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VILLAGE VOICES April 2013 Volume 33, Issue 5 The E-Newsletter for Everett Village Theatre Subscribers Everett Performing Arts Center, 2710 Wetmore Avenue Everett, WA 98201 • (425) 257-8600 Francis J. Gaudette Theatre, 303 Front Street North Issaquah, WA 98027 • (425) 392-2202 The True Story Behind All That Chicago Jazz W hile Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly are bringing their Razzle Dazzle to our Mainstage production in May, the true story behind these Vaudeville ladies actually happened a few years before either hit the Broadway stage. The two women who are models for Roxie and Velma were involved in two of the most sensationalized murders of the 1920s. Maurine Dallas Watkins was a reporter for the Chicago Tribune at the trials of murderesses Beulah Annan and Belva Gaertner. These women were both on trial for murdering their lovers, but in the end, neither of these women were locked behind bars. It is often rumored that the lack of a conviction was because Maurine’s reporting on these trials spun them in a light that was far too irresistible and innocent for them to be considered criminals. They were described as two “jazz babies,” corrupted by men and liquor. Beulah (the model for Roxie) was splashed across newspapers as the “beauty of the cell block” and Belva (who Velma is modeled after) as the “most stylish of Murderess Row.” With the glamour Maurine gave these murderesses in her stories, the public couldn’t help but believe that these women had a little bit of good in them. Don’t forget: Subscriber tickets are available on April 24, one week before Chicago tickets are available to the general public! Only a few years after her sensational reporting, Maurine wrote the first version of Chicago. It was an instant hit, even becoming a silent film in 1927 with a remake in 1942 titled Roxie Hart. However, it wasn’t until the 1960s that Bob Fosse developed the musical into the sensational show it is today. It took a few years to buy the rights (Maurine had become a born-again Christian in her later years, believing the play glamorized a scandalous way of living), but in 1969 John Kander and Fred Ebb went to work on the musical score and book, and Fosse directed and choreographed the musical. Even today, the distinctive dance styles in Chicago are evidence of Bob Fosse’s work on the musical. We are thrilled to be bringing this show to our Mainstage to close our 2012-13 Season with a jazzy bang. With flashy costumes, stellar actors, a set design that will leave you breathless, and All That Jazz, this show is one that will be sure to dazzle you from start to finish. Village Theatre Programming Is Funded In Part By: Season Partners: Everett Village Voices • April 2013 Page 2 Message from the Executive Producer and Artistic Director We have wanted to bring Chicago to our stage for a long time now, and couldn’t be more thrilled to have it as a finale to our outstanding 2012-2013 Season. As one of our favorite shows, we are incredibly excited to bring the jazz and passion of Chicago up close and personal at Village Theatre. Not only do we have outstanding local talent performing in our show, but we are also excited to be bringing some of our favorite actors in from New York! Desireé Davar (Velma Kelly) was most recently seen in the West Side Story Revival on Broadway and has been on several TV shows including 30 Rock and CSI: NY. We’re also happy to be welcoming Timothy McCuen Piggee back to our stage (Chasing Nicolette, The Who’s TOMMY) from Broadway’s hit show Catch Me If You Can. The rest of our cast is sure to amaze and includes talented local actors, including Richard Gray (last seen in Big River and The Producers) as Amos Hart, and Taryn Darr (last seen in Girl of My Dreams and South Pacific) as Roxie Hart. Finally, we couldn’t be more excited about our Matron Mama Morton. Shaunyce Omar blew us away at her audition, and we’re confident she’ll shine in her Village Theatre Mainstage premiere. Chicago really is the perfect ending to a spectacular season. As a subscriber, your support has allowed us to produce five top-notch shows. We had a great time producing each show, and hope you had as much fun seeing them. We know you will enjoy Chicago, and looking forward to seeing you again next year for our incredible new season! Robb Hunt, Executive Producer Steve Tomkins, Artistic Director dates to remember April 24 May 11 April 26-May 19 May 12 Trails On-Stage Pied Piper presents Skippyjon Jones April 12-28 July 5-28 Subscriber On-Sale Date For Chicago KIDSTAGE’s 13 The Musical at Second Stage On The Town: Annual Auction & Gala (Seattle) Chicago On-Stage Everett Village Voices • April 2013 Page 3 Youth Education KIDSTAGE Is Putting A Spring In Your Step I Now Enrolling: Spring And Summer Classes! from half-day acting camps to all day musical theatre and acting camps. Whether students find their muse in slipping on a pair of ruby slippers for a venture into musicals that take place in the Land of Oz, or if they want to explore acting through the phenomenal Les Misérables—KIDSTAGE camps From acting and dancing classes to monologue/song writing have both of those and more! The youngest actors can also workshops, the spring classes in Issaquah and Everett are sure join in on the fun, letting their imaginations run wild with to thrill students of all ages. Our acting and musical classes magical dragons, fairies, and monsters in our Pre-K camps. cover popular shows, like Mary Poppins and Hairspray, and are also pulling inspiration from the hit TV show Glee to put KIDSTAGE classes and camps continue to teach Skills for a KIDSTAGE twist on the choir experience with mash-ups Theatre and Skills for Life to all our students, encouraging creativity and giving students the confidence to be themselves and solos. while fostering self-esteem and integrity. This year’s KIDSTAGE summer camps are packed to the brim with excitement as well. The length for each camp varies For a full listing of classes, visit www.VillageTheatre.org. f you ask us, it’s never too early to start thinking about warmer weather and sunnier days ahead. It’s also never too early to start thinking about spring and summer KIDSTAGE classes and camps, both of which are enrolling right now! Holy Guacamole! It’s Skippyjon Jones! Special Sensory Friendly Performance In a special Sensory-Friendly Performance, produced by TheatreWorks USA and with the generosity of the Mark and Vickie Fund of the Nysether Family Foundation, Pied Piper is bringing the story of this little Siamese kitten with big ears to life! Skippyjon Jones loves to pretend to be anything but a Siamese cat. One day when he passes by a mirror and catches his own reflection, his wild imagination takes over as he exclaims, “Holy guacamole! My ears are too big for my head, my head is too big for my body. I am not a Siamese cat–I am a CHIHUAHUA!” Sensory-friendly performances are designed to create a theatre experience that is welcoming to all families with children on the autism spectrum or with other disabilities that create sensory sensitivities. Adults of any abilities are also welcome too! A Sensory-Friendly performance is unique in a variety of ways, including (but not limited to): the opportunity for children and their families to visit the theatre in advance of the show to get a feel for the environment with few people around, written resources and “social stories” are provided up front online and at the box office that help Based on the original storybook SkippyJon Jones by Judy prepare children and their families for the performance Schachner, SkippyJon will take his antics to the stage on May ahead of time, and it will be acceptable to stand, walk, talk or 12 in this enchanting musical that encourages everyone to fidget. To reserve your seats, or for more information, please unleash their own powerful imagination, and follow their contact the Everett Performing Arts Center Box Office at (425) 257-8600. dreams. KIDSTAGE Presents 13 The Musical Don’t miss out on 13, a high-spirited musical about the tribulations of early adolescence told with contagious energy and humor. Exiled from Manhattan to Indiana, “the lamest place in the world,” a charismatic and slightly nerdy junior high student works to entice the school’s ‘cool’ crowd to attend his bar mitzvah. Along the way, he discovers that ‘cool’ is sometimes found where you least expect it. 13 is infused with an unforgettable rock score from Tony Award-winning composer Jason Robert Brown that includes magnetic hits such as “What It Means to Be a Friend,” “A Little More Homework,” and “Brand New You.” 13 is on stage April 12-28. For tickets, visit www.VillageTheatre.org or call the box office at: (425) 257-8600. Everett Village Voices • April 2013 Page 4 Village News Announcing Our 2013-2014 Season! Xanadu October 25 - November 17, 2013 Les Misérables January 10 - February 2, 2014 The Foreigner March 7 - 30, 2014 The Tutor May 2 - 25, 2014 Funny Girl July 11 - August 3, 2014 Board of Directors A corporation, whether for-profit or nonprofit, is required to have a governing Board of Directors. As a non-profit, Village Theatre’s Board of Director’s is comprised of dedicated volunteers, whose passion for the theatre causes them to give generously of their time, talent, and resources to ensure the organization remains artistically excellent and fiscally stable. Heather Goff, President Derek Watanabe, Past President Bruce Wanta, President Elect Leigh Kraft, Treasurer Daryl Orts, Secretary Dan Anderson • Jean Chamberlin • Susann Edmond Brett Ferullo • Lissa Griffith • D. Edward Jones Lynnda Kilpatrick • Gary Kneepkens • Twyla Lucas Amy Romer • John Seethoff • Christine Shuken Everett Village Voices • April 2013 Page 5 Development updates M GiveBIG Is Just Around The Corner! ark your calendars for May 15th, this is one event you will not want to miss! GiveBIG is a unique, one-day, online charitable giving event. During GiveBIG, participants give to local nonprofits of their choosing through The Seattle Foundation’s online Giving Center. Contributions are partially matched by a pro-rated portion of the funds (or “stretch”) pool provided by The Seattle Foundation and GiveBIG sponsors. This means that the amount matched by The Seattle Foundation and GiveBIG sponsors is dependant on the amount of overall non-profit donations raised during the 24 hour donation period. Village Theatre had a great community turnout last year and we hope that you will join us this year! Donations play a part in every aspect of what we do at Village Theatre. Not only do donations fund the artisans, performers, and our dazzling productions, but they also help to fund our teachers and educational programs that make Village Theatre an exciting and enriching cultural center. We sincerely appreciate every donation, small or large. To donate to Village Theatre in GiveBIG, log into www.seattlefoundation.org anytime—midnight to midnight— on May 15th to donate and have your donation matched. For more information, contact Jeannine Clarke at (425) 392-1942 x116. Sponsor Spotlight Pignataro Volkswagen is pleased to be a sponsor of Village Theatre. As part of the community for over 40 years, we know that helping our friends and neighbors is more important now than ever. Village Theatre provides a unique and valuable opportunity for us to support the performing arts on a local level. It is difficult to place a monetary value on the entertainment and cultural benefits, but we know it would never be the same if the theatre was no longer. At Pignataro Volkswagen, we strive to strengthen customer relationships with each and every contact and to make owning a Volkswagen something to smile about. We hope that by supporting Village Theatre we will help to bring pleasure to our friends and their families for years to come. Our Mission Statement To be a regionally recognized and nationally influential center of excellence in family theatre: • To promote a season of top quality productions • To commision and produce new musicals that achieve national exposure • To train young people in theatre skills for career opportunities and enriched lives • To develop a broad-based appreciation for live theatre • To promote positive values through art