Hello, just wanted to introduce myself
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Topic: Hello, just wanted to introduce myself
Posted By: Operatigger
Subject: Hello, just wanted to introduce myself
Date Posted: 12/09/07 at 11:47am
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Hello everyone, my name is Operatigger, aka, Steven. I hope this
is the right forum to introduce myself. I live in Massachusetts,
beautiful Cape Cod to be a bit more exact. I love theater, and
have since as far back as I can remember. I've performed in
musicals with my high school and community theater groups (both in New
Mexico and here in Massachusetts). I've also performed in operas,
with a small regional company and college, where I got my degree in
voice and opera. I was just recently elected to the position of
Business Manager with a theater group I'm a member of. This took
me from the General Board to the Executive Committee (within a year of
me being elected to the board). And Part of my new job is
audience development. The last Business Manager kind of let that
part of her job lax a bit, and I'm hoping to turn that around.
Which is how I came across this site. I was looking for community
theater forums/sites, you know, places where I can swap ideas and what
not and found this place. I can't wait to start swapping ideas and hopfully make some new friends here on the board. Well, I need to get going, my wife and I have a holiday party to get to. Thanks for letting me ramble on. ------------- "Music can change the world. " -- Ludwig Van Beethoven |
Replies:
Posted By: jayzehr
Date Posted: 12/09/07 at 5:05pm
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Welcome to the group, Steven. Not to speak for everyone, but I'd guess "audience development" is always one of the biggest issues for everyone in community theater. We're in the process of picking up the ball again on that one, too. It's not really my strong point but feel bounce any ideas you have!
Jay |
Posted By: Operatigger
Date Posted: 12/09/07 at 9:19pm
True, "audience development" is an issue for most community theater groups. We have a good following already, so we're not in immediate trouble. However, if we don't start developing something now, we will have a problem. You see, our audience, like most I'm sure, is of the older generation...not all, but a good number of them are. Well, thanks again for letting me ramble. Have fun and I look forward to talking with everyone. Steven ------------- "Music can change the world. " -- Ludwig Van Beethoven |
Posted By: neilfortin
Date Posted: 12/10/07 at 8:56am
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Hey welcome Steven! We're just up the coast on the South Shore in Hanson. We get some great press in the paper and have our local following, but we always try to include new actors so it brings in a new crop of audience members as well!! ------------- Community Theater makes us smile |
Posted By: oldactress
Date Posted: 12/10/07 at 10:40am
| Hi I too just stumbled across this site a few days ago. I work with several small theatre groups in Delaware and we all share the same audiences and talent so it gets spread thin at times. We do have a large retirement population here who are the main supporters. And because of that we have to be careful what shows to choose as we have small stages and a lack of younger people who audition. Luckily there are some great shows for "older" talent! |
Posted By: Topper
Date Posted: 12/10/07 at 12:24pm
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Actually, I've always wanted to see productions of "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown," "Free to Be You and Me," "Really Rosie" (or any other show traditionally cast with younger talent) done with a cast of seniors. I think it would be beyond charming.
Perhaps that's just me. ------------- "None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone |
Posted By: Operatigger
Date Posted: 12/10/07 at 12:54pm
------------- "Music can change the world. " -- Ludwig Van Beethoven |
Posted By: Operatigger
Date Posted: 12/10/07 at 1:33pm
It's like that here on the Cape as well. Many of the actors around here work with more than just one theater group, I personally work with two, and I'm on the board for one of them. I'd like to work with more, but I work in Boston and that's a total of four hours of round trip commuting everyday, so I pick and choose what I want to do. The problem we face is getting people to audition. We never seem to have enough guys audition, I wish I knew why. If I were to make a stab at it, I'd say it's because there are so many theater groups on the Cape. And as for what we do, we can push a bit. For instance, last year we did "The Hammerstone," by Jon Tuttle (I believe). This show deals with suicide, but it can be very funny if done properly, a dark kind of funny, but funny. Now, the other two plays we did were classics, "Chapter 2," Neil Simon, and "Harvey," Mary Chase. The last two musicals we did weren't well known, we always start the season off with a musical. This year we did, "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever," which isn't very known. Last year we did "High Button Shoes," which I've never heard of, but we had decent turn outs for them. ------------- "Music can change the world. " -- Ludwig Van Beethoven |
Posted By: vickifrank
Date Posted: 12/10/07 at 3:42pm
Not just you Topper--I agree. Many shows take on richer meaning when cast more creatively. For actors the face and body are assets that they either are born with or acquire. Its just as important what you acquire in my view. I think audiences can be allowed to see much more in some old favorite plays when those plays are cast with older players.
Does Charlie Brown (or Lucy) really have an age? Charlie is the world's everyman--and rejection or feelings of inadequacy have no age limit or expiration date. And of course romance is no less painful nor sweet at age 70 than at 17 or 7. Of course that Red Haired girl might be now using a little Henna.
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Posted By: tristanrobin
Date Posted: 12/10/07 at 6:56pm
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First, welcome Steven! As a comment about seniors in "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown." - BEWARE. I saw a production performed just this way. What is rather innocent and naive and cute with very young adults, quite quickly became seemingly retarded and decidedly unfunny with old people playing those roles. Just a warning  ...and there was nothing charming about watching Snoopy trying to haul his ass up on that doghouse!  |