Newsletter of Town & Gown Players, Athens, Georgia

Celebrating Over 50 Continuous Years of Community Theater

July-August 2007

In This Issue

Season Finishes with Lear and Present Danger
It's No Casino Royale, but . . .	Top Ten Membership List
Who Wants to Be a Director?	Still Time for Second Stage
What Your Friends Have Been Up To	Volunteer with T&G
Unbelievably Complete Calendar	Board/Membership Meetings
Who's Serving on the Board	Contact the Envoy

Visit the Town & Gown home page!

Reservations (706) 208-TOWN (8696) · Lobby/Backstage (706) 548-3854

On Second Stage:

Commedia Lear  Finishes
Sorta Shakespeare Summer

Town & Gown Players wraps up another Second Stage season with John Brandt's A Lear and Present Danger. The show is performed in the style of Commedia dell'arte.

Commedia is an Italian style of theater originating in the early Renaissance. The Commedia dell'arte used many concepts that have become vital to Western comedy, such as stereotyped characters, an emphasis on the conflict between parents and their children, and slapstick comedy.

Brandt has been training his performers for three months to prepare for A Lear and Present Danger. The performers will improvise the entire production using only a rough plot posted backstage. Audience members will even get a chance to vote on the outcome of the show.

The essential plot sees two young lovers, Isabella and Leandro, wishing to wed. Leandro's father, Pantalone, is a greedy miser who demands a dowry before the wedding can take place. Isabella's father, Dottore, is broke. Their madcap servants, Columbina, Brighella and Arlecchino, come to the rescue with a plan to earn money for the dowry by putting up a performance of William Shakespeare's King Lear.

For more information, visit the Town & Gown home page or the Penny Playhouse. For a T&G/commedia connection, see the member news in this Envoy.

"Good times will be shaken, not stirred"

When:

August 4 at Headquarters (disguised as the Town & Gown Theater)
Mission will begin at 7:00 p.m. (1900 hours).

Credentials:

$15.00 per person at the door.

Dress:

Bond-esque (favorite character, lingerie, bikini . . . go for it)
Remember . . . You Only Live Twice

Food:

Heavy hors d'oeuvres before the show; dessert and champagne following.
Wine, beer and soft drinks provided; BYOVM (bring your own vodka martini)

Awards Mission:

Beginning at 8:00 p.m. (2000 hours)
Official invitations will be sent OHMSS by mid-July with reservation information

Reservations:

Reservations are required
Call 706 208-8696 by July 31, 2007 . .  or have The Living Daylights knocked out of you!

Top Ten Reasons Why You Should Join Town & Gown

10.		May satisfy community service requirement
9.		Qualifies you to propose a Second Stage show
8.		Can be printed in tiny type on your résumé
7.		Costs only $15 a year
6.		U.S. Attorney General no longer lists as subversive organization
5.		Earns you cheap tix and free refreshments
4.		Power tools and solvents--how can you beat that combination?
3.		Gives you a vote at annual meeting
2.		Playhouse is convenient to emergency room
1.		Entitles you to tell Nominating Committee to get lost

Contact the Membership Committee to get an application.

All Face East:

Board Hosts Director Orientation

Vice-President Terrell Austin is organizing a special event on Saturday, July 21: an informational meeting for future Mainstage and Second Stage directors. Since every T&G member is already a prospective director, you are invited to take part.

The curriculum includes a whirlwind introduction to the Production Team Handbook (a free copy of book and CD-ROM to those who sign up ahead of time), a playhouse tour and introduction of department and committee heads, and plenty of time for questions. Board members and veteran directors will be ready to respond with (a) good advice and (b) horror stories about poor souls who didn't take it.

This year's director orientation is slated for July 21, 10:00 a.m. to noon, at the theater. If you have a notion to direct one day but don't know what the gig involves, this is your time to find out!

RSVP by email to Terrell Austin.

Act, uh, Direct Now!

Second Stage Still Looking for Proposals

Our Second Stage dance card hasn't filled up yet. There is still barely time to submit your proposal for the first half of next season.

Performance dates are Oct. 5-7 and Dec. 14-16, 2007; Feb. 22-24, Apr. 25-27 and June 27-29, 2008. That's one Second Stage following each of our first five Mainstage productions.

Proposals for the October and December slots are due no later than August 1; those for the second half of the season must be received by November 30. The December 2007 show will be picked to appeal to a winter holiday crowd, so propose accordingly.

Any member of the Players can propose a show for Second Stage. A typical proposal includes a script, identifies preferred and impossible dates and names a director (who must also be a T&G member).

For more information or a proposal form, email Steven Carroll at secondstage@townandgownplayers.org. Hard copies are available in the theater lobby.

T&G Members in the News

Drew Doss and Hadley Cronk had big roles in Kiss Me, Kate at the Highlands Playhouse in June and July. The theater is managed, by the way, by Henry Johnson.

Athens company Stray Productions will feature a cast heavy with Town & Gowners in Yasmina Reza's Art at Instant Theatre, also in Highlands. Steve Elliott-Gower, Tom Tanner and Rex Totty are onstage; Cat Clayton directs. Performances are set for July 18-21 and 25-28. You won't get much satisfaction from the Instant web site, but there's a phone number at least.

There's considerable overlap between Town & Gown and the university's commedia dell'arte troupe, I Commedianti Georgiani. Darla Warnock and Clint Sowell performed in 2006-7. Next year's outfit will feature Carole Kaboya, Martin Smith and Michael Stille. John Brandt, director of A Lear and Present Danger, is a commedia veteran as well. The Commedianti give free shows several times a year, most often on campus; try the drama department's web site for announcements.

Free Shows:

Volunteer at Town & Gown

Working on shows isn't the only thing you can do at T&G. Every performance night we have to put three or four people in the front of house to sell tickets and refreshments, guide patrons to their seats, and report broken toilets to the put-upon Facilities Committee. In addition, most committees have open positions for folks who want to help out.

Front of house volunteers get comp tickets, too. Visit the "Volunteers" page to sign up.

What's Coming at T&G

July 2007
27	Second Stage presents the Summer of Sorta Shakespeare: A Lear and Present Danger Curtain time 8:00 p.m., post-show reception on opening night Read the story
28	A Lear and Present Danger Curtain time 8:00 p.m.
29	A Lear and Present Danger matinee Curtain time 2:00 p.m.
August 2007
4	Town & Gown's annual season-end Bondquet Read the story
September 2007
21	On the Mainstage: Three Sisters Curtain at 8 p.m.; opening night show followed by audience reception Details in the September Envoy
22	Three Sisters Curtain at 8 p.m.
23	Three Sisters matinee Curtain at 2 p.m.
24	Open auditions for Godspell 7 p.m. at the theater; details in the September Envoy
25	Open auditions for Godspell 7 p.m. at the theater
27	Three Sisters Curtain at 8 p.m.
28	Three Sisters Curtain at 8 p.m.
29	Three Sisters Curtain at 8 p.m.
30	Three Sisters matinee Curtain at 2 p.m.
October 2007
5	On the Second Stage: (title to be announced) Curtain at 8 p.m.; opening night show followed by audience reception
6	On the Second Stage: (title to be announced) Curtain at 8 p.m.
7	On the Second Stage: matinee (title to be announced) Curtain at 2 p.m.
TBA	Annual Meeting of Town & Gown Players See the September Envoy for details
November 2007
30	On the Mainstage: Godspell Curtain at 8 p.m.; opening night show followed by audience reception
December 2007
1	Godspell Curtain at 8 p.m.
2	Godspell matinee Curtain at 2 p.m.
3	Open auditions for A Streetcar Named Desire 7 p.m. at the theater
4	Streetcar auditions 7 p.m. at the theater
6	Godspell Curtain at 8 p.m.
7	Godspell Curtain at 8 p.m.
8	Godspell Curtain at 8 p.m.
9	Godspell matinee Curtain at 2 p.m.
14	On the Second Stage: (title to be announced) Curtain at 8 p.m.; opening night show followed by audience reception
15	On the Second Stage: (title to be announced) Curtain at 8 p.m.
16	On the Second Stage: matinee (title to be announced) Curtain at 2 p.m.
January 2008
February 2008
8	On the Mainstage: A Streetcar Named Desire Curtain at 8 p.m.; opening night show followed by audience reception
9	Streetcar Curtain at 8 p.m.
10	Streetcar matinee Curtain at 2 p.m.
11	Open auditions for Beyond Therapy 7 p.m. at the theater
12	Beyond Therapy auditions 7 p.m. at the theater
14	Streetcar Curtain at 8 p.m.
15	Streetcar Curtain at 8 p.m.
16	Streetcar Curtain at 8 p.m.
17	Streetcar matinee Curtain at 2 p.m.
22	On the Second Stage: (title to be announced) Curtain at 8 p.m.; opening night show followed by audience reception
23	On the Second Stage: (title to be announced) Curtain at 8 p.m.
24	On the Second Stage: matinee (title to be announced) Curtain at 2 p.m.
March 2008
April 2008
11	On the Mainstage: Beyond Therapy Curtain at 8 p.m.; opening night show followed by audience reception
12	Beyond Therapy Curtain at 8 p.m.
13	Beyond Therapy matinee Curtain at 2 p.m.
14	Open auditions for The Fantasticks 7 p.m. at the theater
15	The Fantasticks auditions 7 p.m. at the theater
17	Beyond Therapy Curtain at 8 p.m.
18	Beyond Therapy Curtain at 8 p.m.
19	Beyond Therapy Curtain at 8 p.m.
20	Beyond Therapy matinee Curtain at 2 p.m.
25	On the Second Stage: (title to be announced) Curtain at 8 p.m.; opening night show followed by audience reception
26	On the Second Stage: (title to be announced) Curtain at 8 p.m.
27	On the Second Stage: matinee (title to be announced) Curtain at 2 p.m.
May 2008
June 2008
13	On the Mainstage: The Fantasticks Curtain at 8 p.m.; opening night show followed by audience reception
14	The Fantasticks Curtain at 8 p.m.
15	The Fantasticks matinee Curtain at 2 p.m.
16	Open auditions for The Miracle Worker 7 p.m. at the theater
17	The Miracle Worker auditions 7 p.m. at the theater
19	The Fantasticks Curtain at 8 p.m.
20	The Fantasticks Curtain at 8 p.m.
21	The Fantasticks Curtain at 8 p.m.
22	The Fantasticks matinee Curtain at 2 p.m.
27	On the Second Stage: (title to be announced) Curtain at 8 p.m.; opening night show followed by audience reception
28	On the Second Stage: (title to be announced) Curtain at 8 p.m.
29	On the Second Stage: matinee (title to be announced) Curtain at 2 p.m.
July 2008
August 2008
15	On the Mainstage: The Miracle Worker Curtain at 8 p.m.; opening night show followed by audience reception
16	The Miracle Worker Curtain at 8 p.m.
17	The Miracle Worker matinee Curtain at 2 p.m.
18	Open auditions for 2008-9 season opener 7 p.m. at the theater
19	Open auditions for 2008-9 season opener 7 p.m. at the theater
21	The Miracle Worker Curtain at 8 p.m.
22	The Miracle Worker Curtain at 8 p.m.
23	The Miracle Worker Curtain at 8 p.m.
24	The Miracle Worker matinee Curtain at 2 p.m.

Board and Membership Meetings

The board of directors meets every month; any Town & Gown member may attend. For dates and times, or to propose business for the board, write to President Andy Garrison . . . or collar him at any opening night.

Town & Gown will hold its annual end-of-season banquet on August 4. Read the story.

The annual meeting of Town & Gown Players, Inc., takes place in October. Business at that event includes reports from departments and committees as well as elections of the next calendar year's president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer. Members will receive official notice of the annual meeting by mail, and it will also appear in the Envoy nearest the date.

Board Members and Email Addresses

President	Andy Garrison	president@townandgownplayers.org
Vice-President	Terrell Austin	vicepresident@townandgownplayers.org
Secretary	Nathan Altman	secretary@townandgownplayers.org
Treasurer	Patty Freeman-Lynde	treasurer@townandgownplayers.org
Membership	Kris Schultz-Tanner	membership@townandgownplayers.org
Envoy Editor	Brooke Hatfield	envoy@townandgownplayers.org
Friends of Town & Gown/Development	Amy Miller	development@townandgownplayers.org
Facilities	Allen Rowell	facilities@townandgownplayers.org
Front of House	Kelly McGlaun Fields Amy Wildey	house@townandgownplayers.org
Second Stage	Steven Carroll	secondstage@townandgownplayers.org
Publicity	Dina Canup	publicity@townandgownplayers.org
Season Tickets	Marie Bruce	seasontickets@townandgownplayers.org
Webmaster	Eric Wagoner	webmaster@townandgownplayers.org

Town & Gown Players is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Your gifts are tax-deductible.

Town & Gown Players
P.O. Box 565
Athens, Georgia 30603
Lobby and backstage phone: (706) 548-3854
Mainstage reservations: (706) 208-TOWN (208-8696) · Please call during regular business hours

Our website includes great links, a form to place your name on our e-mailing list, a map, photographs, history, features about our upcoming shows, and lots of other information. There's even a page where you can sign up to work as an usher, sell tickets, etc.

Comments, suggestions, or questions regarding the newsletter or Town & Gown membership? Contact Membership Chair Kris Tanner or Envoy Editor Brooke Hatfield.

Brooke Hatfield edits and publishes the Envoy six times a year, more or less. Webmaster Eric Wagoner and Ben Teague designed the online version.

© Town & Gown Players 2007