Intermediate Acting Workshop Presentation

During the next two weeks, students will be participating in the Intermediate Acting Workshop. A performance is planned for Thursday evening, August 6 at 7:00 p.m.. Mark your calendars now and plan to join us for this free event. Scenes from Annie and Peter Pan will be presented.

African thunderstorm

Mrs. Potts (from Beauty and the Beast) shared this with me today. It takes awhile for the "storm" to arrive, but it is worth the wait.

African thunderstorm

Shared via AddThis

Updated Summer Hours

The theater has re-opened following the fair. The hours are currently limited. If you need to stop by the theater, please call in advance to arrange a time: 530-642-0404. We can also be reached by email at ITPlacerville@yahoo.com. If you are interested in purchasing tickets, please leave your name, phone, and best time to reach you--and we will call you back. Tickets are available for As Always, Jimmy Stewart, An Affair to Remember (Fundraiser), and Greater Tuna. Tickets for Beauty and the Beast will be available on August 1.

Don't make the guitar player mad!

A friend of mine sent this to me--clever and a clear way to get your message heard. 1.6 million views and counting.

R.I.P. Man in the Mirror

I'm Starting With The Man In The Mirror
I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways
And No Message Could Have
Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World
A Better Place
(If You Wanna Make The
World A Better Place)
Take A Look At Yourself, And
Then Make A Change
(Take A Look At Yourself, And
Then Make A Change)
(Na Na Na, Na Na Na, Na Na, Na Nah)

--Siedah Garrett and Glen Ballard

IT! Night and More Info on Pippin at EDHS

InnerArts of El Dorado High School is presenting Stephen Schwartz’s “Pippin” this summer, opening July 1st.

July 11 is "IT! Night" and discounted tickets can be purchased at the door only, and mentioning that you are with IT! If you don't wish to wait (or want to see it twice), tickets are reasonably priced and available online and at the door.

Elly award winning director, Paul Tomei, is producing a summer play with students from 4 different high schools. The InnerArts program’s goal is to promote collaboration and cooperation between the various high schools and to have fun during the summer. The cast of "Pippin" by “Wicked” composer, Stephen Schwartz, is made up of students from El Dorado, Oak Ridge, Union Mine and St. Francis high schools. It is being choreographed by Elly winner, Beverly Stewart and music directed by yet another Elly winner and current high school senior, David Taylor. There are several Elly nominees in the cast as well. Once upon a time, the young prince Pippin longed to discover the secret of true happiness and fulfillment. He sought it in the glories of the battlefield, the temptations and the intrigues of political power (after disposing of his father King Charlemagne the Great). In the end, he found it in the simple pleasures of home and family.

This hip, tongue-in-cheek, anachronistic fairy tale captivated Broadway audiences and continues to appeal to the young at heart everywhere The energetic pop-influenced score by three-time Oscar®-winning composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz (“Godspell,” “Children of Eden” and the animated films “Pocahontas,” “The Hunchback Of Notre Dame” and “The Prince Of Egypt”) bursts with one showstopping number after another, from soaring ballads to infectious dance numbers.Pop / Rock, Rated PG The show opens on July 1st at the Carl Borelli amphitheater in Placerville at El Dorado High, 561 Canal Street, and runs July 1, 2 ,3, 7, 8 ,9 ,10, 11 at 8pm, gates open at 6:30pm. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students/seniors.

Cast List:

The Leading Player: Ryan Blanning
Pippin : Michael McClellan
Charles : David Taylor
Fastrada: Krista Unverferth
Lewis : Gavin Sellers
Catherine: Shelby Wulfert

Chorus/Dancers

Jillian Sorhweide
Seriah Highley
McKenzie Weinhold
Hannah Mahoney
Alyssa Sota
Joslin Schultz
Suzanne Lewis
Arianna Woicekowski
Madelyn Frey
Taylor Flanagan
Leslie McKinney

Announcing the Fall Comedy - Greater Tuna

In September and October, Imagination Theater! presents the comedy, Greater Tuna. The show will run Friday, September 11 through Sunday, October 4.

Greater Tuna is the hilarious comedy about Texas' third smallest town, where the Lion's Club is too liberal and Patsy Cline never dies. Tuna is redneck America, and it's as clever as it is entertaining. Two actors play each and every one of the characters - a total of 20 in Greater Tuna . . . jumping in and out of dresses or overalls in as little as nine seconds.

The play is set in Tuna, a mythical small town in West Texas, where everyone listens to Radio OKKK, all 275 watts of it. Topping the headlines is the winning entry in the American Heritage Essay Contest, entitled: "Human Rights, Why Bother?" Tuna's residents include a variety of eccentrics, bigots, and oddballs. There's Aunt Pearl, who poisons the town's stray dogs; Vera Carp, the richest woman in town and vice president of the Smut Snatchers club, and Didi Snavely, a gun shop owner, who decorates her Christmas tree with hand grenades.

You won't want to miss this off beat comedy. Tickets will go on sale in July.

Pippin comes to EDHS this summer!

Click on image to enlarge.

Memorial Day Remembrance

Formerly known as Decoration Day, Memorial Day commemorates U.S. men and women who died while in the military service. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War, it was expanded after World War I to include American casualties of any war or military action.

National Memorial Concert on PBS - Sunday, May 24
Memorial Day History
Military Family Support Group of El Dorado County

Everyone Loves a Good Story

Little House on the Prairie was one of my favorite television programs as a child. During the IT! Insider's Box Office hiatus, I am enjoying a DVD collection of episodes with my kids. Reflecting on some of the stories we have watched, I've been thinking a lot about what makes this show so. . .well. . .comforting.

I think one of the reasons has to do with our mission that says:

"The mission of Imagination Theater is to tell good stories well in an atmosphere of Trust, Respect, Personal Growth, and Challenge."

Everyone loves a good story and Little House on the Prairie delivers! This link below takes you through the episodes we are currently watching. I have especially enjoyed "The Richest Man in Walnut Grove" and "Haunted House" so far. Despite its' predictable storyline, my daughter cried watching the latter as it touched her heart. Afterward, she shared an interesting perspective about the story that would not have crossed my mind. Deep thinker, that girl!

Take a some time to watch one of the stories (hey! no commercials!) and find your favorite episode. You can scroll through the Season 2 Playlist here, or make a more general search on You Tube--or find it on cable television.

Disclaimer: Some of the actors are very believable in their roles and some of them are just so 70's like the music!

Tight Times Loosen Creativity

Here is an interesting article from the New York Times about creativity and the arts in light of today's economic situation.

I'm a fan of Mrs. Darbus!

The IT! Insider has been spending time recovering from dental work while the theater is closed for the fair. I have enjoyed slowing down and taking the time to watch some old movie favorites-- and a few newer ones that I have wanted to see. We borrowed High School Musical 3 from the library and escaped to a high school environment that doesn't exist. This time around, I couldn't help but notice that Mrs. Darbus had a much bigger role. She is probably the only grown up with a significant presence in the movie. Most adult roles in HSM are like the Peanuts cartoons with the "waa, waa, waa" sound for the parents. I've been trying to find online Mrs. Darbus' advice to Troy (after he has flashdanced his way around the unlocked campus), but I have yet to find it. You know you're getting older when you can relate more to the wise counsel of the teacher than the angst of the teen. Below is an interview with "Mrs. Darbus" a.k.a. Alyson Reed.




Ever wonder about Ms. Darbus from "High School Musical"? Veteran actress Alyson Reed plays the part. The Modesto Bee's Teens in the Newsroom writer, Amelia Varni, an actress herself, recently interviewed Reed about the phenomenon that is "High School Musical." Here's what she had to say.


Q: When you first auditioned, what did you imagine "HSM" would turn out to be? Just another Disney Channel movie? Did you ever expect it to get so popular?
A: Well, I liked the role very much. I thought that it would be a very sweet movie. But it wasn't until we had our very first read-through with the cast, when we read our lines and the kids sang through the songs for the first time, that I talked to Kenny Ortega (the director) and said that this would be the next generation's "Grease." I could just feel it.


Q: How long did it take to film "High School Musical 3"?
A: Nine weeks, April through June.


Q: How is it different from the first two "High School Musical" movies?
A: I think it's just more. The numbers are bigger. The scenes are more developed. The colors are brighter. The sets are bigger. The costumes are incredible.


Q: Your role as Ms. Darbus is much bigger in HSM3. How has your character grown since the first "HSM"?
A: I didn't expect to be in "HSM2" because the setting was during summer vacation, so I was surprised that my character was even in the script. In "HSM3," I do the same thing that I did in the first "HSM," but in this one, I have a lovely scene with Zac (Efron) where I encourage him to choose his future role in life.


Q: Do you sing in this movie?
A: I do not sing in any of the movies. However, I was going to sing a song with the kids in "HSM3" -- I believe it was called "Stay in the Moment" -- where I was teaching them theater improv. But it was very "iffy." Kenny wasn't sure it was going to happen. We took it out of the script a few days before filming.


Q: What are the cast members like on the set? Do they get along? Have you become close with any of the cast?
A: Oh, everybody gets along very well. I feel like the proud auntie of all of them. I have spoken to Corbin (Bleu) and Monique (Coleman) since the film opened. But they're all great and I'm very proud of them.


Q: How was it working with Kenny Ortega?
A: Kenny is a genius. He really set the tone of this movie and let everyone be encouraging and spontaneous while on the set. He's a great director. He even let us come up with our own ideas for the film.


Q: There have been a lot of rumors about a "High School Musical 4." Does the cast plan on coming back and filming another movie together?
A: I don't know. I know that they're writing another "HSM" and I know that it will be with the three new characters. But I don't know any more. It's all a big secret.


Q: Were you interested in theater and film while growing up?
A: Yes. I started ballet when I was 4 years old and theater when I was 7. I participated in community theater and I would do three or four shows a year. I became a professional dancer at the age of 12, but I would not work during the school year. I only worked during summer vacations and other breaks. I'm against child professional acting. I think that it is best to participate in community theater and school plays.


Q: How did you get into acting?
A: My parents taught me to read and write before kindergarten, so my teacher suggested that I do outside activities or else I would get bored. So I started ballet when I was young and I started doing community theater and I also sang in the church choir.


Q: You've had a busy career in stage, TV and movies (including roles in TV shows from "Party of Five" to "Eli Stone," playing Cassie in the movie version of "A Chorus Line" and playing Sally Bowles in "Cabaret" on Broadway in 1987-88). Do you have any advice for teens who are interested in acting?
A: Just get some training and enjoy it. These days, too many kids just want to become stars. That was not our goal back then. Our goal was to do good work and to learn our craft. There is a big difference between learning and knowing who you are, then becoming a star.


Q: What was it like being on Broadway?
A: It was a wonder. Performing on Broadway was my goal in my whole life. I never had the desire to do TV or film. Performing on Broadway was a life's dream. I took theater classes in junior high and I would have rehearsal every night. I worked very hard to get there.


Q: How does it differ from local theater?
A: There are more demands, but the same technique and rehearsal process. The days are longer and harder. But there is nothing like a Broadway opening. The whole city stops. It is very fun.

Amelia Varni is a junior at Central Catholic High School and a member of The Bee's Teens in the Newsroom journalism program.

Last Weekend for MacBeth at EDHS

Tickets for “MacBeth” are available online and will also be available at the gate on the day of the performance. No reservations required! The remaining MacBeth performances, are Friday, May 15 and Saturday, May 16 at 8:00 p.m.

Performed outdoors in the Carl Borelli Community Amphitheater at El Dorado High School, witches, ghosts and murderers populate this stormy landscape in Studio 81s new, edgy and innovative 90 minute production. This is Shakespeare's greatest study in evil; a tale of sound and fury that continues to chill and disturb audiences 400 years after its debut.

Bringing a universal and contemporary style to the text, this version is set on the urban city streets, where youthful lust and ambition has plagued the culture. Incorporating the latest trends in urban fashion, music and modern fight scenes, this bloody tale is sure to please even those with the weakest of stomachs. Recommended for mature audiences Rated PG-13

BBQ dinner available for $10 beginning at 6pm
Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students/seniors.
Gates open at 6pm, performance at 8pm.

Dinner is a BBQ of tri-tip sandwich on dutch crunch roll, cole slaw, baked beans, drink and cookie or chips for only $10. A vegetarian option of grilled vegetables with (or without) cheese is also available. All proceeds support Studio 81!

For further information, call 530-333-7168 or email studio81tickets@gmail.com

Dracula Trailer

If you want a little taste of Dracula, but were afraid to ask. . .

Dracula teaser trailer #1 from Porter Media Group on Vimeo.

Beauty and the Beast - Happy Endings

Who doesn't like a happy ending. . .

Beauty-ful Music

Two dramatic selections told with music only. . .

NY Times Article about Holland

Here is an article comparing life in the United States and Holland. Although it is long and has nothing to do with theater, it is very interesting. It is an interesting glimpse about living in another country, another culture.

NY Times article about life in The Netherlands

Beauty and the Beast Music - Day 4

Another day. . .of beautiful music from Beauty and the Beast.

Beauty and Beast Music - Day 3

Okay, I'm having too much fun with this. . .

Support IT! with a Raley's Q Card

On a tight budget? Another way to support the theater, at no cost to you, is to sign up for the Raley’s and Bel Air Q Card scrip program. It’s as easy as 1, 2, and maybe 3.

1. Come the box office to pick up a card. We will also mail one to you if you can’t make to the box office during office hours. Call us at 530-642-0404 or we can be reached by email at ITPlacerville@yahoo.com
2. Register the card online. Click on the card above (easiest) or go to http://www.raleys.com/. Select the Quality of Life Card under “About Us” at the top of their website. Please choose Option 2 - "Click here to activate your card". Your card will have Imagination Theater already attached to it the number. There is nothing else to do. That’s it. You’re done. Now go shopping. However. . .
3. If you already have a card and would like to add Imagination Theater, please go to the Q Card Frequently Asked Questions and you will be walked through the process to add IT!. A percentage of the monthly sales total of all the card holders will go directly to IT! A little can go a long way. By using this card, you can help with the many needs of our small community theater.

More Music from Beauty and the Beast

The IT! Insider is quite impressed with the things than one can find on YouTube. I found this with the Prologue from yesterday. I love how the score really matches up so perfectly with the animation on the screen. You really don't need the dialogue or the sound effects for this scene to come to life. Once again, enjoy!

Music from Beauty and the Beast

The IT! Insider's kids love the music prologue from Beauty and the Beast. It draws them each time we listen to it. Here it is without the narration.

Thought of the Day

What would you attempt to accomplish if you truly believed that you could not fail?

(If this looks familiar, you may have seen it on the IT! Box Office wall.)

As Always. . .Jimmy Stewart with Steve Nevil on sale May 1

“Steve Nevil truly captured the essence of Jimmy Stewart. I really felt as though he was there with the audience, sharing his stories. My husband and I are big Jimmy Stewart fans and we thoroughly enjoyed the performance."

2 Shows - Friday, August 7 at 8:00 p.m. and Saturday, August 8 at 2:00 p.m.

As Always, Jimmy Stewart returns to Imagination Theater on with Steve Nevil as Jimmy Stewart, and with the permission of the Stewart family. It's Christmas Eve shortly after the passing of his beloved wife Gloria, and Jimmy Stewart is prowling around his Beverly Hills house reminiscing about his truly "wonderful life."

Call the box office (530-642-0404) to order your tickets and get the best seats. Tickets go on sale May 1. All seats are $20.

Union Mine High School presents Grease

I just returned from the opening night of Grease at Union Mine High School in El Dorado. Now I have this song stuck in my head. . .



The show runs this Friday and Saturday, as well as the following Thursday through Saturday (April 30-May 2). Tickets are $9 for adults, $7 for students and Senior Citizens, and $6 for UMHS ASB students. Doors open at 7; Curtain at 7:30 pm. Come and rock out to this 50’s classic!

Dracula's Lair Fundraiser

Come to “Dracula’s Lair” on Thursday, April 30. Sponsored by downtown Placerville restaurant, Cascada, Porter Media Group and Imagination Theater will be premiering the trailer for the multi-media production of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Cascada is located at 384 Main St, Placerville from 4:30 -6:30 p.m.

Everyone is welcome to attend the premier and support the project. A portion of the proceeds from the full service bar, 50% of tips, and proceeds from a great raffle will go toward funding the remaining part of the project. For more information, please call Tammy Troyer (Porter Media Group) 530.417.3571 or Lanny Langston (Imagination Theater) at 530.903.6361.

Beauty and the Beast will be here. . .

before you know it. Here is a taste from the Broadway production.




This second video has some cool choreography in "Gaston" and the remaining selections from the musical.

Man of La Mancha Closes Sunday

I had an opportunity to see Man of La Mancha a second time. This time, I brought my 12 year old daughter who said she loved it. She was not saying this to please the IT! Insider (a.k.a. mom). She was genuinely entertained, as well as the Insider's better half who is not into musicals. The music can't help but draw you into the story. . . and who doesn't like a good story. Just ask the Governor! I appreciated so many little moments of humor, insight, and its timeless message. Come see Man of La Mancha this weekend. Both shows on Saturday and Sunday begin at 2:00 p.m. The box office and theater, located in the El Dorado County Fairground, opens at 1:30. Don't miss it.

Is the Man of La Mancha mad?

When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies?
Perhaps to be too practical is madness.
To surrender dreams, this may be madness.
To seek treasure where there is only trash...
too much sanity may be madness!
And maddest of all...
to see life as it is and not as it should be!

--Don Quioxote

Talent trumps all for YouTube sensation Susan Boyle

(This article appeared in the LA Times. I enjoyed reading it and watching the video on You Tube. Join 14 million+ people and watch it for yourself. I included the link at the end of the article)

An appearance on 'Britain's Got Talent' propels the 47-year-old singer onto the world stage - with nary a speck of glitz or glamour.

By Scott Collins and Janet Stobart April 17, 2009

Less than a week ago, she was just another 47-year-old Scottish virgin. Now, more than 13 million YouTube views later, Hollywood agents and talk-show bookers are jostling for a few minutes with Susan Boyle, a stocky, beetle-browed woman who would not ordinarily rate a second glance on the street."Do you understand what a big deal this is?" Harry Smith asked her Thursday morning on CBS' "The Early Show."

"It 'asn't really sunk in yet," Boyle guilelessly replied from her plainly furnished cottage in Blackburn, Scotland, which had belonged to her now-deceased mother. It may all add up to only a momentary big deal, but the case of this previously unknown amateur singer is a compelling study in how viral video can lather its subject into frothy international stardom within hours. On Saturday's season premiere of " Britain's Got Talent," a U.K. show in which " American Idol's" Simon Cowell is one of the judges, Boyle was, from the moment she stepped onstage, perhaps the most unlikely star since Marie Dressler, the frumpy 1930s movie heroine.

Boyle told producers that she was a virgin. "Never been kissed," she confided on-camera. "Shame! But it's not an advert." She invoked as her idol the British musical theater star Elaine Paige. When she stated her age and the audience groaned, Boyle ground her ample hips and blurted: "And that's just one side of me!" A close-up showed Piers Morgan, another judge familiar to U.S. viewers from "America's Got Talent," wincing.The crowd seemed to be expecting another colorful character with no discernible talent, in the style of former "American Idol" contestant William Hung. Amanda Holden, the program's third judge, e-mailed on Thursday: "When she came onto stage the audience immediately started booing and hissing her, based purely on her appearance. She looked a little odd [and] was a bit nervous and searching for her words.""We were laughing at her," Morgan said in a phone interview Wednesday. "She was someone who seemed to be completely deluded." Until she started to sing.

Boyle, who had some limited previous vocal training and then mostly in church choirs, shrewdly picked "I Dreamed a Dream," a heartbreaking ballad about unfulfilled dreams from the hit musical "Les Misérables." A few bars into the song, as her earthy, pleasing voice took command and soared over the auditorium, the crowd could be heard letting out a collective gasp, then starting to cheer raucously. "It wasn't singer Susan Boyle who was ugly on 'Britain's Got Talent' so much as our reaction to her" was the title of a piece by Guardian commentator Tanya Gold.

Press and TV analyses since then have examined the unlikely success of her less-than-glamorous presentation, in particular audiences' reaction before and after her performance."Why are we so shocked when 'ugly' women can do things, rather than sitting at home weeping and wishing they were somebody else? Men are allowed to be ugly and talented," wrote Gold. But the Internet has already delivered its own verdict on her potential. Boyle's is already the most-watched clip this month on YouTube, more than doubling the total views of its runner-up. Demi Moore has written tweets praising the singer on Twitter, and Oprah Winfrey has reportedly extended an invitation for Boyle to appear on her program.Even Patti LuPone, the Broadway diva whose version of "I Dreamed a Dream" Boyle closely followed, is a fan. "Susan, you've got pluck, girl," LuPone told Boyle on CBS' "Early Show." Of the YouTube performance, she added: "It was pretty powerful . . . I started to cry."

Boyle's story resembles that of Paul Potts, a shy cellphone salesman turned opera tenor who won the first season of "Britain's Got Talent" in 2007 by belting out a credible rendition of Puccini's aria "Nessun Dorma."Potts' performance was another online sensation, with more than 43 million views to date. Bullying at school undermined his confidence, he said in interviews. Boyle also told a British newspaper that she was bullied at school for her frizzy hair and for having learning difficulties.Both performers are classic underdogs, nonthreatening people who, in pursuing long-held dreams, managed to triumph over easily understood disadvantages. While many Americans normally wouldn't be fascinated by a previously obscure contestant on a British TV show, that story is familiar and has particular resonance in this country."Americans can be very moved by this sort of thing," Morgan said. "She is Rocky Balboa, if you will." Indeed, a full range of emotion -- first humor, then shock, followed by warm appreciation and perhaps a dollop of self-reproof for anyone who dares to judge others principally by their appearance -- can be extracted from Boyle's seven-minute clip. And that is what makes her story perfect for the Internet, where short clips rule.

Giving Boyle staying power may prove harder, but those who discovered her are already at work on the problem."Our understanding is that Simon Cowell and BMG have already started working with her, to try and get her a deal" in records, said "Early Show" executive producer Zev Shalev, whose staff worked hard to get Boyle on the program. A spokesman for CAA, which represents Cowell, was unable to confirm that information by press time.In the meantime, Morgan vows to beat his longtime rival Cowell in the race to give Boyle her first kiss."In these types of shows, the most powerful tool you can have is what Simon calls the 'likability factor' . . . [Boyle] is someone who is happy in her own skin," Morgan said. "This is someone who's worked [nearly] 48 years to get her shot and, by God, she's taking it."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

Sexist or Sexiest

A recent audience member wrote a letter to the Mt. Democrat about how much she enjoyed Man of La Mancha--especially watching The Governor. She was impressed with his commanding presence and appearance. However, the cast suspects a typo in the letter as he was described as sexist rather than sexiest. I guess we'll leave that for you to determine. See the show this week and decide for yourself who is the sexiest!

Last Weekend of Man of La Mancha

Don't miss IT!'s last four shows of Man of La Mancha.

Thursday, April 16 at 7:00 p.m. (all seats $9 this show)
Friday, April 17 at 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 18 at 2:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 19 at 2:00 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased in advance (with a Visa or Mastercard) or at the door. Call 530-642-0404. The best seats available are at our closing show on Sunday, April 19. Adults $16, Senior $13, and Children $9. The theater is located on the El Dorado County Fairgrounds in Placerville.

Dracula Filming This Week

Filming for Dracula is taking place this week. Though the weather hasn't cooperated, everyone seems to be making the best of it. However, I'm a little concerned about Lanny, the IT! Insider's boss. He seems to be taking on a lot of stress lately. As you can see by the photos below (thanks to Ryan Cruz), you can see why I worry about him. Perhaps it was the computer crash that left him in such a state.
I haven't seen him at the office in a few days. I hope he's okay. . .
The IT! Insider also has concerns about Peter. Like Sarah Winchester, he's been sawing and hammering into the wee hours of the morning. I'm sure his neighbors wonder about him too. Only a week ago this was in his driveway. . .

I'm sure Lanny and Peter will be okay though. After all, they're working with Josh Porter of Porter Media Group. I'm sure he'll straighten them out somehow.

For more details about Dracula, contact Imagination Theater! at 530-642-0404 or by email.

This multi-media production will run in spring 2010 in Placerville and Sacramento.

Do Re Mi -- Tee Hee Hee!

Remember the T Mobile Dance a few months back. . .well here is another similar one just virally passed on to me by a good friend. Enjoy!

Student Night this Thursday

It's not a dream--an impossible dream! All seats for Man of La Mancha are $9 for this Thursday, April 9. You do not need to be a student to take advantage of Student Night. Call the theater at 530-642-0404 to purchase your tickets. Tickets will also be available at the door. Box Office opens at 6:30 p.m.

Help Needed

Our computer is sick and is in need of help. If you have a recommendation of someone reasonable, trustworthy, experienced, and supportive, contact the theater at 530-642-0404. We need help ASAP. Our patient might already be dead, but we hope for a speedy recovery of data! Of course, our patient could be "faking it" and simply needs something minor to get going again. We await the diagnosis.

A Thank You to the Boy Scouts

A big thank you goes to Boy Scout Troop 88. 250 cookies were made for those working on the filming of Dracula this week. Also, this troop does an excellent job in working the concession stand at our performances. They keep the kitchen clean and in order. Maybe they should come to the IT! Insider's house to give her a few tips :) Thanks again!

"Easy Up" Does It - Dracula Filming Needs

Filming for Dracula will begin this next week. We have an immediate need for a three easy up tents for shade/protection at the film site. If anyone has one available, please contact Lanny at 530-903-6361. We need them as soon as possible. Thank you.

Vote for IT!

I thought I would forward this information sent by an IT! Fan. They are also a supporter of Caffe Santoro--which I guess that this IT! Insider will have to try someday. Thanks to those of you who have sent encouraging emails lately. Keep 'em coming.
____________________________________________

Hello!

It’s time to vote for the local businesses that we love. I just voted for Imagination Theater (IT) in Placerville (at the Fairgrounds) and for Caffe Santoro in Cameron Park (off Merry Chase Drive). Both we highly recommend!

If you haven’t done this before all you do is sign-in first. Then put the business in “search local business” at the top of the screen for the search. Voting for these business’ really help them.

Click: http://kcra.cityvoter.com/contests/2009-kcra-3-a-list-contest/4367

Of course it would help them if you go visit these places. See a play! Now playing at IT! is Man of LaMancha. http://www.imagination-theater.org/cms/ or www.itplacerville.blogspot.com

Have lunch at Caffe Santoro’s. They have more than just the best coffee. They have sandwiches and ice cream!

Make a good day.

First Impressions at Auditions

With Beauty and the Beast auditions coming up this Saturday, I thought it might be a good idea to review some tips on making a good first impression at auditions. I believe this came from Chrissie Addison, one of our IT! supporters. It was one of those hidden treasures found in the IT Insider's desk drawer.

Logistics:

• Arrive on time
• Be ready
• Be prepared to stay as long as necessary
• Think through your commitment before you make it
• Get plenty of sleep the night before
• Bring your appointment/date book
• Be positive. Be prepared. Be professional

Preparing your material:

1. Know the type of audition (general, specific, cold)
2. Know the length of the selection desired. Stick to it!
3. Select something that shows your best
4. Avoid well-known, overdone pieces.
5. Bring music
6. Prepare an up-to-date resume and locate your latest head shot

Preparing yourself:

1. Get plenty of rest
2. Rehearse well before you go on your pieces, songs etc.
3. Present a neat and neutral appearance
4. Arrange for transportation and your work schedule for day off

At audition:

1. Don't bring family and friends
2. Don't second guess or distract panel by leaving and reentering room unneccesarily
3. Don't wait to be coaxed up on to stage
4. Make no disclaimers before or during auditions
5. Keep going no matter what
6. Know about the play, the playwright, the director, the company
7. Ask the see the rehearsal schedule
8. Be friendly, ready to do whatever is asked of you
9. Read whatever is asked of you. Any part

Have fun! Stay healthy. Continually study acting, dancing, singing etc. Become a student of theater!

Man of La Mancha Opening Night Review

The production was great! We all enjoyed it! I'm always amazed at the talent we have here in El Dorado County. My students loved it. In fact, they studied the program and want to come again next Fall, probably to Beauty and the Beast. I'll pass the word around here that everyone should come to Man of LaMancha. Thanks!

Librarian
Union Mine High School
El Dorado, CA

Tickets Available Next Weekend, April 3-5

Did you miss the opening weekend of Man of La Mancha? It's not too late to purchase tickets for next weekend's shows. Tickets are still available for Friday, April 3 at 7:00 p.m., Saturday, April 4 at 2:00 p.m., and Sunday, April 5 at 2:00 p.m. See the show soon; you won't be disappointed.

Man of La Mancha Photos

The Vision



Sancho and Aldonza



Prison Attack



Gypsies



Governor's Trial



Aldonza and Quixote

Aldonza and the Muleteers

Dracula Needs Sandwiches!

Volunteers are needed to make sandwiches for the Dracula filming on Monday, April 6 and Tuesday, April 7. IT! is looking for simple sandwiches--including peanut butter and jelly. Ingredients will be provided. We need a few people to make them. Be a part of this groundbreaking film and theater production. Contact the box office at 530-642-0404 or Lanny at 530-903-6361 for details.

IT! Needs Cookies

The film portion of Dracula is coming up the first week of April. We are looking for a few good cookie bakers (or purchasers) to donate a few dozen cookies for the cast and crew of the production. Contact the box office at 530-642-0404 or Lanny at 530-903-6361 if you are interested in this vital role.

Man of La Mancha opens March 27

Tickets are on sale now for the musical Man of La Mancha. Contact the box office at 530-642-0404. Below is a video of Ambassadors in Harmony singing one of the songs from the musical. Very cool.

"Extra, Extra! Read all about it!"

Imagination Theater is looking for a dozen more extras for the train scene in Dracula. On Monday morning, April 6, IT! and Porter Media Group will film a scene at the train musuem in Old Town Sacramento. We are looking for men and women, young and old. You will need to wear dark shoes. Costuming takes place on site. Contact the theater at 530-642-0404 or email ITPlacerville@yahoo.com with your name, phone and email address if you are interested. First come, first served.

Workshop Postponed

Due to the scheduling of the filming of Dracula and full schedule of the theater, we have postponed the Intermediate Acting Workshop to later this summer.

The new dates (tentative schedule) are:

Tuesday, July 28 to Friday, July 31, 9:00 a.m. to Noon
Saturday, August 1 from 9:00 a.m. to Noon (Dress Rehearsal)
Monday and Tuesday, August 3 and 4, 9:00 a.m. to Noon
Wednesday, August 5 - Performance at 7:00 p.m.

If you have an interest and would like to be added to the waiting list, please contact the theater at 530-642-0404.

How do you spell relief?

Although the following clip is about the upturn in movie audiences during the downturn in the economy, it still is a reminder that RELIEF can also be spelled

L-I-V-E--T-H-E-A-T-E-R.

Imagination Theater! tickets prices are a great value--even more reasonable than a movie ticket. Man of La Mancha, opening at the end of the month, all tickets will be $9 on Thursday nights, April 9 and 16. Weekend matinees aren't much more, especially if you come in a group. Spend an afternoon or evening with us--and escape to another place and time. 530-642-0404 for tickets.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Ch-ch-ch Changes . . .

Things are always changing here at Imagination Theater! I'm amazed at how Lanny and Peter can juggle everything. It's enough to make my head spin (that's another post!) I wanted to give you the update of the latest update for Beauty and the Beast. Originally scheduled for December 2009 - January 2010, we had hoped to change it to November/December 2009 (similar to the Wizard of Oz schedule). After pleading our case (to those that hold the rights and make the decisions), we now have the dates of the show:

Opens: Friday, December 4
Closes: Sunday, December 27

It is a full schedule. (Shows are not scheduled between Dec 22-25)

"Dressers" Needed for Greater Tuna

No, we aren't talking about furniture! This fall, IT! will be producting the comedy Greater Tuna. (Shhhh, we're not advertising it yet!) Two people (age 18+) are needed to assist the two actors on stage helping them change into different characters during the entire show. Although you will be on stage, you will not be seen. Some rehearsals will occur over the summer. The production is slated for late September and October 2009. Please contact Lanny at 530-903-6361 for more details.

Help Needed - ASAP!

Assistant Stage Manager (Age 18+) needed for Man of La Mancha. Must be available current rehearsals and show dates. Some heavy lifting required. Please contact Lanny directly at 530-903-6361 for additional information.

Did you know?

This was shared with the IT! Insider today by a local teacher. As I now mark time by the growth of my children, I readily observe how much has changed in such a very short time. I thought you might find it interesting. I certainly did.

Scratching the Surface - Arts in El Dorado County

Yesterday, I read an article in the New York Times about Google adding its one trillionth web address last summer. Despite this vast amount of information, it is apparently only a fraction of the information out there. Google, as well as other search engine companies, are exploring the Deep Web and experimenting with how to access material stored within databases. Pretty fascinating though I'm busy enough trolling on top of the surface!

Some of my surface discoveries include sites like zvents.com which has a wide range of event listings and tailors them to your local area. It is very cool. From big gigs to Imagination Theater shows, you're bound to find them listed here.

Today while surfing this vast web ocean, I discovered the El Dorado Arts Council website. I am impressed with their wealth of information about the arts in El Dorado County. I feel like I've discovered a not-so-hidden treasure of arts in my own backyard! Check out their monthly newsletter containing items about classes, events, artist profiles and much, much more.

"The early bird catcheth the worm."

Group Tickets for Man of La Mancha Available for Purchase
Meaning: Success comes to those who prepare well and put in effort.
Origin: This is first recorded in John Ray's "A collection of English proverbs 1670, 1678"

"The early bird catches the worm" is a common proverb that explains that the best comes to those who seek out the best, don't wait (procrastinate), or expect that someone is going to do the work for them. Imagination Theater! would like you to prepare to come, invite your friends, and purchase group tickets for Man of La Mancha.

If you're involved in a church group, service club, senior group, college drama class, or an informal "Mom's Night Out" or bunko club, we encourage you to call soon for group tickets to get the best choice of seats and enjoy a night of live theater. Group price varies by size. Savings is about $4-5 per ticket off the adult ticket price. The box office is open Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Call 530-642-0404.

It's live, It's local, It's Imagination Theater!

Dracula Filming - RV Needed

The filming of Dracula will soon descend upon the foothills. The film segment of this multi-media production will be shot at different locations in mid-April. Imagination Theater! would like to have use of an RV as a home base as much of the filming takes place in the evening. If you, or someone you know, could lend us an RV, please contact Lanny Langston at (530) 903-6361.

IT! on Facebook

Up until a day or so ago, I was familiar with Facebook, but hadn't wanted to jump into any social networking site--until Lanny invited me to join his page. Lanny has a page! Wow! I guesss I'd better see what this is all about. I admit that I was curious as I had recently learned at at meeting of the League of Sacramento Theaters that almost half of them used Facebook or other social networking sites to promote their theater. Having created my own profile I have managed to find long lost cousins, friends, my eighty-seven year old geocaching aunt, and even my father in law! It is kind of like a "living Christmas letter" that changes each day as people share their experiences around them. Today, for example, was filled with posted pictures of the low snow and other interesting tidbits. How fun! Search Imagination Theater under "groups" and join. We'd love for you to be a part of the IT! Group.

Calling All Ushers!

Man of La Mancha is coming up next month and we are looking for people who are interested in helping usher for the shows. Ushers need to arrive about an hour before the show starts. The theater doors and box office open a half an hour before the show, though people do arrive early. You will receive complimentary tickets to the show. If you are interested in ushering and want to be on our usher list, please contact the IT! Box Office or call 530-642-0404.

Audition Notice for Dracula

Imagination Theater and Porter Media Group announce auditions for Bram Stoker's haunting tale, Dracula. This adaptation is by Richard Sharp.

Sacramento audition:
Friday, February 27th, from 5:30 – 9:00 p.m.

Location: Studio 24, 2220 K Street.

Placerville auditions:
Saturday, February 28th, .

UPDATED INFORMATION (2/17/09) Auditions for Nosferatu (dancers) will be from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon. at Foothills Dance Studio, 3965 Durock Road, Suite C. in Shingle Springs.

Auditions for acting roles are from 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at Imagination Theater
100 Placerville Drive on the El Dorado County Fairgrounds

All roles are open and include Dracula, Dr. John Seward, Lucy Westernra, Mina Murray, Jonathan Harker, Renfield, Dr. Abraham Van Helsing, and eight Nosferatu (brides and victims of Dracula, all dancers). All Nosferatu must be at least 18 years of age.

Call Backs:
Sunday, March 1st, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Imagination Theater in Placerville.

This multi-media presentation will use film to stage and stage to film seamlessly with incredible special effects. The film segment of the production will be shot at different locations from April 9 to 15. Actors selected must be available these days for evening shots. For further information call the director, Lanny Langston at (530) 903-6361. Scripts for review are available at the box office.

Intermediate Acting Workshop Full

The intermediate acting workshop in April is now full and there is currently a waiting list. If you wish to add your name to the list, please contact the box office at 530-642-0404.

Looking for a Few (More) Good Singers

If you were unable to attend our audition for singers for our Christmas CD this past weekend, another audition will be held on Saturday, February 21 from 1-4 p.m. at Imagination Theater.

Please bring a CD or sheet music to audition. An accompanist will be available. Christmas music only for the audition. Ages: 8 years of age and older.

Man of La Mancha Tickets

Advance ticket reservations for Man of La Mancha are currently underway for our sponsors. Tickets to the general public will go on sale on February 17. Contact the box office at 530-642-0404 for tickets.

Intermediate Acting Workshop – coming in April

An intermediate acting workshop will be held in April. A total of six classes and one performance date is planned. The dates are as follows:

Tuesday and Wednesday, April 7 and 8 from 6:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Tuesday and Wednesday, April 14 and 15 from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 18 from 9:00 a.m. to Noon – Dress Rehearsal
Tuesday, April 21 from 6:30 -9:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 22 - 7:00 p.m. Performance for family and friends

The class builds upon the beginning acting workshop (monologues) held last year. The intermediate class includes rehearsing a scene with other classmates. Those who wish to sign up must commit to attending all of the classes. The workshop is for ages 10 and up. The class is limited to 15 participants. IT! has received a grant for this class. Cost is $10 to cover the cost of materials. Email ITPlacerville@yahoo.com to reserve your spot!

'Man of La Mancha' Synopsis

In case you don't recall the story of the Man of La Mancha, here is a summary to refresh your memory.

Miguel de Cervantes, aging and an utter failure as playwright, poet and tax collector, has been thrown into a dungeon in Seville to await trial by the Inquisition for an offense against the Church. There he is dragged before a kangaroo court of his fellow prisoners, who plan to confiscate his few possessions—including the uncompleted manuscript of a novel, Don Quixote.

Cervantes, seeking to save the manuscript, proposes his defense in the form of a play. The "court" agrees, and Cervantes and his manservant don make-up and costumes, transforming themselves into Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. They then play out the story with the prisoners taking the roles of other characters.

Quixote and Sancho take to the road in a quest to restore the age of chivalry, battle all evil, and right all wrongs. The famous battle with the windmill follows, with Quixote blaming his defeat on his enemy, the Great Enchanter.

In a roadside inn—which Quixote insists is really a castle—Aldonza, the inn's serving girl and part-time prostitute, is being propositioned by a gang of muleteers. Quixote sees her as the dream-ideal whom he will serve forever and insists her name is Dulcinea. Aldonza is confused and angered by Quixote's refusal to see her as she really is.

The padre and Dr. Carrasco arrive at the inn and are frustrated by Quixote's lunatic logic. They are interrupted by the arrival of an itinerant barber, and Quixote confiscates his shaving basin, believing it is the "Golden Helmet" of Mambrino.

Later Aldonza encounters Quixote in the courtyard where he is holding vigil, in preparation for being knighted by the innkeeper. She questions him on his seemingly irrational ways , and Quixote answers her with a statement of his credo, The Impossible Dream. Aldonza catches the fever of Quixote's idealism but, attempting to put it into practice, is cruelly beaten and ravaged by the muleteers.

Not knowing Aldonza's plight, Quixote and Sancho leave the inn, encounter a band of Gypsies, and are robbed. They return to the inn, only to encounter the disillusioned Aldonza who sings her denunciation of Quixote's dream in the dramatic Aldonza. The Knight of the Mirrors enters and defeats Quixote by forcing him to see himself as "naught but an aging fool." The knight reveals himself as Dr. Carrasco, sent by Quixote's family to bring him to his senses.

At home again, the old man who once called himself Don Quixote is dying. Aldonza, having followed, forces her way into the room and pleads with him to restore the vision of glory she held so briefly. Quixote, remembering, rises from his bed to reaffirm the stirring Man of La Mancha, but collapses, dying. Aldonza, having glimpsed the vision once more, refuses to acknowledge his death, saying, "My name is Dulcinea."

Back in Cervantes's dungeon the prisoners have been deeply affected by his story and restore to him his precious manuscript. Cervantes is summoned to his real trial by the Inquisition. The prisoners unite to sing him on his way with The Impossible Dream.

The show, directed by Wendy Silverthorn, will run at Imagination Theater from March 27 to April 19.

Super Bowl Sunday

As I was surfing around the web, I came across what almost 2 million people have already viewed. It is an ad for T-Mobile in England. It is a way to reach your audience with something fresh that doesn't appear planned. However, these things are planned (auditions anyone?) as can be seen in the second video (cue dramatic music). Ultimately the goal is to get people (like me) to share this video with others--a.k.a. viral marketing. Advertising strategies have shifted over the years and it is interesting to be aware of the next big thing.

Whether or not you watch the Superbowl for the game or the commercials--here's something fun for today.




Maybe they got the idea from 15 million views of this:

Audition Notice #2 - January 30, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Want to be in pictures? IT! is working with a San Francisco based producer, Doodle Films, to do a documentary called Desparado. This is a paying job and will requre two days filming in Fiddletown. Call Lanny ASAP for more details at 530-903-6361.

Setting: Late 1800's, turn of the century
Adult Parts: reporter (male), nurse (female)

Audition Notice - January 30, 3:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Hot Off the Press! IT! and San Francisco based, Doodle Films are having an audition this Friday, January 30 from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. at Imagination Theater for a part in a show (about singers) called "Jorgi." Doodle Films is looking for teenage girls between 13-16 for the lead role and supporting cast. If you are interested, show up this Friday. Bring a recorded (music only) CD to sing. Auditioners must be experienced singers. You will be required to sing a song and do a cold reading from the script. Call Lanny at 530-903-6361 for more details.

Beauty and the Beast Auditions - April 4

Although it is early, groundwork is being laid for Imagination Theater's 2009/2010 production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast. Below is an overview of the production concept and audition notice. Click on the images to make them larger and more readable :)

Are you itching to "See a Play?"

If so, you don't have to wait until Imagination Theater's spring production of Man of La Mancha. Theaters throughout the Sacramento region have some shows just for you. From musicals to drama, from small to large stage, from young to old, you are bound to find something to make you smile, laugh, think, or all of the above. At seeaplay.com, you can look up information on current and future productions, auditions, classes, employment opportunties, and more. It's just a click away to a great show.

New York Temps May Plummet to Lowest Since ‘04

By Brian K. Sullivan
Jan. 15 (Bloomberg) -- New York City temperatures may feel like minus 15 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 26 Celsius) tonight as the wind picks up after snow blankets the area, weather forecasters say.

“It looks like the temperatures will do a steady fall throughout the day,” said Katharine Walters, a meteorologist with private forecaster AccuWeather.com in State College, Pennsylvania. “It will feel colder at noontime than in the morning.”

Temperatures in the city may touch 5 degrees Fahrenheit tonight, with the wind chill making it feel as if it were as low as minus 15 degrees Fahrenheit, she said. The last time it was that cold was in January 2004, Walters said.

“It’s going to feel below zero all day tomorrow in New York City,” said Tom Kines, an AccuWeather meteorologist. The city may receive 4 inches (10 centimeters) of snow, according to the National Weather Service.

###

Lanny is in NYC this week with a group from Imagination Theater! taking in some sights and seeing some Broadway shows. I've been thinking of them as we have enjoyed record highs. To get a taste of what we're missing, check out the Times Square Web Cam. There are many different views to choose from.

Somebody noticed!

After returning from the holidays, I noticed that the theater had been magically transformed by the theater fairies. Okay, not really. The cast and crew did their strike and clean up following the close of The Wizard of Oz. They turned our little theater back into well. . .a theater between shows.

It was easy to see some of the changes (bye bye extra dressing rooms), but a big thank you goes to whoever tackled the fridge in the back. It was unused, moldy, and downright scary. It looks great now.

So thank you again for doing that thankless job--and doing it well. Want to come to my house?

Dates of Man of La Mancha

IT! will presenting the musical, The Man of La Mancha, March 27 through April 19. All Saturday and Sunday shows are matinees. There is no show scheduled on Easter Sunday.

Friday, March 27 at 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 28 at 2:00 p.m.
Sunday, March 29 at 2:00 p.m.

Friday, April 3 at 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 4 at 2:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 5 at 2:00 p.m.

Thursday, April 9 at 7:00 p.m. - All Seats $9
Friday, April 10 at 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 11 at 2:00 p.m.
No show on Easter Sunday

Thursday, April 16 at 7:00 p.m. - All Seats $9
Friday, April 17 at 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 18 at 2:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 19 at 2:00 p.m.

Happy New Year from the IT! Insider

I didn't find any good links to the ball dropping in New York City, but it's a beautiful day. Happy New Year! The IT! Box Office re-opens on Tuesday, January 6.