Theatre Geeks

Keith Tomasek talks about stratfordfestivalreviews.com, the “Rotten Tomatoes” of the Stratford Festival Visitors to the Stratford Festival have a friend in Keith Tomasek. Keith is the creator, editor and curator of Stratford Festival Reviews (http://www.stratfordfestivalreviews.com), a website that aggregates reviews of all the productions at this outstanding institution in Stratford Ontario. Visitors to the website (who accumulate around 1300 page views per day) are able to see what critics across Canada and US have to say about the current season’s productions, get a better understanding of the plays themselves, enjoy professional theatre analyses (which don’t always agree with each other), . . . → Read More: 124 Stratford Festival Reviews creator Keith Tomasek

Are summer musicals still important to community theatres? We hear reports that some community theatres go on a little hiatus in the summer. For others, the summer musical is still a main event. How does your community theatre come down? The geeks talk about the pros and cons of the big summer show. Music provided by Music Alley

Many community theatres operate by the financial seat-of-the-pants. Does yours? . . . → Read More: 122 Fighting the community theatre budget battle

In another audience etiquette episodes, the Geeks talk about audience members who don’t do their “homework” when it comes to knowing what kind of show they’re going to see, being prepared for possible “mature” content and not being taken by “surprise” that leads to indignation. We’ve been around long enough to know that there probably isn’t a show out there that won’t offend someone at some time, but often as not, the offended party has only himself to blame. Most theatres will note in their promotions if a particular show deals with adult themes, is inappropriate for children, or contains . . . → Read More: 121 Know what you’re getting into or stay home

The Geeks discuss the high- and ever higher-tech state of theatrical productions and wonder if “enough” is actually too much, and whether technology helps or hinders a community theatre’s creative approaches.

What can you do to deal with backstage hanky panky and other disruptive “stuff” in community theatre? Community theatre is a great social activity, but problems do arise when behaviors that may (or may not) be ok away from the theatre become distractions or even liabilities within a cast. While we can’t regulate people’s feelings, we can set guidelines that make for a better experience for all. The Geeks discuss dealing with bad behavior, and more importantly, preventing it. Send us YOUR feedback. Music provided by Music Alley.

Is the term “actress” outmoded? The Geeks have been accused of being a little “old school” at times (whatever that means), and all three of us remember when the term “actress” was the standard way of referring to a female on stage. In this abbreviated episode, the Geeks discuss why and when the terminology appeared to change, and whether or not it’s ok to still use the older term. What do YOU think? Is this even a debate worth having? Should those who say “actress” be subject to a social smackdown? Let us know via our contact form (below) or . . . → Read More: 118 Is it Actor or Actress?

Are awards nights at a community theatre a good thing or a bad thing? After a peculiarly breathy beginning, the Geeks get down to the business of awards. Some community theatres have an annual in-company awards ceremony honoring best actors/actresses, directors, etc. Some may feel that this only breeds internal jealousies and bad feelings. Others may feel it provides an incentive for quality in all aspects of production. The Geeks tell you what they think. Now, what do YOU think. Let us know via our contact page. Music provided by Music Alley. . . . → Read More: 117 Awards Nights for Community Theatre: the pros and cons

Community theatre was Colleen Williamson’s springboard to an exciting life performing on cruise ships. Colleen Williamson Colleen Williamson joins us for a fascinating talk about her life as a cruise ship actress, singer and entertainer, that started over 20 years ago. Possessed of a great singing voice and natural acting ability, Colleen was urged by a friend to audition with a cruise ship line’s entertainment arm. Today, she travels much of the year, to places most of us only dream about, and performs on the water in everything from musical comedies to her own cabaret act. All three Geeks . . . → Read More: Colleen Williamson talks about her life entertaining on cruise ships

Theatre Geeks talk about their theatrical influences in this episode of the long-running theatre podcast. . . . → Read More: 115 Theatre under the influence

Snowed in? Snowed out? How does your community theatre deal with serious winter weather? Dave in front of our theatre earlier this winter, when snow threatened our production of Almost, Maine. The Geeks know first-hand about how winter can disrupt rehearals and even keep patrons away. Recorded live at Evan’s Sidewalk Cafe, we offer a few things to think about when weather gets in your theatre’s way. First of all, follow the law. When law enforcement says stay off the roads, don’t schedule rehearsals that put your cast and crew in danger. Get serious with your cast — let . . . → Read More: 114 Does the weather put your community theatre in the deep freeze?

Tom Myers talks choreography with the Geeks Choreographer Tom Myers How is choreography for community theatre different from what you might see professionally? Recognizing that not everyone in community theatre is a trained dancer while still challenging performers is a balancing act Tom Myers is very familiar with. The veteran choreographer for community and high school theatres talks about the issues that he faces in putting a great dance number on the stage with non-professional talent. Tom has choreographed dozens of shows, not only at the Geeks’ home theatre, Elkhart Civic Theatre, but across Northern Indiana. He has won . . . → Read More: Choreography in community theatre: how is it different?

Marcia takes a look at theatre’s past First show of 2014! Does your theatre recycle? A lot of shows seem to be recycled from earlier works these days: musicals based on movies, plays based on novels, musicals based on movies based on even older movies. Is all this recycling good or bad? Is it even a new phenomenon. The Geeks discuss how it seems everything old is new again — and whether it’s always been that way. Music provided by Music Alley. . . . → Read More: Everything old is new again: what’s wrong with “recycled” theatre?

Should you trade theatre quality for theatre quantity (i.e., bums in the seats)? All community theatres crave the full house, but is it worth bending the standards occasionally to get it? Do you do a less than par holiday show because you know you can get an audience? Or the umpteenth revival of Fiddler because there are always those audience members who will dutifully show up for a classic, no matter how well it’s done? The Geeks take on this dilemma, and although we probably don’t solve it, we have fun trying! This is our last episode of 2013. We’re . . . → Read More: Bonus Year-end episode: Theatre Quality vs Theatre Quantity

Wife-Husband Team Shirley Mitchell and Heywood Banks translate classic story into musical Swamp Opera. When Shirley Mitchell wrote the script and lyrics for a musical version of the folk tale “Froggy Went A-Courtin’,” she asked the man she calls “the King of Melody” to turn her words into the songs in “Swamp Opera.” No, it wasn’t Barry Manilow. It was her husband Stuart, best known as Heywood Banks, who has been delighting, inspiring, amusing and sometimes even mildly grossing out audiences for years with such songs as “If Pigs Had Wings,” “The Weasel” and the Christmas classic “You Ain’t . . . → Read More: Shirley Mitchell and Heywood Banks talk about their musical Swamp Opera