[NEohioPAL] Shaker Theatre Presents The Spring Ensemble Show

[McBurney, Christine]

The Shaker Heights High School Theatre Arts Department proudly presents the Spring Ensemble Show.

The Senior Ensemble will be joined by the Junior and Advanced Ensembles on the Shaker Heights High School stage in the newly renovated and restored Large Auditorium. The production is directed by Ensemble Program Director Erik Johnson, also a 1998 Shaker Theatre alum.  Ensemble performances combine poetry, song, and original movement and dance pieces created by students from workshops with guest artists and alumni.

This year’s production expresses the longing and fear we feel when we are right at the edge of something, the search for genuine human connections, and the laughter that helps us see the big picture and continue our everyday lives. Music may include selections by Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Tears for Fears, Rainer Maria, They Might be Giants, Erik Satie, Zoe Keating, edIT, Ben Zebelman & Lorenza Ponce, and the soundtrack for The Tudors.
Ensemble in the Community

Over the last five years, a major focus of the Ensemble Program has been reaching out to the community through touring performances.  These have included FusionFest at the Cleveland Play House, the iNGENUiTY festival downtown, participating in alumni Jon Leiken’s Cleveland: The Musical in 2010 and A Concert for Cleveland’s Future in 2009 in the newly restored Hanna Theater downtown, collaborations with Hathaway Browns’s Department of Dance, a performance at Sunrise Assisted Living Center in Shaker, a performance and workshop at Onaway Elementary School, and annual performances at A Night for the Red and White and Shaker Middle School.  The Ensemble continues its  outreach to the community at the Senior Adult Preview on Wednesday, April 28th at 2:00 p.m.





Staff, Guest Artists, and
Alumni Artistic Development

Shaker Theatre Students are fortunate to have two full time staff members and a wide range of professionals to support their work.  Along with Ensemble Program Director Erik Johnson, Department Chair and Junior Ensemble co-instructor Christine McBurney continues to enhance the Ensemble’s work.  Long time associate artist Wendy Lynne, who studied corporeal mime in Paris under Etienne Decroux, has been a major contributor to the growth of this ensemble and the program as a whole. This year’s performance will feature her work as well as pieces created by Inlet Dance Theatre company member Josh Brown and alumnus Eric Brakey ’06. Other staff for this performance includes local poet Katie Daley, costumer Megan Pitcher of MegLouise Dance, Rick Jennings ’03 as Stage Manager, Box Office Manager Julia Rossi ’95 and Technical Director and Lighting Designer Chuck Tisdale.

Over the past four years, a number of other artists have made major contributions to the growth of these students. The founder of the program, James Thornton, and his son Matthew Thornton ’92 have both had major residencies. Matthew along with his wife Alicia is co-founder of Agua Dulce Dance Theater and has performed with Pilobolus Dance Theater and Contemporary Motions Production. Other major contributions include Shaker parent and staff member Bruce Jennings, who has composed original music for the Ensemble Program, Tracy Pattison, Barbara & Sabbatino Verlezza of Verlezza Dance, Chris Delgado’02, who now works and performs with Chicago’s CircEsteem, Stephanie Fungsang ’04, who has danced with Pilobolus Dance Theatre, Jeff Michel ’92 of the New Zealand company Terrapin Puppet Theatre, Seth Gordon, the Associate artistic Director of the Cleveland Play House, Geoff Bullen, the Associate Director of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Andrew Kober ’02, now performing in Hair on Broadway, and Michael McElroy ’85 during his touring performance in Rent.




Named a center of excellence by the National Council of Teachers of English, Shaker Theatre includes 8 daily classes and a production season including four main stage performances, six “showcase” performances, and multitude of professional workshops, touring performances, & special events.



 *   Performances of the Spring Ensemble Show are at 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 29th, Friday April 30th, and Saturday May 1st
 *   The free Senior Adult Preview is at 2:00 pm Wednesday April 28th
 *   Shaker Heights High School Large Auditorium, 15911 Aldersyde Dr.
 *   Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and senior adults
 *   Tickets may be purchased the week before the show by calling the box office at 216-295-4287, or online at tix.com.
 *   For more information, please call 216-295-4281 or email johnson_ea at shaker.org<mailto:johnson_ea at shaker.org> and/or check us out on Facebook.






Christine McBurney
Theatre Arts Dept. Chair
Shaker Heights High School
15911 Aldersyde Dr.
Shaker Heights, OH 44120
216.295.4258
216.295.4277 fax
http://www.shaker.org/about/schools/high/departments/theatre/

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