MY WAY

Midland Community Theatre is very proud to be selected to represent the USA at the upcoming AITA/IATA International Theatre festival in Tromso, Norway in July 2011. Our production of MY WAY - a review of the music of Frank Sinatra - will be performed in Norway at this festival. To prepare for our trip and help raise money for our expenses, we will have two public performances of the show in Midland on June 3 and 4 at 8 p.m. in Davis Theatre I. 

Tickets

HAIRSPRAY and JUSTICE

Sometimes, I think that I write these entries into the blog and no one reads them. It's one of the reasons that my writing has really slowed down this past year. Thursday night, however, someone told me something that reminded me that people do read the blog even if I don't know it. So, I'll try to do better and write more often...

HAIRSPRAY is closing today and it will be very sad. We've had a great run of the show and the crowds couldn't have been better or more receptive to the show. Some have asked why we didn't to the show as an opening musical - longer run, more opportunities to see it. First of all, I think part of the success is the partnership with Midland College Music and Drama - the 12 college kids in the orchestra and the 14 college kids in the choir performing have added so much to the show (and that wouldn't have happened on the opening musical). In addition, the Yucca Theatre has been a great venue for the show (and the opening musical would have been in Davis Theatre I), and some of our actors might not have participated with January rehearsals and six weeks of performances. It will be sad to see the show end today - but I'm sure that feeling will wear off when we're 2 hours into strike!

We opened the 2010 McLaren winner THERE'S NO JUSTICE JUST COURT COSTS last night. The cast and crew have worked very hard to get the show ready for opening weekend, and I know that they're ready for an audience. For the third time in my 15 years in Midland, I've had to remove an actor from the show during technical rehearsals - in this case, the actor was trying but he simply could not learn the lines and it was holding the show back. We replaced him on Tuesday night before we opened, and it's been an uphill challenge for the director (Gene Houk) and the incoming actor (Carl Moore). However, I must give full credit to the actor who was asked to step aside - he did it with grace and understanding. Working with volunteers is an important part of our work in community theatre, and it's never easy to make this kind of decision. We all hope it works out for the best.

Hairspray Rehearsal

We've moved rehearsals for our 2011 spring musical HAIRSPRAY down to the Yucca Theatre this week - we're headed into tech weekend in preparation for our opening next week. The set has been loaded in but still needs lots of painting and trim, but we're able to work in the space with the stage extension, buildings and portal all in place. On Monday and Tuesday, we adjusted the show to the Yucca spacing, and now we're going to work Act One (Wednesday) and Act Two (Thursday) and then do another run through on Friday night. Crews will start work on Saturday as we add lights, sound, sets and props. I'll keep you posted on our progress!!

UIL Drama at Midland College

Over the past eight days, we've hosted three UIL Drama competitions at Midland College and MCT. Certainly, my involvement at Midland College as the chair of the Drama program has added to the responsibilities across the bridge, but we've also partnered up with MCT for these events as the shows have used MCT spaces (Redfern, Taubman, North, Mabee, Dressing rooms) as their dressing rooms for the show. Thanks to the wonderful MC Hall Way bridge between MC and MCT, the casts have been able to walk over for their show and then walk back. They've gotten to see our wonderful spaces at MCT, and been able to perform in the Wagner and Brown Auditorium and see the Midland College drama experience at work. We've had 5-6 drama club students help us all three days (6 a.m. to 9 p.m.) and it's been a wonderful experience for the theatre, the college and the high school drama students. It's ironic that UIL and "competition" is keeping drama - and the arts in general - alive and well in Texas high schools.

AACT Festivals

Sorry for the delay in posting - I've been traveling around the country in March. AACT is hosting the national community theatre festival in Rochester NY in June, and various state and regional festivals are taking place this spring. Some of them happened in the fall - I was an adjudicator for the Region X festival in Kaiserslauten Germany for the US Military bases in Europe in October 2010 - but many happen in the spring. Over the previous three weekends, I saw 22 plays. I was the AACT representative - basically, the person who makes sure that everyone follows the rules - at the Ohio state theatre festival from March 3-5. I was an adjudicator for the New Mexico theatre festival - one of three judges who comments on the shows and determines which show moves on - from March 10-13. Finally, I attended the Texas state theatre festival in Ft. Worth from March 17-20 in support of our MCT entry THE DIXIE SWIM CLUB. I was very proud of director Jane Moore and our talented cast and crew, but they did not advance to the regional. However, it was a good three week run of theatre, and I look forward to seeing the 12 shows that make the national festival this summer in Rochester!

March Madness

Not that it's ever a slow time, but March has been particularly busy for me. This month, I will be traveling to three state AACT festival competitions leading up to the national festival in Rochester NY in June 2011. On March 3-7, I was in Ohio at their state AACT festival competition as the AACT commission rep (basically making sure that everyone played by the rules). On March 10-13, I was in New Mexico as an adjudicator for their state AACT festival. This weekend, I will be in Ft. Worth representing MCT and cheering on the cast and crew of "The Dixie Swim Club" as they compete in the state festival.

In addition, our 2011 opening musical OKLAHOMA has now closed after a six weekend run - congratulations to the cast and crew for all their hard work and dedication to this show. The great cast of THE NERD opened the second show of the 2011 season in Mabee Theatre II this past weekend, and will continue their run through April 2, 2011. We had over 100 people audition for HAIRSPRAY, and rehearsals have started for the spring Yucca musical. The Pickwick Players currently have 100 youth in the building this week with Fine Arts Camp, and their production of THE MAGICAL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM is in rehearsal. Finally, we have rehearsals for our 2010 McLaren winner THERE'S NO JUSTICE JUST COURT COSTS on March 27 and 28. Needless to say, it's a busy March at your community theatre!

Busy Times at MCT

It's a very busy time at your community theatre! What's going on right now?

OKLAHOMA is still performing in Davis Theatre I
THE NERD is in rehearsals in Mabee Theatre II in preparation for performances in March/April
THE DIXIE SWIM CLUB is getting ready to perform at the Yucca Theatre and in Ft. Worth for the state AACT festival
MY WAY is starting rehearsals in preparation for our travels to Norway this summer
THE MAGICAL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM had auditions this past weekend and will begin rehearsals soon in preparation for their performances in April
HAIRSPRAY has auditions on February 27th, 28th and March 1st

Needless to say, there's a lot going on, and we'd love to get you involved. You can audition for a show, work backstage on building a show (sets, costumes, lights/sound), usher for a production or work concessions/bar or assist us in the Business Office or Box Office. It's YOUR community theatre - become a part of the fun!!

Interested in volunteering? Call Tracy Alexander at 682-2544 or tracy@mctmidland.org