Announcing our 5th Anniversary Show!

Hello All!

Well, it looks as if Nero's gone and gotten himself in a bit of a bind this week. Apparently, after we sent him over to England to do some research for our upcoming 5th Anniversary show, he got a little side-tracked. And by side tracked, I mean he took it upon himself to try and convince David Tennant to rethink his departure from Dr. Who.

This as you can imagine went over about as well as the time FOX tried to produce an Americanized version of Dr Who, with Julia Robert's brother as The Master. Folks, it wasn't pretty.

Soooooo. While Andy attempst to convert dollars into Euros to bail him out, I shall be the one to Officially Announce:

Our 5th Anniversary Performance of
Robin Hood!!!!!!

Yes! The Misdirected Theatre Company has returned to once again delight audiences with the most beloved of all our children's shows!

Featuring
Jon Ryan.................................Warren/Robin Hood
Maggie Nichols.........................................Margaret

Molly Haas-Hoven..................Cynthia/Maid Marian

Matthew Arnold.....Ozzie/The Sherrif of Nottingham

Michael Riffle.......................Jason/Guy of Gisborne

Vincent C. Morreale.....................Larry/Prince John

Directed by Andrew Rhodes

Keep an eye out for more information and new interviews!

And head over to our facebook page for even more information on all things Makeshifty!

Audition Announcement!

Hello All!


We are coming to the end of our 5th season of theatre and family shows and we have one more show and one more role to fill. The show is ROBIN HOOD, and the role we need to fill is...

Robin Hood!

We need some one to play the handsome UPS man who shows up to the theatre and gets roped into playing the leading role!

There will be one night of auditions on February 24th from 7-10.

Please email Vincent (vinnie@makeshifttheatre.com) with a Head Shot and resume to schedule an audition time. He will provide you with all the exciting details!

We will have a good time and read with the cast. I may shoot an arrow into there air and who ever it strikes will be our Robin Hood, if he survives.... Speaking of, some Stage combat experience would come in handy as well!



~Andrew

Interview with an Actor (Day Seven)

One of the great things about Makeshift is that we consistently get to work with a wonderful group of vibrant and exciting actors each of whom has a passion for entertaining audiences young and old alike. We consider ourselves a family, and while we have many actors that come and go throughout our seasons, we do have close friends that return season after season to entertain and inspire young audiences. As part of our Anniversary season, many faces of Makeshift old and new are happy to offer their own personal thoughts and memories about their experiences in theatre. For the Previous Update, click Here!

Today I'm sitting down with James Aitchison, a newcomer not only to the Makeshift family, but also to the United States. Originally from South Africa, James joined the cast of Emperor's New Clothes to play the swindler, Johnny. I took a moment to sit down with him to talk abit about his childhood and his experiences with Emperor's New Clothes.

So, you're originally from South Africa.
I am, which is why I talk funny. I grew up in a city called Pietermaritzburg and my holidays growing up were spent hiking through the Drankensburg. My father was an anti-Apartheid political activist and was placed under a form of house arrest by the Apartheid government for 10 years.  It made for a strange upbringing!

Were you active in theatre out there?
I was. I played lead and supporting roles in a number of South African productions including Cabaret, Geography of a Horse Dreamer and the Glass Menagerie. I also helped to develop a number of educational theatre productions aimed at addressing the spread of HIV/Aids among under-aged youth of South Africa.

So, tell me a bit about New Clothes. What do you like about your character?
I love Johnny’s confidence, I am fairly shy and withdrawn myself so it’s always fun to play characters who don’t care what people think of them.

What is it like working with the director?
I have really enjoyed working with Caitlin, she has energy and enthusiasm to put the rest of us to shame and although she has a clear vision for the show she has always encouraged us (the actors) to be integral to the creative process.

How do you memorize all those lines?
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves! In all seriousness though, I don’t have any special tricks or techniques that I use to memorize lines, beyond good old fashioned repetition. As with anything the more you practice something the better you get. Other than that though I find it sometimes helps during memorization to pair specific lines to actions or blocking.

Makeshfit shows have a very high energy level. how do you keep your energy levels up?
Caffine, caffine….oh and caffine. More than anything though being passionate about what I do gives me all the energy I need.

Since you've come to the US, you've been fortunate enough to be involved with a wide range of projects, including the critically acclaimed and deeply moving Boston Actors Theater production of Where Moments Hung Before. What's next for you?
Zombies. Lots of Zombies.

Before we go, is there anything else you'd like us to know?
I have never ridden an Elephant.

Interview with an Actor (Day Six)

One of the great things about Makeshift is that we consistently get to work with a wonderful group of vibrant and exciting actors each of whom has a passion for entertaining audiences young and old alike. We consider ourselves a family, and while we have many actors that come and go throughout our seasons, we do have close friends that return season after season to entertain and inspire young audiences. As part of our Anniversary season, many faces of Makeshift old and new are happy to offer their own personal thoughts and memories about their experiences in theatre. For the Previous Update, click Here!


Today I'm sitting down with two newcomers to the Makeshift Stage. Kaili Turner and Gavin Killea. Both have joined the cast of Emperor's New Clothes to portray remarkably different characters. Gavin portrays the love struck Prince Comberbun-Jodphers, while Kaili is a frazzled mother, with a very very busy schedule.

Kaili and Gavin, this is your first show with Makeshift Theatre Co. How has the experience been?
KT: I'm very excited to be a part of it and to be doing a childrens show. This is also my first ever childrens show and I'm really enjoying myself.

GK:  I'm excited to be working with such a great cast. Sometimes it's hard to keep the energy up, but the Director is great at getting us amped up before rehearsals, and making sure we stay energized throughout


Kaili, your role is somewhat unique in ENC in that it has a lot of fun playing with The Fourth Wall. What do you like most about your character?

KT: I like that my character is Bossy and always interrupting things. She's very self-centered and thinks things should revolve around her and the schedule she's made for her daughter.

Gavin, as the Prince,  what do you think families should take away from Emperor's New Clothes?
GK: I love the show, and the lesson learned by the Emperor about how there are more important things than clothes and looking good. Even though Johnny and Suzie play a mean prank to get the point across it's an important message.

What's the most difficult thing you've ever had to do as an actor?
KT: I think the most difficult thing for any actor is trying to create authentic experiences for the audience. Suspending your disbelief and asking the audience to do the same. I think also depending on the character, character development can be hard. If you have someone who is in no way like yourself or believes/wants things that you yourself don't. It becomes a challenge in creating that and making it feel real. I want anyone who sees me in the moment to be in the moment with me.


The Emperor's New Clothes Opens Tomorrow! Visit our Website for More Details!

Interview with an Actor (Day Five)

One of the great things about Makeshift is that we consistently get to work with a wonderful group of vibrant and exciting actors each of whom has a passion for entertaining audiences young and old alike. We consider ourselves a family, and while we have many actors that come and go throughout our seasons, we do have close friends that return season after season to entertain and inspire young audiences. As part of our Anniversary season, many faces of Makeshift old and new are happy to offer their own personal thoughts and memories about their experiences in theatre. For the Previous Update, click Here!


Today I'm chatting with Erika Geller, who joins Makeshift Theatre Co for the role of Bryanna in The Emperor's New Clothes. Erika is a graduate of Brandeis University where she studied Theatre Arts and Women's and Gender Studies. She has been acting since she was Bryanna's age but started getting serious about it when she was in high school. In addition to loving acting, Erika tells me that she enjoys fall weather, chocolate, and puppies.


What is your favorite children's story and why?
My favorite children's story is Peter Pan because I'm a big kid who never wanted to grow up! The story is also about the acceptance of change. It's great to be Peter but eventually everyone needs to take a cue from Wendy and learn that growing up isn't that bad - as long as you never lose your imagination.

Tell us something unique about yourself.
I was a competitive alpine ski racer for eleven years. I still love to ski, but I haven't raced in a long time. Maybe some day but for now I'll stick to the stage - it's a lot warmer there than on the slopes!

What is it like working with the director?
Caitlin is a great director because she knows what she wants, but lets the actors find their own way of getting there. She's more like a really fun tour guide through this adventure.

What's the most difficult thing you've ever had to do as an actor?
When I was in college I spent a semester living in London studying drama. While I was there we took class from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. five days a week for three months. It was very tiring and at one point I was playing over ten different characters at once - memorizing all those lines (and keeping them straight!) was a lot of work but I learned so much that it was absolutely worth it. I came out of that semester a much humbler and better prepared actress and it has totally paid off in the months since then.

What advice would you give to kids who want to be actors?
I'm sure you've heard this before but, it's true. "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." Acting is hard work and incredibly unpredictable but the one this you can control is how hard you work at it. Take pride in what you do - memorize your lines on time, stay focused in rehearsals, and ALWAYS be positive when you tell people you work in the theatre. It's a fabulous tradition to be a part of!

Interview with an Actor (Day Four)

One of the great things about Makeshift is that we consistently get to work with a wonderful group of vibrant and exciting actors each of whom has a passion for entertaining audiences young and old alike. We consider ourselves a family, and while we have many actors that come and go throughout our seasons, we do have close friends that return season after season to entertain and inspire young audiences. As part of our Anniversary season, many faces of Makeshift old and new are happy to offer their own personal thoughts and memories about their experiences in theatre. For the Previous Update, click Here!

Today I'm chatting with Debra Mein, who returns to the Makeshift Stage after having previously appeared as the Witch in Hansel and Gretel. For Emperor's New Clothes, she portrays fashion designer Pennyloaf, Mistress of The Revels. In addition to her work with Makeshift Deb teaches Creative Drama and Musical Theatre at Riverside TheatreWorks in Hyde Park and at Adams Montessori in Quincy. She took a few moments out of her busy schedule to talk with me about her experiences in theatre.

What do you like most about Pennyloaf?
I like that she is a good balance of zaniness and put-togetherness. I love playing characters like this because you can really delve into what makes them tick-- and it's usually something unexpected. Penny for example hates designing for fashion shows, but rather loves seeing her designs on stage. Although she'd like to be planning other events, the thought that there might be someone better at designing clothes than her is just un-thinkable. So, this really drives her into unknown territory. On one page, she has to battle both her pride and her dislike of her present position.

You've worked with Makeshift previously on Hansel and Gretel. What inspired you to return for Emperor's New Clothes?
This was an awesome and challenging role and really the reason I auditioned for Makeshift a second time. This script, by local playwright Jack Neary, was an excellent example of good children's theatre. The jokes were spot-on for kids-- without being pandering. My brief experience with Makeshift has shown me that they choose shows that are silly, fun, wild-- but that still require kids to think. The jokes are not just handed to the children (and adults!) in the audience and I think that's important. I also think that good children's theatre is important. We are building the next generation of theatre-goers and if we give them bad or boring theatre, then ultimately they'll be turned off from it.

What is your favorite children's story and why?
Perhaps "The Giving Tree" for it's story of beauty, humanity and selflessness. I'm a Shel Silverstein fan in general. I know-- it's easy to be one. Like my thoughts on children's theatre, he really sets the bar high for kids as well. He doesn't settle for the obvious joke or story line in his literature and song-writing.

You and Tim Fairley (Rags) have worked with (director) Caitlin Stewart-Swift previously. What is it like working with her as director?
Caitlin is a true "actor's director". She understands the process that each individual actor goes through and works to manipulate her directing to fit the actor. In my opinion, she gives just the right amount of direction. I like Cait's point-blank blocking style and her feed-back is always helpful.

Tell us something unique about yourself.
I grew-up on a farm in Kansas. I can drive a tractor, "pull" calves and buck bales. Both of my parents are veterinarians (just like the Prince and Susie they set up their own animal hospital.) I had a golden childhood-- honestly. Growing up wild and on the farm really shaped me into the person I am today. There's no place like home and, yes, I'm not in Kansas anymore. You know-- it's funny-- as many Wizard of Oz jokes that I get-- I've never been in a production of it. :)

Interview with an Actor (Day Three)

One of the great things about Makeshift is that we consistently get to work with a wonderful group of vibrant and exciting actors each of whom has a passion for entertaining audiences young and old alike. We consider ourselves a family, and while we have many actors that come and go throughout our seasons, we do have close friends that return season after season to entertain and inspire young audiences. As part of our Anniversary season, many faces of Makeshift old and new are happy to offer their own personal thoughts and memories about their experiences in theatre. For Yesterday's Update, click Here!

Today I'm chatting with another new arrival to the Makeshift family, Victoria Townsend. Victoria joins the cast of Emperor's New Clothes as a model, and offered us her thoughts on the experience.

As a child, what was your favorite children's story and why?
My favorite children's story is a book called 'The True story of the Three Little Pigs' by Jon Scieszka. It's a very funny book that tells the story of the three little pigs from the wolf's perspective. It shows that he might not really be a bad guy after all.

What do you think families should take away from Emperor's New Clothes?
I think the most important thing that families can learn from ENC is that it's important to always listen to each other and remember that love and family is more important that clothing, or money or parties or other things.

What was it like working with the director?
Caitlin is an awesome director because she always has so much energy and enthusiasm and she's great at making us have energy too. She's also not afraid to get up and act silly to show us what she wants. It makes it a lot easier for all of us to act silly too.

Okay, seriously, Just how do you guys memorize all those lines?!
People always ask actors how they memorize lines and I always say that that's really one of the easiest parts. Actors get a lot of practice memorizing lines so a lot of them get really good at it. Just like if you practice a sport or an instrument then you get better at it. The hard part is trying to figure out the right way to say the lines so that you are really doing the best job you can as your character.

What would you say to kids in the audience who are interested in acting?
I would say, why wait? Work on plays at your school or find an after-school program where you can take classes or be in shows. And when you do that, don't be afraid what people think of you, act silly and just have fun. The best actors are actors that aren't afraid that they're going to look dumb in front of other people.

Interview with an Actor (Day Two)

One of the great things about Makeshift is that we consistently get to work with a wonderful group of vibrant and exciting actors each of whom has a passion for entertaining audiences young and old alike. We consider ourselves a family, and while we have many actors that come and go throughout our seasons, we do have close friends that return season after season to entertain and inspire young audiences. As part of our Anniversary season, many faces of Makeshift old and new are happy to offer their own personal thoughts and memories about their experiences in theatre. For Part One of this series, click Here!

Erin Brehm joins Makeshift Theatre Co for the first time as The Empress, wife of the fassion savvy monarch in The Emperor's New Clothes. She recently moved to Boston from Santa Barbara where she went to school and worked as an actress with Lit Moon Theatre Company. She has acted and spent time in the theatre for as long as she can remember.

As a child, what was your favorite children's story and why?
My favorite children's story was "Oh What a Mess!" A story about a family of very messy pigs who had one very neat and tidy child who helped them to clean up their pig pen house. I have always loved stories of transformation and cleaning up.

How do you memorize all those lines?
I memorize all my lines by saying them out loud and doing "blocking" while repeating them over and over. It is easy to remember them once you walk through it a couple times.

Makeshift shows have a very high energy level. how do you keep your energy levels up?
Maintaining energy during a show can be a challenge. But it can be compared to staying in shape from exercise as well; the more you work out, or rehearse, the more energy and perseverance you gain.

What advice would you give to kids who want to be actors?
The advice I would give to kids who want to be actors is to always remember to enjoy what you are doing. You have to have fun while working hard, otherwise you might get run down. Also if you enjoy what you do, then you are more likely to succeed in doing your job well.

Interview with an Actor (Day One)

One of the great things about Makeshift is that we consistently get to work with a wonderful group of vibrant and exciting actors each of whom has a passion for entertaining audiences young and old alike. We consider ourselves a family, and while we have many actors that come and go throughout our seasons, we do have close friends that return season after season to entertain and inspire young audiences. As part of our Anniversary season, many faces of Makeshift old and new are happy to offer their own personal thoughts and memories about their experiences in theatre.


Jesica Corbo first appeared on the Makeshift Stage last season, as The White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland, and returned as one of the Step-Sisters in Cinderella. She joins us again as a fashion model, displaying the latest in high fashion in the Emperor's New Clothes. She took a few moments to sit down with me earlier to talk about the show.

Makeshfit shows require a very high level of energy. How do you keep your energy levels up?
As a cast, we dance around and do all kinds of funny warm up games which gets us started. Once we get out on stage, the audience is there to see our show so we get super excited to see crowd full of people ready to laugh (we laugh at it all the time in rehearsal, so we hope you do too)- Add in a splash of coffee- Which is yucky for kids but great for adults- and it's a recipe for success.

What is your favorite children's story and why?
My favorite children's story is Leo the Lop. It's similar to the story of the Ugly Duckling. Leo is a bunny who has big floppy ears while the other bunnies have ears that stood straight up in the air. The other bunnies think he was a silly looking bunny so he tried everything to prop his ears up so the other bunnies wouldn't make fun of him. Eventually though, Leo realizes that his ears are perfect just the way they are, and trying to look like the other bunnies is silly because he is great just the way he is. I always loved this story because Leo really was the cutest bunny and I am glad he realized that there's nothing special about trying to be like everyone else.

What do you think families should take away from Emperor's New Clothes?
I believe that all of the characters in this story are really good people at heart. They have just forgotten what is really important in life (Except Rags, he knew all along!!) Once they snap out of it and realize they should be caring more about the important people in their lives, not just themselves, they are happier then they were when all they were trying to do was make themselves happy. Imagine that.

What advice would you give to kids who want to be actors?
You got to be strong and remember that it's going to be a lot of work, but if you couldn't see yourself doing anything else and being happy, do it. If you feel that way about it and you don't let anything stop you, you will have a great career in theatre. Remember though, you're gonna need a day job :).

Where in the World is Nero?!

Hello folks, and welcome to a brand new blog!

Well, first off I suppose I should introduce myself. Some of you may know me at Larry the Sound Guy in the Misdirected Theatre Company series, but most folks around the office just call me Vinnie. I'm the official Company Manager for Makeshift, which means if you've ever auditioned for us, chances are I helped answer all your questions.

So, where the heck is Nero? Well that's a good question, which is best answered by telling you that Mr. Andy sent him on a trip of sorts. To England! Now why Andy would send an intern on an all expense paid trip to England for several months, instead of using that money to invest in my film company is beyond me. I suspect it might have something to do with Nero's sudden fixation on all things "Jersey Shore." We here at Makeshift do not condone the use of the word Snookie.

Truth is, Nero is off in England for one thing and one thing only. Research. You see, 2010 marks our fifth anniversary and to celebrate, this spring we're bringing back one of our most beloved shows: Robin Hood!

So, while Nero is away, helping us get ready, I shall be your guide to all things Makeshift.

And to begin, I'd like to officially announce a brand new show just in time for February Vacation!

The cast includes a bunch of familiar faces and a whole group of new ones including

Lianne O'Shea as...................................Suzie Neadlethread

James Aitchison as............................Johnny Neadlethread

Gavin Killea as.....................Prince Cumberbun-Jodphurs
Debra Mein as..............Pennyloaf, The Mistress of Revels

Erin Brehm as...................................................The Empress

Tim Fairley as.................................................................Rags

Erica Geller as............................................................Brianna

Kaili Turner as.....................................................The Mother

Jes Corbo and Victoria Townsend as........................Models

Andres Solorzano..............................................Photographer

And Yours Truely as
The Emperor.

Adapted by Noah Smith and Directed By Caitlin Stewart-Swift

So come check us out, February 6th, 13th and 21st at the Regent Theatre in Arlington,

And on the 17th at the Next Door Theatre in Medford.

We hope to see you there!

First show come and gone....

Sorry I have been such a slacker iwth this blogging thing kids... Me and my xbox have been spending way to much quality time together. You can find me there a lot on xbox live, "call me nero"

My solution for this was to see if any other makeshift folks would ike to contribute. Christine Walsh just finished playing Sabina in RAPUNZEL, and I asked her if she would mind letting us in on her experience with the show... so here that is and I am going back to my xobx.... xbooooooooxxxxx... I need help.

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The People, the Places, and all the Cool Kids!

Hi there! My name is Christine and I just finished playing Sabina in the show, “Rapunzel” with Makeshift Theatre. I had a great time working with this company and being on stage and here’s why:

The People!
Everyone in the cast and on the crew was very nice and welcoming. We all became friends from day one and had a great time working together. We would joke offstage and be even funnier onstage. Patrick, who played the part of the handsome prince and Paul, who played Rapunzel’s father were always seeing who could “out-joke” the other.

As goofy as we could be, though, when it was time to learn lines and memorize songs, we got down to business. I was really impressed when Kristen, who played one of the minstrels, wrote all of the songs for her part herself. And she sang them while playing the guitar! That’s not easy.

I love dressing up and the costumes were a special treat for me. Thanks to the costume designer, Deb, we all had marvelous costumes. Vinnie, who played a minstrel, looked great with snazzy suspenders and very high socks. And of course Molly, who played the beautiful Rapunzel, looked magnificent with her soft blue dress and long flowing hair.

When you act, you always need to use a lot of energy – to be seen, to be heard, and to let the audience know what your character is like. I think Laureen, who played the evil witch, did a great job of that. Her energy was always high and she did a great job of scaring everyone – even me and I’m her friend!

There is a lot that goes into creating a show like Rapunzel and the actors aren’t the only ones who work very hard. Our director Shaine and our stage manager Coral did a fantastic job of keeping us organized. Shaine helped us get into our characters and encouraged us to have fun. Coral was always there to place a prop right where it needed to be. And Mr. Rhodes helped by creating the entire set! Talk about your big projects!

The Places!
I loved both of the theaters we performed in – Arlington’s Regent Theater and Winchester’s NextDoor Theater.

The Regent Theater was a big theater with many long velvet curtains on the sides of the stage. Sometimes, because the backstage area is dark, we actors had a hard time finding a way to get on stage through the curtains! The theater had two levels and Mr. Rhodes went up to the second level in order to help with the lighting of the stage. The audience sat on the lower level so they could see us easily and be closer to the action.

The NextDoor Theater was very colorful and fun. It was a smaller theater, so the audience felt like they were right smack dab in the middle of the play with us! It was so nice being able to see the kids’ faces and know that they were having a great time laughing at Prince Rupert and his fake horse or getting nervous as the Witch cut off all of Rapunzel’s hair.

The Cool Kids
Finally, the best part of this experience was the kids! Every kid who came to see us was so very nice and polite and interested in the show. It was a pleasure to perform for such great groups and I cannot wait to do it again!


--
Christine R. Walsh

5th season under way...

Hey Guys and Dolls! We are off and running...




We may have lost our home for the past 4 years but we are pressing forward. Mr. Rhodes assures me he has some serious plans for Makeshift this coming year. In the mean time we are happy and thrilled to be making our first appearance at the NextDoor Theatre in Winchester this season!! We will also be back at out other favorite regular venue The Regent Theatre in Arlington!!!


We have 3 shows for you this season starting with RAPUNZEL in October!

We will then be taking a break over the winter and getting some of our ducks in a row, but will be back in February with THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES, and in April we will be back with one of our most favorite shows... ROBIN HOOD!!!

Keep Checking back for more information... now I have to get back to the capitol waste land

~Nero

and we are back....

Okay Kids!

We have had one heck of a summer break. Many MANY changes! All will be revealed in time and the first show of our 5th season has been cast and is about to start rehearsals!! Very exciting!!

But the biggest news that will be affecting us is that we will NOT be returning to the Coolidge Corner Theatre this season. They have decided not to have us back. Yes, we are very sad about this.... loosing our home for the past 4 years and the friends and audience that we have developed. All things change, and we are forging ahead!!

We have booked new spaces and we are in the process of searching out a new permanant home for Makeshift! So keep tuneing in for all the exciting news coming down the pike. For all our old Coolidge fans we hope you can make the trip north of the city to Arlingtion and Winchester to see our shows this season and we will continue to try and bring our shows to you!

More soon. I promise, I am back on the job!!

~Nero

VOYE FOR US!!

Check us out!

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in Boston

another extended absense...

Sorry folks, we have been so very busy getting ready for THE THREE MUSKETEERS that I have been so off my game.

But now I have just one thing to say, ALL FOR ONE AND ONE OR ALL!!!!

we open this saturday!!

Q & A for H & G

Hell all!!

We are half way through our run of Hansle and Gretel!! We have had some great houses. This time around we bring you a brief Q&A with Hansel and Gretel Director Caitlin Stewart-Swift.

Q & A with Director Caitlin Stewart-Swift

There’s no one better to tell you about this production than our fantastic director, Caitlin Stewart-Swift. We sat down with Caitlin and asked her a few questions about Hansel & Gretel and theatre in general.


Q: For Makeshift's production of the classic fairy tale Hansel and Gretel, we're using another wonderful adaptation from local playwright Jack Neary. What is different about this version of the play than what people are used to?

Well I would have to say that Jack does not back away from the dark side of this fairy tale which I feel is keeping very true to the original. But I really enjoy how Jack balances out the dark side of this story with a crazy Granny (aka the Witch!) and her equally zany henchmen Rollo and Stench!


Q: What made you want to direct this particular show?

I really fell in love with the darker side of this play and how well it was balanced by the crazy and colorful bad guys. It also, to me, had qualities very similar to that of British Panto and that peaked my imagination and made me want to stage it.


Q: Children's theatre requires a lot of energy. What are you and the cast doing to keep energy up at rehearsals and to keep it fun?

Well the cast and I are making sure we always start rehearsals off on a fun note, lots of high energy warm ups and some laughter! We are also really playing up Granny, Rollo and Stench, to balance out the scary circumstances that the children and father are facing in the play. We are also keeping the pacing of the show up! This is not a show that drags so hold onto your hats, folks!


Q: What's your favorite thing about doing children's theatre and about working with Makeshift?

My favorite thing about doing children's theatre is two fold: firstly I love bringing fantastical characters to life. It is so much fun to play with these characters who are truly characters, and yet are also old friends from our childhood stories and fairy tales. Secondly, I love introducing young audiences to theatre and how magical and engaging it is. And when it comes to Makeshift I don't think you can beat the great groups of people and artist who make up this super duper awesome community of artists.

Q: You've been an actor, dancer, choreographer and director. What keeps you coming back to working in the theatre?

Theatre, all aspects of it, are my passion. Whether it is acting, dancing, choreographing, or directing I love it plain and simple, and I am happiest when I am working on something theatrical and artistic. I was once told by a very wise teacher, "that work in this field is hard to come by, so if you’re lucky enough to get work, work as hard as you can and give it 100%." This has come to be my motto, slightly corny I know, but I find it to be pretty spot on.

Q: Can you share a funny story about something that has happened to you in the theatre, either working on this show or another one?

Well since you ask... There was this one time I was doing "Li'll Abner- The musical" and three other characters and I were ready to make our entrance, and the guy on stage completely goes up on his lines and jumps to our next entrance, which is on the other side of the stage! So we dash to the other side to enter for the next scene, and he regains his lines and flips back to our original entrance, back where we came from! We were dashing about like ping pong balls in a tournament of really skilled ping-pong players! No one in the audience knew but "boy oh boy" were our heads spinning by the time we finally made it on stage....

This show does have its funny moments, but I wouldn't want to spoil it for our audience...

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We hope to see you at the show!!

~Nero!

Did I leave some bread crumbs lying around here?

Once again art work done by the amazing Kristen Boucher!!

We want to welcome Ms. Meghan Coonan to the Makeshift Family as a production and marketing associate!!!

Also, I feel the need to mention that it is STILL SNOWING!!!

A new year, a new server... and a new guild?!?!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! what does 2009 have in store for you!!!

Well we at Makehift have been getting in touch with our nerdy roots for the new year!!! YES, we are back on World of Warcraft!!! Bring on the hot pockets!!

You can find us on the Khadgar server under the names:
(FOR THE HORDE!!!!!)
Reph
Glokk
Callmenero
Wineinabox
Inkido

Mr. Vinnie is trying to start a guild... ask for Reph!

Also we start rehearsals for Hansel and Gretel tonight!!! The season is moving right along... We are starting to look for shows for next year, so if there a fairy tale that we have not done yet that you would like to see let us know and we will start looking for scripts!!!

Wishing you a Happy and prosperous new year, may your loot be epic and powerful!

~Nero
Callmenero
17lv rogue
khadgar
undercity

Ho Ho HO... and all that jazz!!

Before you settle in for your long winter nap.... we at makeshift wanted to give you a little holiday note.

We wrapped up our prime time show for this season, FIRST NIGHT, and what a wonderful show it was. We want to thank all the folks who cam out that last weekend in spite of the back to back snow storms. It was CRAZY! A little over 2 feet on snow before it was done. Mr. Rhodes even got towed, thanks Cambridge, he was my RIDE!!! Some time you just get smited by the weather gods.

HANSEL & GRETEL is next up this season, and the casting is complete!!! Auditions were 2 weeks ago and I usually post it ASAP, but we were in the middle of FIRST NIGHT... and now I am gonna leave you hanging a bit longer and post the casting after the holidays. hahahaha

As for me... my Mom is making some hotchoclate and I am settling in for some holiday game playing, I am hoping for Gears of War from Santa!!! My XBOX 360 is my best friend. You can find me online at XBOX live as Call Me Nero!!

In the mean time we here in the Makeshift Offices are playing with the office wii and drinking the last of the Nog, and wishing you a very...

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!
From the cast and crew of Makeshift Theatre Co.!

and here is a little gem to get you through to the new year!!

let it snow....

Sad news here tonight folks, we are expecting a foot of snow before the night si over so we have cancelled tonight's performance of FIRST NIGHT!

Once again, tonights performance of FIRST NIGHT is cancelled due to a freaking boat load of fluffly white stuff. :(

That leave us with just 2 more performances and we really want audiences in the double didgets!!! So join us tomorrow and sunday!!!

In the mena time build a fire and grab some coco, and bundle up with someone you find cozy and enjoy the first storm of the winter!!

Happy Life day!!!

~Nero