We start previews in a week, this is going to be pretty wonderful!

Robin Lewis-Bedz, as Gina Yaweth, in the Williamston Theatre production of The Dead Guy

Posted via LiveJournal app for iPhone.

White model...


The load-in...


Same day, from the Stage Right seating bank...

(this pic includes cast members Ian Page, Chris Korte and Eric Eilersen, seen here discussing a scene.)

Welcome to the 2011-2012 Season!
We've begun rehearsals on our first show, THE DEAD GUY, and it's going to be darkly hilarious, with a nice streak of social commentary running right down the middle.  We're thrilled to be launching our 6th Season with this thoughtful, moving, satirical comedy, and glad that we get to collaborate once again with the Michigan State University Department of Theatre as well!

And, in case you haven't visited it yet - check out The Dead Guy website!

Joseph Zettelmaier dropped this off for us...

Hi, there. Joe Zettelmaier here, playwright of "And The Creek Don't Rise". I'm going to ask your indulgence, as I basically never write blogs. But when Tony asked me to do this, I figured "What the hell? I'll give it a shot."

"Creek" began it's life many years ago. I went to college in Rome, Georgia. As a life-long Yankee, I figured "How different can the South really be?" The answer is...very different. It took me about a year to adjust to the multitude of small cultural rules that were completely alien to me. As time went on, I realized that the biggest problem was my own...or rather, the many misconceptions I had about Southerners. This was still many years before I decided to try my hand at playwrighting, but this was when the seed was planted.

Two years ago, Tony Caselli approached me with a question. "Do you have any small cast comedies that Williamston could do?" We'd recently finished working together on "It Came From Mars", and had a blast doing it. At the time, "Creek" simply existed as 12 pages of dialogue and an outline. I gave it to him, and that led to two meetings, discussing my idea of the show and where it might go. Let me say this right now: "And The Creek Don't Rise" would never have been produced had Tony not taken a huge leap of faith. There was almost no script, just a string of ideas. But he saw something in it and decided to pick it up. Well, now the pressure was on. I refused to let down Tony's trust. I had to crank out a script that I felt confident would serve Williamston, both the theatre and the community. Two months later, I had draft 1. A few weeks after that, "Creek" had it's first staged reading at the Renegade Theatre Festival.

I'd like to digress for a moment to send a HUGE thank you to Tony, Tobin Hissong and Alysia Kolascz. They performed the reading for us and blew everyone away.

OK, back on track. The next step was to bring in a director. Joey Albright and I have been good friends for many years. He'd directed a production of mine at the Boarshead a few years earlier, and starred in "It Came From Mars" as well. When Tony asked if I was cool w/ Joey as a director, I couldn't say yes fast enough.

Auditions were then held. We had a director. We had a cast. And we had a loooooooooong wait. Since "Creek" was picked up to be the last show of the season, that meant we were many months away from rehearsals. By the time we finally got there, I was chomping at the bit. That's a lot of anticipation! After the very first read-through, I was left w/ two thoughts. 1) I still had plenty of rewrites to do. 2) We had the exact right people working on this. Designers, actors, stage management team...everyone brought their best to the table. Three weeks can be a tough rehearsal process for a new play, especially when you're a rewriting fanatic like myself. But everyone involved was up to the challenge. Will Myers, our amazing sound designer, added a chainsaw at the last minute. Holly, our amazing costumer, put the finishing touches on Doc's Confederate uniform on opening night! And on the last rehearsal during previews, I wrote a completely new monologue for John Lepard and gave it to him that day. We rehearsed it a couple times, he felt good about it, and he put it into the show that very night!

"Creek" will hold a special place in my heart. I almost never draw from my personal history for a play, but I'm glad I did for this one. Perhaps the best compliment we got was when a friend of mine from Georgia flew up to see the show. He was curious to see in what light I'd paint the South. After watching it, he said "That's it. That's it exactly." He was particularly blown away by Tom Mahard, who fully embodied what it meant to be a "Southern Gent."

But I guess at the end of the day, I'm just really happy you got a chance to see it. Tony tells me we're poised to break box office records for Williamston, and I couldn't be more thrilled. For me, theatre is a communal experience. It shouldn't push people away; it should instead bring them together. When I'm in an audience, and I laugh at something that others are laughing at...for a second, I feel closer to these strangers around me. And that's one of my personal rules as a writer- I want my audience to walk out of my show feeling less alone than they did when they walked in. At a time in which the bulk of communication can happen through faceless, voiceless electronics, it's easy to remove yourself from your fellows without even realizing it. I go to the theatre to experience a connection that can all-too-easily slip away. I'd like to think that's what live theatre can give us that few other things can.

So thank you to everyone involved in making this show happen. Tony, Emily, Christine, Joey, John, Katie, Tom, Nan, Alex, Dan, Reid, Holly, Will...we couldn't have done it w/out you. And a HUGE thanks to every last one of you who came out to this lovely town to see this show. We couldn't do this w/out you either.

Thanks again, and see you again soon
Joe Zettelmaier

Special Events Coming Up!
 
Songs, Friends and Fun: A Cabaret Fundraiser
Sunday, July 24 at 7pm
Tickets: $25
Click here for more information
 
WT Garage Sale
Friday, August 19 and Saturday, August 20
The Williamston Theatre is clearing out our storage closets at a big garage sale. We're also accepting donations to the sale to help raise money to support our upcoming season. Please call the theatre at 517-655-7469 if you'd like to donate something for sale (no clothes please), or if you'd just like to help out at the event.
 
Fifth Annual Season Launch Party
Save the date to help us kick off the 2011-2012 Season in style! The event will be held at the Williamston Theatre on Saturday, September 17, 5:30-8:00. Tickets will go on sale in August.

And The Creek Don't Rise got a rave review this weekend from Encore Michigan! 
The review begins like this:

"On paper, Williamston Theatre's current production of And The Creek Don't Rise sounds like a delightful summertime comedy. For starters, it's the world premiere of a script by local playwright Joseph Zettelmaier, whose previous efforts earned him local and national accolades. Then there's the cast – each of whom is among the best Michigan's industry has to offer. Then to top it off, the behind-the-scenes folks are fine artisans excellent at their crafts.

So with a pedigree this good, how could it miss, I asked myself on the drive to Williamston.

By 9:45 p.m. or so on opening night I had my answer – and based on the comments I overheard while standing in the theater's lobby after the performance, I suspect most people agreed with me: And The Creek Don't Rise is a sure-fire, don't-miss hit"

Some notable quotes are:

"Zettelmaier's crisp dialogue especially sparkles – enhanced by the superb delivery by the show's three actors...Lepard is a master...Peckham earns plenty of laughs...and her intense focus never wavers...Mahard is thoroughly delightful"

You can read the rest of the review HERE!  
You can order tickets by calling 517-655-7469!
Visit the Williamston Theatre website!

The Williamston Theatre
2011-2012 Season

The Dead Guy 

by Eric Coble

Directed by Tony Caselli
A co-production with the Michigan State University Department of Theatre
September 29 – October 30, 2011

•The Pitch: You get one million dollars to spend over the next seven days. A camera crew follows your every move and broadcasts your adventures on national television.

•The Hook: At the end of the week…you die.

•The Best Part: The viewing audience gets to vote on the method of your death! For hard-luck Eldon Phelps, the deal is irresistible. But does America have the stomach for this much reality? 

A wicked satire, this hilarious dark comedy skewers "reality television" and our national obsession with it.

*Contains Mature Language and Themes

 

This Wonderful Life

by Steve Murray
Directed by Tony Caselli
November 25 - December 23, 2011 

Back by popular demand!  John Lepard returns to the Williamston stage in his award-winning role as George Bailey, Mr. Potter, and the entire population of Bedford Falls in this theatrical re-telling of the classic holiday film It’s A Wonderful Life.  Superbly adapted from the most irresistible and entertaining “what if” story of all time, this one-man tour de force reminds us of the power of perspective, friendship and faith.  A holiday experience for the whole family.

“If you’re impressed…you should be.” – Martin Kohn, EncoreMichigan

 

Dead Man's Shoes 

by Joseph Zettelmaier
Directed by David WolberA co-production with Performance Network Theatre
January 26 - February 26  

A World Premiere from a Michigan playwright!

The year is 1883.  The notorious outlaw Injun Bill Picote has escaped from prison, along with a hard-luck drunk named Froggy.  The unlikely partners endure trials and bizarre misadventures as they set out to right a terrible wrong in this outrageous new dark comedy about life, friendship and vengeance in the Wild West.  As Bill’s past catches up with him, and Froggy helps him discover his long-ignored conscience, a question arises: Is the hope of a better life stronger than the need to avenge the death of a friend? What starts out as a sweeping epic tale boils down to an incredibly funny, insightful and deeply personal journey for two men… and a pair of shoes.

*Contains Mature Language and Themes

 

The Usual: A Musical Love Story
Directed by Tony Caselli

Book and Lyrics by Alan Gordon 
Music by Mark Sutton-Smith

March 22 - April 22, 2012

 
The World Premiere of an exciting new musical!
Take one lonely guy, add a shot of lonely girl and a dash of spunky bartender, blend and serve!  Two strangers, each unhappy with their love lives, have a chance encounter in a bar where “the usual” isn’t usual at all. Join Kip, Valerie and Sam as they navigate the treacherous waters of dating, romance and relationships.  This modern musical journey through love and life will keep you coming back for more.

*Contains Mature Themes

 

The Understudy
By Theresa Rebeck
Directed by Rob Roznowski
May 17 - June 17, 2012

Jake is a mid-level action film star seeking legitimacy by acting in a Broadway play.  Harry is a middle-aged journeyman actor who may or may not be just a little bitter about understudying a mid-level action film star in a Broadway play.  Roxanne just wants to run the rehearsal without anyone killing anyone else. Take a trip behind the scenes as a trio of theatre professionals struggle to balance ego, art and commerce in this biting, thoughtful comedy that highlights the ridiculous and fleeting nature of fame. 
*Contains Mature Language

 

Red, White and Tuna
By Jaston Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard
Directed by John Lepard
July 12 - August 19, 2012

 

Reprising their roles from our smash-hit production of Greater Tuna, the hilarious team of Aral Gribble and Wayne David Parker return for the outrageous summertime sequel, once again portraying the entire population of the town in this quick-change comedy.  The 4th of July in Tuna, Texas means it’s time for the Tuna High School Class Reunion, and the return of some of your favorite Tuna residents, like Petey Fisk and Reverend Spikes, as well as some outlandish newcomers!  You won’t want to miss this loving, side-splitting satire of life where the Lion's Club is too liberal and Patsy Cline never dies.

Reid Johnson, Lighting Designer, checks the look of the gobo during the lighting focus session for AND THE CREEK DON'T RISE.