October Happenings

We have A LOT going on, so I'll jump right in.

Steel Magnolias, directed by Thom Clemmons, opens in just three days, on Friday, October 17 at 7:30 pm in the new Brunswick Little Theatre, 8068 River Rd. SE, Southport. The show will run evenings at 7:30 pm on the 17th, 18th, 24th and 25th with two 3:00 pm matinees on Sunday, October 19 and Sunday, October 26. This show features a great cast of veterans and newcomers and is sure to delight audiences with a testament to the strength of the female spirit. Tickets are available online at our Box Office page (all tickets are general admission and online sales are will-call only) and at Ricky Evans Gallery, 211 N. Howe Street in Southport (cash or check only). Tickets will be available at the door (cash or check only), depending on availability, but it would be wise to buy in advance to ensure yourself a seat.

Our Fall Session of the popular Let's PLAY! Children's Theatre Workshop is open to registration until the first session, October 25th, or it fills up, whichever comes first. This session will feature a Holidays Around The World theme and runs from Oct. 25 -- December 20, meeting from 2-5 pm on Saturdays (no class Thanksgiving weekend). Please visit the Let's PLAY page for details and email Director Jen Iapalucci at jiapalucci@ec.rr.com to register. BLT Members are entitled to a 10% discount :)

We are proud and excited to offer a new opportunity to the BLT community, a FREE Improv Workshop hosted by Steve Vernon of Big Dawg productions. Steve has over 20 years experience performing and teaching improvisational acting, so this is a chance you don't want to miss. We will offer one class, Monday, October 27 at 7 pm for sure, and perhaps add a Youth Class on Tuesday, October 28 at 6 pm for those 11-16 if interest warrants. If we only have enough for one class, youth will be included. Each class will be limited to 12 participants, so jump on this early via email to Jeffrey Stites at jgstites@yahoo.com.

Join Brunswick Little Theatre and the Southport Department of Tourism for a spooky good time at the Scarrison House, October 30 and 31 from 5-8 pm. We will be turning the Garrison House at Fort Johnston into an historically spooky experience for young and young at heart. See pirates, sea captains, historical personages and illusions that will blow your mind. This is a spooky but not scary experience that is perfect for all ages and costs just $1 admission, so be sure to join us for all the fun!

For the past two years BLT has joined with the Charles Dickens Christmas Festival to offer a fun, interactive re-creation of Mr. Fezziwig's Ball from A Christmas Carol. We've wassailed and sang and taught countless people the Roger de Coverly reel as a kick-off to the area's Christmas festivities. This year, we offer the Ball at our new home at River Road and to expand on the fun a bit we've added a Murder Mystery element. All we need to make this happen is YOU! We are looking for dancers (no need to know how, we'll teach you, it's EASY!), carolers and about a dozen people willing to portray characters in the murder mystery. We have the costumes, the music, the steps and the back stories, all YOU need is a sense of fun and a bit of the holiday spirit. Contact Jen Iapalucci (jiapalucci@ec.rr.com) to help make this event a great one! You can see photos of past balls here and here, or watch video of last year's ball here.

Also this Christmas, we are bringing a weekend of family holiday fun with a presentation of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. We will offer four shows, December 12 & 13 at 7:30 pm and December 13 & 14 at 3:00 pm at our new home at 8068 River Road SE. An all-ages cast will entertain an all-ages audience with this hilarious holiday show. Tickets available soon, so stay tuned!!!

Also coming in November are auditions for the next Stagestruck Players show, Godspell, JR, November 8 & 9 from 2-4 at the Brunswick Little Theatre, 8068 River Road SE, Southport. Watch our Auditions Page for details coming soon!

Speaking of Godspell, it's part of a what's shaping up to be a spectacular 2015 season, which will also feature Winnie-the-Pooh, KIDS, February 20-22 at the Brunswick Little Theatre and a return to Odell Williamson Auditiorium with Shrek, the Musical the last weekend of July and first weekend of August.

But we haven't left the adults out. This spring, we bring you The Brunswick Little Theatre Live Stage Invitation. Who's invited, you ask? YOU. We are looking for new or less experienced directors and actors to work together with theater veteran Jayke Pell on a 4-part comedy called A Funny Little Thing Called Love. We'd love to have a different director for each of the four "rollicking tales of romance" taking place around the globe on one hilarious night. This is a perfect chance to cut your teeth or hone your skills as a director, first of all (we'll be casting actors a bit later). If this sounds like an adventure you could be involved in, please contact Jayke Pell at pelljayke@msn.com for details.

 Please remember we can't do any of this without you! We'd appreciate you considering becoming a Member of BLT today. Look on our website for all the details and benefits of membership.

Thank you for your support!

Volunteer Opportunites

There are lots of ways to become active in YOUR community theater outside of acting or crewing a show. Here are a few of the things we are looking for help with right now:

Scarrison! 

Brunswick Little Theatre will help the City of Southport turn the historic Garrison House at Fort Johnston

into a spooky, but not too scary, Scarrison House on October 30 and 31 from 5-8 pm. BLT will supply the costumes and direction and create a fun, historically-themed Halloween adventure for children of all ages. All we need is YOU to help us put the haunts in the house. We are looking for:

                 1 male adult as Robert Ruark

                5+ male adults as military

                2 females

                4 or 5 wandering souls

If you would like to join the fun contact Gruesome Jayke Pell at (517) 242-4604 or pelljayke@msn.com

Representing BLT at Festivals and Events

 1.  Saturday, Sept 27:  Multi-Cultural Festival, BCC campus next to OWA, 9:30AM-4:30PM, table and chair(s) under tent, opportunity to hand out BLT advertising materials, rack cards, answer questions, etc.  There will be a gift basket to raffle off in order to collect names/addresses of prospective BLT members.  Need 2 volunteers to work the table.

2.  Saturday, Oct 11:  Greenlands Farm Fall Festival, Midway Rd.  Need volunteers age 13 and above to help man the Festival booths, games, pony and llama cart rides, etc. between 9AM and 4PM.  Lots of fun for young volunteers.  Dress in farm style or scare crow clothing.

3.  Saturday and Sunday, Oct 25 and 26:  NC Festival by the Sea sponsored by Greater Holden Beach Merchants Association.   Sat, 9AM-5PM, Sun, 9AM-4PM.

                **Saturday:  BLT volunteers needed for either/or:  a) Ride in convertible in parade to advertise BLT  (b) 3 BLT volunteers to serve as parade judges.

                **Sunday:  Three BLT volunteers needed on Sunday afternoon to judge a Womanless Beauty Pageant to occur on the Holden Beach stage.  There will be an MC, but BLT judges will need to ask comic questions of or make comic remarks to the male contestants.  I do think this would be a lot of fun for BLT and another opportunity for publicity.

 If any or all of these event opportunities appeal to you, please email Pam Neville at pneville98@msn.com or call her at 240-793-8037.

September Happenings

Summer is winding down, but Brunswick Little Theatre is cranking it UP this fall.
 Check out all we have going on.

This coming Saturday, September 20, we are holding auditions for our Christmas show, Best Little Christmas Pageant Ever. This show features a large, all-ages cast and is the perfect vehicle for families to get involved in a something together! The show will run December 12-14 with four performances, two evening shows at 7:30 on Friday, December 12 and Saturday, December 13 and two matinees Saturday, December 13 and Sunday, December 14 all at our new theatre at 8068 River Rd (the former Christian Alliance Church and Southport Christian School facility). Auditions will take place this coming Saturday at the new theatre on River Road with adults called from 10 am to 12 pm and children 7-15 called from 1 pm -3 pm. Details can be found on the Auditions Page of the BLT website.

The local Boy Scouts and BLT have joined together to offer a Theater Merit Badge workshop. The first session was this past Saturday with the final session on Saturday, September 27. BLT is proud to offer this opportunity and thanks Jonathan Richmond for facilitating the program.

Let's PLAY! returns this fall with a weekend workshop themed after Holidays Around The World. Let's PLAY! Children's Theatre Workshop is open to all children, no matter the level of experience, from 4-12 years old and offers a great introduction to the theatre arts for newbies and a chance for those already involved to polish skills. Registration opens at 9 am Saturday, October 11 via email to jiapalucci@ec.rr.com. A word of warning, these workshops are limited to 24 students and fill up VERY QUICKLY. Details on Let's PLAY! as well as photos from previous sessions can be found on the Let's PLAY! page of the BLT website.

Steel Magnolias comes to the Brunswick Little Theatre in just over one month! This bitter-sweet drama directed by Thom Clemmons plays on our new stage at 8068 River Road, Southport at 7:30 pm October 17, 18, 24 and 25 with two 3:00 pm Sunday matinees on October 19 and 26. Tickets are available now through our online Box Office, and they are selling quite briskly, so get yours TODAY to be sure of a seat.

On Halloween Night BLT will be joining with the City of Southport to fill the historic Garrison House at Fort Johnson with a scary, but not too frightening, collection of haunts! We will be needing volunteers to help out with this project, so stay tuned to the Facebook page, website and your inbox for details!

Fezziwig's Ball returns this Thanksgiving weekend, but with a murderous twist! Join us at the Brunswick Little Theatre, 8068 River Rd., Southport on Friday evening, November 28 or Saturday afternoon November 30 for a Fezziwig Murder Mystery Party and Children's Victorian Christmas Party. All ages will enjoy Christmas merriment and a Victorian Food Court. Details coming soon!

December will see a weekend of performances of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, December 12-14, and the Showcase performance from our Let's PLAY! children on Sunday, December 21.

Our first program of the new year will be a first for our Let's PLAY! program as we introduce our Winter Session, Let's PLAY! Presents: Winnie-The_Pooh KIDS. This 8-week workshop will begin January 4 and culminate with a weekend of performances of the children's musical Winnie-The-Pooh KIDS February 20-22, 2014 on the Main Stage of our new theatre, 8068 River Rd., Southport. Participants will enjoy all the great activities that have made Let's PLAY! so popular, but will be working toward presenting this short Disney musical instead of the traditional showcase. Registration will open Saturday, December 27 at 9 am via email to jiapalucci@ec.rr.com and is as always open to ALL children 4-12. We will be looking for older children to help in production and crew roles for this show, so stay on the look-out for details.

Look for announcements soon of our next Stagestruck Production, coming Spring of 2015, as well as a Director's Challenge for those who may want to try their hand at directing their first show.

Brunswick Little Theatre's move into our new home has brought huge opportunities but also some challenges. As we work to turn a church into a theatre, we are stretching our resources thin, both human and financial. We need our BLT family now more than ever. If you are as excited about this new place as we are, how about looking into pitching in? Contact this email address or any board member for ideas, but one immediate need is a simple one, a Cleaning Crew! We are scheduling regular cleaning of the new facility each Monday evening at 6 pm, all are welcome to come out and help with simple household maintenance.

Another way to help out YOUR community theatre is to become a Member. We have revamped our membership system and it now offers some fun perks, such as a discount on all Workshops (including Let's PLAY!) and even free tickets to shows at our new venue. Membership also entitles you to a voice in the future of Brunswick Little Theatre as members vote for the new board members in 2015. We encourage you to go look at our Membership Page on the website and consider becoming an Official, Card-Carrying Member of BLT today! 

Thank you for your support, we couldn't do any of this without YOU!!!

August Happenings

Hey, it's still August, right? Better late than never, we say!

Tomorrow marks one full month in our new home on River Road. We've been putting the space to use already!

The Let's PLAY Summer Camp spent a week of fun and learning in one of the two classroom buildings, then topped off the experience with a great Showcase in front of over 50 family and friends, the very first performance in our new theater!

Steel Magnolias, our first ticketed event in the new space, has been rehearsing on the main stage three nights a week. The show opens Friday, October 17 at 7:30 pm with additional evening shows on the 18th, 24th and 25th and two matinees Sunday, October 19 and Sunday, October 26 at 3:00 pm. Tickets are on sale now on our Box Office page.

The cast and crew of our summer musical Into the Woods held their cast party at the new facility last night, and had a ball. With a huge kitchen, plenty of bathrooms, a wonderful playground, shady and comfortable outdoor spaces and a big screen and projector, this space really has a lot of potential for fun, and we plan to offer lots of opportunities for you to enjoy it in the near future.

One of the first opportunities to put yourself on the new stage is our upcoming Best Christmas Pageant Ever auditions. Debbie Skillman will be directing this holiday classic and is looking for a cast of 10 adults and 17 children. Auditions will be at the new theater, 8068 River Road, Southport, on September 20, 2014. See our Audition page for all the details!

The BLT Board of Directors is working on organizing the 2015 season. They will be accepting proposals at their September11 meeting, at 6:30 pm at the Brunswick Little Theater on River Road. Potential directors will find lots useful information on our Directors Page. We will continue to perform a show in Odell each year as well as one in May at Franklin Square Park, but all our other performances will be at the new facility. The board looks forward scheduling more shows than any time in the recent past. This new space allows us, even really requires us, to produce more performances. A lot of work has gone into securing, maintaining and improving this property, all we need now is directors willing to use it. If you are contemplating a show in the Brunswick Little Theater, but haven't really gotten a good look at it yet, simply drop an email to Jeffrey at jgstites@yahoo.com and he'll see you get the grand tour. We are excited to show off our new place and see how the talented BLT family can put it to use!

We hope you all had a great, fun and safe summer and look forward to sharing an exciting future together.

The New Home of Brunwick Little Theatre

Anyone who has been involved with Brunswick Little Theatre for any length of time has probably heard the question. "So where IS Brunswick Little Theatre?" We have lately had to answer that we were a traveling company of sorts, we performed in a variety of venues. Since moving out of our home in the Centennial Center in 2004, BLT shows have been hosted in a wide range of places. Our big summer musicals have been at Odell Williamson Auditorium and our free spring shows have been performed in Franklin Square Park, but otherwise we've moved around a lot performing in the Amuzu Theatre, the Brunswick Center at Southport, Playhouse 211, even the second floor of Southport's Town Hall. Our audiences have been wonderful about following us wherever we go, but it's been a challenge finding suitable spaces and then spreading the word about where we are for each show. We'll keep performing in Odell and Franklin Square Park, but the days of moving our smaller venue shows from place to place are coming to a close.

As of August 1, 2014, Brunswick Litttle Theatre has a new home.

We signed a six-month lease with an option to renew for six more months on the former Southport Christian School/Christian Alliance Church property at 8068 SE River Road, Southport. Perhaps you recognize it, it's on your right as you travel north on Rt. 133 between Southport and Sunny Point. Keep a look out, we'll have at least a temporary sign up soon.

This property is over three acres of land with three buildings (one large building in front and two smaller two-room former classroom buildings in back), a couple of sheds, a playground and ample parking.

Classroom building from the back of the main building

Two buildings with two rooms a piece

Playground :)

Ample Parking

The main building features a large room that used to be the church sanctuary and will serve as our performance space as well as several smaller office-type rooms, a spacious lobby area, a kitchen with two stoves and two sinks and lots of cabinet space, a couple of large closets and two large and one small bathrooms.The two building out back have identical floor plans with two large rooms apiece with closet space between them, a sink in each one and four more bathrooms.

The Big Room

An Audience View :)

The Kitchen

The Lobby

One of the "classrooms" in the back buildings

It even has chalkboard for drawing blocking diagrams :)

This property screams "POSSIBILITIES!!"

The first order of business is to build our stage in time for the August 15 Let's PLAY! Showcase. That will have the side benefit of opening up the possibility for Steel Magnolias, our first show in this facility, to rehearse on their stage and set. With both the large performance space and four rooms in the buildings out back, we can now be rehearsing more than one production at a time with ease, while also providing workshops at the same time, all on one property. The main room can be used for fundraisers, parties, auditions, or any number of things. We have, thanks to the generosity and quick action of several in the BLT family, 150 very comfortable theater armchairs than can be put out and taken up as needed. We now have storage for all the things a theater needs to operate.We are very pleased.

We are also a bit overwhelmed. This is a very large property, both in acreage and interior square footage. We have lot's of bathrooms now, which is great, but they all need to be cleaned. There is mowing and sweeping and vacuuming and dusting to be done. The stage must be built and seating arranged. There is a lot of mundane upkeep required, and we will need the help and buy-in of the entire BLT family to make this work.

We also now have more regular bills than BLT is used to having, We are responsible for utilities as well as rent, and the outfitting of this space to make it what it needs to be will not come cheaply (we would really like someone to step up and sponsor a new sign for the front yard for one thing). You can help with a donation of money or time, we need it now more than ever. We hope to be hosting some fun fundraisers soon, please keep an eye out and participate when you can. Come to see our shows in the new Brunswick Little Theatre, beginning with Steel Magnolias October 17-19 and 24-26, mark your calenders now!

Another benefit of this new space, and a requirement if it is to work to its full potential, is that we can put on more shows each season than we have in the recent past. We need directors to submit proposals (the board will be reviewing proposals at its August and September meetings), and actors and tech crew to make the magic happen. And our family has to grow. We need to reach out and include more of our neighbors and friends in the joy of live community theater.

Brunswick Little Theatre is entering some exciting times. The sky is the limit. Join us, and together we'll FLY.

TAKE A COOL VIRTUAL TOUR ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE HERE!!!!!

July Happenings

In just ten days, Brunswick Little Theatre's big summer musical Into The Woods opens at the beautiful Odell Williamson Auditorium. This award-winning Stephen Sondheim show includes some characters from our favorite fairy tales, such as Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella and Jack and the Beanstalk, mashes them up together with a baker and his wife trying to lift a witch’s curse, then follows the whole gang as they experience what happens after Happily Ever After. Director Jen Iapalucci has put her own stamp on the show, which features an all-ages ensemble and a Steampunk sensibility. Into The Woods will be performed at Odell Williamson Auditorium on the campus of Brunswick Community College July 25-27 and August 1-3, 2014. Friday and Saturday shows will be at 7:30 pm with two Sunday matinees at 3:00 pm. Tickets are $18 Adults, $12 students (w/ID) and $6 children 12 and under and are available through the Odell Williamson ticket office either in person during business hours, by phone at (910) 755-7416 or online at www.bccowa.com. Find out more about the show, including a cast list and photos of the great costumes, at our website or see the whole album of production photos on Facebook.

Speaking of Facebook, we are nearing the 900 fan mark, and once we hit that number, we'll be giving away a pair of tickets to an upcoming show. We'd sure like to give some away to Into The Woods, so go ahead and "like" us and if you already have, browbeat your friends and family into doing the same. Our Facebook page is a great way to stay in touch with all things BLT, but not the only one. Are you on Twitter? BLT's Twitter feed features photos and news and maybe even some backstage insights now and then. Now's a great time to give us a try or join Twitter just to see what we are up to.

Brunswick Little Theatre is already looking forward to a great 2015 season. The board of directors will be hearing proposals at its August and September meetings, so if you might be interested in directing a show, now's the time to look into it. Whether you prefer musicals or dramas or comedies, working with children or adults or all-ages casts, performing in small or large venues or even the great outdoors, the board wants to hear from YOU about your ideas for next year's season. Visit our new Director's Page on the website to download the nessecary forms and guidelines and find helpful links to some great resources.

And while we're talking about stepping up to help out, Brunswick Little Theatre is still in need of a treasurer. If you would love to help your local community theatre in an important but very behind the scenes way, please look at the job description here and contact jgstites@yahoo.com with any questions or to say "I'LL DO IT!!!" 

Thanks for your support and we'll see you in the woods!!!!

HELP WANTED: Treasurer

With the sudden passing of our dear friend Jack Mical, Brunswick Little Theatre lost its treasurer, among all else. Jack's shoes will be hard to fill, but find someone to fill this role, we must. Great community theatre takes talent and heart for sure, but it also takes no small amount of money, and we require a trustworthy, steady and careful individual to be steward of our group's funds.

BLT's treasurer sits on the board, but is not necessarily a voting member (though he/she can be) and is a volunteer as is everyone in Brunswick Little Theatre. The treasurer is tasked with maintaining our accounts and financial records, preparing a monthly report of expenses and income for Board review, and tracking expenses for each show and activity. The treasurer signs and disperses checks for reimbursement of show expenses and bills that relate to the operation of BLT. We retain the services of a CPA for filing taxes, but the information needed is maintained and organized by the treasurer.

A candidate for BLT Treasurer needn't be an accountant, but a familiarity with bookkeeping is essential, along with a willingness to work with a wide range of directors, set designers, costumers and board members.

If you think you could help us in this regard, or would like more information about what the position entails, please contact Brunswick Little Theatre President Jeffrey Stites at jgstites@yahoo.com or (910) 471-7741.

Let's PLAY! Children's Theater Workshop

Brunswick Little Theatre launched it's very first Let's PLAY! Children's Theatre Workshop in the spring of 2013 with the goal to "provide our youngest performers with an opportunity to explore and excel in the theatrical arts, in a low-key, relaxed environment." Director Jen Iapalucci proposed the program as a way to introduce and teach the theatrical arts to younger children (4-12 year-olds) without the pressure of auditions. That first session, a series of 12 weekend workshops culminating in a showcase, was followed in the summer of 2013 by two weeks of summer camp and by a second weekend workshop in the spring of 2014.

This summer will see the second set of two week-long summer camps with registration opening on Saturday, April 26 at 9 am. Let's PLAY! Summer Camp will be offered the weeks of June 16-20 and August 11-15, 2014 and will be directed by professional theater educator Amanda Penegar. All the details can be found on the Let's PLAY! page of the BLT website.

Brunswick Little Theatre is very proud of this workshop and the students, teachers and parents who have invested so much time, effort and enthusiasm in its success. We are looking forward this summer's camps and another weekend workshop in the fall. Below are some quotes about the program from the students involved and their parents. We believe exposure to the arts is important for every child (and adult, really) and hope you'll agree and consider joining the Let's PLAY! family!

"I like Let's PLAY! because they showed me how to take my talent to the next level, and I had a really fun time" -- Ryleigh, age 11

"I like Let's PLAY! because my grandson has a blast. I can see real growth in his confidence and exploring

his creative side." Kim, Kiro's Grandmother

"I like when we get a story and get to act it out." - Jillian, age 7

"We love Let's PLAY! because of its freestyle and imaginative approach. The performances are earnest and very entertaining! We are grateful for it in Brunswick County. The kids are building up their public speaking skills without knowing. That is priceless to every parent and child. Let's PLAY! builds confidence while stimulating their artistic abilities." - Liz, Lila's Mom

"I Like Let's PLAY! because I get to pantomime." - Maddie, age 8

"I enrolled my child in Let's PLAY! because I wanted her to overcome her shyness. By participating in Let's PLAY!, she has developed more self-confidence and is more willing to step out of her comfort zone." - Monica, Maggie's Mom

"Let's PLAY! has been wonderful for Sophia because it has helped build her confidence and develop a love for theater. In a school writing assignment she wrote that when she is on stage she feels like a bird taking off to fly." Jennifer, Sophia's Mom

"I like Let's PLAY! because I get to see my friends and have fun with them." - Mallory, age 7

"As a parent I like Let's PLAY! because my child gained social skills, focused on taking turns, and was able to self-express his talents in a safe and fun environment." - Jenni, Nicholas' Mom

April Happenings

Happy Spring to one and all! We are more than happy to see the arrival of some warmer weather and are looking forward to a busy spring and summer.

Spring for Brunswick Little Theatre means the arrival of our FREE show in Southport's Franklin Square Park. This year's shows kick off in just over one month! An American Band, Music of the Rock Revolution (1965-1973) will rock the park 8 pm nightly May 16-18 and 23-15. If you were one of the very few people who missed last year's hugely popular My Generation concerts, you don't want to miss this one! It's being brought to you by most of the same musicians and vocalists that drove record crowds wild last spring. So, bring your entire family, bring some beach chairs and be ready to be entertained by the best free concert Southport offers. You can see some songs from last year's shows here and check out this year's rehearsals here.

Are you ready to venture Into The Woods with BLT this summer? Work has begun on our big summer

musical and auditions are less than THREE WEEKS away! Director Jen Iapalucci and Musical Director Michael Stringer will be hosting auditions at Building F on the campus of Brunswick Community College on Saturday, May 3 and Monday, May 5. Children under 15 (except those auditioning for the role of Red Riding Hood) are to audition from 11 am to 1 pm on Saturday, May 3, while adults and all those seeking Red Riding Hood's role are to come at 1 pm Saturday, May 3 or 7 pm Monday, May 5. All are asked to please try to make the Saturday date if at all possible. Complete details on roles available and expectations for those auditioning can be found on our web site's Auditions Page. Please come prepared and break a leg!

Tickets for Into The Woods will be available through the Odell Williamson Auditorium box office beginning Friday, May 16. You may purchase in person, over the phone or online. All the links, times and numbers you need are on our own Box Office page here.

Looking for something for the little theater aficionados in your family to do this summer? BLT is very excited to announce the return of Let's PLAY! Children's Theater Workshop Summer Camp! This year we will offer two one-week sessions, June 16-20 and August 11-15. With Director Jen Iapalucci busy preparing Into The Woods, this summer's camps will be directed by long-time BLT friend and professional theater educator Amanda Penegar. Camp will run from 10 am to 2:30 pm Monday to Friday with a showcase performance at 3 pm the Sunday following camp week at the South Brunswick High School drama classroom. Fees for

camp are $100 per student with a 20% discount for siblings. Registration opens 9 am Saturday, April 26 via email to jgstites@yahoo.com. These camps will fill up fast, so registration is on a strict first come, first served basis. To find out more about Let's PLAY! and our summer camp program, please visit the Let's PLAY! website here. You may also check out video from past Let's PLAY! classes and showcases on our YouTube channel here.

With all these great programs and shows Brunswick Little Theatre offers, the board of directors has decided it is time to start seriously looking for a permanent home for BLT. Our options are wide open right now, but the board will be creating a Facility Fund very soon and begin accepting donations to help us acquire a place of our own. Stay tuned for details on how YOU can help build the future of community theater right here in our own back yard.

Last but certainly not least, the Brunswick Little Theatre is proud and thankful to announce the election of Sue MacCallum as President-Elect of its Board of Directors. Sue brings years of experience in theater, community involvement and fundraising and will ensure that BLT remains an active and vibrant part of our community as we move forward. Sue will assume the office of BLT President as of January 2015. Thank you and congratulations Sue!

Dear Edwina JR Opens Friday

Brunswick Little Theatre's Stagestruck Players bring you the musical fun of Dear Edwina JR starting this Friday night at the Brunswick Center at Southport. The show will run Friday and Saturday, March 28 and 29 at 7:30 pm and Sunday, March 30 at 3:00 pm this weekend, and again next weekend Friday and Saturday, April 4 and 5 at 7:30 pm and Sunday, April 6 at 3:00 pm. The Brunswick Center at Southport is located at 1513-1 N. Howe Street. It's right behind the Wingate Inn in the shopping center at the intersection of Hwy 87 and Hwy 211, where there's a Go Gas on one corner and Famous Pizza on the other. Here's a map.

Dear Edwina JR is a delightful show sure to be enjoyed by all ages. The story follows Edwina, a middle school advice columnist with very talented siblings. She tries to show her own talent by entering a play in the Advice-a-Palooza festival and all her friends and neighbors come by her garage to help out. The show plays out in a series of musical numbers based on the letters and responses from Edwina's column. The music is spectacular and touches on genre's as diverse as opera and ethnic music.

This is a non-stop, musical joy-ride, so if you have young ones you'd like to introduce to the magic of live theater, here's your perfect chance. But the show touches on important themes as well, and the cast of thirteen 11-16 year-olds is as talented as any group of adults you're likely to see on stage, so even if you don't have children, you really owe it to yourself to check this one out. You'll be glad you did and you'll be supporting a group of really amazing and hard-working youths.

Tickets for Dear Edwina JR are just $14 for adults, $10 for students (with ID) and $5 for children 12 and under. Our online box office uses PayPal, so it's easy to purchase with any credit or debit card, or, if you'd prefer, tickets will be available at the door (cash or check only).

For more about the show, visit the our website, check out our Facebook album for photos and read some comments from the cast in this blog post (please note the ticket giveaway is over, sorry).

March Happenings

Spring Is Coming! Brunswick Little Theatre is moving into Spring as busy as ever. Here's a look at some of what we have in the works.

The children of our Let's PLAY! workshop have been hard at work (and PLAY) for the

last 12 weeks and are ready to show off all they've learned. The Spring Session Showcase will be tomorrow, Sunday, March 16 at the South Brunswick High School theater arts classroom. The show will begin at 4 pm with doors opening at 3:50 to allow the children as much time as possible to rehearse in their performance space. Come on out and see the creativity, talent and pure exuberance this great group of 4-12 year-olds brings to BLT. They are our future, and a bright one it is! A BIG thank you to Jen Iapalucci and Katie Deese for volunteering many hours to make this program the huge success it has become.

Speaking of the future of Brunswick Little Theatre, our Youth Division, Stagestruck Players, is also hard at work on its next production. Dear Edwina Jr. Tickets are on sale now in our online box office and will also be available at the door. The show features a cast of 13 portraying Edwina Spoonapple and her friends and family as they put together a musical based upon letters to Edwina's advice column, Dear Edwina. There are song and dance numbers galore, something from almost every genre you can dream of, so this show will be sure to be a hit with all ages. We will once again be performing at the Brunswick Center at Southport, 1513-1 N. Howe Street, behind the Wingate Inn. Showtimes are March 28-29 and April 4-5 at 7:30 pm with two matinees March 30 and April 6 at 3 pm. Be sure to make your plans to catch at LEAST one of these shows. Check out pictures from rehearsal here and hear from some cast members on our blog here.

To make it even easier to introduce your children or grandchildren to the magic of live theatre, BLT is giving away 20 children's (12 and under) tickets to the opening night performance of Dear Edwina Jr., March 28th at 7:30 pm. Simply follow this link to the BLT Giveaway page and get up to four entries! It's quick, easy and fun to enter, so please enter today and tell your friends to give it a try. Also, you can print a poster for the show from our Poster Page and hang it at school, church, work or anywhere else you can get permission to help spread the word. We would LOVE to see a packed house on opening night!

Excitement has already been building for Brunswick Little Theatre's big summer musical Into The Woods. Auditions have been scheduled for May 3 and 5 at Building F of Brunswick Community College. Visit our Auditions Page to learn all the details.

With the coming Spring comes the much anticipated return of BLT's FREE rock and roll show in Franklin Square Park. This year we shift from the British Invasion to our own shores as we present An American Band: Music of the Rock Revolution on two weekends, May 16-18 and 23-25. Shows begin at 8 pm nightly, so bring a chair and enjoy a great night of music under the stars. You can get a glimpse of what's in store at our Youtube channel, and be sure to check back, new songs are added all the time.

As always thank you for your support of Brunswick Little Theatre.

Dear Edwina Jr. Ticket Giveaway

Brunswick Little Theatre is giving away 20 children's tickets to the opening night performance of Stagestruck Players' Dear Edwina Jr. These tickets are for our budding theater fans 12 years of age and under. The show will be performed at the Brunswick Center at Southport, 1513 N. Howe Street, Suite 1, behind the Wingate Inn. Dear Edwina Jr. will run for two weekends with evening performances at 7:30 pm on March 28 and 29 and April 4 and 5 and two Sunday matinees March 30 and April 6 at 3 pm. Our free ticket giveaway is for opening night, Friday, March 28 only.

To enter, simply visit the Brunswick Little Theatre's Facebook Giveaway page and get up to five entries per person. It's quick and easy and all 20 winners will be notified via email.

I had the pleasure of visiting with the cast of Dear Edwina Jr this past weekend while they rehearsed the

Gina Flow, starring as Edwina Spoonapple

show. This is going to be a great one, let me tell you. The music I heard was wonderful, and according to

choreographer Bev Veenker, the show's musical reach is vast, moving through an amazing array of genres. The show follows Edwina, played by Gina Flow, as she puts together a musical based upon questions and answers from her advice column to enter in the Advice-A-Palooza Festival.The show-within-a-show features lots of vignettes and offers the youth actors the opportunity to play multiple roles.

One number involves a farmer, played by Sydney Parker, and a collection of pigs portrayed by Noah Huntley, Noah Jibke, Chase Coston and RJ Thomas. Noah Jibke explained the pig role this way, "I snort a lot and try not to be made into bacon." Noah J. also gets to play a "mean kid", which he says is his favorite character, because, "everyone loves to hate him."

Noah Huntley breaks from his pig role to play a few more characters, including the annoying Frank in "Franken Guest". But Noah H's favorite role is a boy named Billy because he "gets to talk a lot and is in some songs."

Noah is pretty typical in his desire for stage time. These kids are hams (get it?) in the best sense of the word. They obviously love what they're doing and it shows through in the energy they bring to the show.

Left to right: Noah Jibke, RJ Thomas, Noah Huntley and Chase Coston, hamming it up

Director Debbie Skillman has these kids practicing all weekend and one weeknight, but the show features 20 scenes with 20 songs, so there is a lot to learn between music and choreography. And then there are lines. I was blown away by the fact these kids are "off book" already. The adults I've worked with weren't at this point. It's impressive.

So, whether you have an "Under 12" and can enter the contest or not, you will be doing yourself a favor to come see this show. It's pure joy, and the actors deserve your support. Please join us the last weekend in March and first weekend in April at the Brunswick Center for a great time watching Edwina and her gang doing their thing.

For more information or to buy tickets, please visit www.brunswicklittletheatre.com

Does Our Theatre Need To Be "Saved"? Would These Ideas Help?

One of our actors posted a link to a column called "Ten Things Theaters Need To Do Right Now To Save Themselves". It was an interesting read, even if it was seemingly meant for more "big city" theatre groups, more semi-professional or professional houses. Some of the author's suggestions don't apply to us at all, but some may bear some thought and hopefully discussion.

Get them young. Seattle playwright Paul Mullin said it best in an e-mail last week: "Bring in people under 60. Do whatever it takes. If you have to break your theater to get young butts in seats, then do it. Because if you don't, your theater's already broke—the snapping sound just hasn't reached your ears yet."

Brunswick Little Theatre's audiences tend toward the over 50 demographic. Heavily. A lot of this is because of the demographics of our county, we are a retirement destination, but is that the only explanation? There are plenty of young people and families living here as well, is there something we can do to get them to shows? Should we change our show selection? If so, how? Should we change our marketing? Our image? Attempt somehow to reach out to new audiences? Are ticket prices reasonable for families? Are we already broken or are we just fine playing to our regulars?

 Offer child care. Sunday school is the most successful guerrilla education program in American history. Steal it. People with young children should be able to show up and drop their kids off with some young actors in a rehearsal room for two hours of theater games. The benefits: First, it will be easier to convince the nouveau riche (many of whom have young children) to commit to season tickets. Second, it will satisfy your education mission (and will be more fun, and therefore more effective, for the kids). Third, it will teach children to go to the theater regularly. And they'll look forward to the day they graduate to sitting with the grown-ups. Getting dragged to the theater will shift from punishment to reward.

Set aside the fact that you'd be hard pressed to find any "nouveau riche" in Brunswick County, this idea may have merit. What do you think?  There are issues of liability, space and volunteers to overcome, is it worth the trouble? Would YOU be more likely to come to an "adult" show if you could have on-site child-care? Would your children enjoy theater-based fun? Your grandchildren? BLT has developed a hugely successful children's workshop catering to those 4-13, could we capitalize on that to bring a smaller version to each performance? Should we try?

Build bars. Alcohol is the only liquid on earth that functions as both lubricant and bonding agent. Exploit it. Treat your plays like parties and your audience like guests. Encourage them to come early, drink lots, and stay late. Even the meanest fringe company can afford a tub full of ice and beer, and the state of regional- theater bars is deplorable: long lines, overpriced drinks, and a famine of comfortable chairs. Theaters try to "build community" with postplay talkbacks and lectures and other versions of you've spent two hours watching my play, now look at me some more! You want community? Give people a place to sit, something to talk about (the play they just saw), and a bottle. As a gesture of hospitality, offer people who want to quit at intermission a free drink, so they can wait for their companions who are watching act two. Just take care of people. They get drinks, you get money, everybody wins. Tax, zoning, and liquor laws in your way? Change them or ignore them. Do what it takes.

Here's a little more controversial one. North Carolina's liquor laws are a bit Byzantine, but they do provide for non-profits to sell alcohol on a temporary license at events, so it is do-able without ignoring the law. Is it something BLT should explore? Would it help attract audience, make theatre more accessible and "cool" or would it cause more problems than it solves? How about the idea of a hang-out with the cast and crew after a show? Would that work with or without alcohol involved? Is it worth a try or too much trouble?

 Boors' night out. You know what else builds community? Audience participation, on the audience's terms. For one performance of each show, invite the crowd to behave like an Elizabethan or vaudeville audience: Sell cheap tickets, serve popcorn, encourage people to boo, heckle, and shout out their favorite lines. ("Stella!") The sucky, facile Rocky Horror Picture Show only survives because it's the only play people are encouraged to mess with. Steal the gimmick.

This does harken back to Shakespearean days, when the audience whole-heartedly  cheered, jeered and harassed the actors. In those days, theatre was for everyone, could we bring new faces to the show if we made it less of a sit and watch experience? Is a jeering and yelling crowd disrespectful to the hours of hard work the actors put into a show, or a compliment to their entertainment skills?  Would designating one night during a show as "audience participation night" work? Disney just ran a sing-a-long version of Frozen in theaters, could we follow suit with a live orchestra and actors? Would you want attend such a show? Perform in one? Where would be a good place to try this, if at all, a free park show perhaps? Odell? Amuzu?


 Let us know your thoughts. Comment below, email us at brunswicklittletheatre@gmail.com, Tweet us, Facebook us, or find us out and about and share your thoughts. Community theatre belongs to the community, tell us how we can make that a reality right here.