DEC | JAN | FEB 2016 BBEHINDA THEC SCENESKST AT RIVERSIDEAG THEATREE PASS PROPS TO THE PROPS MASTER PAGE 4 MEET BROADWAY DIRECTOR MITZI HAMILTON PAGE 8 IN MEMORY OF DICK STARK PAGE 12 HOLIDAY LIGHTS PAGE 20 Give them what they really want. DEC | JAN | FEB 2016 Issue PRODUCING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR/CEO DISTINGUISHED Allen D. Cornell MANAGING DIRECTOR/COO Jon R. Moses MARKETING DIRECTOR Oscar Sales, Jr. MEDIA ART DIRECTOR EDUCATION Garett Schiefer GRAPHIC ARTIST SALSA SATURDAYS during the Vegas Nights themed Comedy Zone. Holly S. Porch CONTRIBUTORS Alice Johnson Music & Lyrics by Milton Thomas Thank GeorgeYou 2 0Gershwin15-2016 SEASON & Ira Gershwin SPONSORS COVER PHOTO CREDIT PATRON Book by Ken Ludwig Holly S. Porch PRODUCERS PUBLISHED BY Riverside Theatre 3250 Riverside Park Drive Vero Beach, Florida 32963 (772) 231-5860 ©2015 Riverside Theatre's BACKSTAGE PASS All rights reserved. No part of this publication Nelson Morgan Wealth Management may be reproduced without the expressed written permission of Riverside Theatre. Neither advertiser nor publisher will be held accountable for errors, omissions or accuracy of statements, nor does the publisher accept liability. See more behind the 2015-2016 STAR PARTNERS scenes on… Thank You www.RiversideTheatre.com TREASURE & SPACE COAST RADIO 3 BEHIND THE SCENES decided I still wanted to be Contemporary American part of it. I knew how to do a Theatre Festival (Props PROPS TO THE lot of crafty things, thanks to Master). my mother and aunts, and so I Props Master chose to try props. It just felt What are some of the funny right, so I continued doing it at things that have happened in ANNA CABLE my high school and the prop shop? A look into the world of theatrical properties... community theatre. When it During the build for South constructed, came to figuring out what I Pacific, my first season at designed, or wanted to do with my life, I Riverside, we needed bubbles What is a “Properties Master” ? was scotch tape invented? how all of the pieces modified. We build a lot thought through several for a shower scene that A Props Master is the person Velcro? How many stars should look (color and fabric of furniture to be structural careers with the thought of needed to meet several responsible for providing all should the American flag have choices, approval for all enough to be sat/stood/and doing community theatre on requirements: the bubbles props in a show. A Prop is any in a given year? What did pieces) and from the director danced on. Thinking through the side. Eventually I just needed to be long-lasting and inanimate object that helps tell pencils look like? What does a and choreographer I get the and building the over-sized decided to go ahead and take plentiful, they needed to be the story, from the hand props calculator in the 30’s look like? information of how each prop props for Cats was a hoot, but the risk of making theatre my gentle on the wig, and they that actors handle to furniture The little things. needs to function, which can if I had to choose a favorite, I future career and I haven’t needed to not leave either a pieces, curtains, and other set change as new things are tried would pick the sound looked back since. It hasn’t sticky or slick residue on the dressing like knick-knacks or Second is costing out the in rehearsal. I also work recording equipment I made always been easy, but I truly stage floor or the performers’ products on shelves that give show item by item and doing closely with all other for a production of My Fair love what I do. hands. Naturally, the best way a setting character. Being shopping research to find the departments. Props is, in a Lady and all of the very to test numerous products was Props Master also includes best deals. Then, plannning way, a center hub to all of the functional props used in the Where else have you worked? to have a small bubble fight. supervising the shop staff, out how much work will need other departments because dances for last year’s Crazy for Opera Theatre of St. Louis (as working with other department to go into modifying what we we always have items that You. Shopper/Buyer for the Prop Name one great thing you get heads, researching, keeping buy to make it look and need to light up, or fit into a Shop); Timber Lake Playhouse to do as a Props Master? the budgets and the To Do lists function correctly. costume’s pocket, or maybe How did you end up doing this (as Props Master); McCleod I get to have interesting and up to date, and maintaining hide a speaker onstage, and for theatres? Summer Playhouse at odd professional our Stock. How closely do you work with so on. It can be a lot to keep I sort of fell into it. I am from a Southern Illinois University in conversations, as well as have the director of a show? With the track of at times, but it keeps small town in central Illinois Carbondale (as Props Master); great answers for the question, How much research is involved set designer? me out of trouble. and I started acting in The Florida Repertory Theatre “So what did you do today?” in creating props for shows? Very closely. I have on-going children’s shows at my local (as an intern and then as For Example: “Oh, nothing Quite a bit. First there is the conversations with both the What has been the most unique community theatre when I was Props Master); Northern Stage much. Just shopped for a rug period research we do for all of director and set designer all piece of property you’ve in middle school and then (Props Master); for our camel.” the props, and not just the the way through Opening. constructed or repurposed? started doing theatre at my Merry-Go-Round Playhouse period look for furniture, but From the set designer I get I honestly don’t know what the high school. The first time I (Props Master); and the also the little details like when most of my information about most unique prop is that I have didn’t get cast in a show, I 5 Music by Marvin Hamlisch Lyrics by Edward Kleban the end and not lose because she did "one singular sensation" for fifteen sold-out Book by James Kirkwood & Nicholas Dante everything right. Bennett changed it so that years. Over the years, revenue from the many Cassie would win the part. worldwide productions, both professional and amateur, of the show has been a steady and TONY AWARD-WINNING A Chorus Line opened Off Broadway at The main source of income for The Public. MUSICAL WITH A Public Theater on April 15, 1975. At the time, MUSICAL WITH A The Public did not have enough money to The Public has served as a launching pad for PASSION FOR DANCE! finance the production so it borrowed $1.6 many successful Broadway shows. Fifty-four million to produce the show. Directed and productions that began life at The Public have surpassed by Cats in 1997, but still holds sixth choreographed by Bennett, the show created moved on to Broadway including: That place in Broadway’s longest-running shows in such a stir of anticipation among the theatrical Championship Season; The Pirates of DIRECTED BY MITZI HAMILTON history list. The musical was formed from community that the entire limited run sold out Penzance; Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk; JANUARYJANUARY 55 -- 2424 several taped workshop sessions with long before opening night. Demand for tickets The Normal Heart; the 2015 Tony Award-winning Broadway dancers, known as "gypsies," was such that the show moved uptown to Best Musical, Fun Home; and Broadway’s Winner of nine Tony Awards, including Best including eight who eventually appeared in the Broadway's Shubert Theatre, where it remained newest sensation, Hamilton. Musical, and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, A original cast. The sessions were originally Chorus Line is one of the longest-running hosted by dancers Michon Peacock and Tony musicals in Broadway history. This stunning musical follows a group of dancers as they strive Stevens. The first taped session occurred in See you at the show! to get cast in a Broadway show by laying their January 26, 1974 with the hope they would talent and life experiences on the line. Filled with form a professional dance company to make compelling drama, exceptional dance and workshops for Broadway dancers. featuring a superb score by Marvin Hamlisch with the end and not lose because she did such classics as “I Can Do That,” “What I Did For Michael Bennett was invited to join the group everything right. Bennett changed it so that Love,” “At The Ballet,” and “One,” A Chorus Line is truly a singular sensation. primarily as an observer, but quickly took Cassie would win the part. control of the proceedings. During the When A Chorus Line opened at the Shubert workshop sessions, random characters would A Chorus Line opened Off Broadway at The Theatre on Broadway on July 25, 1975, it be chosen at the end for the chorus jobs, Public Theater on April 15, 1975. At the time, became an unprecedented commercial and resulting in genuine surprise among the cast. the Public did not have enough money to critical hit. With 6,137 performances, A Marvin Hamlisch, who wrote A Chorus Line ' s finance the production so it borrowed $1.6 Chorus Line was the longest-running winning score, recalls how in its first previews million to produce the show.