The Foothill "Candide" Show Blog

2004-08-26T09:23:00.000-07:00

Don't Miss "Candide" Sheep, Lindsay Faye, in "A Little Princess"

One of my favorites parts of the show "Candide", and of Foothill's production of it, is the sheep.

One of Foothill's intrepid sheep is currently nicely featured i TheatreWorks' World Premiere production of the new musical "A Little Princess."

I saw the first public preview last night; it officially opens Friday and runs through September 19th.

Lyndsay plays Lavinia, who is basically the Nellie Olsen of "A Little Princess." (I'm hoping those of you who don't know "A Little Princess must know "Little House on the Prairie" right?)

Anyway, you can check out everything about the show in, you guessed it, TheatreWorks' blog at:

http://theatreworks.blogspot.com

2004-05-25T14:01:00.000-07:00

New Blog for Foothill's Next Production

As you may know, Foothill Music Theatre is presenting "Ragtime" this summer in the Smithwick Theatre. "Ragtime" will have its very own blog, which you'll be able to find at:

http://FMTcurrent.blogspot.com

As you can see from the new blog's URL, we're going to try to keep one blog now for all of FMT's productions. So you'll only have one URL to bookmark.

See you at the new blog!

2004-03-15T16:45:00.000-08:00

Candide Has Left The Building

Yes, it's true, "Candide" has closed, the set is struck, and all that's left is the "thank yous".

We had a great time with the show and the blog, and hope you all enjoyed it too.

I hope the blog pulled some of you in to see the show, which did end up being sold out from pretty much the 2nd Saturday night all the way to Closing.

And I hope everyone who wanted to was able to get in and see the show!

Don't forget, Foothill Music Theatre is putting on a great American musical, "Ragtime" this summer.

"Ragtime" reaffirms that musical theatre is truly an art form at which we, as a nation, excel. Particularly musical theatre with a plot, a heart and a soul, not just spectacle.

I hope we'll see you all back here for the Foothill "Ragtime" blog this summer.

2004-03-08T07:59:00.000-08:00

Ticket Update: Seriously...BUY NOW

"Candide" is on a roll. Every performance has been selling out since the 2nd weekend.

Remember, this house seats 126 only, so once word-of-mouth (and word-of-keyboard) got rolling, along with the release of good reviews, it was only a matter of time.

The latest info is:

There is one weekend left, with performances this Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8pm and Saturday and Sunday at 2pm.

Of those performances, Saturday Night and the Sunday matinee are essentially sold out, with no more online ticket ordering allowed.

That mean there are three performances left that you can order online (and get your $3 per ticket discount.) The Friday evening performance has only a handful of tickets remaining.

Since the Saturday matinee is an added performance, it and the Thursday evening are your best bets right now.

But if last weekend is any indication, ordering tickets by end of day Tuesday is probably all the time you have left.

You can still call the box office and check whether they have any seats left to release for performances that are unavailable online. 650-949-7360

If you've been lollygagging, now's the time to take action! We hope to see you there.

2004-03-08T07:53:00.000-08:00

Can a Bit Get Too Creative?

Okay, I know I just got done writing about how cast members keep it fresh and all; and how bits can develop over time as everyone gets more comfortable. But this may take it too far:

-The three ladies-of-the-evening (and any other time of day) in Cartegena are making progress in their attempt to seduce one of the sheep as it is being led away to the Santa Rosalia. The sheep is looking pretty interested, but so far the flock-mentality has kept it following its fellows and the ladies have to settle for seducing Candide.

There are a lot of places I could go with this one, but i've managed to keep it relatively clean throughout the show, so I won't dive into the gutter now.

(I'm just saying, though, are we sure Pangloss got his syphilis from Paquette?)

2004-03-08T07:47:00.000-08:00

Overheard During a Recent Performance

Some performances seem to be more "fresh" than others...which is a polite way of saying that the little snafus seem to abound. A recent performance featured these unexpected moments:

-The third-best Baronial falcon demonstrated why it is only third-best when seconds after soaring into the sky in search of prey, it came crashing to earth instead of its prey.

-Cunegonde wreaked some small revenge on the Barbary pirate who carries her off to his ship. After throwing her over his shoulder, instead of boldly striding off with his helpless victim crying for rescue, our hapless pirate toppled to the ground and once disentangled, was reduced to herding his apparently not-so-helpless victim to his ship.

Of course, the beauty is, usually when such snafus occur, the cast may think they're obvious (and hysterical) but the audience often thinks they're planned. And these were no different.

2004-03-07T19:37:00.000-08:00

How Do Actors Keep It Fresh?

People wonder how an actor can do the same role in the same show night after night for weeks on end.

The answer is that it is rarely exactly the same show.

Every audience is different, for one thing, so every performance has its own rhythm. The laughs may come in different places, and certainly at different levels. And of course sometimes the audience can be audible. And I don't just mean cell phones going off, but audible gasps or comments as the action occurs.

You'd be surprised how often as an actor you can find some meaning or nuance to a line you've performed many times. If you're on your toes and, in actor-speak, in the moment, then it can really feel like each time is the first (or at least NOT the 102nd) time.

The four-week run at Foothill doesn't rank among the longest runs out there, so it's not hard to keep it fresh for such a short run, particularly with so many cast members on stage doing lots of little bits throughout the show.

There's a whole other show happening around the show!

And that gives the show its energy, its life.

2004-03-01T09:16:00.000-08:00

Another Great Review...and a Ticket Availability Update

Once again, I'll provide you the link to the Palo Alto Weekly review. I will give you the hint, though, that it is another rave.

Which brings me to ticket availability. If you have yet to nail down your attendance to this theatre event of the winter, seeing this string of positive reviews for the show should light a fire under you.

True to form, word-of-mouth (and word-of-keyboard) is accelerating ticket demand for the final two weekends of the show. In fact, last weekend's Saturday and Sunday performances were completely sold out.

The two remaining Sunday Matinee performances are nearly sold-out, so online ticket sales are no longer available for March 7th and 14th. You can still try to call the box office at 650-949-7360.

All other performance continue to have online ticket availability, but time is running out for you to catch this wonderfully brought-to-life, rarely-produced Bernstein masterpiece.

2004-02-28T13:18:00.000-08:00

More Feedback on "Candide"...Consensus? It's a Hit!!

We have a couple more reviews to report, and the consensus is definitely that this is a great opportunity to see a rarely-produced show done exceedingly well.

Now, there are some cast members who read this blog, and to protect the sensibilities of those who don't like to see reviews, positive or negative, while a show is running, I will provide you links to these 2 reviews:

The first is from the Alameda Times-Star, which proclaims "Candide" to be "another winner" from Foothill Music Theatre.

The second is really a mini-review from Saratoga Drama Group's Tales & Tidbits newsletter, written by C. Michael Traw. Just a blurb, but a nice one.

Enjoy.

2004-02-26T09:19:00.000-08:00

Weekend #2 Starts Tonight

The cast and crew have had a much-needed 3-day break. And tonight they dive back into "Candide" refreshed and refueled. Some people would vouch for Weekend #2 as a great time to go to any show. You know, nerves have settled down, but no one has had a chance to get TOOOO comfortable. Of course, when you only have 4 weekends total, it's not like anyone gets the chance to get tired of the show.

True to form, ticket sales are picking up. This Sunday is pretty much sold out, and Saturday night is getting nearly full too. And this is before any fabulous reviews (except my blog review of course) even come out.

So, let's recap one more time the schedule:

This weekend: Thursday 2/26 through Saturday 2/28 evenings at 8pm; Sunday 2/29 at 2pm
Next weekend: Ditto for March 4th-7th
Closing weekend: Ditto for March 11th-14th, with an added Saturday matinee at 2pm March 13th.

You can call the box office for more info a 650-949-7360.

But you only get the $3 per ticket discount if you access the online box office via the link in the sidebar of this blog.

See you there!

2004-02-26T09:13:00.000-08:00

Feedback Always Welcome

Okay, BlogReaders-How can we make this blog (and future blogs) more entertaining and interesting to you?

The show is open; there are only a few short weeks left. And at some point we'll be signing off from the "Candide" blog. What part of the blog was your favorite?

Did you like meeting the cast and crew members? Did you like the overheard snippets from rehearsals? Did you like being bugged, sorry, reminded, to go buy your tickets?

You can feedback in 2 ways. You can email me directly using the link in the sidebar of the blog. Or you can use the Comments section for this entry.

Either way, we'd love to know how to make future blogs as entertaining and readable as possible.

2004-02-26T09:08:00.000-08:00

I Love To Be Agreed With!

So I received this email, and it is brief, to the point, but all you need to know:

"I know I'm prejudiced -- with friends in the cast and already being very fond of this show -- but I thoroughly enjoyed Sunday's performance. And I agree 100% with your Top 5!"

Why, thank you.

I do have to point out though that I did this reviewer an editorial favor, as his actual email said he had "fiends" in the cast!!!

That made me laugh out loud!

2004-02-26T08:26:00.000-08:00

The Gypsy Robe: A Time-Honored & Little-Known Theatrical Tradition

If you read the comment entered to my Top 5 Reasons to See "Candide" blog entry, you'll see that someone let us know who won the Gypsy Robe on Opening Night.

It occurred to me that this may not be a term with which all of our blog readers are familiar. Allow me to explain.

At some point in our theatrical history, men and women of the Broadway chorus lines began being called "gypsies". This was not just due to the fact that these performers traveled from Broadway chorus to Broadway chorus, but also because they traveled from Broadway chorus to touring show to summer stock to regional theatre. They go, as actors go today, wherever the work is, because it's the only life they know...and the only life they want.

The Gypsy Robe tradition dates back to 1950. A chorus boy in the cast of 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes', persuaded a chorus girl to let him have her dressing gown. As a lark, he sent it to a friend on opening night of 'Call Me Madam', telling him it had been worn by all the Ziegfeld beauties. The friend added a rose from Ethel Merman's gown and sent it to a chorus member on the next opening night. It was then passed from show to show in a haphazard way and was often presented to a friend of the previous recipient, or awarded to a chorus member based on popularity.

So two aspects of the tradition were born early: passing it from show to show on each successive Broadway opening, and adorning the robe with some symbol or souvenir from the show.

Eventually the Gypsy Robe ritual became codified, and actual rules were created. The Broadway Gypsy Robe rules can be found at the web site of Actor's Equity, the professional stage actor's union.

Foothill adopted its own Gypsy Robe tradition many years ago, and it follows many of the same rules as the Broadway version.

The recipient can only be a member of the ensemble in a show that actually has an ensemble. The recipient is someone who went above and beyond the call of duty, contributing whether onstage or offstage to the show. Sometimes it's an inspirational, morale-building sort of contribution, sometimes it's a volunteering-for-the-tasks-no-one-else-wants-to-do sort of person. It's always someone the rest of the cast and production crew appreciates and admires.

The prior recipient is invited to attend Opening Night and present the Robe to the next recipient. The recipient circles the stage three times for luck, and then every cast member embraces the recipient, also for luck. (In case you haven't figured it out by now...theatre-folk...a wee bit superstitious.)

Each recipient adds something to the robe, and it is great fun to see what folks come up with. There have been some recipients who are talented with sewing or embroidery, but for those who aren't, it is admirable how seriously they take the task, and how creatively they manage to adorn the Robe, despite a lack of skills in that area.

The Gypsy Robe recipient for "Candide" is Robyn Winslow, ensemble-member extraordinaire (and one of the those sheep i loved so much!)

Congratulations Robyn!

2004-02-21T19:30:00.000-08:00

Top 5 Reasons You Must See "Candide"

After some time to reflect on last night's Opening Night (and struggling to narrow my list down to JUST 5 reasons) here are my top 5:

#5: Come see Foothill pull a luxuriant rabbit out of a threadbare hat again...and support their efforts
Although The Foothill Music Theatre acting company and production crew is always drawn from around the Bay Area, the budget is part of the college's overall budget. And you know how California's educational institutions have gotten hit over the last few years. See how so much can be done with so little.

#4: You don't get too many chances to see this show...so take advantage
One of the great things about Foothill Music Theatre's Winter Musical is that it is usually a lesser-known or more rarely produced show. Or, it's a musical done with an innovative, intimate, smaller-scale approach. It is always a unique experience. "Candide" qualifies on both counts. And it's performed straight through, no intermission, which gets you out of there in under two hours. Having sat through the 3 hour plus marathon musicals at some other local venues I won't mention by name, I can tell you my back and my seat appreciated the great pace!

#3: I love the sheep, so sue me
My first experience with "Candide" was seeing the New York City Opera version on PBS when I lived in NYC. I can't exactly explain why, but I remember the sheep more than almost anything else (except perhaps the radiant Erie Mills as Cunegonde) in that production. And last night I loved the sheep all over again. There's just something wonderfully silly about them, and it is just one way the show refuses to take itself too seriously, despite its serious score and French Lit source material.

#2: Singers who can really sing...unamplified
I like "American Idol" as much as the next closet "American Idol" fan, but I get tired of all the showmanship and single syllables with 17 notes attached. "Candide" will satisfy your urge to hear notes sung, sustained, with lovely tone, your urge to hear music that actually sounds live, not lip-synched, your urge to hear diction that allows you to understand every word and your urge to see singers who seem to understand what it is they are singing about. Michael Amaral and Keite Davis, as Candide and Cunegonde, simply sound beautiful. Last night's performance reminded me why the Idols still seem like amateurs singing karaoke most of the time.

And the #1 reason you MUST see "Candide": The score, the score the score
This score is thrilling, and the cast executes it SO well. It's not just the tremendous work of the principals as they sing the various solos and duets. The ensemble sings its way through incredible pieces such as "Auto-da-fe", "Bon Voyage" and the piece de resistance, the finale, "Make Our Garden Grow". To hear the final verse of this finale, sung by the full cast, a capella, in 8-part harmony...it's almost indescribable. It gets you at your very core. It is thrilling and inspiring and moving. Unbelievably well sung, and you have the chance to experience this score live, up-close, unamplified, in your very own backyard.

You gotta go. You gotta see it. You gotta HEAR it.

Okay, I'm a little verklempt now. Hmmm...BernSTINE or BernSTEEN...discuss amongst yourselves.

2004-02-21T19:25:00.000-08:00

One Funny Item from Opening Night

So after the show had come down, and folks were milling about, Stewart, our Pangloss etc, was removing his wig. What should he find, but a wig pin sticking out of it as he removes it. Turns out someone backstage thought he was done with the wig and had secured it to the wig stand with the pin. He didn't notice, pulled the wig off the stand and secured it to his head.

I think we should consider ourselves lucky that he didn't pull it on TOO vigorously.

And that no one gave him a congratulatory pat on the head after the show came down. Good things he's tall!

2004-02-20T23:40:00.000-08:00

Opening Night Was a Big Success: More to Come

Just wanted to quickly post and say that Opening Night went really well. The audience was warm & appreciative. The performances were solid like everyone's been performing for weeks. And the finale is truly one of the greatest anthems in musical theatre.

More to come tomorrow, including my top 5 reasons you MUST see "Candide"

2004-02-19T10:44:00.000-08:00

Meet Our Heroine: Ms. Keite Davis as Cunegonde

Keite is a very familiar face in the Bay Area theatre scene, both in muscials and non-musicals. Keite may be most notable for her versatility. There are not too many actresses who can pull off Sally Bowles in "Cabaret" and Amalia in "She Loves Me"; Nina in "The Seagull" and Poopay in "Communicating Doors". But Keite has done that and much more. For her full, rich theatrical history you can go to her profile at Artsopolis.com.

But I'm here to tell you of couple of things you might not know about Keite from her resume. Like the time she was Nimue in "Camelot" at Peninsula Center Stage, and the Guinevere lost her voice. Keite agreed to be offstage and sing the role, while letting the regular Guinevere be onstage, essentially lip-synching the musical portions of the show for that performance. The Musical Director of that show sings Keite's praises to this day for her professionalism and graciousness.

And then there's the way Keite immerses herself in a role. I solicited everyone's thoughts about Tech Weekend, so I'd have lots of nice little tidbits for the blog this week. Keite's response was a recap of her character's experience over Tech Weekend.

It's really long and quite amusing. Here's an excerpt:

"...The old lady was left on a coast along the way to Constantinople, where the pirates were headed (thank goodness, her stories were really becoming rather tiresome, all "I have one buttock this" and "Were you to see my ravaged backside alone" that). I thought we were in for a fun time together but the pirates sold me off to a very rich gentleman in Constantinople who dressed me in a diaphanous purple number and plenty of gold jewelry (shiny!) and put me inside great big pies to, erm, DANCE for his guests..."

I can't print the entire recap, as it would be quite the spoiler for those who are unfamiliar with the "Candide" storyline. But, tell you what, if you email me using the link in the side bar and request it, I will happily forward it.

Bottom line: Keite is a pro, and a wonderfully silly and charming Cunegonde. You gotta see this girl in action, and your chance starts TOMORROW!!!!!

2004-02-18T16:43:00.000-08:00

Reports Come In From Tech Weekend: Day Two

The great news is that by Sunday night one full, continuous run-thru of the show had been achieved!

Yes, there were still electrical issues.

And, this newly converted theatre space is a little short on the backstage facilities, oh, you know, like dressing rooms! So you have many costume and prop changes happening in a teeny tiny amount of space...ever seen "Noises Off"? Kinda like that.

Don't trouble yourself about it though: First of all, theatre-folk have never been noted for their modesty, and second of all Set Designer and Master Problem Solver Joe Ragey had constructed indoor/outdoor dressing rooms and a prop room right outside the theatre by Monday evening! (I'm having visions of a whole new career for him on 'Trading Spaces' or 'Extreme Home Makeovers'.)

And then there were the minor mishaps:

Take, for example, the stirring opening of the show. "Candide" features a lovely Overture, and this production's verson is staged. And the Overture turned out to be one of those moments that was staged rather late in the process. (Remember...theatre isn't really a linear experience until you get to the later stages.)

Sunday evening the cast ran through the piece, with vigor and with all the grace they could muster. The intricate, frenetic work was successfully executed, until the very final moment. All hands on stage turned to triumphantly gesture to the colorful, festive "Candide" banner hoisted high above...and there it was, hoisted, but...ooops...tangled beyond recognition. Talk about a mood-breaker.

But such adversity can only make us stronger. And yes, there WAS a full run-through of the show Sunday, despite electrical system problems, despite costume confusion, despite the wind and the rain, despite the very cramped conditions backstage. We are on a roll and going to be more than ready for Opening Night (in 3 short days...hint hint.)

2004-02-18T15:11:00.000-08:00

Meet Guest Artist Stewart Lyle, as Voltaire, Pangloss and 3 other characters

Long-time Foothill audience members may remember Stewart from his stint as John Wilkes Booth in Sondheim's "Assassins" back in 1995. But this is Stewart's first trip back up the hill since joining the ranks of Actor's Equity, the professional actors' union.

Unlike many in the theatre world, Stewart didn't get his start in Junior Theatre or even High School. In fact, Stewart got his start because his dad became a piano bar junkie! One day they asked him to get up and sing...and it turned out he was pretty good!

Family influenced his career choice in a lot of ways. When Stewart discovered the theatre, he was halfway through a degree at UC Berkeley and really wanted to hang it up and switch over to performing arts. But Mom advised Stewart to finish what he had started, do it for 5 years while performing in community shows, etc., and then go after the acting bug full time if he still wanted to.

Well, that UC Berkeley Chemical Engineering degree has paid for a lot of voice lessons, and allowed Stewart do a lot of things both as an actor and in his personal life that would have been very difficult, if not impossible, without it. (Thanks Mom!)

Joining the union has resulted in an even stronger focus on an acting career. That focus is really necessary, since along with the increased compensation and status of the union comes a decrease in the amount of work out there, and an increase in the distances one may have to travel to get it. Stewart is living in Oakland, so Los Altos Hills is no short trek for him. So Stewart has been spending less time with his consulting practice, and more time acting...which was the plan all along!

Where might you have seen Stewart recently? Well, he just finished 9 months playing Jerry, Buddy Holly's drummer (and really being the drummer!) in "Buddy, The Buddy Holly Story" with Pacific Repertory in Carmel and San Jose Stage in San Jose. He also was featured as Henry Ford in TheatreWorks' acclaimed production of "Ragtime". And he's done time in a couple of Morris Bobrow productions, "Party of One", the long-running SF hit and "Are We Almost There."

Foothill Music Theatre is happy to welcome Stewart back to the intimate Winter musical, after almost nine years!

2004-02-18T11:37:00.000-08:00

More Reports from Tech Weekend: The Costume Parade

Costumes are starting to be worn now, but it's not always so simple.

Costume Drama #1: Overheard On Stage
Robin: Chris, do you think you'd be able to put the grass skirt on out here?
Chris: Sure, as soon as I find something to wear under it.

Feel free to get the same funny visual on it that I did!

Costume Drama #2: OverSEEN On Stage
About half way through the evening, a certain 'sensitive' costume problem was discovered. Mike, who is playing Candide, had a hole in his pants. Apparently, his crotch got hungry and started eating through his pants.

Costume Drama #3: Barely Making It On Stage
Ensemble member Lyndsay Faye reports being so rushed during a costume change that she had no choice but to run on stage with her arms not yet in the sleeves of her cotume. Might seem like a puzzling choice, but I guess she wanted to avoid a Super Bowl Size Scandal (wink, wink, nudge, nudge.)

And yes, I realize I'm dating myself pretty severely with that Monty Python reference.

2004-02-18T11:29:00.000-08:00

Reports Come In from Tech Weekend: Day One

Reports are trickling in from Tech Weekend, and as expected it was a grueling two days.

Remember way back to our very first rehearsal, which was conducted by flashlight? Well, before anyone even walked in the door those electrical problems revisited "Candide." Frankly I'm going to see it as a good omen...you know coming full circle, the circle of life, something like that? Yes, I realize that's really reaching, but you gotta look for the silver lining!

Everyone arrived Saturday morning to find that half of the electrical required to set the show had failed, and with this being a 3-day weekend, a replacement part on the electrical system was not even available until Tuesday. But, in the time-honored tradition of "the show must go on", we were bound and determined to make it work.

Fortunately, the heat was not affected, and so the extra clothing everyone had worn, just in case, could be shed. This turned out to be fortunate, as the rains had started, and the long trek from the parking lot had left everyone soaked like proverbial rats!

Working from 10:00 until 6:00, in the half-lit theatre, we got about half way through the show, so we were wearily sent home to prepare for an even longer day on Sunday.

2004-02-18T08:40:00.000-08:00

Meet "Late Blooming" Ensemble Member: Bill Ereñata

Six years ago Bill had never been in a theatrical production. Fast forward, and he's done 25 shows in the past six years! How did that happen?

Well, a few years back Bill's younger son was getting married, and Bill wanted to sing at the wedding. Not wanting to make a blooper reel on "America's Most Humiliating Home Videos" Bill retained the services of a voice coach. Bill had never sung, but this coach believed that everyone is born with a natural voice. She felt that Bill had a "big voice", and that it needed to be heard. She was the one who sent Bill out to be heard.

Doing the math, you can see that 25 shows in six years is A LOT of being heard! In fact Bill estimates he's spending nearly as much time now with the theater as he did with work pre-retirement, only now really having a ball.

Bill drives over 15 miles each way to work at Foothill, because he feels Jay Manley and the rest of the staff are professionals from whom he can continue to learn, and because a lot of other folks feel the same way, so there is always a great, talented bunch of actors in the shows from all over the Bay Area. Considering himself a neophyte, Bill likes to watch and learn. But he also enjoys Jay's willingness to bring to life productions which you would not normally see in the local community theaters.

Bill finds the rehearsal process to be the most exciting phase, as there are risks being taken, new things tried, and lots of learning going on. Once the audience enters the picture, the majority of the work is done. Of course, being live theater, there are always unexpected things which can occur, and that can be very exciting.

To quote Bill directly:

"I think that it is important to view each performance as an opening night, and to ensure that each audience receives the best that can be given. I also think that audiences can provide some additional energy which may directly affect the energy of the cast and therefore the performance. But, the cast must be willing and able to generate the performance even without this."

Bill may be a relative newbie, but he already sounds like a pro.

2004-02-12T14:58:00.000-08:00

One Week to Go; When are You Coming?

Well, we are in the home stretch now. That hellish Tech Weekend I described in an earlier post starts tomorrow! Techs and Dress Rehearsals continue until the Final Dress Rehearsal Thursday night. Friday is Opening Night.

There are a lot of elements that will have to come together in the final week, so it's going to be an exciting week for all of us, from the production designers to the cast and crew and orchestra.

So, remember, if you go to the box office via the special link in the right bar of this Blog (the one that says "Online Box Office: Exclusive $3 discount") you will get $3 off per ticket. If you click to the box office through the Foothill web site, for example, the discount will not be credited.

The show opens Friday the 20th, closes March 14th and runs Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at 8pm, Sundays at 2pm, with an extra Saturday matinee thrown in on Saturday the 13th.

Just as a heads up, this is an intimate space. The Winter Musical is pretty well-known in this area for being a great showcase for lesser known works. The final two weekends of the Winter Musical almost always sell out completely, with people being turned away.

I would highly recommend getting your tickets now, and perhaps going the first couple of weekends if you can.

If you have any further questions you CAN, of course, call the box office at 1-650-949-7360, but the blogger discount is exclusive to the blogger link.

See you next week :)

2004-02-12T14:35:00.000-08:00

Let the Lounge Acts Begin!

Those of you who are in theatre know this phenomenon well. Those of you who just like to go see theatre may not.

At some point a cast and crew will start to get more comfortable with the material. So comfortable, in fact, that they start messing with it.

Oh, not ONstage, don't worry, but backstage, off-stage, above stage.

This messing around can take two forms: new filthy lyrics to songs from the show, preferably the sweet love songs, or simply performing the songs in a lounge style, a la Dean Martin, or perhaps more a la Bill Murray on Saturday Night Live.

We've got the latter phenomenon going on in full force now that we're a week away from opening.

If you clicked through to hear the "Candide" finale snippet on Barry Manilow's Playlist last week, you're familiar with the grandeur and gorgeousness of "Make our Garden Grow." (And if you have no idea WHY I would bring up Barry Manilow, scroll back to a post from about a week ago.)

Well, I gotta tell you, you ain't heard "Make Our Garden Grow" 'til you've heard it sung by the "Candide" Lounge Singers.

In case you're appalled by such frivolity, we can analyze such backstage behavior and see that it merely indicates that the cast is getting comfortable with the material, developing their unique cast chemistry and getting "out of their heads" and "into their gut" with the show.

Feel better?

2004-02-12T14:02:00.000-08:00

New layers found as rehearsals go on

Sometimes you can go through weeks of rehearsal doing a certain bit a certain way. It's a fine way; it's a good way. Everyone likes it.

And then, inspiration hits! You try something new and find a whole new layer.

Something like that happened a couple of nights ago.

Our heroine Cunegonde has a peacock of a brother, Maximillian, played with proper puffed-up'd-ness by Nick Nakashima.

At one point in the story Max ends up sold into slavery and disguised as a buxom female slave, complete with pineapple bosoms.

I'm sure you know hilarity ensues, complete with a "Some Like It Hot" plotline where the Governor falls for Max(ette) in all his tropical finery. The Governor and Max(ette) sing a lovely duet, which until recently Max(ette) was singing in his usual tenor voice.

Inspiration apparently hit the other night, and suddenly a beautiful falsetto voice sprung from Max's mouth...adding a whole new dimension to the love duet. it took the cast quite by surprise, and quite by storm.

And perhaps had more than one person thinking...he can be Cunegonde's brother AND understudy!

So, here we are just about a week before Opening, and grand inspiration can still come out of nowhere.

2004-02-11T10:07:00.000-08:00

Meet "Always On" Ensemble Member: Beverly Hansberry

I'm sure you've seen shows before where a group of cast members are always on stage, jumping into the action when called on, but witnessing the action throughout the whole show. Beverly is one such cast member in "Candide".

It's a tougher job than one would think. You're not supposed to draw focus. You're there, but the action isn't about you. On the other hand, if someone does happen to look your way, you better look engaged and involved, NOT like you're bored out of your skull 'cause you've seen this scene about a billion times!

I asked Beverly how she stays focused.

Beverly has been in many Foothill ensembles, dating back to "Kiss Me Kate" in 1996. But this is her first experience at being "always on".

Turns out being a newbie to onstage audience-ing means it's not much of a struggle for Beverly...she still is finding every scene pretty entertaining. Of course she said to check back with her in a couple of weeks and find out if it's still so fascinating!

Beverly's backstage secret to passing time has always been crocheting. I suggest those of you who see the show in the last couple of weekends keep an eye out to see if she found a way to incorporate her crocheting into her "Always On" ensemble work!

2004-02-09T18:38:00.000-08:00

I'm Going to Get All Geeky Excited on You....New Comment Function Online!

You will now notice a link at the bottom of every blog entry that says: 'Comment'.

If you, Joe Public, clicks on that link, you can post a comment on any blog entry you like for all the world to see.

Now that's the kind of interactivity we want to get with our audience!

Let us know which stories you find fun & interesting or which you could do without. Tell us your own anecdotes. Share :)

Now you can!

2004-02-09T18:08:00.000-08:00

And Speaking of Death Scenes

Gotta give a shout-out to Luis Nuñez, jack-of-all-characters extraordinaire. This guy must die at least 5 times throughout the course of the 2-hour show. You know someone has nailed a death scene when people stop rehearsal and say, "Are you OK?"

So far, it's still just good acting.

2004-02-09T18:03:00.000-08:00

I think I Found My Favorite "Candide" Moment the Other Night"

It's just one of those lines that struck me as really amusing. There's a lot of mayhem and destruction throughout the course of Candide. After one particularly dramatic death scene, where someone trips and falls, quite heavily and obviously on his own sword, Mike Amaral, as Candide, leans over and says with straight face (and great concern):

"I trust you have not injured yourself?"

Now, perhaps the humor was a little bit enhanced for me because the guy didn't have an actual prop, so he was falling on his invisible, imaginary sword. I don't know. Maybe it was just late in the day.

At any rate, until further notice, that is my favorite Candide moment!

2004-02-05T14:19:00.000-08:00

Our first full run-through is history

Our final dress rehearsal is 2 weeks from tonight, and last night was the first full run-through of the entire show.

Happily, it ran smooth where it should run smooth, and hit the expected bumps. (See the previous entry about missing dead bodies!)

It's always good to get that first, bumpy run-through in your pocket. Everyone is (mostly) off-book...meaning their lines and music are (mostly) memorized. Holes that require filling are out in the open; nothing is likely to fall through the cracks now.

The next two weeks are all about polishing it up.

So, Candide is opening in two weeks and running until March 14th. And remember, you must click to the Online Box Office via the link in the right-hand bar of this blog to get your exclusive $3/ticket discount!

We're looking forward to seeing you there.

2004-02-05T14:07:00.000-08:00

Candide's satirical roots are showing

The original novel "Candide" by Voltaire was a quite sharp satire. I speculate that many of us who have actually read it, did so in French class. You were lucky if you could translate your way through it, let alone appreciate the satire.

I was reminded during last night's rehearsal that great satire has an odd, almost eerie ability to remain timeless. Candide was written in the 1700's, as a stinging rebuke to political and religious intolerance.

But last night when a band of maurading warriors was slashing its way through various unfortunate ensemble members on stage, one line really stood out: the narrator describes the soldiers as "slaughtering...and liberating...the populace."

The language of "liberation" in the midst of violence struck me as just as current today as it must have been nearly 300 years ago.

2004-02-04T23:45:00.000-08:00

Overheard...and I kind of wish I hadn't!

There are moments when you think: only in the theatre. And here's one:

Tonight was the first full run-through of the show, and as I've said before, when all the new elements start to come into play, it can be confusing. But you don't often hear someone ask, as ensemble member Andrew Solovay did tonight:

"If I'm supposed to drop Cunegonde on a pile of dead bodies, and the pile of bodies isn't there, should we stop or just wing it?"

And I'm just going to let you figure out what he was talking about by coming to SEE the show. Don't forget: click on the box office link on the right and get an exclusive blog-reader's $3/ticket discount!

:)

2004-02-04T23:33:00.000-08:00

We're Not Touchy, Not At ALL

Sometimes, just sometimes, an actor can start to feel a little like a piece of meat up there. No, it's not the casting couch I'm talking about, it's other things.

For example, I've worked with a choreographer who liked to just grab you and move you to where she wanted you to be. Some people didn't mind, but some people really didn't like the whole grabby thing, pleading to be TOLD where to go. But, you know, sometimes choreographers are all about doing and showing, not talking.

I've also worked with a choreographer (from a modern dance background) who couldn't count beats or give steps associated with counts, but would make a variety of creative sound effects to count out the dance. Something like "Now you be-bop pow, then a cha-cha ching" Okay, whatever you say!

Well, as I've mentioned a while back, there is a character in "Candide" who is only referred to as "Old Lady with One Buttock" played by the irrepressible Linda Piccone. Apparently, that was becoming the common way to give Ms. Piccone her direction. "Now, Old Lady, I want you to move over stage right" and "Old Lady, why don't you sit on that line" and "Old Lady, you take the third stanza."

Well, Linda isn't exactly known for holding back, so at one point in rehearsal this week, after being addressed as "Old Lady" one too many times, she raised her hand and said:

"Hey! Enough with the 'Old Lady.' Could you just call me Marge?"

And oddly enough, the name Marge has stuck.

2004-02-03T22:13:00.000-08:00

Meet our Associate Musical Director, Brandon Adams

Meet the man who never stops with the music. Brandon is a music teacher by day at Woodside Priory High School; Brandon has a church gig on the weekends, and Brandon is the Associate Musical Director for "Candide".

What is an "Associate Musical Director" you might ask. Well, in this case it means playing for most of the rehearsals and in the orchestra pit for the shows.

So, how is it different than simply being an Accompanist? The mind-set, according to Brandon, is very different. "When I'm an accompanist, I don't even open my mouth." The accompanist's job is to play and let the musical director address all music issues happening on stage. Brandon's role here is quite different. He and Cathy Snider, the Musical Director, have talked a lot about what they want, and he knows they're on the same page. When Cathy isn't at rehearsal, he is the musical authority.

Brandon has been working on Foothill shows since "On the 20th Century" last winter, in the role of accompanist, but this is the first time he's been Associate Musical Director for Foothill.

Those of you who frequent 42nd Street Moon up in SF or Broadway by the Bay up the peninsula may have seen him music directing, but in very different environments. At 42nd Street Moon, it's only the piano, so Brandon would teach all the vocals and play the rehearsals and shows himself. At Broadway by the Bay it's a full orchestra, which Brandon conducted.

So, you may be wondering, with a day job actually in music, and another part-time gig, and, by the way, a personal life, why does Brandon want to climb the hill to work out at Foothill?

It's entirely selfish!

He loves working with Jay and Cathy, and he loves the opportunity to work on "off the beaten path" shows.

Plus, the work at Foothill provides a nice work-out for Brandon "pianistically" and is a kind of middle step between his two other regular gigs: here he is playing piano, but as PART of an orchestra.It keeps his skills up for his other gigs.

Brandon is a fine actor/singer himself (as I can personally attest from working with him up at 42nd Street Moon) but Music Directing gigs book about 6 months in advance (as opposed to acting, which tends to be a hand-to-mouth kind of existence.) Unfortunately, Brandon hasn't graced the stage in a while.

But if it means we've got him for "Candide", we can be selfish too!

2004-02-03T08:56:00.000-08:00

Just When You've Built It Up, You've Got to "Start Over"

So, we've arrived at a critical point. It's two and a half weeks until opening.

If you read the earlier blog entry on how musicals come together, you know that we've been working on all elements of the show, and not always in a linear fashion. But now, it's starting to come together. We run large chunks of the show. We run scenes, and when we get to the musical numbers, we sing right through them in stunning Bernstein harmony.

All of the various ensemble roles have been assigned. And by now the blocking for those ensemble roles has now been worked into the principal scenes.

There is this one week left for the cast to enjoy the fruits of their hard work and get a sense of flow.

Because just when you thought it was safe to go into the theatre...the dreaded tech week looms. And in particular, at Foothill anyway, you have the most dreaded of all: Tech Weekend. Tech Weekend, the weekend before Opening, is two days...maybe they're only really 10 hour days, but they definitely feel like 20 hours.

And here's the worst part for the cast...it's just not about the cast. They are merely figures onstage while the lighting designer and sound desgner and set designer and costume designer hash out every technical detail. Don't even think you'll get some good acting momentum going during a scene. You will hear "FREEZE" shouted out from the dark auditorium, just as you're really nailing your big moment.

Of course, it's a small price to pay. The cast has had about 6 weeks to pull things together...the production staff really gets just these two days.

Just when you were getting comfortable, you get a whole bunch of new elements that have to be incorporated. What kind of new elements? Orchestra, props, costumes & make-up, which means costume changes, and set changes too, which often are choreographed with cast members assisting.

It's simple matter of expanding how many different things your brain is keeping track of at one time. And eventually yor brain adjusts to the new level of detail.

It's just that sometimes it feels like you've built up a show, then have to tear it down and start again. For those of you who are into weightlifting, this is a familiar concept. That's how you build muscle. You tear it up a little, so it can heal itself and be stronger than ever.

Theatre and weightlifting? I'm not sure, but I may be the first to use that analogy!

2004-01-29T10:46:00.000-08:00

Meet Two of Our Ensemble Members: Sally Collins and Chris Ferejohn

Here was the question posed to the Candide cast:

What is your favorite part of the process of putting on a show?

You go through a lot of steps ...from the early rehearsals, when everyone is still holding a script and learning their lines and feeling out how they want to work each moment, to that transition when people are off book (lines memorized) and you start to get that sense of continuity and flow, to tech and dress rehearsals, when the actors may be ready to take off, but all of the other pieces have to get on their feet. Then, of course there are the performances...you finally have a real audience, not just the same production people and cast members who have seen each scene about a hundred times.

And all actors may love the theatre equally, but they may love it for different reasons.

So, here are answers from two of our ensemble members:

Chris Ferejohn:

"It's the performances I love the most. I live to make an ass out of myself in front of people. Rehearsals are just a way to get to a point where I can do it proudly. On a related note, I am The Greatest Karaoke Singer Who Has Ever Lived (tm)."

My bet is that some evening after a performance, the cast is going to make Chris live up to that last gratuitous, shameless plug!

Sally Collins:

"I enjoy the range of experiences in theatre – auditions [BlogMaster's note: okay, really, I'm not sure I know too many people who ENJOY auditions!!!] music rehearsals, staging, putting on the makeup and costumes, and performing. But I think what I love best are the unique gifts that each live audience gives. Sometimes you don’t realize how funny a line is until you hear the audience laugh! And sometimes the laughs come at different times depending on the audience. Some audiences may not audibly react, but you can still feel their engagement and interest. And best of all, I find that it really is true that the audience *wants* to like you – just as the star with the broken ankle tells Peggy Sawyer in “42nd Street.”

So these two really thrive on an audience. But just to prove my point that we're all a little different, my answer to the above question is: get me out of the early rehearsals, and get me to the point where we can run the show, off-book, and I don't care if we ever get the costumes, or a full orchestra, or to be really honest, even the audience. I love to run the show and challenge myself to experience each moment fresh, no matter how many times I've been through it before. If there's an audience I certainly hope they're enjoying it, but even if they don't make a peep, I figure they're paying US to perform, we're not paying THEM to be a good audience :)

If you're a performer, whether in theatre, music, comedy, whatever, and you have your own interesting perspective on what you love about the process, click on the 'Email the Blogmaster' link in the side-bar and send me your story.

Maybe I'll publish some of the stories and let the Candide'rs get to know their audience!

2004-01-29T09:37:00.000-08:00

Meet Our Choreographer: Brad Handshy

Actor, singer, dancer, choreographer, director, and excellent last-minute stand-in for a lusty serving wench!

Every production team dreads that word: "conflicts". Oh, not conflicts between the leading man and leading lady, or conflicts between the director and choreographer over artistic vision...but calendar conflicts.

Actors have unavoidable business travel, or maybe they're performing in one show while rehearsing this one, so every Thursday night is off-limits for a few weeks. There are a lot of reasons, and sometimes a role is won or lost based on whether an actor has too many conflicts.

For those soldiering on at rehearsal, conflicts can result in dead spots, where a spoken line isn't said or a solo line isn't sung or pas de deux becomes a pas d'un.

Luckily for the Candide cast the other night, our intrepid, debonair choreographer Brad Handshy was there to step in. During the number "Auto Da Fe", a lovely little ditty about burning people at the stake, there is a sexy little dance solo performed by the lusty serving wench character, Paquette. In the absence of the actual Paquette, Brad covered the solo through each repetition of the number that night.

And a perky, piquante Paquette he made, indeed.

Brad first trod the boards at Foothill in "Kiss Me Kate" back in 1996. Since then he's focused on directing and choreographing, including a much-acclaimed version of his all-time fave, "Forever Plaid" (which starred this production's Candide himself, Mike Amaral, as it happens.)

Brad is also a cabaret impressario. What started out as intimate evenings with his friends (in his kitchen!) has evolved into shows that he has put together and presented on the stage at the BusBarn Theatre and at the Espresso Garden Cafe in San Jose. Brad often chooses all the material, arranges the music, plays the piano, and hosts these fun evenings.

When you see Candide it will be the fabulous Nicole Tung embodying the playful Paquette. But for one evening at least, the cast was entertained (and more than a little amused) by the multi-talented Brad Handshy's rendition of the role.

2004-01-29T09:36:00.000-08:00

A News Series: Meet the "Candide'rs"

Every person has a story, and while we might not have time to introduce you to each person working on the show, every now and then, we'll bring you someone's story.

When you're doing a production like this one, there are all kinds of people involved...from our Equity Guest Artist, Stewart Lyle, to students at the Foothill Conservatory, to folks with day jobs, who cap off a full working day with a full rehearsing evening.

And, somewhat surprisingly, despite a love of doing theatre in common, there are other striking differences between all of these folks.

So, were going to introduce you to some of the folks on stage and backstage. we hope you enjoy the show that much more, knowing a little bit about the folks up there entertaining you.

2004-01-28T09:11:00.000-08:00

It's getting closer...here's some details about the run

Of course you can get full performance information at the Online Box Office site (remember to link through this blog to get your discount.) But here's the breakdown:

Candide is running for four weekends from the Opening on Friday February 20th at 8pm to the Closing on Sunday March 14th at 2pm.

Each weekend has a Friday and Saturday at 8pm, plus Sunday at 2pm.

In addition, after the first weekend, there are Thursday at 8pm performances.

Lastly, there's a Saturday at 2pm matinee the last weekend, on March 13th.

Candide is playing in the Foothill Playhouse theatre, which is newly dedicated to theatre performances only. In the past such Foothill productions as "Wonderful Town" and "The Boy From Syracuse" played in the space, but they've re-tooled it to be a permanent home for the more intimate Winter productions of Foothill Music Theatre.

The theatre seats about 120, including about a dozen seats that are essentially right by the side of the stage! Sort of a peanut gallery right in the midst of the action.

From past experience we know that the final two weeks of these Winter Musicals sell out...leaving folks out in the cold.

Now that we're upping our online presence, we're trying to make sure the same thing happens with the first two weeks.

Opening Night is only 3 weeks away. So check your calendar and click on the link to the right to get your guaranteed access to what promises to be a great show!

2004-01-27T11:27:00.000-08:00

Candide's Finale is on Barry Manilow's All-Time Favorites Playlist!

So Apple has their online music store, iTunes. It rocks, but that's kind of besides the point.

They have asked many celebrities to create Playlists of their all-time favorite songs...all of which are available for purchase on iTunes, of course.

So today they added Barry Manilow's Playlist. And I checked it out because, and here's a little known fact about me, I was a huge Manilow fan in high school. My 2nd concert ever was Manilow at the Concord Pavillion. (And my first was The Carpenters at the Circle Star Theatre...so yes...I was a geeky piano-playing girl. Please be kind and remember it was the late 70's.)

I'm quite impressed with Manilow's taste. he's got Peter Gabriel, Sting, Bonnie Raitt, Tom Waits, Sinatra, Shirley Horn, Everything but the Girl...a fine mix. But imagine my surprise and delight to see "Make Our Garden Grow", the Finale of our fine show, on his list of only 20 favorite songs.

The link above will only work for those of you who have downloaded iTunes (available for Mac AND PC) so for those of you without iTunes, here's his comment:

"This breathtaking finale to the Broadway musical "Candide" with music by Leonard Bernstein can't be topped."

I couldn't agree more.

2004-01-26T11:51:00.000-08:00

How the Pieces Come Together

When you hear most movie actors talk about the difference between shooting a movie and doing a play, they talk about how a movie is shot out of sequence, and theatre is linear.

Perhaps they've never done a musical. Because, the first few weeks of a musical can be very similar to shooting a movie.

After the initial cast meeting, where you're likely to read/sing through the entire piece, you might not get that sense of linear continuity again for weeks!

If you've got a big cast, or at least some big musical numbers, then it's highly likely you'll start very early in the rehearsal process to work away on those numbers, no matter what scene they land in. Not only that, but you typically have to learn the music first, then layer in the choreography.

The same thing goes for blocking (staging) non-musical crowd scenes vs. scenes with just a handful of characters.

One reason for tackling the big things first is that they are also the most complicated. And you're relying on lots of people to remember their individual part...you've got to give the time for everyone to get on equal footing.

Another reason is that you get the whole cast working together right off the bat, fostering camaraderie...and hopefully giving the cast chemistry the most amount of time to gel, or ferment, or catalyze.

So, eventually you start running through big chunks of the piece in order, and eventually you're having rehearsals of the entire piece, but before you get there, you're essentially 'shooting out of sequence'.

"Candide", in particular, has some great crowd scenes, with some intense Bernstein choral arrangements...numbers such as "Bon Voyage" and "What a Day for an Auto-da-fe". The cast started on those just about from day two!

The pay off comes in the form of tight vocal harmonies and vivid characterizations from every actor on stage, principal or ensemble member.

And that explains why one of the most common sayings in the theatre is: "Don't worry, everything always comes together...in the end!"

2004-01-26T11:31:00.000-08:00

Tech Talk Alert: How to get Blog Updates

We certainly hope that you'll want to come back often to see how the show is progressing. And there are a few different ways to do so.

Of course, you can always bookmark the site and come back on your own to check out what's new.

But there are 2 methods to get updates sent to you:

Method #1. You'll notice a link on the side bar to a 'Site Feed.' If you read a lot of blogs, it would be worth your while to download a Newsreader application. You can add the various blog feeds to the reader program and when an update is made, your reader will capture it. You can open your reader program and check out all new stuff at any blog you're following.

If you're a Mac user, and a dot.mac member you can download iBlog, which is a software app to create and maintain your own blog, but also has a reader mode. In addition, here's a link to a great site that lists and reviews the various reader programs.

Method #2. There is also a link on the side bar to 'Subscribe' via email to this blog. This link will create an email to me, your Blogmaster. When you hit send, I will be notified that you want to be notified about blog updates. Then you will get the notification via the email address I receive this request from.

So you can go completely manual and bookmark the blog, you can get email updates, or you can go truly techno-geeky and syndicate the blog to your reader program.

2004-01-23T22:37:00.000-08:00

I Guess the Cast is Getting Comfortable

In the old days actors were considered...hmmm...how shall we say it...one step above prostitutes.

They had a bit of a randy reputation.

And it happens to be true that when a couple of dozen people are thrown together, working long hours together, they start to get verrrrrrry comfortable with each other.

And then, work on a scene with a slightly suggestive tone on top of that? Well, suffice to say, you might not want your kindergarden teacher to be a fly on the wall during those rehearsals.

Case in point:

The other evening the cast was working on a big musical number led by a rather sleazy political type character (which proves Candide may still have relevance in modern-day, huh?)

Mr. Sleazy Politician leans up against one of the lovely ensemble women, prompting her to say during a pause between run-thrus of the number: "aha, you're going to use me as a post." To which he replies, "No, you're supposed to use *me* as a post."

I'm thinking there's some double entendre going on there, no? Perhaps it's just my mind? What? No one was in the gutter with me on that? I don't believe it!

Unfortunately dashing the hopes of EITHER of them to be used as a post, they changed the blocking. Now Mr. Sleazy Politician gets to enjoy spanking three "women of the evening" to the rhythm of the lines "seems to have been a bit of sabotage."

Look for it when you see the show: now that's entertainment.

So, I guess the cat is out of the bag that "Candide" isn't exactly children's theatre. And we won't even go into how the Old Lady has only one buttock.

2004-01-23T22:20:00.000-08:00

Major Life Events Go On Outside the Stage Door

Rehearsal periods vary from a couple weeks for some theatres to a couple of months at Foothill. During that time, a lot of life events can happens, especially in a cast of over 20 people. And theatre people are pretty famous for carrying on through all kinds of life events.

Sort of like Bret Favre or Barry Bonds in their most recent seasons.

But the life events aren't always sad.

One of our cast members has been a little distracted lately at rehearsal, awaiting the arrival of his second grandchild. Ensemble member Bill Ereñata welcomed Reuben Jay Ereñeta on Wednesday, January 21st, and states he is the cutest addition to the Ereneta family (grandfathers have that perogative to boast about their grandchildren). Of course, hopefully the first grandchild is not old enough to read this!!

But to quote "The Lion King" there is a circle of life, and as Reuben, who will be called Ben or RJ, comes into the world, another beloved family member has hung on probably just long enough to see Reuben born. Bill's wife's aunt and godmother, at 87 is not doing too well, but is thrilled about this family addition, especially as her late husband, Ray Murphy, was also called RJ. So, along with the joy at the birth of this new life, there is sorrow that Ann Murphy says she is ready to join her husband and the others in her life who have gone before her.

Those are life's cycles. And they go on, whether you've got rehearsal or a performance. Sometimes performing is a nice respite from the worries of life. And sometimes performing is a great way to celebrate if you're feeling joyful.

Probably a common thread amongst performers is that being on that stage, doing their work, seems to fit...no matter life's events outside the stage door.

2004-01-23T15:03:00.000-08:00

The exclusive discount for blog-reading "Candide" audience members is online and ready to be taken advantage of!

If you click on the 'Box Office' link in the sidebar of this blog, you will be taken to our online box office presence. When you check out you will get a $3 per ticket discount!!!!!!

Remember this is an exclusive offer for our Blog readers. This discount is NOT available if you go to Foothill's web site or call/mail in your order.

And remember, the discount is upon checkout, so don't worry if it doesn't show up in the first couple of screens.

Who knew the blog-world was so economically advantageous?

2004-01-22T11:09:00.000-08:00

Are Theatre Folks More (or Less) Tech Savvy?

Just in case you're curious whether theatre people are, by nature, more hip to the latest online or techie stuff out there, here's an UNscientific poll of the "Candide" cast.

Every, single cast member has email. That's a lot different from 5 years ago. Now, crossing age, gender and career, every one of us has email.

However, when it comes to personal web sites or blogs, the numbers plummet. Maybe a handful of folks have either a site or a blog. And if this is your first-ever look at a blog...you're not alone. For plenty of the cast members this was the first they'd heard of it too.

But now that they're getting a taste of the blog life, I'm betting by the time 'Ragtime' goes into rehearsal for the summer, more cast members will be part of the ever-growing blog community, and maybe more of you, our valued audience members, will be too!

2004-01-16T13:19:00.000-08:00

A Rough (and Cold) Beginning!

There are a couple, well probably dozens, of theatre "proverbs". Old sayings or superstitions, from "Break a Leg" to the one about the Scottish play I already mentioned.

One of the pluckiest ones is "The show must go on."

You know, "you're going out there as a chorus girl, but you're coming back a star"? Or, haven't you ever wondered if orchestras MIND that any time they use dry ice for fog it sinks to the lowest point available...often meaning the orchestra pit? And yet they keep on playing.

Another superstition is: "Bad dress rehearsal, good opening night." That one isn't too well known outside theatre circles. (Although I think people say the same thing about weddings, right?) Now, that's a superstition born from the quixotic optimism that you need to be in the theatre in the first place.

Well, the intrepid "Candide" cast has already had their opportunity to "go on with the show", and are probably hoping that a bad FIRST rehearsal means a good opening night.

It was January 5th, first day back to work for most, first day back to school for Foothill's campus, and one of those chilly days we had right around the holidays. And it's chillier at Foothill..sometimes it feels like a 10 degree drop as you climb the hill.

"Candide" is being performed in a new space, the Foothill College Playhouse, and I guess there are still a few kinks to be worked out in the space because when director Jay Manley arrived to set things up for the first rehearsal he discovered no lights, no heat, no nothing.

And being 6:30pm, no help to be found either.

So the first rehearsal was carried out by candlelight. Picture the cast shivering in their coats, huddled together for body heat, and the pianist playing through the score with ever more numb fingers...that's dedication!That's pluck! That's practically Ruby Keeler for you!

2004-01-13T12:31:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the official blog for Foothill Music Theatre's production of "Candide"

Over the next 2 months we'll be giving you an inside look at what it takes to bring this musical to the stage.

By the time the show opens in late February, it will be a seamless, professional presentation. (Knock on wood, and don't say 'Macbeth' while at rehearsal.)

Only you will know the blood, sweat, tears (and hissy fits) that came before.

We look forward to giving you an inside peek at the theatre world, and what goes into those shows before they ever see an audience.

You may be surprised, you may be shocked, but you will be entertained, before you ever walk through the theatre's door!

Oh, and we'll post the URL where you can buy tickets online when it's up & running.If you use the code word "Blog" you'll get an exclusive discount.