Posted by admin on May 1, 2012 at 10:50 am
Anna loves FVR plays because they are fun, and you get to meet new friends. “The girls in play are some of my best friends!” states Anna. Anna loves all the “teachers” that she gets to work with. “Tracy is awesome!!!” says Anna.
When asked about her current play “Beauty and the Beast” she says her favorite thing is when she gets all her lines right!!! Anna’s favorite part in the play is in the village.
Anna, age 7, is very excited about introducing the play. “I’ve ALWAYS wanted to do that” she says. Anna’s most favorite play she has ever participated in was “Annie Jr.” Anna hopes to continue with more plays in the future.
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Posted by admin on April 30, 2012 at 2:49 pm
Kaitlyn Crowell’s exciting new challenges!
It’s a tale as old as time! The children of Fox Valley Repertory Academy (ages 7-11) are working hard, and having a lot of fun, rehearsing for their upcoming presentation of Beauty and the Beast, Jr.!
Participating in the Fox Valley Repertory Academy’s educational programs always brings new challenges for aspiring young actors. For Kaitlyn Crowell, age 8, her newest challenge comes in the form of portraying the brutish and arrogant Gaston in FVR’s upcoming audition only play, Beauty and the Beast, Jr.!
“When I found out that I would be playing Gaston, I felt giggly!” How does she feel about it now? “I’m having so much fun playing Gaston! I get to be mean and funny at the same time…and really LOUD!”
Kaitlyn began taking classes with FVR Academy in the Fall of 2010, playing the wicked sea witch, Ursula, in a children’s showcase of The Little Mermaid. Two showcases, and three audition-only performances later, she continues to grow in her enthusiasm and love of acting, singing, and performing on stage. Each show brings a new character to embrace, and a new challenge with which to improve her skills.
“I hope that each time I do a play, I will get better. I would love to keep getting more challenging roles!”
Beauty and the Beast, Jr. will be performed on the Mainstage at Pheasant Run.
Showtimes are: Saturday, May 19th at 9:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m; Sunday, May 20th at 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
Please, “be our guest”! Admission is free, but the cast requests that you bring a gently used children’s book (or books) to donate to Bernie’s Book Bank, a Chicago area organization that provides books to children in need. They will also be accepting monetary donations toward scholarships for children who would otherwise be unable to participate in the programs atFVR.
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Posted by admin on April 3, 2012 at 2:39 pm
Each month, FVR Performing Arts Academy selects an outstanding student to be featured in the Student Spotlight of the Month. The selected student is featured in the FVR Playbill and on the blog. Our current Student Spotlight recipient is Robert Keldani!
Photo by Tracy Whiteside Photography
Robert is 8 years old and is a second grade student at Wild Rose Elementary in St. Charles. When he was just 5 years old, he took his very first Lion King class and was cast as the mighty and courageous “Mufasa”. Robert enjoyed his first class so much that he signed up for his next class, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and played Charlie’s best friend, “Linus”. It was after these classes that Robert knew he wanted to do more and auditioned for an advanced performance class of Snow White, winning the part of “Sneezy!” This role was more demanding, having many lines and many songs, but he loved it and loved working with FVR Education Manager and Teacher, Tracy Whiteside. He continues to take her classes and thanks her for being such a great influence, teacher and friend.
“Robert is one of the sweetest kids I have ever met. He is also one of the most conscientious. A very serious performer, Robert works very hard to learn his lines and songs, and sets an excellent example for the other cast members,” says Tracy Whiteside. “This boy has real talent, and continues to amaze me with each performance. I am delighted to have him as part of our Performing Arts Academy!”
His energy and enthusiasm isn’t only recognized on the stage, but at school as well.
“Robert is an enthusiastic learner who is eager to share his thinking with the class. He is a friendly, polite, helpful student who actively participates in all subject areas. It is a pleasure to have Robert in class,” says Lori Algrim, his second grade teacher at Wild Rose Elementary.
Robert went on to audition for the production of You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown where he had a chance to reprise his role of “Linus,” this time with a dancing and singing solo, well….. more like a duo with his infamous blanket! Since then he played “Drake”, the butler in Annie, the “King of Hearts” in Alice in Wonderland, “Charlie Bradley” in Best Christmas Pageant Ever and recently “Mr. Mayor” in Seussical Jr.
“Playing Charlie Bradley in Best Christmas Pageant Ever has been my favorite role so far,” says Robert. “Seeing the audience react and hearing them laugh really made it fun. I hope I get to do more comedies at FVR soon!”
In addition to the musicals and theatrical productions that Robert partakes in, he also studies piano and sings lead in student rock bands at his music school and has performed several times at Chord On Blues in St. Charles, the Riverfest in South Elgin, the Scarecrow Fest in St. Charles and was part of a children’s vaudeville company that performed at various places.
Mrs. Debbie O’Cull of Music Eductation Centers of America has been Robert’s piano teacher and occasional vocal coach since he was just 5 years old.
“He is very bright and has a natural ability with music, and he really puts the time, effort & practice in and get he gets better every week. His performances at our recitals and MECA Creates rock band shows ALWAYS bring the house down!”
Robert’s Wild Rose Elementary School Music Teacher, Lynda, Clementz, couldn’t agree more. “Robert is a highly focused student who is always positive and eager to learn and do more. He is a joy in music class.”
He also LOVES soccer and is on the “Rebel Alliance” soccer team and is a Cub Scout from Den 4, pack 156, St. Charles.
And if you were to ask Robert what his favorite memories have been so far at the Fox Valley Rep Performing Arts Academy, he would tell you that getting together with all of his cast mates and friends at the Annual Masquerade Ball Academy Fundraiser was simply “awesome” and can’t wait for this year’s event again in October. He hopes to see you all there, too!
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Posted by admin on April 2, 2012 at 2:44 pm
Hey FVR theater fans -
We want to hear from YOU! As we all know, breaking up IS hard to do. So, why not laugh it off by blogging about it. Simply post your fun Break Up or Make Up Blog here for a chance to WIN A MARIO TRICOCI GIFT BAG filled with shampoo, conditioner, styling gel, nail polish and a free appointment to try Mario Tricoci’s COSE make-up! See below for contest rules and how-to-blog info.
To help bring back your own memories (that we’re sure you were trying to forget), we’ve asked the “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do” cast to reflect on their own break ups and make ups. Enjoy reading and laughing, and in turn we’ll enjoy reading yours just the same. Ready, set, blog!!
National Broadway Veteran Fred Zimmerman of Breaking Up is Hard To Do blogs about how his own experience relates to his character in the show:
I became engaged in a similar way as my character Harvey and love interest Esther (played by Heather Townsend, pictured to the left) does in the show. My wife, Cathy, and I had been dating for over 4 years, and we got into an argument about where things were going. After a while of raised voices back and forth, Cathy said in an exasperated fashion, “Well, I consider us engaged!” And I wittily retorted, “Well so do I!!”
We stopped and realized what had just happened, and Cathy then said, more quietly, “OK, well, now we have to do this right. You have until the end of the month (October) to propose properly.” She said this rather tongue in cheek, but definitely seriously. I made a reservation at a B&B in Delevan, WI, and we went up there the last weekend of October, and the rest is history. 22 years this June!
- Fred Zimmerman, Breaking Up Is Hard To Do actor
FRED ZIMMERMAN (HARVEY) has spent the last 25 years performing in comedies, dramas, and musicals in National Broadway Touring Companies, Regional and Stock companies across the country, as well as locally. Highlights include the original cast of the Hal Prince’s Tony-award-winning revival of Show Boat at the Auditorium Theatre, playing JP Morgan in the National Touring Company of Ragtime, Ho-ing it up as Santa in the family favorite The Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring the Rockettes, and an arresting performance as Lt. Nick Rosetti in the iconic Chicago comedy Shear Madness. Fred was also in the original cast of Stephen Sondheim’s musical Bounce, directed by Hal Prince, which opened at The Goodman Theatre and moved to The Kennedy Center. Chicago audiences have also enjoyed his performances at theatres such as Northlight, Court, the Encore Series at the Auditorium, and over 17 productions at The Marriot Theatre. He is a member of Actors Equity.
Contest rules: Blog postings must be received by 3:00 p.m. on 4/30/12. Winner will be selected at random in a drawing. Fox Valley Rep and Mario Tricoci agents are ineligible. Must be 18 years of age or older. No purchase necessary. Winners will be notified via email (provided on blog account info) on or before 5/4/12. Blog set-up questions can be sent to info@foxvalleyrep.org. Limit one entry per blog account.
How to Blog: On www.foxvalleyrep.org/blog, click on the orange box “Read More” underneath the Break Up Contest posting. Under the blog listing, click on “You must be logged in…” Create a username and email address. An email will be sent to you to confirm. After you log in to the blog and update profile, simply click on the “Fox Valley Rep Blog” link at the top of the page. Then, blog away! Good luck. For questions, email info@foxvalleyrep.org.
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Posted by admin on February 27, 2012 at 12:39 pm
It isn’t very often that you come across a production that includes several sets of siblings. Here at Fox Valley Repertory, in the production of “Seussical, Jr.” you will find 4 sets of sisters – Erika & Keira Denker, Katie & Kristen Das, Caroline & Christina Calbeck, and Bethany & Melina Paris!
Sisters Katie & Kristen Das and Keira & Erika Das
For most of them, this is not their first show together! As a matter of fact, for sisters Katie and Kristen Das, this is #11! The girls find many benefits to performing together, but also admit that they would be fine on their own.
“Well, it’s nice that we’re in shows together, but it honestly doesn’t really affect me very much. For some reason, we don’t rehearse together–I guess it’s because our characters don’t usually interact. And, we have so many friends in the cast–Keira and I don’t need each other to feel comfortable. I’m also used to being in the Youth Ensemble shows without her. As for Keira needing me, the older sister… well, have you met her? She does just fine on her own….,” says Erika.
According to younger sister Kiera, “It’s kind of fun to be with my sister because I get to hang out with her. But everyone at the theater is so nice–it’s not a problem if she’s not there. I was in Snow White without her and I still had a great time. I rehearse by myself, but sometimes one of us will start singing a song from the show, and then we’ll both end up singing it together, or trying to sing it in harmony.”
Some of the advantages that the Das sisters find are being able to rehearse together and in the case of one of them being sick, the other can teach the choreography and blocking so they can be caught up.
Sisters Caroline and Christina Calbeck agree and also add, “When Carolyn is nervous I’m there to help her,” Christina.
You can see all of these sisters and the many other children of Fox Valley Repertory in the production of “Seussical, Jr.” on Monday, March 11th at 7pm and Sunday, March 18th at 11 am. No ticketes are needed, so just show up to the Pheasant Run Mainstage and enjoy!
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