[NEohioPAL] New Stages 29: Shaker Playwrights and Directors New Plays Series

Wed Mar 9 13:57:14 PST 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Christine McBurney

216-295-4258

24 Hour Box Office: 216-295-4287 or www.tix.com<http://www.tix.com>

Shaker Theatre presents New Stages 29: Festival of New Plays

 Written, Directed, Produced & Performed by Students

The Theatre Arts Department of Shaker Heights High School presents the twenty-ninth festival of new plays, written, directed, produced, and performed by students in our intimate black box theatre, Stage 3. Five one-act plays will be presented as part of a full season of theatrical events, which began with Mary Zimmerman’s Metamorphoses in December and concludes with the Spring Ensemble Show in May.

The plays are: Before You Fall written by senior Isabelle Storm, directed by senior Sabrina Paskewitz; Edd’s written by junior Allegra Verlezza, directed by senior Gabe Gordon; The Guy on the Couch written by junior Joshua Barnett, directed by senior Taran Brown; Turkey written by junior Graham Fine, directed by junior Jonah Weinstein; and The World Spins Madly On written by senior Natalie Vicchio, directed by senior Michael Thomas.

Performances are at 8:00 pm on Wednesday, March 16 and Thursday, March 17.  Performances on Friday, March 18 and Saturday, March 19 are at 7:00 pm AND 9:15 pm.  All performances are in Shaker Heights High School Stage 3.  Seating is limited and all seats are reserved.  Note: Mature Content.  Tickets are $10.00 for adults, $5.00 for students and senior adults, and may be purchased in on line at www.tix.com<http://www.tix.com/> or by calling the 24 Hour Reservation Hotline at 216-295-4287.

New Stages, now in its twenty-ninth continuous year, was begun by retired Shaker Theatre Arts Department founder, James Thornton, in 1983. Having developed it out of a playwriting class, Thornton considered New Stages to be the most significant thing we do as a theatre program.

“The fall show is flashier and on a larger scale. The Spring Ensemble Show provides our most polished and sophisticated performances.  Across the line, if you ask Shaker Theatre alumni what their most memorable moments were, they will most likely recall those moments shared in New Stages. To my knowledge, no other high school in the country has a new play series of this design.”

Department Chair, Christine McBurney adds that "New Stages provides an exciting guided learning experience for students that is unparalleled. A diverse group of students works closely together, learning how to communicate ideas and with each other, how to problem solve, collaborate, and tell stories that impact an audience.”

This year’s New Stages provides working and learning opportunities for more than 65 students. Over 29 years, the series has involved more than a thousand students in the creation of new works for the theatre. Among Shaker Theatre alums are:

 *   Carter Bays ’93, five-time Emmy-nominated writer for Late Night with David Letterman. Bays is also a writer and producer for American Dad and executive producer, head writer, and co-creator of How I Met Your Mother, which was nominated for best comedy in 2009.
 *   Jamie Babbit, ’89, writer/director of the film, But I’m a Cheerleader, The Quiet, and Itty Bitty…Committee.  Television directing credits include “Ugly Betty, “Dirty Sexy Money,” “The L Word,” “Gossip Girl,” “Gilmore Girls,” and more.
 *   David Wain, ’87, writer/director of the film, Wet Hot American Summer, The Ten and Role Models.  Writing credits include “Mad TV, “The State,” “Stella,” and more. He is currently directing an upcoming comedy Wanderlust.
 *   The late Louis Schechter, ’83, Los Angeles film producer and director whose credits include Proximity, Next Action Star, and Bet Your Life..
 *   Michelle Federer, ’91, New York stage actress, the original Nessarose in Broadway’s Wicked and who recently appeared Off Broadway in Anon, and in the film Flannel Pajamas.
 *   Michael McElroy, ’84, New York Tony nominated stage actor, Big River, Rent, Miss Saigon, Angels in America, Some Men.  Now a Professor at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.
 *   Andrew Kober ’02.  An original member of the Tony-nominated production of Hair on Broadway and in London.
 *   Halle Morse ’05.  In the current production of Mama Mia on Broadway.
 *   Laura Jacqmin,’00 recipient of the second annual Wasserstein Prize, established in memory of the esteemed playwright Wendy Wasserstein, who died in 2006.  The $25,000 prize is awarded for an outstanding script by a young woman who has not yet received national attention.
 *   Sara Knowlton, ’86, television, film and New York stage actress.  TV includes “House,” “Ugly Betty,” “As the World Turns,” and more.
 *   Betsy Hogg, ’06, appeared Off Broadway in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie with Cynthia Nixon and on Broadway in The Crucible with Liam Neeson and Laura Linney and Fiddler on the Roof with Harvey Fierstein.  She appeared in the film, Rocket Science and on television’s “Law and Order.”
 *   Gabrielle Perrin, ’87, former casting director for all West Coast operations for the television channel, Nickelodeon.
 *   Two English Speaking Union Cleveland Shakespeare Competition winners, Valerie Kilmer (2009) and David Wemer (2010)
 *   and many others…

Stage 3—Shaker Heights High School’s intimate black box theatre—was the vision of student Amy Silberman, ’81.  For her Senior Project, she drew a design for a black box theatre and identified the space in the basement of the school.  Amy was the catalyst for turning the former fallout shelter into a performing space. Stage 3, dedicated in her memory, is the perfect venue for New Stages, seating only 84 people and usually selling out every performance.

The award-winning Theatre Arts Department at Shaker Heights High School offers 8 daily theatre classes, produces 4 major productions and 3 showcases, and involves nearly 300 students each year.

The program hosts numerous on-going Guest Artists, including:

•         Residencies with Matt Thornton, ’92 of  Pilobolus Dance Theatre

•         Geoff Bullen, Assistant Director at London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA)

•         Seth Gordon, former Associate Artistic Director at the Cleveland Play House and current Associate Artistic Director at St. Louis Repertory Theatre

•         Actor Derdriu Ring

and Associate Guest Artists

•         James Thornton, Founder of the Shaker Theatre Arts Department & Creator of the Ensemble Program

•         Wendy Lynne, Movement Specialist & Director

•         Katie Daley, Poet

•         Megan Pitcher, Costumer

•         Bruce Jennings, Musician

Faculty and staff include:

•         Theatre Arts Department Chair Christine McBurney, who teaches (or has taught) Dramatic Literature & Writing, Film as Art, IB Theatre Arts, Junior Ensemble, Acting, Improv, Shakescenes, Theatre I,and  Theatre Management.

•         Ensemble Program Director Erik Johnson, who teaches Junior, Advanced and Senior Ensembles, Theatre I, and Theatre Management.

•         Chuck Tisdale, Technical Designer and Auditorium Manager.

•         Rick Jennings, Stage Manager

•         Julia Rossi, Box Office Manager

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Christine McBurney
Theatre Arts Dept. Chair & International Baccalaureate Theatre Arts Instructor
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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