CLOTA AUDITIONS

FOR LANDMARK MUSICAL

The Community Light Opera and Theater Association has announced Friday and Saturday, May 20 and 21 as tryout dates for "Guys And Dolls," a glittering jewel in the crown of American musical theater since its Broadway début in 1950. All sessions will take place at CLOTA's Center Stage, 1425 N. Inyo.
The Friday auditions begin at 6:00 p.m. and will focus on speaking roles and dancing roles; the Saturday session, starting at noon, will be for speaking roles and singing roles. Production Director Elena Vitale says auditioners should attend on both days, as line readings will be conducted at both sessions. Those auditioning for singing roles are expected to sing a brief number of their choice and to bring piano accompaniment sheet music for that number.
Auditioners will be trying for 2 female and 7 male principal roles, some of which do not require solo vocals. Vitale and her musical staff will also be casting a 4-to-6-girl singing-dancing chorus and a small male chorus.
"Guys And Dolls" offers a rogue’s gallery of rambunctious hustlers and gangsters, plus their anything-but-frail female counterparts, created by 1930s short-story master Damon Runyon. In more recent decades, many musical-theater fans have been introduced to the show’s rollicking script and unforgettable tunes by the 1955 film version that starred Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra as fast-talking, high-rolling gamblers.
The panoply of vivid characters also includes Sarah Brown, an upright but uptight "mission doll" out to reform the evildoers of Time Square, and Adelaide, a chronically ill nightclub performer whose condition is induced by the fact that she's been engaged to the same man for 14 years.
Performance dates are set for July 28, 29 and30, August 5, 6, 7, 11, 12 and 13. Perusal script copies have been placed with Red Rock Books and the Kern County Library. For more information, leave a callback request on the CLOTA hotline: 760-446-2411.

Streetcar Opens!

CLOTA's production of Tennessee William's classic play "A Streetcar Named Desire" opens this weekend!

Production dates are March 25, 26 & April 1, 2, 8, 9, 15 & 16. Saturday April 16's performance will be a matinee beginning at 2pm. All other performances begin at 7:30pm.

Tickets are on sale now at Red Rock Books.

CLOTA banquet

CLOTA's annual banquet will be held January 22, 6pm, at Victoria's at the Heritage (1050 N Norma St). Tickets are $20.

This year's theme is "All the World's a Stage," and guests are encouraged to dress in the style of their favorite CLOTA production.

In Other News: RCTT Auditions

What: Auditions for Lee Blesing's Patient A

Who: actors and techies alike

When:January 7 & 8, 7pm

Where: 1420 W St. George.

Why: roles for 2 men (30s & 40s) & 1 woman (20s), as well as tech work.

A Streetcar Named Desire Auditions

What: Auditions for Tennesee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire.

Who: Actors & Techies alike

When: January 14 from 6-9pm

January 15 from 3-6pm

Where: CLOTA Center Stage, 1425 N Inyo

Why: The chance to be a part of CLOTA's production of Williams' classic play.

This "highly emotional, very intense" play,

directed by Larry Lier,

has roles for 5 men and 5 women.

Performance added

One extra performance of Arsenic & Old Lace has been added:

Thursday, Nov. 11, at 7:30 P.M.

Tickets are now on sale at Red Rock Books.

All other performances are sold out.

Tickets on Sale

Tickets for Arsenic & Old Lace are now on sale at Red Rock Books!

In other News

IWV baritone signed for Santa Monica Opera

Once again local voice teacher David Hodgson is prepping for a stint on a prominent Southern California opera stage. Next month he will sing the role of villainous Baron Scarpia in the Los AngelesMetropolitan Opera company’s staging of one of the most popular operas of all time, Giacomo Puccini’s “Tosca.”

A major player on the local musical scene since his arrival on the Upper Mojave in 1988, Hodgson has starred in Community Light Opera and Theater Association productions of “West Side Story” and “South Pacific,” and is also well-known for solo appearances with the Desert Community Orchestra.

Despite the time demands of his teaching career here, Hodgson considers himself fortunate to be able to respond occasionally to requests for his participation on a professional opera stage, building on his advanced music studies at California State University Northridge.

“These professional appearances are enjoyable and instructive for me,” the gifted baritone says, “and they enrich my capability for meaningful teaching of my students.”

Los Angeles Metropolitan Opera was founded in 2008 with the mission of providing top-quality, affordable opera performances by the area's best professional singers, directors, designers and musicians. In the company’s presentation of Puccini's timeless story of passion, betrayal, and sacrifice at Miles Memorial Playhouse in Santa Monica, Hodgson will appear Friday evening, October 15, and Sunday afternoon, October 24. He invites persons desiring more information to contact him at 760-371-4276.

Readers' Theater

On September 18^th and 19^th, CLOTA's Center Stage Readers will proudly present a free staged reading of Shirley Lauro's "A Piece of My Heart."

This powerful and compelling play was adapted from a collection of stories of the same name, written by Keith Walker. Walker's book, which was also the inspiration for tv's China Beach, is succinctly subtitled "The Stories of 26 American Women Who Served in Vietnam." Lauro's play compiles those stories and narrows the scope down to focus on 6 fictional women - three nurses (Anne Schreckengost, Mahealani Taaga, Katherine Fox), an army intelligence officer (Arcee Duag), a Red Cross "Donut Dolly" (Dianna Taylor) and the lead singer of an all-girl band touring with the USO (Mackenzie Lucas).

The play offers a particular challenge for actors – everyone plays multiple roles. As the stories weave in and out of each other, each woman steps into the others' stories, representing instructors and officers, mothers and daughters. One male actor (Evan White) plays all of the American men the women meet along the way. And since a reading is done without the technical aspects of a full production, even the narrator (Ellen Bryant) will be pulling extra duty, creating a myriad of sound effects.

Live readings of "A Piece of My Heart" will be presented at 7:30pm, September 18, & 2pm, September 19, at CLOTA Center Stage, 1425 N Inyo St. Admission is free, but donations are gratefully accepted. This play contains adult content and language.

For further information please call CLOTA at 760-446-2411

Arsenic and Old Lace: Cast List

Abby Brewster – Dorothy Saitz

understudy Heather Blanchard

Martha Brewster – Annie Blanc

understudy Anne Schreckengost

Mortimer Brewster – Daryl Moline

understudy - Evan White

Jonathan Brewster – Evan White

understudy – Peter Konopak

Teddy Brewster – Steve Slay

Elaine – Kathleen Nicole

understudy - Krysten Coursey

Dr. Einstein – Aaron Wesley

Dr. Harper – John Slate

Officer Brophy – Brian Cosner

understudy – Heather Boster

Officer Klein – Eric Yeager

understudy - Adam Evereett

Officer O'Hara – Kevin Anderson

understudy – Curt Danhauser

Lieutenant Rooney – Andy Konopak

understudy – George "Andy" Anderson

Mr. Gibbs – George "Andy" Anderson

understudy – Adam Everett

Mr. Witherspoon – Curt Danhauser

understudy – Richard Jackson

Dead Bodies – Adam Everett, Krysten Coursey

Police Officers – Richard Jackson, Heather Boster

Arsenic and Old Lace: Audition Notice Press Release 2

CLOTA COSTUMES GET AUDITIONED, TOO.

“Arsenic and Old Lace” costumer Judy Ditzler, right., gets approval from Production Director Elena Vitale, far left, and Assistant Director K. Pearl Woolam for a late-Victorian, lace-collared gown to be worn in the Community Light Opera and Theater Association's next production.

Actors’ tryouts for the classic comedy’s 11 male and 3 female roles will take place this Friday, August 27 beginning at 6:00 p.m. An afternoon session will start at noon the next day—all at Center Stage, 1425 N. Inyo.

Red Rock Books and the Kern County Library have perusal script copies.

For more information, call the CLOTA hotline: 1+760-446-2411.

Arsenic and Old Lace: Audition Notice Press Release

CLASSIC COMEDY AUDITIONS

With the floorboards still sizzling from the completely sold-out three-week run of “Cabaret,” veteran Production Director Elena Vitale is preparing auditions for the Community Light Opera and Theater Association's next production, “Arsenic And Old Lace.” Vitale promises that this memorable American farce, a perennial favorite since its record-breaking Broadway début in 1941, will keep Center Stage’s roof beams bouncing with uproarious audience laughter as a pre-Thanksgiving holiday treat.

Friday, August 27 tryouts for 11 male and 3 female roles will begin at 6:00 p.m., followed by a Saturday, August 28 session starting at noon—all at Center Stage, 1425 N. Inyo.

Male actors will be vying to play Mortimer Brewster, a hilarious leading-man role that Cary Grant made famous in the 1944 film adaptation. Mortimer has family problems, including two spinster aunts who feel sorry for lonely old men and have taken to easing them out of their solitude by serving them home-made elderberry wine laced with arsenic, strychnine, and "just a pinch" of cyanide.

Mortimer’s murderous brother, who resembles horror film actor Boris Karloff, and another brother who believes himself to be Teddy Roosevelt illustrate the peculiarity that runs rampant in the Brewster clan. “Is it any wonder,” Vitale asks, “that Mortimer questions whether he should marry his lovely fiancée and start his own family?”

Rounding out the cast are a maniacal plastic surgeon, a quartet of not-too-competent policemen, and an assortment of lovable old geezers with a hankering for elderberry wine.

Vitale and Assistant Director K. Pearl Woolam (fresh from her knockout performance as Fräulein Schneider in “Cabaret) say the characters range in age from the 20s into the 70s. Performance dates are November 5, 6, 12, 13, 14,19 and 20. For more information, leave a call-back request at the CLOTA hotline, 760-446-2411.

Cabaret is sold out!

Tickets for all performances of CABARET - including the recently added 8/22 matinee - are sold out!

One more chance to see Cabaret!

"Because of public demand, there will be one final performance of CABARET on Sunday, August 22, at 2 P.M.

Ticket sign ups start this morning at Red Rock Books.

TICKET PRICES WILL BE $12 GENERAL AND $10 DISCOUNT since this is a special extra performance.

All other performances, including the previously added Thursday performances, are already sold out.

Tickets for this one will go fast."

Cabaret Tickets Selling Fast!

Opening Night of CLOTA's summer production, "Cabaret", is already SOLD OUT!

Tickets for all the other performances are going fast, so buy yours as soon as possible.

Performances run August 6 (sold out!), 7, 13, 14, 15 (matinee), 20 & 21.

Tickets are available at Red Rock Books for $12.

Better Late Than Never...

The Cabaret Cast List!

Emcee…Kevin LaBrie

Sally Bowels… Krysten Coursey

Cliff Bradshaw…Richard MacNeill

Frau. Schneider…Pearl Woolam

Herr Schultz…Bill Blanc

Frau. Kost…Trish Modlinski

Ernst Ludwig…Brandon McGinnis

Kit Kat Girls…Sarah Robinson

Diana taylor

Christa Krugman

Cassie Johnson

Carrie McNatt

Sam Harrison

Sharon Cardoza

Kit Kat Boys…Ala Tiatia

Damon Modlinski

Maitre’d/Customs Officer…Nate Clair

In Other News: Auditions for Escanaba!

Ridgecrest Community Theater Troupe will be holding auditions for their production of "Escanaba in da Moonlight" Friday, July 2, from 7pm-9pm at the USO Building on Ridgecrest Blvd.

"Come and audition for one of the five male and one female role. The more the merrier!"

In Other News: Star-Spangled Girl

The High Desert Players

in association with the Historical Society of Upper Mojave Desert

present

Neil Simon’s “Star-Spangled Girl,”

directed by Elena Vitale

June 4, 5,11 and 12

7 p.m. at the Historic USO Building.

Tickets are $6 presale at Red Rock Books, or $7 at the door.

The Next Readers' Theater: Charlotte's Web

The next Readers' Theater production will be the children's classic CHARLOTTE'S WEB, directed by Anne Schreckengost, with performances on June 26 at 7:30pm & 27 at 2pm.

The Cast:

Narrator - Heather Cornett
Chorus - Catherine Duff, Sarah Robinson, & Janice Baldorado
Fern - Mackenzie Lucas
Avery - CJ Sigman
John Arable - Ronnie Quintana
Martha Arable - Theresa Jones
Homer Zuckerman - Gary Schreckengost
Edith Zuckerman - Trish Modlinski
Lurvy - Krysten Coursey
Wilbur - Calvin Johnson
Templeton - Larry Lier
Charlotte - Pearl Woolam
Goose - Stacey Shoaf
Gander - Damen Modlinski
Sheep - Kathryn Garcia
Lamb - Lena Pokol

As always with Readers' Theater, admission is free & donations are greatly appreciated.

Cabaret Auditions!