Stagewhispers - Tell Me About It

Here's your chance to talk about what's going on in your neck of the woods, send general announcements about your theatrical company (new address, relocating, board elections, special theatrical events such as awards, charity drives, dinners or picnics, or request a link to your website's seasonal announcements etc...)

Want to write an instructional article about theatre? Share technical information, acting skills, memorization methods, or just about anything theatrical, ...humorous anecdotes, editorials, or perhaps you'd like to let off some steam regarding things theatrical...I wish people wouldn't....etc. Articles should be interesting, informative, and, entertaining, where possible.

Articles are limited to 1000 words. They author's name and email address will be made public to this site. Opinions regarding any articles should be sent directly to the author and not to StagewhisperS^© . This is not an arena for debates. Disagreement is fine, disrespect will not be tolerated.

Submitted material, other than articles, must be no more than 300 words. No adult language, please. Printed letters are at the sole discretion of StagewhisperS^© and if your letter is declined, you will receive an explanation as to why it was not used.

As most of you already know, I am the Chair for this year's upcoming TANYS FESTIVAL, with celebrity Chair Robert Forster. We are putting together gift packets for our silent auction and one of the ideas I had is to match original cast recordings with the original show PLAYBILLS we were donated. They range from 1936 to 1987 and are in great condition. The baskets will include three playbills and their corresponding original cast recording as well as one book on the history of the American Musical Theatre.

Now I realize that some of the shows listed have only revival cast recordings and that is fine.

We are looking for people to donate at least one of the CD's or purchase it. TANYS (Theatre Association of New York State) is 501 (c) 3 so your gift is tax-deductible. If you can donate this, please let me know.

Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre is seeking production staff for our 86^th season. The season will include Evita in September 2008, You Can’t Take It With You in November 2008, Man of La Mancha in March 2009 and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum in May 2009. We are in need of a directors, musical directors, choreographers, technical directors and costumers. Those interested may submit a statement of intent with a brief listing of theatrical experience to:

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. – Glimmerglass Opera invites the community to get the behind-the-scenes perspective on each of the 2008 Festival Season productions during four Production Seminars offered during June and July.

Each Production Seminar is a show-specific panel discussion that features the artistic team of each production, including the conductor and director, as well as the scenic, costume and lighting designers. Moderated by Kelley Rourke, the company’s resident dramaturg, the panel presents its concept for the individual production. Each seminar also includes a question-and-answer session, and audiences can catch a glimpse of the 2008 Festival Season set.

All Production Seminars take place in the Alice Busch Opera Theater at 12 p.m. noon. Porter’s Kiss Me, Kate will be featured on Tuesday, June 17, followed by Handel’s Giulio Cesare in Egitto on Tuesday, June 24, Wagner’s Das Liebesverbot on Thursday, July 10, and Bellini’s I Capuleti e i Montecchi on Friday, July 18.

The Alice Busch Opera Theater is located at 7300 State Highway 80, Cooperstown, New York. For more information on Glimmerglass Opera Production Seminars, visit www.glimmerglass.org or call (607) 547-2255.

The Glimmerglass Opera 2008 Festival Season will feature four new productions with links to Shakespeare, all on a set inspired by an Elizabethan theater. Porter's Kiss Me, Kate, Handel's Giulio Cesare in Egitto, the American fully-staged premiere of Wagner's Das Liebesverbot (inspired by Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure) and Bellini's I Capuleti e i Montecchi run in repertory in the Alice Busch Opera Theater from July 5 through August 24. The company will also present two concert performances of Mendelssohn's Complete Incidental Music to A Midsummer Night's Dream on August 3 and 17. For additional information, call (607) 547-2255 or visit www.glimmerglass.org.

Cortland Repertory Theatre announces that their Box Office and on-line ticket sales will be open for business starting on Monday, May 12. Preparing for brisk ticket sales, CRT has planned three weeks of business before the first show opens on June 4.

A walk-up window is available at the CRT office at 37 Franklin Street in Cortland. Hours at this location will be Monday - Saturday from 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM until August 30. Starting on June 64 the box office will also be open at the Little York Pavilion from 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM on performance evenings only and 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM on Sundays when matinees are held. Phone orders are accepted at these times for customers choosing to use a credit card. The Box Office phone numbers are 607-756-2627 and 800-427-6160.

Ticket sales are also available 24 hours a day through the CRT website at www.cortlandrep.org. Customers using this new online service will be able to choose the performance and ticket price, and will be given the best available seats. A minimal additional charge will apply for on-line sales.

The CRT Box Office staff reminds customers that all single ticket sales are final. No refunds will be given at any time. With 24 hours notice, only subscribers may exchange tickets for a different performance within the run of the same production.

This summer’s productions include a perfect mix of regional premieres and old favorites including:

“8 Track, The Sounds of the ‘70s”: a musical tribute to the great music of “the Forgotten Decade” June 4 - 14;

“Leading Ladies” by Ken Ludwig, an hysterical new family-friendly farce June 18 - 28

“The Mousetrap”, Agatha Christie’s thrilling mystery and the longest running play of all time, July 2 - 12

“The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” A three week run of the foot-stompin’, yee-hawin’ musical! July 16 - August 2,

“A Few Good Men” by Aaron Sorkin The military courtroom drama will be running from August 6 - 16

“Johnny Guitar”, The regional premiere of this country musical spoof from August 20 - 30.

Also on sale are tickets for the CRT Kids show “Wiley and the Hairy Man” which will be held for four performances only, on July 17, 22, 24 and 26 at 2:00 PM. This magical, musical play which is fun for the whole family will also be held at the Little York Pavilion.

CRT also invites customers planning to see “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” to consider attending their benefit performance of “Broadway on the Lake” to be held on July 26. In addition to a full performance of the show included in this evening will be an elegant buffet offering hearty appetizers, assorted seafood and carving stations with complimentary non-alcoholic beverages, an extensive silent auction with items donated by Central New York businesses and a brief live auction of special “big ticket” items. Tickets for the entire evening will be just $35.00 until July 1, $40.00 after.

For more information, visit CRT’s website at www.cortlandrep.org or call 607-756-2627.

Friday and Saturday evenings, August 15th, 16th, 22nd, 23rd, 29th and 30th(?)

zone – It’s a funny, outrageous, emotionally affecting, always powerful theatre experience.

Based on the Stephen King novel made into a scary movie, the show promises to be

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. – Single tickets to Glimmerglass Opera’s 2008 Festival Season go on sale Monday, March 10, 2008. The 2008 Festival Season runs July 5 through August 24 in Cooperstown, New York, and features four new productions with links to Shakespeare, all staged on a set inspired by an Elizabethan theater: Porter’s Kiss Me, Kate, Handel’s Giulio Cesare in Egitto, the American fully-staged premiere of Wagner's Das Liebesverbot (The Ban on Love, inspired by Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure) and Bellini's I Capuleti e i Montecchi. The company will also present two concert performances of Mendelssohn's Complete Incidental Music to A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Single ticket prices range from $51 to $126. Beginning March 10, Glimmerglass Opera offers $10 tickets for youths, aged 6-18, accompanied by an adult. Students with valid identification receive a 50-percent discount; seniors receive a 10-percent discount. In 2008, Glimmerglass offers a special $20-ticket price for all educators with valid identification, available May 1 onward. Discounts may not be combined.

Subscriptions are still on sale in two-, three-, and four-show packages. To purchase tickets to Glimmerglass Opera’s 2008 Festival Season, visit glimmerglass.org or call the company’s Box Office at (607) 547-2255, Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Glimmerglass Opera will hold its annual New York City Spring Gala on Tuesday, April 15, at 6:30 p.m. at The Metropolitan Club, 1 East 60^th Street. The centerpiece of the evening will be a satirical theatrical revue linked to Glimmerglass Opera’s Shakespeare-inspired summer season, featuring musical selections by Stephen Sondheim, Cole Porter and Frank Loesser. The Gala will benefit the company’s Young American Artists and Summer Internships programs.

The Gala begins at 6:30 p.m. with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, followed by the musical performance at 7:30 p.m. Dinner is at 8:15 p.m., and dessert and dancing to the Peter Duchin Orchestra follows at 9:15 p.m.

Performers for the evening include sopranos Allison Trainer and Megan Besley, and baritones Christopher Magiera and Ethan Watermeier. Trainer was a member of the Glimmerglass Opera Young American Artists Program in 2002 and most recently performed in New York City Opera’s The Pirates of Penzance and in Mozart’s The Magic Flute at Annapolis Opera. Besley, a member of Glimmerglass’s 2006 Young American Artists Program, most recently appeared in the world premiere of Anthony Davis’s Wakonda’s Dream at Opera Omaha in 2007 and in Glimmerglass Opera’s The Pirates of Penzance in 2006. A National Finalist in the 2008 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Magiera will join Glimmerglass Opera’s 2008 Young American Artists Program; he most recently appeared in Martinu’s Comedy on the Bridge at Yale School of Music. Watermeier, also a 2008 Young American Artist, recently performed in the world premiere of John Musto and Mark Campbell’s opera Late the Same Evening: an opera inspired by five paintings of Edward Hopper at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center in College Park, Maryland.

The event is black tie; ticket prices range from $750 to $2,500. Prices for tables of 10 range from $10,000 to $25,000. For reservations and additional information, call Glimmerglass Opera’s Development Department at (607) 547-0700 ext. 209.

Glimmerglass Opera’s upcoming Festival Season will feature four works with links to Shakespeare. Porter’s Kiss Me, Kate, Handel’s Giulio Cesare in Egitto, Wagner’s Das Liebesverbot (based on Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure) and Bellini’s I Capuleti e i Montecchi will run in repertory July through August in Cooperstown, New York. Visit glimmerglass.org or call the Box Office at (607) 547-2255 for tickets and information.

Established in 1975 and based in Cooperstown, New York, Glimmerglass Opera offers more than 40 performances of opera and music theater in repertory during July and August. The Glimmerglass Opera 2008 Festival Season will feature four new productions with links to Shakespeare, all on a set resembling an Elizabethan theater: Porter's Kiss Me, Kate, Handel's Giulio Cesare in Egitto, the American fully-staged premiere of Wagner's Das Liebesverbot (inspired by Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure) and Bellini's I Capuleti e i Montecchi. The company will also present two concert performances of Mendelssohn's Complete Incidental Music to A Midsummer Night's Dream. For additional information, call (607) 547-2255 or visit glimmerglass.org.

The Young American Artists Program was established at Glimmerglass Opera in 1988 as an important component of the company’s mission to promote an artistically challenging environment for young performers. The three-month program focuses on education through performance, which comes from opportunities to cover and perform appropriate roles in all four mainstage productions. In addition to rehearsing and performing, Young Artists receive musical coaching, attend classes in diction and acting and have the opportunity to work with world-class directors, designers and conductors.

Memorization for Actors

Editors and select readers say it’s a very powerful drama. The story engages, challenges and entertains. You and others can decide that. There is no fee for the play. The message of personal right to form one’s conscience is the reward.

Jack Gilroy is the author of a couple of novels published by Binghamton University. He lives in Endwell, NY, and has been a peace activist since leaving the military many decades ago –converting to nonviolence based on the teachings of Christ, Gandhi and Martin Luther King.

Last fall, Jack traveled to Austria on two occasions to talk to the people who knew Franz Jagerstatter, the father of four young girls who refused to fight for the Nazis. Jack met with Maria, a daughter of Franz, his widow (Franziska) and his biographer, Dr Erma Putz.

On October 26^th, 2007, Franz Jägerstätter, was beatified by the Catholic Church. Curiously, the same church that cooperated with the Nazis when they annexed Austria in 1938.

The life of Franz Jägerstätter is an amazing story. First told in book form by the Boston University professor, Gordon Zahn, In Solitary Witness (Templegate Publishers 1964), the story of the courage and integrity of Franz was read by Daniel Ellsberg. Ellsberg said that his main motivation for making the decision to release the Pentagon Papers was the story of Franz Jägerstätter as told by Gordon Zahn.

Gilroy talked to Gordon Zahn before writing his novel, Absolute Flanigan, back in the 1990’s. Prof. Zahn made suggestions for framing Gilroy’s fiction story of a young man from the coal mining regions of northeastern Pennsylvania struggling with his conscience at the outbreak of war with Germany and Japan. Gilroy says the inspiration for the book came from Franz, the Austrian Catholic and Ben Salmon, the real life WWI Catholic who refused to train to kill. Ben Salmon was tortured by the US Army, sentenced to death, and years later, after the end of WWI, was released from prison in very poor health.

Now, after writing two novels of young men who refused to train to kill, Gilroay has taken the real life story of Franz Jägerstätter into a play of the same name.

The play is fresh, it’s never been done. It can be sent electronically to interested theater groups.

If a group decides to do the play, he simply would like to know when and where and to be consulted.

Jack Gilroy is the author of two novels about young men who refuse to train to kill. Absolute Flanigan (published in 2002 Binghamton University Press) and a later novel, The Wisdom Box. (both books stocked at Barnes & Nobles in Ithaca).

A retired Maine-Endwell High School teacher, Jack is a full time peace and justice advocate. His students in the United States and in Australia (where he also taught high school) were known for their research, debate, discussion, and action. The action part of student participation was always controlled but kept administrators at great unease

The Press & Sun Bulletin of Binghamton, and even the Washington Post, marveled at how Jack’s students not only knew their facts and figures but were willing to confront the powers of corporate and government institutions to challenge such things as nuclear weapons (Australian student opposition to French Nuclear Testing in the Pacific 1970’s & Seneca U.S Army Nuclear Depot base in 1980’s and 90’s). Students took to task the US Government and corporate powers for economic support of the racist government of South Africa. Students demonstrated at IBM Endicott in opposition to Apartheid—which was followed by an Apartheid play Jack wrote for the students. Students took their play on the road to many schools in the Southern Tier. Jack’s 12^th grade students held a number of Town Meetings to allow community voices to state their opposition to the Broome County NY legislative body that approved the building of a garbage incinerator. The plan was passed by the legislature until students went door to door in two legislative districts and forced a revote. A one vote turn around killed the garbage burning plans. (Today Broome County has one of the highest recycling records in the United States)

Even the Washington Post lauded Jack’s students in a story of how students studied the military industrial complex, found it in their own back yard, and worked to expose the facts on how our economy was forced to become dependent on weapon making .as our nation fell back environmentally and economically.

Jack was one of 26 men and women put on trial in Columbus, Georgia in 2001. His crime was trying to deliver petitions to close the US Army School of the Americas, an institution that taught torture and assassination inside of Ft Benning, Georgia. Jack bought a one way ticket to Georgia, was convicted, put in chains and sent to the basement of a totally enclosed cell in Muskogee County Jail. Over a month later Jack was sent to Atlanta Penitentiary. Weeks later given what the US Government calls diesel therapy, Jack was chained to a prison bus seat and sent around several states until arriving at Petersburg prison in Virginia. Jack completed his prison journey in a Pennsylvania Prison work camp where he built fortifications against “suspected terrorists” following 9/11.

Jack and his wife Helene, just returned from a two month work detail in the lower 9^th ward of New Orleans .

Jack is presently working on two plays, one, a comedy, is about his prison camp work team (Chi Chi’s Garden) and the other is an untitled story of FEMA trailer folks in New Orleans and how they manage to keep their dignity and joy of life under difficult circumstances and vivid memories of “the storm.”

Jack has a BS in history and MS in Education. Jack served in both the US Navy (Reserve) and active duty US Infantry.

This is open to the public to come tour our newly renovated building. Light refreshments will be served.

We are proud to announce the formation of the “Phoenix Performing Arts Center” located at 409-411 Main Street in Duryea. It is our intention to collaborate with local theater groups and entertainers who may need a home to showcase their craft.

Those of us in the local theater industry know what it takes to support a home theater building and keep the ship afloat. The Phoenix Performing Arts Center will allow for a co-op of companies who need performance space – without the headaches associated with running a building as well. It will also allow for local companies to retain their individual identity yet share resources and operational responsibilities.

If you are interested in joining us in this endeavor – either as a “resident” company or occasional guest, please call 457-3589 and leave a message. We would like to set up a general meeting as soon as possible to put a performance season together.

Michael H. Arve

Vice President - TANYS - THEATRE ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK STATE

Chair FESTIVAL 2008

(585) 234-1254

www.tanys.org

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Please help and send your support. Until recently, I received not one dollar towards the upkeep of this site, and I would very much appreciate your help.

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Mickey Ray
136 Front Street
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Binghamton, NY 13905-3102
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Just Like You!!

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Would you like to add your show dates to Curtains Up?

Submit your advertisement INFORMATION (flyer or poster) containing the name of your Theater Group, the name of the show and your director.

Include the Date: Time, Location, & Ticket Prices no later than two weeks before your opening night. (I will copy/paste your info, so if it's in error it will be yours, not mine.)

You are also welcomed to merely send a basic announcement and I'll put that up along with a LINK to your website for further details.

This is a FREE service and is done when I have the time to do it, so I cannot make guarantees as to having your announcements up in time. Accuracy of show dates and times will be copy/pasted, so it is up to you to get them right!

All professional and non-professional theater groups on my Playgroups’ list are welcomed to advertise. http://www.stagewhispers.net/playgroups.asp If you are NOT on that page and would like to be, and if your group lies within 2 1/2 hours of Binghamton by car, write to me and send me your info!

Shows that share the same dates will be listed alphabetically by Theater Group, excepting the word “the”.

“The Brighton Players”, for example, would go before “Salisbury Community Theater”.

EXCEPTION

If shows share ‘split’ dates, the show that goes up first, will be listed ahead of the other.

Theatre Companies ~ Tell Your Actors About This Site!

Check out the updated Actors' Page at my site!

www.stagewhispers.net/actors.asp

Photos have frames and embedded names. Each leads to your own personal page with just a click. (Try it!) You send me your bios and I'll add them to your page!! It's all free, so what are you waiting for??

If you're photo isn't there yet, ....send it to me along with your bio! If your photo is there, but no bio.... guess why?? You haven't sent it yet!

Come on! It's a great way to show others your bio and photo merely by sending them your personal URL.

Want to see mine? www.stagewhispers.net/mickey-ray.asp

Need help? Go to RESUME and use the templates there!

Hope to hear from you soon!! Send all photos and your bios to me at stagewhispers@stny.rr.com

I reserve the right to edit all submissions for format, brevity, etc. Please... No PDF or Word Perfect files!!

Cheers,

Mickey Ray

Click on the Headers Below!
to go to

At this page, actors may submit their headshots and bios for others to see simply by emailing them to me.
YOU can help make this a must place for Theater Groups, Directors and Agents to check out and find you! This is entirely at no cost to you!

Here's where I'll put up notices of any auditions that I get word of via professional or community theater companies or from you, my visitor!

Theatre groups may submit information about their upcoming performances ~ at least two weeks before opening night ~ and have it placed on this page! See details there!

A listing of professional and community theaters listed with their personal logos! Does your company have a web site? You'll want to be on this page! Need a logo for your group? Contact me.

Who is Mickey Ray?

This is my personal resume page with links to the photo galleries of productions I've appeared in. Please feel free to browse. I also have a resume template page which you can copy/paste into a Word document and fill out the tables accordingly, then send your document on to me.

A listing of professional and community theatres educational programs teaching or training in acting, writing, singing, and technical courses. Free courses will always be listed first, when available.

This page may be used to announce performance fundraisers for various theatrical and charitable events.

Here's your chance to talk about what's going on in your neck of the woods, send general announcements about your company (new address, relocating, board elections, special theatrical events such as awards, picnics) or link to your website's seasonal announcements etc...

This is a page you can seek out theatrical props, costumes, & stage equipment

Remember When and Computergraphics will no longer be accessible starting July, 2008.

SOMETHING JUST FOR FUN

Take a walk down memory lane, or drive down in your '57 Ford Fairlane...

What do you remember about the 50s???
Now includes a link to hear Abbot and Costello's hilarious "Who's On First" routine!

My artwork made into transparent computer graphics, now free to use for your emails, web pages, greeting cards etc. NOT for resale!

All artwork, graphics and logos on this and other pages throughout, are my own and are copyrighted, with the exception of Theatrical and Business logos used as links to various enterprises.

More Theatrical Information may be found at...

Lars Blizard
798-0973
Tell him, Mickey sent you!

If you can use any of these pages, be sure to send your information to me with as much detail as you can at least 2 weeks before the premier performance date!

Each actor at the "Actors" page has his or her own personal page as well! And let's not forget all the various "Details" pages that lend greater information about your projects!

http://www.stagewhispers.net/

Homepage

http://www.stagewhispers.net/actors.asp

Photo gallery of Actors with links to their individual pages providing head shots and bios for agents, directors and theater companies.

http://www.stagewhispers.net/auditions.asp

The shows, dates, times and locations of auditions sent to me by the theatre companies within a 2 1/2 hour radius of Binghamton, NY.

http://www.stagewhispers.net/computergraphics.asp

My artwork made into transparent computer graphics, now free to use for your emails, web pages, greeting cards etc. NOT for resale!

http://www.stagewhispers.net/contributions.asp

A record of donations from theatre companies, organizations and individuals.

http://www.stagewhispers.net/curtainsup.asp

Upcoming shows, dates, ticket prices, synopsis etc.

http://www.stagewhispers.net/education.asp

Theatre courses in acting, dance, comedy etc. offered by various individuals and companies.

http://www.stagewhispers.net/fundraisers.asp

This page may be used to announce performance fundraisers for various theatrical and charitable events.

http://www.stagewhispers.net/mickey-ray.asp

My personal theatrical resume plus sub links to photos of shows I performed from 1970 ~200--

http://www.stagewhispers.net/pg70s.asp