Category: Theatre

Two Visual and Performing Arts majors, Josh Maiville and Devin Miller, will be part of the popular summer series, “America’s Got Talent,” broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall in New York this week.

They will be riggers and flying-effects operators for Mothmen Dance, an aerial performance group created by On the FLY Productions–the production company that partnered with Michigan Tech last year to produce the flying extravaganza, “Beautiful: A Cirque-Tale of How the Butterfly Grew Her Wings.”

Maiville and Miller were riggers and operators for the productions of Beautiful, and Maiville performed some flying stunts on stage. 

On the FLY was so impressed with Michigan Tech’s students that the production company invited several of them to work with Mothmen, according to Associate Professor Kalen Larson (VPA). Michigan Tech is one of the only schools teaching performer flying, Larson said.

The live broadcast of “America’s Got Talent” is scheduled for 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 12, on Charter Cable channels 6 and 785. An elimination round will follow at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 13. See the audition.

This is not the first time Michigan Tech has been represented at Radio City. Ken Showler, a 2007 Tech graduate in sound design, was a designer with 7th Sense for the Radio City Christmas Spectacular 2011. He received an Excellence in Live Design Award for that work.

From Tech Today.

Dinosaurs invade rock garden
Students create wooden dinosaurs for theater class project

Some think dinosaurs are frightening, but there is no need to fright over the wooden additions to the Rock Garden outside of Fisher Hall. The dinosaurs were constructed as a project for Kalen Larson’s Advanced Backstage Technology class.

Read more at the Michigan Tech Lode, by Sasha Burnett.

ROSE AND THE RIME AUDITIONS

Calling all dancers, actors, and gymnasts!  Auditions for Rose and the Rime will be Monday, October 28, and Wednesday, October 30, 7 pm in Rozsa 120 (Choir Room).

Rose and the Rime is a spectacular modern fairy tale of courage and hope in the face of adversity and fear.  The fable features Rose, a very special girl who embarks on an adventure to save her town, Radio Falls, Michigan, from perpetual winter. The play includes dance, and original music composed by students.

Rose and the Rime will be performed next semester, however there will be a large dance/aerial component to the show that will require rehearsals and preparation this semester.  One dance form we hope to feature is aerial work.   Roles are available for non-dancers as well.  You may sign out a script from the VPA office, Walker 209.

• Aerial Silks Clinics:
  • Friday, October 25, 2 pm-5 pm, McArdle Theatre
  • Saturday, October 26, 2 pm – 5 pm, McArdle Theatre

Come for as long as you can, especially if you have never worked with silks before.

• Auditions:
  • Monday, October 28, 7pm-10 pm, Rozsa 120 (Choir Room)
  • Wednesday, October 30, 7 pm – 10 pm, Rozsa 120 (Choir Room)

The dance portion of the audition will include a quick warm up and a few simple combinations. We ask that performers come prepared with a short (30 second) sample of their abilities. This is to be used as an opportunity to showcase your strengths and ability as a dancer/gymnast. The aerial silks portion of the audition will include basic exercises that will test performers’ grip and arm strength and provide opportunities for everyone to demonstrate skills learned in the Open Clinics. Performers should wear form fitting clothing that is easy to move in.

• Rehearsals:
  • Some initial rehearsals will occur throughout the rest of fall semester
  • January 12- 30, 7-10 pm (Sunday-Thursday, probable weekend dance calls)
  • Technical Rehearsals:  January 31 7-10 pm, February 1-2 all day
  • Technical Dress Rehearsals:  February 3-5, 6 pm – 11 pm (potentially)

• Performances:
  • February 6-8, 6:30 – 10:00 pm
  • Brush-up rehearsal: February 12, 6:30 – 10:00 pm
  • February 13-15, 6:30 – 10:00 pm

For more information about Rose and the Rime contact Patricia Helsel helsel@mtu.edu

For dance-specific questions, contact Mary Muncil memuncil@mtu.edu

Brighton Beach Memoirs comes to Michigan Tech

Michigan Tech student Toby Mahan plays the main character and narrator, Eugene.

“He’s a classic 15-year-old boy,” said Mahan. “He’s just discovering girls now, so it’s a confusing and very exciting time in his life. And when he has his aside, he has these brief moments of wisdom.”

Read more and watch the video at Upper Michigans Source, by Sarah Blakely.

Another opening, another show

Pictured, from left, are Kate Van Susante, Dollcie Webb, Annika Seigel (hidden), Audrey Ortiz and Toby Mahan.

Read more at the Mining Gazette, by Scott Viau.

Tech Theatre Company to present Neil Simon play Oct. 17-19, 24-26

Brighton Beach Memoirs is a witty, yet poignant recollection of growing up during the Depression.

Read more at Keweenaw Now.

‘Brighton Beach Memoirs’

Director Trish Helsel is the one putting all the pieces of the play together and said directing “Brighton Beach Memoirs” is something she had wanted to do for quite some time.

“I wanted to direct it because it’s Neil Simon’s first play where he makes a huge breakthrough and it speaks to me,” Helsel said. “Every individual in the (play) is going through something and they’re surrounded by the Great Depression.”

Read more at the Mining Gazette, by October 17, 2013

“Brighton Beach Memoirs” a play worth experiencing

In a live performance, anything can happen, whereas in a movie, the same thing is guaranteed to happen with every viewing.

Read more at the Michigan Tech Lode, by James Wood.

Featuring local locations, cast and crew, as well as music from Hannah Bethel, a Houghton High School graduate, “Mutt” is a pure, locally produced film. The crew for this film features Michigan Tech students involved in Visual and Performing Arts department, as well as students from Finlandia.

When asked about their thoughts on their first full-length film production, Paul Kirby, fourth year Audio Production major, says “it’s exciting to have a full-length film in the UP,” a place that seldom sees video production happening.

Read more at the Michigan Tech Lode, by Jane Kirby.

Quiet on the set

Production started Sept. 21 and is scheduled to run through Oct. 30. A February 2014 release is planned.

Read more at the Mining Gazette, by Scott Viau.

Making ‘Mutt’?
A day on the set of a film shot in the Copper Country

Director Rick Allen arrives next. On top of Allen comes the crew for the day, three students from Michigan Technological University, Kevin Heras, a business management major, and Paul Kirby and Andrew Villa, both specializing in audio production and technology. They’re on a tight deadline as they need to get back to school for class by 3 p.m.

Read more at the Mining Gazette, by Scott Viau.

SOUTHERN NIGHTS AUDITIONS:

Announcing OPEN AUDITIONS for Tech Theatre’s production of Southern Nights:  Unsung Songs of the Southern Nightingale, one-act masterpieces by Tennessee Williams.  Each short play has a set of characters who discover, collectively, hope, harmony, power, and passion.  The cast calls for 9 men and 5 women.  Auditions will be held in Walker 210, on the Michigan Tech campus, Sunday, September 15 and Monday, September 16, from 7-10 pm. The audition will be comprised of informal theatre games and reading from the script.  Please arrive at 7:00 p.m. The production will be performed November 14-16.  Rehearsals begin the week of September 21.  Directed by Roger Held (rheld@mtu.edu)

HOW TO PREPARE FOR AUDITIONS:  Read the play and familiarize yourself with the scenes.  Scripts are available in the VPA office (Walker 209) and may be checked out for 24 hours.  All scripts must be returned to the VPA office by Friday, September 13, 4:00 p.m.  Show up before 7 pm on Sunday, September 15 OR Monday, September 16.  We will engage in some informal theatre games then move on to reading from the script!

Williams’ Characters

Petunias

Miss Simple.  Dorothy is attractive and untouchable.  She has passed through life without it leaving any marks.  Her hair is perfect; her make is perfect.  She does everything precisely, accurately, and never says or does anything controversial.  When aroused by the young man and his promise of living free, however, she leaps to action believing it will all be perfect. She speak formally and with restraint until she busts free.

Young Man.  He like the author very much believes one can cast aside convention and live for the moment and the self and do as he wishes to meet his various appetites.  Symbolically, he is a libertine and Dorothy his promising convert.  A smiling yarn spinning con man.

Mrs. Dull is.  She is the stuffed shirt elder who has wrapped herself in social insulations so she is never vulnerable or sexually liberated in any way.  She is ready to be offended and call the police.  She is suspicious of others.  Her speech is as tight as her other end.

The Policeman is the symbol of social control.  Seemingly amiable, he enjoys asserting his authority and threatening others.  He is just a nice guy until he warns Miss Simple about leaving town then he is capable of force.

Set in Boston, Policemen may be Irish.  Others speak Standard American English.

Talk to Me Like Rain and Let Me Listen

These two characters the woman and her male companion would be white trash if they were in the South rather than New York City.  The man, if not an alcoholic, drinks to turn off the failure that is his life.  He ditches his girl to party.  She longs to be alone somewhere nice, quiet, where people just accept you and leave you alone.  He wants the torment of life to go away. They take solace in quiet talk together that would be meaningless to any one else.  In a way, they just like anyone who just wants the bad stuff of life to just stop.  Talking together is as close as they get.

The Pronoun I

The play is set in a medieval mythical kingdom. The main character is the Queen of May.  She wears an ancient mask and can remove it to reveal her beauty and sensual powers.  Her court features: her poet who begins each line of his poems with the Pronoun I.  A courtier who does her biding and an impostor who is an assassin complete the on stage cast.  Outside the crowd is in revolt.  Yes, this is an absurdist play

White Substance

An older looking man of powerful demeanor and an easy voice, a glib speaker.  He is invulnerable in his power.  It makes one uncomfortable to be in his presence as he uses his power for no good.  He feels entitled to do anything because he is special.

Young man, dependent on others for everything. He believes he can simply conform to all requests from everyone in power and thus stay safe.  He is trapped and has no way out.  Life is terrifying when you’re not alone or high on sex.

Southern Nights