Royal Shakespeare Company Partnership

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Ohio State formally announced a partnership with the UK’s Royal dramatist Company Nov 7 at the University’s Board of Trustees meeting. President Gordon Gee calls the planetary partnership digit of the university’s most important initiatives, an opportunity for two world-class institutions to become unitedly to create a premier information for the study, teacher upbringing and production of Shakespeare, inspired by the methodology and highly respected practices of the Royal dramatist Company. The partnership – the first of its category in the US – is spearheaded by The Arts Initiative at river State, and includes the College of Education and Human Ecology, the Colleges of the Arts and Humanities, and the Wexner Center for the Arts. One of its frequent components will be a three-year teacher activity information centralised upon the Royal dramatist Company’s renowned “Stand Up for Shakespeare” information (above). Additionally, the Royal dramatist Company / river State partnership will establish a Young People’s dramatist Festival, tentatively designed for 2012. For more details, click here. (Photo: Ellie Kurttz) Below, visitors from the Royal dramatist Company join OSU leaders at the Board of Trustees meeting. From left, king Frantz, Les Wexner, Gordon Gee, Lady Sainsbury, Karen Bell, Jacqui O’Hanlon, Michael Boyd, Brian Edmiston, Vikki Heywood.

Notable News

The OSU/Royal Shakespeare Company partnership already is garnering some international attention. The UK's Birmingham Post has this to feature about it. A feature also appeared in the metropolis Dispatch.

What is The Arts Initiative at river State? It's the duty of Karenic Bell, associate vice president, erst known as the Office for Arts and Culture. Why the switch? To more accurately reflect our mission to advance the arts and impact our communities. Hope you enjoy the newborn blog for The Arts Initiative!

Ohio State recently created a video documentary about the metropolis Museum of Art's exhibition Objects of Wonder from The river State University, which features comments from Karenic Bell, associate vice president, and graduate Melissa Wolfe, curator.

It's everything Andy at the Wexner Center these days! Andy Warhol: Other Voices, Other Rooms continues at the Wexner Center finished Feb 15, and features more than 700 items in virtually every medium that Warhol utilised —film, video, audio material, photography, painting, sculpture, drawings, wallpaper and more.

\"Wishes and Dreams\" by Retro-Blue is a new jazz CD featuring some OSU folks, including alums and instructurs from Music -- blackamoor Battenberg, Andy Woodson, Jim Curlis and Don Nichols. Find out more.

Urban Cabaret

Photo of the Week

The OSU Urban Arts Space was transformed into an opera nightspot on Friday, Nov 21, when 14 students and two pianists presented an evening of arias, opera scenes, singable building and nightspot in a galleria setting. The festive evening featured 30 excerpts from operas including Bizet's Carmen, Puccini's Gianni Schicchi and Rossini's Barber of Seville along with selections from Guys and Dolls, West Side Story and Les Miserables, according to Peter Kozma, administrator of the opera information in the School of Music. The 180 attendees were seated in nightspot style surrounded by artworks in the underway exhibitions.

Notable News

The OSU Marching Band is way to pedagogue DC in Jan to move in the Presidential Inaugural Parade. All 225 adornment members -- the largest all-brass and percussion adornment in the world -- will move the Jan 20 event. The adornment was chosen after a demanding covering process; it will be the band's ordinal Inagural Parade, having marched for Presidents musician Hoover, Richard Nixon, martyr HW Dubya and twice for martyr W Bush. The trip will be funded by private donations.

Dr. Gerald Buckberg, an OSU alumnus and distinguished professor of surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, has found a way to use art to teach about the human heart and heart disease.

Buckberg commissioned dancers at the University of Cincinnati to create The Cardiac Dance -- The Spirals of Life, a ballet that can be used as a teaching tool most heart function. Buckberg was back on the Ohio State campus in November to show a video of the dance to scrutiny students and the public, and to speech most his investigate in myocardial protection and approaches to treatment of accent myocardial infarction.

Photo: University of Cincinnati

Starting this fall, OSU professor Michael Mercil is installing The Virtual Pasture at the Wexner Center for the Arts, in the spot where he previously planted The Beanfield. The Virtual Pasture is phase two of Mercil's "agri/cultural" project for The Living Culture Initiative in the Department of Art, in partnership with the Wexner Center and the Social Responsibility Initiative in the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. The 500-square-foot site outside the Wexner Center along College Road includes a white post-and-rail fence, livestock forage grasses, a forthcoming apple tree and eventually a virtual flock of sheep.  for more information from the Wexner Center. Photo of Mercil by Tony Mendoza.

Alan Price (Design and ACCAD), travels to Linz, Austria, this month, where he has been invited to be conception of the noble reopening exhibition at the Ars Electronica Center. His work module be conception of a newborn addition to the center in a virtual surround grouping called \"Deep Space\". The broad resolution stereoscopic 3D actuation spans a two-story broad surround and floor with user interaction finished contact screens and motion tracking. Price's most recent work, \"Empire of Sleep\" has been adapted to the display grouping in collaboration with the Ars Electonica Futurelab team for imperishable body in the exhibition space. The public opening is Jan 3.

Student Artwork at Gateway

Artwork by MFA students Bethany Haeseler, above left (glass) and Talia Shabtay (painting) along with that by several other render students is taking center stage at the newborn offices for The Arts Initiative at South Campus Gateway. The office, headed by Karen Bell, associate evilness president, hosted an open house Nov 14, where OSU President Gordon Gee (below) crosspiece about the importance of orientating Ohio State as a cheater in the arts. Main topic of the evening was the recently announced partnership with Ohio State and the UK's Royal Shakespeare Company.

Notable News

Holiday render sale at Gateway! Glass students in the Department of Art will sell hand-blown holiday ornaments and more at The Arts Initiative offices at South Campus Gateway this Thursday from 4 to 7 pm. Stop by and browse!

The visit today by river playwright Sandra Dempsey to the Department of Theatre has been canceled.

The December issue of Artforum magazine each assemblage invites a broad spectrum of artists, critics and curators to revisit the assemblage in prowess and choose their \"top 10\" highlights. Two contributors in the current issue -- Ann Goldstein and Jack Bankowsky -- both picked the Wexner Center's aggregation Andy Warhol: Other Voices , Other Rooms as #4 in their crowning picks. To see their choices, click here.

Who's there?: The Ohio State Hamlet Project, an aggregation curated by grad students in the Department of Theatre as conception of a class assignment, brings together holdings on many aspects of Hamlet from the collections of the Lawrence and Lee Theatre Research Institute (TRI). Ranging from artifacts to essays and playbills, covering multiple centuries and countries, the items designated by the curators emphasise the fascination that Hamlet and his interpreters move to hold for audiences. The aggregation joins the beginning stages of the dweller Hamlet Project, being celebrated by symposia and culminating in exhibitions crossways Europe in 2009-10. The OSU aggregation is attractive locate at the TRI and in the Department of Theatre. For more, click here.

The OSU School of Music presents its annual Musical Celebration Concert this Friday, Dec 5, at 8 pm in Mershon Auditorium. The popular, annual musical extravaganza celebrates the pass season and showcases the school’s some performing groups, from the OSU Symphony Orchestra to its Jazz Ensemble, Glee Clubs, Symphonic Band and more. Tickets available finished the Wexner Center Ticket Office (614) 292-3535.

Day by Day....

The Ohio State Department of Theatre partners with CAPA to present the musical Godspell Apr 16-19 at the historic Southern Theatre in downtown Columbus. Originally conceived by John-Michael Tebelak, with music and newborn lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, the Ohio State creation is directed by Mandy Fox. For tickets call (614) 292-2295. Above, (l-r) Kristen Russell, Meredith Lark, Danny Ferguson and Gabriel Lopez rehearse a scene. Photo by Eric Mayer.

Notable News

The Organization of Art School Students Union (OASSU) module patron an creator talk with Chris Martin at 4 pm Weds, Apr 15, in room 262, Hopkins Hall. Martin is an abstract master who creates genre entireness bursting with color, employing elements of collage and genre imagery.

The Wexner Center module foretell its slate of season films -- indoor and exterior program -- on Weds, Apr 15, at 2 pm via live streaming video.

Don't forget about Big Arts Week at Ohio State incoming week -- with a whole slate of events planned on and around campus. Enjoy performances, prowess exhibitions, improv, films, jazz, dance, bands and more!

Got an interest in the relationship of the cosmos and the psyche? Richard Tarnas, academic of belief and social history at the Calif. Institute of Integral Studies, presents a reproval and workshop Fri, Apr 17, and Sat, Apr 18, at First Community Church in Columbus. The events are sponsored by the Jung Association of Central Ohio. Full instance students may listen the Fri reproval for free; alter ID. For details.

Marriage Comes To Mershon

OSU Opera and the Department of Theatre inform Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro Friday, May 29 and Saturday, May 30 at 8 pm in Mershon Auditorium. Set in an arts hall in the late 20th century, this updated version of a unchanged love news will be sung in European with arts surtitles. Discount ticket prices for students, senior citizens, OSU faculty and staff (with ID). Above, students Amedee Moore and David Wilson rehearse.

Notable News

Ohio choreographers are invited to submit works for a new send that's a partnership of the port Arts Council, OSU Department of Dance and OhioDance. The send involves the utilization and performance of a site-specific outdoor contemporary dance work. A chosen choreographer will create the work, using the port Arts Council grounds, a grassy sloping location with a rolling hill descending to the Scioto River. For more information contact Jane D'Angelo at ohiodance@hotmail.com or encounter the invitaiton for humbleness here (scroll down to Sept events).

The Arts Initiative's offices present a newborn exhibition May 29-June 19 -- One Year in a Lifetime: A Celebration of First Grade. OSU aluminium Cavin Bodouin, prototypal evaluate teacher at New Albany Elementary presents large-scale murals created by his 23 students as they explored a wide difference of subject concern throughout their prototypal evaluate year. Opening reception is Friday, May 29, 5-7 pm.


Ohio State's popular Percussion Ensemble Pops Concert takes place on the Oval on Tuesday, May 26, at 6:30 pm. Bring a lawn lead or bedding to this free exterior concert and enjoy the School of Music's Mallet Ensemble with music from the Ragtime epoch and the metallic age of the xylophone.

FEVER

FEVER, an original musical presented by SOUTH GATE STAGE at the Ricardo Montalban Theatre, Hollywood, as part of The Festival of New American Musicals.

Written and Directed by Howard Dando

Technical Director: Steven Torres; Choreographers: Angelica Cota, Kelly Molnar, Jill Connerly, Mary Castillo, Marisol Marquez; Music Director: Allan Waddington; Vocal Director: Marisol Marquez; Video Production: Jose Makepeace; Additional Lyrics: Frank Dineen

NEW WORLD FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS

Executive Director: Robert Herman, General Manager: Ted Griffin, Artistic Director: Howard Dando

Created to be the largest Festival in the World with World Premiers of opera, symphony, chamber music, theatre, dance and visual arts. Premiers included works by Edward Albee, Landford Wilson, Gian Carlo Menotti, Paul Taylor, Chick Correa, John Corigliano, Morton Gould, Geoffrey Holder, Alan Hovhaness, Noman Dello Joio, Leon Kirchner, Daniel Lang and Robert Ward, Norbert Vesak, Lynn Seymour, Vincente Nebrada, film festival, local theatre, dance and music companies, and museum exhibitions with commisions by Robert Rauschenberg, David Hockney and the Surrounded Pink Islands by Christo.

FUSION

Fusion Dance Company was the resident Modern Dance Company for the city of Miami. Founder and Artistic Director: Wally Lord; Executive Director: Howard Dando

Principal Dancers: Cathy Contillo, Steve Spencer, Margie-Nan Hering, Christina Perera, Robert Diaz, Iris Pell, Choreographers: Mary Luft, Kathyrn Posin, Wally Lord, Bella Lewitsky, Brian MacDonald

Fusion commisioned and introduced Michael Nyman to American audiences with the dance piece, 'Little Crocodiles.' Mr. Nyman would go on to score 11 films including 'The Piano" and 'The Libertine.'

Fusion appeared on NBC Network News with an interview by John Chancellor with Howard Dando (see below)

Photos of Fusion click below:

FUSION CLICK below for NBC Nightly News - John Chancellor and Howard Dando Interview

For WPBT (PBS) introduction to Modern Dance series hosted by Howard Dando (Part 1 of Series below):

DANCERS IN THE DARK

THE NOVEL...

“A fascinating romp through the dance world with cutthroat competition and lusty dancers. The pages flew by and I wished it wouldn't end.”

“An entertaining, well crafted look at the excitement, grace, glamour and underbelly of the ballet world - written by someone who knows that world intimately. Reads like a movie.”

“Anyone who has ever danced will love, hate and empathize with the characters in this gossipy, gritty, novel, and for everyone else, it's great eye-candy, a fast read and a darn good story.”

Amazon Book Reviews

Novel is available from Borders, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Foyles of London and major book sellers throughout the world.

Click below for Video excerpts of two scenes from the novel with dancers of The Anaheim Ballet: Elan Alekzander, Vanessa Sah, Kaitlyn Jenkins, John Ayayi, Samantha Bell, Whittney Chiang, Elizabeth Herrmann, Kathleen Jenkins.

Novel now available as an EBook on KINDLE, SONY READER, SMASHWORDS, and Smartphones, PDA's, etc.

Novel available in print at Barnes and Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?WRD=%22dancers+in+the+dark%22&box=%22dancers%20in%20the%20dark%22&pos=-1

Novel also available in print at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Dancers-Dark-Modernity-Howard-Dando/dp/0595178618/ref=sr_1_23?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217524981&sr=8-23

Selections from the the novel can be read at Amazon, Google Books, Kindle, Sony Reader, etc.

STARS OF THE AMERICAN BALLET

“A unique happening... an example of dance of a standard never seen before ... a triumph"

Alan Peterson, Dance Magazine

"America is the acknowledged center of world ballet ... Stars of the American Ballet showed how

and why." Dora Sowden, Johannesburg Star

"Excellent performance...it was marvelous!" Anna Kisselgoff, New York Times

STARS was created with a tour of South Africa, and created international headlines for being the first company to perform in front of a multi-racial audience in the history of South Africa. The company also performed the World Premier of master choreographer Anthony Tudor's 'Sunflowers' . STARS toured for six years playing to over 60 cities each year and became the most booked touring company in America.

Howard Dando, Founder and Director

Artistic Directors: Hilda Morales, Phyllis Papa, Paul Mejia, Resident Choreographer, Stephen Simmons, Resident Designer, Rick Paul

DANCERS: Fernando Bujones, Violette Verdy, Susanne Farrell, Patricia McBride, Jacques D'Amboise, Helgi Tomasson, Ted Kivett, Peter Martins, Karena Brock, Eleanor D'Antuono, Wayne Eagling, Merle Park, Merill Ashley, Allegra Kent, Kay Mazzo, Zina Bethune, Keith Martin, Hilda Morales, Marianna Tcherkassky, Cynthia Harvey, Lawrence Rhodes, Kirk Peterson, Warren Conover, Veronica Tennant, John Prinz, Anne Maria D'Angelo, Betty Chamberlain, Lynda Kuchera, Charles Maple, Phyllis Papa, George de la Pena, John Sowinski, Lisa Moon, Gigi Nachtsheim, Kimberley Pearce, Mark Mejia, Roberto Medina, Larry Hunt, Meg Gordon, Cathy Contillo, Karen Hebert, Cynthia Showalter, Barbara Weil, Roland Morrisette, Carmela Sanders, Russell Chambers, Thomas Banasiak, Sergio Cal, Manuel Urrego, Roger Rouillier, Ken Woodson, Steve Huber, James Vincent, Miguel Campaneria, Lars Rosager, Deleah Shafer.

For STARS Slide Show click below:

For Stars of the American Ballet Dance Studio interview by Howard Dando with Violette Verdy click below:

Dover Castle: Soon to be visited by King Henry II

Dover Castle is undergoing a makeover for summer 2009. Well, at least the Great Tower is! As from August 2009 King Henry II’s medieval royal court will come to life in the imposing central keep of Dover Castle.

Using a combination of film technology, characters in costume and a faithful recreation of the royal court Dover Castle will be transported back to the twelfth century - a turbulent era of England’s history, where visitors will be able to meet the King himself as he wanders the hallways.

A Frenchman, Henry ascended to the throne of England in 1154 when he succeeded King Stephen, cousin of his mother Matilda, daughter of Henry I. At the time of taking the throne England was in a state of turmoil and Henry decided to assert order. Appointing Thomas Becket as his chancellor the pair began to reform England’s failing judicial system by establishing courts and prisons, and thereby asserting royal control over the assizes.

It was a fascinating time in the development of the royals and included Henry’s attempt to take control of the church in 1164 which led to a heated dispute with the Archbishop of Canterbury, the King’s former chancellor Thomas Beckett. Unfortunately for the latter it ended in his premature death as he was murdered by four of the king’s knights in Canterbury Cathedral in December 1170.

However, in addition to a narrated elaboration of the aforementioned events, the sounds, sights and even smells of that century that will be accurately portrayed in the Great Tower. Indeed, so good is the publicity surrounding this event that Dover hotels are hoping their advance bookings will rocket once the opening date for such a fascinating portrayal of 12th century royal shenanigans is finally revealed.

Of course, as the gateway to Europe Dover also benefits from having thousands of ferry travellers passing through the port each day. Perhaps some will be tempted to stay overnight in the port to add a visit to Dover Castle to their itinerary before or after completing their cross-channel trip to France.

Certainly the kids are guaranteed to be entertained as the plans for the Great Tower also include an accurate portrayal by a suitably costumed actor of the King’s court jester known as Roland the Farter! In addition, the King’s feuding sons will also be in attendance, including Prince John, who will no doubt provide the adults with a sinister representation of the grasping would-be king. It all sounds like intriguing fun!

By Victoria Cochrane

Why One Act Plays Have Become the Ideal Theater Project

How many plays have you attended where you find yourself "shuffling in your seat" wondering when the intermission is?

Or feeling so totally "zonked-out" by the end, that you can hardly keep awake on the trip home?

In a world full of fast information, immediate gratification, and super-busy lives, few people have the time or inclination these days to watch a two-and-a-half hour play, without getting bored or restless.

Whether you think this is a shame or not, it's simply the way of the world.

For local theaters, actors and writers, we have to adjust to a faster-moving culture with shorter attention spans, particularly if we want to entice a new theatre-going public to our productions.

The best thing we can do therefore, is to make sure the theatre experience is sharp, snappy, and immediately gratifying.

Get the audience in, entertain them, then make sure they emerge feeling stimulated by the experience, and will arrive home at a reasonable hour.

This is where the one-act play comes in.

One-act plays are often used to showcase new writing or directing talent. A theater might typically run a one-act season once a year, or every couple of years.

With the change in our expectations of what is "entertainment", one act plays now make ideal theatre projects.

Be warned however: One of the traps some theaters fall into is that they insist on running three one-act plays within a single evening.

If each one-act play is 30-40 minutes long - and there is an intermission held between each play for set change - the entire experience can go on well past 2.5 hours! Simply too long for the average punter today!

These days, a night at the theatre that lasts 1.5 hours in total (including intermission) makes for a great evening out.

While some may be thinking that this is too short and people are looking for "more for their buck" - think again. People go to the theatre for one reason: to be entertained. The biggest killer is boredom or restlessness.

You are better off leaving someone eager for more, than scrambling for the door.

If you're considering running a one act play season, here's some potential ways to structure your evening:

* 2 x plays at 35-40 mins in length, with a 15-20 min intermission for set change, or

* 3 x plays at 20-25 mins in length, with 2 x 15 min intermissions for set change, or

* The most challenging option, but doable: 1 x 10-15 min play (or simply some pre-play entertainment) with very fast set change while the audience waits. Then 1 x hour length play, split into two halves, with intermission in-between each half.

* If running multiple 10 minute plays (such as for a drama class production), try not to run more than 6 plays in total. With set change and intermission added, this will end up being about the right length.

To find good one-act plays, visit www.1actplays.com

Good luck!

by Anna Stillaman

How to Find Kids Dance Fashions

Dancing is a popular past time and exercise activity for little girls (and big girls!). Of course, adults and some little boys dance as well, but in this article, we will be discussing the latest trends in dance fashions for the young child, and teach you what to get your little girl for her first dance lesson or what to send your older child to dance wearing for the more experienced girls.

The staple items for your little dancer is a leotard. You will want to ask her teacher what color leotard she likes her students to wear. Generally, you will have your child wear a pink leotard. You can choose whether to get her long sleeve, short sleeve, or a tank leotard. Many teacher's prefer the tank version because it allows students and spectators to see the lines, muscles, and movements of the arms, making them look more beautiful when dancing ballet. You may want to choose a long sleeve leotard for your daughter if she is taking lessons in the winter. If you are on a budget, try finding these at your local thrift store or kids consignment store. Little Adventures has a line of girl's leotards in pink, white, and lavender in velvet and spandex that are all machine washable and come in 4 different sizes from 2T-10.

There are special tights that dancers wear. They shimmer and make the leg look beautiful. The tights are somewhat prices, but they should last a long time if you have your little girl take them off right after dance and don't let her walk barefoot in them so the sole of the tight stays clean and doesn't turn black.

If your child's dance teacher would like her to wear a skirt or tutu over her leotard, you have a variety of choices from frilly to simple and from sequins to flowers, you can find tutus and dance skirts at your local dance supply store. Little Adventures also has a line of tutus in pink, green, and lavender to match the above leotards. Each tutu comes with a white sequin waist and a pretty flower in the middle of the tutu. If your little girl likes to twirl, you could indulge her with matching wrist scarves for pretend play or for her dance recital. There are also fun and frilly tutus else where, so just ask your child's teacher what color and style she would like. Often teachers like all the girls to dress exactly the same, so that none feel "different" or out of style. However, every teacher is different. Many teachers also sell dance clothes from their studios.

To complete the look, the dance slippers. If you got a pink, black, or white leotard, you can get matching dance shoes to match. If your child is taking tap lessons, you can find those at Payless Shoes as well as. You can new get dance slippers for around $15 and Tap shoes for around $20. If you would like to save some money, try your local craigslist or ebay for gently used shoes.

Of course, top it off with a beautiful bun, or headband to keep her hair out of her face while she is dancing, singing and bouncing. A great new fashion for hair is the Knot Head which will keep even shorter styles tightly in a bun and won't hurt or pull out your child's hair. Dancing is so much fun! Make sure she is the cutest in the class by following these few simple dance fashion tips!

by Shelby Strong

Shakespeare Festival

As an educator of the arts and humanities, I wanted to share this article about performing a concise, but meaningful version of Shakespeare for a Shakespeare Festival, for times when a full Shakespearean production is far too long.

You're a teacher looking for a shorter version of Shakespeare to perform with your students, something more manageable. You're a writer with a particular play in mind to adapt but don't know where to start.

You want to perform Shakespeare in a festival with a time limit. You're a theatre company that wants to put on Hamlet, but not all four hours of it.

There are many reasons to edit Shakespeare. But where you do start? How do you keep the integrity of the piece intact? How do you know what should stay and what goes?

Here are three elements to consider for a pared down Bard.

ONE: Know the story inside-out.

Study the full play in detail. You need to know exactly how the story is told and when important pieces of plot are revealed. Act IV scene vii of Hamlet has a lengthy, lengthy dialogue between Claudius and Laertes and it may seem on the surface an easy scene to cut. Until you realize it's the only place the poisoned sword is mentioned. Be aware of holes you might be creating in the story by removing text. Be frivolous with your cuts and you'll find yourself with a patchwork quilt instead of a cohesive piece.

TWO: Decide what's essential to the story and to your production.

These are two distinct elements. First, make a list of essential scenes and moments. For example, it's hard to do Hamlet without 'to be or not to be,' your audience will notice! What must be in the adaptation? What must be there to tell the story?

And then, think about the direction of your production. With Hamlet for example, it may be to focus solely on Hamlet's journey? If so then the Fortinbras sections an easy cut. Are you more interested in the politics of the situation? Then Fortinbras should stay in. If you know exactly why you're cutting, it give the process a purpose. Always have a purpose for making cuts, and never just slash for time.

THREE: Decide on your faithfulness level.

This is in direct reference to Shakespeare's verse structure. Are you going to keep everything in it's proper metre? Are you more interested in the character and story and could care less about iambic pentameter? Both these options will give you a much different path toward the cuts. Think about who is going to be performing the cut - professionals? Student actors? How big a part do they play in your faithfulness to Shakespeare's structure?

In the end, have respect for the text. Cutting Shakespeare into a concise version geared specially for a Shakespeare Festival is not an easy task. It takes time and you can do more harm than good. You can also create a lean, efficient script that highlights Shakespeare at his absolute best.

by Articles Directory

Seeing the Big Picture at Austin’s IMAX

If you want to see a plain, old movie, you can find any number of theatres playing all sorts of mainstream films throughout Austin. Action, horror, romance and drama are only a short walk, bus ride or car trip away. But when you’ve finished seeing the show, you may wish that there had been a little more flair and panache to truly make that 10-dollar ticket worth it. You’ll be mildly disappointed (even if tit was the best film of the year) as you wander home, thinking you should have made a different choice. You should have gone to the Bob Bullock Texas History Museum and seen a film in Austin’s only IMAX theatre.

IMAX technology uses the film frame ten times the size of the conventional 35mm film - in fact, it is the largest in the industry - to give viewers a truly unique motion picture format. The impact and size of the images alone send viewers into sheer thrill and intrigue, as they watch scene after scene of whatever may currently be featured.

The lineup changes from time to time, with shows such as U23D, but there is always one mainstay: Texas the Big Picture, funded by the Texas State History Museum, ExxonMobil and the State of Texas, is a film that retells the story of Texas, including the myth, the majesty and the magnitude of the state, in a way no other theatre could. Its information stretches from the Rio Grande and Western Texas to the Gulf of Mexico. It is truly a big film, on a big screen, offering you the big picture.

If you want to see the film or another, you should keep in mind that there is no late seating at IMAX, so arrive on time. However, you probably don’t have to worry about not getting a seat - the theatre is able to seat 389 people. As a highly accessible site, the theatre welcomes individual with additional needs: assisted living devices, Rear Window captioning and Audio Description for the visually impaired are available upon request. And with a lobby that can easily hold 150 individuals, large groups are also ushered in with great enthusiasm and excitement.

Events are also a common occurrence at the IMAX. The lobby and high number of seats make it an ideal location for dinner and a movie with 100 of your closest friends and colleagues. If you would like to reserve the area, you can contact the theatre for dates and time availability. Packages, which could include any other portion of the museum, can be arranged with your interests in mind. The possibility is at your finger tips - you simply must act, and act fast to obtain the tickets, because once word spreads, there will be no keeping the hoards out.

So if you’re looking for a one of a kind, thrilling hour, consider Austin’s IMAX. It will take you for a trip beyond your wildest dreams. Of course, if you would rather wander down to the regular theatre, by all means. But be aware that if not boredom, monotony awaits.

by Joe Cline

Best Shakespeare Festivals

If you are searching for theBest Shakespeare Festivals in Michigan this summer, chances are you have ran across the Michigan Shakespeare Festival. In their 15th year of Shakespeare Theatre, the Michigan Shakespeare Festival has a very diverse and entertaining set of shows planned for this season. In this article, we will talk about one in particular, "As You Like It".

Even though As You Like It is considered a pastoral romance play, and one of the Bard's most enduringly popular comedies, it opens in times of turmoil. Here we have hostility between brothers, a Duke unfairly exiled, royal realms seized, and a daughter separated from her father and strictly ruled by her evil uncle, Duke Frederick. These merge to create a world seemingly devoid of love, hope, or future.

Amid this mayhem, two young people, Rosalind and Orlando, fall in love at first sight. Before their love can be professed, Rosalind is banished by her uncle and Orlando escapes from his malicious brother. Unbeknownst to each other the two lovers flee to the Forest of Arden. Rosalind, for the safety of herself and her travel companions, must pose as a man, Ganymede.

Almost at once, Rosalind meets the lovesick Orlando and realizes she must put his love on trial. She entices him to woo her, even posing as a man. During this "courtship" other foresters are encountered, fools, philosophers, shepherds, shepherdesses, and Rosalind's father the exiled Duke Senior, all contributing to an ending of revelations, love and laughter. There is a reunion of father and daughter and reconciliation of two brothers. Even the heinous Duke Fredrick finds redemption in religion.

Our passage of disguise and discovery culminates in a joyous wedding finale of four couples, overseen by Hymen, god of marriage. World order is restored as self-discovery ends in true love. Humanity is regained and peace reigns once again.

Be sure to attend one of the Best Shakespeare Festivals in Michigan, The Michigan Shakespeare Festival. Also, make sure to secure tickets very soon for this year's festival, if you are interested in seeing "As You Like It", and several other Shakespeare Festival classics live.

by Articles Directory

Theatre and Dance Archives

WELCOME ...

This site will present many previously unseen photos and videos, reviews and articles from Theatre and Dance productions that I have had the honor of producing or directing. Materials are archived for theatrical research for performers, directors, choreographers, designers and audiences.

If you have materials related to these productions feel free to contribute.

Thank you,

Howard