TAGLines The Newsletter of the Theatre Arts Guild, Inc. – April 2008 Fred Goodhew, President Sherry Fletcher, Chair/Editor www.theatreartsguild.com A Note from the President by Fred Goodhew TAG A Few Well Chosen Words ... (I hope) N IGHT O UT Our annual General Membership meeting is scheduled to follow the May TAG board meeting. Although members are welcome to come to any meeting, we especially Bellevue Little Theatre encourage the membership to join the board at this meeting every year. It is our hope Alone Together Again that many of you will attend the board meeting at 10 a.m., Saturday, May 10, and stay April 3 for the General Membership meeting to follow. Our meeting place is the Board Room of the Omaha Community Playhouse. Circle Theatre This is your chance to voice opinions and concerns about TAG and to help the board plan for the future. We really would like to see you attend so that we can get a better An Evening of One-Acts by Doug Marr idea of what you would like our organization to accomplish, and to share your ideas of how we can better serve our membership and our mission to increase awareness of April 17 live theatre in the metropolitan area. The success of any organization depends on the involvement of the members, and BlueBarn Theatre there are a lot of ways you can become more involved. Man from Nebraska • Run for the board: e-mail me, or TAGLines, or Sherry Fletcher (next year’s April 24 president) and let us know that you would like to serve on the board. One _________________________ meeting a month is not a huge time commitment, and it really is a lot of fun. • Serve on a committee: There are a number of standing committees that could always use some help. You do not have to be a board member to serve on a committee or even to chair one. If you have an interest in a particular aspect T HIS I SSUE of the promotion of live theatre, let us know. We will be glad to put you to work. On Stage News • Talk to us: Come to meetings. E-mail us with your concerns and ideas. Let us The Green Room / Auditions know what trips your trigger. Become involved. Other Good Stuff From time to time I have interesting discussions with members about an idea or an Theatre Planning Calendar aspect of TAG. It is really great to get that feedback. We all need it. To all of you who have helped this year and shown an interest in helping us, I thank you, and I really hope that we will see some of you on May 10. __________________________ Get Your Taxes Done and Help TAG TAG members Todd Brooks, who works for H & R Block, and Les Schulz, of Schulz Financial, have arranged for TAG to receive a $25 donation for every new client that pays for the preparation of an original personal income tax return (1040, 1040-A or 1040-EZ). EW EMBERS N M Last year, TAG received more than $500 through this offer. The definition of a new Nate, Jennifer & Paul client is anyone who did not use either service to have 2006 taxes prepared. Larson Les’ office is located at 8031 W. Center Road, phone 397-4145. Todd’s office is Mary Nichols located at 7013 Maple, phone 558-18725. Steven Hartman In order to have H & R Block make a donation to TAG, you must present a form when you go in to get your taxes done. To request a form and help TAG, just e-mail me at Kris Rutz [email protected] or call me at 391-2270 and I will get one in the mail to you right away. Forms will also be available at all TAG Nights Out that are held before the tax deadline. Page 1 On Stage News *Iowa Western Community College presents *Opera Omaha presents Moby Dick! the Musical Aida April 3 -12 April 4-13 This British cult spoof, by Robert Longden and Hereward Kaye, is a Opera Omaha celebrates its 50th anniversary with this special, all- whale of a tale. In order to save a bankrupt school that's seen better new production of Verdi’s sizzling drama of love, loyalty and jealousy. days, the girls of St. Godley's Academy for Young Ladies decide to The opera is designed by renowned Omaha artist Catherine put on a musical version of Moby Dick. The highly comic romp that Ferguson. Performances take place April 4, 6, 9, 11 & 13 at the ensues proves to be a world of endless, funny double-entendres and Orpheum Theatre. Tickets are available by calling the Opera Omaha wonderful, pastiche-y company numbers. box office at 34-OPERA, online at www.operaomaha.org and through The show is directed and choreographed by Jerry R. Ditter with Ticket Omaha, 345-0606. All current TAG members receive the music direction by Machelle Mitchell. The cast features Jonathon Group Rate for tickets. Wilhoft as the Head Mistress/Ahab, IWCC students, and community actors Caitlin Mabon, Mary Pennisi and Nick Walker. *Omaha Community Playhouse presents Performances are Thursdays–Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. in the Arts Shakespeare in Hollywood Center on the Campus of Iowa Western Community College. Tickets April 11-May 4, Mainstage are $8/adults, $5/students/seniors and free with IWCC student ID. Written by Ken Ludwig, author of Crazy for You, Lend Me a Tenor For reservations or more information, call the box office at and Moon Over Buffalo, this zany comedy features the ‘out of time’ (712) 388-7144. adventures of Oberon and Puck from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. When the play is made into a movie in the 1930s, the *Nebraska Wesleyan University Theatre fictional characters are magically transported to the film set. Smitten presents with the glitz and glamour of showbiz, the fairies interact with Hollywood legends like studio head Jack Warner, radio gossip Lysistrata: A Woman’s Translation maven Louella Parsons, and actors James Cagney, Dick Powell and April 3-13 Joe E. Brown. The fictional world of Shakespeare clashes hilariously This adaptation is the only version of the classic comedy written with the larger-than-life “real” world of Hollywood. The result is an entirely in rhyme. Fed up with war, the women of Greece seize the evening of theatrical magic. treasury, stage a sex strike and force the men to sign a truce. Carl Beck directs and Drew Billings is stage manager. The cast Performances are Thursdays-Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at includes Benjamin Beck, Dan Chevalier, Bernie Clark, Kay Clark, 2 p.m. For reservations or more information, contact the box office at Dennis Collins, Teri Fender, Steve Hills, Jon Hoppes, Bill Hutson, Liz (402) 465-2384 or [email protected]. Mulhern, Karl Rohling, Jonathon Shaw, Theresa Sindelar, Gage Wallace, and Ian Yellin. *Bellevue Little Theatre presents Performances run Wednesdays-Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays Alone Together Again at 2 & 6:30 p.m. There is no evening performance on closing April 4-20 Sunday. Tickets are $32/adults and $21/students. Mention that This touching comedy by Lawrence Roman is witty but also wise, you’re a TAG member to get a $10 discount; membership card and will hit home with many. A couple married for thirty years required when picking up your ticket. For reservations or more undergoes the joys and heartache of emptying the nest in order to information, call (402) 553-0800. enjoy some well-deserved peace and privacy. Their dream of bliss is shattered when their parents arrive, along with surprises, problems, *BlueBarn Theatre presents and a whole new set of idiosyncrasies. Man from Nebraska Lorie Obradovich directs the show, which features Karen Cordes, April 17–May 11 Bob Goodwin, Deb Kelly, Carla McDowell and Denny Maddux. Anna Meet Ken Carpenter, a mid-western insurance salesman with a Peace is producer. Other technical staff includes Jo Ann Goodhew, comfortable and routine life, until one night when Ken awakens in a stage manager; Jack Hogston, set designer; Nellie Chenowith, props panic to find he no longer believes in God. This crisis of faith propels mistress; Liz Kendall, lighting designer; Jeff Lively, sound designer; an ordinary middle-aged man into an extraordinary journey of self- and Heather Prokopf, sound technician. discovery. A wickedly funny and spiritually complex play, Man from Performances are Fridays & Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at Nebraska examines the effects of one man’s awakening on himself, 2 p.m. Tickets are $15/adults, $13/seniors and $7.50/students. his marriage, and those around him. Reservations are encouraged and may be made by calling Directed by Susann Suprenant, the show features Jonathan Wilhoft (402) 291-1554. The theatre is located at 203 W. Mission in Bellevue. as Ken Carpenter, with Wes Clowers, Patty Driscoll, Louisa Foster, The April 3 preview is a TAG Night Out to benefit the TAG Scott Fowler, Karli Kleinsmith, Brigitte McQueen, Ruth Rath and Nick Scholarship Fund. Zadina. Continued, next page. Page 2 On Stage News Man from Nebraska (cont’d) Cabaret Theatre presents The production design team includes Michelle Abel, props; Amy Simply Cabaret: Duets Bertacini, stage manager; Wayne Brekke, scenic painter; Will Davis, April 27 assistant director; Jane Franklin, costumes; Mike Kalstrom, sound; Duets is a musical history of famous couples conceived and Susann Suprenant, designer; and Carol Wisner, lighting consultant. presented by Keith Allerton, Mitch Fuller and Rebecca Noble. The show runs Thursdays-Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.