Today was a long day….but a pretty productive one. We started bright and early at 8:30 am. It was an open call – meaning actors came in to sign up for a slot and we saw as many people as we could – which amounted to about 170 more people. Afterward, we had yet another dance callback for the actors from today and a number of actors from Monday and Tuesday.
It was a great dance call back. We also had a first callback for the role of Emma in Tell Me On A Sunday. Our idea for this show is pretty interesting and it was fun explaining it to the auditionees and seeing their excitement. You’ll have to see the show to know more. 🙂
Afterward was a quick walk to the restaurant – Butter on 45th Street. This restaurant is owned by Food Network Chef – Alex Guarnaschelli. The food and atmosphere were both great. No dessert, though. 🙁
We headed back across 45th for the first Preview performance of Ain’t Too Proud…which is the music and story of The Temptations. First Preview means that this was the first time that an audience saw a performance. It was a really great show with the performers working harder than most any other show I have ever seen. Great music, great dancing, and great direction. Highly recommended.
After the show, we were all tired. But, Lee Henry talked is into heading over to Juinor’s for some delicious cheesecake. Jon Kirkpatrick didn’t order any cheesecake but did have a glass of wine.
This was the last night for the producers. They will all head back to Colorado (and the SNOW) on Friday. We’ll miss them. It was a fantastic week of sharing the experiences of auditions and NYC theatre with them.
Day Three of auditions consisted of our ECC’s (Equity Chorus Call). This was the day to see as many Equity chorus members (those not looking to be in the chorus of the show) as we could. It consisted of a “Male Dance Call”, “Female Dance Call”, “Male Vocal Call” and a “Female vocal call”. This was followed by a dance callback. It was a pretty busy day and was a bit different than the previous days. We saw people a little out of order than we normally do BUT it was productive.
At the end of the day, we then headed up to 52nd Street to Victor’s Cafe – one of our favorite places to grab a bite to eat. Delicious Cuban food.
After a very filling dinner – we headed to 48th to see the hit musical The Prom. I had seen this show in the fall in previews and thought the group would like to see it. It was a really funny show with some really cool choreography – not to mention some hilarious performances by Beth Leavel and Brookes Ashmanskas.
Afterward, Jon K, Peg, Kevin and I had a drink at Bourbon Street Grille.
Day two of auditions was much of the same but oh so exciting. It was the second day of EPAs. Early start and pushed right through. I was incorrect with our count yesterday….we actually so a bit more than 100 and today was about 130 or so. There were some really interesting and entertaining auditions…..actors are getting “creative” with their selections.
No dance callback today – as we pushed everyone to Wednesday and Thursday. The most popular songs of the day were:
Men:
* Shut Up and Dance With Me by Walk the Moon
* Edge of Glory by Lady Gaga
Women:
* Call Me by Blonde
* Holding Out for a Hero by Bonnie Tyler
For our evening we had a family style Italian Dinner at Carmine’s. We had to wait 30 minutes for our reservations but finally made it to the table and had our food within 15 minutes. And it was A LOT OF FOOD…..lasagna, penne with broccoli, cheese bread, salad, calamari, and spaghetti with bolognese…..we were all in a carb comma….until we walked out into the cold weather (about 15 degrees and WINDY) – which snapped us back awake.
We crossed the street to see one of the most incredible adaptations with Aaron Sorkin’s (West Wing, A Few Good Men) To Kill a Mockingbird. There was not one component of the craftily staged production that could be improved. Jeff Daniels performance was exquisite….along with a cast or extraordinarily talented group. We all left mouths agape at the performance we saw.
We had a great talk-back walking back to the hotel and then decided to continue with drinks and desserts at Becco’s located across the street…..where we ran into a former actor waiting tables at the restaurant.
6 hours of sleep and on to day three of auditions….
Monday, we hit the ground running. Up at 7 am, auditions started at 9 am. We arrived at Pearl Studios to find the nicest of young men from Actor’s Equity helping us out. George was great. We saw about 10 people every 20 minutes…..for a total of just over 100 people on day one of EPA’s (Equity Principle Actors for those who might not know). We saw actors for all our remaining 2019 season shows (Tell Me on a Sunday, Mamma Mia!, Barefoot in the Park, Tiny Beautiful Things).
With the initial auditions wrapping at 5 pm – former LDTC performer Jessica Ice (2016’s Cabaret), took over for our dance call. She put the group through a rigorous callback with a song from Mamma Mia!. Man was that room sweaty after she was done….but everyone had a great time and we all saw some really great movement.
At 5:45 we were a wrap for Day One (of auditions, that is). Off to Dinner with the Producers…..a nice quiet dinner at The Striphouse on 44th street.
We caught the 8 pm showing of the 2013 Tony Award Winning Best Musical – Kinky Boots. Josh and I had been avoiding this show for a few years – not for any specific reason – other than it just wasn’t ever a priority for us. The cast was stellar – Callum Francis was astonishing (not to mention BEAUTIFUL) as Lola. The group had a really great time. Despite the title, Kinky Boots is a great family show with a wonderful message!
We wrapped at 11:15 pm with drinks at Bourbon Street and decompressing about the day.
Today was another day of catching some theatre, greeting Producer arrivals and checking out what one of the premiere performing arts schools puts on their stage.
Josh Blanchard, started the day with a half marathon race in Central Park. Top 5% finish.
Let’s start with Choir Boy playing at the Friedman Theatre – home to the Manhattan Theatre Club. This piece was written by Tarell Alvin McCraney (Oscar Winner for Moonlight). Wow! What an engaging, beautiful, touching, and technically masterfully directed, performed, and produced piece of theatre. From the opening moments of the show, one was leaning in. It was nuanced, fluid, and spectacularly executed.
After the show, we met up with the Producers at Joe Allen’s. It was great to sit and prepare everyone for the busy week that is about to follow. We even got a visit from Brittany Jeffery and Lincoln.
Tonight Josh and I saw Red Speedo by Lucas Hnath at The Juilliard School. This was an opportunity for us to see “what is all the fuss” about Juilliard. :-). A pretty fascinating facility with lots of activity going on in and around the building. They did a nice job.
Each year (a couple times, actually), the LDTC heads to NYC with a couple of goals. Casting, development, and industry knowledge…..meaning, we come to the Big Apple to cast most of our shows, we provide an educational experience for Patrons wanting to experience shows in The City, and staff attends conferences for professional development and sees shows to help “stay up” on the business of theatre in the country.
And, here we are again. Josh Blanchard (Executive Director), Kevin Carson (Production/Company Manager) and myself (Artistic Director – Chris Alleman) have begun arriving. This trip we also have joining us – three Producers. What is a producer for the LDTC, you ask? Well, for the past few years, a certain select number of patrons have joined us (for a certain sized contribution to the LDTC) for our auditions in NYC. Meaning, they are with the staff in the audition room and witness the “ins and outs” of the LDTC auditions – including initial audition call, dance callbacks and show specific callbacks. We also take the producers to 4 significant shows in the city (Broadway or Off-Broadway) plus have intimate conversations about the casting process. Dinners, too.
The producers this year are Peg and Lee Henry and Jon Kirkpatrick….but more on them later – when they arrive on Sunday.
Josh and I will be seeing a total of 12 shows while we are here. During the next week, follow the experiences of the staff, producers, and auditionees as we share the journeys of all involved.
Day 1 – Saturday, February 23, 2019.
Arrival in the city and the hotel. We won’t bore you with that. Travel is travel. However, we are staying at a really great boutique Hotel on Restaurant Row – The French Quarters – we’ve stayed there numerous times and their team is amazing.
The first show we attended was Seawall/A Life at The Public Theatre on Lafayette street. The Public is one of the more distinguished regional theatres in the City (and country). They produce new works and many go on to a life far beyond their walls….think Hamilton.
Seawall/A Life is two one-act monologues dealing with life and death. Performed wonderfully by Tom Sturridge (Seawall) and Jake Gyllenhaal (As Life). The house was full and so were the performances.
Another cool thing we saw was this (see below) selfie station in the lobby. Tons of people used it. Who’d like to see something like this at the LDTC?
Spring is right around the corner and with it comes our Spring Class Kick Ball Change: Intro to Music Theatre Dance. We met up with Chrissy to see what she has planned for her students.
Click to enroll or check out the rest of our Youth Theatre offerings here.
The New Year is upon us, and the LDTC is gearing up for our 2019 season. The New Year is full of potential, and we are excited to deliver on some very exciting happenings from past favorites to new programs, 2019 will be a big year at the Lake Dillon Theatre Company.
1. It’s our 25th Anniversary!
Yes, it has been 25 years since the LDTC opened its doors as a small community theatre in Dillon. Since then we’ve expanded from a staff of one to a team of 10. We’ve produced hundreds of productions, including Kiss of the Spider Woman, Big River, Sister Act: The Musical, and so many more. Want to take a walk down memory lane? Or maybe just learn more about our history? Buy tickets to our 25th Anniversary Cabaret January 31 – February 3, 2019. Tickets are on sale now!
2. The Season to be Connected
After 25 years you are definitely connected to your community. This season we will celebrate that connection. You can expect musicals including Mamma Mia!and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Tell Me on a Sunday. Comedies including The Cakeand Neil Simon’s Barefoot in the Park, and a few heartfelt stories including Every Brilliant Thingand Tiny Beautiful Things. Each show this season will connect us to the ones we love, our differences, our pasts, and our futures. Individual show tickets will be on sale soon, or purchase your season subscription today!
3. Specialty Nights
New this season are Specialty Nights an initiative designed to bring our patrons together as a community to enjoy some of Summit County’s finest food, drink and live music, all before taking in an exciting production at the Lake Dillon Theatre Company. Specialty Nights will begin 90 minutes before a show’s start time and will be held in the lobby of the Silverthorne Performing Arts Center. Check out all of the Specialty Nights the LDTC has to offer!
4. Cabarets, Cabarets, and more Cabarets
This year we begin our season with the 25th Anniversary Cabaret, but we are excited to announce this year’s line up includes 2 Signature Cabarets in May and November, 4 Summer Sunday Cabarets throughout July and the first Sunday of August, and of course our Signature Holiday Celebration, Holiday Follies. Tickets for all Cabarets will be on sale soon don’t forget to purchase your tickets for the 25th Anniversary Cabaret!
5. Theatre for Young Audiences
Another addition to our 25th Anniversary Season is our family friendly production Polkadots: the Cool Kids Musical. This fun and brightly colored musical will take place on select afternoons this summer. Tickets are $5.00 each or $20 for families of four or more! General Admission Tickets will be for sale at the box office on the day of the performance. Read more about Polkadots: The Cool Kids Musical.
6. More Youth Theatre Offerings
This year we are excited to offer our most extensive variety of youth theatre classes, camps, and workshops. Starting this Spring, the LDTC Youth Theatre Program will provide 12 different Summer & Production Camps. Summer Camps are one-week camps that focus on one area of theatre, from singing, dance, and acting. With the new additions are the ever popular Youth Theatre Workshops, this year’s offerings include James and the Giant Peach Jr., Disney’s The Aristocats KIDS, and Guys & Dolls Jr. See all of our 2019 youth offerings or Enroll today!
7. Additional Adult Education
The LDTC is proud of our Adult Education Programs. This year you can still expect to pull back the curtain during Page to Stage, read and discuss a variety of plays in Play Club, discuss issues in arts today with experts and professionals in the field during Panel Discussions, and come early and stay late for our Prologues and Epilogues at every show. New this year adults can sign up for Introduction to Acting as well as Introduction to Playwriting.
8. Quality, Impact, Integrity, Intimacy, &, Diversity of Programming
Our values are important to us and will come with us to the new year. No matter what show you come to see, the educational program you or your children take part in we will always keep these values at the forefront.
9. Season Subscriptions
As always you can purchase tickets for every show and keep your wallet happy with a Season Subscription. This year we have a few new offerings, and if you purchase by January 31, you will get a complimentary beverage card.
10. Celebrations
There are so many reasons to celebrate this year. It’s our second full season in the Silverthorne Performing Arts Center. It’s our 25th Anniversary Season. Our season includes challenging, beautiful, and musical productions. We hope you will celebrate this year with us at a Specialty Night, a youth performance, cabaret, or theatre production. We’ll have a seat waiting for you.
The halls of the Silverthorne Performing Arts Center get a little more cheerful this time of year. The cast of Holiday Follies had their first rehearsal Dec. 13, 2018. As the cast sang Santa Claus is Coming to Town, you could tell they were getting into the spirit of the season and of course a visit from good old Saint Nick.
With Len Rhodes on the piano and a few of the LDTC’s favorite returning artists joyfully singing through rehearsal, you could already tell this Holiday Follies will truly be a night of yuletide joy.
The LDTC’s Artistic Director Chris Alleman is excited to share “good tidings of great joy” with the community. “This is our 6th year producing the sold-out Holiday Follies. What I love about this event is the cheer, sentiment, and joy that the audience, musicians, volunteers, crew and performers get to share for two hours. It is such a fun-filled evening and we just get to forget about any troubles or woes and spend the evening as a community and enjoying each other’s company.” Alleman said
And as cast member Chrissy Schmidt says “If you have any bit of Scrooge in you, it is sure to be gone by the time you leave the theater!”
Don’t miss this chance to revel in the Spirit of Giving December 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23. Purchase tickets here!
