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In the Wings

The Newsletter of The Concord Players
February 2013                           Robert Runck, Editor
MCM set
The set for The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940.
THE SOUND OF MUSIC IS UNDERWAY
The Players are delighted after six days of auditions to have a full cast for our spring show, The Sound of Music. More than 170 auditioners competed for roles in this beloved musical. Early rehearsals began mid-January for the adults and have just commenced with the Von Trapp children. The roles of the six children have been double cast, each to perform four times during the run of the show. (To see the cast and crew, go to concordplayers.org and click on "Season" in the left-hand column, and then on the Sound of Music logo.) Rogers and Hammerstein's music fills the air, costume measurements have been taken, a gorgeous scenery design has been revealed, and tickets are now available. For your show tickets go to our website concordplayers.org and in the left-hand column click on "tickets".

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP
Members and friends of The Concord Players have been very generous through the years to loan furniture and other items, so that we can have pieces that are appropriate to the period for numerous productions. As Concord Players' props mistress, Charlotte Kelley hopes you can help us locate furniture we can use in our Spring production of The Sound of Music. We would like to borrow A Louis XVI or French Provincial sofa, side chairs and possibly a side table for the Von Trapp villa. We are hoping to find pieces with painted wood and gilded trim to reflect an elegant life style in the late 1930s, just prior to the annexation of Austria. Please be assured that we take special care of loaned furniture while at the theater. Please  contact Charlotte if you can help us or if you have any questions. Call 978-973-3325 or email grauntie777@gmail.com

REMINDERS
Summer Shakespeare: Open-call auditions for The Tempest (condensed) February 9, 1 p.m., and February 10, 7 p.m., at 51 Walden in Concord. Callbacks if needed on Saturday, February 16, at 1:00 p.m. Sides will be provided. Bring a headshot and resume. Rehearsals from mid-April to mid-July. Performance dates: July 14, 15, 21 and 22, at 4 p.m.
Annual Meeting. Be sure to attend the Annual Meeting of The Concord Players, on March 17, 2013, at 7 p.m. New Board members are to be voted on, including replacements for President Jay Newlon and Treasurer Chuck Holleman.
DON'T MISS IT!
The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 is coming, February 8 to 23! By the time you get the March Newsletter, it will have come and gone. Allen Bantly's wonderful set design has several moving parts and one never knows who is going to pop out of one or where it's going to lead. As the play unfolds it is discovered that the mansion is riddled with secret passages controlled by secret switches. The walls are lined with bookcases. Anne Bantly and Charlotte Kelley found nearly 600 books that she prepared with light-weight interiors to be placed on the shelves. The construction of the set required a total of six entrances, half of which slide, revolve or swing secretly away. Also a hidden panel. The set had to be built deep into the back of the stage area. To allow all the audience to view the walls as they quietly open and close, The Players will have to block off 40 seats that lack adequate line of sight to spot some of the secrets. The play is a real whodunit, mixed with very memorable, funny characters, and just what we need in the dead of winter. Tickets are available on line with a credit card at concordplayers.org or call the ticket line to pay with cash or check: 978.369.2990.

JAY NEWLON AS FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHER
In guiding the fight choreography for The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, Jay Newlon drew on his dance and martial arts background. To create a realistic effect, he applied his knowledge of body mechanics used in a fight situation to incorporate line of sight elements on a stage. In a real fight, efficient means of executing a move are used. In a theatrical application, larger and more dramatic actions are sometimes called for. Whether it's disarming a character who holds a gun or taking an opponent down, the objective of the scene is always primary in creating the movement, along with taking into consideration the actor's physical capabilities and whether there should be a serious or comedic tone to the action. But safety is always most important in designing stage combat. Movements are repeated so as to incorporate muscle memory, and all props are blunted to ensure no accidents occur. The goal is to convince the audience that something actually happened. We hope that the result will be a success in this upcoming comedy!
 

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