It's Coming...

The Hillcrest High School Productions Company is excited to present their winter musical revue. This year’s theme is Anything Can Happen: Disney on Broadway. The show will include music and scenes from the Broadway adaptations of “The Lion King,” “Mary Poppins,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Tarzan” and Elton John’s “Aida,” as well as selections from the Disney movies “Newsies” and “High School Musical.”
With multiple high-energy dance numbers, extravagant costumes, and thought-provoking narratives, the Productions Company aims to bring to Hillcrest a taste of the Disney magic that has transformed Broadway in recent years.
The show will run January 21-24, 2009 at 7:00pm in the HHS Auditorium. Tickets will be $6 a piece and can be bought at the door or from any of the 34 Productions Company members. Seating is general admission. Bring your family and neighbors to experience the magic!

Festival of Trees!

Thanks to all the efforts of every student in the theatre department, our tree, "Find Your Stage Door" was auctioned off on December 2nd at the Festival of Trees and sold for $1200, all proceeds benifiting Primary Children's Hospital! Thanks to everyone who helped out with this tree! The response was incredible and we couldn't have done it without you!
Be sure to stop by the festival at the Southtowne Expo Center December 3rd-6th to take a look at our beautiful tree (the location is in the L aisle) and show your support! Thanks for all your hard work!
Love, Your Theatre Presdiency

Cymbeline Cast List

There is a mandatory cast meeting/read-through TODAY after school that will go until around 5:30

In order of appearance:

STORY-TELLER/SOOTHSAYER………………………….. Sarah Walker
QUEEN………………………………………………………… Karlie McDonald
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS………………………………….. Ebbie Ghaeini
IMOGEN………………………………………………………. Aimee Smith
CYMBELINE…………………………………………………. Sterling Tanner
PISANIO………………………………………………………. Zachary Bringhurst
CLOTEN………………………………………………………. Gabriel Spencer
1st LORD………………………………………………………. Addison Rose
2nd LORD……………………………………………………… Nathan Christianson
HELEN………………………………………………………… Rachel Edwards
IACHIMO……………………………………………………… Jonathan Morrison
PHILARIA…………………………………………………….. Ashley Patlan
FRENCHMEN………………………………………………… Joe Huston
CORNELIA……………………………………………………. Megan Neidiger
MESSENGER/BRITISH CAPTAIN 1………………………. Daniel Kaplan
LADY…………………………………………………………… Maria Guerrero
LADY…………………………………………………………… Dasha Prokofyeva
CAIUS LUCIUS……………………………………………….. Kent Lloyd
BELARIUS…………………………………………………….. Josh Gomez
GUIDERIUS…………………………………………………… Miles Sharette
ARVIRAGUS………………………………………………….. Markus Sharette
ROMAN CAPTAIN…………………………………………… Justin Godfrey
BRITISH CAPTAIN 2………………………………………… Phillip Hilton
JAILER………………………………………………………… Mandi Titcomb
SICILIUS LEONATUS……………………………………….. Jeff Pederson
MOTHER………………………………………………………. Amani Khader

Cymbeline Call-Back List

Call-Backs begin at 2:30 and will go until I feel like I know what to do.

(Remember that if you are not called back, that doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t be cast. Check for a final cast list tomorrow.)


IMOGEN
(Study side #’s 1, 2, 5 & 7)

Rachel Edwards
Cassie Ghersi
Cosette Hatch
Karlie McDonald
Aimee Smith
Mackenzi Van Engelenhoven

POSTHUMUS
(Study side #’s 1 & 3)

Justin Godfrey
Josh Gomez
Joe Huston
Jonathan Morrison
Markus Sharette
Miles Sharette
Gabriel Spencer
Sterling Tanner

PISANIO
(Study Side #’s 5 & 6)

Alex Angelos
Kirsten Arnold
Zachary Bringhurst
Rachel Edwards
Krystal Funk
Megan Graul
Amanda Johnson
Daniel Kaplan
Megan Neidiger
Ashley Patlan
Mackenzi Van Engelenhoven
Sarah Walker

CLOTEN
(Study side #6)

Zachary Bringhurst
Nathan Christianson
Ebbie Ghaeini
David Green
Addison Rose
Gabriel Spencer
Sterling Tanner
Ben Wilkins

IACHIMO
(Study side #3)

Ebbie Ghaeini
Josh Gomez
Kent Lloyd
Jonathan Morrison
Jeff Pedersen
Addison Rose
Gabriel Spencer
Sterling Tanner

QUEEN
(Study side #4)

Becky Foster
Karlie McDonald
Kate Mikell
Briana Petersen
Rebecca Simmons
Aimee Smith
Mandi Titcomb

BELARIUS
(Study side #7)

Ebbie Ghaeini
Josh Gomez
Jonathan Morrison
Jeff Pedersen
Sterling Tanner

CYMBELINE
(Study side #2)

Ebbie Ghaeini
Josh Gomez
Kent Lloyd
Jonathan Morrison
Jeff Pedersen
Nathan Schrenk
Sterling Tanner

GUIDERIUS/ARVIRAGUS
(Study side #7…and be prepared to play either Guiderius OR Arviragus)

Zachary Bringhurst
Nathan Christianson
Justin Godfrey
Josh Gomez
Joe Huston
Markus Sharette
Miles Sharette
Gabriel Spencer

CORNELIA
(Study side #4)

Namisha Balagopal
Maria Guerrero
Amani Khader
Megan Neidiger
Ashley Patlan
Sarah Penrod
Olivia Siciliano
Paige Steadman

Cymbeline Auditions

AUDITIONS
for
Cymbeline
by William Shakespeare

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 19, 2008

Room C-202 (Theatre Room)
After School (sign up for a specific time)
The sign up sheet will be posted outside the Drama Room on Monday, Nov. 17

Come prepared with a 1-minute Shakespearean monologue.
There is no singing or dancing in the show.

Anyone and everyone is encouraged to audition.

There will be a few rehearsals here and there in the months of December and January, but full after-school rehearsals will begin January 22. Performance dates are March 4-7 & 9-10, 2009.

Call-backs will be held Thursday, November 20 after school.

Theatre Shindig & Festival of Trees.

Theatre Shindig Tuesday, November 18 after school!

Anyone in a theatre class or involved in Seussical is invited.
Not only will we have a ton of fun, but we're going to be working on using our talents to help others again.

The theatre department has decided to Sponsor a tree for the Festival of Trees. At the Shindig , we will be working on decorations for the tree and other fun stuff like that.

Also, we are looking for donations in kind for our tree. Theatre tickets, free meal coupons from restaurants, movie tickets, gift certificates, cool things like that (our trees theme is 'Find your stage door and open it'). If you have any connections or can help us find donations, please talk to the Theatre Presidency.

Let's keep changing lives!

Seussical the Musical!

November 12-15, 7:00pm
A cast of hundreds!
Hillcrest's annual performing arts musical is here.
The biggest project of the year.
Get your tickets now. $8 in the main office. $10 at the door. It is reserved seating, so get on it now!

Productions Company Parent Meeting

Thursday, October 23, 7:30pm
In Mr. Long’s room

***NOTE: All Pro. Co. members should try to attend whether or not you have a parent coming, as you will probably want to hear all of this information and see the designs! Its exciting!***

We’re going to get started on costumes for the Disney Revue.

This is not a required meeting. It’s for anyone who can help us make some costume pieces any time over the next three months. If you think you can help, please come!

Thanks so much for everything you all do! Your kids are great!

ProCo Disney Photo shoot!

ProCo- If you are getting your picture taken for the Disney program, this will be happening October 22 after Seussical rehearsal. You need to have found your costume by yourself! This will most likely be happening in the theatre room. The following people will need to be there:

Aida - Radames, Amneris (don't need to find costumes)
Mary Poppins - Mary and Bert
Newsies - Jack and bunch of boys
Tarzan - Tarzan
Lion King - Rafiki, Nala, and Simba (if there are costumes to be found)

More info to come. Just mark the date on your calendar.

These words did cost 10,000 lives this weekend!!!

Congratulations to the Shakespeare Team!!! Every year we keep getting better!

1st Place Ensemble Scene---"Henry VI, Part 3"---Hillcrest High School
Larry Lott Acting Scholarship for Best Performance in an Ensemble Scene---Mackenzi Van Engelenhoven as Queen Margaret in "Henry VI, Part 3"---Hillcrest High School
1st Place Duo/Trio Scene---Ebrahim Ghaeini, Kent Lloyd & Megan Neidiger in "Titus Andronicus"---Hillcrest High School
1st Place & Overall Best Time (Tech Olympics)---Hillcrest High School
2nd Place Overall Sweepstakes---Hillcrest High School
2nd Place Dance Ensemble---Rachelle Baker, Karlie McDonald, Savanna Meyers & Aimee Smith in "Psyche of the Fallen: Hamlet"---Hillcrest High School


These (and many others) are seriously amazing accomplishments. Come to Shakespeare Night Monday at 7:00 to see all of the amazing award-winning scenes one last time.

Good Luck Shakespeare Team!

Have a wonderful time at the competition! Learn lots, have fun, change lives, and make Hillcrest proud! Thanks for all your hard work this past month.
For everyone not involved on the team, be sure to come see Shakespeare Night on Monday at seven in the auditorium. Admission is totally free so bring everyone you know and come enjoy some of Billy's best!

HHS 2009 PRO. CO. DISNEY ON BROADWAY REVUE
CAST LIST

ACT 1:

The Lion King
The Circle of Life – Rafiki, ensemble
Lioness Hunt – women
Shadowlands – Nala, women
Endless Night – Simba, ensemble
Can You Feel the Love Tonight? – Simba, Nala, ensemble
He Lives In You – Rafiki, Simba, ensemble
RAFIKI: Becky Foster
NALA: Sarah Walker
SIMBA: Micah Jones

Aida
Not Me – Radames, Mereb, Aida, Amneris
Another Pyramid – Zoser, some men
The God’s Love Nubia – Aida, Nehebka, ensemble
Written in the Stars – Aida, Radames
I Know the Truth – Amneris
RADAMES: Gabriel Spencer
AIDA: Karlie McDonald
AMNERIS: Aimee Smith
MEREB: Dalton Parker
ZOSER: Kris Daye
NEHEBKA: Amani Khader

Tarzan
Two Worlds – Soloist, ensemble
Trashin’ the Camp – Terk, ensemble
Son of Man – Soloist, Terk, ensemble
For the First Time – Tarzan, Jane
SOLOIST: Megan Neidiger
TARZAN: Josh Gomez
TERK: Daniel Kenner
JANE: Kirsten Arnold

High School Musical
We’re All in This Together – Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, Ryan, ensemble
TROY: Eric Deng
GABRIELLA: Rachelle Baker
SHARPAY: Rachel Edwards
RYAN: Johnny Cave

ACT 2:

Newsies
Carrying the Banner – Jack, Soloists, Mother, Nuns, men
Santa Fe – Jack
Seize the Day reprise – men
And the World Will Know – Jack, men
JACK: Joe Johnson
SOLOISTS: Zac Bringhurst, Kyle Landeen, James Dansie, Josh Gomez, Dalton Parker, Eric Deng, Johnny Cave
MOTHER: Becky Foster
NUNS: Rachelle Baker, Callie Denning, Amani Khader, Ashley Miner

The Little Mermaid
Part of Your World/Her Voice – Ariel, Eric
She’s in Love – Mersisters
Under the Sea – Sebastian, ensemble
If Only – Ariel, Eric, Triton, Sebastian
ARIEL: Annie Oakeson
ERIC: Addison Rose
MERSISTERS: Damia December, Savanna Meyers, Paige Steadman, Callie Denning, Rachel Edwards, Ashley Miner
SEBASTIAN: Logan Jones
TRITON: Ebbie Ghaeini

Mary Poppins
Chim-Chim-Cheree intro – Bert
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious – Mary, Bert, Mrs. Corry, Jane, Michael, ensemble
Feed the Birds – Bird Lady, Mary
Anything Can Happen – Mary, Jane, Michael, ensemble
Step in Time – Bert, Mary, ensemble
BERT: Kent Lloyd
MARY: Mackenzi Van Engelenhoven
MRS. CORRY: Ashley Patlan
BIRD LADY: Katie Trump
JANE: Jeanelle Long
MICHAEL: Jared Davies

Homecoming Assembly

The 2008-09 Productions Company makes their debut tomorrow morning!
Don't miss the Homecoming Assembly Friday morning at approximately 9:15am. During the assembly, Productions Company will perform the number "96,000" from the new Broadway musical "In The Heights." The number mixes rap, latin music, and Broadway storytelling into one spectacular number you definitely won't want to miss.

Challenge Round Results

2008 HHS Shakespeare Competition Team
Individual Events

The challenge round was so great this year! I was so proud of you all.
Congratulations. These are the pieces that will be representing your team and your school this year. You all still have work to do. Don’t stop working. Please stay tuned for a rehearsal schedule for the next two weeks.

MONOLOGUES
#1: Henry VI, Part 2 --- Aimee Smith
#2: Two Noble Kinsmen --- Rachel Edwards
#3: Antony & Cleopatra --- Gabriel Spencer

SCENES
#1: Richard III --- Zachary Bringhurst, Karlie McDonald, Addison Rose
#2: Titus Andronicus --- Ebbie Ghaeini, Kent Lloyd, Megan Neidiger

Shakespeare Team Challenge Round

This Wednesday at 5:00pm in the Theatre Room!

Come see all of the monologues and trio scenes that are vying for a position on the 2008 HHS Shakespeare Competition Team.
They would love an audience and to have your support.
Come on out and see the work these kids have been putting in over the past 2 weeks.

Seussical Cast List (Finally!)

What a talented group of kids you all are this year. This is going to be fun!

First cast meeting/rehearsal will be after school TODAY (Tuesday) in the auditorium. We will go until about 4:30. Get excited!

CAT IN THE HAT………………………………… Mackenzi Van Engelenhoven
BOY/JOJO………………………………………….. Daniel Kenner
HORTON THE ELEPHANT………………….. Micah Jones
GERTRUDE MCFUZZ………………………….. Katie Trump
MAYZIE LABIRD…………………………………. Rebecca Foster
MAYOR………………………………………………. Jeff Pedersen
MRS. MAYOR……………………………………… Megan Graul
SOUR KANGAROO……………………………… Alexandria Caver
GENERAL GENGUS KHAN SCHMITZ….. Eric Deng
THE GRINCH……………………………………… Ebrahim Ghaeini
YERTLE THE TURTLE………………………… Addison Daniel Rose
BIRD GIRLS……………………………………….. Karlie McDonald
Ashley Miner
Annie Oakeson
Aimee Smith
Sarah Walker
WICKERSHAM BROTHERS…………………. Dallan Carter
Matthew Christensen
Daniel Dudley
Zander Gates
Josh Gomez
Gabriel G. Spencer

CHORUS:
All members of PRODUCTIONS COMPANY
All members of CONCERT CHOIR
All members of DANCE COMPANY
Alexandre Angelos
Ashley Angelos
Holly Ashcraft
Samantha Atkinson
Namisha Balagopal
Reyhanah Bavi
Lucy Bergstrom
Jordan Berry
Madison Bricker
Brittany Brockmeier
Julie Davis
Dy DelRio
Kara Emeny
Lindsay Fenstermaker
Anna Ferguson
Amy Forbush
Adrienne Fretz
Cassie Ghersi
Stevie Gorton
Juliana Gutierrez
Sean Hallenbeck
Rachel Hansen
Ariel Herbert-Voss
Savannah Herdegen
Madeleine Homer
Jaimie Hooten
Amanda Humpherys
Jessi Humpherys
Paige Jolley
Amber Koehler
Karli LaPoint
Rebecca Levitt
Brittney Lewis
Dan Limb
Lisa Miller
Timothy Moll
Kelsie Mullins
Vashti Musig
Alicia Myers
Jose Padilla
Chris Pedersen
Christina Pedersen
Sarah Penrod
Dasha Prokofyeva
Garrett Robbins
Aron Rossi
Savannah Senninger
Amanda Smith
Keith Snyder
Megan Stock
Kalie Summerhays
Rachel Tanner
Emma Wademacher
Ashley Walker
Kelsey Wright

Shakespeare Team Cast List

What a strong year. Because we are limited on the number of kids we can take down, I literally could not cast everyone I wanted to. Everyone who auditioned should be proud of themselves.

If you made the team, make sure you are at the meeting tomorrow (Friday) AFTER SCHOOL in the Theatre Room to get all your material and further information. Congratulations!

2008 Hillcrest High School Shakespeare Competition Team


ENSEMBLE SCENE:
King Henry VI, Part 3---Act 1, Scene 4; Act 2, Scenes 1 & 2

MARGARET, Queen of England………………………… Mackenzi Van Engelenhoven
YORK, Duke of ………………………………………….. Ebrahim Ghaeini
EDWARD, Son of York….………………………………. Markus Sharette
RICHARD, Son of York………………………………….. Josh Gomez
CLIFFORD, Lord John…………………………………… Gabriel Spencer
HENRY VI, King of England…………………………….. Logan Jones
NORTHUMBERLAND, Earl of…………………………. Matt Christensen
1ST MESSENGER………………………………………… Megan Neidiger
2ND MESSENGER………………………………………... Megan Graul


SOLDIERS
Zachary Bringhurst
Johnny Cave
James Dansie
Kris Daye
David Green
Sosaia Halaliku
Phillip Hilton
Joe Johnson
Daniel Kaplan
Daniel Kenner
Kyle Landeen
Kent Lloyd
Dalton Parker
Addison Rose
Nathan Schrenk
Miles Sharette

Alexandre Angelos
Kristen Arnold
Damia December
Kara Emeny
Krystal Funk
Cosette Hatch
Kate Mikell
Katie Oakes
Kylee Olsen
Sarah Penrod
Dasha Prokofyeva
Maddie Roth
Paige Steadman
Mandi Titcomb
Katie Trump
Brittany Tycer


INDIVIDUAL EVENTS
The following scenes and monologues will be presented at the Challenge Round which will be held Wednesday, September 17 at 5:00pm in the Theatre Room. The two scenes and three monologues that are then chosen to advance to the Competition in Cedar City will be revealed the next day. Work hard on these between now and then!

Duo/Trio Scenes:

Titus Andronicus—Act 3, Scene 2; Act 4, Scene 1
TITUS ANDRONICUS……………………………….. Ebrahim Ghaeini
MARCUS ANDRONICUS…………………………… Kent Lloyd
LAVINIA……………………………………………… Megan Neidiger

Richard III---Act 1, Scene 4
1ST MURDERER……………………………………… Karlie McDonald
2ND MURDERER..……………………………………. Zachary Bringhurst
CLARENCE…………………………………………… Addison Rose

Richard II---Act 5, Scene 2
DUKE OF YORK…….....……………………………. Kris Daye
DUCHESS OF YORK..………………………………. Damia December
AUMERLE……………………………………………. Daniel Kaplan

Coriolanus---Act 4, Scene 5
1ST SERVINGMAN.………………………………….. Savanna Meyers
2ND SERVINGMAN...………………………………… Katie Trump
3RD SERVINGMAN…………………………………… Sarah Penrod

Monologues:

Richard III---Act 1, Scene 3
QUEEN MARGARET………………………………… Kirsten Arnold

Henry VI, Part 2---Act 5, Scene 2
YOUNG CLIFFORD…………………………………. Johnny Cave

Henry VI, Part 2---Act 2, Scene 4
DUCHESS OF GLOUCESTER……………………… Aimee Smith

Twelfth Night---Act 2, Scene 5
MALVOLIO…………………………………………… Joe Johnson

Two Noble Kinsmen---Act 2, Scene 4
JAILER’S DAUGHTER……………………………….. Rachel Edwards

Antony & Cleopatra---Act 4, Scene 12
ANTONY………………………………………………… Gabriel Spencer


Special Dance Piece:

(Ask Mr. Long for more info)

Rachelle Baker (choreographer)
Aimee Smith
Savanna Meyers
Karlie McDonald

Lunch with Billy!

As much as it pains me to admit, tomorrow is the first day of school, and on Wednesday are auditions for the Shakespeare team! It's very exciting. But if you're having trouble finding a monologue, haven't picked one yet, or could use a little help with the one you have, your presidency will be up in the theatre room during both A and B lunches on Tuesday to give you a hand! We'll have monologues you can use, and we'd be happy to watch your piece and give you tips!
Hope to see everyone there!

Shakespeare Team!

Its almost here! The 2008-2009 Season! Your first opportunity to get in on the fun is with the Shakespeare Team. Everyone agrees that this is one of the most exciting, fun, and inspirational activities that you will be involved in all year long.

Auditions will be held Wednesday, August 27 after school. You can sign up for a time beginning on the first day of school. There will be a couple monologues for you to read at the audition. HOWEVER, if you prepare a memorized monologue that suits your skills, you will be alot better off come audition day. In other words, having a memorized piece is preferred, but not required (since auditions are the 3rd day of school).

The team will compete at the Annual High School Shakespeare Competition at the Utah Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City October 2-4. Last year there were 87 schools from 9 different states competing. Its the greatest thing ever! :-)

The Shakespeare Team will consist of three things:

1---An ensemble scene which may include anywhere from 4 to 70 people that is just under 10 minutes in length. Whoever is cast in this will for sure be competing in Cedar City. Rehearsals will be held on Saturdays, and mornings before school (for lead roles).

2---Duo/Trio scenes. I will cast 4 of these scenes that will be about 5 minutes in length. Although all of the students cast in these scenes will come to the competition, ONLY 2 OF THESE WILL ACTUALLY COMPETE IN CEDAR CITY. A Challenge Round will be held on Wednesday, September 17 at 5:00 (after Seussical rehearsal) where all 4 scenes will perform and a panel will select the 2 that will compete. You MAY be cast in a duo/trio scene as well as the ensemble.

3---Monologues. I will cast 6 of these pieces that will be about 3 minutes in length. Although all of the students cast in monologues will come to the competition, ONLY 3 OF THESE WILL ACTUALLY COMPETE IN CEDAR CITY. A Challenge Round will be held on Wednesday, September 17 at 5:00 (after Seussical rehearsal) where all 6 monologues will perform and a panel will select the 3 that will compete. You MAY be cast in a monologue as well as the ensemble scene (you may NOT however, be in a duo/trio and a monologue).

There will be a Team meeting after school on Friday, August 29 where more details will be given to those who make the team.

During both lunches on Tuesday, August 26, the Theatre Presidency will be hosting mini-Shakespeare parties in the theatre room. You can come to get your questions answered, find good audition pieces, get some feedback on your audition, or just to meet new people so you are more comfortable at the audition.

GOOD LUCK!

HHS Performing Arts Musical

So I'm kind of excited about this.

Lots of great characters.
Fun music.
Tons of dancing in a variety of styles.
Social commentary disguised in metaphorical rhymes.
Bright colors.
One of my favorite teams of Broadway songwriters (Ahrens & Flaherty---they also wrote "Once on this Island," "Ragtime," "Lucky Stiff," etc...).

It should be a great show this year.

There are lots of fun parts for a variety of talents. Make sure you have 16 measures of a song ready to sing for auditions. If you know what's good for you, make sure it is from a stage musical. Auditions will be Tuesday & Wednesday, September 2 & 3 after school in the choir room. You can audition either day, but don't need to be there for both days. Call-backs will be Thursday & Friday, September 4 & 5. Start prepping now if you haven't already!

More New York Reviews:

Hey everyone. So I went back to New York to do some research for next year's Productions Revue (plus I had to see "In the Heights" again!) So here's what I thought:

IN THE HEIGHTS
Still my favorite show I saw between both trips. Such heart and soul! Such great dancing and characters. The show really makes you feel as well. You're taken on a journey in these real peoples' lives. Interestingly enough, I noted that this show received a standing ovation the moment they sang the last note. It was awesome. They had vomited their souls to us and we wanted to give back to them. Surprisingly to me, the same did not happen in the more spectacle-centered productions of "Lion King," "Mary Poppins," and the barftastic "Little Mermaid" which all included a lot more wow-inducing spectacle moments. They just weren't as real and human as In the Heights. So take that for what its worth. Robin DeJesus' performance as the young and enthusiastic Sonny is one of my favorite performances ever. He is so freaking funny...and yet, he's the one that really tugs at your heart strings towards the end. Go see this show!

MARY POPPINS
Well, I have never seen such amazing things happen on a stage. From Bert tap-dancing on the ceiling to Mary flying out over the audience, to a bed magically appearing out of nowhere...the show was quite spectacular in the literal sense of the word. What was cool though was the way they wrote the show. They included a lot more character development than the movie has (especially with Mr. & Mrs. Banks), and it gives you a lot to think about. So it was kind of a tale of two shows. There were huge plot-less show-stopping numbers (Supercalifragilistic, Step In Time, Jolly Holiday, etc...) which were admittedly quite entertaining, interspersed with some more serious and sometimes dark scenes and songs. Kind of interesting. Gavin Lee who played Bert was so great (he was nominated for a Tony for this last year). Such great energy and honesty in his eyes. Mary Poppins herself (Ashley Brown) was kind of boring actually. I didn't love her. The set design was quite awesome and the choreography was very fun. This was kind of the special effects show. It will be interesting to try to balance the spactacle and seriously moral parts of this show next year in our revue...

THE LITTLE MERMAID
So, I have seen 18 shows on Broadway in my lifetime, and this one was definitely the worst. I honestly don't know what Disney is thinking. The show was stolen by the 12-year-oldish boy playing Flounder. And only because when he belted out his part in the song "She's In Love" it was the only moment in the whole show that caught my attention in a positive way. How sad, that a show full of Broadway professionals couldn't outperform a 12 year old kid. They were all so bad! Im not even kidding you.
But the weakness and uncommitted nature of all of the performers is one of the lesser problems, as I think the director (Francesca Zambello) must be trying to ruin Disney's reputation on purpose. The design/concept of the show made absolutely no sense. Almost none whatsoever. You couldn't tell what sea creatures any of the actors were except maybe the mermaids. Apparently the concept was that if you move your arms like you're dog-paddling in the water, and flip back on your heelies (shoes with wheels in the heel) every third step, that means you're in the ocean. It was seriously like 3rd graders came up with it. If I hadn't have seen the movie, I would have thought Sebastian was a weird street performer who really liked the color red, and Scuttle was some sort of homeless man with an orange cone poking out of his head. The choreography was extremely amateurish...even in "Under the Sea" which should have been a great dance number. I had the added misfortune of seeing the understudies for Ursula and Triton (I say misfortune because I so badly wanted to see Sherie Rene Scott!!!...and also the Triton understudy slipped on his heelies and face-planted as he made one of his exits...super-awkward). The Ursula understudy was OK, but her outfit was so stupid, and her parts of the plot so formulaic and insulting to intelligent people (they've adjusted the plot from the movie version) that I couldn't handle her. The script is absolutely horrid.
The music is actually not that bad. All of the songs from the movie are great, and the new ones are kinda cool actually. But just listen to the CD, because if you see how the director, choreographer, and performers interpret those numbers, you will throw up. Was that too harsh? Let's hope we can figure out how to do something respectable with this material.

THE LION KING
I guess I wouldn't be so hard on The Little Mermaid, if right down the street The Lion King wasn't so freaking genius. Almost everything Disney did wrong with Mermaid, they executed brilliantly with Lion King. I guess most of that praise should go to the genius designs and concepts of the director Julie Taymor. The cast was a lot more passionate. The adult Simba was a fabulous actor. His emotion was so honest. I wasn't expecting that from a Disney show. The lady playing Rafiki was extremely captiviting and entertaining. The second act numbers "Shadowlands," "Endless Night," "Can You Feel the Love Tonight," and "He Lives In You" are so heartfelt and soul-stirring. The creative costumes and set design elicit gasps from the audience every time...and in a positive way. This is definitely a must-see show that deserves its place as one of the most important shows in Broadway history.


My Favorite Shows on Broadway This Summer:
1. In The Heights
2. Sunday in the Park with George
3. The Lion King
4. Mary Poppins
5. A Chorus Line (I liked this a lot better the first time I saw it last summer)

Auditions!

Hello everyone! It's your theatre president in her very first official post! I am so excited for the upcoming year -- it's going ot be fantastic! But, for the moment, I hope you're all having a great summer!
But....it's never too early to start thinking about next year, and more importantly, the auditions at the beginning of next year.
Shakespeare team auditions will be the first week of school. There will be monologues there for you at the auditions if you don't have one, but it looks really good if you've got one memorized and prepared. If you need help picking a piece, you can talk to me or any of your other presidency members and we'd be glad to help! One of my favorite resources is http://www.shakespeare-monologues.org/. Shakespeare team was my favorite thing I did all last year--It's a great experience! Don't be afraid just becasue it's Shakespeare-you can do it! I really encourage everyone to try out!
Also....auditions for the still undecided big fall musical will be the second week of school, and, again, it never hurts to start preparing now. Come audition day, you'll feel alot more comfortable with your piece if you've prepared it ahead of time! Again, don't be afraid to ask your presidency, or any member of productions company, for help picking an auditions piece. And just a tip....don't sing "Think of Me," "Part of Your World," or anything from "Thoroughly Modern Millie." Just trust me on this one.
Just some things coming up for you to think about. Enjoy the rest of your summer! Change lives!

Thoughts

So, you all know that at Hillcrest, our responsibility as artists is to change the world. Well, I just read this article by Mia Michaels who is a brilliant choreographer (sometimes you can see her work on So You Think You Can Dance). Any way, she puts into words her thoughts on this issue in a way i never have been able to yet. I completely agree with her. Please read and discuss amongst yourselves, because this dirctly applies to what we do in theatre...


THE CALLING

"The calling in one’s life to be a creator is a huge responsibility to the world. There is no backing down once this realization of artistic destiny takes place. It is the commitment of one’s life, the artistic version of the monk. We are being used to affect and change the universe, shift the planet, and hopefully leave it forever altered. Once our calling takes place, it is our duty to respect, nurture, and dig into it so deeply that there is no other way of living. It becomes our life and our every breath. Everything we experience transforms into art.

Then there are those who choose but have not been chosen. They make it a career (a business if you will) and have a different take on it. It’s a different way of life. They do it for the love of recognition, money, and fame. These people operate in a thing called the entertainment business.

So many in this business have been successful without caring about creating their own voice or vocabulary, but just copying the great ones that have come before them. They constantly continue to repeat themselves without ever considering the reinvention of oneself, and without guilt or apologies. There is truth in both these worlds, they just have different heartbeats.We are now in a time of reality TV and instant celebrity.

It’s a time of mediocrity, not too much dignity or integrity on screens all over America. I am one of those so-called instant celebrities in the world’s eyes. It just happened over night. I dropped out of the sky and became a big-name choreographer with a face. The funny thing is I am just Mia doing what I have been doing for the last 25 years, but now I am MIA! Very funny and very strange.

The fame will pass. The show will close. The trends will change. What will remain constant are the true artists, visionaries, and creators, the ones that are called. They will stand as they are until they are gone.

I hope and pray to always stay true to my calling. A creator of beauty, ugliness, and worldly art of movement. I hope to be a constant because I am called."

---Mia Michaels

Broadway Reviews from your Theatre President!

"Gypsy"
Patti LuPone was incredible! If you want to see someone vomit their soul on stage, it was her! She earned a well deserved Tony! Seeing her, I completely understood what giving to your audience meant, and what it meant to leave everything on stage. She was fantastic! The show itself was good, but it wouldn't have been the same with out Ms. LuPone.

"Sunday in the Park with George"
I was a little underimpressed with the book for this show. The music is gorgeous, but the show lacks plot, and I felt like I didn't have enough time to get to know the characters. However, I absolutely adored Jenna Russell! She was absolutely stunning! She connected with the others on stage, and with the audience! "We Do Not Belong Together" was heart wrenching because she and Daniel Evans were communicating so beautifully! My heart was breaking for both of them! The second act was not my favorite, but I loved how the two acts tied together, with reoccurring things such as "Lesson #8." I did think the show effectively communicated the idea of being artists and connecting with those around us. That message was brought out beautifully by how well the actors connected with each other.

"Young Frankenstein"
So funny. So fun. Just a delightful play! All the performers were so fantastic, especially Christopher Fitzgerald as Igor. I don't know how anyone can give that much energy eight shows a week. If you're looking for typical big flashy Broadway musical, this is it.

"In the Heights"
Oh wow. Fantastic! So fresh and fun and uplifting! I can't stop listening to the music! it's so great! Youthful and fun and just absolutely gorgeous! I also got to meet the cast and they were all so friendly and personal and so sweet to this little star struck girl from Utah. the music is so creative! I was so glad it got the Tony! I wore my shirt while I watched them to support it! 96,000 was incredible! You could feel the energy...and I was almost on the very back row! The audience really got into this show, which was a neat feeling. There was a really sweet love song between Benny and Nina at the beginning of the second act was so honest and adorable and I loved it! I loved Mandy Gonzalez, who played Nina. I felt so much empathy for her! I loved them all! Just especially her and Lin Manuel Miranda and Robin de Jesus (I was so upset Boyd Gaines beat him for the Tony, even though I knew he would!)

"A Chorus Line"
So I'm not like Mr. Long where I absolutely love this show. I probably wouldn't go see it again, but I did love it. The dancing was so incredible! I don't know how people can get their bodies that much in sync. There was a really cool moment during "One" at the end, which serves as kind of a curtain call, where they all come out in a line and get their individual moment. And I kept waiting for my favorites to clap really loud for them, but I couldn't tell one from the other. They all looked so similar. And I thought that was so cool! It really brought out the message of the show, because I truly couldn't tell them apart. I also was disenchanted with Charlotte D'Ambois, who played Cassie. Music and the Mirror did not do it for me. Her vowels were wacky, and they really distracted me from the song. I'm sorry, I do like this show, it just really depresses me, and it was hard to watch after something as uplifting as "In the Heights." I just get tired of watching 17 people talk about the worst things that have ever happened to them! But that's just me.

"The Country Girl"
Starring Morgan Freeman, Frances McDormand, and Peter Gallegher (Sorry! Spelling!) The play itself was nothing special (though it's a play about theatre, and there were some really cool lines about acting. Freeman's character talked about how he has to "love his character" which is something Mr. Long always tells us, and I thought that was cool) But the three of them were fantastic! Freeman was the most natural actor I have ever seen onstage. He brought a human-ness to his character that so many actors forget! Your character is real! And he totally communicated that! I loved him so much! It was worth it just for the fantastic cast!

"RENT"
Rent was superb! I can totally see why it's been running for so long. The minimalist staging was absolutely perfect! The show connected, and I loved it so so so much! There were a few moments that just hit me right in the heart. And I know the show, and I've seen the movie, but there were a few lines that just knocked me over because of how they were presented. The lady who played Mimi connected in the same way Jenna Russell does. She was an understudy, but she was absolutely incredible for the same reason: I could feel her and she was in the moment. And the chemistry between her and Roger was fantastic! So real! And so fiery! "Goodbye Love" and "Your Eyes" almost killed me.

"Phantom of the Opera"
I went and saw this one because it's the only one that plays on Monday and I've never seen it on stage and it's kind of just a Broadway legend. It was really good. Again, big and flashy. Christine had a really cool Meisner moment in "The Point of No Return" that really impressed me. The show was pretty neat. It's just a novelty: You have to go see it just to say you have.

"Marry Poppins"
I am proud to admit, this show was far and away my favorite! Not just because all the actors were good and the set was incredible, but because it was so incredibly uplifting! There was not a swear word or any innuendoes or anything. This show just made me so happy! And that was so refreshing! I wish everyone could experience the happiness this show brought me! I felt like I was six years old again. And as great and powerful and pulitzer winning as some of these other shows were, there's something to be said for a show that just makes you happy!

There you have it. My reviews. Everyone go to New York!

Love, Mackenzi

New York

Hey everyone. So I just got back from New York and I thought I'd throw out a couple of reviews of the shows I saw, just so y'all can get more of a feel for what is going on right now in the theatre world. I know some of you also made it to Broadway this summer, so feel free to email me your reviews and I'll post them as well.

SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE (Broadway Musical Revival)
This was such a moving experience. I really felt like the performers and artists involved were communicating with us. You could tell they were very passionate about the message they were trying to send. I'll have to admit the first part was a bit slow and hard to get into, but as soon as Daniel Evans sang "Finishing the Hat," his emotional commitmet pulled me in and I never looked back. British actors Evans and Jenna Russell turned in absolutely gorgeous performances as George and Dot. Their listening and reacting were superb, and when Russell was fighting back tears during "We Do Not Belong Together" just so she could get the notes out, it was one of the most honest and real theatrical moments I've ever witnessed. In the second act, Evans pulled out an impressive American accent and characterization, and I, for the first time, felt like I understood why Sondheim wrote the second act of this show to take place 100 years after the first act. The show really made me think about why we are artists and the sacrifices we make to give something lasting to the world. Do we really understand the importance of what we do? The set design turned George's indoor studio into the creations in his mind using projections and digital animation. It was amazing. The supporting cast were all phenominal (Michael Cumpsty's 'traditional artist' Jules got me so mad I almost yelled at him during the show), but Russell and Evans were absolutely superb in what were probably the two most emotionally demanding and difficult roles I saw the whole trip. Loved it.

XANADU (New Broadway Musical)
This was definitely the goofiest show I saw. The whole play makes fun of the horrid 1980 film 'Xanadu' while also poking fun at modern-day musical theatre. Cheyenne Jackson used his vocal inflections to hilarious effect as the discouraged sidewalk artist who is inspired by an ancient Greek muse to open a roller-disco. The muse is forbidden by Zeus to fall in love, and when she does, she is banned from inspiring artists ever again, thus making 1980 the year in which "all art stopped being insightful and all musical theatre will have to draw from is old singer's radio songbooks and movies...not to mention the spectacle-centered mush that will forever be known to earthlings as Andrew Lloyd Webber." The satire was not only hilarious but a little bit thought-provoking, especially for us artists attempting to affect the world in these creativity-starved times. My favorite part, though, was an older actress named Jackie Hoffman who played one of the muse's 2 conniving older sisters. She used her face and characterization to 100% comedic effect every time she stepped on stage. I found myself just waiting for her to come back on stage. She was fabulous. Hers was probably one of my favorite comedic performances I've ever witnessed. Overall, Xanadu was very good, a lot of fun, and even a tad thought-provoking, but not my favorite show of the trip.

A CHORUS LINE (Broadway Musical Revival)
This is probably my favorite musical of all-time. I saw this revival last year when I was in New York, so this experience was a little less impactful. I must also say that the cast seemed quite low on energy and passion-less during the first part of the show. The dancing was of course phenominal and the story was still touching and thought-provoking, especially to performers and artists (hmmm...are we sensing a trend here?) Charlotte d'Ambroise as desparate dancer Cassie was underwhelming once again (I had hoped when I saw her last year, she was just having a bad night). The number "Music and the Mirror" is not a highlight of the show as it should be. Her singing and dancing were not fabulous. I was, however, moved by her acting as she tried to connect in some way to Mario Lopez's director Zach. Lopez was not giving her much to work with though. Although Lopez's dancing was surprisingly good, his acting seemed like he thought he was in an episode of "Saved by the Bell" rather than a Pulitzer Prize-winning piece of live theatre. There were some fun characterizations from Jeffrey Schecter, Jessica Lee Goldyn, James T. Lane, Heather Parcells, Katherine Tokarz, and Kevin Worley as Mike, Val, Richie, Judy, Kristine & Al (respectively). Understudy Jessica Lea Patty was disappointingly flat as Sheila, and none of the other performers seemed to really be dedicating themselves 100% to their characters. The highlight of the evening was Bryan Knowlton's delivery of Paul's famous monologue. Knowlton was extremely impressive as he seemed to emotionally connect to Paul's story in a way I've never seen done before. At the end of his piece, there didn't seem to be a dry eye in the place. Overall, I still love the show, but this time it was missing that special spark...

ALTAR BOYZ (Off-Broadway Musical)
Well, I don't think I've laughed that much in a long time. What a fun show! The show is basically a concert put on by a wannabe Christian boy-band whose mission is to lift wandering souls through their hip-hop, funk music. With songs like "Jesus Called Me On My Cell-phone" and "God Put The Rhythm In Me" the show was hilarious, but not really irreverent because of the earnestness (a word?) with which the boys performed the songs. The show even ended with a touching final number that sent a great message. Go figure. I must admit that I booked this show because I wanted to see Neil Haskell (one of my favorite dancers from last year's "So You Think You Can Dance") perform live. He was pretty good as the tough-guy band member Luke. He was a great dancer, but some of his acting was a little awkward. Ryan J. Ratliff was hilarious as the effeminate band member Mark. He had great comic timing and commitment. I also really liked understudy Joey Khoury as Jewish band member Abraham. He was surprisingly honest and real which added a great dimension to the show. The choreography was great and the show was fun to watch.

IN THE HEIGHTS (New Broadway Musical)
"HOLY CRAP!" I think I said that out loud after the cast finished their showstopping number "96,000" part-way through the first act. When the show was over, I was speechless. I was absolutely bowled over by the energy and spirit of this show. I don't know that I can say enough good things about it. The set, lighting, costumes, sound and choreography all were phenominal representations of life in a New York latin community called Washington Heights. The latin & hip-hop flavored music written by Lin-Manuel Miranda (who also starred in the show) has been stuck in my head ever since. I love it! I also loved the cast. Their performances were extremely personal and connected with me as if I had known these characters for a long time. Miranda was both fun and sympathetic as the central character Usnavi, and his 17 year-old cousin Sonny (played by an extremely funny and energetic Robin DeJesus) were probably my two favorite characters. Olga Merediz as Abuela Claudia, and Andrea Burns and Janet Dacal as the salon ladies were also extremely believable and fun to watch. Christopher Jackson, Mandy Gonzalez and Karen Olivo (what a voice!) were also very good. The ensemble was equally energetic and pulled the show up to an awe-inspiring level. The only low spots were mother and father team Carlos Gomez and (suprisingly) Priscilla Lopez. Something just wasn't right about their emotional commitment. The plot was also a little formulaic and the script a bit cheesy, but those slight faults were easily forgiven by the end of the show. The show had everything. It even gave me some interesting things to think about as far as relationships, community, and following your dreams. Hmmm... Absolutely loved it. My favorite show of the trip.

CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF (Broadway Play Revival)
This was not a great experience. This was mostly the fault of the audience, however. I do not understand what was going on. The audience (who seemed to be there because of the movie-star status of the actors rather than for the theatrical value of Tennessee Williams' award-winning script) was extremely disrespectful. Extremely. It was frustrating. I almost screamed. They laughed at every inappropriate time. They thought Terrence Howard attempting to beat his wife was funny. They thought Phylicia Rashad breaking down and bawling because her husband had cancer was hilarious. They thought James Earl Jones approaching his son about rumors of his homosexuality was absolutely riotous. I am positive Tennessee Williams was crying in his grave. With that said, it was kind of hard to really grasp the issues being brought up by this production as it was difficult to hear with constant chatter and food-wrappers making noise the whole show. I felt bad for the ators, who seemed to be trying very hard to do the show justice. Anika Noni Rose was fabulous as Maggie (the "Cat" mentioned allegorically in the title) and Phylicia Rashad was extremely believable as the aging matriarch of the family. Even Terrence Howard, who started off slow and monotonous, really came into his own in the second act. I was impressed. James Earl Jones, though, was phenominal. I think everyone needs to go see Mr. Jones perform live sometime before they die. He is an absolute legend of emotional power. His performance blew me away...even though the audience didn't seem to understand a word he was saying. Debbie Allen's direction was pretty bad. Some awkward staging and weird lighting design didn't help the audience understand anything. So overall, although I was extremely frustrated at the overall experience and don't think I understood fully what the show was supposed to have communicated, I was enlightened by seeing four very talented actors share their gift with me.

2008 CALlie Award Winners Announced!

SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS:

JASON LONG FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP: R. Cameron Smith

HUSKY THESPIAN CIRCLE: Jessica Croft, Shanice Holt, Daniel Lara, LaDarrell Lawrence, Sarah Marshall, R. Cameron Smith

ACTOR OF THE YEAR: Jeffrey Larsen

ACTRESS OF THE YEAR: Briana Shipley

STAGE CREW OF THE YEAR: Nicolas Murphy

MAJOR AWARDS (voted on by a panel of adult voters):

BEST LEAD ACTRESS IN A FULL-LENGTH PRODUCTION: Mackenzi Van Engelenhoven as Dotty Otley in "Noises Off"

BEST LEAD ACTOR IN A FULL-LENGTH PRODUCTION: R. Cameron Smith as Beast in "Beauty & the Beast"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A FULL-LENGTH PRODUCTION: Shanice Holt as Brooke Ashton in "Noises Off"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A FULL-LENGTH PRODUCTION: Jeffrey Larsen as Charles in "Pippin"

BEST CAMEO PERFORMANCE IN A FULL-LENGTH PRODUCTION: Ebbie Ghaeini as Dead Soldier in "Pippin"

BEST ENSEMBLE: The cast of "Pippin"

BEST ACTRESS IN A SHORT-LENGTH PIECE: Lindsay Walters as Violet in "August: Osage County"

BEST ACTOR IN A SHORT-LENGTH PIECE: LaDarrell Lawrence as Hoke in "Driving Miss Daisy"

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A CHORUS MEMBER: Sebastian Duran

MOST IMPROVED PERFORMER: Dalton Parker

ACHIEVEMENT IN A SOLO COMPETITION PIECE: Jonathan Morrison for "A Long Day's Journey Into Night"

ACHIEVEMENT IN A DUO/TRIO COMPETITION PIECE: Shanice Holt, Gabe Spencer & Mackenzi Van Engelenhoven for "Doubt"

ACHIEVEMENT BEHIND THE SCENES: Jessalyn Davis for Music Direction in "Pippin" & "Putting It Together"

ACHIEVEMENT IN STAGE CREW: Jeremy Atwood, Zachary Bringhurst & Curt Erekson for sound in "Pippin"

OUTSTANDING MUSICAL CONTRIBUTION: Jeremy Kenner-Jones for "Putting It Together"

OUTSTANDING MUSICAL CONTRIBUTION: The Orchestra from "Beauty & the Beast"

BEGINNING THEATRE STUDENT OF THE YEAR: Maria Guerrero

ADVANCED THEATRE STUDENT OF THE YEAR: Damia December

DRAMA MAMA AWARD: Georgia Anderson

FRUIT BASKET AWARDS (voted on by all of the theatre classes):

MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT ON STAGE: Sarah Walker taking off her mask at the end of "Pippin"

FAVORITE ON-STAGE COUPLE: Jessalyn Davis & Cameron Smith in "Beauty & the Beast"

FAVORITE ON-STAGE TEAM: LaDarrell Lawrence & Mackenzi Van Engelenhoven in "Driving Miss Daisy"

FAVORITE PRODUCTION NUMBER: "War Is A Science" from "Pippin"

OOPS! AWARD: Andy Gnemi's "I've fallen and I can't get up!" moment in "Beauty & the Beast"

BEST VILLAIN: Sarah Marshall, Francesca Mintowt-Czyz & Aimee Smith in "Pippin"

MOST 'REVEALING' PERFORMANCE: Kent Lloyd in "Noises Off"

BEST OLD GEEZER: Daniel Lara in "Noises Off"

BEST FIGHT SCENE: The cast of "Noises Off"

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN INANIMATE OBJECT: Otto the Duck in "Pippin"

2008-2009 HHS Productions Company

*Make sure all new company members plan on being at the CALlie Awards tonight at 7:00 for the official presentation of next year’s company.

*Watch for more announcements concerning a parent meeting.

*Everyone who auditioned should be proud of themselves.
(Hint for Sophomores who plan on auditioning again next year: Try to take Theatre 2…try to take Concert Choir...try to take Dance for Musical Theatre)


Kirsten Arnold
Rachelle Baker
Zachary Bringhurst
Johnny Cave
James Dansie
Kris Daye
Damia December
Eric Deng
Callie Denning
Rachel Edwards
Becky Foster
Ebbie Ghaeini
Josh Gomez
Joe Johnson
Logan Jones
Micah Jones
Daniel Kenner
Amani Khader
Kyle Landeen
Kent Lloyd
Karlie McDonald
Savanna Meyers
Ashley Miner
Jonathan Morrison
Megan Neidiger
Annie Oakeson
Dalton Parker
Ashley Patlan
Addison Rose
Aimee Smith
Gabe Spencer
Paige Steadman
Katie Trump
Mackenzi Van Engelenhoven
Sarah Walker

2nd Annual CALlie Awards!

Celebrating the 2007-2008 Hillcrest High School theatre season.

Formal Attire. Red Carpet. Gold Trophies.
Nominees. Catered Dinner. The works!

Featuring special performances from:
Beauty & the Beast
Pippin
Noises Off
Putting It Together
and the award-winning Shakespeare & State Competition Teams!

Also, don’t miss the announcement of next year’s theatre season!

Saturday, May 24, 2008 -- Dinner: 6:00pm (HHS Courtyard) Show: 7:00pm (HHS Auditorium)

Buy your ticket to the Dinner by paying $12 to the main office and bringing your receipt to Mr. Long. The show is free and open to any guests you would like to bring.

NOMINATIONS WILL BE ANNOUNCED TUESDAY MORNING, MAY 20 outside the theatre room!

2008-09 Productions Company Auditions

May 22 & 23, 2008

Beginning Monday, May 19 --- Sign up for an audition time outside the Theatre
Room (C-202).

Thursday, May 22 --- 2:30-6:00---Monologue and song auditions (at the time you signed up for). Come with a 30-second to 1-minute monologue and a 30-second to 1-minute song from a musical (a CD player will be provided or bring your own accompanist…do not sing a capella). You MUST bring proof of your 3rd Quarter & Cumulative GPAs to your audition.
2:30-5:00---Learn the dance for Friday’s audition

Friday, May 23 --- 2:30---Dance audition. All who auditioned on Thursday must show up to the Friday dance audition as well. Come in clothes and shoes that are easy to move in. We will only review the dance briefly before you audition.

Talk to Mr. Long or any current Productions Company member if you have any questions, or if you need help finding audition pieces.

Presidency Applications Due this Friday!

Get them in to Mr. Long!

Now Playing!

Tickets available now from any Productions Member!

See "MISCOMMUNICATION" at The Empress Theatre!

Hey Everybody! Great news! Our very own Gabriel Spencer is having his debut as a playwrite on Friday, the 18th of April! Gabe's play; called "Miscommunication", was submitted to the Utah Theatre Association and picked up by a representative from the Empress Theatre! It is included in a variety of three other one act plays written by other local high school students around the state. This is something you don't want to miss! It opens Friday, April 18th at 7:00pm at the Empress Theatre (9401 West 2700 South, Magna, Utah 84044) and runs through April 26th(Excluding Sunday). Tickets are $7 Monday through Thursday, $8 Friday and Saturday. One act plays from other high school students include West Jordan, Riverton and Olympus High.

For more information, or any questions you may have, you can always talk to Gabe or Mr. Long!

CONGRATULATIONS!

Congrats to the Hillcrest State Competition Team who all scored extremely well at the State Drama Festival this weekend. 12 of the 14 pieces we took to State received an overall Superior rating. That's amazing!

Other Special Honors and Awards included:
*Pippin received a special plaque for scoring straight Superiors from all judges.
*The cast of Pippin received a special Outstanding Performance award for their work as an ensemble.
*The following students received medals for scoring straight Superiors from every judge:
-Jonathan Morrison (Dramatic Monologue)
-Cameron Smith (Contrasting Monologues)
-Shanice Holt, Gabe Spencer & Mackenzi Van Engelenhoven (Scene)
-Jessalyn Davis, Averyl Dietering & Briana Shipley (Scene)
-Kent Lloyd & Dalton Parker (Pantomime)
-Layton Anderson (Pantomime)

Make sure to come see all of our State Competition pieces at the Theatre Showcase Monday night. 7:00pm in the Little Theatre. Admission is free!

Congratulations once again to the entire team. We're all very proud of you!

Competition Showcase

The Theatre Competition Showcase is next Monday, April 14 in the newly cleaned out Little Theatre!
The show will begin at 7:00 and admission is free. Come and see the competition pieces that qualified for the State Festival.
Remember that you are required to see this if you are in any theatre class.

Also, remember that "Pippin" will be performing at the State One-Act Play Festival this Friday (April 11), and the State Individual Events will be this Saturday Morning (April 12). Both will be held at Taylorsville High School.

GOOD LUCK STATE TEAM!

Region Results!

After a dramatic (lockdown!) Region II Individual Events competition, State qualifiers were announced in preparation for the State Competition April 10-12 at Taylorsville High School. Adjudicators were a lot less generous handing out Superiors this year (only 25 pieces from our region received an overall Superior as compared to 77 last year) but lots of good feedback was received. Despite this, Hillcrest still scored very strongly, qualifying an impressive 13 scenes which received Superior ratings. Congratulations to the following pieces which will join the Productions Company's One-Act version of "Pippin" at the State festival:

***Jonathan Morrison-Dramatic Monologue
***Cameron Smith-Contrasting Monologues
***Daniel Lara-Contrasting Monologues
***Chloe Wood-Contrasting Monologues
***Jeffrey Larsen-Contrasting Monologues
***Shanice Holt/Gabriel Spencer/Mackenzi Van Engelenhoven-Scene
***Jessalyn Davis/Averyl Dietering/Briana Shipley-Scene
***Joe Johnson/Karlie McDonald-Scene
***Dalton Parker/Kent Lloyd-Pantomime
***Sarah Marshall/Sarah Walker-Pantomime
***Layton Anderson-Pantomime
***LaDarrell Lawrence-Pantomime
***Addison Rose-Musical Theatre

Thank you to everyone who helped pull off the competition at Hillcrest this year. Special thanks to Jessica Croft and the Theatre Presidency for helping keep everything organized and under control.
Congratulations to all competititors...it was a great festival!

CONGRATULATIONS!

The Productions Company took a One-Act version of "Pippin" to the Region Play Festival and scored the highest score possible: straight Superiors from all judges!
In addition, Jeffrey Larsen and Cameron Smith won Best Performance awards for their roles as Charles and Lewis (respectively). "Pippin" will now go on and compete at the State Festival in April.

Region Team

2008 Hillcrest High School
Region Drama Competition Team

PLEASE TAKE NOTE:
The students competing must be aware of the following:
You are to find a costume that will fit your piece. You don’t have to go all out with it, but it should reflect the character you’re playing. Pantomimes MUST be in all black. Musical Theatre MUST NOT wear a costume of any sort. Musical Theatre should dress nicely.
Look closely at the time limit for your category. You should be consistently 15 seconds away from your minimum and maximum times in order to be safe. If there are asterisks (***) by your piece, that means you have issues with the length of your piece that must be addressed.
Make sure you have a polished and professional introduction stating your name, piece and character then go straight into your scene. Pantomimes only say the title of your piece and nothing else. Always end your piece with ‘thank you.’
Any props you may need for your scene must be secured, easily transportable, and ready to go on Thursday. Pantomimes can only use one chair per performer and nothing else. Musical Theatre cannot use any props whatsoever. Musical Theatre must bring their own accompaniment on CD and their own portable boombox.
Alternates should be ready to perform in case of any eventuality.
All names on this list (including alternates) will be excused from school at 8:00am on this Tuesday, March 11 to come and watch the One-Act competition and support our school’s entry (Pippin). If you feel you absolutely cannot miss school that day, please let Mr. Long know ASAP.


SCENES
(Time Limit: 3-10 minutes including introduction)
1. Shanice Holt/Gabriel Spencer/Mackenzi Van Engelenhoven --- Doubt***
2. Averyl Dietering/Jessalyn Davis/Briana Shipley --- Fourteen***
3. Karlie McDonald/Joe Johnson --- Time of My Life***
4. Christine Thorup/Daniel Kenner --- The Glass Menagerie
ALTERNATE: Alyssa Benson/Annie Torsyan --- Lemonade

DRAMATIC MONOLOGUES
(Time Limit: 2-6 minutes including introduction)
1. Lindsay Walters --- If
2. Ashley Patlan --- Enigma
3. Ebbie Ghaeini --- The Crucible
4. Jonathan Morrison --- Long Day’s Journey Into Night
ALTERNATE: Ryan Smith --- The Rainmaker***



HUMOROUS MONOLOGUES
(Time Limit: 2-6 minutes including introduction)
1. Jessica Croft --- Dinner at Eight
2. Anthony Rossi --- Prisoner of Second Avenue
3. Alyssa Bell --- A Midsummer Night’s Dream***
4. Cassidy Arakelian --- King Henry IV Part 2***
ALTERNATE: Victor Felton --- Cold Storage

CONTRASTING MONOLOGUES
(Time Limit: up to 2 minutes including introduction)
1. Daniel Lara --- Death of a Salesman/The Odd Couple***
2. Chloe Wood --- ‘Night Mother/Catholic School Girls***
3. Jeffrey Larsen --- Waiting For Ben/Cowboys Don’t Look Down***
4. Cameron Smith --- California Suite/Coriolanus***
ALTERNATE: Jose Padilla --- Anthony & Cleopatra/The Producers***

PANTOMIME
(Time Limit: 3-6 minutes including introduction)
1. Andy Gnemi/Dalton Parker --- The Dentist
2. Sarah Marshall/Sarah Walker --- A Sticky Situation
3. Layton Anderson --- The Haircut
4. LaDarrell Lawrence --- Test+Cheater=Detention***
ALTERNATE: Pluto/Dopey --- Why Can’t We Talk?

MUSICAL THEATRE (exhibition)
(Time Limit: up to 6 minutes including introduction)
1. Addison Rose --- Jekyll & Hyde
2. Aimee Smith/Becky Foster --- Wicked***
ALTERNATE: Julie Andrews --- Mary Poppins

Finally!

After two years of waiting, Noises Off will finally premiere at Hillcrest!
You can get your tickets from any cast member. You will want to see it more than once!

Productions Revue Cast List

PUTTING IT TOGETHER: PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING THEATER
Show List

ACT 1:
Opener
One/Putting It Together (Presidency & Ensemble)
Harvey
Act 1, Scene 2
VETA LOUISE SIMMONS: Alyssa Bell
DR. SANDERSON: Jonathan Morrison
Rent
Rent (Mark, Roger, Ensemble)
La Vie Boheme (Mark, Ensemble)
Will I? (Female Soloist, Ensemble)
What You Own (Mark, Roger, Ensemble)
Seasons of Love (Female Soloist, Ensemble)
MARK: Gabriel Spencer
ROGER: Cameron Smith
FEMALE SOLOIST: Sarah Marshall
Monologue Montage
Doubt, Scene 1 (Father Flyn)
The Shadow Box, Act 1 (Brian)
Rabbit Hole (Jason)
FLYN: Jonathan Morrison
BRIAN: Daniel Kenner
JASON: Johnny Cave
Our Town
Act 3 (Ensemble)
STAGE MANAGER: Eric Deng
EMILY WEBB: Melissa Myers
MRS. GIBBS: Chloe Wood
MRS. SOAMES: Heather Larsson
MRS. WEBB: Shanice Holt
MR. WEBB: Ryan Smith
GEORGE GIBBS: Johnny Cave
Family Monologue Montage
Death of a Salesman, Act 2 (Biff Loman)
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Act 2 (Big Daddy)
Lost In Yonkers, Act 2, Scene 2 (Bella)
BIFF: Gabriel Spencer
BIG DADDY: Ebrahim Ghaeini
BELLA: Shanice Holt
Sunday in the Park with George
Color and Light (George, Dot)
No Life (Jules, Yvonne)
Finishing the Hat (George)
We Do Not Belong Together (Dot, George)
Sunday (George, Ensemble)
GEORGE: Jeffrey Larsen
DOT: Briana Shipley
JULES: Logan Jones
YVONNE: Lindsay Walters

ACT 2:
South Pacific
Honey Bun (Nellie, Bills, Girls)
You’ve Got to be Carefully Taught (Lt. Cable)
NELLIE: Christine Thorup
BILLS: Logan Jones
CABLE: Addison Rose
J.B.
Scene 9
J.B.: Cameron Smith
BILDAD: Sarah Walker
ELIPHAZ: Dalton Parker
ZOPHAR: Becky Foster
Montage
Driving Miss Daisy, part 1 (Daisy, Hoke Colburn)
A Streetcar Named Desire, Act 3, Scene 4 (Blanche DuBois)
Driving Miss Daisy, part 2 (Daisy, Hoke Colburn)
W;t, Act 1, Scene 1 (Vivian)
Driving Miss Daisy, part 3 (Daisy, Hoke Colburn)
HOKE COLBURN: LaDarrell Lawrence
MISS DAISY: Mackenzi Van Engelenhoven
BLANCHE: Lindsay Walters
VIVIAN: Karlie McDonald
A Chorus Line
I Hope I Get It (Zach, Ensemble)
At the Ballet (Sheila, Bebe, Maggie)
Montage (Bobby, Diana, Don, Judy, Connie, Dancers)
The Music and the Mirror (Cassie, Dancers)
What I Did For Love (Diana, Dancers)
One (Ensemble)
ZACH: Ebrahim Ghaeini
CASSIE: Aimee Smith
DIANA: Jessalyn Davis
SHEILA: Chloe Wood
BEBE: Heather Larsson
MAGGIE: Francesca Mintowt-Czyz
JUDY: Karlie McDonald
CONNIE: Sarah Walker
BOBBY: Daniel Kenner
DON: Cameron Smith
AL: Jeffrey Larsen
KRISTINE: Shanice Holt
VAL: Sarah Marshall
MIKE: Eric Deng
RICHIE: LaDarrell Lawrence
MARK: Johnny Cave
GREG: Addison Rose
PAUL: Dalton Parker

Pulitzer Revue Call-Backs

PUTTING IT TOGETHER:
PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING THEATRE
A REVUE

OK, the following kind of works like a call-back list. If you see your name on a list under a character name, have that piece ready to audition with in class tomorrow. It does NOT have to be memorized. Work on the songs with the CD you have, and pick up the lyrics, scenes and monologues in Mr. Long’s room today. The lyric sheet will clarify what part of the song you will need to sing. Keep in mind that these are NOT the only parts available, nor are they necessarily the biggest ones.


DOT
*Have prepared the song “We Do Not Belong Together” (track 10)
*Take monologue/lyric sheet 1
Becky Foster
Karlie McDonald
Briana Shipley
Aimee Smith
Lindsay Walters
Chloe Wood

CASSIE
*Have prepared the song “Music and the Mirror” (track 17)
*Take monologue/lyric sheet 2
Aimee Smith
Francesca Mintowt-Czyz
Chloe Wood
Sarah Marshall

SHEILA
*Have prepared the song “At The Ballet” (track 15)
*Take monologue/lyric sheet 3
Alyssa Bell
Jessalyn Davis
Becky Foster
Shanice Holt
Heather Larsson
Sarah Marshall
Karlie McDonald
Francesca Mintowt-Czyz
Melissa Myers
Briana Shipley
Christine Thorup
Mackenzi Van Engelenhoven
Sarah Walker
Chloe Wood

RENT SOLOIST
*Have prepared the song “Seasons of Love” (track 6)
*Take lyric sheet 4
Jessalyn Davis
Becky Foster
Christine Thorup
Sarah Marshall
Karlie McDonald
Francesca Mintowt-Czyz
Sarah Walker
Chloe Wood
Lindsay Walters

EMILY WEBB
*Take scene 5
Becky Foster
Shanice Holt
Heather Larsson
Melissa Myers
Mackenzi Van Engelenhoven
Sarah Walker
Lindsay Walters
Chloe Wood

MISS DAISY
*Take scene 6
Alyssa Bell
Shanice Holt
Heather Larsson
Briana Shipley
Mackenzi Van Engelenhoven
Lindsay Walters

BELLA
*Take scene 7
All girls!

MARK/ROGER
*Have prepared the song “What You Own” (track 5)
*Take lyric sheet 8
Jeff Larsen
Addison Rose
Cameron Smith
Gabe Spencer
Ebbie Ghaeini
Dalton Parker

GEORGE
*Have prepared the song “Finishing the Hat” (track 9)
*Take lyric sheet 9 & scene 13
Jeff Larsen
Cameron Smith
Gabe Spencer

LIEUTENANT CABLE
*Have prepared the song “You’ve Got to be Carefully Taught” (track 13)
*Take lyric sheet 10
Ebbie Ghaeini
Logan Jones
Daniel Kenner
Dalton Parker
Addison Rose
Gabe Spencer

J.B.
*Take scene 11
Johnny Cave
Eric Deng
Ebbie Ghaeini
LaDarrell Lawrence
Jonathan Morrison
Dalton Parker
Cameron Smith
Gabe Spencer

ZACH
*Take scene 12
Ebbie Ghaeini
Jonathan Morrison
Gabe Spencer

JULES
*Take scene 13
Eric Deng
Ebbie Ghaeini
Logan Jones
LaDarrell Lawrence
Addison Rose
Gabe Spencer

BIFF LOMAN
*Take scene 14
All Boys!

Hamlet Cast List!

Here is the cast list for the 2008 Renaissance Feaste production of Hamlet!
Those listed please meet at 8:00 AM tomorrow (February 5th) in the drama room for your first rehearsal.
Please note that if your name is not listed, that does not mean you will not be a performer at Renaissance Feaste.
Here ya' go!

Cast List (In order of appearance):

Bernardo....................................................... Karlie McDonald

Horatio.......................................................... Logan Jones

Claudius........................................................ Addison Rose

Hamlet.......................................................... Johnny Cave

Ghost............................................................. Sarah Walker

Polonius......................................................... Daniel Kenner

Ophelia.......................................................... Aimee Smith

Gertrude....................................................... Briana Shipley

Laertes.......................................................... LaDarrell Lawrence

Congratulations and I hope this will be both a different and an amazing expirience for all of you!

UTA Conference

The UTA Conference is this weekend!
Prep yourself to learn a ton and have fun!

*We will meet Thursday at 11:30am by the senior bench (this will be right after 6th period because we’ll be on Assembly schedule).
*Both Friday and Saturday we will meet at 7:15am at the same place. We will leave without you if you’re not there.
*Each night, we should get back to Hillcrest around 10:30pm (depending on when the plays end).
*You will need to bring money for food. The only meals provided by the Conference are Friday lunch and Saturday dinner. But the Cougareat will be open for all the other meals.
*On Saturday, we have the banquet in the evening, so remember to bring nice clothes to change into.
*Students auditioning should also be dressed up for your audition (Jeff, Jessalyn, Briana on Friday; others on Saturday).
*Remember that we're at BYU, so girls cannot wear sleeveless, spaghetti straps, etc... or skirts above the knee. Boys, you can't either. Also, remember it will be cold and you'll have to walk to workshops outside so dress warmly and bring a coat!
*REMEMBER: You cannot drive yourself to this separately unless you bring me that special form signed by a principal.

Get excited!

Dark of the Moon Cast List

HILLCREST HIGH SCHOOL’S 2008 FESTIVAL ONE-ACT PLAY:
DARK OF THE MOON

Cast List (in order of appearance):

JOHN…………………………………. LaDarrell Lawrence
CONJUR MAN………………………. Daniel Lara
DARK WITCH………………………. Chloe Wood
FAIR WITCH………………………… Mackenzi Van Engelenhoven
CONJUR WOMAN………………….. Heydon Kaddas
HANK………………………………… James McReynolds
MISS METCALF…………………….. Cassidy Arakelian
EDNA SUMMEY…………………….. Jennifer Rios
MRS. SUMMEY……………………… Damia December
MRS. BERGEN………………………. Ashley Smith
MARVIN HUDGENS………………… Joey Hoover
BARBARA ALLEN………………….. Shanice Holt
MRS. JENKINS………………………. Hannah Thompson
MRS. ATKINS………………………... Daisy Kildoo
ELLA………………………………….. Rachelle Baker
MR. ALLEN…………………………... Joseph Huston
MRS. ALLEN…………………………. Jessica Croft
PREACHER HAGGLER……………… Jonathan Morrison

PIPPIN!

Ladies and gentlemen, the Hillcrest HS Productions Company presents a truly unique and amazing theatrical experience:

PIPPIN

Combining the music of Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Enchanted, Pocahontas) with the choreographic style of Bob Fosse (Chicago, Damn Yankees) and the directing theories of Bertolt Brecht, this is truly a must-see Hillcrest Theatrical Event.
Playing this week! Wednesday through Staurday at 7:00pm.
Get your tickets from any ProCo member, at the Husky Hut, or at the door before the show.

Theatre Department Party!

Hey everyone! Come to the theatre party this weekend!

Saturday, 19 January 2008
6:30 - 8:30 p.m.


Anyone who is taking a drama or stage crew class is welcome to come!

Come watch another famous Theatre Presidency skit, eat some food, play games and have fun! See a member of the Theatre Presidency for more details.