City Circle Bulletins and Newsletter

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AROUND THE CIRCLE
August 1999
Volume No. 1 Issue No. 1

SUPER SPRIE

Due to the dedication of D.C. Spriestersbach, we were able to realize the first year of City Circle. Sprie organized a collection of theatre devotees into a functioning and viable group. Without his direction, leadership, charm and persistence, City Circle might have remained just a dream. Sprie stepped down as the first Chair of City Circle in June. He did not leave us, however, and with fill the Board position of Community Representative. Many, many thanks for all you have done!
 

THE FIRST YEAR

When thinking of the first year of existence for City Circle, whirlwind comes to mind. After all the meetings, all the legwork, all the calling, pleading and begging and cajoling that was done, frustrations with obtaining rights to the shows, finding a spot to call home, thinking we would never, ever get off the ground, suddenly auditions were being held for Nunsense, our first show.

Cautiously optimistic, we kept the show to two weekends, with no matinee. Having been fortunate to be cast in this show, I can attest to the rigors of publicizing not only the show, but the new theatre, that kept us all hopping. It began with the Ronald McDonald House show in June, two appearances during the Coralville 4th of July celebration (7/3 in the park, and in the 4th of July parade). Imagine 5 nuns in a red convertible!

That show enjoyed great success, and led the way into our next show, The Lion in Winter, which entertained good audiences as well. The final show of our first season was The Boys Next Door, and rounded out our season well. It is quite staggering when you look at the years of theatre experience our core group contains, and we continue to be amazed that there was no major blood shed, given all the creative differences that could have submerged our group before we even got started.

The generosity of our host city, Coralville, continues to amaze us, also. They welcomed our group with open arms, making us feel as though we had died and gone to Heaven. Now, the kinks have been pressed, and we have one show under our belts from our second season. Onward and upward.

Barbara Lee
 

HARPER WINS AWARD

John Harper, City Circle founding member and current treasurer, received the Volunteer Award from the Iowa Association of Community Theatre (I-ACT). The award was based on John's 15 years serving on the state association's Board of Directors which included terms as treasurer, president, and past-president, as well as serving six years as the Region V Director of our national group, the American Association of Community Theatre (AACT).

In addition, John has worked tirelessly as a theatre volunteer at the local level. The Award was presented to John during the Iowa & South Dakota ACCT/Fest competitions held in Sioux City last March. Congratulations, John! And, many thanks for all your efforts on behalf of community theatres at the local, state, and national levels.

Penny Hall
 

CORALVILLE 4th of July PARADE

Thanks to the Quilters cast and everyone who helped parade-goers enjoy City Circle's participation. I arranged for a convertible from Lujak's in Davenport as well as my roommate's Jimmy (he was concerned with the heat that everyone might need a break from walking).

Thanks to Jean Newkirk and Susan Short Gilbert who decorated both cars with quilts and to those who walked or roller bladed (Michael Stokes) the 2 mile HOT route handing out 800 flyers for Quilters and 90 pounds of candy. This was about twice the flyers and candy used last year and we still ran out of both!
We hoped it would help sell some tickets but beyond that it was great community involvement with a big turn out from around the area.

Jerry Howe

 

QUILTERS

TO ALL QUILTERS cast, crew, and production staff. Thank you for the wonderful show! What a great way to open our Second Season.

Camp Coralville, Theatre, & Fun

The educational aspect of City Circle's mission came to life this summer. Jean Newkirk and I worked with Sherri Proud, Camp Coralville Coordinator and Jenny Barry, counselor and play director. As a partnership event, the campers performed A Dish for a King in the Coralville City Council Chambers. Sherri and Jenny worked with the campers on the play for a week. Jean and I came the day of performance where Jean started the session with an exhibit of her costumes from City Circle productions of The Lion in Winter and Quilters. She discussed the process of designing and making the costumes for a show with some fun secrets on costuming for the stage. We then dressed the 20 characters and talked about how we chose the costumes. The play was a great success and fun was had by all.

Judy Carlson

 

More Partnership Events
Saturday, October 2, members of City Circle will participate in Theatre Badge Day for 40 Junior Girl Scouts.

City Circle founding member and actor Tim Budd will be presenting workshops in Pantomime (October 16) and Improvisation (October 30) for young adults entering 6th through 9th grades. For more information, call the Coralville Recreation Center at 319-354-3006.

Saturday, December 4 City Circle members will be at the Coralville Recreation Center where they will be involved with the Secret Santa project sponsored by the Center.
 

NATIONAL ACCT/Fest '99

John Harper and I were there among the record number of theatre fans who converged on hot and humid Memphis, TN in mid-July to witness the national finals of the '99 competition cycle. Eleven plays were presented in competition representing all of the AACT (American Association of Community Theatre) regions, including the newest one from the U.S. military programs based in Europe.

Our national winner was an excellent production of Lonely Planet presented by the Spokane (WA) Civic Theatre - a play presented by the UI Theatre Department several years ago, which featured Tim Budd, and was directed by Chad Larabee who will be directing Pippin for City Circle in November. The runner-up was The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) presented by the Charleston (WV) Stage Company, who will next be competing in an inter-national festival in Aruba. Third place was awarded to our own Region V winner - a production of Assassins presented by The Chameleon Theatre Circle of Apply Valley, MN. The group has accepted an invitation to compete in an international festival in Nova Scotia. The winning companies were selected from a wide variety of productions including Sylvia, Lovers, Death of a Salesman (cut to 60 minutes by Arthur Miller himself), and Forever Plaid. Six of these companies will be representing AACT in International festivals to be held in Lithuania, Ireland, Germany, the Ukraine, Venezuela, and Monte Carlo during the next two years.

The '99 ACCT/Fest was directed by the AACT Vice-President for Festivals, John Sullivan, who hails from Sioux City. In addition to the competing shows scheduled for each afternoon and evening - with fantastic parties held each night after the final curtain - excellent workshops were held each morning starting at 8:00 am (!!) There was much information shared about such topics as board development, the media, stage combat, senior theatre, censorship, Irish dancing, etc.. We both deemed the event as an excellent festival, one in which the buses between the hotels and theatre ran on time, where shows started (mostly) on time, and where the theatre air conditioning (almost) held up.

Penny Hall
 

The Circle Calendar
September 7, 8: PIPPIN Auditions
Place: New Song Episcopal Church, Coralville
Time: 7:30 pm

Roles for ten men and women of a wide range of ages. Bring a prepared song to perform, along with sheet music.

October 10: Second Annual Theatre in the Park.

Our friends in other local theatre groups will join us in presenting snippets from shows from their 1999-2000 seasons. Bring a lawn chair or blanket to S.T. Morrison Park at 2 pm for a fun Sunday afternoon!
 

THE SECOND SEASON continues
PIPPIN - Directed by Chad Larabee
November 12, 13, 14*, 18, 19, 20, 1999

MASTER CLASS - Directed by Cary Beatty
March 10, 11, 12*, 16, 17, 18, 2000

All performances: 8:00 pm except *Sunday Matinee: 2:30 pm
Oakdale Auditorium, Oakdale Campus


BOARD MEETINGS:
1st Wednesdays of each month at 7:00 pm, New Song Episcopal Church, Coralville. Everyone welcome!

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