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Around the Circle
August 2000
Volume No. 2 Issue No. 1
Coralville Parade
This year's 4th of July parade was just as much fun as the last two, and very
well received. We had two convertibles and a Jeep to hold the cast, candy and
flyers for Forum. I had the honor of driving the red Mercedes convertible, David
Schoen drove the Spyder convertible compliments of Lujack's in Davenport, and
Jerry Howe drove the Jeep. Don Schneider was this year's lucky person to roller
blade the parade route. Over 100 pounds of candy was thrown and 1000 flyers
distributed. We were very fortunate to have been in 29th position, and just as
we were pulling back into the Geico parking lot it began to rain. We were
frantically pulling costumes off people so the downpour would not ruin them.
What lucky timing, and one of our best venues to advertise the theatre and the
show.
Barbara Lee
To all FORUM cast, crew, and production staff. Thank you for the WONDERFUL show.
What a great way to begin our Third Season!
Forum Breaks City Circle Records
The recently-concluded summer production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to
the Forum was the most successful show of City Circle's three-year history in
terms of box office appeal. It broke the original record held by Nunsense in
1998. In an auditorium set up to seat 110 audience members, Forum's five evening
performances drew an average of 113 persons per show, with an additional 50 at
the Sunday matinee. The sales through our Coralville Recreation Center box
office for this show exceeded the entire business they did for all three shows
of the 1999-2000 season combined. Thanks not only to Michael and a spectacular
ensemble cast, but to all who worked so hard to promote the show throughout the
community.
John Harper
Auditions Scheduled for Quilt Musical
Auditions for City Circle's fall production, Quilt: A Muscial Celebration, will
be held on Thursday and Friday, September 7 and 8, at 7:30 p.m. at New Song
Church on the Coralville strip. There are both singing and non-singing roles for
adults from 18 to 75, and for one 10-12 year old girl. The production will be
staged during the first two weeks of November.
Quilt (not to be confused with our recent musical Quilters) tells multiple
stories of the lives of persons who have died of AIDS, using AIDS quilt panels
as the primary basis for the set. Stories are told and sung by those who have
made the quilt panels in memory of sons and daughters, parents and relatives,
friends, neighbors, and colleagues. There are two major roles for a male and a
female, both in their 30's. The show is constructed so that other cast members
may play multiple roles; so the cast size may vary from 13 to 22. The tone of
the show ranges from heart-breaking recitations of memories to some very funny
songs and moments.
Because this musical production will be an Iowa premiere, and is unfamiliar to
nearly everyone, director John Harper will schedule an evening meeting in August
to provide an overview of the show and to play tapes of many of the songs of the
show. Those who are potentially interested in auditioning and would like to
attend such a meeting are encouraged to email the director (john-harper@uiowa.edu)
for further information.
Those who would be interested in working on the construction of quilt panels for
the show, beginning in August and through October, are encouraged to contact
Judy Carlson, the quilt coordinator of the show, at jlcarlsn@ aol.com or phone
her at 337-9004.
John Harper
The Circle Calendar
September 7, 8: Quilt: A Musical Celebration Auditions
Place: New Song Episcopal Church, Coralville
Time: 7:30 p.m.
October 15: Third Annual Theatre in the Park.
Our friends in other local theatre groups will join us in presenting snippets
from shows from their 2000-2001 seasons. Bring a lawn chair or blanket to S.T.
Morrison Park at 2:00 p.m. for a fun Sunday afternoon!
Upcoming Partnership Events
Friday, August 11, Camp Coralville participants will present The Gumdrop Dragon.
Jean Newkirk and Judy Carlson will discuss an aspect of costuming then costume
the actors for their play. This is the second year for this project and is
coordinated by Sherri Proud, Camp Coralville Director.
Saturday, October 14, members of City Circle will participate in Theatre Badge
Day for 40 Junior Girl Scouts.
Cary Beatty (director of City Circle's production of Master Class) will teach an
Acting Workshop, Stage Struck/Stage Scared at the Coralville Recreation Center.
For more information, call the Center at 319-354-3006.
Saturday, December 2 City Circle members will be at the Coralville Recreation
Center where they will be involved with the Santa Shopping Spree. The project is
sponsored by the Center and is the second year for City Circle participation.
Season Selection Committee 2001-2002
The selection process for shows and directors for the 2001-2002 season will soon
begin. The committee invites qualified and interested directors to submit shows
for consideration by calling the Chair, Michael Stokes, 319-339-8038. The
committee will begin regular meetings in August to begin discussion of all
submitted plays. Director interviews will occur in late December or early
January. The final recommendations for the season shows and directors will be
presented to the membership at the January meeting for approval. Our season
consists of three shows. Special consideration will be given to shows that are
crowd pleasers and known to be big hits. An equal effort will be made to select
at least one show that is recently available for production, fulfilling another
of our goals to produce at least one newer work.
If you are interested in directing for City Circle, have a great idea for a
show, or have any questions about the process of the committee, please contact
Michael at the above-listed number.
CITY CIRCLE RECEIVES GRANT
The City Circle Acting Company was recently awarded an L.K. Boutin grant by the
Iowa Association of Community Theatres (I-ACT). The award was for $300 which was
then matched by City Circle for the purchase of a dimmer pack to expand the
Company's lighting equipment inventory. Thanks to John Harper for writing the
grant, and to Brian Gilbert for technical knowledge and assistance. The
equipment was initiated during the Forum run.
Penny Hall
I-ACT & AACT REGION V CONFERENCE
The Iowa Association of Community Theatres (I-ACT) and Region V of the American
Association of Community Theatre (AACT) recently held a joint meeting at Lake
Okoboji. Penny Hall, I-ACT Board Member, and John Harper, program panel member,
attended the conference, representing City Circle. Old friendships were renewed,
and new ones developed during attendance in workshops dealing with such topics
as public relations, marketing, fund-raisers, children's theatre, set design and
construction, and the very popular Preparing for AACT/Fest. The conference
attendees saw two shows, Love, Sex, and the IRS presented by the Okoboji Summer
Theatre, and Pump Boys and Dinettes presented by the Spencer Community Theatre.
The group also enjoyed a stunning reader's theatre presentation of Greater Tuna
by members of the award-winning Spencer High School speech and drama program. It
was a well-planned and most enjoyable conference.
Penny Hall
BOARD MEETINGS: 2nd Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m., New Song Episcopal
Church, Coralville. Everyone welcome! Next meetings: August 8, 2000; September
12, 2000; October 10, 2000.
Family Affair
Forum was a family affair for Director Michael Stokes and his 18-year-old
daughter, Jessica. Here's her story:
The theatre tradition runs through my family, from my uncle T.J. to my mom and
dad. My stage debut just happened to be Fiddler on the Roof in fifth grade,
directed by Michael Stokes. Getting my feet wet early, I performed in dance
recitals starting at age five, musical since age ten, and choirs since age
twelve.
When I was a sophomore, the drama teacher asked me to choreograph a small dance
for the madrigal dinner. It was a short dance for only five people, but after I
saw this group of people on stage doing steps to a dance that I had made, I knew
that this was the first of many dances I would choreograph. Since then, I have
done pieces for special acts, show choirs, and a couple little scenes in
musicals.
The biggest project came when my father asked me to do the choreography for A
Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. How important my role was to the
actors in the show and to my dad didn't sink in until I started on my first
song. I didn't want to make anything too difficult because I didn't want to
stress anyone out. Besides, the focus should be on the actor's character, not
how well they can memorize dance steps. My greatest concern was doing the actors
justice on stage. This was an extremely talented group of people and I was
responsible for making them look good in the dancing department. It was
wonderfully reassuring that I could call my dad and check out dance moves or
bits with him before a rehearsal, just to make sure my ideas were okay. After a
while, I called him less often while my confidence grew.
When the Gazette posed the question would he request his daughter to choreograph
a show for him again, he said yes. Will I take on another Michael Stokes
production? Absolutely.
Jessica Stokes
A special THANKS goes to Brian Gilbert, our computer guru (& lighting wizard)
who designed and maintains the City Circle website. If you haven't taken a look
at it make sure to visit our Website at
http://www.citycircle.org
The THIRD SEASON continues
QUILT: A Musical Celebration
Directed by John Harper
November 3, 4, 5*, 9, 10, 11, 2000
MARVIN'S ROOM
directed by Tim Budd
March 23, 24, 25*, 28, 29, 30, 2001
All performances: 8:00 p.m. except
*Sunday Matinee: 2:30 p.m.
Oakdale Auditorium, Oakdale Campus