Showing posts with label Utah Shakespearean Festival. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Utah Shakespearean Festival. Show all posts

Friday, August 27

Change it is a'commin'

Well well.  The summer is drawing to a close.  I am putting understudies on for the actors who negotiated to leave before the season is over.  I have had two rehearsals this week and one more tomorrow.  My understudies are doing great! They will be on all next week.  I can't believe the Randall closes tomorrow!  Where did the summer go?

I hope you all had a chance to see shows if you were in Southern Utah.  Even if you aren't, it is worth the trip!

I have just over one more week.  Three more performances of Merchant and five more of Much Ado. I am telling you, I can't believe how fast its gone!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my crews, casts, designers, and fellow stage managers for making this a fantastic summer. The administration rocks, the box office is awesome... I am filled with love for the Utah Shakespearean Festival.

I also have some news....

This will be my final season at the Festival.  I have been here 10 years.  I worked on 13 seasons with over 30 shows!  I can't believe my time here has come to an end.

My new adventure begins on September 10 when I start working as the On Call Assistant Stage Manager for Cirque du Soleil's Zumanity in Las Vegas. This is a permanent position, which has been my dream for many years.  Although I enjoyed my gypsy lifestyle, I'm ready to settle down and live in the same city as my husband.

This blog will need to change a bit.  I'll still talk about my adventures, but I think I need to reevaluate the exact content.

I hope everyone's life is going well.  I'll update you more when I start training for Cirque.

I AM SO EXCITED!!!!


xoxo

Friday, July 23

Understudy Rehearsals

The excitement of opening has past and now we are in it for the long haul here at the Utah Shakespearean Festival.  The weeks after opening aren't as calm as you might think as we have understudy rehearsals for all of the shows as well as fittings to make sure the understudies have costumes.  

What is an understudy, you ask?  Well each role in each show has to have a person to cover it in case the actual actor gets sick or hurt or has some other emergency that prevents them from being in the show.  Our understudies are (for the most part) already acting at the Festival.  They have to learn these additional parts (usually larger roles OR several smaller roles) in case they are needed to step in. 

We have been rehearsing the understudies for the last two weeks.  My rehearsals are just about done.  I have a couple of music and dance rehearsals left and one more hour of onstage rehearsal for the big court scene in Merchant of Venice. 

Now, one might think "oh this probably goes fast because the actors are already in the show and they know the blocking."  WRONG!  The actors have been concentrating on their OWN blocking while in the shows and may not even be in the scenes with the character they are understudying. 

... Did I mention these same actors are also participating in Camp Shakespeare, doing publicity things, Curtain Call luncheons, etc?  Yeah, we all keep very busy here over the summer.  Needless to say conflicts arise and the ladies who do all of our scheduling have a hard time making it all work.   Luckily for us, our scheduling Stage Managers are super awesome and they make it work.

I am looking forward to being done with understudies.  I know the actors, costumers and crew are ready for this to end too.  But we all recognize the importance of having understudies and understudy rehearsals.  After all, the show must go on.

On a personal note... my hubby and puppy are visiting this week!  It is so nice to have them here when I get home from work. Husband Matt has seen Merchant of Venice and will see Much Ado this week.  Next week we will squeeze in "Mackers" as we USFers affectionately call MacBeth.  We have also been to Zion (we hiked the Narrows), Cedar Breaks, Brian Head, Panguitch Lake and the Petroglyphs.   It's always so much fun to explore out here and even better to do it with someone you love.

Thursday, July 15

We have opened!

I am back at the Utah Shakespearean Festival this summer. Rehearsals/build were very challenging, but we have opened and the shows are getting rave reviews! (Well mostly, and those that aren't are picking up steam and I am confident their critics will be raving soon enough!)
(Emily Trask as Portia, Chelsea Steverson as Nerissa, Tony Amendola as Shylock, Ryan Imhoff as Gratianio, Grant Goodman as Bassanio and Gary Neal Johnson as Antonio - - Photo by Karl Hugh USF 2010 ©)

I have Much Ado about Nothing and The Merchant of Venice. Both shows I have done before, both have their own challenges.  I really like both of my shows.  Really.  I realized over the course of rehearsals that this is my 7th time doing Much Ado!!! Only my second for Merchant.  Yes, I like old Willy (fine, Mr. William Shakespeare if you must)  enough to do his plays over and over and over. I really do!

This summer I have two Shakespeare's.  I have never done this track before and will probably never do again!!! Having two giant shows in the outdoor theater is the hardest thing I have ever done... and I have done quite a bit, thankyouverymuch! I have a cast of 21 and a cast of 24 actors to shepherd through this journey.  It wasn't easy but luckily for me I have great casts and fantastic crews.

For those of you who are new to this blog... (as if anyone reads this - - ok, ok I know at least ONE person reads it AND thank you for that, Mr. Vice President!!)...

I am a Stage Manager.  I make sure the play happens.  I call the light and sound cues as well as keep the actors on track and make sure the artistic vision of the director and designers is maintained. I flip the cue lights that make the actors enter on time and do a lot of other Manager-type stuff to keep my two shows running smoothly.  (Reminder: We have six main stage shows and two Greenshows so I am one of a tribe of Stage Managers) My job is not easy but it is really fun if you like to be organized and in charge.

Ummm... yeah... I like both of those things....

More to come. I was accosted by a "fan" on opening last week for not keeping up the old bloggy so I wanted to bang one out.

Click here to go to the Utah Shakespearean Festival web site

If you have any reason to be in Cedar City, Utah this summer, you will be horribly remiss if you do not at least see one show at the Festival.  HORRIBLY.

 (Matt Tallman as Claudio, David Ivers as Benedick, Gary Neal Johnson as Don Pedro, Robert Ramirez as Leonato - - Photo by Karl Hugh USF 2010 ©)

Thursday, February 11

Next stop: Nashville

I leave for Nashville in a week.  This time I am heading in for the start of the NCL Gem rehearsals instead of the end.  I will be picking up the cast members from the airport and getting them installed in their hotel. I'm looking forward to seeing some old faces and meeting the newbies.

I'll only be there for a week and then I have to rush back to Orlando for Shotgun rehearsals. As soon as I open and hand off Shotgun to the resident PSM at Orlando Shakes, I will drive to Ft. Lauderdale to join the Gem in progress.  I don't get to shepherd my cast to the ship like I normally do, but I will be there 2 days later. That will be a little crazy, but such is my life.  Seems I am always running to one gig or another.


I am not looking forward to the cold and snow in Nashville! After all, I live in Orlando for a reason.  But it will be fun to see everyone and I am thankful to have a job at all considering the recent lay-offs at my dear GMP. Now that we have less ships, I will be lucky to keep the Gem, let alone get the other NCL ships back.  I just got spoiled having so many ships last year.  It was a wake up call to go from 4 ships in fall season to 1 ship in spring season.

So my calendar is filling up quickly.  I have the Gem, then Shotgun, then the Gem redeux, a visit to Indiana to see my family and then the looong drive West to work at Utah Shakes all summer. Who knows what the fall will bring, hopefully more work!

Monday, January 11

Utah Shakespearean Festival 2010 line up

Here is the play line up for this summer at the Utah Shakespearean Festival.  Hope you can make it.  I know I am trying to be there! Are you working there this summer/fall? Let me know. I will be posting updates as they come in.


Shakespeare Rocks!


And so do Charles Dickens, Jane Austen,

and Alfred Hitchcock—all featured in the

2010 season of the Utah Shakespearean
Festival.

 

Summer Season 2010

June 28 – September 4



Fall Season 2010

September 16 - October 23


Thursday, January 15

Some news...

Ok here is the big news.

I am not returning this summer.

I know, it makes me sad, but it is time to move on. I want to be with my husband this summer. I have been married 6 years and have NEVER spent a summer with him. Yeah, so I am selfish. Sorry.

I will continue to post Utah info up here as I hear about it. If you want to PSM or ASM at Utah, now is the time to be calling Karen. If you don't know Karen, you should have already applied to USF because the deadline was back in October! Ok, try FSM@bard.org

More later....

Monday, January 12

A new year... a new season....

It's about that time. You have seen the new season, right?

Are you coming back? Let me know.

I have a few pieces of info but I am not quite ready to share them as of yet.

XOXO

Thursday, October 23

An ending...

So Utah is wrapping up for the season. I heard great things about Jim Sullivan's show, Gaslight. If you haven't checked it out, here is a clip.



NykiDee reports that it is freezing there and that she is ready for a little warm weather.

Sadly, Fred Adam's wife, Barbara, passed away on Wednesday. You can read her lovely obit here.



I do have more photos to post, but I have been on ships for the past two months and have not had time. I will be home in about a week so look for another update then.



And if anyone is looking for an AEA SM for the Nov-Jan slot. I'm your grrrl.



XOXO

P.S. I got mentioned in a review! Can you believe it?????

http://www.jevansonline.com/othelloreview.htm

Utah Shakespearean Festival - Cedar City
Seen: Friday, August 8, 2008 *****
This is probably one of the few productions I will ever give 5 stars to, but this hands down is the finest production of this Shakespeare masterpiece I have ever seen in my entire life! Director J.R. Sullivan has mounted a breathtaking and truly chilling production of this beautiful and terrifying tragedy. IMHO William Shakespeare in this play created the perfect personfication of pure evil in the character of Iago and James Newcomb's triumphant performance in this role was nothing short of genius! He absolutely frightened me and played the role with such relish and evil joy that it was terrifying to watch and at the same time thrilling to watch. WOW is all I can say. Equally by his side was Jonathan Earl Peck's heartbreaking and towering performance in the title role. Mr. Peck was tall, handsome and absolutely stunning to watch every minute he was on stage. Equally heartbreaking was the two performances by the young Lindsey Wochley (Desdemona) and the wonderful Corliss Preston as Iago's wife Emilia. These two magnificant actresses brought triumphant performances to the stage as well. Lindsey looked and acted as a 19-year old would and it was so tragic and heartbreaking to watch as her life slowly was taken away from her scene by scene, and Corliss as always brought a power and a majesty to her performance as Iago's long suffering wife Emilia. By the time she stood so powerfully on that stage and decried Iago for his evil deeds, I was in tears. And her tragic murder at the hands of Iago was devastating as well as Desdemona's. I was shaking and crying all the way back to my hotel room after this production. This production will haunt me the rest of my days. Kudos as well to a fine production team: R. Eric Stone (Scenery), Bill Black (Costumes), Donna Ruzika (her stunning lighting design was brilliant, particularly in the cold scenes between Othello and Iago, and the devastating final scene), Joe Payne (Sound, his original score was breathtaking), Michael Flachmann (Dramaturg), Terry Weber (Vocal Coach), Christopher Villa (Fight Director) and Angi Weiss-Brandt (Stage Manager). I highly HIGHLY recommend this production to everyone! Don't miss this towering masterpiece of classic theater and an equally towering masterpiece of a production!

Tuesday, July 29

Superhero Party 2008

The 8th annual Superhero Party was a blast! We had a ton of fun and there were some kick A$$ costumes!!!!

I have 142 photo and I cannot upload them all on there. So I went to Facebook and put them up. If you are not my friend you will need to add me in order to see them..... Angi Weiss-Brandt (AND I STILL ONLY ADD PEOPLE I KNOW IN REAL LIFE......)

Here are some highlights.

Jose and Kai (aka Mr. SmartyPants ans Nightcrawler - or Kurt Wagner as I prefer)
Nicole and Head (of Coral Reef and super Sexy Chef)
Lindsay and Justin (or My Super Ex Girlfriend and The (new) Joker)
Becky and NykiDee (or Understudy Girl and Randall girl)
Steve, Kari and Matthew J (or The Incredibles!)

Kai, Angi and Brad (or Nightcrawler, The Artful Dodger and 7755 man)
Katie aka Super Grover!
Craig Christ
BJ as The Intoxicator!

Now join FACEBOOK.....

XOXO

Wednesday, July 2

*sigh*

Yes, I am well aware that we are into July and there have been exactly ZERO posts from the Porch. This was a hard season for me. Othello kicked my ass and I still had to find the energy to do The School for Wives as well.

Woo hoo we opened!!!! Yay! My shows are both good.

I don't care what people say about Othello being too long. It's worth watching for 3 hours and 5 minutes. It is awesome. I would never review my actors in a public forum but this time I almost would. Let's just say I am VERY proud to be part of this production.

COME SEE OTHELLO YOU WIMPS!

The School for Wives is so much fun!! It's short, funny and a touch bawdy. I am having a great time working on it. (A shout out to my Crippled Crew - - every single one of my Wives crew members is hurt. Chris has a hyper extended knee, Justin got poked in the eye with a sharp stick and Lindsay's foot got run over by a GenieLift. I LOVE YOU GUYS AND I AM SORRY YOU ARE BROKEN!!!!!)

This is a period of adjustment summer for us for sure. A lot of new people and some new job titles and position switches.

Here is a quick low down (and I am sure I will miss some stuff so just let me know)

Richard our FANTASTIC Scenery Director (and impromptu TD in the Adams) is leaving us in a couple of day's for the Gutherie. We will miss him!

Zak and Tina had their sweet twins which are keeping them both occupied. They are also moving to a Carolina (which one escapes me - sorry)

Ben was Props master in the Randall as well as being the Props Director. He did an awesome job and we loved having him!

There is a bunch of other shit going on but it doesn't make me very happy so I don't find a need to report it here. Things to remember..... there is a touch of Iago in all of us and anyone who says differently is LYING to themselves.

"To be direct and honest is not safe"
-Iago
Othello

What else?

Oh Jamie S. will be in town tomorrow!!! WOOOOT!!!!!!! We have also had a myriad of visitors this summer. Micah left this morning, Kate Glo was here a couple of weekends ago. Debbie has been in and out (not that we see much of here around these parts - - but thems the breaks). Nykol's friend Robbie is in town today - hope she can find time to see him with all her WORK...ha ha!

I have lots more to say but things are getting scattered. Sorry! I will make another blog soon.

Anyhow, hope you are all having a nice summer! Drop me a line and let me know how you are doing!!

XOXO

Wednesday, February 20

Just a quicky....

Stage Managers of 2008

Karen
Cyrano

Angi
Othello and School for Wives

Becky
Two Gentlemen of Verona and Taming of the Shrew

NykiDee
Fiddler on the Roof

Equity ASM
Erin

Admin SM
Cheryl

ASM's and PA's to be announced....

Did you know David Ivers is directing Cyrano? Brian Vaughn is playing the lead.

Are you coming back? Let me know.

XOXO

Wednesday, November 21

End of the season

Wondering what I am up to these days? Check my off season blog Not Listening.

I'll be updating this closer to the first of the year when the hiring starts.

XOXO

Wednesday, October 17

Going Away/Birthday Party

Here is a record of our insane night. I did not put up all the photos because I was drunk and made EVERYONE take a photo with me. If you are looking for a specific photo.... email me and I will send it to you!
At the top of the evening it was just the regulars. (Oh how I love you guys!!!)
NykiDee and me!
Deborah Jean and me! (See what I mean about making everyone take a photo with me???)
BJ and me!
Me and Jorge

Ben and Kristen
Cheryl and me!
Me and Brad
We had a shit ton of food....DO YOU SEE ALL THAT ALCOHOL???????
Hot Eric and me
The Concessions Staff plus a few!
Me and B. SAS
Georgie is pretending to be flushed down the toilet. (He can act out just about anything....just try him!!!!!)
Erin and me
Me and Brian
Me and Pickle!
THE DOWNY NEST!!! (Yup....I was there with Carole and Nykol.... HELL YEAH GEORGIE CAN HANDLE 3 WOMEN AT ONCE!!!!) heh heh - - on a side note..... George cursed me to be forever a sucubi in his downy nest.....so look for me in your dreams......
Karen and me
Georgie likes to kiss me on the cheek.....but only during photos!!!!!!
Jorge and Nykol

BJ and Cheryl (so cute!)
Michael and Deb
Deb mopped the floor at 4 am..... seriously.... look at the clock!
We rock YOUR world......

Goodbye my darlings.... I will miss you all so much. I hope you have a great rest of the season. I will be thinking of you while I am on the ship.



P.S. TO ALL OF YOU WHO SAID, "I HATE YOU" when you found out where I was going...... here is a big RASPBERRY for you!

XOXO

Monday, October 8

Pumpkin Carving 07


Nykol is getting ready to pick a pumpkin and I think Michael is commenting on the shot count on the door....which was at 11.
Cheryl is shy until she gets a knife in her hand....
Our pumpkins!
Georgie is checking out his pumpkin and Nykol has already cut into hers!
Mine was a bit dirty!

Debbie was making whole pumpkin pie (hence the apron!)
Get it Georgie!
See what I mean about her not being shy???? This is the best photo of the night!!!!
NykiDee is so damn cute!
Erin and Ryan popped in for a few then took off to find a candle.
Michael's pumpkin (which is named Cheryl) is VERY happy!
It's a bat, damn it!
Yo ho ho ho a pirate's life for George.
Cheryl's first ever carved pumpkin!!!! She did a great job and it's name is Michael.
MMMMMMMM pumpkin guts....

Ailanie doesn't like Halloween but she likes to hang out!
Tree of DOOM!
What????
Hey did we change clothes? Okay maybe its the next night....
Don't ask, don't tell
Tree=Debbie, Bat=Nykol, Witch=Angi, Pirate ship=Jorge

Woot!