[NEohioPAL] Shaker Theatre Presents The Spring Ensemble Show, kalama

[McBurney, Christine]

The Shaker Heights High School Theatre Arts Department proudly presents the Spring Ensemble Show, “kalama.”

The Senior Ensemble will be joined by the Junior and Advanced Ensembles on the Shaker Heights High School stage in the Large Auditorium. The production is directed by Ensemble Program Director Erik Johnson, also a 1998 Shaker Theatre alum.  Considered a kind of “devised” theatre, Ensemble performances are simultaneously created and rehearsed.  Working with a few themes, the performers combine poetry, song, original movement, and dance pieces created by themselves and in workshops with staff, guest artists, and alumni.

Although some of the material for the show has yet to be selected, we are exploring a variety of stimuli.  The Junior Ensemble, working with Senior Ensemble member Kevin Parker and Junior Ensemble co-instructor and Department Chair Christine McBurney, is finding playfulness, beauty, and rhythm with painted cloths.  Advanced Ensemble is responding to abstract expressionists and Anne Bogart’s Viewpoints technique in Advanced Ensemble.

With Associate Artist Wendy Kriss, the Senior Ensemble is “re-awakening” the piece Kalama from the Ensemble repertory.  Originally performed in 1991 and 1992, the piece is set to Sufi music and so with Christine McBurney, they are also exploring a “word piece” created from the works of the Sufi poet, Rumi.

Finally, with our fall production of Leonard Bernstein’s musical Wonderful Town in recent memory, a piece is being shaped to compliment the jazzy, dancing energy of that era.  Choreography by Fred Astaire and music from the post-WWII period – Frank Sinatra, Harry Belafonte, Irving Berlin, Nat King Cole – are being considered.

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, as well as professional workshops, touring performances, and special events throughout the school year.


 *   Performances of the Spring Ensemble Show are at 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 26th, Friday April 27th, and Saturday, April 28th
 *   The free Senior Adult Preview is at 1:00 pm Wednesday, April 25th.
 *   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 online at www.tix.com<http://www.tix.com/>.
 *   Associate level patrons can reserve their complimentary tickets by calling the box office at 216-295-4287.
 *   For more information, please call 216-295-4281 or email johnson_ea at shaker.org<mailto:johnson_ea at shaker.org>.

Ensemble in the Community
Over the last eight years, a major focus of the Ensemble Program has been reaching out to the community through touring performances.  The Senior Ensemble has performed at FusionFest at the Cleveland Play House; the iNGENUiTY festival downtown; and in alum Jon Leiken’s (SHHS ’90) A Concert for Cleveland’s Future and Cleveland: The Musical at the newly restored Hanna Theatre.  They’ve enjoyed a collaboration with Hathaway Brown’s Department of Dance; a benefit for the Ludlow Community Association; a performance and workshop at Mercer and Onaway Elementary Schools; performances at the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes and Sunrise Assisted Living Center; annual performances at Shaker Middle School and A Night for the Red and White, and this year, the city of Shaker Heights’ Shaker Centennial.

Staff, Guest Artists, and Alumni

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 Kriss, who studied corporeal mime in Paris under Etienne Decroux, has been a major contributor to the growth of this Ensemble and the program since 1980.

This year’s performance have been influenced by a variety of guest artists, including: dialect coaching and choreography with actress Derdriu Ring; Alan Shind, a student of Master Kwon Ko and a Black Belt Master rank in the art of Kiaido; Josh Brown of Inlet Dance Theatre; Taran Brown ‘11, a trainee with Inlet Dance Theatre; a Film Forum with guest artist filmmakers Jamie Babbit ’87, Robert Banks, and Eric Swinderman, and TV writer Kerry Dornetto; a stage combat workshop with Melissa Freilich ’09; visits from Jamie O’Brien ’98, Danielle Saks ’05, Ben Karlin ’07, and Jenny Waletzsky ’09, all of whom are working in stage management in New York; a Shakespeare workshop with Geoff Bullen, Associate Director of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London; and Megan Pincombe Johnson of Coventry Dance Company.

Other staff for this performance includes Stage Manager, Brian McCann; Box Office Manager, Julia Rossi; and Technical Director and Lighting Designer, Chuck Tisdale. Both Brian and Julia are Shaker Theatre Alums and this is Chuck’s 16th year collaborating with the Ensemble program.

Over the past four years, a number of other artists have made major contributions to the growth of these students, made possible largely by donations through our Patron Program. 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 Theatre and has performed with Pilobolus Dance Theatre. Other artists have included local poet Katie Daley; dancer, costumer, and choreographer, Megan Pitcher of MegLouise Dance; costumer designer Kathryn Mussleman Tobasko; and Shaker alumni parent and staff member Bruce Jennings, who has composed original music for the Ensemble Program. Other guests have included Tracy Pattison, Barbara and Sabbatino Verlezza of Verlezza Dance; Chris Delgado’02, who competes internationally on the German Wheel; Stephanie Fungsang ’04, who has danced with Pilobolus Dance Theatre; Jeff Michel ’92 of the Tasmanian company Terrapin Puppet Theatre; Seth Gordon, the former Associate Artistic Director of the Cleveland Play House; Andrew Kober ’02, who performed in Hair on Broadway and in London; Michael McElroy ’85, during his national tour of Rent; and Halle Morse, who is currently performing in Mamma Mia! on Broadway.

Christine McBurney
Theatre Arts Dept. Chair
Shaker Heights High School
15911 Aldersyde Dr.
Shaker Heights, OH 44120
216.295.4258
216.295.4277 fax
www.facebook.com/shakertheatre

view photos at shakertheatre.zenfolio.com

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