Fox Valley Rep Blog

What do you enjoy about performing?
I love making the audiences laugh and also making them feel like they are a part of the play.

Which classes have you enjoyed?
Well, I really like doing both the Youth Ensemble and Audition Only classes. I loved being the Foot Stool in Beauty and the Beast because it was such a fun-loving character, but I also really liked being a Goon in Sleeping Beauty because I got to be the tail of the dragon! It’s hard to decide because I’ve had so much fun in all the Youth Ensemble shows and the older kids are SO nice to me. For the Audition Only shows, I really loved being Snoopy because I was able to do anything that I thought was “cool” and I got to sit on top of the awesome doghouse. But I’ve played really great characters in all of the Audition Only plays and have enjoyed each of them. Also, it’s fun because I am friends with so many of the other kids–and Tracy is the BEST!

Fondest memory:
The cast parties!!!!

Impact on life:
I have made a lot of great friends and have had a ton of fun! And if I have to get up in front of people and speak, I know that I’m ready!

What value has the arts provided you?

Overall, theatre can develop our continually growing/changing identity, which gives us a stronger understanding of who we are. Very often, actors speak of theatre as a way to step out of their selves to portray the life of a different person; however, I believe theatre really provides us with the opportunity to discover ourselves. Theatre places a value on who we are and investigates the choices we make as human beings. It provides an honest forum to showcase the people we are and the people we would like to be.

Do you remember a moment in your life either seeing a show or participating in an activity that has had a lasting impact on your love for the arts?

When I went to UIC, we had a theatrical exchange with the Moscow Theatre of Southwest. We brought one of our shows over to Moscow during the summer, and they brought 3-4 of their productions to our theater in the winter. I’ll never forget their production of Macbeth. The actors had such a strong passion for the content (which was spoken in Russian), and with a minimal set, they really brought the story to life with physical characterizations and cathartic emotions. So far, it has been the only theatre I have experienced that really made me feel inspiration. With every show I see, I always yearn for that same inspiration.

What role do the arts play in creating a vibrant community?

Ultimately, we rely too heavily on film and television. Years ago, people looked to theatre for their sole entertainment. We need theatre because it brings culture to the community. It can make people think in ways that challenge their own beliefs, and very rarely can we say the same about television and/or film.

What reason(s) would you share with others as a reason to give to the arts?

Unfortunately, it seems that theater is more and more a dying art. It takes more than just selling tickets to make a theater run. In order to provide many different theatrical opportunities – especially educational opportunities for our growing performers – a program needs more than ticket sales to impact those personal experiences.

The arts impact lives and theater can especially have a lasting impact with people often remembering their first theatrical experience. Whether a fan of plays, musicals, whether you like to write or act, or just enjoy seeing youth explore their lives through the performing arts, we want to know how the arts are impacting you and our community!

Please send us your story and tell us how the arts have impacted you! We may use your story or a quote to share with others the impact of the arts! Please also share if an experience at Fox Valley Rep (formerly Noble Fool Theatricals) has had a lasting impact on you!

Some starter questions include:

• What value has the arts provided you?
• Do you remember a moment in your life either seeing a show or participating in an activity that has had a lasting impact on your love for the arts?
• What role do the arts play in creating a vibrant community?
• What reason(s) would you share with others as a reason to give to the arts?

Please email your thoughts and stories to development@foxvalleyrep.org.

Thank you!

Sincerely,

Scott Piner, Development Manager

From left: Board of Directors President David Hayes, Artistic Director John Gawlik, Board Member Debbie Hammes and her husband Pat

Why did you choose to volunteer for FVR?

Volunteering for FVR was an easy decision. FVR provides a lovely, intimate theater that is close to home and delivers quality live stage productions. I want to keep this kind of wonderful entertainment in the community that I love.

What value has the arts provided you?

I have always been a fan of live theater. As a young person, I was involved in my high school theater productions. As an adult, attending live theater performances has been a big part of my family’s cultural experience. My husband and I have made theater a part of our lives. We enjoy attending shows with friends and have taken our children to many theater performances in hopes that they, too, will become fans of the performing arts.

Do you remember a moment in your life either seeing a show or participating in an activity that has had a lasting impact on your love for the arts?

As a high school senior, I was a part of our senior stage performance, Hello Dolly! Our theater director was wonderful and made the experience so enjoyable. That has always stayed with me, and while I was certainly never a star, I became a theater fan forever.

What role do the arts play in creating a vibrant community?

I think the arts, in all forms, can enhance a community’s appeal. When a community has wonderful art opportunities to offer, people want to be a part of that community. The arts provide social, cultural and educational opportunities that keep a community alive and vibrant. We are fortunate to have many theater options, both locally and in the greater Chicagoland area.

What reason(s) would you share with others as a reason to give to the arts?

I cannot imagine living in a community where I could not attend arts events. I feel especially blessed to live in a community with so many cultural opportunities. It is a source of pride and pleasure to have a wonderful theater venue like FVR in my hometown. I want to keep this type of cultural entertainment alive and would encourage anyone to share time and resources to help do just that.