Ellen Yoakam Wins Nike Award

The Chamber of Commerce Economic Club and Jackson Business and Professional Women (BPW) honored recipients of awards earned in 2007 on Monday, February 25th.

Jackson BPW present the Nike Award to a woman who exemplifies qualities the award represents: strength, freedom, and triumphs.

Nike Award recipient, Ellen Yoakam, owner of the Costume Gallery, 4114 Page Avenue in Michigan Center, explains what it was like receiving the award. You can hear Ellen's comments by clicking here.

Photo: Ellen measures Mary Krzesicki (Amy March) for Little Women.

Cabaret at All Play and No Work

Seasons of Love will be presented this Friday, February 29, and Saturday, March 1 at 8:00 pm in the Bon Ton Room at All Play & No Work, 3017 Wildwood Ave. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 787-6733. All of the performers have worked with Center Stage in the past. Come out and support the great singing talent we have here in Jackson! Cost is $15 a ticket.

Performers:
Timm Richardson ~ Brett Parker ~ Christopher Fultz ~ Shawn Harmon
Dusty Salyer ~ Karen Kidder ~ Mahalia Gibson ~ Francesca Vitale
Alexandria Flynn ~ Julie Klee ~ Antoinette LaCinski

Photo: Karen Kidder and Julie Klee

Auditions for CSJ Youth Theatre

Students in the third through eighth grade are invited to audition for Big Bad by Alec Stum. The play is about the trial of the Big Bad Wolf. There are 14 speaking parts.

Auditions will be at 4:30 until 6:00 at Jackson's First Presbyterian Church (745 W Michigan Ave) on Thursday, March 13 and Friday, March 14. Auditions will be cold readings from the script.

Even if students are not cast in the play, everyone will have a chance to be involved in the production. Rehearsals will be in the after school time slot at the church.

Currently plans call for the show to be presented on Friday, May 9 at 7:00 pm and Saturday, May 10 (time to be decided).

Raisin in the Sun on ABC Monday Night

When Raisin in the Sun was presented in 1959 it was an historic event - the first drama by a black woman produced on Broadway.

In 2004, the Broadway revival won Tony Awards for both Phylicia Rashad and Audra McDonald although a lot of the excitment was generated by Sean "P. Diddy" Combs in the role of Walter.

Whether you have seen a production of Raisin or not, Monday night's version on ABC at 8:00 PM is an historic event as well.

The Youngers may be African-Americans but the message about the importance of families is universal.

Lumen Christi Theatre Company presents

Directed by Sandy Sykes with Musical Direction by Roxanne Bruner and Choreography by Cortney Shepherd on March 13 – 15, 2008 with a 7:30pm curtain at Lumen Christi Catholic High School Cafetorium, 3483 Spring Arbor Rd.

Adults $7, Students and Seniors $5
Director’s Circle Seats (first come, first serve) $10

Remember Tom & Janet Holliday?

Back in March of 1984 Jackson Civic Theatre presented Neil Simon's Star Spangled Girl starring Kathy Shaw, Tim Fowler, and newcomer Tom Holliday. The review in the Jackson Citizen Patriot was enthusiastic about the entire production but saved the highest compliments for Tom. "He's absolutely the best thing to happen to comedy theater in Jackson in a long time."

Unfortuately Tom and his wife Janet got lured away to Ohio shortly after that and have been in Columbus ever since. Although there hasn't always been time for theater in their lives, both have been active over the years appearing together in the female version of The Odd Couple and Love, Sex and the IRS, I Hate Hamlet, Rumors, and Chapter Two (Tom claims they are working their way through the entire Neil Simon canon). Janet also appeared in the musical Chicago, Lend Me at Tenor and Talking With. . .

After taking some acting classes through Columbus' professional theater group -- Contemporary American Theater Company (CATCo) -- Tom was invited to audition for one of their productions which started a relationship with our professional theater that's still going strong. He has appeared in their productions of Marvin's Room, All in the Timing, Table Manners and Mere Mortals in the late '90s. Mostly recently Tom again has worked with CATCo appearing in a play featuring six new original short pieces written by Ohioans. It's part of a Shorts Festival they do every couple of years or so. Tom was in both the 2004 and 2006 Festivals and managed to sneak in a bit part in Cat On a Hot Tin Roof in 2006 as well.

In 1995 Janet won a special award for "Most Outstanding Performance" during the '95 Ohio AACT Fest competition! It was especially meaningful for her because she was performing a piece written by an old college friend that had won a national playwriting award for new authors.

News from the Michigan Shakespeare Festival

The Michigan Shakespeare Festival will be a little different this year. Besides performances of Julius Caesar and All's Well That Ends Well, which will run from July 15 - 27, the 2008 festival will team up with the Jackson Symphony Orchestra and the University of Michigan's Gilbert and Sullivan Society to present Gilbert and Sullivan's operetta The Mikado.

The Michigan Shakespeare Festival performs in the Baughman Theatre at Potter Center on the Jackson Community College Campus.

Another interesting twist is that the two Shakespeare productions will travel to Grand Rapids the first week of August.

Auditions for the festival will be in late February and early March.

Cast & Crew for Seussical Announced

Seussical The Musical

Directed by: K.J. Rowan

Performances will be April 25, 26, 27 and May 2, 3, 4 in the Baughman Theatre, Potter Center on the Jackson Community College Campus. Friday and Saturday performances are at 8:00 pm and Sunday performances are at 3:00 pm. More information is available on the Center Stage Website.

Produced by: Christine Gorton and Steve Hug

Scenic and Costume Designer: Christopher Fultz
Tech Directer: Andrew Varial
Vocal Direction: Antoinette LaCinski

Choreography and Sound Engineer: Julie Klee
Music Direction: TBA
Lighting Design: Amanda Mahoney

Cast List:

Jojo: Connor Pierce

The Cat: Adam Woolsey

Horton: Christopher Fultz

Gertrude McFuzz: Lisa Yikimoff

Mayzie LaBird: Mahalia Gibson

Bird Girl 1: Jennifer Meusling

Bird Girl 2: Caryn Showerman

Bird Girl 3: Greta Lorr

Bird Girl 4: Tiffany Doan

Bird Girl 5: Alexandria Flynn

Sour Kangaroo: Karen Kidder

Wickersham 1: Andrew Thompson

Wickersham 2: Shane Stephens

Wickersham 3: Don LaFollette

Mr. Mayor: Steve Hug

Mrs. Mayor: Christine Gorton

General: John McKim

The Grinch: Michael Cicirelli

Vlad Valadikof: TBA

Ensemble:

Jen Roedema ~ Megan Edwards ~ Aimee McKim ~ Chris Harmon

Christina McKim ~ Jean McKim ~ Christine Rebescher ~ Talon Wilson

Alaina Kerr ~ Britney Honeycutt ~ Chuck Minder ~ Ainsley Herrick
Drew Doman ~ Becca Gergel ~ Rachel Tenison ~ Cara Guernsey
Courtney Collis ~ Sarah Brausch ~ Andrea Wynn ~ Amanda Marzano

Anthony Hodshire ~ Jackie McCarthy ~ Cheyenne Swarthout

Hannah Baryo ~ Maddison Post ~ Tia Wilson ~ Jacob Meyers

John Baker-Streevy

How to Find Stuff on This Blog

If you are looking for a cast list for Miracle Worker, type 'miracle worker' into the search box in the upper left hand corner. Or you can click on previous December entries on the right hand side and find the December 27th posting. As for Suessical, the show was to be finished being cast by tomorrow. As soon as the cast and crew list is received, it will be posted here. Hope this helps.

Croswell Opera House Presents. . .

Love Letters by A.R. Gurney and directed by Jackson's own Gerry Blanchard is a Valentine Day's gift to theatre goers. There will be four performances from February 14 - 17th and each features different actors. Julie Dolan (Marvin's Room, Arsenic and Old Lace for CSJ) performs with Terry Hissong on the evening of the 15th.

Curtain times are 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 3 p.m. on Sunday. Call the box office at 1-517-264-7469. The theatre is located at 129 E. Maumee in Adrian.

More details are available at the Croswell website.

Drop Dead! a Jackson Community College Production

A cast of has-been actors plan to revive their careers in Drop Dead!-- a potboiler murder mystery directed by "Wonder Child of the Broadway Stage" Victor Le Pewe (a psychotic eye twitching megalomaniac who is a legend in his own mind). The cheap producer, Sol has allotted a set budget of $35.00 and has cast his bubble gum chomping air headed girlfriend Candy (a former adult film star) in the play.

Among the other cast members are: Mona Monet—a has-been star of 80’s TV, Brent Reynolds—who considers himself “an actor,” Chaz Looney—star struck and young , Constance Crawford—an ancient actress that cannot see or hear well and Dick Shalit—brother to Gene Shalit and a TV repairman . The cast is rounded out by Phillip--the put upon stage manager and Alabama Miller--the wronged playwright. At the dress rehearsal the set falls, props break, and the producer and an actor are murdered. During the opening night performance, the murders continue. The remaining actors must save the show, their careers, solve the mystery and stay alive for curtain call. It is a clever play within a play—murder mystery within a murder mystery. Lots of laughs—good fun!

Auditions for Seussical the Musical

Auditions for Center Stage Jackson's production of Seussical the Musical will be held on Monday, January 28th and Tuesday, January 29th from 6PM to 8:30PM at the First Congregational Church, 120 N. Jackson Street...use the Pearl Street entrance. More details are available at the Center Stage Jackson website. Click here.

VIP Grant Received from Consumers Energy Foundation

On Wednesday evening just before the board and other members of Center Stage Jackson toured the historical Michigan Theatre in downtown Jackson, member Doug Meyers presented President Chris Gorton with a check for $750 from the Consumers Energy Foundation.

The check was part of the Volunteer Investment (VIP) Program recognizing organizations where employees and/or retirees have volunteered during the past 12 months. Doug and Don Mansfield filed the request on behalf of Center Stage!

The grant was doubled as a result of the Foundation's CEEPSACER Program. CEEPSACER (CMS Energy Employees Providing Service Around Children's Essential Resources) was established as part of Consumers Energy's commitment to America's Promise - The Alliance for Youth.

The money will be used to continue, strengthen, and extend the reach of the Youth Theatre program begun this past year. Earlier grants allowed Center Stage to lower ticket prices for young people making live theatre more accessible.

Miss Evers' Boys

Miss Evers' Boys, a fictionalized account of the Tuskegee Experiment by David Feldshuh, will be presented by the Riverwalk Theatre in Lansing on February 21 - 24 & 28 - March 2, 2008.

Monica Sanders of Jackson has the key role of Eunice Evers.

This warm, moving, surprisingly humorous play explores social and ethical issues at the heart of the infamous 40-year governmental TuskegeeStudy of Untreated Blacks with Syphilis. Doctors hid the true nature of their research and treated the men with placebos.

Tickets go on sale January 29, 2008. Visit the Riverwalk site for more informaton.

2008 Shaw Festival

The Shaw Festival box office is now open to the public to purchase tickets to the 2008 season. The festival has three theatres located in Niagra-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada. The season includes An Inspector Calls, Wonderful Town, Mrs. Warren's Profession, The Stepmother, A Little Night Music, Belle Moral, Getting Married, The Little Foxes, After the Dance, The President and Follies: In Concert (limited engagement), as well as the Reading Series and a variety of activities including workshops and seminars.

For ticket information and brochures, call (800) 511-SHAW or visit www.shawfest.com.

Want to listen to show tunes on your computer?

Check out Jukebox. It will play all of your favorite songs from 1952 through 1982. There is even a section at the bottom that allows you to listen to show tunes, TV show themes, Movie themes and several others. It is free!

There is a separate volume control, which you should use in conjunction with your computer's volume control. One of the best features is that it will play in the background so you can be working and still listen to music. Check out Jukebox here or go straight to show tunes here.

Theatre in Video for FREE!

Do you have a Jackson District Library card? Visit the Jackson District Library website and look under ejdl in a list on the left hand side of the screen. If you don't have a library card, you might want to get one so you can use this incredible theatre resource. If you do have a library card, you can access Theatre in Video on your computer right now!

Theatre in Video contains more than 250 definitive performances of the world's leading plays, together with more than 100 film documentaries, online in streaming video. Hundreds of leading playwrights, actors and director are included. See landmark performances such as The Iceman Cometh, King Lear, Awake and Sing, Long Day's Journey into Night, and Othello. You can bookmark specific scenes, monologues and staging.
Whether you are a student, theatre instructor or researcher, or just love great theatre, you need to take a look at this valuable site.

Remember Mark Hisler?

Did you finally notice that Mark Hisler's Potboiler Productions aren't around anymore? Mark says he is happy and well and has been living in Santa Fe, New Mexico for the last 4 months. He didn't waste any time getting acquainted with the theatre community there and has already finished a 4 week run played Sergeant Trotter in The Mousetrap for the Santa Fe Playhouse.

Mark, who worked for J-Town Clubhouse on West Avenue in Jackson, took a similar position with the Santa Fe Clubhouse, New Mexico's first clubhouse. A Clubhouse is a community intentionally organized to support individuals living with the effects of mental illness. They are found throughout the world.

Mark hopes to remount Lobby Hero (by Kenneth Lonergan) as director with the Santa Fe Playhouse next year. The picture is from the Jackson production (from left to right) Emily Patton, Ann Holt, Mark Hisler, Tom Foley, and Eric Duvall.

JTV is now ONLINE!

Now you can watch JTV, Jackson's premier television station, anytime, anywhere. JTV is America's first and only station streaming 100% of its programming 24/7.

Check it out by clicking here. Help us spread the word!

~ Welcome 2008 ~