Studio East presents its ninth annual Summer Teen Musical at Kirkland Performance Center the weekend of July 28, 29 and 30. This summer's production is "Footloose," the Broadway musical adapted from the movie of the same name. The story is a classic tale of teen rebellion-telling the story of Ren, a teenager who moves to a small town in the West, causing a major case of culture shock for streetwise Ren. Though he tries hard to fit in, he can't quite believe that he is living in a place where rock music and dancing are illegal.
"Footloose" features a cast of 55 Eastside teens in a fast-moving show that combines exciting dance choreography and realistic and moving scenework. The production is directed by Marianni Magnuson, musically directed by Susan Bardsley and choreographed by Sheri Lewis.
The production will be at Kirkland Performance Center on July 28 and 29 at 7:30 pm, and at 2:30 p.m on July 29 and 30. Kirkland Performance Center is located at 350 Kirkland Ave. Tickets are $14 and can be ordered from the KPC box office at 893-9900. "Footloose" is recommended for ages 10 and up.
Summer theater camps
Studio East summer theater camps for children 4-15 are in full swing at various Eastside locations but there are still a few spaces available in some of the camps.
For ages 4-6 there's Little Players, a one-week arts-enrichment camp. For students entering first and second grade in the fall, there's a one-week drama camp, Talespinners. For students entering third through sixth grades, the studio offers two-week performance camps, Summer Stage!
For more information, visit www.studio-east.org or call toll free at 1-877-827-1100.
Curtains Up!
On June 17, Studio East held its first-ever Curtains Up - a combination fundraiser and reception to announce the 2006-07 Mainstage Youth Theater season.
After drinks and hors d'oeuvres, the guests moved to the theater to hear about the coming season. Songs and bits from the upcoming shows were performed by Studio alumni-students who have gone on to continue their studies at Whitman College, Florida State University, The Boston Conservatory, Brandeis University and the University of Michigan. The evening was a huge success - raising almost $30,000 to support the programs and services of Studio East.
The 2006-07 Studio East mainstage season includes "The Secret Garden"; "'Twas the Night..."; "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown"; "Peter Pan" and "Tom Sawyer."
Creative team wins competition
Lani Brockman and Susan Bardsley, the creative team behind the wacky scripts of StoryBook Theater, received notice recently that their adaptation of "The Ugly Duckling" has been selected to be showcased late July in Washington, D.C. A portion of the show will be performed in the AATE/Unpublished Play Reading Project Showcase on July 28 at the Kennedy Center Family Theatre.
The American Alliance for Theatre & Education (AATE) is the leading professional organization for theater educators, theater artists and educators who use drama and/or theater in the classroom. The Unpublished Play Reading Project is designed to promote scripts to producers and artistic directors for young audiences.
Brockman and Bardsely have created all the scripts that are performed by StoryBook Theater. Brockman adapts the fairytales and Bardsely composes the music and writes the lyrics. Then they both work with the designers and the acting company to bring their vision to life on the stage.
Their interactive musical comedies are specifically crafted to engage and delight the youngest segment of the audience population (ages 3-9), but they are also designed to entertain audiences of all ages. Over the past eight years more than 350,000 children and families have visited the wonderfully wacky worlds created by this talented team.
In addition to StoryBook Theater performances in Kirkland and around the Puget Sound, the pair's scripts have been performed in New York City, Idaho, Texas and Canada. For more information, visit their Web site at www.dementiaunlimited.com.
For more information on StoryBook Theater and its upcoming 2006-07 season, which includes "The Frog Prince," "Jack and the Beanstalk," and "A Little Mermaid," visit www.studio-east.org or call 827-3123.[[In-content Ad]]
