El Dorado County Poetry Out Loud Winner Off to State Finals

CONNOR RICKETTS REDUX AT EL DORADO COUNTY'S FIFTH POETRY OUT LOUD COMPETITION!

Connor Ricketts, 2013 & 2014 Poetry Out Loud 1st place winner, El Dorado County

For the second year in a row, Connor Ricketts, a sophomore at Charter University Prep in El Dorado, garnered first place honors at the El Dorado County Poetry Out Loud competition held at the Imagination Theater on Thursday night, February 6th. Connor won with his inspired performances of Matthew Arnold's classic poem "Dover Beach"  and Delmore Schwartz's "The True Blue American," a comic poem on the paradoxical nature that inhabits American individualism. Arts Council Executive Director Deb Jensen presented Connor with a $100 check for his efforts.

Earning second place honors and a $75 check was El Dorado High School senior Evan Lucero who mesmerized attendees with his haunting rendition of Linda Gregg's "The Lamb," a poem about the resilience of the human spirit in the aftermath of war, followed by Amy Clampitt's "Dancers Exercising," a philosophical inquiry into the elusive nature of memory.

(l-r) Evan Lucero, Connor Ricketts, Leora Mazumdar

Leora Mazumdar, a sophomore at Oak Ridge High School, placed third, reciting Gwendolyn Brooks' "a song in the front yard," a saucy poem about a young girl's yearning for independence. In the contest's second round, Leoras performed Ha Jin's "Ways of Talking" which addresses the immigrant's loss of homeland. Leora received $50 in prize money from the Arts Council.

Four other high school champions also took center stage that evening, enchanting the audience with their poem selections, including Glen Carlisle of Golden Sierra High School, Nicole Sutherland of Independence High School, Sam King of the County Office of Education, and Becky Glaister of Union Mine High School. All students received gift certificates from the Bookery and verse-inscribed dog-tags from the Arts Council.

Poetry Out Loud El Dorado County High School Champions Back row, left to right: Glen Carlisle, Evan Lucero, Leora Mazumdar, Becky Glaister, Nicole Sutherland Front row, left to right: Sam King, Connor Ricketts

Connor Ricketts now goes on to the California State Poetry Out Loud Competition held in Sacramento at the Sheraton Hotel on Sunday, March 23, and in the California State Senate Chambers on Monday, March 24. In turn, the winner of the state competition will compete against 52 other state and territory champions at the Poetry Out Loud Nationals held in Washington, DC at the end of April, National Poetry Month. The stakes are high at the nationals, with the first place winner awarded a grand prize of $20,000 and the second and third place winners receiving $10,000 and $5,000 respectively.

The Arts Council is grateful to the fifty plus volunteers who so graciously gave of their time and brain power to be part of our county's Poetry Out Loud contest! You know who you are! We thank you a thousand times and then some!

Please join us in congratulating Connor and wishing him well at the state competition! Know that all of El Dorado County is rooting for you, Connor!   

All POL photos courtesy of Betty Sederquist. 

From the El Dorado Arts Council March 2014 Newsletter, ArtBeat

IT! is pleased to present "You Can't Take It With You"

Imagination Theater is pleased present one of the most popular and successful plays of modern times, You Can’t Take It With You, Friday, March 28 through Saturday, April 19.   Kaufman and Hart’s comedic three-act play, set in New York, takes place in the mid-1930s and focuses on what happens when a family of conservatives clashes with an eccentric family of free spirits.  

You Can’t Take It With You was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1937, and has been revived numerous times on stage, in television and a well-known 1938 film starring James Stewart and directed by Frank Capra.  The play is being directed by Brenda Lindley from Auburn.  Brenda is the former president of Placer Community Theater and directed numerous plays and musicals in the Auburn area including She Loves Me, Mid-Life! The Crisis Musical and Exit The Body. 

Show times are Thursdays and Fridays at 7:00 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00 p.m.--except on 3/29  at 7:00 p.m. only.   Tickets are $15.   Opening Night, Thursday shows, and groups of ten or more are $12.  Tickets can be purchased 24/7 at www.imaginationtheater.net or 1-800-838-3006, or through the box office (530)642-0404, or at the door. 

Free Audition Workshop Coming Soon

Seeking Teens (15+) for Our Town

Auditions are coming up on March 23 for Our Town.  It is going to be a Readers Theater and adapted to Placerville in 1901.  Roles are available for adults and children, yet the theater is especially interested in teens ages 15+ for a couple of the leading roles.  Contact Lanny if you have questions at 530-903-6361.

Our Town Rehearsal Dates (Revised)

Love theater? Want to squeeze in a little Readers' Theater this spring? Join us for Thorton Wilder's classic, Our Town which has been adapted to Placerville in 1901. 

There are five parts available for kids (age 12+) and twenty or so parts for adults age (18+).   We are looking for a teen boy and girl ages 15/16+ for a couple of the roles.  There are eight reading rehearsals.   

Eight reading rehearsals on: Thursday, March 27 (Character Study) Act 1, Sunday, March 30 (Character Study, Read Act 2 and 3), Monday, March 31 (Read Entire Play), Wednesday, April 2 (Read Entire Play), Wednesday, April 9 (Read Entire Play) Wednesday, April 16 (Dress Rehearsal), Tuesday, April 22 (Dress Rehearsal, Sound, Lights), Monday, April 28 (Final Dress Rehearsal).

There will be three performances--April 30, May 1 and 2 at 7:00 p.m. with donation (suggested) of $5.00. General Seating.

Bring your good reading voice and join us for the audition/reading on March 23 at 6:00 p.m.

More Audition Information for Our Town

Imagination Theater will be have reading auditions for Thornton Wilder's awarding winning play "Our Town" on Sunday evening, March 23rd at 6:00pm at Imagination Theater.  Imagination Theater will be doing a Reader's Theater production of this classic.  Auditioners will be asked to read form the script and possible some improvisation.  There are parts for approximately 19 actors which includes three boys (two age 11 to 13 yrs old and another 16 to 19 years old), three girls (one 10 to 13 years old, and two 14 to 19 years old) and the remaining actors ages between 20 to 70 (8 men and 7 women).

If you haven't read in a Reader's Theater it is a very enjoyable experience for both the actors and audience.  This is a great way to improve on your diction and character development.  There will be only eight rehearsals and three performances. The Performance Dates are April 30, May 1 and 2 at 7pm at Imagination Theater.  Scripts are available to check out at our Box Office.  Box Office hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 to 2:30pm.  For further information on Our Town please call Lanny Langston, the director, at 530 903-6361.

Show Dates for You Can't Take It With You

Join us this spring for the popular comedy, You Can't Take It With You

Friday, March 28 at 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, March 29 at 7:00 p.m.

Sunday, March 30 at 2:00 p.m.

Thursday, April 3 at 7:00 p.m.

Friday, April 4 at 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, April 5 at 2:00 p.m.

Sunday, April 6 at 2:00 p.m.

Thursday, April 10 at 7:00 p.m.

Friday, April 11 at 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, April 12 at 2:00 p.m.

Sunday, April 13 at 2:00 p.m.

Thursday, April 17 at 7:00 p.m.

Friday, April 18 at 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, April 19 at 2:00 p.m.

Tickets are $15.  Opening Night, Thursdays, and Group Tickets are $12.  Tickets can be purchased online or through the box office at 530-642-0404.  

Imagination Theater Presents - You Can't Take It With You

You Can't Take It With You opens Friday, March 28 and runs through Saturday, April 19. Tickets are $15. Opening night, Thursdays, and Group Tickets are $12. Tickets can be purchased online or through our box office at 530-642-0404.  The theater is located on the El Dorado County Fairgrounds in Placerville.

Oliver Audition Update - Fagin and Fagin's Gang

The role of Fagin is now open.  The role is open for Male, Age 45- 60.

 Fagin's gang is now open to those ages 8-16

We hope to see many new and familiar faces at the audition on April 26.

15 Days in Ireland this Summer

July 18- August 1, 2014

15 Days in Ireland.   No culture captivates like the Irish, Rich in folkloric tradition, full of literary treasures, covered with breathtaking green landscapes. Ireland is one of the most welcoming countries. Experience history at Blarney Castle, awe inspiring scenery along the Ring of Kerry and a creativie flair in the colorful Georgian Doors of Dublin. Trip includes round trip airfare, guided tours, hotels with private baths, breakfast daily, nine dinners, entrance fees to select attractions. Contact Lanny Langston at 530-903-6361 for more information about the trip.

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Shows, Auditions, and More!

Shows, Auditions & More Telling Good Stories           Sharing Good Times         with Good Company

Winter 2014 Edition www.imaginationtheater.net

You Can't Take It With You Tickets Available Now Awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1937, Kaufman and Hart's comedic three-act play takes place in the mid-1930s and focuses on what happens when a family of conservatives clashes with an eccentric family of free spirits.   Shows on Thursday and Friday nights at 7:00 p.m. Shows on Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. (except 3/29 at 7:00 p.m.) All Tickets are $15.  Opening Night, Thursdays, and Groups $12 Purchase Your Tickets Here Auditions are coming! Get the inside scoop on our 2014 shows! Clothing Fundraiser Clean out your closets while we clean out ours!   Imagination Theater is currently accepting clothing, shoes, belts, handbags and stuffed animals. All items must be tied in black garbage bags, but do not need to be sorted. You'll be helping keep 3.5 million lbs. of unwanted clothing from reaching our local landfills. The used clothing collected is prepared for shipment around the world. Now those in other countries get good, clean, useable clothing for pennies. What's not wearable is recycled and turned into industrial rags or shredded into fibers used to make new products. To read more about the process: http://www.californiaclothing.net/eco-friendly-clothing-cycle/ All bagged items need to be a theater no later than Tuesday, March 25. Drop off during box office hours or rehearsal times.   All proceeds benefit the theater.   Thank you to our generous sponsors As a non-profit organization (Tax ID #680448569), our sponsors are an invaluable resource to produce our shows.  Donations are tax deductible (less the ticket value) and keeps our theater thriving and ticket prices affordable in our community.  In addition to recognition through our website and show programs, sponsors who contribute $250 and more receive season tickets. Director Level - 6 Season tickets Musician (500 Club) Level - 4 Season Tickets Actor Level - 2 Season Tickets If you have not already done so, now is is great time to become a sponsor.  We have some great shows planned in 2014:  You Can't Take It With You, Our Town (Readers Theater), Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and Oliver!   Thank you for your support! Join or renew today! Ad Space Available in Spring Program Target your advertising dollars!  Space is now available in the spring show program for You Can't Take It With You.   Sizes range from business card size to full page ads.  Simply email us your ad in jpeg format.  For additional details, contact boxoffice@imaginationtheater.net Audition: Our Town, March 23 at 6:00 p.m. A Readers' Theater of Thorton Wilder's classic Our Town adapted to Placerville in 1901. Seven rehearsals. Parts for adults and kids ages 12+ Performances: April 30-May 2 Learn More Audition: Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs, April 19, 9:00 am Auditions include improvisation and cold readings from the script.  This is a non-musical production for adults and kids 8+ Show Dates: Sept. 5-29 Learn More Audition: Oliver! April 26, 9-Noon (Kids Vocal) and 1-4 p.m. (Adults) “Food glorious Food” and “Where is Love?”  are just two of the popular songs from Lionel Bart’s lively musical based on Charles Dicken’sOliver Twist. Show Dates:  Nov. 28-Dec. 21 Learn More IT CAST Party this Saturday If you have been involved in an Imagination Theater production on stage or behind the stage, this group is for you. The IT CAST (Committed Alumni Supporting Theater) is going Old Hollywood glamour this Saturday at the theater.  The Talent Show is full of variety and as always, some surprises!   Don't miss the fun Saturday Feb 22, 6-9pm!  To get on the alumni mailing list, contact ImaginationTheaterCAST@gmail.com "Consider Yourself Part of the IT! Family" Purchase Your Imagination Theater Shirt with the names of all the shows Imagination Theater has produced in the past 15 years on the back.  This shirt is sure to be a favorite!  More details will be available soon on how to order. 7th Annual Affair to Remember Fundraiser Mark your calendar now for Friday evening, August 15 from 7:00 - 10;00 p.m. for our annual silent and live auction event. We expect another fantastic evening with entertainment from the cast of Oliver!

IMAGINATION THEATER IS A PROUD MEMBER OF THE  EL DORADO COUNTY CHAMBER OF  COMMERCE, THE EL DORADO ARTS COUNCIL, THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY THEATERS,  ASCAP,  AND THE SACRAMENTO REGIONAL THEATER ASSOCIATION (SARTA).   OUR MISSION IS TO TELL GOOD STORIES WELL IN AN ATMOSPHERE OF TRUST, RESPECT, PERSONAL GROWTH, & CHALLENGE

Contact Us | Phone: 530-642-0404 | boxoffice@imaginationtheater.net

Unique Opportunity at California Musical Theater

CALIFORNIA MUSICAL THEATER SEEKS DESCRIBERS

Audition for the opportunity to be the eyes of many who are blind or visually impaired in the Sacramento area.  Successful candidates will train for the opportunity to describe productions for both the Broadway Sacramento season and the Music Circus! 

AudioVision, Inc, a recognized pioneer in the field of audio description, will conduct the training on our behalf.  It is aimed at actors and others who wish to learn audio description; the art of describing visual media, theater performances and art exhibits to the blind and visually impaired for work in Sacramento.

The ideal candidate will have excellent spoken and written English language skills, outstanding vocabulary, clear enunciation and articulation, and the ability to observe, write, and think objectively.

The training will be held at the offices of California Musical Theater, 1510 J Street, Ste 200, Sacramento, CA 95814 during the week-end of March 22 and 23.  Cost is $100 for the two day training.  Those successfully completing the training will be employed describing productions in both the Broadway Sacramento season and the Summer Music Circus productions. The California Musical Theatre audio description program is on-going.  All materials and equipment are supplied.

Please complete a California Musical Theatre employment application on our website at www.californiamusicaltheatre.com.  For more information regarding audition preparations and requirements, please contact Barbara Haig at 916-446-5880 ex 147 or bhaig@calmt.com.

Get to Know a Little More about "You Can't Take It With You" (Spoiler Alert)

Wit and Wisdom of Grandpa Vanderhof by Wade Bradford (About.Com)

You Can't Take It With You has been delighting audiences since 1936. Written by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, this Pulitzer Prize winning comedy celebrates non-conformity.

Meet the Vanderhof Family:
"Grandpa" Martin Vanderhof was once part of the competitive business world. However, one day he realized he was unhappy. So, he stopped working. Since that time, he spends his days catching and raising snakes, watching graduation ceremonies, visiting old friends, and doing whatever else he wants to do.

The members of his household are just as eccentric:

• His daughter Penny writes plays simply because a few years ago "typewriter was delivered to the house by accident." She also paints. Easily distracted, Penny never finishes a single project.
• His son-in-law Paul Sycamore spends hours in the basement making illegal fireworks and playing with erector sets.
• His granddaughter Essie sells candy and has been clumsily attempting ballet for over eight years.
• His grandson-in-law Ed Charmichael plays the xylophone (or tries to) and accidentally distributes Marxist propaganda.

In addition to the family, many "oddball" friends come and go from the Vanderhof house. Although it should be said, some never leave. Mr. DePinna, the man who used to deliver ice, now helps out with the fireworks and dresses in Greek togas to pose for Penny's portraits.

So, What's The Appeal?
Perhaps America has been in love with You Can't Take It With You because we all see a little bit of ourselves in Grandpa and his family members. Or, if not, perhaps we want to be like them.

Many of us go through living up to the expectations of others. As a college teacher, I meet a surprising number of students who are majoring in accounting or engineering simply because their parents expect them to. Grandpa Vanderhof understands the preciousness of life; he pursues his own interests, his own forms of fulfillment. He encourages others to follow their dreams, and not submit to the will of others.

In this scene, Grandpa Vanderhof is headed out to chat with an old friend, a policeman on the corner:

Grandpa: I have known him since he was a little boy. He's a doctor. But after he graduated, he came to me and said he didn't want to be a doctor. He had always wanted to be a policeman. So I said, you go ahead and be a policeman if that's what you want. And that's what he did.

Do What You Love!
Now, not everyone favors Grandpa's happy-go-lucky attitude towards life. Many might view his family of dreamers as impractical and childish. Serious minded characters such as the business tycoon Mr. Kirby believe that if everyone behaved as the Vanderhof clan, nothing productive would ever happen. Society would fall apart.

Grandpa argues that there are plenty of people who wake up and want to go to work on Wall Street. By being productive members of society (executives, salesmen, CEOs, etc) many serious-minded people are following their heart's desire. However, others may wish to march to the beat of a different xylophone. By the play's end, Mr. Kirby comes to accept the Vanderhof philosophy. He realizes that he is unhappy with his own career and decides to pursue a more enriching lifestyle.

Grandpa Vanderhof VS. The Internal Revenue Service
One of the most entertaining sub-plots of You Can't Take It With You involves the IRS Agent, Mr. Henderson. He arrives to inform Grandpa that he owes the government for decades of unpaid income tax.

Grandpa has never paid his income taxes because he doesn't believe in it.

Grandpa: Suppose I pay you this money-mind you, I don't say I'm going to do it-but just for the sake of argument-what's the Government going to do with it?

Henderson: What do you mean?

Grandpa: Well, what do I get for my money? If I go into Macy's and buy something, there it is-I see it. What's the Government give me?

Henderson: Why, the Government gives you everything. It protects you.

Grandpa: What from?

Henderson: Well-invasion. Foreigners that might come over here and take everything you've got.

Grandpa: Oh I don't think they're goin to do that.

Henderson: If you didn't pay an income tax, they would. How do you think the Government keeps up the Army and Navy? All those battleships...

Grandpa: Last time we used battleships was in the Spanish-American War, and what did we get out of it? Cuba-and we gave it back. I wouldn't mind paying if it were something sensible.

Don't you wish you could deal with bureaucracies as easily as Grandpa Vanderhof? Eventually, the conflict with the IRS is light-heartedly resolved when the United States Government believes that Mr. Vanderhof has been dead for several years!

You Really Can't Take It With You
The message of the title is perhaps common sense: All the wealth we amass does not go with us beyond the grave (despite what Egyptian Mummies might think!). If we choose money over happiness, we will become stuffy and miserable just like the affluent Mr. Kirby.

Does this mean that You Can't Take It With You is a comical attack on capitalism? Certainly not. The Vanderhof household, in many ways, is the embodiment of the American Dream. They have a wonderful place to live, they are happy, and they are each pursuing their individual dreams. For some people happiness is yelling at Stock Market numbers. For others, happiness is playing the xylophone off-key or wildly dancing a unique ballet. Grandpa Vanderhof teaches us that there are many pathways to happiness. Make certain you follow your own.

As for myself, there's an old typewriter in the garage... I think I might work on a new play... or maybe take up the electric guitar... or put on a sock puppet show... or maybe...

Tickets are now on sale for You Can't Take It With You at Imagination Theater.  Tickets are $12-15 and can be purchased here.

Time for Some Spring Cleaning! Clothing Fundraiser at Imagination Theater

Clean out your closets while we clean out ours! Imagination Theater is currently accepting clothing, shoes, belts, handbags and stuffed animals. All items must be tied in black garbage bags, but do not need to be sorted. You'll be helping keep 3.5 million lbs. of unwanted clothing from reaching our local landfills.

The used clothing collected is prepared for shipment around the world. Now those in other countries get good, clean, usable clothing for pennies. What's not wearable is recycled and turned into industrial rags or shredded into fibers used to make new products. To read more about the process: http://www.californiaclothing.net/eco-friendly-clothing-cycle/

All bagged items need to be a theater no later than Tuesday, March 25. Drop off during box office hours or rehearsal times. All proceeds benefit the theater.

Seeking Costume and Props Help for Oliver

Lanny Langston is looking for a Costume Coordinator (not designer) and 2-4 seamstresses for the musical, Oliver.  In addition, he is looking for a props coordinator for the production.  Give Lanny a call at 530-903-6361 if interested.   The production dates for the show are November - December 2014.

Make a difference in our community! Become a sponsor today!

2014 Theater Sponsorship
As a non-profit organization (Tax ID #680448569), our sponsors are an invaluable resource to produce our shows. Donations are tax deductible (less the ticket value) and keeps our theater thriving and ticket prices affordable in our community. In addition to recognition through our website and show programs, sponsors who contribute $250 and more receive season tickets.

Director Level - 6 Season tickets
Musician (500 Club) Level - 4 Season Tickets
Actor Level - 2 Season Tickets

Our 2014 Season:

You Can't Take It With You - March/April 2014
Awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1937, this comedic play focuses on what happens when a family of conservatives clashes with an eccentric family of free spirits.

Our Town (Readers' Theater) - April 30-May 2, 2014
Thorton Wilder's classic adapted to Placerville in 1901.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - September 2014
This non-musical version, written in 1912, served as the inspiration for Walt Disney's history making, Academy Award winning animated movie.

Oliver - November/December 2014
Lionel Bart's lively musical based on Charles Dickens classic tale, Oliver Twist.

Click the Brown Paper Tickets to Pay Online

Cantare Chorale holding auditions

If you enjoy singing and want to further develop your vocal talent, now’s the perfect time to join the local choral group Cantare Chorale of the Sierra Foothills.  Cantare is excited to announce auditions for its spring season.

The 70th anniversary of the Normandy Invasion is fast approaching and Cantare members plan to honor the United States’ soldiers by singing songs that acknowledge and remember those who have given their lives to make the world more safe and secure.

Most of the group’s musical selections this season will focus on American patriotism and love of country and will express thanks to the “Greatest Generation” who served during World War II, as well as those who have followed in their steps.

While lifting your voice in song can be a way to honor others, it can also “boost your immune system and sense of well-being, while reducing stress and pain and even prolong your life,” according to Suzanne Hanser, chair of the music therapy department at Berklee College of Music. “When we sing instead of speak, we have intonation, melody line and crescendo, which gives us a broader vocabulary to express ourselves,” she said in a recent SixWise.com article.

Cantare Chorale encourages and supports the enjoyment of music in the lives of the citizens of El Dorado County. The group invites all voices — soprano, alto, tenor and bass — to try out and support the development of your vocal talents so that the entire community can benefit.

Auditions have begun and all who wish to try out are encouraged to visit the Cantare Website to see how this non-profit group engages with El Dorado County and Sierra Foothills communities.

Check out cantarechorale.com or call 530-677-6964 for information and to schedule an audition.

Our Town Overview

From the Thorton Wilder Society web page (article by Ashley Gallagher)  

First produced and published in 1938, this Pulitzer Prize–winning drama of life in the small village of Grover’s Corners has become an American classic and is Thornton Wider’s most renowned and most frequently performed play.

“No curtain. No scenery.” A minimalist theatrical style sets apart the 1938 recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama: Thornton Wilder’s Our Town. Wilder’s greatest and best-known work as a playwright, Our Town opens with the Stage Manager’s introduction to Grover’s Corners, a fictional town based on Peterborough, New Hampshire where Wilder often spent his summers. The sparse and symbolic qualities of the set suggest Wilder’s intention to make Grover’s Corners represent all towns.1 

The Stage Manager, played by Wilder himself for two weeks in the 1938 Broadway production, breaks the fourth wall by directly addressing the audience. The Stage Manager also assumes control over the onstage action through such unconventional, metatheatrical devices as prompting actors and cueing scene changes. Once the actors have been set in motion by the Stage Manager in Act I, entitled, “Daily Life,” the allegorical world of Grover’s Corners unfolds. The audience is introduced to the Gibbs and Webb families who symbolize “ordinary people who make the human race seem worth preserving and represent the universality of human existence.”2 Wilder explores the families’ inter-relationships, specifically between George Gibbs and Emily Webb. The audience watches George and Emily talk through their second story bedroom windows, represented by ladders: their simple actions complemented by the simple set. Act II, “Love and Marriage,” takes place three years later on George and Emily’s wedding day. After listening to Dr. and Mrs. Gibbs talk about their own wedding day, the Stage Manager transports the audience back to the days of George and Emily’s high school courtship. In this scene, Emily expresses her disdain for George’s conceited behavior. To make amends, George buys Emily an ice cream soda presented in an imaginary glass by Mr. Morgan, played by the Stage Manager. As this glimpse into George and Emily’s past comes to an end, George decides not to go to agriculture school so he can remain in Grover’s Corners, close to Emily. Then, the audience again finds itself at George and Emily’s wedding. The Stage Manager, now playing a minister, focuses the audience’s attention on the tearful and anxious families before George and Emily blissfully run up the aisle, ending Act II. In Act III, Wilder focuses on the end of the life cycle. Nine more years have gone by and Emily has died in childbirth. As the funeral procession crosses the stage, Emily, dressed in white, emerges from behind the mourners’ umbrellas and sits next to the deceased Mrs. Gibbs in the graveyard. Emily begins to question what it means to live and die, and, although warned against it, chooses to relive her twelfth birthday. Deeply saddened by everything she failed to notice while alive, Emily asks the Stage Manager to take her back to her grave but hesitates a moment to say good-by to the world. As Emily accepts her death, George falls at her feet in grief. While watching George, Emily asks Mrs. Gibbs, “They don’t understand, do they?” to which Mrs. Gibbs responds, “No, dear. They don’t understand.”3 As Emily settles in with the dead of Grover’s Corners, the Stage Manager bids the audience a good night.

*****

Thornton Wilder’s 1938 Pulitzer Prize-winning play made its debut at Princeton, New Jersey’s McCarter Theater before ultimately moving to the Henry Miller Theatre in New York City. In the New York Times review, Brooks Atkinson called Our Town “one of the finest achievements of the current stage…a hauntingly beautiful play.”4 Despite the myriad of interpretations of Our Town, most critics agree that the play is a microcosm of the life cycle. As Haberman writes, “[Wilder] is reminding the audience of how precious daily life is, because it determines our true reality…our enduring identity is not derived from the things and the events because they are familiar and repeated, but from our ever-new, ever-fresh relation to them.”5 Wilder also demonstrates that these aspects of daily life and their constant renewal are universal to all generations and cultures. While Act I covers “Daily Life,” Act II explores “Love and Marriage.” Once the audience is transported back to George and Emily’s wedding day, they hear various characters’ opinions about marriage, which compels them to make their own judgment and promotes the idea that while marriage may be another part of daily life, “each marriage is different from all the others, and no definition could satisfy everybody.”6 Our Town’s emphasis on the universality of daily life, conscious audience engagement, and minimalist theatrical style are a few of the signature techniques which have qualified Wilder’s work both at home and abroad as the “most representative and significant product of the modern American theater.”7  Since the play’s tremendous success in New York, Our Town has become a popular play in schools and community theaters.

Imagination Theater looks forward to bringing this Readers' Theater adaptation of Our Town to Placerville April 30 through May 2 at 7:00 p.m.   

Seasonal Job Opportunity at Fairytale Town

Job Opportunity at Fairytale Town

COSTUMED ENTERTAINERS WANTED / PAID POSITION / CHILDREN'S BIRTHDAY PARTIES AT FAIRYTALE TOWN AGES: 18 to 30 TITLE: Guest Service Representative Seasonal Position, March - October - weekdays, weekends, & holidays The Guest Service Representative reports to the Guest Service Manager. This position is responsible for conducting birthday parties, assisting with day camps, and selling retail merchandise at the retail cart. Examples of Duties: Duties may include but are not limited to: Conduct and lead birthday parties Perform storytelling and provide face painting Dress up in costumes and perform for birthday parties Instruct children in various activities and weeklong camps including arts and crafts, games, dramatics, animal presentations, gardening presentations, and music appreciation Assist with weekend and evening large-scale events Assist with crowd control Attend off-site promotional events Sell retail merchandise at the retail cart Occasional assistance with domestic animal care and feeding Clean and maintain grounds Cash handling Requirements: Must have a strong initiative to lead and have an outgoing personality Must be able to perform in front of a large crowd Interact with the public in a professional and courteous manner Work with a minimum of supervision in a fast pace environment Must be able to handle emergencies and customer concerns Establish and maintain effective relationships with other employees and managers Understand and follow written and oral instructions and communicate clearly verbally and in writing Operate a cash register Special Qualifications: Theater, parks and recreation or child development background preferred Passion and ability to work well with children ages 1-12yrs old Willing and able to work weekends, holidays and evenings Must be willing and able to work with animals Must be willing to go through a background check Must be at least 18 years old at time of hire Application Instructions: No phone calls, please. Please drop off, e-mail or mail your resume with a cover letter to: Zang Her, Fairytale Town, 3901 Land Park Drive, Sacramento, CA 95822. zang@fairytaletown.org.

Poetry Out Loud coming to IT! in February

ZOUNDS!! POEMS COMING AT YOU!

2010 POL county winner David Butler-South Tahoe High

Poetry Out Loud is celebrating its fifth year in El Dorado County! Can you believe it? Woo-hoot! This national poetry recitation contest has now become an Arts Council tradition. Every January and February since 2010, the El Dorado Arts Council has partnered with the California Arts Council to put on this competition in our county high schools.

Here's how the contest works--students from each participating county high school commit to heart a poem and perform it at the classroom level, where they are judged by their teachers. Winners of the classroom contests go on to perform two poems at the school-wide competition where they are judged by trained Arts Council members. School winners then move on to the county-wide competition held this year on Thursday evening, February 6th, from 7:00 to 9:00 at the Imagination Theater on the county fairgrounds.

2011 POL county winner Rebecca Shields-Oak Ridge High

Anybody who's ever been to the county competition will tell you it's not to be missed. Students recite their poems in two riveting rounds. During each recitation the audience holds a collective breath, letting each word swirl in the heart and head. Then--explosive applause! The atmosphere is electric; the stakes are high: each school winner vies for first place--and a $100 prize--plus the opportunity to compete against thirty-three county winners in the California Poetry Out Loud contest held in March at the state capitol. In turn, state winners fly (courtesy of the contest sponsors, the Poetry Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts) to Washington, DC to perform against 52 state winners for the grand prize of $20,000!

2012 POL county and state winner Corbin Gomez-Oak Ridge High

2013 POL county winner and state runner-up Connor Ricketts-Charter University Prep

This year, nine local high school programs are in the Poetry Out Loud lineup: Blue Ridge, Charter University Prep, El Dorado, Golden Ridge, Golden Sierra, Independence, Oak Ridge, Ponderosa, and Union Mine.

The county competition is free. All are invited! Come experience poetry as it's meant to be heard! Be dazzled!  

(Arrive early for best seating.  Last year we had a full house!)

Audition: Our Town (Readers' Theater) - March 23 at 6:00 p.m.

Love theater? Want to squeeze in a little Readers' Theater this spring? Join us for Thorton Wilder's classic, Our Town which has been adapted to Placerville in 1901. There are five parts available for kids (age 12+) and twenty or so parts for adults age (18+).  The audition is Sunday, March 23 at 6:00 p.m.   There are eight reading rehearsals in March and April. There will be three performances--April 30, May 1 and 2 at 7:00 p.m. with a donation (suggested) of $5.00. General Admission. Bring your good reading voice and join us for the audition in March!