Hello to all you Camp Broadway folks!

On Saturday afternoon (May 19) from 1:00 to 5:00 PM, there will be a full cast session in order to accomplish several goals:    (NOTE specific times below.)

1.  pay tuition  (Remember.  This pays for the costs of the CAMP!  Money an issue? Let me know in advance.) You can pay half now- half later if need be.

2.  then receive your very own script and CD of the show

3.  get measured for costumes

4.  “read” the script from top to bottom, using only the music, as we “tell” the story and begin to develop your characters.  No matter WHO you are on stage, there is a story to go with you – in most cases, it’s a story created by YOU.

5.  begin to work on dance with Brian.  Come prepared to dance; ladies in character shoes.  If you don’t own them or even know what they are, we’ll help you. 

                                 REMEMBER.  No sandals or flip flops.

 Times for Saturday are below:

      1 to 2:00 PM – Ladies are measured for costumes. 

     2 to 4:00 PM  – Entire cast works together.

     4 to 5:00 PM – Gentlemen are measured for costumes.  

All please enter through the Stage Door in the Alley.  There will be other young people coming at this time also, auditioning for the Smoot Children’s Choir and Boys Ensemble.  THEY will be entering on the other side of the Theatre.

Miscellaneous points to ponder:

     1.  I will need your bio by June 1.  Email it to me at  

          felicelb@smoottheatre.com

          Not sure HOW to do this?  Let us know.  We will help you!

     2.  Each gentleman will need to wear his own pair of dress shoes as a part of your costume.

     3.  Ladies will need to wear their own character shoes.

     4.  On that first week-end in June, Joe is planning to knock out ALL of the music.  Be prepared to get a lot of  work done at that time!

     5.  Camp Broadway will officially begin on Tuesday, May 29 even  though some of you will still be in school.  We will work around that situation!  Exact start and stop times for May 29 – June 1 will follow, since school is still not completely finished for all.  Beginning June 4, plan to be with us from 9 AM until 4:00 PM daily.

 We’ll have this show on the stage by June 9!

Call 304-422-7529 for ticket information.

Call 304-422-7529 for ticket information.

Thanks to all of you who auditioned for our 2012 edition of ST Camp Broadway! A huge congratulation to those of you who so faithfully attended workshops on Saturday afternoons, who learned and grew in all the artforms of musical theatre. There is certainly a vast amount of learning out there for everyone no matter what your age or your background happens to be. For us, the adults, we watched you workshoppers mature a little bit each week. That was fun! Younger people – you will learn much from the more experienced actors and one day – YOU will be in those shoes of experience.

With almost every audition, there comes disappointment, BUT – that’s all a part if the “process”. So if you did not get the role you wanted, we hope you will accept your role graciously, with an open mind and begin to see the big picture. Every person needs to begin the creation of the character that will need to come alive on stage. (Remember Mr. D’Ambrosio’s workshop about creating the character that you each must become on stage!)

If you were not cast, we hope you will continue to work on your skills, attend more workshops and audition again in 2013. Remember that any staff person is available to discuss your audition with you if you wish. Get involved in your schools’ programs and continue to learn.

Sincerely,
The ST Camp Broadway Staff

We are formulating a schedule so that THIS week, (May 19) we can begin. The following things must happen on May 19:
1. pay tuition
2. pick up scripts/CD’s
3. get measurements for costumes
4. full cast meeting – and begin work on opening number! YES
(details will follow tonight!)

Check the webpage – ALWAYS!!!!

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
ST Camp Broadway – 2012
The Cast

In the cases of students who elected to accept only certain roles, if we were not able to cast you in that particular role, we respected your wishes and did not cast you at all. We hope you will audition again next year!

J. Pierrepont Finch – Cole Mazaher 
Gatch – Trace Young
Jenkins – Brandon Humphrey
Ovington – James Borick
Tackaberry – Tyler Morris
Peterson – Logan Lamp
J.B. Biggley – Jonathan Hensen
Rosemary – Carly Rankin
Toynbee – Matt Carroll
Bratt – Drew Williams
Smitty – Hannah Kitchen
Bud Frump – Delaney Shannon
Miss Jones – Samantha Nelson
Mr. Twimble – Bill McAtee
Hedy – Katie Carroll
Miss Krumholtz – Micaela Edman
Womper – Isaac Edman
Matthew – Tristen Cheuvront
Mrs. White – Chloe Salvatorre
Mrs. Brown – Emily Biles
Becky – Kari Conaway
Tammy – Mariah Stollar
Johnson – Joel Carty

Featured Dancers – Autumn Heddleston, Alexa Haynes, Taylor Griffith, James Borick, Trace Young, Matt Carroll

Chorus of Secretaries – Emily Biles, Danielle Braham, Kari Conaway, Taylor Dueley, Cammi Ferguson, Taylor Griffith, Alexa Haynes, Autumn Heddleston, Halie McPherson, Emma Pearson, Chloe Salvatore, Celia Smith, Mariah Stollar, Abby Winans

If there is any student who does NOT wish to accept the role in which he/she has been cast, please call Felice at (304) 422-PLAY as quickly as possible, so that another person can fill that role.

Now the REAL work begins!

On Saturday, April 14 from 2 to 4 PM, a workshop by John Lee will take place at the Smoot Theatre as a precursor to ST Camp Broadway auditions. This will be the third in a series and will deal in acting and character development. There is no charge and students (or adults) grade seven and older are welcome to attend. Those attending this workshop need not have attended the preceding workshops. The next two workshops are April 21 and 28. They too are free. Please enter through the Stage Door located in the Alley beside the Theatre.

The Smoot Theatre Boys Ensemble will perform their Spring Concert at the Theatre on Sunday, April 15 at 4:30 PM. Made up of boys from 7th grade through 9th grade and from both sides of the Ohio River, the group is conducted by Janet Blessing with Amy Sinclair as accompanist. The 2011-12 school year is the first year that this ensemble has existed; their concert will be assisted by the Smoot Theatre Children’s Chorus (STCC), now in it’s second year of being. The STCC is directed by Barbara Full and accompanied by Jane Irvine.

The young men will sing a varied program as they move from fun-filled songs like New River Train and Come On Boys, to more serious works by Henry Purcell and Victor Johnson. Several instrumentalists will perform with the ensemble: on trumpet Eric Davis, on violin Joseph Showalter and Alex Cappadona on djembe. Brandon Humphrey will be featured as he sings Alone in the Universe from Seussical.

Concert-goers will be delighted as the Barbershop Quartet sings, the boys take us to Broadway with The Brotherhood of Man, the two choirs will combine forces for a couple of rain-related pieces and finally the combined groups close the afternoon with Melchior Franck’s Bring Us Peace.

Members of the Boys Ensemble include Brandon Humphrey, Alex Cappadona, Hampton Hill, Mason Sams, Ian Schmidt, Zach Smith, Justin Lowers, Josh Cox, Spencer Gardner, Tyler Schott, Daniel Brumfield, Tyler Morris and Joseph Showalter.

The concert is free and open to the public. Doors will open at 4:10 PM. The STCC will perform their Spring Concert on May 4 at 7:30 PM, assisted by the Boys Ensemble.

ST Camp Broadway is educational theatre for high school age young people, designed as a musical theatre intensive similar to summer stock.  In other words, we’ll get a great deal of work done in a small amount of time.  Musical theatre requires skills in music, dance and acting; not every student feels adequate in all these areas and that is where ST Camp Broadway comes in!  The camp itself culminates is a full length Broadway show – this year How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying.  (Yes, it’s the one that has created all the Broadway buzz with Daniel Radcliffe for the last several months. Google it!  Now Nick Jonas is playing the role; soon the role will go to Darren Criss.)   

Although the camp “proper” cannot begin until schools are out of session*, the 2012 ST Camp Broadway will actually start this month with a series of extremely important workshops.  (see dates below)  Most students are probably already involved in school music and drama programs (and some of you in dance), The Camp’s goal is to build on each student’s foundation, and help him/her improve in each aspect of musical theatre. (Each aspect of musical theatre is taught by a professional in his field. This makes ST Camp Broadway unique!)

The workshops are certainly not mandatory, but each week each student will be accessed as to strengths and weaknesses.  A file will be kept on each participant so that progress can happen in a straight line, always with a plan and a goal in mind.  At any time, students and parents may schedule time with a staffer for a progress report.  The staff person will suggest ways to help each child achieve goals and to be the best that he/she can be.  

Then in early May we will give each camper the opportunity to have a REAL audition, just as he/she might have for a Broadway audition.  (Yeah, just like on Smash!) This audition is certainly a valuable part of the Camp experience.  All should realize, however, that a portion of the audition ranking will come from work done in the workshop sessions.  Our workshop sessions will let staffers know:

     1.   how well actors are able to take and follow directions and “digest” suggestions for improvement

     2.   how quickly dance combinations are learned and retained

     3.   how readily a young actor begins to develop within himself the character called for in the script.  

     4.   how quickly the student latches onto the vocal skills necessary for the score

Yes, there is a cost.  But, there is NO cost until after auditions. After auditions, if you are selected, scholarships are also available if you find that you need help.  We want no student to not participate because of money!  We can make it happen.  Just let us know!  (After auditions, the cost is $300.)

Sat., Mar. 18  (2 to 4 PM)                          

Sat., Mar 24 (9 AM until approx 3 PM)

Sat., April 14 (2 to 4 PM)

Sat., April 21 (2 to 4 PM)

Sat., April 28 (2 to 4 PM)

 Mar 24 will be a very special day with famous guests, etc.!  On this day, high school students will learn about auditioning and be will able to observe college age students as they audition for large cash prizes that they can use for college expenses.  Please plan to spend almost the entire day here at the Theatre. You’ll have a blast and learn a lot, too.

 (We’ll figure out lunch!)

 Sat., & Sun . May 5 & 6  Auditions (individual times are scheduled)

*Since our campers come from many different school systems and since snow days enter into the equation as to when each school system is finished, we cannot put an exact starting date on ST Camp Broadway, but the finish date is June 15 and 16.  That we know, since those are the days of our show. 

Do to the high level of activity within our Kids’ programs, we have postponed our Valley’s Got Talent competition ’til a later date. Check back this summer for more information!

Here’s a thumbnail sketch of the way it will work.  Any person of any age may audition before a panel of judges to be a part of the April 14 show.  There is a $10 fee to audition.  There will be two audition dates TBD.  Acts will be selected to be a part of the rehearsal and the  show.   Specific rules, guidelines and audition application forms may be downloaded, signed and returned by fax or mail.  Those who audition will be assigned a specific audition time on his/her preferred date, thus eliminating long periods of waiting. 

The first place prize will be $500!  The show will be open to the public:  adult tickets are $15; students high school and younger are $9. Come and cheer for your local favorite!

Download The Valley’s Got Talent Application Form and Rules