I am AWFUL at this blog thing!

...and I apologize! My resolution for this year is to start keeping it up on a regular basis!
We're holding our first set of auditions tomorrow for RABBIT HOLE, the Pulitzer Prize winning show from David Lindsay Abaire. The show deals with a family's loss of a child and how they cope...or fail to cope. It's a gorgeous show and I'm so excited to start working on it!
One thing that's hard about RABBIT HOLE is that there are 5 characters. We have a TON of talent- we have always been blessed with amazing talent at ECC- and it's very hard to cast some shows when everyone is so good. I chose RABBIT HOLE because its a challenge for me as a director and for the 5 actors- but I know there will be some hurt feelings. I hope everyone realizes that it's incredibly hard on a director to have to cast some shows. Being an actor means putting yourself out there for rejection- that's the actors life. I admire everyone who comes through that door to audition- they are so brave and so fearless. Sometimes putting up the cast list feels like a little death. It's very hard.
But enough about me moping about being OVERBURDENED with acting talent (we are so lucky)- here's to a great season!
Grace Austin

A Piece of My Heart Rehearsal Slideshow

Its been a while....

and we're back!!! We had a very successful summer production of The Andrews Brothers and we're in full swing rehearsals for A Piece of my Heart. In addition, auditions for Leading Ladies are tonight (Spet 28) and tomorrow (Sept 29) at 6pm in the JEAPAC at 6pm. We hope to see everyone down at the theatre for what will hopefully be our best season yet!

The Patrons of the Arts event

We are very lucky at ECC to have the support of a special group of people who go by the name of Patrons of the Arts. This group provides financail support for all of the arts programs at ECC and allows ud to produce outstanding work as well as providing support for students in need. Each year, this group gets together for an annual kick off event that starts the Fine and Performing Arts season and celebrates our achievements. This year (Friday, June 19th from 6-9pm at Oak Glenn Winery), the theme of the event is "A Night of Broadway" and the ECC Theatre Department will be performing as the after dinner entertainment. Students and community members will be participating in this event with songs from The Lion King, Song for a New World, Company, A New Brain, Ave Q and many more shows. Directed by Grace Austin with music direction by Paula Nolley, this is an event you don't want to miss! For more information on the Patrons of the Arts, call Shannon Gruss at 636 583 5195 ext 2210.

The Director's Showcase

On May 13th the Beginning Directing class presented a series of scenes from 6 different shows as a final class project. Below are some photos from that night- it was the first time directing for many of them and they did an outstanding job!

New Logo

We've decided to update our image a bit- we will be launching a new website this summer on the main ECC page and along with our new website we have decided to start using a new logo for our written correspondance. Here it is!

New Season!!

Well, its that time of year- we've wrapped our school season and its time to announce our shows for next year! I've gone back and forth on choosing scripts- looking at my original choices, I realized that the season was pretty fluffy- and I wanted to give our actors (and our audiences) more of a challenge.

Our Season:

A Piece of My Heart by Shirley Lauro

The true stories of six courageous women sent to Vietnam and their struggle to make sense of a war that irrevocably changed them and a nation that shunned them. Recommended for ages 12 and up.
October 16 and 17 at 8pm. (Auditions August 24 and 25 at 6:30pm)

Leading Ladies by Ken Ludwig
This sidesplitting comedy features Leo and Jack - two down-on-their luck Shakespearean actors who are touring the Moose Lodge circuit. Penniless and desperate, they hatch a wild plot that leads them to play the roles of their lives. Filled with star crossed romance, mistaken identity and harebrained schemes. November 19, 20, 21 at 8pm, November 22 at 2pm.
(Auditions September 28 and 29 at 6pm.)

Crazy for You by Ken Ludwig, music and lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin

Set in the 1930s, Crazy for You is the story of Bobby Child, the sweet son of a wealthy New York banking family, whose dream in life is to dance on Broadway. Despite protests from his battle-ax of a mother and wealthy soon-to-be-ex-fiancé, Bobby flees to Deadrock, Nevada where he falls in love with the only pretty girl within 50 miles and achieves his dream. Crazy for You is a high energy, screw-ball comedy complete with mistaken identity, plot twists, fabulous dance numbers and classic Gershwin music.
March 18, 19, 20 at 8pm, March 21st at 2pm.
(Auditions November 30 and December 1st at 6:30pm with callbacks December 3 at 6:30pm)

The Laramie Project by Moises Kaufman and the Tectonic Theatre Company
In October 1998 Matthew Shepard was kidnapped, severely beaten and left to die, tied to a fence on the outskirts of Laramie, Wyoming.
The Laramie Project is the true story of the town of Laramie after the death of Matthew Shepherd.
In a small town after a murder…everyone has a story.
May 6, 7, 8 at 8pm
May 9 at 2pm
(Auditions March 29 and 30 at 6:30pm)

Choosing this season was hard...but I think its a perfect mix of comedy, drama, thought provoking subjects and fantastic music. We have so much talent here at the school and at the community level and I think that each script has something to offer our actors in terms of challenge. I am very much looking forward to working with our 'veterans' and new people- come join us at the theatre! If you are interested in reading any of the scripts, please let me know- we have copies in the Box Office.