Sept. 6-9 & 13-16 at OVER THE LEDGE

DANCING AT LUGHNASA, by Brian Friel. Directed by Mary Job.  
Winner of Tony, Olivier and Drama Circle Critics’ awards for best play, 

DANCING AT LUGHNASA is the memory of 7 year old Michael Evans, told from the perspective of the adult Michael, about his mother and four aunts in the late summer of 1936 when three remarkable events occurred: his uncle Jack, a missionary priest, returned home after 25 years, he met his father, and, wonders of wonders, the Mundy sisters got a wireless radio! The adult Michael watches as his mother and aunts' search for and find the potential for love--only to lose it as the hardships of life and the limitations of small village mores contain them. A “ravishing memory play” that “carries its characters and audience aloft” The New York Times 
More info at http://www.overtheledge.org

Renegade Theatre Festival was fun and THANKS to Chad Badgero & Co. for copying theGLUT Season Calendar to distribute there. This is the calendar I use to post on the website (up to October-ish now; tedious…) and to send monthly emails to Theatre Leaders asking for updates. 

I am attaching a pdf of this calendar, below. If you print it out, use LEGAL SIZE paper 8 1/2 x 14" - and print the pdf at 100% - don’t let your printer add margins or “shrink to fit”; the type is small enough already! 

(Not sure this is uploading... If it doesn't work, email me at JSZussman@gmail.com and I'll email you one.)

Renegade Theatre Festival (http://renegadetheatrefestival.org) last night provided another array of short and long(ish - no more than an hour for “full length” - shows at the Friends Meeting House on the north end of Old Town, Turner St. All Renegade shows are FREE, but welcome donations to support the cause. We particularly liked Evolution, Downsized and Avocado Toast.

Tonight 7 pm - offers a few we’ve yet to see, and repeats of favorite Party Favors and Buzzkill.
AND
Renegade Ruckus, 10:30 pm tonight will be the result of a 24-hour writing/rehearsing blitz masterminded by Jeff Croff. We saw the writers lurking expectantly outside the Meeting House last night, awaiting their prompts — I think it’s six authors each writing a script that will given to one of six actor-teams this morning at 10:30. They will be rehearsing all day to give us a VERY “fresh” set of mini-shows tonight at 10:30 - NOT in the Quaker Meeting House but in the “META Collective” 718 Cesar Chavez (E. Grand River) in Old Town.
AND

A short walk away from “Meta Collective” at Sir Pizza Grand Cafe’ is Headband and Big Bucks and the Loose Change Blues Band on Sat., Aug. 18 from 8-midnight! Check out Dave Winkelstern’s fun band around/between/instead of the various Renegade Theatre Festival options.

Your car could be a star!

Meghan Eldred Woolsey is directing Grease this fall at DeWitt. She says, “I am on the lookout for a car we can use for Greased Lightning - preferably a 1950's hot rod. We'd love to use an actual car, but would need to modify it so that one side looked old. We are also willing to purchase or rent a gutted car that we could then modify.”
Contact Meghan at mailto:meldred25@gmail.com
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DIRECTORS! It's the most wonderful time of the year again! 

Riverwalk script submission window for Season 31 (2019/2020) is open now through August 31, 2018.

If you've done this before you know the drill: 

Each potential director is allowed to propose up to three scripts for each venue (Rotary Main Stage and Dart Black Box), that's a total of six submissions; you don't have to submit that many if you only have a couple solid ideas. Please fill out a proposal form for EACH script you are submitting, and be sure to include as much information as possible. The selection committee wants to see that you're excited about the show and have done research, thought about the story's impact on the community, and have a well thought-out vision for the production. 

Frequently Asked Questions: 

"I've submitted in the past and haven't been selected...so what sort of shows are you looking for?"

Riverwalk Theatre is community driven, we aim to entertain and provide something for everyone in Lansing. That means we're looking for shows that the whole family will enjoy, stories from diverse backgrounds, thought provoking dramas, stories about women, side splitting comedies, and familiar favorites. It's important to us that our stages reflect the backgrounds and diversity of the Lansing community. What might that look like as a cohesive season? Our selection committee has provided some examples to get your inspiration flowing:

Disaster- Musical
You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown- Musical
The Drowsy Chaperone- Musical
Once On This Island- Musical
Doubt- Drama
Sweat- Drama
The Miracle Worker- Drama
Five Women Wearing the Same Dress- Comedy
The Front Page- Comedy
Unnecessary Farce- Comedy 

While we are encouraging directors to consider proposing at least one title from our suggestions, we will be discussing and evaluating each submission's potential. 

"I've never directed before...will I still be considered?" 

Absolutely! Every director starts somewhere. We take many things into consideration when  selecting productions aside from the title and that includes how prepared the potential director is as well as their theatrical background. Coming prepared with things like a preliminary set design, potential production team members and ideas on how to connect the community to the production go a long way in showing your thought process behind the production. Be sure to elaborate on how your previous experience on or back stage has prepared you to direct the production you've submitted.

New this year:

Please be aware that due to some last minute developments there is only one selection committee and only one submission form this year. On the submission form please indicate which stage you prefer the script be considered for or if you have no preference... but be aware of the budget differences for each venue. (We will still accept the stage-specific forms, if you have one of those.)

Tips for the Dart Black Box stage:

-Very minimal set: we would prefer to see a preliminary set design with your script submission, your staging must accommodate 80 chairs in the audience.

-Black Box productions are not just for "small shows". The space is small and intimate but it's a space that allows for a truly unique experience for the audience. Any genre can go in the Black Box.

-Black Box productions now run for 8 performances... the same as the main stage, and are included in a Season Ticket option. 

-Auditions are not required for Black Box productions, you may pre-cast or hold auditions.

Tips for the Rotary Main stage:

-A larger stage allows for larger set pieces, keep in mind that it is a thrust stage so the audience of almost 250 will be on three sides. 

-Main stage productions require auditions.

We look forward to reading your submissions, please be aware that we will be scheduling director interviews for the end of September. 

Thank you for your continued involvement at Riverwalk Theatre.

SUBMISSION FORMS
(Forms may be downloaded and completed electronically.)
http://www.riverwalktheatre.com/submit-a-play.html

Rita Deibler and Matt Ottinger
Riverwalk Theatre
Season Selection Committee Chairs


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