Writing?

There's been quite a few people who have talked to me (or I have talked to) about playwriting. The Thespian festival offers a competition for one acts, and I'd love to have a student written/student directed night of one acts. So if there's anyone else out there with an interest (or you know someone), drop me a line and I'll get you info.

Wait what

Okay, I stopped posting because I (well, you don't want to hear me rant all the time anyway) thought the blog is just for OUAM. (See title on top of site). But as there are new posts, what is up?

As some of you know, I obnoxiously burst out into "WITH A "F" AND A "R" AND A..."
Each time I am smothered by a fellow thespian, of course.

Fred lives on, man.

Upcoming event information!

Hi everyone!

Although the show is over, there are still two upcoming SHS theatre events!

International Thespian Society Inductions & 2nd Annual Thespy awards
When: Wednesday, May 7th at 8.00 Pm in the auditorium
(Rehearsal for ITS member & inductees is Monday, May 5th at 7.30)
What: The International Thespian Society is an international group that awards excellence in theatre. (It's basically like NHS for theatre). SHS's troupe has been active since 2005 and we will be inducting 17 new members, and honoring current members who have earned their drama letter. AND we will be handing out the Thespy awards. (Think SHS's own Oscar ceremony). It is always a good time, and if you don't have enough points to be an official Thespian, it's neat to see the ceremony and learn a little more about ITS.

The Rosies - AKA the York County High School Theatre Awards
When: Sunday, May 18th at 6.00 at the Strand in York
Practices are Wednesday, May 14th at 7.00 in the auditorium AND Saturday, May 17th from 9.00 - 9.30 at the Strand.
What: The York County High School Theatre Awards celebrates the theatrical work of York County high schools at the Strand-Capitol, also participating are the following schools: Red Lion, West York, Eastern, Northeastern, Southwestern, Central, Dover, Kennard-Dale, William Penn, Spring Grove, & York Suburban.
Each school will be performing a number from their show, and will have an opportunity to hand out awards to their participants. (These awards are different from the Thespys -- The Thespys are more show oriented (i.e. best actor in a play) whereas the Rosie awards are going to be overall awards - Best Actor, etc.)
We have tentatively decided to do "Song of Love" this is however providing that we can get the necessary people at the show.

Therefore, I need responses from everyone regarding if they can attend the Rosies & both practices. (Please respond even if you can not attend so I don’t have to call you to find out!) You may respond in one of three ways.

1.) Call me - 717-542-8561
2.) Email me - info@susquehannocktheatre.com
3.) Fill out the form on the website: www.susquehannocktheatre.com/rosies

Also, everyone going to the Rosies has to pay $5 for your ticket (sorry, we just don't have it in the budget). If you respond that you are coming, you have to pay for this ticket. (If you have a parent that is coming and would like to sit in the performer/chaperone area let me know and their ticket will also only be $5). Tickets are more expensive at the door and for pre-order for the non-performer price.

We also get to select four people to participate in the closing number for the show. These four people will be selected once everyone’s responses are sent in. Please let me know if you would like to be considered.

Please respond by Sunday, May 4th! Don't make me have to track everyone down!!!

Remember me???

Yeah, just thought I'd write something here since everyone has forgotten the poor lil' blog since the end of OUAM...

Thespian Inductions next week, Rosies in two... Excitement!

Haha, hoho, haha, ho

The end/Not the end

Well...the castle's gone, Pam's got the costumes put away, and Heather's turned in all the bills we accrued throughout the run...Farewell Mattress! But have no fear, as we will once more get the band back together for our triumphant Rosies performance on May 18th! (More details to come of course), and in between there we'll have a new crop of Thespians inducted as well as our very own SHS Theatre awards. And of course, there's always next year with Romeo and Juliet and whichever musical we do is going to pack the house!!!

Anyhoo...to the actual point of this thread-- I would recommend to anyone who has the time or the inclination, to participate in theatre over the summer break! We're lucky to live in an area with quite a few opportunities to do theatre with community groups, and it's always great to get more and more stage time in (believe me, it shows come audition time!). So to that end, I present to you a nearly incomplete list of stuff going on in our area. If I missed something, please let me know, and I'll add it! And if you get cast in any of them, let me know--I wanna come see it!

Dreamwrights Youth and Family Theatre (York) -
Into the Woods
Auditions: May 6 & 8 6pm (Note, this audition is connected with a summer class that you have to pay to be in. More details on their website.)

The Music Man
Auditions: June 3 or 4 6pm at PSU York’s Pullo Center
More info: http://www.dreamwrights.org/

Eichelberger PAC (Hanover) -
Cats
Audition Times: May 12^th or 13^th 7pm
More info: http://www.theeich.org/

Stewartstown Summer Theatre (Stewartstown UM Church) -
The Wizard of Oz
Audition Times: Sat 5/17 - 9am, Noon, 3pm; Sun 5/18 1pm; Mon 5/19 6:30-9:30pm
Performance Dates: July 30-August 9
Ages 12-19
Register Online: www.stewartstownumc.org/summertheatre or email sumcdrama@hotmail.com
(*As a point of full disclosure, I must add that I (Will) direct this show! Participation in this show does not reflect on the school shows, and vice versa.)

York Little Theatre
Coming Season not announced yet. Summer Classes are enrolling now
Check www.ylt.org for details

EMC Dance Studios (New Freedom)
Summer classes offered
See www.danceemc.com for details

Opening Knight..s and ladies!

We. Rock.

One more til' opening night.

The excitement is almost palpable, ain't it? The show's down to a tidy 2:35 (and we can cut a few minutes off yet!), costumes, set pieces, props are all coming in. I love the days right before a show, especially when there's not a lot of tweaking to do! This show has been a breeze, and I think it's going to be one of the best yet (I say that every year...but it's true this time!). I took alot of pictures tonight...but this by far is the best.

Ah...heck day...

Wow...what a long day...rehearsal from 1-8, and we only got through the show once!

It's not the worst one ever though, rest assured. Now to get the time down to about 2 hrs 15 minutes! (that's the goal!)

I took a few pictures today...enjoy!

Commercial #1!!

Hooray! The first commercial for our loverly little production is ready!



I apologize to Leah, whose voice was butchered during post-production...

Watch it, love it, and send it all over the world. :D

One week until opening night!!!

Even More Pictures!

Everything's almost done, and it's a great time to show off what we're doing on stage...can't wait til next week when we have some pictures IN COSTUME!

Zoe's Maiden Flight
Hellooooo Ladies.


Kyle and his rack.

Caged.

You know you're in a musical when...

someone comments to you how they hope it'll be a nice weekend and you reply nervously, "No! Don't say that! We need rain! LOTS AND LOTS OF RAIN. Pray for bad weather!"

...if anyone else wants to chime in on one of these...


(I'll edit additions on here so everyone doesn't have to click the comments button-The Editor)

"You know you're in a (High School) musical when...tech week is devoted to getting the running time under four and a half hours."

" You know you're in a musical when the set designer has ever told you not to walk on the left half of the stage because the floor's still wet -- five minutes before curtain."

9 DAYS...

Springtime for Hitler and Germany!

I know this has nothing to do with theatre, but...

I demand all of you walk outside and experience the beauty that is spring! I see green buds, and daffodils, and the sun is out (oww, my eyes!)

I currently have the window open as I type this. Just listen to the calming sounds of Shrewsbury's Main Street. Ahh.

Why, I can tie this in with theatre! I was so inspired by the season that I went to Shrewsbury's playground and belted out songs from the musical.

Several children ran away. Looks like I lost us some tickets! :)

More Pics

Here are some more pictures!!

Awww...
Bye Bye Birdie
It's the Nightengale of Samarkand!!!

Happily Ever After...
Hmmm...
Pretty Flowers!
Once Upon a really dirty Mattress

Liz is debonair...

On pics, slogans, and filmography...

I have new pics, but I left my memory card downstairs and I do not feel like getting it. Besides, you need something to look forward to...

So, one of the slogans for our overdramatic, AMAZING commercials is; (cue deep announcer voice)
"In a world where evil reigns and love is forbidden, one woman will dare live happily ever after."
Thanks to Lily for this amazing cure for... creators block.

And, jsyk, Filming the show is absolutely amazing. I am able to catch sooo many extraordinary things that people would never do outside of the Richard D. Hupper Auditorium. And since I own the material, I can put it on YouTube. >:)
jk.

So, I'd thought id just let you all know that.

10 days, everyone!!

Behind the Scenes

As production assistant, I get to see a little more behind the scenes action than others might. Most people don't realize that what goes into making a show complete isn't just the cast and the pit, the people the audience sees and hears. There is the crew for the set, the wonderful costume ladies, our lovely patrons, the director and his wife, and the parents of the cast, crew, and pit members.
The SHS crew always goes above and beyond to make our set the absolute best. What can we say to our costume ladies. They put the show into the appropriate time period and to make us all end up looking perfect for stage. Without the patrons, our show wouldn't bring in nearly enough money to help pay off the bill we have from putting the show together. Will and Heather, they do so much to make the show happen and to cast people where they are perfect to be. But still, without the parents of all these people who need to be at endless amounts of practices, parents of the crew members who spend endless hours creating a set and finding props for crazy stunts, and the parents of the pit who can bring them to pit rehearsals, this show would never happen.
So thank you to each of our behind the scenes people. Actors/actresses are great and all, but there would be no chance of a show happening and having order at rehearsals without all of our behind the scenes people! We owe our show to you!

Staff Spotlight

Me and My oldest oldest Daughter Katelyn on our annual camping trip for her birthday.














My youngest daughter Aubrey, her first day on her bike!













My Wife and Daughter Katelyn on our vacation to Stone Harbour last year.





Staff Spotlight:

Full Given Name: Joseph Michael Kress (Named after Archie Bunker's Grandson born on the show the same day that I was 01/28/1976).

Day Job: Which one..... My Mom and I own our own business, we do Title Searching and Abstracting (has to do with real estate). I am also the Tech Director as you all know for both Susky and for York High. On top of all that, I also own my own business called A&K Graffx which is a graphic design business....alas, it is mostly pro-bono (volunteer/donated) work for non-profit groups that fight things like aids, sexual discrimination, cancer, pretty much anything that comes my way. Will and I share the same degree from the same college. And of coarse, full time Husband and Dad (and yes, that is a job all in it's own)!!

Most Played song on my Zune: Well, not sure.....I listen to everything and anything but have so little time to listen to music that it's hard to have a most played song :)

What was the first play/musical you ever saw: Well, that I can remember, the first musical I saw was my step-aunt played the Wicked Witch of the West in York College's production of WOZ. My first Broadway show that I ever saw (and will ALWAYS remember) was Phantom of the Opera!!!

What was the first show you were ever involved in & what did you do: Well, let's see....I believe it was a musical at York High called Peace Child the Musical based on the creation of the real organization called Peace Child (for which I was a member of as well) and I had one of the male leads in the show....I know....Joe our techie actually started his theatre career on the stage, not behind it!!! There was also a play I was a lead in, but it was in the third grade at Lincoln Elementary School and I don't remember what it was called, but come to think of it, I actually helped with our tiny little set then as well.

What do you like most about Technical director / Light/ Sound/ & Props: Well, that's not hard to figure out, first of all, all of you young adults in crew and cast and the adult staff make it a very enjoyable job, it's always great to think of your job as a second family!!! Plus, think about it, where else can you be 32 years old and get to build things that go up, down, poof, pop, bang, splash....things that when you are buying the supplies to make, your own daughter says "Dad, I have no idea how your mind works"!!!! It's like being 5 years old and building with legos...it's another world!! It's always cool seeing people get excited about what they just saw and a great feeling when everyone goes "how did you do that" or "can you teach me to do that/build that", and there is no greater feeling of accomplishment than when everyone says, "no way" "it can't be done" and yet you find a way to get it done and get it done well!!! And as Walt Disney once said "...it's kind of fun to do the imposable..."!!

What do you do for fun: Well, when I am not working, being a Dad and Husband take over and to me, that is fun. Also playing the Wii, hanging out with friends, working on my fish tanks (I currently have 4 fresh water and 1 salt water tanks), and probably my favorite, watching movies.

Any shows you are just dying to work on: Well, that's a hard one, there is just so much out there and so much more being developed every day.....I would have to say....honestly, I don't know...all I can say is "BRING IT ON" (and I mean bring it on, not the movie!!!). I do know I want a break from anything set between the 30's and 50's!!!

Who would play you in a movie about your life: Well, it's hard to say there's anyone out there as good looking as I am in the movie industry right now................JK...........LOL.....................ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would have to say that I don't think I look like any actors, but I would have to pick my hero, Ty Pennington of "Extreme Makeover Home Edition" because he gets to do all the cool stuff I like to do, we are both pretty crazy, we both love to build, and I try to live my life helping as many people as I can just like he does!!! And I would not be adverse to any of you nominating my family for the show (hint, hint).............LOL :)