A few minutes with... Sylvia B.

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.

A Few Minutes With Don Darryl Rivera

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.

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

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.

Happy 100th to Us!

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.

"Tomás and the Library Lady" - Previews and Reviews

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!)

Memories of Oz

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.

A few minutes with Tim Jennings

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.

Video Coda

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.

A few minutes with Gene Tagaban - Part II

As promised, the second installment of our interview with storyteller Gene Tagaban from SCT's production of According to Coyote.



Many thanks to Gene for spending some time with us.

A few minutes with Gene Tagaban

Native American storyteller Gene Tagaban stars in our remount of John Kauffman's collection of trickster stories, According to Coyote, opening Friday March 14th and running through May 11th.

Behind the Curtain caught up with Gene last week, and he was kind enough to spend a few minutes talking with us before rehearsal.



Gene had so much to share with us that we decided to break the video into two parts. Tomorrow we'll post Part II. Check back to hear Gene's thoughts on the role and power stories have in teaching us and some of the other projects he's working on.

We Heart the New Year

SCT had the good fortune to collaborate with Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart on this season's production of The Neverending Story. The Wilsons, along with their long-time collaborator Sue Ennis, wrote pieces of background music and the new, original theme song "Don't You Fall."

Fans of Heart have asked for an opportunity to hear the song, and Behind the Curtain is happy to oblige, throwing in images from the production for good measure.

Many, many thanks to Ann and Nancy Wilson for the opportunity to work together on this exciting project.

The Neverending Story closes January 27.

A few minutes with Sven Nelson

Behind the Curtain once again brings you up close and personal with a wonderful member of our staff: House Manager of the Charlotte Martin Theatre, Sven Nelson.

Keep checking back here for profiles of the people that make SCT go. And if you've ever asked yourself "What does a Stage Manager do?" or "What are SCT teaching artists really like?" drop us a line and we'll turn the camera on them next!

A few minutes with John Patrick Lowrie

The cast of High School Musical has been especially generous with their time, and here is just one more example: John Patrick Lowrie plays Coach Bolton and spent a few minutes with Behind the Curtain.

SCT's production of Disney's High School Musical runs through November 24th.

HSM at the Key

On Tuesday October 23rd, the cast of SCT's production of Disney's High School Musical hit the hardwood at Key Arena to provide halftime entertainment for the Seattle Sonics. They performed the basketball-dance number "Get'cha Head in the Game," and were fantastic. The entire routine had been re-tooled that day to fit the venue.

Photos by Khanh Doan (Sharpay Evans in High School Musical) and SCT's Production department.

Our first staff interview

This is something we'd like to feature regularly on Behind the Curtain - video interviews with members of our fabulous staff.

And it just made sense that the first interview we would share is the first face you would see as you walk in our office door. So, without further ado...