Another intern interview! This time with Adam Souza. Enjoy!
Born: West Hartford, Connecticut.
Past Experience: Grew into theatre with a play here and there while growing up. Played Willy Wonka at 10. Lots of experience with music on different instuments like the piano, guitar, trombone; also played a bit of soccer and did competitive fencing (which is very different from stage combat!).
Siblings: one younger brother who's more business minded and in school to be a pro golf manager.
Schooling: New York University. Large school with a large drama program (Tisch School of the Arts) but still small enough to to have a good collegiate atmosphere.
Working with Charlotte's Web: It's changed the way that I look at children's theatre- what it means and the level of theatre. It is almost harder to perform for children because you always have to tell the truth. It requires a lot more work and energy because things are more important to kids. You have to approach kids with an open mind because if you don't connect then they tune you out; there's no sense of obligation for kids to pay attention to the story you are telling.
Everyone I've worked with on the show have been of such a high caliber and I'd love to work with Nancy again.
Dream Role of Rep: I'd love to be Athos in The Three Musketeers. Loved the book as a kid and have read it over and over, just to be a Musketeer would be great.
Classes and Teachers: I love how demanding the teachers are. They and the environment challenge you and force you to the next level. Denise [Gabriel, movement instructor] is great. It's hard at first to get your mind around what she's trying to point out in our body movements but when you do finally grasp it then it becomes this amazing and big thing that you've never given thought to before. Ray [Chambers] keeps so much info in his head and is always so precise. He's really committed to teaching a skill for everywhere, to empower the actor. Greta [Lambert] is all about nurturing the ability and talent of everyone. She creates an environment where you feel safe to take risks and push yourself.
Graduation: I have mixed feelings on this. I'm looking forward to taking the skills with me into job force but sad that we'll be leaving before Les Miz. We know it's coming up soon but there's so much between now and then that we haven't given it much thought.
Have you found "The Moment?": It varies project to project and is very difficult to find. I'm just now getting to the point where I can feel that true moment as an actor.
Future Dream Role: Macbeth to be sure, also Richard III, but it will be years before I'm age appropriate.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Intern Company: Adam Souza
Friday, November 21, 2008
Straight from the Cast: Blog with Billy Sharpe
Billy Sharpe (Cratchit, A Christmas Carol: The Musical) checks in with a new blog about working (and playing) at ASF.
Sooooo, I was asked a couple of weeks ago to write a little something for the blog, and that is when anxiety and panic set in… what could I POSSIBLY have to say that would be of any interest to anyone? After much angst and confusion I am sitting down to write a TELL ALL about the cast of A Christmas Carol – The Musical… well, maybe NOT a TELL ALL… How about a TELL SOME…
It seemed that this group already started to play well together as they had a chance to mingle at Geoffrey’s house after the first day of rehearsal. I discovered that I had actually met one other cast member three years earlier at a Mexican restaurant in
The next day Jessica Blair, Mark Woodard, Will Ray and I started the tradition of Buffet Monday. We decided that every Monday we would find a different Buffet and use it as our grazing spot for lunch. So far, we have gone to
We have also had many other outings in addition to the Buffets!!! Some cast members/ASF MFA’s went to the Haunted Chicken House in
This cast is an AMAZING group of FUN and TALENTED people without a rotten apple in the bunch! I hope this gives you some insight into our activities so far, and I hope to have another entry to the “Times” in about a week!!!! Here is the Summer in the Glass Recipe:
1 can of Frozen Minute Maid Limeade (the large size not the small!) empty into blender
Fill the can almost to the top with vodka and add to blender
12 mint leaves in blender
Sooooo much ice that you think it is too much and then add one more ice cube
Blend/Mix/Liquefy until completely mixed… enjoy!!!!!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
A Christmas Carol Trailer
Enjoy and come see A Christmas Carol: The Musical now playing through Dec. 24th!
Check the link out to the side for ticket information or call 1-800-841-4273.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Be A Kid Again Promotion
We're running a promotion for A Christmas Carol: The Musical for the following dates:
11/18 @ 7.30pm
11/20 @ 7.30 pm
11/26 @ 2pm
Buy one full priced adult ticket and get the second for half price! That's $75.00 for two tickets this fabulous holiday musical; it's like Broadway has landed in Montgomery, Alabama. You can't beat this deal so bring your mate, date, family, and anyone else you'd like to share the magic of this Christmas story with, and help support the arts by loving what we do best, entertaining you!
Friday, November 14, 2008
A Christmas Carol Official Opening
Well, after a week of previews we are headed straight for the opening weekend of our newest production, A Christmas Carol: The Musical. This amazing show is full of Singing, Ghosts, Dancing, and Mutton Chops (that fun bit of facial hair that all the guys are running around with). It will make you laugh and cry, often at the same time, and really brings to life the Christmas spirit, with a side of silliness.
I have to warn you; this is not your grandparent's Christmas Carol.
The opening number itself is full of singing and dancing, and contains about three scenes within the musical number. Our sound and light crew hustle the entire time to keep up with the show's demands. The entire production lasts about 90 minutes, so you can see that it starts at a fast pace and never lets up. The group of actors play so many parts that they are constantly in new costumes, which are gorgeous, and their roles are so captivating. We have a whole group of ghosts who help to drive home Marley's message to scrooge and a line of "presents" that Christmas Present uses to help show Scrooge the joy of life. Check out the program to see exactly how many roles each actor plays.
And it is lovely.
The set is amazing with a turntable (watch for the podcast coming next week on how they built the turntable, complete with photo montage!) and beautiful London scenes. The costumes are absolutely lovely and make you wish for a real winter in the South. We've had, like, one freeze warning so far and it's almost Thanksgiving? This show is absolutely fabulous with each and every song and dance.
Scrooge, the character we all dislike in the beginning, but the one that most of us can connect with. Watch for Scrooge's backstory and you'll find out why he is the way he is, and all the while you're disliking the poor soul you'll be secretly wanting for him to redeem himself, because if there's one person who needs hope, it's Scrooge.
So why haven't you bought your ticket yet? This Broadway musical won't be in town forever so hurry up and get your tickets while we have them. Got family coming for Thanksgiving and you don't know what to do with them? We have two shows the day after Turkey day so come out to a show with the whole family.
Don't be mistaken for a Scrooge this Christmas. Come out and enjoy the fun of live theatre with your family and community!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Christmas Carol Rehearsal
Two for the price of one! Here's another video, this time of a sneak peek during a rehearsal of A Christmas Carol: The Musical. In it Marley as a ghost tries to convince Scrooge of the consequences of his greed. Enjoy!
Monday, November 3, 2008
Meet Intern David Hudson
Good morning!
I'd like to start the week off with a new project. We have a new education opportunity called our Intern Company where we bring theatre graduates here to the Alabama Shakespeare Festival and they work with our great teachers and perform on our professional stage for a year before heading off into the big theatre world. We have some great actors here this year and I'm slowly interviewing all five of them. First up we have David Stewart Hudson:
Birthplace? Washington D.C. (inner city kid)
Childhood Experience? Very involved in theatre as a kid and always wanted to be an actor. Also went to an art high school and used to write plays as a kid.
Siblings? Only child.
College? University of Maryland. It had a great theatre department with multiple theaters and a great teaching facility.
Acting for Children? It's been a challenge but the three things that Nancy (Director of Charlotte's Web, our children's production, and Assistant Artistic Producing Director at ASF) teaches are so very true. To reach children you have to reach Simplicity, Connectivity, and Honesty. Kids are an honest audience and you either have their attention and belief or you don't.
Looking forward to the rest of the season? Yes, to competing against all the other actors for roles in upcoming productions. This first show, Charlotte's Web, was all ours and now we'll have to go up against some big competition for future roles.
What do you think of the teachers? Greta is amazing, lots of trust and cuddly almost with her teaching style. I'm very excited about Ray's class on Shakespearean text, I think it'll be fun. Denise's movement class is challenge. There's something very important there with movement and acting and I'll eventually get my head wrapped around it.
Do you work with the MFA's very much? Not yet, we'll start working together during the repertory season.
Have you had that moment yet where it all clicks when becoming a character? Not yet, I'm slowly getting into what acting is. There's no more backstage or green room chatter, though, so I can stay in that place longer.
What are you looking forward to the most in class? I'm looking forward to working with someone who challenges me to stay in the moment.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Bah Humbug!
Meet the newest Scrooge to grace the stage of the Alabama Shakespeare Festival stage. He's mean, cranky, and plagued with a sharp sarcastic sense of humor that you can't help but pity him. He brought us Capitan Hook from last year's production of Peter Pan and we welcome him back to embody the classic bad guy turned good from Charles Dicken's widely popular story A Christmas Carol. Here he is, Montgomery's own Rodney Clark!
Come see him in our large Holiday production of A Christmas Carol: The Musical, previews from Nov. 7th-16th only $25.00! Call 334-271-5353 or 800-841-4273 to order tickets!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Update!
Hello again!
It's been awhile since I've posted here and it's all because we're busy building the greatest season for all of you! Soon I'll have up a few videos from the Christmas Carol rehearsal and how the scenic crew built the rotating stage. We'll be using this stage for three of our performances: Carol, Three Musketeers, and Les Miz.
3 Mo' Divas was quite a short show at only a week long! That's quite a change compared to the shows we build and run. They've now moved on to another city and if they come near you then you have got to go see them. These divas are H-O-T!
Right now we have Charlotte's Web running and you can see a photo album of the cast visiting a farm to observe how the animals interact. This adorable show is great for kids and adults alike.
See you at the theatre!
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
The Scene Starts Here!
$10 cover at the door
Come on out and party with people from around the city!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Inexplicable Dumb Show and ASF
Hello! Yes, we are still alive!
I hope everyone had a great end of summer blow out. Labor Day has come and gone and summer finished we look to Fall to start our brand new season starting with 3 Mo' Divas!
Our Producing Artistic Director, Geoffrey Sherman, was recently interviewed by the guys over at Inexplicable Dumb Show. Here's a link to the main interview.
These guys are hilarious, so give them a try. And remember, it's for the children...
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
New Season, New Series
Good morning bloggers!
I know, I know, updates have been getting farther apart and it seems like we've run out of stories. That, my friends, is an incorrect assumption.
We're hitting the end of the season now with West Side Story closing this Sunday at 2:00 (we're going to miss you guys!) and looking forward to the new season beginning in a month with 3 Mo' Divas kicking it off! In the meantime, though, we're working on a new series of articles to really give the inside look to this theatre.
We're charting a new course and are going to have a new topic everyday. So if your interest is costumes, set building, acting, or my favorite, marketing, then you'll know when to check back each day and see what our awesome submitters have whipped up.
As always, I'll see you at the theatre!
Thursday, August 14, 2008
End of Season Announcements
Hey bloggers!
I wanted to put up a few reminders about our last few weeks in this season. Here we go!
- We're in the last week of West Side Story performances! So if you haven't seen the show yet you need to hurry because it won't be here after August 24th!
- Want something a little different? Scot Bruce will be here next Monday, August 18th, with his amazing tribute to Elvis, the king of Rock and Roll. Tickets are flying and we don't have too many left for this awesome show. Act fast or you'll miss out on a night of great music and fun!
- Our season closes on August 24th, but that doesn't mean the fun has to stop. Emerge Montgomery, our city's premier young professional party network, is coming to the Alabama Shakespeare Festival on Tuesday August 26th. Come join the hot, young, savvy up and coming professionals of Montgomery for a night of fun! We've got blues guitarist Lucky playing, food served up by some of Carrabba's finest servers, and more. You have to RSVP, so consider this your official invite to the party. Call 334-271-5336 to RSVP
Friday, August 8, 2008
3 Mo' Divas on Sale Now!
Our season is going to be a hit right out of the gate this year all thanks to a little show called 3 Mo' Divas.
How many of you have heard of the show called 3 Mo' Tenors? It was and still is a blockbuster hit with theatre audiences everywhere. After their success we all knew it wouldn't be long before they would develop a show featuring the talents of three women whose range extends through multiple styles and centuries of music. And thus was born the amazing show 3 Mo' Divas.
This show features three Divas (using the original meaning of "goddess" or a woman who has rare and outstanding talent in opera or other extensive musical arenas) who have been classically trained in the major music styles of the past 400 years. The show itself is reminiscent of a musical concert and will keep you engaged throughout the performance and singing the songs the next day. For more information on the show, check out their website here and see what they're all about. Tickets are on sale right now and are flying out of the box office for this amazing celebration of women and music. Call 1-800-841-4273 or visit www.asf.net for more information on how to order tickets.
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