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Footloose: The Musical

By Eric Traugott

Encore! Theatre Arts presents FOOTLOOSE: The Musical!

Friday, May 4 at 7:30PM
Saturday, May 5 at 7:30PM
Sunday, May 6 at 2:00PM
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Batavia Middle School
39 Washington Avenue
Batavia, NY 14020

Tickets go on sale Monday, April 16 at www.showtix4u.com OR in person at Adam Miller's Toys and Bicycles
8 Center Street Batavia, NY (Cash or check only)

$12 for Adults
$10 for Students/Seniors

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Fooloose Tickets on Sale Soon!

By Eric Traugott
Encore Theatre Arts opens its 2012 season with the high-energy dance musical, FOOTLOOSE, opening Friday, May 4 - and playing through Sunday, May 6, 2012. Batavia Middle School Auditorium,39 Washington Avenue Batavia, NY. The season continues in July with the hilarious musical comedy Title of Show, at the SPACE, 1115 Main Street, Rochester, NY, July 13-15. "Footloose is the perfect summer musical. It is packed with high-spirited dancing, and a score full of the music that defined the ‘80s. It is simply a fun night at the theatre, and we all need that," says Vocal Director and Executive Director of Encore! Eric Traugott. Director and choreographer Tara Kaczorowski along with the creative team has assembled an outstanding cast of talented young and adult performers. Inspired by the wildly popular 1984 movie, FOOTLOOSE thrilled Broadway audiences for nearly two years. Based on the popular 80’s movie of the same name, the stage version of Footloose is a high-powered, exhilarating musical. With hit tunes right off the solid gold soundtrack such as “Holding Out for a Hero,” “Let's Hear it For the Boy,” and “Almost Paradise,” this is one show guaranteed to have you dancing in your seat! Teenage Ren moves from the big city to a very religious and small farming town. Things heat up when he insists the high school hold a dance. Footloose blends teenage rebellion, the wisdom of youth, and an explosion of good old-fashioned, down-home dance. FOOTLOOSE, the stage adaptation by Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie, is based on the original screenplay by Dean Pitchford. The musical features all the chart-topping music from the film ("Almost Paradise," "Holding Out For A Hero," "Let's Hear It For The Boy," etc.) mixed with new material written specifically for the stage musical. The score contains music and lyrics by Tom Snow and Dean Pitchford, with additional music by Eric Carmen, Sammy Hagar, Kenny Loggins, and Jim Steinman. The cast of FOOTLOOSE will be led by Steve Hazekemp(Bishop, Les Mis, Benny, Guys and Dolls) as Ren McCormack and Maureen Edwards (Eponine, Les Mis) as Ariel Moore. Also featured will be audience favorite Paul Gunderson ( Franz Liebkind,The Producers) as Reverend Shaw Moore, Kathy Johns as Vi Moore, Jennifer Bradley as Ethel McCormack, Dr. Rich Edwards as Principal Clark, Trevor Lee (Msr. Thenadier, Les Mis) as Willard, Samantha Reed as Rusty, Paul Spiotta( Mr. Marks, The Producers) as Cowboy Bob/Uncle Wes, Sydney Moag(Hold Me Touch Me, The Producers) as Wendy Joe , Erica Parker as Urleen and Alex Kieffer as Chuck Cranston (Angie the Ox, Guys and Dolls). The company of FOOTLOOSE also includes the roles of Lulu Warnicker: Linda Conroy, Coach Dunbar: Joe Buckley, Eleanor Dunbar: Meredith Smietana, Lyle: Nash Johns, Travis: Anthony Giambrone, Cop: Rich Conroy, Jeter: Blake Carter, Bickle: James Murphy, Garvin: Mark Knitter and Betty Blast: Peggy Marone. Also an ensemble consisting of: Elizabeth Barcomb, Hannah Cline, Rebecca D'Hilly, Andrea Gilebarto, Jacob Hoffman, Teresa Jackson, Chelsea Jensen, Hayley Jensen, Margaret Marchese, Brigid McCormack, Paige Misiti, and Fiona O'Connor. FOOTLOOSE will be Directed and Choreographed by Tara Kaczorowski (Ulla, The Producers, Sharpay Disney High School Musical) . The creative team also includes Musical Director, Eric Traugott and Jeff Fischer, Orchestra Director. Tickets go on sale Monday, April 16 at www.showtix4u.com (credit card) OR in person at Adam Miller's Toys and Bicycles, 8 Center Street Batavia, NY (cash or check only) or at the door one hour before show (cash or check only). $12 for Adults $10 for Students/Seniors (This musical is recommended for ages 12 and up.) For more info/questions, call 585-615-8893 or email encoretheatrearts@gmail.com, You can also visit at www.encoretheatrearts.com or find us on Facebook!

Theatre Association of New York Weekend Festival

By Ann Winters
Theatre Association of New York State - TANYS
Friday, Nov 18 - Sunday, Nov 20, 2011
Stuart Steiner Theatre
FESTIVAL THEME: MASQUERADE
The primary voice of community and educational theatre in the Empire State, TANYS returns to Genesee for their annual theatre festival of workshops, demonstrations and performances.

Forum Players Club members as well as Theatre and Technical Theater Majors participate in this yearly seminar! Great fun and experiences!!

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One Women Show - Lilia!

By Ann Winters

One women show “Lilia”  presented by the Fine and Performing Arts committee, Friday, September 16, 2011 at 7:00PM

Lilia is about the extraordinary life of Oscar-nominated actress Lilia Skala, written and performed by her granddaughter Libby Skala.

This is a unique and often spellbinding production. Even if you have never heard of Lilia Skala, you will know her well at the end of this riveting play.

Tickets: $10 Adults, $8 Seniors (55+), $5 Students (18-), and GCC Faculty/Staff, $3 GCC students with valid ID.

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Forum Players present 'In the Blood' at the Stuart Steiner Theatre

By Ann Winters

Genesee Center for the Arts at Genesee Community College presents:

“In the Blood” by Suzan-Lori Parks performed by the Forum Players at the Stuart Steiner Theatre Thursday – Saturday, Feb 3, 4 and 5, 2011 7:30pm

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Les Mis cast buzz - hear about their experiences, rehearsals - And why YOU should see the show!

By Leah Stacy

Trevor Lee | Age 16 | Junior at Batavia High School


His role: Thenardier

"Les Miserables has been an phenomenal experience and I can confidently say that others share the same sentiments. I have met some many wonderful new people and I am enthralled to have shared this experience with everyone.

Les Miserables is a very profound and heart wrenching show, but despite all of the strife, there are glimpses of comedy which my character and his "charming" wife provide. Every cast member has something to bring to the stage, allowing our production to really shine."
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Alex Black| Age 18 | Nursing major at SUNY Brockport

His role: Javert 

"Rehearsals are fun because we MAKE them fun. Lynda (Hodgins) is a great director and likes to get things done and get down to business, but us kids like to loosen her up. The good thing about the cast is we usually know when to get serious and when to mess around. Either way, rehearsals always turn into a fun time with friends. 

People should come to this show because even though it is set in a time much earlier than 2010 it is still very relatable to most audiences. What I personally love about this show is how emotionally attached everyone gets to the characters. 

You can't help but feel bad, sorry, a whole spectrum of emotions for each individual character. It makes for quite the heart wrenching performance but thats what people look for in a show. Even a cold hearted audience member could shed a tear watching Les Mis."
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Sydney Alexis | Age 17 | Senior at Notre Dame High School, Batavia

Her role: Factory girl/ensemble

"Rehearsals are great. After a long, irritating day at school they're just what I need. I get to actually be somewhere with people who share the same interests as me and who don't judge. My favourite part of the whole thing has got to be the process of thinking up and the making of a big secret surprise that won't be revealed until Halloween night! I can't say much more... Stay tuned!

Les Miserables is, without a doubt, power in musical form. The show is filled with tough, painful lessons on love, revenge, failure and hope. There is a lot to get from the story and everyone will leave with a piece of it- from a song in their heart to a tear on their cheek. You're going to learn something from this show. And I guarantee you're going to love it."
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Jake Bortle | Age 17 | Senior at Leroy Jr./Sr. High School 

His role: Jean Valjean

"Above all, rehearsals have been extremely rewarding. Watching the show come together even in the past few days really puts my dreams into reality. I have always wanted to play this role and having it finally come true, and with such a talented cast, really makes everything worth while. 

My favorite experience in the show would have to be my favorite song, 'The Confrontation.' I love singing this song with Alex (Black, who plays Javert). Being onstage with sets, costumes, hair, and make-up, this scene really intensifies. Every single time we sing it, it gets more and more intense. 

But to keep this short, people should come see the show because it's awesome. But really, the talent in this cast is something you would not expect from people our age. Every single person is putting all they can into the show, and it really shows. The quality of this show really is fantastic and will blow anyone out of their chairs."

For more info, including ticket prices and show dates, on Les Miserables School Edition, click here or become a fan Encore! Theatre Arts on Facebook by clicking here.

Batavia Players Summer Youth Theatre

By Loren Penman

 Don't miss this great show -- here's the link to a teaser on YouTube!

http://www.youtube.com/user/PenguinMultimedia#p/a/u/0/RJ4w7r5l964

Batavia native brings fresh creative energy to local theater

By Daniel Crofts

This Saturday, Heather Ackerman invites you into an alternative universe with alternative theater...

Well, all right, maybe that first "alternative" is a bit over the top...but the second is definitely real.

The venture

Ackerman's new East Bethany-based theater group, "Honesty Theatre," will be putting on their second production Saturday, June 12. It will be made up of a series of individual performances grouped under the theme of "alternate realities."

"All of these stories will be based on different 'what if' ideas," Ackerman said, citing as an example a vignette that has Sophocles' Antigone winding up in New York City.

Ackerman describes Honesty Theatre as "an experimental writing company for the stage." The group is made up of small teams of actors, each responsible for writing, producing and performing a short play...all in one day.

Each teams' play is included in a single, themed performance every month. At Honesty Theatre's premiere last month, the plays that were all about "beginnings." Subjects included Adam and Eve, beginning relationships, the first day in a new town, etc.

Ackerman says this style of theater is good for both audiences and actors; audiences get to see something "no one has ever seen before" (since it's being more or less created and performed at the same time), while actors have the chance to explore their creative instincts.

"Our emphasis is on the creative process, what we learn along the way and being creative with words, rather than on the final product."

Nevertheless, the Honesty Theatre troupe is taking advantage of lessons learned from their last show to enhance the quality of the next one. For example, instead of writing the scripts on the day as the performance, they decided to "workshop" the scripts well in advance this time. Spontaneity will still be very much in play, but with scripts prepared in advance, the actors can focus more energy on the performance aspect of the show.

"Acting on the fly is a lot better than writing on the fly," Ackerman said.

She also encouraged more interaction and reciprocal feedback between the different acting teams, as well as some advance rehearsal time. During the first production, the actors had to rehearse while the other vignettes were being performed. This time, they will be able to see and offer feedback on their fellow actors' work.

The brains behind the operation

Though currently a resident of East Bethany, Ackerman is a Batavia native. She has been acting since she was a youngster and has an impressive repertoire of local theater performances, including roles in Summer Youth Theater productions of "Alice in Wonderland," "Godspell" and "Oliver." She has also worked with a local independent theater company called Something-or-Other Productions, acting in such plays as "The Laramie Project" and "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged" from 2004-2007.

While a student at Genesee Community College, she had starring roles in "The Importance of Being Earnest" and "A Christmas Carol."

In addition to acting, she also has experience writing local theater productions. Her first stage play, an experimental piece about young girls and their perspectives on relationships (love, breakups, etc), premiered at GCC in 2003.

After earning a bachelor's degree from the NY University at Buffalo, she spent six months living in Boulder, Colo. It was there that the seeds of Honesty Theatre were planted.

"I was looking at the want ads and I noticed that there were these people looking for a theater writer," Ackerman said. "I called them right away, got the job, and wrote for them the whole time I lived in Boulder."

The names of the two individuals in question were Erin Kelly and Jesse McDonald, and they ran a spontaneous theater company just like Honesty Theatre. Kelly, in fact, was one of the founders of "L.A. Café," which was the first group to experiment with this type of theater.

"They're actually doing very well in Boulder," Ackerman said. "In the time since I left, they've already become a larger theater company."

Ackerman was so intrigued by their approach to live theater that she wanted to bring it to her own neck of the woods. She asked Kelly and McDonald for their permission, and they granted it happily.

The venue

Honesty Theatre productions take place at the East Bethany Old Town Hall, at 10440 Bethany Center Rd., which Ackerman says has "exactly what (they) need" in spite of its smaller size. The hall contains an old vaudeville stage.

"It has seating for 100, and it's great as a theater because it has an old-fashioned look and bright polished wood."

Saturday's show will begin at 7:30 p.m. and last about an hour and a half. Tickets are $8 and will be for sale at the door.

For more details, call Ackerman at 356-4678.

Batavia Players presents 'Richard III'

By Daniel Crofts

The Batavia Players' 2010 "Shakespeare in Springtime" pick is "Richard III." It will be performed at the Batavia High School auditorium, 260 State St.

Showtimes are as follows:

7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 18

7:30 p.m. Friday, March 19

7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 20

Tickets can be purchased online at the Batavia Players website or at the door, and are $10 general admission and $8 for students and seniors.

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