This
page (Page #10) has great articles from newspapers and school
newsletters. Check out all these great comments about ArtReach
popular titles: Sleepy
Hollow, Robin
Hood,
Amelia
Earthart, Mulan,Twas
the Night Before Christmas, Alice
in Wonderland.
ArtReach's
The Legend of
Sleepy Hollow on stage in Lexington
Review:
Children's Theatre's 'Sleepy
Hollow' is classic American haunt
Lexington
Herald Leader, by Candace Chaney
Lexington
Children's Theatre's atmospheric The Legend of Sleepy Hollow brings
Washington Irving's short story to life in an equally haunting and
humorous portrayal of early American life.
Director
Vivian Snipes revives much of what made 2008's production of Kathryn
Schultz Miller's stage adaptation a solid production. The play is
just creepy enough to feel like a celebration of Halloween, without
tipping over into the horror genre. What's more, it weaves plenty of
humor and history into the mix. Having reviewed the show at LCT in
2008, I recognized many elements from the past production coming back
to haunt the stage.
"Weaves
plenty of humor and history into the mix."
ArtReach's The
Legend of Sleepy Hollow - Waterfront Theatre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
For
instance, Kiersten E. Moore's scenic design has returned with its
script-laden forest landscape and the three two-dimensional wood
townsfolk who alternate between representing actual townsfolk, or,
when flipped around, become props that seep into the set and into
Moore's Tarrytown forest.
Alexandria
Vasquez's costume design also pays homage to the marriage of words
and woods. Each of the three actors' costumes feature rows of
handwritten cursive, making their clothes appear almost as if they
are made of parchment, which harkens to Irving's writing. Because the
words are also woven throughout the set, the story, the characters
and the forest itself are different moving parts of the same cohesive tale.
"Draws
the audience deeper into the suspenseful tale."
ArtReach's The
Legend of Sleepy Hollow - Waterfront Theatre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
This
directorial approach worked in the previous production and it works
again. Why meddle with success? There are some new elements as well,
namely actors Adam Luckey, Christopher Freeman and Marcy Thornsberry,
who among them play a dozen or so characters, crisply shifting accent
and demeanor for each one.
At
first I was confused by the multitude of accents, but then I
remembered, the play is set in a Dutch settlement in 1790s New York.
America was only barely a country and its non-native residents were
largely immigrants from around the world. Of course, they would all
sound differently.
Luckey,
Freeman and Thornsberry deserve praise for cultivating multiple
sharply drawn characters and maintaining their distinctions
consistently while entertainingly drawing the audience deeper into
the suspenseful tale.
"The
headless horseman is the scariest moment of the play."
ArtReach's The
Legend of Sleepy Hollow - Waterfront Theatre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
At
its heart, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow's appeal is the escalating
suspense that reaches a crescendo during an encounter with the
headless horseman, the scariest moment of the play, but there is more
to its success than the obvious. It is a uniquely American tale in
the way that A Christmas Carol is a uniquely British story belonging
to a specific time. The early American social context - the costumes,
the customs - make Irving's tale a foundation of the American
identity and Snipes' direction is a faithful portrayal of that, which
might be appealing to parents who want their children to get a little
more than a good-natured fright.
Merry
Men to the Rescue!
Youth
actors stage ArtReach's 'Robin Hood' in Baker City, OR
By
Lisa Britton | Baker City Herald
That
thief of Sherwood Forest is coming to Baker City, but Robin Hood
isn't your typical hooligan - his only goal is to distribute the
wealth. Especially from Prince John.
"Robin
Hood's purpose is to steal from the rich and give to the poor."
ArtReach's
Robin Hood -
Eastern Oregon Regional Theater, Baker City
Little
John (Evan Carroll, left) challenges Robin Hood (Jace Carroll) to an
archery contest in "Robin Hood," which opens May 16 in
Baker City. (Lisa Britton/Go! Eastern Oregon)
Eastern
Oregon Regional Theater presents "Robin Hood" May 16-18
and May 23-25 at the theater, 2101 Main St. Tickets are $10
adults, $8 members and $5 students. On opening night, May 16, the
adult price is $7. Purchase tickets at
easternoregonregionaltheatre.com, at the door or by calling 541-523-9652.
Jamie
Adams directs this youth play. "It's the children's
version of 'Robin Hood,'" she said. "These kids have
learned to dance, we have musicians playing instruments; there are
fight scenes." The cast of 14 is led by Jace Carroll as
Robin Hood. Evan Carroll joins him as Little John and Levi Howard is
Friar Tuck. Maid Marian, played by Obsidian Adams, spends much
of her time in the tower, where she was banished by her father, the
Sheriff of Nottingham (Ellie Bagenski), to rethink her love for Robin Hood.
"It's
the children's version of 'Robin Hood."
ArtReach's
Robin Hood -
Eastern Oregon Regional Theater, Baker City
"You
know him well. He's been your enemy for many, many years,"
Marian tells her father. But that mischievous character has a
way of capturing her heart - and of recruiting a band of followers
who are also unhappy that Prince John, played by Elijah Johnson, has
usurped the throne of King Richard, played by Miles Joseph, who is
away at war. It's hard not to believe in Robin Hood, whose
purpose is to steal from the rich and give to the poor.
"These
kids have learned to dance and there are fight scenes."
ArtReach's
Robin Hood -
Eastern Oregon Regional Theater, Baker City
"This
will feed a family for a week!" he exclaims, after showing Maid
Marian the coin he swiped from the prison guard. The cast is
completed with a group of villagers - Elayna Howard, Skuli Webb,
Allana Samet, Yaquina Conner and Roxanna Webber. Set design is
by Lauren Chaney, Abby Dennis and Maria Samet. Lights and sound are
handled by Reed Wagstaff and Evan Crowther.
Broadway
World Review: AMELIA EARHART
Flies At FreeFall Stage
Great
Review for ArtReach's Amelia
Earhart
in Folsom, CA
One
of America’s most interesting characters, Amelia
Earhart, still captivates the world eighty-eight years after her
disappearance. As a pioneer in aviation, she was not only the first
female pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic, she was also a
successful author and proponent of commercial air travel. In FreeFall
Stage’s staging of Amelia Earhart, written by Kathryn Schultz
Miller, we see Earhart as more than just a public figure – we
see her as a human.
"We
see her as a human."
ArtReach's Amelia
Earhart - FreeFall Stage, Folsom CA
Rebecca
Grayce plays Amelia Earhart, whose periodic turns as a not-so-good
pilot were entertaining and surprising. She is the Amelia that we
don’t hear about – the wife, the social worker, and the
woman who promises to bake her husband a cake if he supports her
flight around the world. Jonathan Blum plays that husband, George
Putnam. He’s depicted as a driving force behind
Earhart’s global success and her safety net when she needs a
soft place to land. Adroitly narrating the story is Ronnie Duska
Fowler as the Reporter who has become fascinated with Earhart’s
legacy. Christopher Tan and Stella Fluetsch cover the remaining
roles, all integral in the retelling of Earhart’s life. Directed
by Deanne Farinha Eldridge, Amelia Earhart is a fascinating look into
a character who continues to be an inspiration to women around the world.
Amelia
Earhart plays at FreeFall Stage through April. Tickets and
more information may be found at www.freefallstage.com.
Mulan
the Fighter: ArtReach's Play Performance in Indonesia
St.
John's School, Meruya
We
are an education institution for Pre-School, KG, Primary and High
School, located in West Jakarta.
Working
with ancient civilizations, 5th grade took us back in time to
ancient China with their performance of The Legend of Mulan! This
timeless ballad, originally told orally long before the Tang Dynasty,
beautifully highlights themes of working toward a goal, teamwork,
defying gender expectations, embracing your true identity, learning
the importance of using one's voice, taking risks, and finding inner
power. Just like Mulan perseveres through all her struggles, our
students persevered through a windstorm and the Thanksgiving holiday
break, returning ready and recharged to deliver a wonderful performance.
"Mulan
perseveres through all her struggles."
ArtReach's The
Legend of Mulan - St.
John's School, Meruya, Jakarta
After
a long hiatus, out of covid 19, the annual musical drama performance
from Saint John's Meruya came back! Mulan, the girl who disguises
herself as a man to fight for her country and for her family, was
chosen as the act. The students and teachers struggled to get this
performance presented. As Covid 19 was still around the corner, the
practice, rehearsal and grand performance were the result of hard
work and good cooperation as a team.
"The
result of hard work and good cooperation as a team."
ArtReach's The
Legend of Mulan - St.
John's School, Meruya, Jakarta
Nadine
Abigail, grade 11, played Mulan beautifully. Nadine, who was
performing in several of Saint John's annual musical drama
performances, showed her talent in singing and dancing. Richelle,
grade 7, attracted the audience with her performance as the rabbit
who accompanied Mulan in her journey to win the war. A ninth grader,
Gabby, also showed her talent by playing the dragon. There were more
performers who acted out that night. Even Pre-K and Kindergarten
students also performed their parts.
"Proud
parents and their families were also supporting them."
ArtReach's The
Legend of Mulan - Eastside Community
School, Issaquah WA
-St. John's School Jakarta
Primary
students who took wushu as their extracurriculars were also
performing martial arts in the War Dance. Each part of the show
presented Saint John's students with their talents and their bravery
to perform on a public stage. Proud parents and their families were
also supporting them from the audience.
Aside
from the story of Mulan, the musical drama this year also showed how
Saintjohners from Saint John's School Meruya fought the fear of Covid
19 and were able to present a great on-site show. It was a great
experience and it marked the courage to enter the new year 2023 with
more achievements.
Annual
holiday production has delightful shenanigans
ArtReach's
Twas the Night Before Christmas
Sandy
Strickland, The Florida Times-Union, Jacksonville
The
Abominable Snowman was sprawled on the tile floor solving a
crossword puzzle. But when he stood up, his shaggy white fur causing
his palms to sweat, he tried "to look mad, really mad."
The
glowering was a way of psyching himself up to kidnap Santa's
signature red-nosed reindeer. Santa, meanwhile, was cooling off with
a hand-held fan as dance teacher Debra Rankin adjusted his flowing
white locks and chest-length beard. It was getting a little steamy
inside his padded red velvet suit.
"It
felt like I was in the hot sun," said Santa, alias 9-year-old
Dylan Emerick of the Northside. Meanwhile, dancers were doing
impressively agile splits. Elves and reindeer were working on
geography lessons or putting puzzles together. As show time neared
for the annual holiday production at Pine Forest Elementary School of
the Arts on the Southside, the 70-member cast and crew passed the
minutes in a variety of ways.
"I
like doing plays. I
got
to act silly."
Richmond Hill Community
Theatre, Richmond Hill GA
"At
rehearsal, we encourage students to bring classwork that they're
missing and do it during their down time," said Jill Herkel,
director and head drama teacher at the Grant Road school. "We
always want them to understand that performing in these productions
is a privilege, and academics do come first."
The
show is 'Twas
the Night Before Christmas, Kathryn Schultz Miller's adaptation
of Clement Clarke Moore's classic A Visit from St. Nicholas, telling
how the poem came to be. There are shenanigans afoot as the Moore
family prepares for Christmas. It seems that the Abominable Snowman
captures the family mouse, Izzy, as well as Rosie the reindeer, in an
effort to ruin Christmas and prevent them from arriving at the North
Pole to save the broken toys.
You
see, there are three misfit toys - a toy soldier that marches
backwards, a Chatty Cathy doll that speaks gibberish and a purple
lump of Play-Doh.
The
cast of fourth- and fifth-graders performed the play for the student
body, parents and community. This month, the dedicated magnet arts
school, a feeder to LaVilla School of the Arts, is taking the show to
Crown Point and Greenland Pines elementary schools in Mandarin.
Matthew
Johnson, a 9-year-old Arlington resident, said it was fun playing
the Abominable Snowman. It was a pivotal role: he got to chase his
friend around the stage and laugh and joke with classmates.
"I
like doing plays. I like acting, and I got to act silly," the
fourth-grader said. "I love Christmas. It's my favorite season
of the year." For Dylan, Santa is the ultimate role. Even when
he wasn't in costume, classmates recognized the brown-eyed
fourth-grader and told him what they wanted for Christmas. "I
had to tell them I wasn't Santa Claus anymore," he said. Though
he'd never heard of Moore's poem, Dylan dubbed the rhythm "really
cool" and said the words matched brilliantly.
The
show is a team effort. Music teacher Terri Wester worked with the
singers, Rankin the costumes and choreography and Herkel the
directing and technical end.
ArtReach's
'Alice in
Wonderland' at St. Francis-St. Hedwig This Weekend
Break
a leg to the very young performers who will present this musical
play fo families
Naugatuck,
CT
St.
Francis-St. Hedwig School Drama Club will be presenting their
colorful production of 'Alice
in Wonderland' at the St. Francis of Assisi church hall on April
22 and April 23, 2017 at 2:00pm. The show is based upon the 'Alice'
books by Lewis Carroll with a script adaptation by Kathryn Schultz
Miller. The young performers in grades two through eight at the
school are under the direction of Wanda Mascola with musical
direction by Michael Petruzzi. Marianna Vagnini-Dadamo was the vocal
coach and will be the accompanist.
I
was invited to attend the final dress rehearsal along with several
other theatre people to offer feedback to the students. It was a
treat to see what the students had managed to put together in a
relatively short time.
"For
young performers in grades two through eight."
ArtReach's Alice
in Wonderland - Trunkey Public Schools, NSW, Australia
The
really adorable and colorful set was designed by Jennifer
Capozizello and Pedro Pires. The set fills the large space and the
little plastic slide that Alice slides down into the rabbit hole was
a fun touch. Jennifer Capozziello was in charge of the whimsical
props and Neil Mascola was the child wrangler backstage. Ms.
Capozziello also served as the stage crew along with Aiden
Capozziello and Reeya Desai.
The
cast includes Anthony Barbieri in the role of Lewis Carroll. The
young ladies playing the role of Alice include Angelina Pires, Brooke
Marchlewski, Emelia Dooling, Jailynn DiPasquale and Justine
DiPasquale sharing the part of Alice #4 and Adrianna Biros. The large
talking flowers are played by Alexandra Hein (Blue,) Tara Fitzgerald
(Green,) Faith Lally (Red,) Layla Wyant (Orange,) and Chloe Tome (Yellow.)
"Really
adorable and colorful set, whimsical props."
Trunkey Public
Schools, NSW, Australia- Booker Fine Arts Club, Dallas, TX
Kathlyn
Freitas plays the role of the large White Rabbit and the head of
Caterpillar is played well by Luke Reilly. Mama Pigeon is Phoebe
Criscuolo, Pigeon Pete is Mason Baehr, and Pigeon Pat is Olivia
Edmonds. Ella Glorioso smiles in the role of the Cheshire Cat and
Julia Dumont is very cute as the Dormouse. Ashley Galvao is the March
Hare and Connor McColl is super convincing as the Mad Hatter. Also
convincing as the Queen of Hearts is Angelina Gregory.
Rounding
out the cast is Mackenzie Baranoski as Digger, Akaya Karlsen as Herb
and Hailee Biros as Flora. The adorable members of the chorus include
Fernanada Freitas, Ciara Gallagher, Alexis Happy, Taylor Hennessey,
Madelyn Scully, Naima Seeley, Lauren Scully, Ava Wilmot and Caroline Youcher.
The
students will present two performances this weekend, Saturday and
Sunday at 2:00pm in the church hall next the school.
