[menu.htm] BACKSTAGE: ACT Newsletter - February 2006 Newsletter Archives MEMBERSHIP MEETING FRIDAY TO VOTE ON 2006-2007 SEASON Just a reminder that Altoona Community Theatre’s Membership will meet at 7 p.m. this Friday, February 17, in the ACT Rehearsal Hall to vote on the shows we’ll present in our 2006-2007 season. The committee has read many scripts over the past several months and has whittled its list to the following possibilities, from which it will select a slate and alternates to present to the membership Friday evening … MUSICALS A Little Night Music Chicago Damn Yankees Kiss Me, Kate Meet Me in St. Louis Urinetown NON-MUSICALS Amadeus Dinner With Friends Dracula: Curse of the Silver Screen Mornings at Seven On Golden Pond The Man Who Came to Dinner The Women Twelfth Night Please plan to attend this meeting and take part in what is always a major decision for our organization. In order to vote, members must be current with their dues for 2005-2006. Please bring your completed form and dues to the meeting so you’re eligible to vote, or if you’re not attending, return it with your dues by mail so you are current. If you believe our record to be in order, please contact the ACT office at 943-4357. NEW MEMBERS NEEDED FOR ARTISTIC COMMITTEE At Friday’s meeting, we also will be electing three new members to the Artistic Committee to replace outgoing members Jennifer de Coste, Tom Liszka and Kate Kale Wolf. The three new members elected will serve next year along with Cindy Baney (currently serving as Chairperson), Gregg Brandt, Rob Decker and Emily Fochler. Participation on the Artistic Committee is a two-year appointment. If you would like to be considered as a nominee, please call the ACT office at 943-4357 or e-mail to place your name on the ballot. Nominations also will be taken from the floor at the meeting Friday. GET MARDI GRAS PARTY TICKETS IN ADVANCE Because last year’s Mardi Gras party was such a great time, ACT is planning this fun fundraiser again. It will be Saturday, February 25, beginning at 6 p.m. at Michael’s Café. Cost is $20 per person and features a variety of hors d’oeuvres and party food, masks, beads, fortune tellers and a cash bar. Tickets also include admission to Rumors Underground Nightclub for dancing, bead bartering and frolicking until 2 a.m. Thank you to Michael Rickard for his generosity in co-sponsoring this event which benefits our current production season. Be sure to purchase your tickets in advance … the cost will be $25 at the door. Tickets may be obtained at the ACT office during regular hours or at the meeting Friday night. You can also call the office at 943-4357 and charge them to MasterCard or Visa then pick them up the night of the party. ACT BEING RECOGNIZED AT MISHLER 100TH CELEBRATION Altoona Community Theatre will be presented with Blair County Arts Foundation’s Angel of the Arts Award for 2006 as part of BCAF’s celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Historic Mishler Theatre. The award will be presented during a gala dinner at The Columns this Saturday, February 18, prior to a concert by singer Jack Jones in the theatre. A dessert reception with Mr. Jones will follow the concert. “It’s only fitting our Angel of the Arts recipient during this centennial celebration for the Mishler is ACT,” says Kate Shaffer, Executive Director of BCAF. “Simply put, if it weren’t for the participation of ACT and its hard-working troupe of volunteers over the years, we never would have been able to save this jewelbox of a playhouse from the wrecking ball in the 1960s and transform it into a beautiful showcase for the arts. BCAF may own and operate this magnificent facility, but ACT has always been, and continues to be, its heart.” Tickets are still available for the Jack Jones concert at $35 by calling the Mishler box office at 944-9434. JOYCE KIPP TO RECEIVE ACT’s DEAN DREIFUS AWARD ACT veteran Joyce Kipp will be honored on Sunday, March 12, when we present her with our Dean Dreifus Award, which was established in 2004 to acknowledge longtime service to ACT. It is names after the private elocution teacher who fulfilled her desire to see an amateur theatre group formed in this area by establishing the Altoona Theatre Guild in the 1920s. The first recipient of the honor was our resident Makeup & Hair Designer Jim Gatehouse. Joyce, who will be the second recipient, became active with ACT before our incorporation in 1948, during the time when the group’s name had changed from Altoona Theatre Guild to Altoona Little Theatre. Among the many memorable performances she’s given over the years are Amanda Wingfield in “The Glass Menagerie,” Berthe the grandmother in “Pippin,” Yente the Matchmaker in “Fiddler on the Roof,” ‘Ouiser in “Steel Magnolias” and the stern Grandma Kurnitz in “Lost in Yonkers.” Her most recent performance was Great Aunt Agnes in our kids show “The Enchanted Attic” two years ago. Joyce also has directed a number of shows for ACT, including “On Tidy Endings,” which won top honor at the Theatre Association of Pennsylvania’s state festival in 1992. Other directing credits include everything from Thorton Wilder’s “Our Town” to Neil Simon’s “Rumors.” She also acted and directed for many years at Cresson Lake Playhouse. ACT will present the award to Joyce at a luncheon Sunday, March 12, beginning at 1 p.m. in the Community Arts Center at Penn State Altoona, where she retired as a theatre professor several years ago. She also had received her BA and MA degrees from Penn State. Tickets for the luncheon are $20 per person. Invitations for the event are in the process of being mailed, or you may call the ACT office at 943-4357 to make reservations. “SHKSPR” GOING TO FESTIVAL ACT’s “Three Funny Fat Guys Bustin’ on the Bard” will reprise their antics when “The Compleat Works of Wllm Shkspr (abridged)” represents ACT at the Pennsylvania Association of Community Theatre’s state-wide festival April 7, 8 and 9. Steve Guice, Jon O’Harrow and Eric Wolf, along with director Kate Kale Wolf and an abbreviated crew, will traverse to Ridley Park just outside of Philadelphia to present an even more abridged version of “Shkspr (abridged)” at the PACT-fest, which requires entries to be less than 60 minutes. A preview will be presented at the Mishler on Monday, April 3 … more details to come! CALL BCAF TO USHER BCAF is in need of ushers for the following dates and events. Please note that the time listed is the time ushers need to report, one hour before curtain. Ushers are asked to wear black and white. If you would like to usher for any of these performances at the Mishler, please contact Janet Nearhood at BCAF, 949-2787, or by e-mail Blartsorg@aol.com. Feb 25 - Altoona Symphony, 7 p.m. Mar 11 - Missoula Children’s Theatre’s “Wizard of Oz” 2 p.m. & 6 p.m. Mar 18 - Grouucho Marx Impersonator, 7 p.m. Apr 1 - Blair Concert Chorale “Sweeney Todd” concert, 7 p.m. Apr 8 - Altoona Symphony, 7 pm May 4 - “Beauty & The Beast,” 7 p.m. May 5 - “Beauty & The Beast,” 7 p.m. May 6 - “Beauty & The Beast,” 1 p.m. & 7 p.m. May 7 - “Beauty & The Beast,”1 p.m. May 13 - Horseshoe Chorus Concert, 7 p.m. ABOUT ACT-ERS Congratulations to Marty Jo & Tim Stellabotte, proud new parents of Morgan Gianna, Stellabotte born January 18, weighing in at 6 pounds – 1 ounce and measuring 18.5 inches in length. Jen de Coste is directing “The Vagina Monologues” as part of Penn State Altoona’s V-Day observance. Kristin Franco and Maura Trimble are among the cast members. Performances are this Saturday, Feb. 18, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 19, at 2 p.m. in the Community Arts Center. Tickets are $8.00 - $5.00 for students. Marlene Liszka and Tom Coy also are working on the production. Tom Liszka is leading an otherwise student cast as Prospero in Penn State Altoona’s production of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest,” to be performed in the Community Arts Center on March 30 & 31 and April 1 at 7:30 p.m. and April 1 & 2 at 3 p.m. Also in the cast are Justin Delasko and Courtney Sherkel, fresh from ACT’s production of “Proof.” Call 949-5452 for ticket information and reservations. Karen Volpe will receive the Altoona YWCA’s Tribute to Women Award this year in the Arts and Letters category. The awards will be presented at a special dinner Tuesday, April 4, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Casino at Lakemont Park.. Tickets are $40 and may be obtained by calling the YWCA at 944-8119. [footer.htm]