley Conklin and Emily Jones.

"I really couldn't make up my mind," Arena explains of her decision to double-cast the roles. "They all auditioned equally well."

All four of the actors agree that sharing a role improves their performance. 

"It lightens the load," Grayson explains. "It's nice having someone else there to check your performance and help you out."

Although they may be playing the same parts, each of the double-cast actors has created a slightly different character. 

"It's hard to justify the narrator," Dodge says. "He isn't exactly a person. He's sort of a devil-type character. It's interesting to see how Alex interprets the character -- he's not as evil and devilish."

Jones agrees that although being double-cast is "definitely a challenge," it's "something to learn from. We do things differently and have different takes on the show."

For the performances, when they are not playing their main parts, the other narrator and the other Mrs. Johnstone are in the background chorus. 

"Going back and forth gives you so much energy," Conklin says. "When I'm in the chorus playing a little kid, I get so much energy, and that gives more energy to my performance when I'm playing Mrs. Johnstone."

Ian Gayford is the musical director and Patti Simmons is the choreographer.

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. April 7-9 (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) and there is a matinee at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 10. Tickets are $8 for adults, $5 for seniors, students, and GCC faculty/staff, and $3 for GCC students with a valid ID. There is a $2 discount for GCC alums with Alum ID.

Tickets can be reserved in advance or puchased at the door. For more information or to make reservations, contact the GCC Box Office by e-mail (BOXOFFICE@genesee.edu) or telephone (345-6814). The box office is open from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and also one hour prior to a performance.

Lights were dimming for the beginning of dress rehearsal when I took this picture -- it's of the poster for Le Roy Jr./Sr. High School's 2011 musical production, "Little Shop of Horrors."

Based on the Broadway rock musical by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, "Little Shop" is the story of a shy, nervous store clerk who dreams of finding a way out of the lousy job and circumstances he's stuck in, a young girl with low self-worth and an abusive boyfriend, and a plant that talks, sings and eats people.

This is the latest performance in a district known for its high standards for school musicals. Le Roy has been selected as one of the top 100 communities for music education in the country on multiple occasions, according to Bradley Meholick, director of music for the district.

He attributes this honor to the high level of dedication on the part of students, staff, administrators and parents, all working together in support of music in the schools.

Directed by Batavia High School graduate Jackie McLean, who teaches general music and chorus in the Le Roy schools, "Little Shop" stars students in grades nine through 12, with seventh- through 12th-graders in the crew and in the orchestra (aka "the pit").

Meholick, who is also the orchestra director for the show, describes it as witty and having a "soul feel to it (as far as the music goes)."

"The music is '50's style, but in this version it's freshened up a bit," he said. "The general style resembles '50's doo-wop, but there's a little bit of everything -- even some rock and R&B."

Senior Stephen Rudman, who plays Seymour, says this is a "real upbeat, great show."

"It has plenty of fun interaction between the characters that people of all ages will love," he said. "And the plants are just great."

The "plants" he referred to are part of a unique and innovative feature of this performance. Four puppets will be used to portray Seymour's man-eating plant, which grows with each person it eats. Meholick said that the puppets being used are of the same make and type as those used in the original Broadway performance.

The first and smallest of the "plant puppets" is pictured below. In the first picture, Seymour (Rudman) begs it to grow so that he can finally attract customers to the store in which he works; in the next two photos, the plant sprouts up and opens its mouth, in that order.

All four puppets are operated by puppeteer Kaleb Miller, a student at Le Roy Jr./Sr. High whom McLean describes as "very talented."

"We always try to give the audience something big to look forward to," Meholick said. "A couple years ago we did 'Beauty and the Beast' (which had scenes where the characters flew), and we hired a company to come in and fly the actors around the stage. Last year we did 'Curtains,' and we actually had one of the leads from the Broadway performance come and work with the kids."

Not only does "Little Shop" have yet another "something big" to give to its audience, it also presents some unique challenges and opportunities to the actors -- perhaps especially to Jake Bortle, who provides the voice of the plant.

Bortle, a senior, has been in Le Roy Jr./Sr. High musicals since seventh grade, and this is the first time he has done something like this.

"It's a complete change for me as an actor," Bortle said. "It's been a challenge having to act without using my body and to coordinate what I'm saying with what Kaleb is doing. But we work well together." 

In spite of the challenges, these young actors have been able to deliver what Meholick called "the cleanest performance to date."

"The kids have been prepared earlier than ever before, and they've been very motivated. And I think the result is going to be one of our finest productions."

McLean, who has been heavily involved in school and community theater for years, agreed totally with this assessment.

"The kids are awesome," she said. "With two weeks to develop their characters, they've been very professional -- more so than most young people with whom I've worked in the past. It's phenomenal."

"I'm hoping people in the audience forget it's kids putting on this show once it's over," Meholick said.

Senior Brogan O'Halloran, student conductor of the show's orchestra, echoed this sentiment.

"I think the community will be proud of its students and the hard work and talent they show," she said. "We're happy to be part of this musical."

Here are a couple more photos of the actors on stage:

PICS FROM THE PIT

Showtimes for "Little Shop" are tonight at 7:30 p.m., and tomorrow (March 19) at 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. All performances are in the high school auditorium, at 9300 South St. Road in Le Roy. Tickets are $10 (flat fee) at the door and $8 presale.

For more information on tickets, click here.