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Bravery, Challenge, and The Impossible: How DCRT Chooses a Season

September 3, 2014 by dukecityrep

“We purposefully picked this season to challenge ourselves, to practice bravery and take some risks. I’m eager to see how our audiences will be served by our work!”

– Amelia Ampuero, Artistic Director

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Happy September, DCRT fans!  The summer has come to an end… which means an epically awesome Fall is just beginning! Our fifth season is underway – platforms are built, fabric is purchased, and rehearsals begin for The Drowning Girls on Labor Day.

I thought this would be an appropriate time to give you, DCRT super friends, a bit of insight into how we select a season. We get questions every year – “Where did you find that play?” “Why did you choose that?” – and now… I’m going to fill your mind with season-selection-wonder with the help of my fellow actresses in the company, Artistic Director Amelia Ampuero and Director of Media & Marketing Lauren Myers.

Our season begins in August, so we start the selection process in the prior December.  It all begins with a question:

What will challenge us as a company the MOST? We know that whatever challenges us most will result in brave, nervy, and exciting theatre experiences for our audiences.

And the answers this year:

  • A production with more technical elements and what some may label as “spectacle”
  • Bringing in new artists (actors, directors, designers)
  • Picking productions that seem difficult/impossible for us to produce

With those challenges in mind, we also have a few parameters:

  • Our second show of every season is our holiday show. So we are looking for (wait for it…) a holiday show!
  • Our third show of every season is our Winter Classic.  This can mean many things: inspired by literature or a literary figure, adaptation of a literary work, or classical drama.
  • We pay every adult artist – so we must choose plays that require 7 actors or less.

With those ideas under our belt, the hunt begins!!

We spend several months contacting playwrights we know, contacting playwrights we don’t know and asking for perusal scripts, asking mentors and friends for play recommendations, and we all read a TON of plays.  We pass around scripts if we think they are big contenders.   Month by month, we narrow it down until we select….

THE FINAL FOUR!! *the crowd goes wild!!*

OUR SEASON OPENER – The Drowning Girls

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From Amelia:

“After a long, hot New Mexico summer I like to open our season with something a little chilling, a little creepy or spooky or thrilling like Gaslight or The Drowning Girls.”

The Drowning Girls was recommended to us by Amelia’s friend, Susan (Thanks Susan!). There is a lot to love about this play – water on stage, dead women in wedding gowns, three actresses playing multiple characters.

In the words of Lauren:

“How will we incorporate water into the show? How can we give these characters full and complex lives while remembering the main circumstance–that they’re all DEAD?  Also, I’ve never done a show before with only two other people—my smallest cast to date.  There’s nowhere to hide as an actor and that thrills me!”

I’m with Lauren – small cast = nowhere to hide = fantastic, challenging bravery in acting.  Given that Lauren and Amelia are two of my favorite actresses on the PLANET, I cannot wait to run into the unknown with them.

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photos by Rick Galli

THE HOLIDAY SHOW – All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth

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Fellow company member (and my husband) Ezra and I saw the World Premiere of Two Front Teeth at Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia.  It is written by our dear friend and huge DCRT supporter from afar, Catherine Bush.  The play ends with a Christmas Extravaganza – lights, sound, music, dance, baton twirling, juggling – the WHOLE ENCHILADA.  It also includes a couple of skating/hockey sequences on stage.

From Lauren:

“For Two Front Teeth, I’m most interested in seeing Frank [Company Member & Director of Two Front Teeth] work in skating and hockey scenes on a black box stage. Because whatever he comes up with, it will certainly verge on crazy and probably slightly delusional (which I LOVE).”

I am jazzed about Two Front Teeth because several of us will be playing seven-year-old children.  I don’t know if you hang out with many seven-year-olds, DCRT super friend, but they are exploding with energy and imagination and love of adventure.  The challenge and opportunity to bring a seven-year-old to life with nuance and integrity is thrilling.

 

THE WINTER CLASSIC – Animal Farm

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This play struck us like a bolt of lightning.  We were at a company meeting, tossing around titles, books we had read in school, and when Animal Farm was mentioned, the entire atmosphere shifted.  It became electric with conversation.

As you may know, DCRT super friend, last season we initiated the DCRT Dialogue – a post-show discussion opportunity for audience members to talk about the production immediately following the show.  The post-show discussion has become a wonderful barometer for us – what discussion topics arise from a particular script? What will audiences be excited to talk about?

Animal Farm is RIFE with possibility – adaptation of a literary classic, actors playing animals, the comparison between Bolshevik totalitarianism and modern government systems. Victims and victimization. Actors playing animals… did I mention that one already?

On a personal note – I’m directing this one.  I know I’m a little biased, but the opportunity to direct a DCRT production (this will be my fourth) is a delightful treat and an artistic wonderland.  In my experience, there is nowhere else in the country where actors embrace directors more fully and openly than within the DCRT ranks.

 

THE SEASON CLOSER – The 39 Steps

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This closing slot is our most difficult pick.  We like to do a comedy in this slot.  But here’s the thing:

Good comedies are hard to find. Small cast comedies are REALLY hard to find.

The 39 Steps has been on our radar for a long time – some of us have seen it at other theatres across the country. Fusion Theatre, our fellow company in residence at The Cell, did a production in 2011.

The 39 Steps took the world by storm in 2005, premiering in England and moving to Broadway in 2008.  It is a Monty Python-style treatment of Alfred Hitchcock’s film.  And it is a technical explosion. 32 scenes in 25 different locations. Actors playing multiple characters in the same scene. Chase sequences including my favorite, a train sequence that starts inside a train compartment, moves onto the speeding train car, and then inside a tunnel (!) before ending with our main character hanging onto a bridge for dear life.  HOW DO WE DO THAT?!? We don’t know yet… but when we do, it’ll be epic and awe-inspiring.

 

In closing…

As you can see, we choose our season a little differently than you might expect.

From Lauren:

“It is important to us to entertain our audiences with a holiday show and to “lift” literary works into a theatrical plane every year—but what’s MOST important is that we challenge ourselves and our audiences every time we do it, so that, often times, neither party knows what to expect!”

From Amelia:

“I am looking forward to every single show we are doing this season! We did an incredible job of selecting shows that push our boundaries as artists and that will translate into theatrical experiences for our audiences that aren’t merely entertaining but thrilling.”

And from me – thank you.  It is because of your energy and enthusiasm, DCRT super friend, from near and far, that we are empowered to choose a rockstar season that will challenge us as humans and artists and, in turn, inspire you to continue choosing live theatre and Duke City Rep.

Until next time,

Katie Becker Colón

P.S. Wanna get in on the fun? Come audition for us – Saturday, October 4th at The Cell Theatre.  Details coming very soon!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: DCRT, Duke City Rep, Duke City Repertory Theatre, Entertainment, Play, Plays, theatre

Lovers & Madmen, Kids Save the Day, Radioactive Gals, & other highlights (and Gaslights) from DCRT’s 4th Season!

June 11, 2014 by dukecityrep

Well.  Here we are.  It’s June 2014, the sun is shining bright, and we’re still recovering from the Roller Coaster Adventure that was season number four in Duke City Rep Land.  I use “Roller Coaster Adventure” in the best way possible.  This season challenged us, pushed us out of our comfort zone, brought in some new blood and new audiences, and left us with the sort of tingling excitement that can only mean one thing:  We cannot WAIT for next season!

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For me personally, this season brought on two particularly challenging positions:  The first as an actor, where I was fortunate enough to take on some of the most difficult work I’ve ever encountered on the stage.  The second, as the new Director of Media & Marketing (“new” meaning “combined” from other positions, with some created job positions spattered about), where I started to learn and appreciate the amount of work that goes into a position that’s highly influential in getting the word out about your theatre and then getting folks into the theatre.

Whew!  I’d be lying (and laughing, hopefully, at this point), if I said that it was easy.  This year was difficult, but as I said before, it was difficult in the best way possible.

So, what does that even mean, especially in Duke City Rep Land?  Why are we always harping about “challenges” and “difficulties”?

Let me start off by saying that none of these words are BAD.  In DCRT, we try to keep everything positive, because it’s within that kind of framework that the best work happens (and we mean this EVERYWHERE—the workplace, home, and your local coffee shop!)  So when things are difficult, we embrace it.  We welcome it with open arms and say, “Heck yes!  Let’s take this on and see what wonderful things we can create out of it.”

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A perfect example, of course, was our opening show, Gaslight.  This show was a tough one on many levels.  But the idea of doing a Victorian Thriller excited us (and brilliant director Amelia Ampuero) because we wanted to push it beyond the story of a woman going insane by her murderous husband.  So in came Charles Murdock Lucas, Scenic Designer Extraordinaire, with a set that defied what some might call your Typical Literal Set.  Then there was Amelia who, with a fearless attitude and creative knack for thinking outside The Box, elevated the script beyond the text and into a realm of psychological exploration.  Along with all of this, we had to shorten our rehearsal process.  Typically, DCRT rehearses 80 hours prior to tech, usually working 20 hours a week for four weeks.  Due to the addition of three new company members moving into town, we shortened the rehearsal process to three weeks, and rehearsed a mere 56 hours before jumping into tech.  It was, along with the play, quite frightening, but liberating all the same.

548266_10151708204303802_1426339285_nI should also take this moment to mention those three new company members:  Alicia Webb, along with her husband Coleman, and their First Mate Chubbs (a spritely long-haired dachshund) came out to join us as our Resident Stage Manager, and we feel like we gained a gold mine.  Alicia’s sharp sense of humor and knack for keeping us in line and on track makes her one of my favorite people, not to mention favorite stage manager.  We also welcomed the newly married (but always fabulous) Colonis—Ezra and Katie.  While they had worked with us many times before (i.e. Wooden Snowflakes, Oedipus, and Poe), their move to the 505 made it official!  They were not only members of the Resident Acting Company, but Ezra took on the role of Production Manager and Katie became our Director of Education and Development.  Their enthusiasm, experiences in Virginia and Chicago, and incredible work ethic have helped push Duke City Rep many miles forward throughout the season!  They also happen to be some of my favorite people.  Well, basically EVERYONE in Duke City Rep is listed on my Favorite Person List.  It’s what gets me going every morning!

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So, now that our company was growing and we’d tackled our first show of the season, on came the next challenge—working with KIDS, and working with OUR LARGEST CAST TO DATE on The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!  This may sound overwhelming, but boy, was it a joy to work with some of Albuquerque’s Finest Young Actors.  Even though the experience of our cast ranged from very little to a lot of stage work, they were all students to each other and all teachers to me!  And I know that director Katie Becker Colón imparted a mountain of knowledge and experience to these kids, along with memories of fun and laughter.  Watching Katie direct our cast and give them the tools and skill set to continue their path as actors after closing was awe-inspiring.  I’d like to think that every single person who works with us leaves the stage a better human being (myself included).

While we’re gaining more and more wonderful patrons to our audiences, for those of you who have been with us for a while, I hope you’ve noticed the changes we’ve made with our ticketing system.  It will always be a work-in-progress as we want to make it as easy and accommodating as possible for you to see our shows, but I must acknowledge Box Office Manager Janaiah Tanner for her work “behind the curtain” to support our patrons.  She has spent countless hours designing, adjusting, and researching Eventbrite in order to make it accessible for you all, and she is committed to making your theatrical experience as easy-going and engaging as possible.  Hooray Janaiah!

1653397_10152041886648802_823041897_nAfter the holidays, the entire Resident Acting Company met up with the wonderful Evening Star Barron and amazing newcomer Josh Heard to begin yet another strange rehearsal process for our Winter Classic, John Hardy’s adaption of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.  The show was slated to open in March, but due to Hardy’s schedule, we had to rehearse the majority of the show in January, use February to build the set and meet up once a week to revisit the play, and jump into tech on March 1st in order to open 5 days later.  Insane?  Not quite.  Challenging?  You betcha.  A Roller Coaster Adventure of Shakespearean Awesomeness?  OHHHH YEAHHH!!!

I must now give a big **high five** to Lighting Designer and Technical Director Anna Nichols, who has not only taken on both roles for every show since she joined on a few years ago, but whose work I ALWAYS admire.  For this show, in particular, I felt as though her lighting design added an entirely new element to the world which we were building using the framework of Shakespeare’s words and Hardy’s direction.  As an actor, working under her design was simply magical.

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The other exciting and challenging part of this Midsummer process was our first official TOUR!  In the middle of the run, we began to meet up in order to “tourify” the show—in other words, shorten it to 70 minutes and maybe alter some of the content to make it middle school-appropriate.  We had the extraordinary opportunity to perform for the members of the VSA, middle school students at North Valley Academy, and patrons of the Albuquerque Country Club.  Every performance harbored its own challenges and immeasurable rewards, and we left each space feeling as though we had influenced our audience who, in turn, reciprocated those influences.  The mutual exchange of creativity and love was bewildering and lovely.

It was during Midsummer that we also launched the “DCRT Dialogue,” where third party members of the community moderated conversations with our audiences after each show.  We were excited to ignite this idea for a number of reasons, including giving all of you an opportunity to chat about what you just experienced with each other!  We are grateful for every person who came in to help us out as moderators, and we are continuing to move forward with these post-show discussions in order to make it enjoyable and engaging for our patrons.

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Then came These Shining Lives.  I had the wonderful opportunity to be able to WATCH a DCRT show for the first time in over a year and half.  And it was quite the experience.  This cast and crew faced a similar challenge to Gaslight—a shortened rehearsal period, with director John Hardy leaving after tech to head back to Virginia for a previously arranged engagement, along with a special performance at the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History.

Just to give everyone an idea, here’s how the second weekend of our run went with the special performance:

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THURSDAY NIGHT:  Performance.

After show, tear down set.

FRIDAY MORNING:  Meet Bright and Early (hellooooo coffee!) to load up a truck with set.

Drive to Museum.

Unload set.10173730_10152210801368802_8136992999079844642_n

Re-Build set.

Tech show in space.

Go home and shower (we were a little stinky by this point).

Come back fresh and clean, chat with our fantastic audience over food and drinks.

Performed show.

Had touching and enlightening Q&A with audience after show.

SATURDAY MORNING:  Meet Bright and Early again (more coffee) to tear down set.

Load truck with set.

Drive back to The Cell.10291073_10152194053398802_3045993334704665188_n

Unload set.

Re-Build set.

Go home and shower (stinky again).

Come back for another performance!

It’s here that I must also give a special shout-out to the Nuclear Museum.  Not only were they incredibly accommodating, but enthusiastic to share this experience with us.  It was pure joy to work with them, and we cannot wait to pursue further special performances in the future!

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But I’m not done with this show.  Not at all.  Because I cannot think of a deeper and more engaging show to end our fourth season than These Shining Lives.  As I said before, I not only got to watch and experience this touching, inspiring, and profound production from the audience, but I also got to hear what all of you had to say as you left the theatre.  And your remarks, comments, opinions, and overall reactions touched me just as much as the play did.

Why?  Because we fulfilled our mission.  We served our audience—you all.  Your responses to the show were thought-provoking, heart-wrenching, smile-inducing, and I relished each and every conversation with our patrons after every single show.  So thank you.

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Wow.  That was quite the season, wasn’t it?

And now…now what?

Well, as I’m sure you’re aware, while we may rest a little bit after every big project, all of us at DCRT don’t sit still for long.  We’re eager with anticipation for the next thing from which we can learn and share something.  So here’s what you have to look forward to:

Duke City Rep’s Inaugural Summer Academy

—We’re officially launching our first ever two week education program, led by the Resident Acting Company.  In the mornings from 9am-noon, students will learn Life Skills Through Stage Skills through Acting, Improvisation, and Voice and Movement.  All classes will take place at North Valley Academy, and if you’d like more information or a registration form, please visit www.dukecityrep.com or visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/DCRTacademy.

DCRT SA PC Front

 

5th Season Announcement Party!947212_10151566653458802_1289886335_n

—Can you believe we’ve already been around for almost 5 years!?  It seems like we just opened Trust at The Filling Station yesterday.  But stay tuned for details on where, when, and how you can be the FIRST to know what exciting productions are in store for the 2014-2015 season!

 

 

 

Best of the City Voting1476215_10151858464818802_368498878_n

—We’ve been voted “Best Theatre” in the city for every season we’ve been in existence.  And we’re pretty sure part of that reason is because we’re here to serve YOU, our audiences.  So be sure to let Albuquerque the Magazine know!  You can vote for us for “Best Theatre” and “Best Actor” HERE!

Some recommendations for “Best Actor” include:

Amelia Ampuero

Ezra Colón

Katie Becker Colón

Frank Taylor Green

Lauren Myers

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A moment to acknowledge the people who have helped us along the way, because Duke City Rep would not be what it is without the fabulous support from some fabulous folk:

Rick Galli:  He’s the guy that takes all of our PR photos and production photos.  Rick makes us look good, and for that, we are eternally grateful.  He’s also shot and directed a few of our trailers on YouTube, which puts DCRT out into the electronic world in the coolest way possible!

Scott Milder:  He’s another great director of our trailers, not to mention a great supporter, friend, and creative confidant.

Josh Heard:  This guy not only did some brave and nervy work in Midsummer, but helped out with build for that show AND These Shining Lives.  You rock, Josh!

The Cell Theatre:  For giving us a lovely, clean, and creative space in which we can pursue elevated theatrical work!

Our Season Sponsors:  Southwest Gynecologic Oncology Associates, Pay Day Inc, Renal Medicine Associates, McDonalds, the Scott Family Foundation, and Sheraton Uptown.  Thank you for supporting live theatre in Albuquerque!

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And, from Lauren’s File, the entire DCRT Company:  Amelia, Frank, Katie, Ezra, Alicia, Anna, Janaiah (and John Hardy too) for being some of the greatest teachers I’ve ever known.  I’ve grown immensely as an actor, artist, and person since I started working with all of you.

DID YOU KNOW?!

A few facts you may or may not know about the members of DCRT:

—Duke City Repertory Theatre houses the ONLY Resident Acting Company in all of New Mexico.  Rad!

—Artistic Director Amelia Ampuero is freakishly flexible.

—Associate Artistic Director Frank Taylor Green came in runner up for “Best Actor” in Local iQ’s Smart List Poll.

—Two company members (Amelia and Lauren) are Burque natives.  But the rest of the company comes from ALL over the nation!  Including:  Kansas, Missouri, Georgia, Washington DC, and Tennessee!

—Ezra and Katie exchanged their wedding vows in the same city they met—Abingdon, Virginia, which houses the Barter Theatre.  This is ALSO where Amelia, Frank, and Anna met them a few years ago, and thus the seeds for Duke City Rep were officially planted!

—Box Office Manager Janaiah Tanner recently became an official Broker for One Stop Realty!

—Katie Becker Colón not only recently became an Area Manager for Arbonne International, but Anna Nichols, Janaiah Tanner, and Evening Star Barron are all consultants as well!

—Every single member of Duke City Rep is in love with their dogs.  Except Frank, because he’s in love with his cat.  And Katie and Ezra, because Katie’s allergic to canines.  And Lauren, but it’s only because she plans on owning one very soon…

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With that, folks, I hope you enjoyed Lauren’s first ever (but hopefully not the last) blog post for Duke City Rep.  If you have an idea for a post that you’d like one of us to write (or if you’d just like to hear from a particular Company Member in general), feel free to let me know!

Adieu, patrons, and see you at the theatre!

~Lauren

Filed Under: musings, Projects, Season Recap Tagged With: Best of the City, DCRT, theatre

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