Fox Valley Rep Blog

 Meet Allison Cole.  She is a 13 year old 8th grader, and had the chance to perform with the Fox Valley Rep Youth Ensemble for the first time in this summer’s “High School Musical.”  Here’s what she had to say about her experience with us!

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Each day of play practice is very organzied. They send out e-mail before hand to let us know what we will be doing on the next practice.

The fitting days also went good and smooth. When it was your turn you had our own section where we brought our own clothes for our chacters that we thought would work or that the costume had to chose from. If it needed altering she would put pins where it needed to be altered.

Another thing is the dances the director has came up with is easy to learn. She tells you where to stand and how to do it. If you don’t understand them she’ll stop and take the time to break it down.

During Tech week the big thing is to be PATIENT. Because the final touches on the dances, lines, costumes, etc. are going on. It is kind of crazy and you are there for MANY hours a day. BUT then you think to yourself it’s ALL worth it once Opening Day is there. You start to relax and have fun. My favorite part of the show is the bowing because that is when you no they are clapping for you and your performance. You feel good because you know you did your best and they loved it. You even get noticed outside of the theather. After a show, me and my family went to Portillo’s afterwards and I had 2 different people come up to me and say they just seen the show.

Now backstage is all together different. YOU have to make sure all your costumes are back there and ready to be changed into. You have to let the costume helpers know if you need help. But a lot of the times we’d just help eachother if we could. Also if you are on scholarship one of the duties is to help setup or take down the set. I asked which one they need help with and it was mostly taking down the set.

I really enjoyed this 1st experience on the big stage. I made alot of new friends I hope to keep in touch with and plan to try out for another show next summer.

Thank you,

Allison Cole

The cast of HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL. Trademanphoto.com

“High School Musical is going to be a sensational summer show!” according to sisters Maria and Delaney Carani, two of the actors in this upbeat musical.  These two siblings state “the cast is great, the music is energetic and our director Carly Churchey makes rehearsal so much fun.”

Deanne Capinpin who plays who plays Kelsi boasts, “It is so much fun to be here having this experience.  I heard about the show auditions from a friend and I tried out.  This is my 8th musical but the first time I am at Fox Valley Rep and it is awesome!  I am having a great time.”

Elizabeth Reuter plays Gabriella’s “understudy” and is a “brainiac” and says she “loves being in the cast because the entire group is welcoming and are making her summer enjoyable because the people are so much fun to be around.”

The stage manager apprentice, Genevieve Fowler talks about how she was an apprentice last summer but this is her first chance to work on the children’s ensemble production.  She says she enjoys the energy the kids have and states, “our director, Carly, is so much fun, and she try to make all roles whether on stage or behind the scenes equal.” 

Delaney Carani is playing a “jock” and she states that “Carly the director is easy going, which allows the cast to relax and all contribute to putting on a quality show.”  Her sister Maria is the understudy to the role Kelsie, and plays as a band member,  likes the music and the positive “be yourself” message that comes across in this performance. Both siblings have been involved with Fox Valley Rep before and keep coming back to be a part of the professional atmosphere the shows exhibit.”  The Carani sisters feel every bit of the director Carly screams, “I want to make you shine, no matter the size of your role or the character you are portraying.”

The director herself, Carly Churchey emphasizes that ”she feels a connection with the cast and production team.”   To paraphrase the song lyrics of the show, “we really are all in this together, each member with an important role, a unique purpose, a special gift.” states Churchey.

 Additionally, Cydney Stanton who is one of the upbeat performers in the show, said, “the show is great because it is such a pleasant group of new people I am acting with and it is especially cool that my sister Carly and I are in this musical together. together.”

HSM will be performed on Friday, July 27th at 10:30 a.m. (understudy performance) and August 3rd at 7:00 p.m., as well as Saturdays, July 21st, 28th, and August 4th at 10:30 a.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. on July 29th and August 5th.  It will be fun for all ages so get the word out and get it on the calendar early so you don’t miss it! HSM is also a part of this summer’s St. Charles Summer Theater Fest, taking place July 6 – 22, 2012.

Rehearsals for High School Musical, the Fox Valley Repertory’s summer kid’s production, have begun at Pheasant Run.  Everyone is anticipating a great summer ahead.  Here’s what a few in the cast had to say about it in their first week of practices:

“I was surprised I got in because I heard it was hard to get a role & I was so happy” says Sophia Clinite, who is playing “Ripper” in her first role on Pheasant Run’s main stage.  “So far, its going really good, and I like it alot!”

One of FVR’s regulars, Connor Madziarczyk, who has been in six shows and interned one with FVR, says “This is one of the first times I’ve seen almost completely new faces in the cast.  I’m a little nervous, but it’s nice to see a bunch of new kids joining.  It seems like a lot of new, talented kids have joined FVR.”

Some additional new actors include Matt Petersen who is playing Chad, although he had one previous role in a smaller show with Tracy Whiteside.  He decided to try out this summer for HSM because “I wanted something different to do this summer, something challenging.  Its been alot of fun so far in these first two rehearsals.”  Jason Wickland, who plays Coach Bolton, added a similar comment, “I wanted to try something new with a different theater group.  I’m really excited about it.”

“I wanted to be a part of this show because I love the story of High School Musical.  My dad told me about this show, and it really interested me, says Kyle Meyer, who is looking forward to acting out the part of Ryan.  His co-lead in the show, Mack Rivara, who plays Troy added, “I have a good feeling about this show.  The general feeling of the show is better than the others I’ve done in the past.  I’m excited to be a part of this cast.”

Carly Churchey will be directing her first show at Pheasant Run and comments, “I’m very excited we got everything done we had planned today” referring to last Sunday’s four hour practice.  “We’re not ‘sticking to the status quo’!” 

HSM will be performed on Friday, July 27th at 10:30 a.m. (understudy performance) and August 3rd at 7:00 p.m., as well as Saturdays, July 21st, 28th, and August 4th at 10:30 a.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. on July 29th and August 5th.  It will be fun for all ages so get the word out and get it on the calendar early so you don’t miss it! HSM is also a part of this summer’s St. Charles Summer Theater Fest, taking place July 6 – 22, 2012.

-Blog compiled by Kelly Stanton, HSM Parent Committee Member

“Musical???s 12 shows sell out in 10 days with no??marketing”THE DAILY HERALD

Dave Heun
Sunday, December 03, 2006

Wouldn???t every marketing manager enjoy the success that Audra Sybert has experienced with the most recent Noble Fool Theatricals production?

In terms you usually reserve for Broadway, ???High School Musical,??? the debut production of the Noble Fool Theatricals Youth Ensemble, is a runaway hit at Pheasant Run. Or, more simply, it fits the name of this column because it is the talk of the town.

Word of mouth and a general interest among young people since ???High School Musical??? first appeared as a Disney Channel movie early this year has caused all 12 shows to be sold out.

???And that???s before I even sent out any information promoting the show,??? Sybert said. ???It sold out in 10 days.???

The show opened last weekend and continues on Saturdays in December.

The youth ensemble, made up of 41 area performers, hopes to carry this momentum for Noble Fool Theatricals through to next spring???s production of ???Annie.???

Fantastic training:

John Gawlik, a director and actor in Chicago theater for the past 10 years, is the artistic director of the youth ensemble???s ???High School Musical,??? and he couldn???t be happier.

???It???s been fantastic,??? Gawlik said of the show???s popularity. ???Our goal as a professional theater company was to provide a training experience for these youths; to show them what it takes to put a show together and what it is like to have it choreographed and then work with a production and music director.???

Gawlik said this youth ensemble is the first in the Chicago area to turn the popular movie into a stage production.

Here???s some names of local kids in the play you may recognize ??? From St. Charles: Caitlin Ewald, Tom Hintz, Barbara Homan, Jordan Jurczak and Molly Wagner; from Geneva: Patrick Donovan, Kelsey Jaffer, Sabrina Jaffer, Matt Kuyawa, Nicole Ludema, Becca Olear, Torie Olson, Tyler Vaughn and Valerie Zawada; and from Batavia: John Heronemus.

A rising star:

Another local actress who has returned to Noble Fool Theatricals for an appearance at Pheasant Run is St. Charles native Courtney Rioux, whose dazzling voice has impressed area theater-goers since her days at St. Charles High School, where she graduated in 2000.

She is appearing in ???Roasting Chestnuts: Gina Wants You!??? at Noble Fool through Dec. 13., right on the heels of roles in ???Ruthless! The Musical!??? and ???The Mikado version 2.005??? and appearances at Drury Lane, The Vittum, Apple Tree Theater and the Illinois Shakespeare Festival.

Bianca (Gabriella), Ian (Troy), and Carissa (Sharpay) pose after singing for “Santa’s Arrival” at Charlestowne Mall on November 18, 2006.