Drama/Film
The Lawrence Arts Center's Drama Program features performing arts classes for children and adults. Instructors are drama professionals with expertise in all aspects of theater. The professional staff includes nationally acclaimed playwright, Ric Averill, costumer, Jennifer Glenn, technical director, Danny Rogovein, film-makers and directors Christie and Jeff Dobson and theatre director/actress Elizabeth Sullivan.
Classes and workshops include beginning, intermediate and advanced acting, story-playing, improvisation, film making, audition techniques and dramatic writing. The Drama program also sponsors performance based groups including City Youth Theater (for High School - 9th-12th grade students) and First Saturday Players (for 6th - 9th grade students.)
Nutcracker 2008, photo by Angie Babbit
The Drama Program works each year with the Dance Program to offer a large Holiday production. In 2009, THE KANSAS NUTCRACKER with an Act I script by Ric Averill and Choreography by Deb Bettinger, will feature a cast of student and adult community dancers and actors working side by side with professional dancers and actors providing on-stage opportunities for more than 100 people and entertainment for six full houses!
In addition to Theatre at the Center, we have Film and Music at the Center. The exciting calendar for 2009-2010.
Spotlight on our underwriters
We offer our sincere thanks for your support of this year’s Theatre at the Center. Please know how very grateful we are for your involvement.
- Dr. Dennis & Deanna Hoss
- Seven Trees Foundation
- Amy Albright & Doug Davison, Vinland Valley Nursery
- Marilyn & Tom Dobski, McDonald’s of Lawrence
- Colette and Ron Gaches
- Ron Gaches of Gaches, Barbee & Associates
- Beverly Smith Billings, in honor of Bob Billings
- Sharon & James Hammond
- Web & Joan Golden
- Tom & Barbara Hollister
- Bill & Marlene Penny
- Payless ShoeSource Foundation
- Susan & Brad Tate & Family
- Michael Treanor and Treanor Architects, P.A.
- Steve & Kathy McDowell
- Francisco Bido Family
- David and Anne Hollond
- American Century Investments
- AT&T Foundation
- Steve Clark
- Aggi Walsh and Craig West
- Shelly McColm DDS, McColm Orthodontics
Ric Averill
Drama Program Director
lacdrama@sunflower.com
(785) 843-2787
2010 Calendar
Summer Youth Theatre Announcements
Summer Youth Theatre correction: Please note that rehearsals for HAIR begin Tuesday, July 6 (not July 5, as stated in Arts in Action).
Cast Lists
Spring Awakening – show selection change
Because of an imbalance in the numbers of young men and women who auditioned, the Lawrence Arts Center’s Summer Youth Theatre June 8th – 12th grade program will perform Arthur Miller's The Crucible in place of Spring Awakening.
Callbacks for The Crucible will be held Sunday and Monday, May 2nd and 3rd from 5-8 PM in the Arts Center Theatre. While all who auditioned for Spring Awakening will be cast in The Crucible, we welcome new auditionees to the program as well. Students need only attend one evening. All who auditioned for Spring Awakening should plan to attend so that the director can hear you read from the new script.
All June rehearsal and performance dates and times remain the same. All enrollments, financial aid and scholarship applications for June will be honored.
Spring Awakening WILL be performed as a staged reading on Saturday, August 28th. Some students who auditioned will be invited to rehearse and read the roles they would have received. A talk back with students, parents, social service representative, patrons and friends of the Arts Center will follow the reading. We plan to do a full production at a future date.
For more information, please call Ric Averill at 785-843-2787, ext 123, or email at ricaverill@lawrenceartscenter.org
Sunflower Scholarship
Deadline for receipt of essays is extended to Monday, May 3rd. Recipients will be announced by no later than Monday, May 10th
Parent Information/Volunteer Meetings
Thursday, May 20th
- 6-7pm for the 4th – 7th grade program
- 7-8pm for the 8th – 12th grade program
We’ll discuss procedures, productions, introduce staff members and begin to organize parent volunteers for the summer.
Thanks,
Ric Averill
Summer Youth Theatre Artistic Director
PINOCCHIO - FIRST SATURDAY PLAYERS - December 5th - 2 PM - $4.00
Awesome family theatre for 3, 4, 5, 6 year olds and their families. Our teenagers perform under the direction of Jennifer Glenn for our youngest audience members. Pinocchio learns a lot about telling the truth, growing up AND being a “real” boy. Bring the whole family!
And... Ric and Jeanne Averill will star as Ma and Pa in the COTERIE THEATRE’S production of A LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE all through November and December - Friday night and Sunday afternoon shows are great for Lawrence Families - here’s the link ...http://www.coterietheatre.org/20092010performances.aspx
Sunflower SYT Scholarship Recipients
The Lawrence Arts Center is pleased to announce the recipients of a new scholarship for its 35 year old Summer Youth Theatre Program. The scholarship pays the entire student fee for participation in one of the June or July productions.
Sunflower Scholarships are based on auditions, leadership and the writing of an essay. Two awardees per production were selected. The Sunflower Scholarships were made possible through a generous donation by David and Anne Hollond.
HONK, the musical – 4th – 7th grade, June – Delaney Rettele & Bess Davison
HAMLET & ZOMBIES – 4th – 7th grade, July – Alexis Kriegh & Chloe O’Dell
THE CRUCIBLE – 8th – 12th grade, June - Eric Palmquist & Katie Donner
HAIR! – 8th – 12th grade, July - Sophie Laufer & James Fenaglio
For questions, contact Ric Averill at ricaverill@lawrenceartscenter.org or 785-843-2787, ext 123
Film At The Center
FILM AT THE CENTER - films shown on our great new screen, concessions ALWAYS available ... we’re now one of the performance sites of the Free State Travelling Picture Show
2010 Short Film Festival Winners
The Lawrence Arts Center is proud to announce the following winners of the 2010 Short Film Festival:
Best of Show, Best Picture, Best Directing, Best Acting & Best Screenplay - Misfortune Smiles by Patrick Rea of Senoreality Films and Jon Niccum of Free State Studios.
Youth Best of Show & Best Animation – Never Trust a Yeti, Animation by Jai Strecker
Awards were also given out as follows:
- Best Comedy - Retreat, a comedy by Grant Babbit of Naked Bunny Productions
- Best Cinematography - Hunter's Moon, a music video by Jeremy Osbern of Through a Glass Productions
- Best Drama - Pulse, a drama by Jordan Krause
- Best Horror – Critical Mass; 719, a horror action thriller by Devin F. Schwyhart
- Best Documentary – Gombe Coffee Project, a documentary by David Kitchner of Gizmo Pictures
- Best Satire – Natives In Wonderland, a comedy by Manny Manzani
- Best Editing - Poeta, a documentary by Devin F. Schwyhart
- Best Romance - Lady In My Life, by Malik Aziz
- Most Original - Loss & Lugubriosity 2 by Sandell Stangl
- Best Music Video - My Lucky Stars, a music video by Derek Sellens
Misfortune Smiles and Never Trust A Yeti will be featured on Friday, June 4th along with Kevin Willmott and Tom Carmody’s The Only Good Indian, and Marlo Angell and Peter Jasso’s Mariachi Estrella to open the Lawrence Arts Center’s Film Intensive.
The Lawrence Arts Center’s Short Film Festival was sponsored in part by the Kansas Humanities Council. Look up KHC’s FLIKS program at www.kansashumanities.org.
For more information, contact Ric Averill at ricaverill@lawrenceartscenter.org or call at 785-843-2787, ext. 123
Lawrence Arts Center Film Intensive
The Film Intensive kicks off a summer of film and media studies at the Lawrence Arts Center. Classes for grades 4th - 8th, 9th - 12th and for adults begin with Screenwriting in June followed by Video Production in July. For more info call 785-843-2787 or email ricaverill@lawrenceartscenter.org. To download a registration form, click here!
Featuring
THE ONLY GOOD INDIAN, a film by Kevin Willmott & Tom Carmody
– a Sundance 2009 selection-
MARIACHI ESTRELLA, a film by Marlo Angell & Peter Jasso
– a documentary about the first all female Mariachi band FRIDAY ONLY - MISFORTUNE SMILES, by Patrick Rea, winner of the Lawrence Arts Center Short Film Festival, 7:30 PM
NEVER TRUST A YETI, by Jai Strecker, youth division winner winner of the Lawrence Arts Center Short Film Festival, 7:50 PM
Friday, June 4th – Screenings
Saturday, June 5th – Practical workshops all day, screenings in the evening
Come join some of Kansas premiere film makers in a combination of how-to sessions, discussions, a reception and screenings – at the Lawrence Arts Center on June 4th & 5th.
Cost is $30 for general public, $15 for students and seniors & financial aid is available.
Schedule:
* attendees may go to any of the screenings either evening
| Friday, June 4th | 7:00 - MARIACHI ESTRELLA, a documentary by Via Dolorosa 7:30 - MISFORTUNE SMILES, by Patrick Rea, winner of the Lawrence Arts Center Short Film Festival 7:50 - NEVER TRUST A YETI, by Jai Strecker, youth division winner winner of the Lawrence Arts Center Short Film Festival 8:00 - THE ONLY GOOD INDIAN, by Kevin Willmott and Tom Carmody |
| Saturday, June 5th | 8:30 - coffee, snack 9:00 - Screenwriting - intro and into action. Kevin Willmott, Joel Feigenbaum & Ric Averill will lead off the day discussing the art of screenwriting and then will assign specific writing exercises - attendees will work on scenes with help from mentors including: Marlo Angell, Ric Averill, Tom Carmody, Joel Feigenbaum, Greg Hurd, Peter Jasso and Kevin Willmott 10:30 - Practical Magic - production sessions; tips and hints – Film Intensive attendees will break into four groups and rotate between the following sessions:
12:30 - Lunch on your own (bring a sack lunch or visit beautiful Downtown Lawrence 1:30 - Acting and Directing Actors - bringing the work to life - act scenes, direct scenes learn to work with actors, basics and tricks of the trade - Jeanne Averill, actress, Joel Feigenbaum, producer, director, writer, and Heather Laird, Director, Casting Director 3:00 - Break 3:30 - COMMUNITY FILM MAKING - a panel - with the University of Kansas Film and Media Department & the Secondary School Teacher Summit - Meet the film makers of the evening's films and other featured filmmakers; pitch your ideas, learn about theirs - Kevin Willmott, Marlo Angell, Tom Carmody, Joel Feignebaum, Greg Hurd, Matt Jacobson and Jeff Tamblyn. Peter Jasso, Kansas Film Commission, Moderator. 5:30 - Reception and light food 7:00 - MARIACHI ESTRELLA, a documentary by Via Dolorosa 7:30 - talk back and response -plus possible 'surprise' appearance by Mariachi band members 8:00 - THE ONLY GOOD INDIAN, by Kevin Willmott and Tom Carmody - with talk back after |
For more information, contact Ric Averill, ricaverill@lawrenceartscenter.org or 785-843-2787
Major sponsoring provided by US Bank
Sponsored in part by a grant from the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission
MUSIC AT THE CENTER
FRIDAY, MAY 21-7:30pm | Local Composers/New Works
Join host Ric Averill and other regional/area composers for an eclectic evening of new music. Composers will range from students to professors emeritus. $5 donation at the door, concessions available