SCT Behind the Curtain

"Drive-Home Moments" and a Farewell (for now)

2010-04-21T11:15:00.000-07:00

We have decided to close down this old Blogspot-hosted blog. As you can see, it has been very quite around these parts of late. So, instead of trying to restart this blog, we’re going to take a step back and launch a new blog hosted on our website this summer.

Until then, check out our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter. But, for now, one last blog post to tide you over until the summer.

If you have ever listened to an NPR station during pledge week, you have probably heard them talk about “driveway moments.” You have NPR on in the car, and get so wrapped up in a story that when you get home you sit in the driveway to listen until the end. I’ve had a driveway moment or two myself.

But, at SCT, we like to talk about the “drive-home moments,” because we hear stories from our patrons year after year about the great conversations they have with their children on the way home from seeing a play at SCT. There is just something about live theatre in general, and the plays that SCT chooses to produce in particular, that inspires conversations between parents and kids that go way beyond the usual, “fine.”

This isn’t a concept we made up (though we did name it). We are fortunate enough to talk with our patrons on a regular basis, and this is what they have told us:

This show is as much for the parents as it is for the kids. We discussed the show in depth all the way home!

As always, it stimulated much conversation amongst the four of us with each of us.

This was a great example to our kids that anything can happen in "live" theater! Made for a great conversation piece.

My kids are still talking about the play and processing things that were important to them in it.

There were so many good messages in this play, and it initiated good conversation on the way home about the different messages it presented.

One of the things that we provide to families (other than enriching entertainment, a child-centered and safe zone, professional actors and production design) is the opportunity to have great conversations and a shared experience on which to build stronger relationships. We give families a drive home where there kids will answer their questions with more than “fine” and will have more to say that “I liked it.”

And I can’t imagine a better gift from us to you.

See you in the summer at our new blog home!

A Teacher Talks About "Perô"

2010-02-01T10:47:00.000-08:00

It has been far, far too long since we posted to this blog (we blame the holiday season and multiple show openings). But, thankfully, we received a letter from a teacher this weekend we had to share (with her permission, of course), which brought us back here once again. We promise, our absence will not be so lengthy again.

Dear SCT Staff,

I would like to express my great appreciation of your production of Perô. I took my 1st-3rd grade class to see it this past Thursday morning, and we were all absolutely thrilled with the experience.

The actors were clearly enjoying themselves, and put forth a beautiful and moving performance. There were quite a number of positive themes in the play which provided great lead-ins to teaching moments. One of the children brought up her surprise at seeing a divorce in a children's play (while not explicit, that a divorce had occurred was appropriately assumed by her.) I pointed out that while we don't mean to teach that divorce is necessarily good, we wouldn't want them to stay with someone who was really mean to them - look at how Paletino even threw a napkin at Columbina. Another child chimed in with my favorite comment - [it's teaching us] "we should think before we act." "Yes," I said, "especially when getting married."

Jennifer Sue Johnson and Matt Wolfe in Perô. Photo by Chris Bennion.

On your website it says that the set is not flashy. I think this comment does a disservice to your production - the set was incredible. In our present world of colorful chaos, it showed the power of pure black, grey and white. The set and costumes were elegant, intricate, cunningly constructed and beautiful. In reaching to the ceiling and behind the back curtain it enveloped the audience in experience. It's true that it acheived this without "flashy" sets, but I found that a strength. Perhaps you could say something like "the quiet elegance of the set of Perô highlights the beauty of its puppetry and focuses attention on the emotions of the characters in its approachable story"

Each year our school rents a theater for an evening so that our children can perform their own play on a real stage. We are a small school without the time or budget to construct a "flashy" or enormous set. Additionally, I feel that the focus of a children's drama production should be on the strength of the children's efforts, which can be easily upstaged by flashy sets. The set of Perô was amazing, yet comprehensible in its construction. A fitting inspiration for our own productions.

Lastly, thank you for the question and answer session at the end. Our children love that. Even more than the questions, they (and we) appreciate the opportunity for them to see the actors "out of character." It gives them a chance to observe how much the actors change their voice and mannerisms to create the character they play.

Thank you for a beautiful, memorable, and highly "teachable" performance.

Sincerely,
Clary Lucero
Elementary Teacher, 1st - 3rd Grade

We may blush. Come and see "Perô" while you still can - the show closes on February 14. Tickets and info at www.sct.org.

SCT Review Crew takes on "Peter Pan"

2009-12-14T14:20:00.000-08:00

Another excellent review of "Peter Pan," this one from Meg D. and family of the SCT Review Crew.

The Holidays are upon us and what better a gift than a night at The Seattle Children's Theatre! This classic story is brought to life with an amazing and talented cast.

Linda Hartzell celebrates her 25th year as Artistic Director of Seattle Children's Theatre. She is truly the best gift ever to the Seattle Children's Theatre and her direction of this show is one of her best yet!

Newcomer Eric Ankrim is wonderful as Peter Pan. His energy is contagious and he carries the show like a pro. David Pichette as Captain Hook is deliciously evil and very funny. I think the adults had an even better time as Hook quotes Shakespeare and demands his gang to play various tunes of music for him. The Pirates were my favorite characters. Auston James as Smee is perfect, funny and always fun to see on stage. The gang of pirates don't let the audience down a moment with their songs and fight scenes.

David Pichette as Capt. Hook with his gang of pirates (clockwise from left) Auston James, Hugh Hastings,
Maggie Stenson, Dane Stokinger, Peter Crook and Geoffrey Alm. Photo by Chris Bennion.

My two boys though LOVED Nana played by Jadd Davis and the Crocodile played by Eric Brotherson. The animal costumes designed by Scott R. Gray make these two fine actors able to crawl, slither and climb easily about the stage.

The set is breathtaking and cheers go to Carey Wong for all the details done in the hildren's nursery. Music Direction by Mark Rabe is wonderful and you can even catch two of the pirates as back-up drummers in the Ugg-a-Wugg song.

The age recommendation for this show is 6+/Grades 1+.. We had little ones all around us and I was a bit concerned at the start, but the wonderful Cry/Family Room is available in case a quick exit is needed!

Get your tickets now and treat your family to a one of a kind live theatre experience!

Activity: Have You Another Voice?

2009-12-09T15:38:00.001-08:00

Photo by Chris Bennion.

In Peter Pan, Peter likes to fool Captain Hook by disguising his voice. This activity from our Drama School's curriculum invites participants to explore using different voices, starting with a vocal warm-up.

Have you another voice?

Have players sit in a circle. Discuss ways that they could change their voice so that no one would know it was them. Some examples include using an accent, or speaking with a deep, high, or raspy voice.

As a group, practice saying the line from Peter Pan, “Have you another voice?” using different voices.

Once players are comfortable with using their voices in a variety of ways, choose one player to be Captain Hook. Captain Hook will close his or her eyes.

Choose one student to be Peter Pan and disguise his voice saying the sentence: “Have you another voice?"

All players should put on their most innocent looking faces – like it could have been any of them.

Have all players say to Captain Hook: “Open your eyes!” Captain Hook uses his power of observation and power of listening to determine who said the line “Have you another voice?” Captain Hook has three tries to figure out who played Peter Pan.

"Twilight" Fans - Win tickets to "Peter Pan"!

2009-11-19T13:56:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while, a production company will contact us about using SCT posters in a movie or television show. Fans of Grey's Anatomy may have noticed that SCT posters are all over the walls of Seattle Grace, for example.

It so happens that we got one such call last spring from the production company working on the new movie in the Twilight saga, New Moon, and SCT is actually represented in the film. There is a poster on the wall in Bella's room, visible several times, from a Seattle Children's Theatre production.

If you see the poster or think you know what it is, mail the name of the play to info@sct.org by 5pm Monday, November 23rd, and you'll be entered into a drawing for two ticket's to SCT's musical Peter Pan!

One entry per email address. Winner will be selected randomly from among all correct entries.

SCT's Staff Contest: Mash-Up the Croc!

2009-11-17T18:37:00.000-08:00

A few months back, while in a mild fever delirium, SCT Head of Crafts Scott R. Gray had a great idea - what if we took some pictures of the incredible Crocodile costume he was working on for Peter Pan, and mashed-up the Croc's head with different photos, like some kind of contest. He emailed off the idea and slipped back into semi-coma.

Then, a donor gave us a couple of airline vouchers that had to be used by the end of the year, and Scott's contest idea floated up and reared its Croccy head. And, so SCT staff and artists were given one week to mash-up one of two pics of Croc with the image of their choice.

The winner was selected through a rigorous evaluation process by our judges, the kids from C.A.S.T (or Creative Arts for Young Thespians). And the winner is...

Submitted by Individual Giving Manager Brooke O'Neal (who, it happens, doesn't fly and is terrified of flying, but who promised, if she won, to fly).

The rest of the very fine contest entries:

Every Mouse is different! or, What Mom said.

2009-10-22T17:41:00.000-07:00

This counts as the inside scoop, because the only way anyone in the audience would ever know this to be the case is if they watched this show over and over and very closely.

You see, every time we perform If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, it's a little different.

Take a look at the scene below, in which MJ Sieber, playing Boy, is imitating his mother right after she's done her nails. It's one of the funnier moments of the play, and it is never the same twice, because MJ has been given the green light to ad lib the line.

Photo by Chris Bennion.

So, every day, when we get the show reports, there's a little box that says "What Mom said today..."

Some of our favorites so far:

Wha, Wha, Wha…(Charlie brown’steacher)

I can’t go outside until my nails are dry because I might get bugs on them.

I’m making smoothies for everyone.

Don’t forget to eat your brussel sprouts.

Did I ever tell you about my four episode arc on Falcon Crest?

It’s french toast day. Everyone want french toast?

Now be quiet. It’s time for me to watch my stories.

I wrote your name in all your underwear in case you lose it.

But, this has got to be our top, top favorite:

Did anyone see Antiques Road Show last night?? I’ve got a neti pot…

Come and see the show, and then stop back here tell us what Mom said!

SCT Review Crew: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

2009-10-20T10:52:00.000-07:00

If You Give A Mouse A Cookie
by SCT Review Crew members Meg D. (mom), Seth D. (age 10), and Dale D. (age 8)

Seattle Children's Theatre has done it again with the amazing adaptation by Jody Davidson of the beloved story If You Give A Mouse A Cookie! My two sons and I have never laughed so hard and were talking about it for hours afterwards.

Take two amazingly gifted performers; MJ Sieber as the boy, who's animated narration of the story and comedic timing are perfect. MJ is so believable as the boy you forget that he is an adult and you truly believe the predicament he is in. And Don Darryl Rivera, as the mouse, who by far is the funniest, set-climbing, mess-making mouse ever to grace the stage. My younger son loves his work, and thought this was by far his best role yet at SCT.

MJ Sieber and Don Darryl Rivera. Photo by Chris Bennion.

Director Rita Giomi staged this non-stop adventure, with classic bits of comedy and great moments where you laughed so hard you didn't think it could be any funnier. But it does, and by the end of the show you have lived the story that I know many parents have read to their kids at least a hundred times.

Take a great set designed by Jennifer Zeyl that is larger than life and filled with all sorts of fun objects for the mouse to get tangled up in. The larger than life bag of chips, cotton balls, cookies and hose from the kitchen sink are fantastic additions. Sound Cues provided by Chris R. Walker added just the perfect touch to certain scenes in the play. My older son loved the 'yodeling' sound bit when the mouse takes upon himself to climb up the refrigerator to hang his picture. Heidi Ganser's fun costumes fit the characters to a T.

This play is just what my family needed to see. A chance to escape our busy lives and to spend an evening laughing and enjoying the audience members experience around us. I hope that every parent, teacher or Seattle Children's Theatre Patron will go see this little show that is as delicious as a cookie and glass of milk will ever be!

Bring us your bored, your squirmy, your young masses yearning to be engaged...

2009-10-13T10:55:00.000-07:00

From this weekend's Rant & Rave in the Seattle Times:

Rant - For the mother who brought her three children under the ages of 7 to "Wicked." As two mothers who sat in front of you who rarely get out to enjoy a show, we, and especially your children, were tortured by your selfishness. The kids kicked the backs of our chairs; the youngest, only 3 or 4, complained during the whole show; and the other children kept asking, "Where's Dorothy?" "Where are the little people?" and "When is this going to end?" To all parents: Some shows are NOT meant for children, and if you take them anyway, please choose a matinee. Better yet, take them to the Children's Theatre.

We couldn't agree more - bring them to us, and we'll keep not only your children, but also you, entertained and engaged.

And should your child (or possible you) get too fussy, we have a quiet room in the back of each theatre with a great view of the stage and sound piped in.

Really, what could be more perfect?

SCT Review Crew: Mysterious Gifts

2009-10-08T13:53:00.000-07:00

Another great review of "Mysterious Gifts: Theatre of Iran", this time from the newest members of the SCT Review Crew, Anita S. and Akaash S.

The show begins with the entrance of the Director, Performer- the audience does not realize yet that they are in for an unique experience. He starts off quite casually into numerous song and dance from all regions of Iran. One can tell that the audience is captivated by the short “mini-dances” which are performed. But wait, the entire tone of the performance shifts in one fell swoop.

Photo by Chris Bennion

He is now in a dark room of some sort and appears to be tortured by something or someone- and hence begins a wonderful display of physicality and puppetry. Is this a battle with one self? Is this a bad dream? Is this a philosophical struggle between good and evil? What is the meaning of this particular “story”? This is the wonder of what we, the audience, are experiencing: a story being told by movement, expression, and pure physical presence. Not to mention the mysterious music in the background. The point being; not one word has been spoken.

Photo by Chris Bennion

After intermission, the stage comes alive in a potter’s environment. Or is it the laboratory of a mad scientist? This story is simply mesmerizing, mysterious, spiritual and curious. One is left wanting more- no wait, it cannot be over…

If you'd like to become part of the SCT Review Crew and share your reviews of SCT productions, contact Marketing & PR Manager Jim Jewell at jimj@sct.org.

Guest Reviewer: Mysterious Gifts: Theatre of Iran

2009-10-05T12:59:00.000-07:00

From time to time, we invite members of our community to see a show and tell us, and you, what they think. Our first guest reviewer is Sarah Pedro, who was sent to us by a local Artistic Director. Sarah saw a performance this weekend, and here is what she had to say.

Finding words to describe the marvel of Mysterious Gifts seems impossible and obsolete in the same way Yaser Khaseb has proven the same of describing the true beauty of life and the connections between all humanity. Khaseb strips away the identities of language that separate us from each other, and brings our similarities into full, undeniable view. Using movement, color, music and expression, Yaser and his cast portray the constant toil and philosophical questions every human battles with, regardless of culture or beliefs.

Hamid Etemedi Todeshki and Yaser Khaseb. Photo by Chris Bennion.

Painting a timeline of the human mind's spiritual struggle, we are first born a compacted being, that must use its entire mind, spirit, and energy to simply survive, and learn to be. The task to unfold, to stand, to walk, to see, soon transform to the quest to understand, to create, to transcend. The character in the battle with the self transcends the barriers between the physical and philosophical, and transforms them into one. We see our mental and spiritual conflicts physically manifest on stage through body language and movement, and this embodies the philosophical struggle better than words ever have. The constant battle between fear and failure, and determination and success that every human experiences over and over again in the wonderment of how and why to live.

Yaser Khaseb in "Mysterious Gift." Photo by Chris Bennion.

Immediately after the stage went black, I had an overwhelming need to see it all over again. I had never before felt so understood, and understanding at the same time.

The most amazing part of this understanding was that I did not know this person, I did not grow up as he had, and I did not even speak his language, yet we understood each other. It is truly an experience that has changed me for the better, and forever.

Wow - thank you, Sarah. If you are interested in sharing your thoughts about SCT productions, you can join the SCT Review Crew. Just drop a line to Marketing & PR Manager Jim Jewell for more information.

Oh, the titles we have heard

2009-09-28T14:00:00.000-07:00

Every year, the Ticket Office shares some of their favorite mangled season titles they hear from patrons.

Some are pretty natural, especially given our location. So, The Brementown Musicians becomes quite naturally The Bremerton Musicians (which actually might make an interesting regional piece).

In the Northern Lands: Nordic Myths slides easily to Northern Lights and Getting Near to Baby produces Getting Ready for Baby (a stage in life most our patrons are familiar with).

But, by far the best yet have been for If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. They include:
Mouse as a Cookie
The Moose... something
The Mouse and the Cookie
Mouse Cookie

And our hands-down, overall, all-time favorite: If You Take a Party Cat to School

Priceless, folks - keep 'em coming!

Take a tour of SCT!

2009-09-11T12:36:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, a (potential) new patron called our Ticket Office to inquire about tickets. She then asked if she could schedule a tour to see the theatre before her show to make sure we weren’t “some flea-bag outfit.”

Photo by Sternstein Photography.

I’m sure she meant no harm, and it gave the Ticket Office staff a good laugh. Because, in fact, we are very lucky to work in this beautiful building.

And, as it happens, the answer to her question about tours was – yes! We do in fact offer guided tours of the building, taking guests through our two theatres, technical pavilion and administrative offices. We accept groups anywhere from a single person to 40 at a time.

Tours have to be worked around our production schedule. After all, we don’t want folks walking through our dressing room area while actors are doing quick changes. But, other than that, we’re flexible and will do what we can to fit accommodate you.

We have one scheduled tour you can join as well. On Saturday October 17th, as part of Theatre Puget Sound’s Live Theatre Week Family Day, we’ll be offering one huge guided tour. We’ll be meeting in the SCT lobby starting at noon, and the tour will go from 12:15 to 1:00. We’ll be able to see the set for If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, and maybe even some set construction for Peter Pan, in addition to the usual tour stops.

If you’d like to RSVP for the Family Day tour, or to schedule a tour for your group, contact SCT Marketing & PR Manager Jim Jewell.

"Peter Pan" Set Model by Carey Wong

2009-09-01T10:06:00.000-07:00

One of the many privileges of life at SCT is having the opportunity to work with artists like scenic designer Carey Wong. Not only is he an incredibly talented designer, but he's also a genuinely kind human being.

Carey designed the sets for SCT's upcoming production of Peter Pan, and once again they are both beautiful and functionally elegant.

Additional reading: International Examiner profile of Carey when he was designing The Neverending Story at SCT.

Maddow's passionate plea for arts education

2009-08-26T13:59:00.000-07:00

From SCT's Literary Manager, by way of a colleague from the Kennedy Center, by way of the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, some really great quotes from AirAmerica and MSNBC's Rachel Maddow on arts and education:

Sometimes we choose to serve our country in uniform, in war, Sometimes in elected office. And those are the ways of serving our country that I think we are trained to easily call heroic. It's also a service to your country, I think, to teach poetry in the prisons, to be an incredibly dedicated student of dance, to fight for funding music and arts education in the schools.

A country without an expectation of minimal artistic literacy, without a basic structure by which the artists among us can be awakened and given the choice of following their talents and a way to get to be great at what they do, is a country that is not actually as a great as it could be. And a country without the capacity to nurture artistic greatness is not being a great country. It is a service to our country, and sometimes it is heroic service to our country, to fight for the United States of America to have the capacity to nurture artistic greatness.

Not just in wartime but especially in wartime, and not just in hard economic times but especially in hard economic times, the arts get dismissed as 'sissy.' Dance gets dismissed as craft, creativity gets dismissed as inessential, to the detriment of our country. And so when we fight for dance, when we buy art that's made by living American artists, when we say that even when you cut education to the bone, you do not cut arts and music education, because arts and music education IS bone, it is structural, it is essential; you are, in [Jacob's Pillow founder] Ted Shawn's words, you are preserving the way of life that we are supposedly fighting for and it's worth being proud of.

Last Chance!

2009-08-07T15:58:00.000-07:00

Join us for a fantastic conclusion to SCT's Summer Season 2009! This weekend we have our final Summer Season production, featuring students performing in Once On This Island, Jr. and Romeo and Juliet.

Good luck to all of our hard working cast!

Productions will take place Charlotte Martin Theatre @ 7pm, August 6-8.

Teentix Review of RENT: School Edition

2009-08-05T09:39:00.000-07:00

The reviews for SCT Drama School's production of RENT: School Edition keep rolling in!

Check out the TeenTix's review here!

Review of RENT: School Edition

2009-08-03T10:02:00.000-07:00

This weekend, SCT's Drama School presented the musical "RENT: School Edition", and they rocked the house. Maybe you saw them last week on KING 5 Morning News or Evening Magazine, or maybe you even made it in to see the show, but for the rest of you, SCT Teen Reviewer Kathryn L. tells you what you missed:

It was a hot summer day, and I was dying in the heat. We had just come back from a trip in the South were it was just about as hot, they only difference there was air conditioning. We had been eating out and going to movies just for the privilege of spending maybe an hour to two hours in a blessed building that had air con. Then, my mom shows me the email; I get to review RENT: School Edition at Seattle Childrens Theatre. More air conditioning! I was estatic.

However, when I got there, and saw quite a few people from my school's drama program had come to watch, it became clear to me that this wasn’t just an air conditioning paradise, this was an air conditioning paradise with entertainment! And despite the young age of the actors, the play definitely had a professional feel.

About the acting, Zane Cimino made a very effective drag queen who probably was the favorite character of the audience considering how loud they clapped each time Angel came on. Jon Llarenas? His solo at the memorial most definitely brought tears to the audience’s eyes. Matt Lang did a good job at being the voice from the outside in as well as Mark, and Camden Morris as Roger along with Kelsey Schergen as Mimi made a very sweet picture and a lot of extra dynamic. Maddie Polyak (Joanne) and Natalee Merrill-Boyet (Maureen) did a good job at playing a falling-apart couple who still are trying to make it work (on one part at least). Then, Frazier Willman did an amazing portrayal of a man outcast from his friends because he became uppity. As for the rest of the cast, they were just as suburb and amazing as the eight lead roles, especially the Season of Love soloists - great job. I loved the Christmas Bells Are Ringing song, and the answering machine bits.

All in all, exquisite acting and phenomenal singing made The Seattle Children’s Theatre version of the Broadway Musical turned movie, RENT all the more enjoyable.

RENT: School Edition showing tonight!

2009-07-31T10:44:00.001-07:00

Everyone around here is getting excited for a SCT Summer Season student production of RENT: School Edition showing this weekend here at the Charlotte Martin Theatre. And we're not the only ones looking forward to the show--we've had some great film segments on King 5 morning news and Evening Magazine, which we'll post online as soon as we can.

To all of our outstanding cast--good luck!

RENT: School Edition is playing Friday-Sunday @ 7, plus a matinee at 2pm on Saturday--be there! It's going to be a great show.

Arts Education

2009-07-28T12:38:00.000-07:00

Today Michelle Obama put in a good word about the importance of arts for America’s youth. Her words?

"An educational foundation is only part of the equation," the first lady said. "In order for creativity to flourish and imagination to take hold, we also need to expose our children to the arts from a very young age." (San Francisco Chronicle - check out the full article here!)

She thinks that a good education goes hand-in-hand with a solid exposure to things like dramatic arts, which nurture creativity and imagination. Then again, there are those who criticize our educational system for focusing too much on the arts already, observing the recent accomplishments of countries like China or India, where engineering and hard sciences hold greater value. What do you think?

Spotlight from the Woodinville Weekly!

2009-07-10T09:57:00.000-07:00

We just received our first bit of media attention for Summer Season today!

Deborah Stone, of the Woodinville Weekly, wrote a great article about three of the students performing in our upcoming productions.

She interviewed Lindsey Foster from our Midsummer Night’s Macbeth cast, Sophia Konat from Once on this Island, Jr., and Shelby Windom, who will soon begin rehearsing for Romeo and Juliet. We’re happy to see members of our student casts being recognized for all their hard work!

Check it out her article here!

Here's Kiki!

2009-07-07T08:30:00.000-07:00

Here's another look at one of SCT's outstanding Summer Season education interns! Here's what Kiki Abba has to say:

1. What led to your decision to intern with SCT?
This is probably the best program in the country for someone that wants to be a Teaching Artist, so the decision was easy!

2. Where are you from, and what did you study before coming here?
I’m from Dubuque Iowa, and I went to the University of Iowa and double majored in Theatre Arts and Communication Studies.

3. Why is theatre important to you personally?
Theatre is a great lens for viewing the world. It’s all about storytelling and there is something so human and universal about it. Once you get “the magic,” you’re hooked for life.

4. What do you feel you bring to SCT’s Summer Season program?
I think I bring a bit of “after college” experience and a lot of facial expressions.

5. What’s your most memorable experience so far as an intern here?
I did a solo mime skit today about eating ice cream. It was EPIC. The ice cream fell in the grass and I ate it anyway. There was a lot of picking grass out of my mouth. Yum.

6. What do you feel are the biggest challenges confronting you as an intern?
The biggest challenge is not getting completely jealous that I’m not in RENT: School Edition. No day but today.

7. What part of this internship are you looking forward to the most?
I’m excited to be working on Alice in Wonderland and learning how to tape a set and track props. It’ll be fun to be on the other side of the tech table.

8. What is your specific job as an intern this summer – specifically,
what shows or age groups will you be working with the closest?
I’ll be doing Alice, a lot of Acting classes with high schoolers and a few toddler Creative Drama classes. I like to mix it up and keep ‘em guessing.

9. What do you feel is the most valuable thing you’ve learned so far as an intern here?
That a surprising number of people have a peanut allergy and I’m afraid to ever eat a Reeses again. I don’t want to kill someone.

10. What are your plans for the future?
I’m going to be the Audience Development Associate at Seattle Rep and I hope to continue working wit6h SCT in any way I can!

A few minutes with... Sylvia B.

2009-07-02T13:50:00.000-07:00

As the 2008-09 Mainstage Season was winding down, we had the good fortune to get a surprise intern in Stage Management. Sylvia B. was a student at The Bush School and was selected to do a senior project and she chose us!

But, we should just let her tell you in her own words.

Thanks, Sylvia, for all the hard work - we all feel incredibly lucky to have had you around for the short time we did. Good luck in all your future endeavors.

Behind the scenes at one of our Drama School classes

2009-07-01T12:37:00.000-07:00

I recently got the chance to sit in on one of our Drama School’s acting classes in Charlotte Martin Theatre. The first thing I noticed was how the kids seemed really engaged and excited to be there—in no small part due to the larger-than-life teaching of Keni, one of SCT’s Teaching Artists.

They started off with a few drama games. The exercises were really dynamic and fast-paced—I tried one out, and I was struck by the great energy level and focus which the students brought to the stage.

Eventually, the students began working on some simple scenes. After dividing into pairs, they were given an open-ended statement and a response—everything else was left up to them. Since the meaning and implications of the sentences were communicated through body language and context, there were some surprisingly different interpretations of the same phrase.

I tried my hand at this as well—I definitely did better than I did in the drama games, but I think my partner and I accidentally started a trend when we resolved practically every scene we acted out by having one of us storm off the stage. I guess I’ll leave dramatic interpretation up to the pros!

Meet Julie!

2009-06-29T14:23:00.000-07:00

Getting into Character

2009-06-26T09:01:00.000-07:00

One of our Drama School Classes decided to dress up and take it to the streets--
Zombie style! After a thorough costumes & makeup session, the students went outside
to show off the fruits of their efforts.

Some of the kids took to following unsuspecting pedestrians, walking behind them
and begging for water and band-aids.

Some of them really took their newfound roles to heart! One even played dead for
a solid 15 minutes in the middle of the sidewalk, getting more than a few odd glances.

It was great to see so many kids getting into their character and learning what it's like
to fully engage in a dramatic role!

Meet the Interns!

2009-06-24T12:11:00.000-07:00

We wanted to give you a glimpse of what goes on here at SCT, so you could get to know some of the work that happens here behind the scenes. The interns who help make the Summer Season's student productions possible are a vital part of our community, so we'll be posting some of their responses to a questionnaire we handed out, in the hopes that you can get to know them a little better.

Here's a little spotlight on Julia Welch, one of the outstanding education interns here at SCT!

1. What led to your decision to intern with SCT?
My interest in theatre is very wide, ranging from acting to producing, directing
to designing, and from teching to teaching. SCT has an amazing internship program
that allows me to explore many areas of theatre in an environment that combines
them with my interest in education. The program was recommended to me by
previous summer interns as well as several membersof my college faculty. These recommendations, along with my personal interests, lead me towards SCT.

2. Where are you from, and what did you study before coming here?
I grew up in California (just south of San Francisco) and upon
entering college moved north to Tacoma, Washington where I attended the
University of Puget Sound. I dabbled in several disciplines including
chemistry and english before majoring in theatre arts. A liberal arts
college, the University of Puget Sound encourages students to develop
into well rounded individuals and my education was just that, within
the context of both my overall experience at the university and my chosen
major. I was required to participate in all areas of theatre and found
my passion to be in technical theatre, stage combat, and improvisational
comedy.

3. Why is theatre important to you personally?
I think that theatre is a unique medium as it requires the audience to engage
in a different way from many other art forms. The audience is an active
participant in the performance and the immediacy of the actions on stage and
the reactions off stage create some real magic. Theatre speaks to me in a way
that nothing else does and I find it unbelievably vibrant, persuasive, engaging,
academic, and passionate. Making theatre and sharing in that creation is a
powerful experience and one that I think everyone should take part in.

4. What do you feel you bring to SCT’s Summer Season program?
This summer I have been assigned to work on Romeo and Juliet as part of
SCT’s Summer Season. At the very least I will bring my enthusiasm and energy
to the rehearsal hall and hopefully a bit of knowledge and experience too. I
have a deep love for Shakespeare and hope the actors will enjoy working with
that beautiful language. Also, I am thrilled to be working on a show that
involves stage combat (as I am an actor/combatant recognized by the
Society of American Fight Directors) and I hope to share those skills in a safe
environment. Finally, I feel that I bring an organized mind to the project.

5. What’s your most memorable experience so far as an intern here?
This is a two part answer for me. Let me begin my saying that before arriving
at SCT I knew nothing about creative drama. It wasn’t even a term I had heard
before. On the first day of intern training two of the drama school staff led
the new interns through a creative drama class and I was amazed. I was
captivated by the story and the exercises and activities. The next week I got
to watch my first creative drama class and once more I was amazed by the kids
in the class and how much they cared about and became invested in the story.
It was unforgettable.

6. What do you feel are the biggest challenges confronting you as an intern?
Since it’s still early in the summer, my biggest challenge is simply my lack of
experience. This is the first week I am working with the kids and while it’s
thrilling, there are also a lot of unknowns. There are plenty of questions that
I am learning the answers to as I go. I expect that each week will get a little
easier and I will get a little more confident.

7. What part of this internship are you looking forward to the most?
While I love all the classes I am working on and am really enjoying the company
of the education staff and other interns, I am most excited to work on a stage
combat class later in this semester. Watching a student go from being scared
to pick up a sword to performing choreographed fights is incredible. I love to
watch their self confidence grow along with their skills. To me, stage combat
is more challenging than a lot of other theatrical disciplines since it requires
such high stakes for the characters involved and that asks a lot of the actors.
Success in stage combat is empowering. It is inspiring to see students take
risks and push themselves in a safe and controlled environment.

8. What is your specific job as an intern this summer – specifically,
what shows or age groups will you be working with the closest?
I am working on the Summer Season production of Romeo and Juliet which is from
grades 7 to 12. Other than that, my time is pretty well split up between the
different age groups. I seem to be assisting on all kinds of different classes
as well as doing some administrative work. It is a very balanced schedule that
allows me to do a little bit of everything.

9. What do you feel is the most valuable thing you’ve learned so far as an intern here?
I am sure that I will learn a ton more over the course of the summer, but in these
last couple weeks I feel that the most valuable thing I’ve learned is to just try.
Even if you are nervous or uncomfortable or even scared, there is so much to be
accomplished by putting yourself out there and trying. One of the great things
about SCT is that there are many other intern and staff members who are your
support system. Just try and even if you fail there will be people to help you.

10. What are your plans for the future?
It’s hard to say at the moment what I’ll be doing at the end of this summer.
I hope to continue working in theatre in some capacity, whether that means
I’ll get a job somewhere or another internship or even volunteering. Eventually
I’d love to go to graduate school for scenic design, but that’s still a couple
years off at least. Other goals I have are to work as an improv teaching artist
and to become a certified teacher through the Society of American Fight Directors.
For now I will enjoy every minute of this internship and hope that any future
experience is even half as great as this one is turning out to be.

Goodbye, Natasha!

2009-06-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

Today we say goodbye to our school-year Education intern, Natasha Ransom. We've enjoyed her relentlessly positive energy and are sad to see her go.

Yesterday, she brought in this picture to share.

This is, of course, the patio outside SCT, and the cute little girl on the left is Natasha. The photo was taken in 1994, and that is what makes the picture so special. Natasha's relationship with SCT is going on 15 years. And while that is in fact special, it is by no means unique.

We hear stories like this all the time. Don Darryl Rivera, who played the lead in I Was a Rat!, shared a story recently about his first memory of an SCT play from the 1993-94 season, which featured actors with whom he now shares the stage.

People develop long-lasting relationships with this theatre, whether they be audience or artists, volunteers or staff. And we couldn't be more proud of that fact.

Chatting with the "RENT" cast

2009-06-18T14:11:00.000-07:00

Last night, our Summer Season cast of RENT: School Edition had the opportunity to see the professional tour of RENT, including Broadway originals Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal, at the Paramount Theatre. After the performance, the professional cast met with our students for a chat-back.

It was an amazing experience. The professional cast treated our students with an incredible amount of respect, seriously considering their questions and speaking to them as fellow artists.

And our students were beside themselves. Not only did they get a chance to talk with artists pursuing the careers to which they aspire, but they were also able to pick the brains of people currently living in the roles the students will soon undertake.

Many thanks to the cast, Broadway Across America, and the Paramount Theatre for making this special evening happen.

And, thanks to Evening Magazine, who filmed the meeting. We'll update this post as soon as we know when the segment will air.

Bring on the interns!

2009-06-17T12:51:00.000-07:00

The summer interns have arrived, infusing our entire building with a new fever-pitch of energy. And that means it is time to turn Behind the Curtain over to their capable hands.

So, let me take this opportunity to introduce Jordan, or PR/Marketing Interns. Jordan will be taking the helm here, bringing you insight into the camps, classes and student productions that make summer so much fun at SCT.

Hi everyone, my name is Jordan Gilbertson and I’m the PR & Marketing intern for the 2009 Summer Season. I’m originally from the Seattle area — or the Eastside, at least, which sort of counts — but for the past 3 years I’ve been at Amherst College, Massachusetts as a Political Science major. I’ve learned a lot, but never had the chance to get acquainted with the workings of the professional theatrical or PR/Marketing communities. I’m honored to be a part of something with such a great mission and sense of purpose, especially seeing as I still have no idea where my life is headed professionally.

I was raised on some of the outstanding productions they’ve had here in the past. In fact, one of my earliest childhood memories is of a Seattle Children’s Theatre show. Point is, this theatre has had a genuine formative impact on me, and I’m excited to help spread the word about the programs here.

Over the summer, this blog is going to introduce some of the other passionate and talented interns and staff helping run this year’s Summer Season. Hopefully, you’ll get a chance to see all of the work and passion that goes into making SCT productions such great experiences for youth and parents alike.

I look forward to seeing you at one of our Summer Season productions!

Annett Mateo and her new rock band

2009-06-11T11:27:00.000-07:00

SCT's very own Annett Mateo, our lead properties artisan and resident puppet master, has been getting a lot of press lately for her work on the hand-puppet rock band she made for the Experience Music Project.

First, an article in the Seattle Times, and now a segment on KING5's Evening Magazine.

Congratulations, Annett, and great work on the rock band!

Letter: Go see "Goodnight Moon"?

2009-06-05T16:01:00.001-07:00

This is the closing weekend of our 08-09 season, with both "I Was a Rat!" and "Goodnight Moon" coming to an end. This week, we received an email that we just had to, with the author's permission, share with all of you.

My family was recently given tickets to see Goodnight Moon. Our daughter is four years old, but we weren't sure how she would react. Claren has autism, and Goodnight Moon is one of her favorite books. After beginning to talk last year, she now recites it perfectly. I knew the play would have to veer away from the original words, and when it did, because of her adherence to routine, I worried that she would lose it and have to be removed.

She was mesmerized. Her eyes lit up as she took in the set, and saw the book come to life. For Claren, who does not know how to pretend, you are not putting on a play. Your set *is* Goodnight Moon. And she fell in love with it. After the show, I purchased the Goodnight Moon puzzle as well as the partner book, My World. And every time she's said, "Go see Goodnight Moon?" I have replied, "Of course we can. We'll go in a few weeks."

I didn't realize the show ended so quickly, nor did I ever dream that it would sell out. I'm writing to ask you if there's anything I can do to help her see the show again. To have Claren request something is a very big deal in our family. Claren is not interested in baking cookies with me, or doing crafts, or shopping. She doesn't make the connection between process and result. But Goodnight Moon she understands. I know many parents who find their children's constant demands very stressful. We are not blessed with that problem.

Please let me know if there is anything that can be done. We will come at any time, on any day. I will stand, holding her, in the back or off to the side if need be. We will watch it from the "cry room." We would come to a dress rehearsal if there are any left. I'm sure I must sound like a crazy parent, but because we have so few opportunities to engage and enthrall Claren, it means so much to us when one presents itself. I deeply regret the assumption that tickets would remain available. Please let me know if there is a way for us to see the show again. Although we were planning for my husband and I to bring her, we would be thrilled if just one of us could bring Claren again.

We didn't think she sounded like a crazy parent at all, but rather someone working very hard to provide the best for her daughter. And, of course, we found a way for Claren to attend.

But, the point isn't how nice we are at SCT. It's about the incredible power of the human connections that live theatre provides. I can't imagine a better testament than this letter.

We hope that Claren and her family enjoy "Goodnight Moon" this weekend as much as the first time around. And we hope that you will all join us for the 2009-10 Mainstage Season, starting in September, when we offer another year of stories with the power to enrich the lives of your family.

Creating your own post-play discussions

2009-06-03T10:04:00.000-07:00

After nearly every performance, SCT artists return to the stage for a post-play discussion with the audience. They ask audience members about elements of the play, like the effect of parts of the musical score or whether they identify with any characters in the play, and also take audience questions. It is a valuable part of the SCT experience as it helps kids, and adults for that matter, make more personal connections to the material.

And the discussion doesn't have to, and dare we say shouldn't, stop when you leave the theatre. This article from the National Endowment for the Arts, which talks about dramatic play for children, offers some great suggestions for discussion points for your family after seeing a play:

- A good story. Theatre for young audiences today is wide-ranging, offering plays on subjects from traditional fairy tales to current events. Whatever the topic, a good production will clarify its subject. Did you learn something new or gain a new insight through the play?

- Credible characters. A “willing suspension of disbelief” is necessary for viewing theatre, but the characters should be plausible. Did actions seem totally out-of-character for someone in the play? If so, did you lose interest in the drama?

- Excellent performance skills (acting, dance, music, and any other skills called for such as juggling, fencing, etc.). Do these skills support the development of character? Are they at a level befitting the expectations of the actors, both in terms of the amateur or professional status of the company, and the actions of the characters?

- Effective visual elements. Do scenery, costumes, and lighting transport you to the place and time of the play? Are they visually engaging? In cases where scenery and lighting are minimal or absent, did the production stimulate your imagination in other effective ways?

- Challenging ideas. A good script can provoke thought, bring new ideas to light, perhaps help you look at a facet of life in a new or different way. Ask your child what he or she got from a performance. Try open-ended questions such as: What did you see on the stage? What was a particular character trying to do? What happened at the very beginning?

- Insight into other cultures. Theater can take us in time and place to other communities and cultures. Did the production help you learn about cultural or ethnic traditions?

- Strong emotional response and involvement in the plot. Were you moved by the action of the play? While emotions can’t always be verbalized, a discussion with your child about his or her feelings about what happened can benefit both of you.

Of course, it doesn't have to be anything so formal. Simple questions like "What did you like about the play?" or "Who was your favorite character?" on the car ride home can get the discussion rolling.

The ability to forge connections between people is one of the great strengths of theatre arts, and with a little encouragement it can start some great conversations with your kids. And that makes for a more enriching experience all the way around.

Overheard at "Goodnight Moon"

2009-05-27T10:50:00.000-07:00

Our Assistant Production Stage Manager, Sarah Mixson (you might remember her from her Peeps-homage to A Tale of Two Cities), reads every show report (submitted by the Stage Manager after each performance) and watches about as many shows as any person in at SCT. She's been collecting fun, and funny, moments noted in the show reports for us from the run of Goodnight Moon.

Auston James, Matt Wolfe, Sharva Maynard and Jayne Muirhead. Photo By Chris Bennion.

"At the beginning of the second singing of Hey Diddle Diddle, a member of the house said 'We’ve already done this!'"

"During the post-play discussion Matt Wolfe, who plays Bunny, asked the audience how the Hey Diddle Diddle song makes them feel, and a little girl raised her hand and answered 'It makes me feel like a superstar!'"

"After Old Lady said the line, 'You know what happens when you drink water late and night,' a kid responded with 'You pee your bed!' It was quite hilarious."

"After Cat’s line “Whose idea was it to cast that cow?” a child in the audience shouted out 'MINE!'."

"Lovely show tonight. We are pretty sure we had Clarabelle’s [the cow who jumps over the moon] biggest fan in the house. He was a little boy who became more and more excited by Clarabelle’s attempts and was so surprised when Clara actually made the jump that he had to let it sink in for a moment. He then let rip the most astonishing squeal I have ever heard. He began leaping up and down and throwing his arms in the air, it was really adorable."

Only two weekends left to share in the magic - Goodnight Moon closes June 7th.

2009 Nickelodeon Parents' Picks Award Nominee

2009-05-18T12:23:00.000-07:00

We just got word from the fine folks at Nickelodeon that Seattle Children's Theatre is a 2009 Parents' Picks Award nominee!

Voting is underway and runs through July 15th, with winners announced in August. Take a moment to visit the Parents' Picks Award site and show your support for SCT.

Vote early and vote often - you can vote once every day!

Best Theatre for Kids
in Seattle

Our Teen Reviewer Tackles "I Was a Rat!"

2009-05-14T18:03:00.000-07:00

Another review from teen reviewer Kathryn L., who previously reviewed "A Tale of Two Cities" and "Goodnight Moon".

When I was in 5th grade, I took part in the Global Reading Challenge at B.F. Day Elementary School. One of the books we had to read was I Was a Rat! by Philip Pullman. Immediately, I fell in love with the poor innocence of Roger, the hospitality of Bob and Joan, and the craftiness of Oliver Tapscrew.

Peter Crook, Caety Sagoian and Don Darryl Rivera. Photo by Chris Bennion.

So, when I came to the play, it was only to fall in love all over again with the characters I had loved back then. Not only were their personalities brought to life and made even more believable then they already were, but the set was a story in itself. The idea of making the set out of the Daily Scourge added to the story by so much. It showed how a community and their actions can be fueled by a misprint in a paper, and how gossip can sometimes rule the lives of many.

Over all, the play was a very good, very believable adaption of the book by Phillip Pullman. It highlighted all of the important aspects from the book and gave personality to even the inanimate objects, such as the set, and the tiniest characters that really have no role at all, like the Philosopher Royal’s cat.
I highly recommend it to people of all ages - to adults because it helps to capture lost youth, and to the youth itself because it is set in a fantasy-world only imaginable to young minds.

"I Was a Rat!" runs through June 7th in SCT's Charlotte Martin Theatre.

A look back with the new kid at SCT

2009-05-13T15:31:00.000-07:00

From Kanani in the Ticket Office:

Wow! What a year! As we wrap up our 2008-2009 season and begin work on 2009-2010, I am celebrating the anniversary of my first year out of college. My first year on the work force was a big year for SCT. We had an unprecedented nine show season, which was trying for all of us, including you (trying to fit in the time to see all our great shows was hard work!). We started the season with three shows (Bluenose, The Green Sheep, and Night of the Living Dead) all playing at the same time. Some days we would have as many as seven performances in one day!

With the winter came The Wizard of Oz and of course the awful snow. I missed several days of work and the one day I made it in, I had to walk home 3.5 miles (in the snow, uphill- both ways!) We had to cancel shows and reschedule a huge number of people for January. More people didn’t even get to see the show, which was a terrible shame, because it was such an amazing production. Not being in school, it was my first year without a three week vacation for the holidays. Spirits were low, but I kept on trudging.

In the early months of the new year we brought you Tomas and the Library Lady and Pharaoh Serket and the Lost Stone of Fire. These two shows ran almost the same dates, which made scheduling hard for some of our busy subscribers. I celebrated my 23rd birthday dressed as a zombie in the middle of February. I was dumped the day before my birthday, so the “My Bloody Valentine” theme seemed appropriate.

After this, things settled down a little bit at the theatre. This allowed me some free time to do more enjoyable things, like get my wisdom teeth pulled out. I wasn’t able to fully open my mouth for over a month (not common in most recoveries), so performing my job, which mostly consists of answering phones, was very difficult. Luckily, we were only showing one play at the time, A Tale of Two Cities, so the number of calls coming in wasn’t as high as usual.

Now, of course we are showing Goodnight Moon and I Was a Rat, and we have begun taking subscription orders for the 2009-2010 season (Hint: Renewing subscribers get a lower price and a free ticket if they renew by May 31st.) I can’t wait for next season! Thanks to the great leadership of our new Managing Director, Tim Jennings, the season is much less frantic in terms of scheduling. We will have less overlap of shows, which will allow for extensions with our more popular shows. We’ve also gone to full general admission seating, instead of A and B sections, which will make life a lot easier for me, and I think will make life easier for ticket holders too. The shows I am most looking forward to are Getting Near to Baby and If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.

Next weekend is Memorial Day weekend and all of SCT will get a well deserved vacation. This might be sad for some of you, as we will have no shows, but most of us are pretty excited. I, along with two of my coworkers/friends in the ticket office will be going on an adventure to the Olympic National Park, with stops at Elwha Hot Springs, Hoh Rainforest, and Forks, WA (be jealous, Twilight fans). I hope you enjoy your weekend as much as I will! And thanks for making my first year a great one!

More on "Rat" from the SCT Review Crew

2009-05-12T12:17:00.000-07:00

Before we share more from the SCT Review Crew, I thought I'd take a moment and explain these "spoiler tags" you're seeing.

"I Was a Rat!" has something of a surprise involved in the story. It isn't a secret if you've read the book, and the more astute members of our audience will probably pick up on the clues and figure it out quite quickly. And, anyway, the surprise isn't really what the story is about.

But, to make sure we preserve the surprise for anyone so inclined, I'm putting spoiler tags on reviews from our Review Crew that might let the secret slip. Just click the spoiler button for the full tale.

All that being said, let's get on to the review from SCT Review Crew-er Nadine S.

SCT's new production, "I Was A Rat!," is a twisted fairy tale.
SPOILERS!

What happens if one of the rats turned into a footman by Cinderella's godmother doesn't revert back to a rodent at midnight? The main character of "I Was A Rat," is in this fix, and he suddenly finds himself a boy, with no idea how to act like a human and no one to care for him. Bewildered and afraid, the rat/boy knocks on the door of a kind, childless couple and with the explanation, "I was a rat," the story begins. Like the couple, we don't learn until later how the rat became a boy or why (he ran off from his post as Cinderella's footman to take her to the ball and was never reverted to his true self at midnight), so that we, too, are thrown confused into a world in which the rich live in a fairytale castle and the rest of the people live in a depressed, gray, and poor world, populated with unscrupulous grifters and desperate orphans who have to live hard to get by.

Through a series of mishaps, the boy, named "Roger" (Don Darryl Rivera) by the kind couple, finds himself on display as a "monster," vilified by rumour and fear spread by newpapers that serve not to inform, but to make a buck. It takes a princess to save him, leaving us with the relief and hope that fairytale endings can happen anywhere.

Don Darryl Rivera as Roger the rat-boy. Photo by Chris Bennion.

Roger's journey is staged by the SCT like a Dickens novel. The set is dark, gray and urban with lurid newspaper headlines slashed all over the stage. The kind couple are dressed in depression-era clothing and their warm, cobbler's cottage is the only homey place on this stark set. The other characters are dressed in Victorian rags and tags, ruffians straight from Oliver Twist. A fairytale castle looms behind, far in the distance. Some characters in the play, such the evil Fagin-like grifter who attempts to put Roger on display as the monstrous "Rat Boy," and the street urchin who, like the Artful Dodger, has a good heart but steals and connives to survive, make us fear that Roger will come to a tragic end.

The play shows the best and the worst of humanity and, thankfully, all turns right for Roger. The SCT once again lightens the story with humor and the actors made this crazy fairy-tale seem real. Our daughter (7) loved this play and so did we. It gave us the perfect chance to talk with her about how to decide if what you read in the newspaper is always true and how sometimes fear leads people to do the wrong things. The happy ending left us with the feeling that even in such a difficult world, most people are really good at heart.

"I Was a Rat!" runs in SCT's Charlotte Martin Theatre through June 7th.

SCT Review Crew's first review of "I Was a Rat!"

2009-05-07T10:14:00.000-07:00

Our first SCT Review Crew review of "I Was a Rat!" from veteran Review Crew-er Aimee W. and daughter Kira W.

From the newspaper wrapped set, to the marvelously talented cast, to the incredibly quick costume changes, I Was A Rat! is a not-to-be-missed show! My daughter Kira (age 7) and I (age withheld), thoroughly enjoyed this delightful, surprising romp. This is both a funny and touching story of a rat who turns into a boy and all the adventures of misunderstanding and prejudice he encounters.

Luckily, he first encounters a cobbler Bob (Rob Borgess)and his wife, Joan (Marianne Owne), who makes the most delightful toasted cheese sandwiches and ginger “snap” cookies. They decide to call him Roger. Roger (Don Darryl Rivera) eats everything... really! He nibbles through newspapers (The Daily Scourge), pencils and even his mattress and bed clothes. This delighted my daughter to no end, as did his bizarre, rat-like habits.

Rob Burgess, Don Darryl Rivera and Marianne Owen. Photo by Chris Bennion.

Unfortunately, Roger ends up in some sticky situations – even getting thrown in jail because he is suspected of being a sewer monster. An amazing thing since Roger still looks a lot like a boy, clearly indicating that people choose their own context even if there is evidence to prove otherwise literally staring them straight in the face.

This tale is told with punctuations of headlines from the local, tabloid newspaper, The Daily Scourge. The cast plays multiple characters so well it feels like a cast of thousands. Each character has his or her own musical theme. I must admit, I didn’t notice this feature, but it was called to our attention when the cast came out on the stage at the end of the show to answer questions and talk to the audience. It makes me want to see the show again so that I can pay special attention to that detail.

The things my daughter loved are listed below – her top ten but in no particular order:
[Editor's note: This list has some spoilers in it, so be warned before you click the list name to reveal it.]

Kira W.'s Favorite Parts

1. The headband on Roger’s head at the end
2. When Roger hid in the trashcan
3. Eating pencils!
4. When Billy rescued Roger from Professor Tapscrew’s
5. The sewer guy’s costume was great because it was dirty like he was from the sewer
6. Liked how Roger stood straight like a pole when he was hiding from the police
7. Loved it when he ate the peppers – it was funny!
8. Liked it when the princess turned the rat into a cleaned up boy to get him out of jail
9. Liked how the picture had Roger in it
10. Liked the scene where Bob and Joan gave the princess the red shoes.

We both loved the show and could have probably created a much longer list than this. This show is fun for ages 6+. And unlike some toys with a starting age that really represents a range of about 2 years beyond, the plus here really means 6 and up. My 11 year old would have loved this, and, well, that plus includes me and I loved this, too.

"I Was a Rat!" runs in SCT's Charlotte Martin Theatre through June 7th.

An actor and parent reviews "Goodnight Moon"

2009-05-07T07:52:00.000-07:00

Another family review, this time from local actor Dan Spiegelman, who joined us with his son for opening night of "Goodnight Moon."

Sharva Maynard, Matt Wolfe and Jayne Muirhead (operating the Mouse puppet). Photo by Chris Bennion.

I was super excited to be bringing my almost four year-old Ben to see "Goodnight Moon." I have an affinity for SCT; I feel like I grew up there between the plays I saw as a kid and the classes I took.

Ben has always enjoyed the book and was pretty excited about going to a show also. As soon as the play started, he was completely engaged, smiling and laughing the whole time.

After the show, he went down to meet all of the actors and was stoked that Matt Wolfe (Bunny) signed his poster. We have the poster hanging in his bedroom now and he voluntarily tells the story of how we went to see the play "Goodnight Moon," and how it was very, very funny.

"Goodnight Moon." runs through June 7th, 2009.

Activity: Late for Class, or Out Too Late

2009-05-05T16:40:00.001-07:00

Another great activity from SCT's Drama School, Late for Class is a basic game structure onto which we have built themes from I Was a Rat!

Late for Class, or Out Too Late (the I Was a Rat! version)

Choose one player to be Roger, the rat-boy. Roger is being interrogated by the Police Man (activity leader) about why he is out late with no parents. The Police Man says that if Roger explains himself, he will take Roger back to Bob and Joan. If not, he will take Roger and all the Rat Children to the Sterminator! The rest of the players are the Rat Children who try to help Roger.

Roger leaves the room while the leader and the rest of the class decide an outrageous story that is Roger’s excuse for being out late (for example: a space ship took him away, etc.).

Roger returns to the room and the Police Man demands his story. The rest of the group, standing or seated behind the Police Man, mimes or gives other clues to Roger about what he/she should say to the Police Man. If the Police Man turns around, the group must immediately start doing their “work” and not get caught signaling to Roger.

Once Roger has figured out the story, try again with new actors and a new story.

NOTE: The first couple of times you do this, keep it pretty simple. As the players refine their miming skills and understand the exercise better, add more details to the story.

Added layer: Moving Around the Room

Moving Around the Room is a warm-up activity we use to help students get used to using their voices and bodies. Students walk around the room slowly and silently, and when the group leader gives them one of the following prompts, they respond with the corresponding gesture and words.

Prompt / Gesture / Phrase

Pencil / Mime eating a pencil / Delicious!

Bread and Milk / Mime sticking face in bowl / Sluurrrrp

Wash up! / Rub face like a rat cleaning / Rub-a-dub

Make your bed / Students circle and curl up / Snore

Spoon / Hold an imaginary spoon / Spoom!

To incorporate Moving Around the Room into Out Too Late, have the Rat Children stay where they are (actually moving around the room will just make it hard for Roger to follow the Rat Children's hints). Whenever the Police Man turns around to try to catch them signaling Roger, he/she should use a sentence with one of these prompts (e.g. "Children, pull out your pencils!" or "You children are grubby - wash up!"), and the Rat Children should respond with the corresponding gesture and phrase as their "work."

A Few Minutes With Don Darryl Rivera

2009-04-30T07:57:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, we sat down for a video interview with Don Darryl Rivera, Puppet Coach for Goodnight Moon and Roger the rat-boy in I Was a Rat!

We started things off, of course, with an introduction:

At this point, embarrassingly, my camera battery died, as I had been unable to find its power cord that morning. But, the ever-resourceful Don Darryl reached into his backpack and pulled out a digital camcorder, and we were back in business.

And then we were foiled by technology again, as the saved video proved to be unreadable. The sound, however, remained, and so I've cobbled together a quick podcast of our interview. You can listen via the player below, or download the MP3 here.

Many thanks to Don Darryl Rivera for the interview and the technology assist.

Goodnight Moon runs in SCT's Eve Alvord Theatre through June 7th, 2009.

I Was a Rat! opens May 1st, 2009 in SCT's Charlotte Martin Theatre, and runs through June 7th, 2009.

Fun facts from the Props team working on "I Was a Rat!"

2009-04-27T14:39:00.000-07:00

Our Props department does an amazing job, and a big part of that is their attention to detail. They do a lot of studying for each show to come up with the best design for the properties you will see. Prop Shop Manager Edie Whitsett routinely shares the interesting tidbits of information she comes up with while researching each production.

For example, in I Was a Rat! you'll get to meet the Philosopher Royal, and below are some of Edie's notes on how each facet of the character is reflected in the prop design.

The Philosopher Royal is a devotee of several branches of knowledge, study and weirdness. Among his interests are:

Phrenology - the science of knowing a person by his or her bumps and fissures on the head. NOTE the poster of a head on his wall.

Palmistry - the science of knowing a person (or predicting their future) by his or her lines and creases on the hand. Also using the shape of the hand and digits. NOTE the model hand on his table and poster on the wall.

Alchemy – the science of transmutation (changing) of common metals into gold. Also, the search for or creation of a "panacea," a remedy believed to cure all diseases and prolong life indefinitely. NOTE various bottles and equipment on his table.

Ancient Egypt - NOTE the "hand painted" papyrus and God's eye protection amulet.

Acupunture - a technique of inserting and manipulating fine filiform (threadlike) needles into specific points on the body to relieve pain, or for therapeutic purposes. In China, the practice of acupuncture can be traced as far back as the Stone Age, with the Bian shi, or sharpened stones. Stone acupuncture needles dating back to 3000 B.C. have been found by archeologists in Inner Mongolia. Recent examinations of Ötzi, a 5,000-year-old mummy found in the Alps, have identified over 50 tattoos on his body, some of which are located on acupuncture points. NOTE the posters under the table.

Also note, a tiny Muslim prayer rug is on his floor...it sometimes points towards Mecca.

Join us to see what other interesting characters, and their props, you will meet.

I Was a Rat! opens May 1st and runs through June 7th in SCT's Charlotte Martin Theatre.

Family review: "Goodnight Moon"

2009-04-22T09:53:00.000-07:00

Another review from Kathryn L. (you may remember her "A Tale of Two Cities" review), ably assisted by sister Rachel and brother Jared.

I am a fourteen-year-old girl, and I am her twelve-year-old sister. We have known Goodnight Moon since we were little girls. We’ve always liked it, the colors, the little details, the rhyming of the words. We have a brother who is six. Goodnight Moon has been read to all of us since we were little, and we have a copy of that and Runaway Bunny handy at all times on the bookshelf in our house.

Auston James, Matt Wolfe, Sharva Maynard and Jayne Muirhead. Photo by Chris Bennion.

When we went to the Seattle Children’s Theatre’s play version of the book, we were all excited to see how the much-loved children’s book would be transformed into a full play. The set delighted me and my sister who spent the last five minutes before the play started discussing the set and playing find the piece.

“Look! There’s the curtain rod.”

“It even has the arrow at the tip!”

“I know. Hey! The bears-”

“In their chairs? I know!”

“And the picture of the Runaway Bunny!”

“And the mitten and kitten!”

“And the night table and the brush!”

“And the bowl full of mush!”

We had a lot of fun, and afterwards, my brother said “The set was just like the book, but full of surprises!” He said he couldn’t wait to see it again with his school (an outing he is still patiently waiting for), and the next night during dinner while we were still in the kitchen eating, he even left to act out scenes from the play for us.

The acting and the colorful singing had my mom wanting to accuire [sic] a cd of the songs sung in the play, and my brother saying: “It wasn’t just a play, it was a musi-cool!”

"Goodnight Moon" runs through June 7th in SCT's Eve Alvord Theatre.

Have you heard about our new season?

2009-04-21T10:55:00.000-07:00

Last week, we announced our 2009-2010 Mainstage Season. It is currently available only for renewing subscriptions, with new subscriptions available in mid-May and single tickets on sale in late summer. But, we're so excited, we're telling everybody!

Mysterious Gifts: Theatre of Iran
September 25 – October 11, 2009
Part dance, part performance art, all compelling—Iranian performer Yaser Khaseb will mesmerize you with his storytelling. He invites us into his culture and we see how universal the human experience truly is; take this opportunity to connect our stories.

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
October 16 – November 29, 2009
What do you get when a precocious mouse and a kind boy spend an afternoon together? Cookie crumbs, spilled milk, and a whole lot of fantastic physical comedy that will have you rolling in the aisles.

Peter Pan
November 13, 2009 – January 10, 2010
One of the greatest American musicals for any age—join Peter, Wendy, and all the characters we know and love as we fly away to where dreams are born.

Perô - coproduction with Speeltheater Holland
January 15 – February 14, 2010
A sweet, funny story with brilliant music and innovative puppetry that will make this day at the theatre a cherished memory. Winner of multiple awards, and called “the most delightful 60 minutes in town” by the London Times.

In the Northern Lands: Norse Myths
February 12 – March 14, 2010
With breathtaking, theatrical grandeur, these epic stories of compassion, loyalty, and bravery take us on a grand adventure that teaches us about who we are and who we should aspire to be.

Getting Near to Baby
March 12 – April 18, 2010
When Little Sister and Willa Jo have to spend a summer with an aunt who gets along better with her garden gnomes than little girls, they all struggle, laugh, and learn about the ups and downs of the independent spirit.

The Brementown Musicians
April 9 – May 16, 2010
From the artistic team that brought us Peter and the Wolf, this timeless fable of animals past their prime gets a fresh, and funny, twist. The band of big-hearted musical misfits uses their special gifts to save music itself.

Production credits and in-depth play descriptions available at http://www.sct.org/.

Winner of the "Tomás and the Library Lady" Story Contest

2009-04-14T12:01:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to the winner of our Tomás and the Library Lady story contest, sponsored by the SCT Drama School - Timothy, a 6th grader, and his story Library Adventure.

To read Timothy's winning entry, click here.

Congratulations, Timothy!

An artist and parent reviews "Goodnight Moon"

2009-04-13T09:52:00.000-07:00

In addition to our fabulous SCT Review Crew, we sometimes invite members of the community to write reviews of our productions. In the last year, we've had guest reviewers from Hugo House, 826 Seattle and TeenTix. This past weekend, we invited local solo performer/writer/actor/educator Maria Glanz and her son Finn (age 4 and 3/4) to see "Goodnight Moon" and share their experience with us.

Opening Night: We walk into the Eve Alvord Theatre at SCT, and after climbing the steps and choosing a bench, we turn – and our smiles stretch all the way up to our eyes as we look at the Great Green Room come to full-size life in Jennifer Lupton’s wonderful set. Finn’s first words, as always, are:

“What’s that?”

And we look at the giant windows, with stars shining through, and the picture of the Cow Jumping Over the Moon, and Finn says:

“There’s Kittens! And a Little House… and the Bowl Full of Mush!” I notice the title, Goodnight Moon, tucked cleverly on a big tall book spine on stage left, right behind the piano. Before the play even begins we are falling into another world, something that always seems to occur effortlessly at SCT. Even when I know how much long, hard work goes into these wonderful productions – it always looks effortless, easy, magical.

And when the performance begins, the magic grows. Finn whispers to me, “I see a Big Red Balloon!” and we watch the balloon follow his friend Bunny across the stage. The script, wonderfully adapted by Chad Henry – who also wrote the marvelous music and lyrics - begins with little Bunny saying “Hello!” to all of his friends, the clocks and socks and mittens, and we feel his joy as we settle into his world.

Matt Wolfe as Bunny. Photo by Chris Bennion.

The cast is perfect. Matt Wolfe shines as the boy Bunny, playing with delight through his adventures. His easy, funny, happy performance gives a strong central core to the show. Auston James, Jayne Muirhead and Sharva Maynard play multiple roles beautifully. Jayne’s Little Mouse was one of Finn’s favorites, and mine too, with her dry sense of humor and perfect timing. And boy - can these four sing and dance! For me, the songs were a highlight of the evening. Music Director Mark Rabe plays the piano (with help from Matt for one funny number) and he’s terrific. The Three Little Bears sitting on Chairs come right down from the wall and tap dance through a fabulous game of musical chairs, thanks to the choreography of Marianne Roberts. And the Cat with a Fiddle, Dog with a Drum, and Dish Who Ran Away with the Spoon make three fun appearances, singing the tale of Clarabelle the Cow and her efforts to jump over the moon. All of the costumes, designed by Cathy Hunt, are fantastic. The Dish in particular is breathtaking – I couldn’t take my eyes off her. I also liked Auston’s very dapper Tooth Fairy, although I don’t think Finn quite understood my delight.

Finn did love the fire when it came to life with eyes opening and rolling. And he was both a tiny bit scared of, and then completely entranced by, the mystery and wonder of exactly what is inside that Little House. I won’t spoil it here by describing it – the wonder is worth the wait. Another favorite moment for both of us was a guest appearance by The Runaway Bunny book, gorgeously rendered, with the story told through another toe-tapping song.

Auston James, Matt Wolfe, Sharva Maynard and Jayne Muirhead. Photo by Chris Bennion.

It’s clear that the cast and crew, led by SCT Artistic Director Linda Hartzell, love what they are doing - and even more, love these books by Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd. When theatre is made with this kind of love, we in the audience receive such a tremendous gift. I could also feel and see the spirit and gifts of Doug Paasch all through the production; I only wish my Finn could have met this lovely man [longtime SCT Puppet Master Paasch passed away unexpectedly this past fall]. But I’m grateful that he and countless other kids gets to enjoy his puppets, still.

Finn was tired as we were heading home last night, and didn’t much want to talk – so I wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about the show. This morning, I heard him talking to himself in his room, and he was saying:

“We saw a Fire with Eyes. We saw a Big Giant Runaway Bunny Book! Just like Finn’s little Runaway Bunny book!”

And he had both books out – Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny – and he wasn’t reading them (they weren’t even open, actually) – he was holding them up and dancing them in front of his eyes, playing with all the memories held right in his own little hands.

"Goodnight Moon" runs through June 7th in SCT's Eve Alvord Theatre.

The more things change, the more they stay the same

2009-04-11T14:19:00.000-07:00

When I sat down with our photographer, the incredibly talented Chris Bennion, to review the photos from dress rehearsal of Goodnight Moon, I was struck by the similarity of one shot to the press shot for our 2007 production. While the entire cast of the previous production have returned, we decided to update the costumes with designs by Cathy Hunt

And, really, what is true of these pictures is true of the show. All the magic of the original production is back, it feels the same as before, while bringing a slightly new look.

Goodnight Moon runs through June 7th in SCT's Eve Alvord Theatre.

Remember the music for the very first time

2009-04-07T21:22:00.000-07:00

Tonight was dress tech for Goodnight Moon, SCT's magical, musical adaptation of Margaret Wise Brown's and Clement Hurd's classic book. The production wowwed audiences when it premiered as part of our 2006-07 season (and was, in fact, my then-4-yr-old daughter's first play ever), and the music is just as poppin' this time around.

So, we wanted to share just a little taste of a couple of our favorite tunes, recorded by the original, and returning, cast of Auston James, Sharva Maynard, Jayne Muirhead and Matt Wolfe, and led by Music Director Mark Rabe.

When Bunny needs someone to blame for all the misdeeds in the house, who does he turn to? Mr. Nobody, of course.

Sometimes, we all need a star to show us the way. North Star

Music, and Lyrics by Chad Henry

Goodnight Moon opens this Friday, April 10th, in SCT's Eve Alvord Theatre. Get your tickets now - they're already going fast.

Another SCT Review Crew review of "A Tale of Two Cities"

2009-04-06T21:20:00.000-07:00

The latest from the SCT Review Crew - "A Tale of Two Cities" reviewed by Aimee W. and Teagan W.

It’s been a long time since we’ve been so moved that we had to sit for a while after the curtain call just to get our bearings. Seattle Children’s Theatre does not disappoint with their production of A Tale of Two Cities - far from it. This is a poignantly moving tale that reminds us that people are often more emotional than rational – are made of both dark and light – vengeance and honor.

Rafael Untalan (background), Chelsey Rives, Connor Toms and Philip Davidson. Photo by Chris Bennion.

This production tells this tale in a powerful, moving way – honoring the Charles Dickens classic. The acting is superb! We were quite impressed with the caliber of acting in this show. There were no weak links – everyone held their own. We were especially impressed with the incredible job done by Jim Gall (understudy) who had his chance to go on in a large role as Monsieur Defarge. He didn’t miss a beat and it felt like the role was his from the beginning. He was fiery and passionate in his portrayal of Monsieur Defarge, a man who is conflicted between the cause and his loyalty to a friend.

Rafael Untalan as Sydney Carton. Photo by Chris Bennion.

The award-winning performance goes to actor Rafael Untalan who played Sydney Carton. His journey from self-centered, troubled defense attorney who makes a drunken promise to the woman he loves - to a sober, selfless man who actually carries through with that promise, was done in such an artful way that we were moved to tears as the final lights went out, signifying his death by guillotine. Another notable performance was by Amy Thone as Madame Defarge. She created a role that was sympathetic and malevolent – complex and myopic. Seattle Children’s Theatre continues to attract top talent. This cast was wonderful!

The set design by Carey Wong was superb. It artfully wove both impoverished and privileged into a rough, angular set that shifted between both worlds with ease and yet always had the sense that things were unsettled and not yet finished.

The costume design by Sarah Nash Gates was lovely, well-researched and added just the right touches of color to a neutral set when needed.

All of these elements from the acting to the lighting wouldn’t be what they are without the insightful direction of Rita Giomi. Ms. Giomi has a keen sense of themes and creates them without being heavy handed. She develops moments of power and angst through sound, lighting and movement. The only distracting direction happened with the scenes on the second level where the actor’s were seated. Sitting in the fifth row, center – we often had the faces of the actors blocked by the railing. We would have preferred that these scenes were done standing rather than sitting.

There is only one week left for this play – this is one you won’t want to miss. Stop reading this and call the box office right now to buy your tickets before it’s too late!!

A Tale of Two Cities closes April 12, 2009.

Peeps of Two Cities

2009-04-03T13:42:00.000-07:00

It's time once again for the Seattle Times Peeps Contest, and our very own Asst. Production Stage Manager Sarah Mixson, along with her partner, have submitted this entry, inspired by A Tale of Two Cities.

The background is Scenic Designer Carey Wong's set model for Tale. The details of this, Bernie Peepoff's execution scene in French Revolution style, make all the difference - note the red sashes on the revolutionaries demonstrating in the streets. And, see the Peep that appears to be knitting? An homage to Madame Defarge, who kept a record of the nobility's crimes against the people in her stitches.

Many thanks to Sarah and her partner for their hard word. Check out all of the Peeps on parade here.

More on "Tale" from the SCT Review Crew

2009-03-31T17:00:00.000-07:00

Here's the newest review from our group of intrepid subscribing-and-reviewing families known as the SCT Review Crew. Today's reviewers are Connie D., Kathi W. and Kelsey W.

Our Thoughts On A Tale of Two Cities

We loved A Tale of Two Cities. The playwright did a great job of remaining true to the book. We liked the way the playwright and director brought out Dickens’ compassion for the underdog, his understanding for the complications of class roles, and his focus on the character of individuals.

Right from the beginning of the play, we were hooked. Having several characters narrate the “It was the best of times…” phrases and the ominous sound in the background was powerful.

We liked the set, which worked in all locations. The coach carrying the Marquis (David Quicksall) was beautifully done (although for those of us near the front, a blanket over his lap would have helped the distraction of seeing all of his legs, etc.). Our other minor frustration was the fence in front of the balcony. In some scenes, it was difficult to see everyone completely. I appreciated how some of the actors leaned down so their faces were visible under the bar.

(top) Darragh Kennan and David Quicksall (bottom) Peter A. Jacobs and Philip Davidson. Photo by Chris Bennion.

We had differing opinions on the accents (or lack thereof). The youngest or us said during intermissions that she would have liked French and English accents so she could keep track of who was French and who was English. We older folk liked the emphasis on acting and clarity versus messing with accents. In our experience, actors trying to maintain perfect accents throughout a play tend to have less energy and force left for their acting.

The costumes were wonderful, especially those of the main characters and the upper and middle class. The Defarges’ (Allen Galli and Amy Thone) clothing was great, but one of us thought the mob scene extras’ costumes seemed a little too theatrically patchy. We know there’s a limit to budget and time, though, and the choice to spend more on the main characters was absolutely right.

Rafael Untalan, Allen Galli, Darragh Kennan, Marianne Owen and Carol Roscoe. Photo by Chris Bennion.

The mob scenes would have been more dramatic with more people, and again we understand there are financial limitations… but maybe you could have had some volunteers or stagehands or prop people come out for those scenes to make it feel more like a real, crowded, out-of-control, city mob.

The acting was excellent, especially Rafael Untalan as Sydney Carton. He was very believable in a role that could be overplayed. He felt very true to the person he was at each point in the story.

We really loved the directing by Rita Giomi. There were great transitions between scenes and ideas, great unity of narration, great use of the stage, sound and actors. There were a number of extremely poignant moments, such as the finale, which were done perfectly.

The final impact was superb. The relationship of Carton and the seamstress, pointing out his true compassion despite himself, was touching. We momentarily had a tough time transitioning with the same actress being the pitiful seamstress right after she’d been the cruel Mme. Defarge. Luckily, Amy Thone is such a great actress that we were able to forget the Mme. Defarge in her within a few seconds.

Rafael Untalan as Sydney Carton. Photo by Chris Bennion.

The long climb around and up to the guillotine, the darkening red sky, and the rhythm of the heads/guillotine falling coming closer together as the seamstress and Carton waited their turn made for great tension. Having the stage completely and suddenly darken when the guillotine finally fell on Carton was perfect. It’s not often that it takes the audience such a long time to catch their breaths and gather their wits enough to applaud. We noticed that many people were tearing up at the end, including Untalan. We (and he) were so involved in Carton’s last minutes that we felt it was brave for the actor to come back on stage after that experience.

Of course, we felt that this play was very relevant to today. (Did you choose this before Wall Street toppled and even more people lost their jobs and homes?) The point of caring for others and living for others really came across.

Thanks again for a wonderful show.

A Tale of Two Cities runs through April 12, 2009 in SCT's Charlotte Martin Theatre.

Activity: Rock, Paper, Scissors

2009-03-30T15:00:00.000-07:00

Disparities of power and status are dominant themes in A Tale of Two Cities. The following activity from SCT's Education Department, written for use in a classroom setting but appropriate for any type of group, invites participants to think about power and status, their relative nature, and all of the factors that contribute to status.

Rock, Paper, Scissors

Standard Version

- Establish a gesture or specific body position for the following prompts: egg, chicken, dinosaur.

- Players all begin as eggs. The objective is to raise your status from egg, to chicken, to dinosaur by playing Rock, Paper, Scissors to grow more powerful. You may only play against people with the same status as you.

- The rounds go like so:
Egg vs Egg: winner becomes a chicken, loser stays an egg.
Chicken vs Chicken: winner becomes a dinosaur, loser becomes an egg.
Dinosaur vs Dinosaur: winner gets to stay a dinosaur, loser becomes a chicken.

- Once most players have become dinosaurs, the game is over.

Discussion Prompts

- Discuss status and how it relates to each of the characters above (egg, chicken, dinosaur). Why does an egg have lower status? Why does the dinosaur have higher status? What makes people have high and low status? Money? Education? Strength? Supernatural powers? Social Position?

- When did your status change in this game? When, in real life, does a person’s status change? If participants have seen A Tale of Two Cities, can they think of any characters whose status changes?

A Tale of Two Cities Version

- Discuss with players which characters in the play have higher and lower status. Rank three characters in order of their status. Choose which character is the egg, the chicken, the dinosaur and discuss why.

- Our Example:
Egg = Gabelle (low status: low ranking social position, poor, afraid of the Marquis)
Chicken = Lucie (middle status: comfortable life away from violence of France)
Dinosaur = Marquis (high status: noble, life of luxury, makes others do things they don’t want to do)

- Establish a gesture or specific body position for each character.

- Play Rock, Paper, Scissors as before, using the characters from the play

SCT Review Crew kicks off with "A Tale of Two Cities"

2009-03-26T12:11:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago, we came up with an idea for the SCT Review Crew. At the time, the closing of the Seattle P-I was imminent instead of in the rearview, and column inches for arts coverage were (and are) drying up everywhere.

So, we turned to our audience, and asked for subscribers willing to write reviews for the plays they see this year, and the SRC was born. Today, we unveil the first SCT Review Crew submission, a review of A Tale of Two Cities penned by Review Crewer Karilynn W.

Off the bat, I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this play—it stands out as one of my favorites for this age group. I even hauled my father to the theater, which I do occasionally, and he also thought it was really well done.

Rafael Untalan, Chelsey Rives and Connor Toms. Photo by Chris Bennion.

I’m still in the midst of reading Dickens’s classic and with all due respect to the novel, sometimes it’s a more enjoyable experience to see certain works in a different medium than the original. For me, SCT succeeded by presenting A Tale of Two Cities in a fluid and engaging stage performance, lightening up some of the dense prose and plot without losing the themes and impact of the original novel. The result is an exciting, thoughtful and accessible story, sometimes funny and sometimes dramatic, that stays true to the novel’s interwoven narrative while still retaining clarity between the different plot threads. There is never confusion as to what or where events are taking place—I was caught up in the story without having to stop and figure out what just happened.

Rafael Untalan (background), Chelsey Rives, Connor Toms and Philip Davidson. Photo by Chris Bennion.

I also thought the set design (by Carey Wong) was stellar, playing a big part in the flow and tone of the story. In the darkened light, the wooden walkway stretching around the stage and the multi-tiered set pieces set the mood and worked wonderfully during the “split screen” scenes—simultaneous events taking place in different cities and in different past/present times. The English major part of my brain was even tickled in that, particularly in the France scenes, the multilevel set played on the class divide conflict—the aristocracy at the top and the “common” citizens at the bottom. Of course the set and lighting, especially striking during the guillotine scene, was great with or without a nagging English major brain.

Props to the cast—my experience is that SCT casts consistently do a great job and I always love seeing familiar faces from previous plays. Both Monsieur and Madame Defarge (Allen Galli and Amy Thone) were strong characters and played well against each other, shedding light on the different lengths one might go to for such a cause. (Thone also stood out to me because her of very recent appearance in another wonderful play, Tomás and the Library Lady.) I also really want to highlight Mr. Carton’s character (Rafael Untalan) — for me, using him as the primary mouthpiece for the story transitions brought focus to him and anchored the final act, where as the story’s heart, his decision hits home—at the end, I felt the pricks of emotional eye burn (you know that feeling you get behind the eyes when you’re moved by something). At the same time, he also brought some lightness and humor to the tale. He was the smart, smart-alecky guy that we liked; he wasn’t bad, just unmotivated and uninvolved until he found something that mattered.

Rafael Untalan as Sydney Carton. Photo by Chris Bennion.

I know in the performance I attended, the play was enjoyed by a wide audience, from preteens on up to the older couples that attended, including me and my guest. After the final scene, the audience gave a standing ovation and on the matinees I usually go to, I don’t see that very often. I think we had a slight guillotine technical malfunction at the end, but it didn’t disrupt the onstage action. This is a great choice for preteens and up, all the way up to fathers like mine—if I lived farther north, it’s one I wouldn’t mind seeing again.

A Tale of Two Cities runs through April 12, 2009 in SCT's Charlotte Martin Theatre.

"A Tale of Two Cities" Teen Review

2009-03-24T10:06:00.000-07:00

Opening weekend of "A Tale of Two Cities" is behind us, and our very first review comes from a teen member of our audience, Kathryn L., a student at Bishop Blanchet High School. (spoiler alert - critical plot points are revealed)

I am fourteen and have only heard of Charles Dickens. You say Dickens and I think of Oliver Twist, a whale, and milkshakes. I attempted to read A Tale of Two Cities before coming, but could not get a hold of a copy as it is apparently a very popular book. Going in, all I knew were two things. One, I was going to watch a play based of a story by the famed English author Charles Dickens; and two, the story and play took place during the French Revolution.

Philip Davidson, Connor Toms, Chelsey Rives and Rafael Untalan. Photo by Chris Bennion.

On the way out, I knew three more things. One, it was terrific, even though I had no idea what the story was about going in. Two, it made me cry and was definitely better than reading The Odyssey for school. And three, (was that my [Language Arts] teacher I just saw walking out? Well, it wasn’t - thank goodness for that) I couldn’t wait for junior year during which I will read the book because of school requirements, and not only was I excited, but also dreading the idea of crying again when Carton (Rafael Untalan) and Darnay (Connor Toms) switch.

The sets were very realistic and I marveled at the well painted-backdrop and the richness portrayed in the Marquis’ (David Quicksall) room. I could almost feel the imaginary crowds’ spit as it rained from their angry mouths while they yelled for the death of Darnay at the trial. The devotion the cast and crew had for the making of the play shined through the dynamics of their voices, movements, and spectacular effects. Fast costume changing is right - it went by so quickly that I almost forgot that there were only a few people total.

(top) Darragh Kennan and David Quicksall (bottom) Peter Jacobs and Philip Davidson. Photo by Chris Bennion.

By far the drunken confession of love by Sydney Carton for Lucie Manette (Chelsey Rives) to the empty streets and then later the neighbors was the best. His sarcastic comments coupled with Charles Darney’s earnest do-gooding compliments made for very interesting conversation regarding Lucie. The sobs of the dying sister and Lucie as death is brought to whomever are life-like and chilling, and the shock on Mr. Lorry’s (Peter Jacobs) face as Carton says goodbye is priceless, as are Dr. Manettes’ (Philip Davidson) mad mumblings. The fierceness and loyalty shown by Miss Pross (Marianne Owen) towards her “ladybird” is matched only by Samwise Gamgee towards Frodo Baggins, and the determination and partiotism for France (in a unique way) is only for Monsieur and Madame, excuse me, the Citizens Defarge (Allen Galli and Amy Thone). The devastation of losing a child is evident of Gaspard’s (Darragh Kennan) face, as is his nonchalance at committing the murder of the Marquis to avenge his Babbette.

Rafael Untalan, Allen Galli, Darragh Kennan and Marianne Owen. Photo By Chris Bennion.

All together, the set and the superb acting of the actors are what make the show, and the sound effects are truly wonderful.

The play makes me want to read the book, and I only have two complaints. That it didn’t go on for longer, and that Carton didn’t live. But hey, you can’t control that, the original author’s dead, and the book is only known world-wide.

A Tale of Two Cities runs through April 12, 2009 in SCT's Charlotte Martin Theatre.

A few minutes with Allen Galli from SCT's "A Tale of Two Cities"

2009-03-19T10:26:00.000-07:00

Allen Galli, most recently seen at SCT in last year's hit Busytown, was kind enough to take a few minutes out of his busy tech. schedule to talk to us about A Tale of Two Cities.

A Tale of Two Cities opens Friday, March 20th in SCT's Charlotte Martin Theatre and runs through April 12th.

Props are a good thing

2009-03-15T11:53:00.000-07:00

Our excellent props department is led by Properties Shop Manager Edie Whitsett, who shared some interesting tidbits about the props from A Tale of Two Cities.

There are additional challenges when working on a play about a specific time period, in this case the years leading up to and first few months of the French Revolution (the start of is generally marked by the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789). You have to maintain a balance between historical accuracy, the desired visuals and the technical demands of the play (where some props have to be durable and others have to break apart for each performance).

As a result, we have the pieces that embrace historical accuracy:

- Quill pens were first used during the 500's BC. These are the quill feathers of birds sharpened to a point. Steel nib pens did not come until the early 1800's. The quill pens in "A Tale of Two Cities" are either turkey or pheasant quills.

And we have other pieces where the proper visual and feel are more important:

- The pistol is a Cogswell Pepperbox; it actually dates form the mid 1800's, but we really liked the look for Madame DeFarge. Ours is cast out of urethane foam so it won't break when it gets dropped.

Originally developed in London in the mid 1800's, this six-shot percussion pistol was not technically a revolver since the multiple barrels and receiver rotated together. This replica gun has a mechanically-revolving barrel with working action and wood grips. Though this replica pistol saw limited action in the Civil War, it was likely more commonly used in saloons of the American frontier underneath a poker table.

- The rifle is an American Civil War replica used in reenactments.

And we have the pieces that Properties must build to look like one thing, but fulfill a different purpose:

- The wine barrel that drops and breaks is made out of foam, glue, rope and wood.

- The pudding is carved and painted foam with sauce made from paint and glue - yum! A traditional English pudding is made of eggs, flour, butter (or suet - raw beef fat), dried fruit, brandy, syrup, spices and soda. It is steamed in a mold, tightly covered. Some folks baste it with more brandy or pour a hard sauce over it.

What strikes me most about this list and the other items that Edie shared, which covered items and topics ranging from secret societies’ use of coded messages woven into textiles to the invention of the envelope and the origin of 8 1/2” x 11” paper, is how much Edie and her staff gets to learn in the process of researching props.

And isn’t that often the best thing about theatre – we come to it with one expectation, to be entertained or enlightened, and find we learn more than we could have anticipated.

A Tale of Two Cities opens Friday March 20 and runs through April 12, 2009 in SCT's Charlotte Martin Theatre.

Audio Preview: A Tale of Two Social Classes

2009-03-10T11:47:00.000-07:00

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." It was the days leading up to the French Revolution. And while it would be ridiculous to pin the cause of a social upheaval on the scale of the French Revolution on a single cause, the poverty of the masses (exacerbated by a general famine) matched to the conspicuous consumption and feudal privileges of the nobility was clearly a primary instigation.

The following preview audio clip from SCT's A Tale of Two Cities offers a glimpse into this tension, illustrating also the nobility's condescension to the working class, which would soon fall to Enlightenment ideals of citizenship and inalienable rights.

Recorded by SCT Resident Sound Designer Chris Walker, and featuring Allen Galli, Darragh Kennan, David Quicksall, Amy Thone and Rafael Untalan.

A Tale of Two Cities opens March 20, 2009 in SCT's Charlotte Martin Theatre and runs through April 12, 2009.

Behind the Green Screen

2009-03-04T23:21:00.001-08:00

As we mentioned before, we've started using green screen for our press shoots - the photography shoots that take place a couple of weeks before opening night and capture press preview images.

And while this process does reduce stress on our scenic shop, as we no longer pester them for set pieces two weeks early so we can use them as backdrops, it would be a mistake to call it "easy."

The process requires a great deal of care from our photographer, Chris Bennion. He has to be conscious of not just the light on the subject, but must also the green screen to get it as close to flat in appearance as possible. The more folds and texture we can see in the screen, the more time I'll be spending dropping it out in Photoshop later.

But it takes more than Chris and the actors and I - a lot more. The costumes are usually still being finished and sized, so we usually have at least Rana Webber, our Costume Shop Manager, and a draper on hand, and often a second draper and a make-up artist. Because our shots are often tight and close, and stray hairs or oddly-curled bits of costume will make the finish work much harder, all of these folks are constantly fussing over the actors between shots, trying to make sure we capture the perfect look.

The actors are troopers. They show endless patience as Chris asks them to move a half-foot forward, now three inches back, twist slightly toward the light, not too far, now hold that pose, longer, longer, a little longer, ok, got it, relax. The photo shoots aren't long, but between the blazing lights and constant posing, they can be grueling.

In the past, we've used a couple of different sources for the images we drop in to the background. For The Wizard of Oz, we used stills taken from the projection design, and for Pharaoh Serket and the Lost Stone of Fire we used shots of the model of Jennifer Lupton's lavish set. A Tale of Two Cities doesn't have any projections, and the set is highly-functional but not visually compelling as a backdrop, so we turned to the Public Domain.

This painting is called "Prise de la Bastille" or "Storming of the Bastille" by Jean-Pierre Houël (1735-1813). The copyright expired long ago, meaning we can use the images as part of the Public Domain without paying a royalty (which our budget demands).

Once Chris drops off the raw images, like the one above, it's time to put in some earphones, crank up a little NPR and spend a couple of hours with Photoshop. We drop the majority of the background out using Select>Color Range, which does a good job but can leave a green "halo" around the subjects. It can also, if you aren't careful, drop out bits of green from the actors' costumes.

After the big drop, there's all the detail work. Hair and wigs present the biggest challenge, as you want to get out all of the green but leave in the stray strands and wisps so the hair looks realistic - not a round hair helmet. We use a combination of some Magic Wand selections, pencil and airbrush erasers, and subtle manipulation of hue, usually working at super-high magnification.

The results are very stylized images - more movie poster than preview clip. But they do a great job communicating the look and tone of the play, which is, after all, the primary job of press images.

We'll post more of the images from this shoot, including an "outtake," as soon as we get the finish work done.

A Tale of Two Cities opens Friday March 20th in SCT's Charlotte Martin Theatre and runs through April 12th.

Adios, Tomás

2009-03-01T19:11:00.001-08:00

Tonight was closing night for Tomás and the Library Lady. It's always a little bittersweet to close a show, especially one as heartwarming as Tomás.

During the talkbacks that followed every show, our actors asked the audience if any of them spoke other langauges than English at home, or if they had close friends or family that spoke other languages. The responses were pretty amazing. As of tonight's final performance 66 languages mentioned in talk-backs:

Spanish, Thai, Korean, French, Gaelic, Ukrainian, Tagalog, Portuguese, Latvian, Hindi, German, Hungarian, Vietnamese, Kachchi (India), Arabic, Tlingit, Tamil (India), Greek, Cambodian, Swahili, Croatian, Pig-Latin, Lithuanian, Turkish, Lebanese, Finish, Hawaiian, Laotian, Amharic (Ethiopia), ASL, Bulgarian, Tibetan, Marathi (India), Urdu (Pakistan), Kannada (India), Nepalese, Norwegian, Malayalam (India), English, Bosnian, Navajo, Japanese, Russian, Hebrew, Czech, Danish, Romanian, Swedish, Mongolian, Tigrinya (North Africa), Farsi, Samoan, Somalian, Icelandic, Flemish, Dutch, Estonian, Berber, Latin, Telugu (India), Haitian, Serbian, Italian, Mandarin, Cantonese, Polish

It was a honor and a privilege and a pleasure to host this lovely show, and to discover the incredible linguistic diversity in our audience.

Remember, just one more week to see Pharaoh Serket and the Lost Stone of Fire. Next up: A Tale of Two Cities.

Activity: What's your Pharaoh name?

2009-02-20T16:10:00.000-08:00

Another fun activity from the fine folks at SCT's Drama School - Do-It-Yourself Egyptian Names!

Many Egyptian names come from the combination of words, often including a god’s name. Examples include:

Tutankhaten = Tutankh (All life is for) + Aten (one god)
Rameses = Ra (sun god) + meses (to be born from)
Nefertiti = Nefer (Beauty, Happiness) + Titi (To be here)

Using the words below, create your own Egyptian name that describes you!

Gods:
Anubis
Aten (one god)
Bastet (cat)
Hathor
Horus
Isis
Khons (moon)
Ma’at (truth)
Mentu (war)
Nephthys
Sekhmet
Set
Sobet
Thoth
Wadjet (cobra)
Ra (sun)
Tefnut
Shu

Adjectives:
Nefer (beautiful, happy)
Mery (beloved of)
Wa/Qa (strong)
Tep (in front)
Khaf (looks like)
Shepses (noble)
Sekhem (powerful)

Nouns:
Meat (cat)
Ankh (life)
-neb (lord)
Ka (soul)
Henut (woman)
Ip (heart)

Verbs:
Tutankh (Life is for)
-meses (to be born from)
-emhat (to be first)
-titi (to be here)
-hotep (to be pleased)
Djed (to be stable)
Akhen (to be useful)

I've chosen Bastethotep (Cat god + to be pleased), as I spend so much time taking care of my own cats, I often feel like the servant of a demanding feline god. Have some fun with it, and share your name in the comments field.

And remember, you only have two more weeks to discover what secrets lie in the desert - Pharaoh Serket and the Lost Stone of Fire runs through March 7, 2009 in SCT's Charlotte Martin Theatre.

What ELSE are YOU saying about "Pharaoh Serket"?

2009-02-09T16:02:00.000-08:00

More audience feedback from early performances of Pharaoh Serket and the Lost Stone of Fire!

Hana Lass, Tim Hyland and Anthony Leroy Fuller. Photo by Chris Bennion.

My family of 4, two adults and two guys (14 and 16) just loved the Pharaoh play! This was one of the best we have seen at the SCT and we have been attending over 4 years.

The sets were wonderful. The scene changes were so smoothly done. The costumes and actors were the best for the characters roles. We appreciate this theater so much and how they continue to impress us in big and small performances. This action play kept my teenage boys interested.
Carol & Doug R.

My 9-year-old daughter and I were visiting Seattle from Idaho. We always try to go to SCT when we are in town. We both thoroughly enjoyed "Pharaoh Serket and the Lost Stone of Fire"! It was an exciting adventure and we recommended it to our friends and family who live in the area. My daughter loved it and was talking about the story and the amazing set all day.
Coleen C.

We saw the Pharaoh last Saturday evening with our 6 and 9 year old. We all loved it! The kids were filled with suspense and the adults finished saying, this was great! I loved that some of the stage props and effects were kept secret as well. I thought it was one of the best ever! Good job!
Jennifer

And the critics seem to like it as well!

Pharaoh Serket and the Lost Stone of Fire runs through March 7, 2009 in SCT's Charlotte Martin Theatre.

Activity: Who is Pharaoh?

2009-02-04T09:00:00.000-08:00

All of the activities we share with you at Behind the Curtain are created by our wonderfully talented Education department, and are written specifically with Drama School classes and education residencies in mind.

When Education sends us a curricula, we tweak the wording just a bit to make them more generally accessible. One aspect we preserve, though, is the discussion questions at the end.

The following game, from the curriculum for Pharaoh Serket and the Lost Stone of Fire, is a great example of a fun activity made all the better for the moment of reflection.

WHO IS PHARAOH?

Objective: Players will use their senses to continue an established pattern while keeping the leader’s identity a secret.

1) Have players sit in a circle (or at desks where students can see everyone). Select one player to leave the room.

2) Choose one student to be the Pharaoh. The Pharaoh’s job is to lead the people in a rhythm (snapping, clapping, pounding the floor); all other players begin making the same rhythm.

3) When all players are creating the same rhythm, have the player outside come back in and stand in the middle of the circle, or at the front of the room.

4) The Pharaoh can change the rhythm at any time (from snapping to clapping to pounding); it is the job of the person in the middle to figure out who is the Pharaoh.

5) The person in the middle gets 3 guesses and if they cannot guess, the Pharaoh will reveal himself or herself.

6) Encourage players not to look directly at the Pharaoh.

REFLECTION

For the guesser: How did you know who the Pharaoh was? What did the people do that let you know? What made it hard to guess? What did the Pharaoh do well? What tactics did you use?

For the Pharaoh: What did you do so the guesser wouldn’t know who you were?

For the people: What made this hard? What made it easy? What can we all do to hide the Pharaoh from the guesser?

Maybe it's just because I so love games, but this is what makes playing anything a community experience - the stories you tell afterward, the dissection of strategy, the opportunity for insight into the people with whom you share time and space.

And if all that isn't your bag, it's still just a pretty fun game. Give 'er a whirl.

What YOU are saying about "Pharaoh Serket"

2009-02-03T14:05:00.000-08:00

Once again, we have polled our opening weekend audiences to see what they thought of our production, in this case the world premiere of Pharaoh Serket and the Lost Stone of Fire. Here is just a small sampling of some of the early responses:

My two sons and I attended a performance last Thursday night. It was excellent; well laid out with one of the best and most innovative set-designs I have seen compared to many performances.

SCT has been a staple in our family for ten years. Once a month, rain or shine, I have a “date” with one of my kids and we venture forth to see live theatre. Linda Hartzell was my drama teacher at Lakeside. Theatre has been a part of my life since I was in the 6th grade.

We discussed Pharaoh and what kind of person he was after the performance. Many of the lessons he learned are true in the world we live today. The production cuts across all genders and ages and served as a poignant message about what it means to be a real “leader”.

Neil M.

My 12 year old daughter and I both enjoyed Pharaoh Serket very much. The story was fun and different from what we’ve seen in the past. The sets were amazing as usual and the costumes were also well done. All in all, an impressive production. The scribe was my favorite!!

Angela R.

It was very successfully suspenseful - which is not an experience that we've had with the plays that we've seen to date. Truthfully, I didn't have a clue what it was about and think I probably chose it for our series because I have two boys and it looked appealing. From the first ominous strains of music, my youngest son (6 years) was in my lap and never left it for the remainder of the play. He did point out to me that according to your age ranges, he was too young and I should have known better - however, he also said it was better than a movie (high praise.) As always, it stimulated much conversation amongst the four of us with each of us. The difference this time was that we talked about how we were surprised by the plot twists and turns. And yes...my kids definitely learned that they were glad not to be pharoahs...although they wouldn't mind having the trick knife.

As always, we're big fans of your stage artists who created the set and that spectacular mummy/zombie guy. Thank you for not revealing the secret because both my boys and my husband were all very keen to explore their thoughts on how it was done. I like a little mystery.

Great costumes - as usual.

Gillian A.

I saw the play with my 10-year old granddaughter and we were both thrilled with Pharaoh Serket. She thought she learned a lot about ancient Egypt and at the same time it was very entertaining for both of us.

Bev P.

Pharaoh Serket and the Lost Stone of Fire runs through March 7, 2009 in SCT's Charlotte Martin Theatre.

Happy 100th to Us!

2009-01-30T17:21:00.000-08:00

In just over an hour, SCT will open our 100th world premiere production - Pharaoh Serket and the Lost Stone of Fire.

We're very excited to have reached this milestone, as it reflects our dedication to new works and Theatre for Young Audiences. But we're even more excited for the next 100 world premieres, and hope you will join us for the ride!

Pharaoh Serket and the Lost Stone of Fire runs through March 7, 2009 in SCT's Charlotte Martin Theatre.

Activity: Hot & Cold

2009-01-27T09:00:00.000-08:00

In Tomás and the Library Lady, Tomás is struggling to learn English. He is frustrated when his teacher doesn’t understand him, and when he can’t understand his teacher.

This activity helps participants think about what it might be like to be misunderstood because of language barriers.

Hot & Cold

Objective: Players will work as a team to give instructions without using English.

YOUNGER PLAYERS
- Have one player (Player A) step out of the room or cover their ears
- The rest of the players will choose a simple but specific objective for Player A to achieve. This can include sitting down on a specific chair, touching a specific item in the room, etc.
- When Player A returns to the room, the other playerss will help them reach their objective by telling them “hot” when they are on the right path, and “cold” when they are off the path.

OLDER PLAYERS
- Have one player (Player A) step out of the room or cover their ears
- The rest of the players will choose a simple but specific objective for Player A to achieve. This can include sitting down on a specific chair, touching a specific item in the room, etc.
- When the Player A returns to the room, the other students will help them reach their objective by simply saying “beep” when Player A is on the right path. Students can vary their volume and intensity to let Player A know when they are close.
- When comfortable with this exercise, change the communication to “beep” means on track, and silence means off the path. Players cannot use volume change.

REFLECTION
- For the player walking the path: Was this activity hard or easy? What was hard and what was easy? Was it frustrating only hearing “hot,” “cold,” or “beep?” Was it hard not knowing exactly where to go or what to do?
- For the students leading: Was this activity hard or easy? Was it difficult not being able to say more than “hot,” “cold,” or “beep?”
- Discuss what it would be like if you couldn’t understand what people were saying to you.

If you and your group try this activity, we’d love to hear how it goes! Drop us a note in the comments field.

Tomás and the Library Lady runs through March 1, 2009 in SCT's Eve Alvord Theatre.

What YOU are saying about "Tomás"

2009-01-26T09:36:00.000-08:00

After every opening weekend, we poll audiences to get their feedback about the show, passing both positive and negative comments on to the Artistic department and sharing some of our favorites with you. Here is a sample of what audience members have had to say about Tomás and the Library Lady:

We have seen a good number of the plays that SCT has done. "Tomás and the Library Lady" struck me in a way that is unique among many of the plays I have seen; it was poignant without being sentimental, it brought back memories of special adults who helped me when I was a child. It reminded me of how important adults in the community are to children, and how small acts of kindness can make a big difference.

I found that the set and scenery very effectively reflected and supported the story line. I also found the acting to be skilled and powerful; the two actors were able to move convincingly from portraying children to portraying middle aged adults. I feel like the play captured a warm and loving parent-child relationship, something that is rarely seen in children's movies, literature and plays at all, and when it is, it tends to be in an overly sentimental or unrealistic manner. "Tomás and the Library Lady" showed caring family as well as showing the importance of a caring community - something that is rarely seen at all.

While we enjoyed "The Wizard of Oz," I think "Tomás and the Library Lady" will stay with us for much longer. My kids are still talking about the play and processing things that were important to them in it - for my 6 year old son it was the way Tomas found to defeat his nightmare. For my daughter who is struggling with a learning disability, seeing Tomas be successful in learning to read seemed to be very powerful for her.

Julia

We loved this play! I was a bit skeptical at first seeing that there were only two actors, but they did an AMAZING job. Both my eight and eleven your old boys left with eyes wide open realizing not everyone's lives are as fortunate as theirs. Fabulous story and lesson for us all. The fact that it was based on a true story made a definate impact on my boys. Thanks for another amazing show!!

Joanie B.

My 8 year old granddaughter and I thoroughly enjoyed "Tomás and the Library Lady." She is in a Spanish immersion elementary school and loved the use of the Spanish language during the performance. She also enjoyed talking to Israel Jimenez in Spanish at the conclusion. I found the performance so touching that I was shedding tears at the end. That one person can have such a profound effect on the life of another is so moving.

I think it's the best thing I've seen at Seattle Children's Theatre. The use of the video on the scrim was great. We saw "The Wizard of Oz" the same day in a double-feature and it was excellent but didn't come close to "Tomás" in emotional intensity in my estimation.

Feel free to use my comments. Oh, yeah, I made a $100 donation after seeing the double-feature on Saturday--that's a good measure, eh?

Judy B.

We really enjoyed it. My 9 year old daughter had read the book at school. We loved the combination of live acting and projected images...very creative! Both the actors we saw on preview night were fantastic. The way they moved in and out of roles was believable and delightful. As a mom and educator, I thought the story was touching and inspirational. The use of Spanish and English felt very complimentary. We are coming a second time with my daughter's class and we are so excited.

We look forward to every performance at SCT. We have yet to be disappointed. The quality of acting, sets, and overall creativity draws us back. It has become our birthday gifts to cousins and friends. Aunts and grandparents vie for the second adult ticket I purchase. The investment of relationship and expanding their world through theater is dear to my heart.

Thanks for doing things so well!

Marisa H.

Thanks to everybody who shared their kind words about the production. Tomás and the Library Lady runs through March 1, 2009 in SCT's Eve Alvord Theatre.

"Tomás and the Library Lady" - Previews and Reviews

2009-01-20T12:06:00.000-08:00

We are very pleased with the response we've gotten from our production of Tomás and the Library Lady. It really is a lovely, simple and sweet story, and one which is proving to resonate with all kinds of people.

The great press response started out with a preview piece by Doree Armstrong in the Seattle P-I: Despite the stern librarian, 'Tomás' isn't quiet about a love for reading." Positive reviews were soon to follow:

"This charming show for children gives that honorable message a sweet Mexican taste." - Gianni Truzzi, Seattle P-I (scroll down to find review)

"This play takes on more than is typical for a children’s drama: It not only makes the little ones (and their adult companions) giggle, but also prompts them to think." - Jenna Nand, The Seattle Weekly

"Simple yet effective, the production features a dynamic two-person cast playing multiple roles, lots of ethnic touches and fine visuals and videos that augment the story." - Alice Kalso, Everett Herald

We've also been asking families that attend to share their thoughts with us, so check back in later this week for feedback from our patrons. And if you've seen the show but didn't receive an email asking for feedback, please drop us a note in the comments section.

Tomás and the Library Lady runs in SCT's Eve Alvord Theatre through March 1, 2009.

(Oh, and did we mention that our world premiere adventure story Pharaoh Serket and the Lost Stone of Fire opens Friday, January 30th? Don't miss it!)

Where have we been?

2009-01-05T11:10:00.000-08:00

Yes, it is true, and we aren't proud to say it, but the snow and holidays got the best of Behind the Curtain, and we've kept our loyal readers waiting far, far too long for a new post.

Fortunately, there is so much going on at SCT this month, we're going to have plenty to write about, what with the imminent closing of The Wizard of Oz and two, count'em TWO, opening nights on the near horizon.

We're going to hold off for now on talking about Pharaoh Serket and the Lost Stone of Fire, which opens at the end of the month, because in four short days we open Tomás and the Library Lady, based on the childhood of acclaimed author and educator Tomás Rivera.

While the play focuses on Rivera as a schoolboy, it was the life that followed that made Rivera's name. Rivera was the first Mexican-American chancellor in the University of California system, and also the youngest ever named to the post. As an author, he is best known for his novella ...y no se lo tragó la tierra (translated to English as This Migrant Earth and later And the Earth Did Not Devour Him), which won the first-ever Quinto Sol award. One of Rivera's enduring legacies is The Tomás Rivera Policy Institute, a research institute dedicated to assisting Latino communities, which he helped found.

You can read more about Tomás Rivera, his life and his work here.

Tomás and the Library Lady opens in SCT's Eve Alvord Theatre on Friday January 9th, 2009, and runs through March 1, 2009.

Everybody Loves Oz

2008-12-15T12:22:00.001-08:00

Matt Wolfe, Kasey Nusbickel, SCT Artistic Director Linda Hartzell, Auston James and Todd Jefferson Moore.

Positive reviews of The Wizard of Oz have been flooding in (and we expect a few more this week). We're immensely proud of this show, and gladly accept all the pats on the back:

As expected, Seattle Children's Theatre takes loving care with "Oz," and the reward is how riveted their young audience is to every song, pratfall and witch's cackle… Kids watching the show are so attentive you can hear a ruby slipper drop.
Misha Berson, Seattle Times

Artistic Director [Linda] Hartzell went above and beyond to make this production a unique re-telling of a classic story rather than merely mimicking the film.
Brittni Reinertsen, Queen Anne News

If you think you know The Wizard of Oz, see this production anyway. It will transport you to a place you’ve never been before.
Christine Johnson-Duell, ParentMap

Even more important than the media kudos have been the compliments from our audiences, because, really, we make plays for people, not papers:

WOW – it was my first visit to your theatre and it was the best play I’ve ever seen. I’ve seen a lot of live theatre and this production was absolutely amazing – I think I would sit through it the second time just as enthralled! Whoever did the casting was brilliant in every part!
Connie W.

My daughter, her two children (aged 5 and 7), and I (Grandma) - all 3 generations were entranced by the performance. Not a weak link in the multi-talented actors/singers/dancers. A fantastic cast, musicians, scenery - a stellar production. Thank you!
Sonia, Rayna, Cameron & Barbara

I thought the performance was stellar! The staging, the costumes, and the acting, fabulous. I want you to know I saw the movie with my grandmother when I was 5 years old. I found myself at the end of the performance when they sang "Over the Rainbow" at the finale, I had tears in my eyes. I guess you know how much I loved it - terrific job!
Dixie P.

Photo by Chris Bennion

Don't miss out on this spectacular, magical production. The Wizard of Oz runs through January 17th.

Activity: Oz Words

2008-12-02T10:55:00.000-08:00

The following activity was prepared by our Education department as part of their curriculum for The Wizard of Oz. You can easily substitute the provided words lists with words the reflect your desired lesson, or the context of the activity.

Oz Words

The objective of this activity is to physically activate words from The Wizard of Oz while exploring nouns and adjectives, verbs and adverbs. Oz Words can be done in a large group, small groups or pairs.

- Display the word list below (or one of your choosing) for all players. Have one person in each group choose a noun to depict with his/her body (without words). The other players will try to guess which noun the person is portraying. (You can also ask players to experiment with choosing adjectives that do and don't make sense with the noun).

- Once they have correctly guessed the noun, have another participant choose an adjective to modify the noun and portray that adjective with their body. The other players should try to guess what the adjective is. You could also choose to add a layer by allowing participants to choose more than one adjective to portray at a time.

Oz Word List
Nouns: Slippers, Monkeys, Poppies, Broom, Wizard, Road, Lion, Cowardly, Woodsman, Forest, Dog, Witch
Adjectives: Ruby, Flying, Poisonous, Enchanted, Wonderful, Yellow Brick, Cowardly, Tin, Wild, Little, Wicked

- For a variation, or to take the activity to another level, try using verbs and adverbs. Have players choose a verb and act it out, then have them layer on one or more adverbs.

- Take some time to discuss the differences between similar adverbs (e.g., creepily and spookily, or bravely and fiercely).

Oz Word List
Verbs: Flying, Skipping, Picking, Stealing, Running away, Chopping, Pouncing, Floating, Hiding, Waiting, Celebrating, Dancing, Grabbing, Chopping, Chasing, Clunking
Adverbs: Bravely, Neatly, Fiercely, Softly, Cowardly, Stiffly, Innocently, Creepily, Menacingly, Spookily, Gracefully, Loosely, Neatly, Quickly, Cleanly, Wildly

As always, we'd love to hear your comments if you try this activity with your group.

Memories of Oz

2008-11-22T17:45:00.000-08:00

Last night was opening night of The Wizard of Oz, and I really had hoped to post these staff memories of Oz as part of the opening excitement. Instead, however, I got too wrapped up making this slideshow of pictures from the production.

So, now, here, shortly-delayed, are the favorite The Wizard of Oz memories from SCT staff. We hope you will join us to see this magical production, and create some new memories.

Whenever The Wizard of Oz came on TV at least my little sister and I made sure we watched it. But one of my most vivid memories is that of the “play” production of Oz that my young neighbors (aged 4-12) and I decided to put on in my family’s basement for all of our parents and siblings, replete with a cardboard “balloon," munchkins, yellow paper “brick” road, a toy Toto, and Wizard’s den (our cold storage room which may not have been very visible to our patrons, but we were very young thespians).

Ellen Kesselman
Business Office Associate

I remember the Tinman’s accent in the film very clearly as the first time I recognized a different pattern of speaking than my own.

I also remember the first time I saw the film in colour [Editor's note: Tim's Canadian, thus the "extra" u.] (my parents didn’t like TV and had only a small B&W in their room that I got to watch occasionally (The seem to remember me doing so more than I do;) and being amazed when Dorothy entered OZ.

Seeing the movie in a park on Bainbridge Island was one of the first things I did when I moved here this summer.

Tim Jennings
Managing Director

My favorite memory of Oz has less to do with the actual film, which I don't like so much (I know, I know, I'll get help). My oldest niece, Kiersten, loved "Dorthsee" when she was about 4 years old (she's 14 now - they grow way, way too fast). This was before ALL the stores had those red sparkling shoes, so we went all over the place getting her a pair of "Dorthsee" shoes. My sister made her a costume for Halloween that year and went as the Wicked Witch and dressed my younger niece as Toto. It was definitely my favorite Halloween spent with them.

Jeannette Sanchez
Ticket Office Weekend Supervisor

When I was quite small, we watched The Wizard of Oz on TV when it came on once a year. We had a TV set in the basement, and every time the scary witch came on my siblings and I would retreat up a few steps, until we were practically bending over to peek at the show from the top of the stairs. As soon as the witch melted we would come running back down stairs to watch the end of the show. It wasn't until I was in high school and we got our first color TV that I found out the witch was green and the horse of a different color kept changing colors.

Sarah Mixson
Assistant Production Stage Manager

I remember very clearly the ah ha moment at about age 5 when I realized the significance between the black and white and the color. I remember thinking, “Now I get it. It was a dream!" [Editor's note: Or was it?]

Shelley Saunders
Director of Development

I am old enough to remember watching The Wizard of Oz every year on black and white TV. I cannot remember when I first watched it in color, but the impact was amazing -- stepping out into a world of color, the witch's terrifying green skin, the 'horse of a different color' joke. Even on the crude color T.V. we had back then, it was amazing. This was a common experience for people of my generation, I think. It not only made OZ seem more magical and menacing, it also made Kansas seem almost unbearably heartbreaking.

I have not watched the movie in years, but I do remember 'getting' at least one new thing every year I watched it: Realizing that the farmhands were the OZ companions; that they acquired their desired goals long before they were awarded them by the Wizard. I think the last joke I got (one I am glad to see is in SCT's version) is the deflating lawyerly insertion after the glorious proclamation:

"This is a day of independence
For all the Munchkins and their descendants!
…
If any."

Don Fleming
Summer Season Producer

My favorite memory of watching The Wizard of Oz is when my high school drama teacher played Lion in a local production. It was so inspiring to see my teacher perform. Until then I had no idea just how talented he was!

Andrea Ichikawa
Program Coordinator

[My wife’s] brother, now working for the US Treasury Department, would run screaming from the living room any time the witch's guards sang the "Oh-WEE-Oh... oh-WHOA-oh" song. He was convinced that if he ate an Oreo cookie, he would turn into one of the guards. "Or-REE-o.. oree-OH-oh"

Andy Jensen
Administrative Manager

We watched the movie on TV every year. It became so ingrained in me, that to this day, when I see the movie or play, I can tell you exactly where the commercial breaks came – “Poor little kid. I hope she gets home alright.” and now a word from Proctor & Gamble.

I also remember going to a neighbor’s house to watch it in color for the first time on their new TV. Suddenly Oz really was magical.

Rita Giomi
Artistic Associate

The Wizard of Oz runs in SCT's Charlotte Martin Theatre through January 17, 2009.

Greenscreen & The Emerald City

2008-11-17T11:42:00.000-08:00

We found ourselves in a bit of a scheduling pinch earlier this month, which is to be expected given the ambitiousness of this season. It is just mid-November, and we're already facing our fourth opening since September, fifth if you include The Green Sheep's run in NYC. So, when it came time for the PR photo shoot forThe Wizard of Oz, we didn't have set pieces available to use as backgrounds.

So, we turned to virtual backgrounds instead (fortunately this production makes extensive use of projections, so we had backgrounds ready-made by Projection Designer LB Morse). And, while it isn't exactly cutting-edge, as weather forecasters have been using greenscreen and bluescreen for years and years, we were excited about our first foray into chroma key technology.

Julie Briskman as the Wicked Witch. Photo by Chris Bennion.

What most surprised me was how different the foreground image looks against its new backdrop. I didn't think we had gotten the shot I was looking for with the Wicked Witch, but somehow the dark, foreboding background made everything come together.

Kasey Nusbickel as Dorothy. Photo by Chris Bennion.

The difference here wasn't quite so dramatic, but it did elevate a nice portrait to a more iconic level. She looks movie-poster classic, which is exactly the look and feel we hoped to achieve.

The Wizard of Oz opens this Friday, November 21, 2008, and runs through January 17, 2009.

Activity: Pirate Wants a Ship

2008-10-30T13:42:00.000-07:00

As part of every production, our Drama School develops a number of games and activities related to the show for use in workshops and residencies. Many of them are very specific to creative drama classes, but others work in any setting, and some of those we post here for you to enjoy.

As part of our Bluenose curriculum, we have this variant on musical chairs with a pirate theme.

Pirate Wants a Ship

Have players sit in chairs in a circle, with one chair-less person, the Pirate, in the middle. The object of the Pirate is to get a chair, the Ship; the objective of everyone else is to not let this happen, while frequently switching chairs with other people.

At the start of the game, the Pirate approaches any player and says "Pirate wants a ship." That player has the choice of two replies:
1) "Go ask my neighbor!" Then the Pirate must move on and ask someone else.
2) "Aaaargh!" At this, everyone gets up and switches places, and the Pirate tries to steal a seat.

While this is happening, anyone can switch chairs at any time. The players seated in the circle try to make eye contact with each other and silently agree to switch without being caught by the Pirate.

If the Pirate steals a chair during the switch, the player left standing without a chair becomes the new Pirate.

Once you've played this way for a bit, you can add these options to make the game a little trickier. Give the Pirate three more options for what they can choose to say:
1) "The wind blows right!" All players must try to move on seat to their right.
2) "The wind blows left!" All players must try to move on seat to their left.
3) "Tidal wave!" All players must run to the middle of the circle like a wave, and then must find a seat.

What's the big idea?

2008-10-27T09:49:00.000-07:00

We're in our second full week of Bluenose, and teachers and classes in particular love the show. We asked the teachers that attended the first week for feedback, and were overwhelmed with the response.

Particularly interesting was this letter from Cindy Numata, a second-grade teacher at Lowell Elementary School:

Our class LOVED this play!

Brandon Simmons and Hana Lass in Bluenose. Photo by Chris Bennion.

In our reading, we are trying to identify the "big ideas" or "author's lessons." Before the play, I told them that the play was about pirates, but we should also be looking for the "big ideas." When we got back from the show, I had the students write that "the play was about pirates, but on a deeper level, it was about: ______________________. "

Here are things the students came up with and that I kept track of on a class chart.

* Someone might be different but you shouldn't be mean to them.
* Diversity is good.
* Don't be afraid of differences.
* It's OK to be different.
* You can be the boss of yourself.
* Trust yourself.
* You should make your own choices.
* Knowledge if valuable.
* The boss isn't always right.
* You don't know everything.
* You may look different, but you can find similarities.
* You should learn different things.
* Don't be a know-it-all.

Fantastic ideas, all. Thanks to Ms. Numata's class for sharing.

Bluenose runs through December 14th, 2008 in SCT's Eve Alvord Theatre.

Opening Night!

2008-10-17T16:59:00.000-07:00

It's opening night of Bluenose, and things are jumping around here. Opening nights are always fun and it is incredibly satisfying to get a show you've worked so hard on to stage.

Tim Hyland as pirate captain Ratt. Photo by Chris Bennion.

Come on down and check out this rollicking pirate tale. And, if you need a little convincing, check out the Seattle P-I preview. Many, many positive reviews to follow, I'm sure.

Yo-ho, yo-ho, a pirate's life for me

2008-10-14T10:36:00.000-07:00

We are mere days from opening night of Bluenose, the first official show of our Mainstage Season. And tonight is the final tech dress rehearsal, meaning that my favorite photographer, Chris Bennion, will be joining me this evening for a photo shoot of the production.

What I most enjoy about working with Chris is that he gets theatre, really understands how much fun it is to work in this business. That, and the fact that he is always looking to capture the impromptu moments that happen around our shoots.

For example, Chris was quick enough with his camera to catch Bluenose director Allison Narver hanging off the rigging demonstrating her best Errol Flynn pose.

I love these kinds of candid images because they really capture the behind-the-scenes spirit here at SCT. And because I love Allison's fierce pirate captain hat.

Bluenose opens October 17th and runs through December 14th in SCT's Eve Alvord Theatre.

Thank you TeenTix!

2008-10-03T12:26:00.000-07:00

We kicked of the run of Night of the Living Dead in style last week with our TeenTix preview event. Attendees got decked out in zombie make-up and absolutely rocked the house - the gasped, laughed and screamed their way through the zombie carnage.

Many thanks to everyone that came to the event, and to TeenTix for helping us set up the event.

BTW, the reviews are out, and everybody loves the zombies! (Go to "2008 Special Perfs" in the drop-down menu.)

Night of the Living TeenTix

2008-09-29T10:10:00.000-07:00

We've cooked up a special event for Night of the Living Dead with our friends over at TeenTix. Check out their blog for all the details, but essentially we're inviting TeenTix members to a free sneak preview this Thursday October 2nd!

Galen Joseph Osier, Troy Fischnaller and Sarah Harlett in SCT's Night of the Living Dead. Photo by Chris Bennion.

Because Night of the Living Dead is a special event and not part of our Mainstage Season, this will be the only opportunity to use your TeenTix card and benefits for this show.

Join TeenTix and SCT for some food, fun and MORE BRAINS!

And don't forget to check out our Zombies at SCT! page on Facebook for PR photos, rehearsal video and audio clips.

A few minutes with Tim Jennings

2008-09-17T20:01:00.000-07:00

Our new (as of August) Managing Director, Tim Jennings, was kind enough to sit down with Behind the Curtain for a few minutes and talk about the path that led him to SCT, the state of TYA (Theatre for Young Audiences), and his favorite theatre memory.

Can't get enough? Tune in to Radio Disney 1250AM on October 12th at 6:30am to hear Tim and Education Director Karen Sharp discuss all things SCT with Kids Care host Dayna.

The Green Sheep does Broadway!

2008-09-15T09:53:00.000-07:00

The cast of The Green Sheep has landed in NYC and started their Broadway run at The New Victory Theatre. By all reports, they are having a great time in NYC (they played to Heath Ledger's daughter! Rachel Ray's studio is next door to their apartment!) and all of us left behind are incredibly jealous.

But, they've sent us some photos so we can live vicariously through them, and promise to send more.

The Green Sheep's Broadway marquee.

Connor Toms and Matt Johnston relaxing on the set.

Matt Johnston setting up on the set.

The cast and crew will be home at the end of the month to start the Seattle run - come on down and welcome them back!

The reports of their demise...

2008-09-09T13:50:00.000-07:00

If you've heard any disturbing reports of zombies wandering Seattle Center, fear not. We held out first photo shoot for Night of the Living Dead on Sunday, and the Center was packed with visitors, many of whom stopped and snapped pictures as our zombies lumbered about with a photo crew in tow.

Troy Fischnaller and Galen Joseph Osier from SCT's Night of the Living Dead. Photo by Chris Bennion.

Really, we're having more fun than anyone has a right to have with this production, and the photo shoot was no exception. Special thanks to Chris Bennion, who does nearly all our photography, for his incredible patience and willingness to roll on the ground and stumble through gardens getting us some great shots.

Galen Joseph Osier and Troy Fischnaller chase Sarah Harlett (as Barbara) out of the theatre. Photo by Chris Bennion.

Prepare yourself for the zombie onslaught that begins opening night, October 3rd, and runs through Halloween weekend. And if you just can't wait until then, stop on by our Facebook page, where you can find set designs, costume sketches and photos from rehearsals (coming soon - audio and video previews from the show!)

And we're off!

2008-09-04T12:42:00.000-07:00

For those of us working here, the 2008-09 Mainstage Season is underway (the audience will have to wait for just one more month). Yesterday, we welcomed the casts of Night of the Living Dead and The Green Sheep with caffeine, pastries and a reception filled with introductions and design presentations.

We only get to rub elbows with the Sheepers for a few days before they jet off to present the show on Broadway at the the New Victory Theatre. They return mere days before Opening Morning (now that's a rarity) October 1st.

The Zombie folks, however, will be working diligently right here, and yesterday I had the opportunity to sneak in and watch the first zombie movement workshop with our talented Choreographer Kathryn Van Meter.

It was too much fun - lots of laughter, jokes about the finer points of brain cuisine, and fabulous actor energy. The full photo set can be found at our Facebook page for Night of the Living Dead - Zombies at SCT!

Video Coda

2008-08-22T22:05:00.000-07:00

The great exodus is in full swing. The first of our summer interns left the fold last week, more will leave next week, and today we had to say goodbye to our PR/Marketing intern Anna Renzetti. Anna did a great job in support of Summer Season, and finished her last project today: editing this video interview with intern and Urinetown: The Musical Stage Manager Liz Carey-Linskie.

Summer interns! We love you and will miss you and wish you well!

The rest of you? Come down and check out the final weekend of Urinetown.

We interrupt this programming...

2008-08-11T13:07:00.000-07:00

...for an announcement about the upcoming 2008-09 season.

In support of SCT's production of Night of the Living Dead, we have launched a Facebook page called Zombies at SCT!.

We've already posted scenic models, costume sketches and the schedule for our Celebrity Guest Zombies, and plan to add more photos and audio/video previews once rehearsal begins in early September. Plus, you can find information about the Zombie Street Team and special Zombie Workshop offered by SCT's Drama School.

Check it out, and if you're a Facebook member, become a fan!

Hope to see you at the theatre! And now back to our regularly schedule summer programming.

Imagination and Sword Adventures in Second Week of Summer Season

2008-08-05T15:21:00.000-07:00

The second week of SCT's Summer Season was a success! These two fun performances taught us about the joy of imagination at any age and the excitement of adventure. If you missed these young actors take the stage, here are the cast photos for a peek.

The cast of Ernie's Incredible Illucinations, written by Alan Ayckbourn and directed by John Kaufmann.

The cast of Vesuvia!, written by Don Fleming and directed by Gordon Carpenter.

Be sure to catch this weeks shows, Medieval Farces and High School Hamlet!

Opening Night!

2008-07-24T21:26:00.000-07:00

The first two shows of SCT's Summer Season, where the professional actors take a break and let our talented Drama School students take the stage, opened tonight. Today was an absolute whirlwind, with both shows in dress tech rehearsal and photo shoots. The directors and casts have done an amazing job, and we just had to share their opening night all-cast photos with you.

The cast of Cam Jansen, written by Rachel Atkins and directed by Gillian Jorgensen.

The cast of Beauty Idol, written by Cheryl L. West and directed by Carol Roscoe.

Come on out this weekend and get an early look at the future of American theatre.

A Day in the Life of an SCT Intern

2008-07-23T11:45:00.000-07:00

Education Intern Julie Mercurio takes us through her day as a busy assistant to theatre artists and drama students.

July 11, 2008

This morining...
I continued to work on Play Development, a really unique class. Five students take part in the writing, rehearsing, and general development of their very own play, which they will perform at the end of the month-long class. I really love it because I get to take part in a lot of the work they are doing (and they don't even realize it!).

After the first class...
I am feeling lucky to be able to work with the same students for three more weeks. The class is so small and each student is very different-their ideas are really creative and expansive. I couldn't imagine saying goodbye to them yet!

At lunch break...
I walked over from the lobby patio to the Center House Theatre. Fridays are always hectic and between last day wrap-ups and crazy Theatre Arts Splash schedules, break times are tight. A little time to myself during Splash break will be much enjoyed.

After my second class...
I am exhausted and ready for a bit of time off this weekend. I realize how much I love Splash- our group this week was absolutely amazing, imaginative, enthusiastic, and so well-behaved! It's refreshing to end the day with such great students.

Now at the end of the day...
Part of me is ready for the rest but the reality is that I will have to wait one more day - Saturday classes start tomorrow! I am not looking forward to getting up so early on Saturdays now, but I am looking forward to the class, Story Drama. It's a class I really love and can't wait to revisit some of my favorite childhood books.

Meg Tully Speaks

2008-07-18T13:11:00.000-07:00

Meg Tully is another aspiring theatre education intern at SCT sharing her experiences.

1) Why did you want to be an intern for Seattle Children’s Theatre Drama School this year?

Since the University of Arizona has a partnership with SCT I had been planning on applying for this internship after graduation for about two years. I feel that I would be better prepared for the internship if I waited until after I graduated and would also be able to stay in Seattle for the fall without having the obligation of going back to school.

2) Where did you grow up and get your theatre interests?

I was born, raised, and attended college in Tucson, Arizona. My family did not have an artistic background so my passion for theatre was somewhat of an anomaly. I really became interested in theatre around 6th grade when I discovered The Phantom of the Opera and other musicals. As a teenager I spent hours listening to show tunes in my room and participated in every play my high school produced. I’ve always known that theatre has been the path for me. So an education and a career in it has been the clear choice.

3) What have been your biggest challenges so far as an intern?

One of my biggest challenges I’ve encountered as an intern is learning how to interact with children in a way that consistently keeps them engaged. However, SCT has a very distinct style that almost all the teaching artists follow. This style is also modeled very well by the SCT Education Staff during intern training, so it has been relatively easy adapting on my own.

4) What is the most important skill you have learned teaching in the Drama School?

I have learned some a very valuable improv philosophy in our intern workshops with John Kaufmann. He really emphasizes the “yes, and” principle of improv, and this is applicable to almost every class, but especially creative drama.

5) Are there things you weren’t expecting that you have experienced?

I don’t know why, but I wasn’t expecting to have as much fun as I’ve experienced since being here. It’s been great having the opportunity to play again and just be a kid sometimes.

6) What is your favorite part of the day as an intern at SCT?

I can pinpoint a certain consistent part of everyday that is always my favorite because each day and week is unique, and I usually enjoy several parts of the day for different reasons. However, the best moments always come when all the students, the teaching artist, and the intern are completely engaged in the moment and in the creative process. Fortunately, at SCT these moments occur frequently.

7) What age group are you teaching and which age groups have you liked best? Why?

I have spent most of my time so far with 4-7 year-olds. I really like 4-5 year-olds because they have a strong desire to please and learn. I also find that they are very creative and often quite hilarious without even trying.

8) If you had advice for a future theatre education intern, what would you say?

Don’t be afraid of anything-just dive right into everything head firsts. Make friends with the other interns, go out, have fun, share stories. Also, take notes and learn as much as possible!

9) What do you hope to do after this experience? What is your next step?

I have fallen in love with Seattle and SCT’s program. I have decided to establish residency and participate in the theatre apprentice program that runs during the school year. I also plan on applying for the school year apprenticeship. I would like to develop a career as a teaching artist and theatre professional here in Seattle.

Sarah Malone Speaks

2008-07-10T10:03:00.000-07:00

Sarah Malone is another theatre education intern working hard with the SCT Drama School this summer.

1) Why did you want to be an intern for Seattle Children’s Theatre Drama School this year?

I just graduated and wanted to gain more experience in the field to help prepare me for finding a job. Also, SCT offers such great programs so I knew I would learn a lot.

2) Where did you grow up and get your interest in theatre?

I grew up in Champaign, Illinois. My whole family has always been involved in the arts so I had a lot of early exposure. I started out as a dancer but ended up loving theatre when I was in my first play at age 14.

3) What have been your biggest challenges as an intern so far?

I would say the biggest challenge has been adapting to the SCT style of teaching. SCT has a very specific style and curriculum. They are wonderful. I still have a lot of learning to do.

4) What is the most important skill you have learned teaching in the Drama School?

I have been learning a lot of “tricks” so far. Everyone has their own classroom management style and it’s been great gaining exposure to all of those ideas.

5) Are there things you weren’t expecting that you have experienced?

I didn’t realize just how much in-depth training we would be getting. It’s great!

6) What is your favorite part of the day as an intern at SCT?

The whole day is full of adventures and every week is completely different, so it’s hard to say. What I really enjoy is journaling at the end of the day. It’s my chance to reflect on all that has happened and what I’ve learned.

7) What age group are you teaching and which age groups have you liked best? Why?

So far I’ve worked with ages 4-16. I honestly don’t have a favorite. I think each age group has its perks and its challenges. But if I had to choose, I would say the 4-year-olds. They were just so cute!

8) Who are the teachers you are working with? And what have you learned from them?

I have worked with Rosie[Currier], Keni [Cohen], Beth [Raas], Samara [Lehrman], and Keira [McDonald]. Each of them have their own style, so basically I have learned a lot, way more than I can even write.

9) If you had advice for a future theatre education intern, what would you say?

Get lots of sleep, journal about your experiences, enjoy it, and have an open heart and open mind.

10) What do you hope to do after this experience? What is your next step?

I will be moving to Chicago and will hopefully have a job at a theatre there in the education department.

Adria LaMorticella Speaks

2008-07-08T15:59:00.000-07:00

Adria Lamorticella is a Summer Education Intern at Seattle Children's Theatre, and is the first of many Education interns you'll meet this summer at Behind the Curtain.

1. Why did you want to be an intern for Seattle Children's Theatre Drama School this year?

I love doing theatre for children especially because I just graduated from Western [Washington University] with a BA in Theatre Education. But mostly, I remember at a young age how amazing and moving theatre was for me. I thought this internship would be a wonderful opportunity for me to help make a similar experience possible for other children.

2. Where did you grow up and get your interest in theatre?

I grew up in a little town called Elmira, Oregon. No one in my family was really involved in theatre but we saw it often and I was enthralled with it. I took drama classes as soon as I could in middle school and have ever since.

3. What have your biggest challenges as an intern been so far?

During training week we were given SO much info, and it seemed like I'd never learn it all even though they honestly do such a thorough teaching job here. But it has been clicking and falling into place. Other challenges have been finding appropriate classroom management skills for each class since each group is different. But I feel like I've been learning so much every single day.

4. What is the most important skill you have learned teaching so far?

From the teaching artists, other interns, and the students themselves I have learned so much about classroom management. I know by the end of the summer the new things I will have learned will be able to fill volumes .

5. Are there things you weren't expecting that you have experienced?

One thing I wasn't expecting was how much the students teach me, on an intellectual level ( like, "actually Mt. Everest in in Nepal" said a 4-year-old). But also, you can learn about teaching all you want but until you're there with the kids you don't really know what it's like.

6. What is your favorite part of the day as an intern at SCT?

For me, the most amazing thing has been doing creative drama with the 4- and 5-year-olds who are so willing to believe. It is so heartwarming when you are acting out an adventure and on the spot you have to become a bear to give the students some clues, but then literally 3 seconds later you're your 'teacher self ' again and the kids turn to you and say "where were you? We just saw a bear!"

7. What age groups have you taught? Which do you liked teaching best?

I've taught 4- and 5-year-olds and also 9- and 10-year-olds. As I said before, the little ones can be just charming but on a regular basis I'd say my favorite age group is about 9- and 10-year-olds. They're still kids but they can be clever and witty. There are also generally less accidents involving drool and pee.

8. If you had advice for a future theatre education intern, what would you say?

Find time to take breaks, rest, and get good sleep. It feels like you're being overwhelmed with info in the beginning, but if you make sure to relax, when the time comes it all falls into place. And of course have fun! When you have fun, the kids have fun.

9. What do you hope to do after this internship? What is your next step?

Well, ideally I hope to act. Really, I'd love to act for SCT someday. That would be my dream. Unless I can be persuaded otherwise and continue on in the education program, which I hear happens quite often actually.

Summer Interns 2008

2008-07-07T13:57:00.000-07:00

Hello, my name is Anna Renzetti and I am this summer’s PR and marketing intern. I can’t believe it is only the third week and already I have learned so much. Coming from Salt Lake City, Utah to Bellingham for school and now to Seattle for work has been such a crazy transition for me. Everyone said I should be scared to enter the “real world” but truthfully I have never felt more ready to do something real with myself. Working with Seattle Children’s Theatre so far has made me realize how many people are involved in getting a play on stage. I’ve learned how important it is to have people promoting shows, educating actors, getting sponsors, answering phone calls, and most importantly connecting with and supporting the theatre community.

I am delighted to be the one to get the intern blog started. After meeting all the interns in the last few weeks I can tell you what great energy they have and how ambitious they all are to pursue their interest in theatre arts and education. On this blog I hope to introduce you to many of them. They are coming from all over the U.S. and have some great stories to tell you about their experiences here at SCT.

I can’t wait to hear from them and I hope you can respond to anything you relate to or want to comment on. I look forward to hearing from you as well!

Anna Renzetti, PR intern

Seattle Children’s Theatre

Summertime, and the livin's easy

2008-06-27T14:16:00.000-07:00

SCT goes through quite a transformation at the end of each Mainstage season. Much of our Production staff departs for the summer, returning when the building of sets and stitching of costumes resumes in earnest late in the summer. The vacations postponed due to the breakneck pace of the Mainstage season finally take shape, so there a few faces missing every week.

But the real difference is all of the new faces around. Drama School classes are in full swing, and everywhere you look there are students enthusiastically, noisily creating art and forging new friendships. We also get a new crop of summer interns ready to learn how to engage young people in theatre arts.

This summer, some of those interns will be helming the blog, giving them a chance to tell you what working in the SCT Drama School, producing our Summer Season, is really like.

So check back here in the coming weeks for day-in-the-life accounts, interviews, photos and videos produced by our summer interns. And don't be shy about dropping a comment and letting them know how much their work is appreciated, because goodness knows we aren't paying them enough.

The Season in Review

2008-06-10T13:40:00.000-07:00

Our 07-08 Mainstage season closes this Sunday, and it has been a great ride. It started with the big, brash blast that is High School Musical, took us through Giant Country and to Fantastica and on to a castle in Denmark. It taught lessons about bullying and friendship and what exactly people do all day, not to mention giving us some time with that trickster, Coyote.

It was such a fun year, we put together this little homage to the season that was.

We've got even more fun planned for next year, with zombies and pirates and a certain road of yellow bricks you may have heard of, so we hope you'll join us again. And don't forget to check back for all of the great Summer Season programming that our Drama School will be presenting in the coming months.

Get out the vote!

2008-05-27T15:14:00.000-07:00

Seattle Children's Theatre has been nominated for Nickelodeon's Parents Picks Award, and while it is an honor to be nominated, we want to win! If you'd like us to win, too, why don't you mosey on over to Nick's ParentsConnect.com and give us your vote. Fair warning, you do have to register to vote, but can do it daily until June 30th.

If you'd rather not register, but still want to vote and support your favorite children's theatre, why not take a trip over to NWSource.com's People's Picks and vote us favorite local theatre company. You can vote once daily until June 1st.

Vote early and vote often!

What do these ladies do all day?

2008-05-13T11:48:00.000-07:00

Today, instead of just one staff member, you get three! The fact that they are three of Behind the Curtain's very favorite people in the whole building is just an extra added bonus.

What does the box office staff do all day? We sell and print tickets, of course – about 200,000 of them each year!!! We also spend lots of time answering questions and providing our patrons with all the information they will need to have a great time at the theatre.

We are the only office in the theatre that is open 7 days a week – we have a staff of 9 (2 full-time and 7 part-time people) -- but only 3 of us are here at one time since our office is only 166 square feet!!!

Cindy Wilder
Ticket Office Manager

Combining surly with sweet...

I deal with the uninformed public.
I answer calls from frantic stage parents. I deal with people asking me about the copier all day. I have very important conversation about dinosaurs and dragons. Everyday one little boy screams boo! at me while I am in the middle of doing something else.

Kimberly Rabb
Receptionist

And the award for most packed into a single sentence...

I come in at 9 and check my 103 email messages while my supervisor is getting me coffee and then I run downstairs at 9:30 and count children for Busytown and then at 10:00 I run across the lobby and count children for According to Coyote and then at 10:30 I come upstairs and listen to my 43 phone messages and try to call the teachers back and then at 12:00 I run back downstairs and count children for According to Coyote and then at 12:30 run across the lobby to count children for Busytown and then I run upstairs and stand in line to use the microwave to heat up my “Lean Cuisine” lunch and then I answer emails and make up seating charts and go to the bathroom and visit a few staff members - until I go home at 5.

Sue Brekke
School Shows Assistant

To find out what people in Busytown do all day, stop on by SCT and check out Busytown, running through June 15th.

Guest Reviewer Ema and Busytown

2008-05-06T15:30:00.000-07:00

Behind the Curtain welcomes back guest reviewer Ema M, originally referred to us by the fine folks at Hugo House. Ema came down to see opening night of Busytown, and shares her thoughts with us below.

The most notable feature of Busytown was the extraordinarily bouncy, catchy songs. The small children you likely brought to the play will probably be singing “The Pickle Song” for the next two weeks, so it’s a good thing it’s a cute tune.

The cast was impressive; carrying off strong musical numbers and coherent children’s dialog is surprisingly difficult, perhaps the reason that it’s rather difficult to find plays directed at the three through six age group that their adult escorts can sit through. Busytown succeeds admirably. High energy, engaging characters and fun songs make this one guaranteed to entertain even the most easily distracted three year old for the hour and something minutes it runs.

The adventures of Huckle Cat, looking for ways to help around the town and plan Betsy Bear’s grandma’s birthday are sweet, but not sickly. The play is pretty fast-paced which is appropriate for the age group, but not so fast that it loses the audience.

For fans of the Richard Scarry books - don’t worry, Busytown the play isn’t going to ruin them. The play does not take ridiculous liberties with the original text but the musical element removes the play enough from the book to enjoy them both in different ways and not constantly compare the two.

The diversity in the cast is very well used and celebrated; never feels forced or unnaturally politically correct, perhaps because it is allowed to be subtle (although clearly visible) and take a secondary seat to the species of the character. The actors did skillful switches between characters assisted by fun costumes.

Fun would probably be the best word to describe Busytown in general; although it contains some educational themes like jobs, maps and basic anatomy, it never takes itself too seriously. If you’re looking for an engaging Friday or Saturday night out with kids, Busytown is a vivacious, entertaining romp.

Busytown runs through June 15th in the Charlotte Martin Theatre at Seattle Children's Theatre.

All photos by Chris Bennion.

What Does Torrie Do All Day?

2008-05-06T13:09:00.000-07:00

Our journey through the daily lives of SCT staff continues with a stalwart of the Marketing and Artistic staffs, Torrie McDonald.

Every time I tell someone my job title, Literary & Publications Manager, I get a pretty standard response, “Oh. Neat. So, what is that? What do you do?”

And every time I’m asked that, I realize that I do a lot of different things in places you might not expect to find me based on the job title, and I do a lot of stuff that may look like I’m not really doing anything. But definitely, there is no one average day.

For example, today I checked email and responded to inquiries from other theatres wanting to know about rights to shows we’ve done in the past; shows we haven’t done, but they think we did; and shows we haven’t done, they know we never did, but just want my help anyway. Then I responded to the playwrights who sent me emails and/or scripts to read, thanking them for their interest, but I’m sorry, SCT does not accept unsolicited manuscripts directly from playwrights. That part kind of sucks. It’s hard to say no, but if we said yes to everyone, I’d be buried under an even larger mountain of paper than the one growing in my office now. And some of the stuff that comes my way…well, let’s just say that a gritty, obscenity-laden script on the horrors of the Vietnam War is maybe not so appropriate for the 6-year-old set.

Then I sent an email to our web design/host company with some changes and fixes for our website. I hope they get done in time.

After that, I did some online research on animal rights for a talk I’m going to give our C.A.S.T class next week—for their fundraiser. They thought I’d just talk to them about marketing and posters, but since their efforts are going to support PAWS, and it’s a cause near and dear to me, I thought I’d do a little extra on this, whether they’re prepared for it or not.

Next, I tested the changes to our site that I had requested a few days ago, making tweaks and suggestions in hopes that they’ll get done in time.

Oh, then someone needed me to take a look at something they’re working on, so I can make edits and art direction suggestions.

While I’m at it, I wrote some copy for and designed a postcard to be mailed soon.

Then I avoided a couple of calls from sales people wanting to get me to use their print company. I’d love to take/have the time to talk with these folks and get a really juicy bidding war going, but no such luck. Instead, I have to (get to, really) read scripts. This is one of the absolute best parts of the job. Reading plays. The ones we know we’re going to produce I read and then write synopses, copy for the brochures, and curriculum connections to fit the themes (not all in one day, of course). Scripts that we may be interested in or received from someone we know, like an artistic director or literary manager, I read with a critical eye to see if I want to pass it along to Linda, our artistic director, for her to check out. She is the one who picks the plays we produce, but even my little part is so rewarding. Being able to read, evaluate, and suggest things to her and see the fruits of our labors on stage as the kids watch with rapt attention—I may not have a typical day, but I sure am lucky to have such atypical ones.

Torrie McDonald
Literary & Publications Manager

Check back soon for more of our "What Do People Do All Day? series.

What Does Linda-Jo Do All Day?

2008-05-05T10:19:00.000-07:00

The next installment of our "What Do People Do All Day?" series comes from one of the longest-tenured folks here at SCT, the lovely, talented and incredibly organized Linda-Jo Greenberg.

People are always surprised that a lot of my job sounds like any other business - email, phone calls, meetings. I do lots of budgets and scheduling; I type up contracts and do the payroll for artistic staff who are working on shows. But then there are the more unique parts of my job. Right now I am in the midst of the many layers of hiring actors. For each show I find out who the director wants to consider, set up the appointments, make lots of phone calls and answer questions about the shows, provide music and scripts to read, and then mop up afterwards - offer jobs to the lucky ones who get cast and make the sadder "no thank you" calls to the ones who don't. For any given show, it can be between 40 and 140 phone calls. Since we are casting a show a week for the next 6 weeks, mostly what I do all day right now is talk on the phone.

Another part of my job is to understudy the stage manager and production assistant for each show. We just opened Busytown, so this week I am sitting in the control booth next to Amy, with a copy of her script in front of me. That script has every light cue, sound cue and set move written down - what it is and when it happens. I have to make sure that her notes make sense to me so that I can step in if she gets sick. So far this year I have had to cover High School Musical and The Hundred Dresses. It is a challenge and exciting and scary to step in - because I don't get rehearsal! I just have to dive in for a performance and hope I don't make any mistakes big enough for the audience to notice. I also have to train backstage on the prop and set moves the assistant does. I had to do that for The Hundred Dresses also. In that role, I want to make sure to do everything right for the cast - if I miss something, they may have their performance affected.

I'm also company manager which means making plane and hotel reservations, picking people up at the airport and giving them their per diem cash. And I assist [Artistic Director] Linda Hartzell with her schedule and correspondence.

Linda-Jo Greenberg
Production Stage Manager/Company Manager

The Hundred Dresses Drawing Contest

2008-05-01T10:22:00.000-07:00

In The Hundred Dresses, the students in Miss Mason's class competed in a drawing contest, designing their own dresses and motorboats. SCT's Education Department sponsored the same contest during the run of the play, and received over 160 entries.

The results were really incredible, especially when seen all together. All of the entries were displayed at SCT while the staff was invited to ooh and ahh and vote for the winner.

The overall winner is currently on display on SCT's website, but there were just too many good entries not to share some more. Here we have the next three highest vote-getters:

by Susanna

by Isabella

by Libby

Thank you to all of our participating artists!