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

BLT At Mardi Gras By The Sea

Brunswick Little Theatre participated in the Oak Island Mardi Gras By The Sea festival yesterday, and we had a blast!

Members of the cast of our Stagestruck Players' Dear Edwina Jr rode in the parade dressed in their Mardi
Gras finest and singing songs from the show. Director Debbie Skillman and board member (and Stagestruck mom) Melanie Tewell helped out passing out cards with show and BLT 2014 season information to parade watchers.

After the parade, BLT manned an information booth at the Mardi Gras By The Sea Craft Fair and Gumbo Cook-Off.  We were able to promote our season, speak with current and prospective patrons, recruit volunteers and increase awareness of our children's theater workshop, Let's PLAY!.We learned a few things from the experience -- Into The Woods is a very popular choice for a summer musical; there are quite a few people with theater experience around, we just need to reach them; and parents see the value in children's theatrical experiences like Let's Play! and Stagestruck.

From a publicity perspective, this was a banner day for BLT. We'd like to look for other opportunities to get our name and mission out in the community. If you have any ideas, or know of any upcoming events Brunswick Little Theatre could participate in, please drop me a line at jgstites@yahoo.com

February Happenings

Brunswick Little Theatre is incredibly busy as we move into spring. The past two Sundays we've had three shows rehearsing and a children's workshop in full swing. We are thankful for the cooperation of so many in our community that help make that possible, especially our hosts at Brunswick Community College, South Brunswick High School, Trinity United Methodist Church and On My Toes Dance Studio that provide us the rehearsal spaces needed to do so much at one time. Community theater depends on this sort of support and we are extremely lucky to have such generous and accommodating partners.

All this rehearsing is great, but what REALLY has us excited is the opening of our first show of the season. I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change takes to the stage beginning 7:30 Friday, February 21 at the Brunswick Center at Southport, 1531-1 N. Howe Street behind the Wingate Inn. Tickets are available at www.brunswicklittletheatre.com and at the door for just $17 for adults and $12 for students with ID. You have five chances to catch this hilarious adult musical revue about the trials and joys of relationships -- three evening performances 2/21, 2/22 and 3/1 at 7:30 pm, and two matinees 2/23 and 3/2 at 3:00 pm. All seats are general admission and please note that sales at the door are cash or check only. We can't wait to see you at BLT's debut in the Brunswick Center. It's a wonderful facility and we look forward to filling it with happy patrons of the arts!

Having three shows in production at once is a wonderful thing, but it requires substantial

financial resources. One way we can keep this ball rolling, and have a bit of fun doing it, is to throw, well, a Masquerade Ball! Brunswick Little Theatre is going to laissez le bon temps roulez this year with a Fat Tuesday fundraiser party at the St. James Community Center on March 4th. Join us from 6-10 Fat Tuesday night for a feast of shrimp and grits and a gourmet pancake bar, entertainment by the Brunswick Big Band, a silent auction and a costume contest to name the King and Queen of Mardi Gras! You just know a costume party with theatre people is going to be a good time, whether you join in by wearing your Mardi Gras finery, come costumed as creatively as you can or just enjoy the spectacle from the comfort of your table. Our $30 ticket includes dinner, beer, wine, soft drinks and all entertainment. Get your tickets at brunswicklittletheatre.com or in person at The Grape & Ale in Oak Island or Isaac Allen Salon in Southport and help support YOUR community theatre while having a really great night out. 

How about those other shows in production, you ask? Well, right around the corner is

Stagestruck Players' Dear Edwina Jr. coming March 28-30 and April 4-6. A young but extremely talented cast is working hard on this musical about a middle school advice columnist and her friends creating a play to enter in the Advice-a-Palooza contest. This show includes songs from a huge array of musical genres and is sure to delight audiences of all ages. Dear Edwina Jr. will bring us once again to Brunswick Center at Southport and tickets will go on sale at brunswicklittletheatre.com on March 1st. Don't miss this one!

All the recent ice and snow has us longing for spring, and for the return of BLT's very own rock stars to Franklin Square Park. Rehearsals have already begun for American Band, Music of the Rock Revolution (1965-1973), the follow-up to last year's hugely popular My Generation shows. This time we turn our attention to American rock during the late sixties and early seventies and bring you the best of the era of Flower Power and California Dreamin'. Mark your calendars and pack your lawn chairs so you can join the party in the park May 16-18 and 23-25.

With all that we have going, how is one supposed to keep up? Brunswick Little Theatre is trying to make it easier than ever to get all the latest news and even some behind the scenes insights. Our website is updated frequently and carries all the latest info on show and audition dates and times. The brand new Brunswick Little Theatre Happenings blog is a work in progress, check it out and let us know what you think. The BLT Facebook page is always full of news and photos from all of our productions, if you haven't yet, please visit and give us a "like". We have also launched a new Twitter page with up-to-the-minute news and behind the scenes insights from BLT's unique cast of characters. If you haven't yet joined the Twitter-verse, now is the perfect time to set up an account and follow the fun! And just to round out our conquest of the social media world, BLT is also now on Instagram. Check us out there for a photographic tour of community theater at its best. 

Thank you for your support, and we look forward to seeing you at the show. Or ALL the shows :-)

January Happenings

Brunswick Little Theatre is hard at work creating a fun and exciting 2014 season.

Our first show of the year, the romantic musical comedy I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change will open in a new venue for us, The Brunswick Center at Southport, in a little over a month. I Love You will play February 21 and 22 and March 1 at 7:30 pm and on February 23 and March 2 at 3 pm. You can read more about Director Sue MacCallum and her talented cast and crew on our website here and also buy tickets for the show at our online box office. We hope to see you all there - it promises to be a great night out.

On the heels of our first show comes our annual Fundraiser Dinner and Dance. This year we will be celebrating Mardi Gras on Fat Tuesday, March 4 at the St. James Community Center from 6-10 pm. Join us for a night of fun with the Brunswick Big Band and a delicious New Orleans-inspired dinner including shrimp and grits and a gourmet pancake bar. It being Mardi Gras, of course there will be a costume contest, so come in your most creative get-up (Mardi Gras-themed or any costume that strikes your fancy) to join the fun or come as you are and enjoy the spectacle (and perhaps vote for the winners).  Wine, beer, food and entertainment are all included our $30/person ticket, so please come out and party in support of your local community theatre. Tickets and more information are available here.

BLT's children and youth programs go into full swing this month. Stagestruck Players has begun work on Dear Edwina JR with a auditions, casting and a first rehearsal already behind them. Director Debbie Skillman and her talented group of young thespians will bring this musical about a middle school-aged advice columnist and her friends to the Brunswick Center at Southport on March28-30 and April 4-6. If you haven't checked out a Stage Struck performance in the past, you owe it to yourself to see what a quality show these children produce. Also beginning this weekend is our Let's PLAY! children's theater workshop, which filled up all 30 slots within hours of opening registration. Director Jen Iapalucci will begin the first of eight 3-hour classes designed to both introduce children to the theatrical arts and hone the skills of experienced young performers. This workshop will culminate in a Showcase on March 16 to which all are invited.

We also have a new opportunity for you to become involved with Brunswick Little Theatre. At its January meeting the board of directors created a new Playreading Committee, charged with reading and rating plays and musicals to create a library of shows that BLT would be interested in and capable of producing in future seasons. Our hope is that this will help encourage new directors to join the BLT family by bringing proposals before the board. Our proposal process hasn't changed and any director, new to BLT or already experienced with our group, is free to propose any show he or she wishes. What we are looking for in connection to this new committee is volunteers to serve as members and ideas for shows the board committee should review. Members should be experienced in at least one area of production (such as acting, movement, music, tech, directing). Anyone interested in joining the committee or who has suggestions for shows to be considered is encouraged to contact committee chairman Debbie Skillman at dskillman@ec.rr.com.

Brunswick Little Theatre thanks you for your support of community theatre. We try hard to do as much as we can while keeping ticket prices as reasonable as possible. One help in that regard is individual and business contributions to, and memberships in, Brunswick Little Theatre. If you were a contributor to BLT in the past, we thank you and hope you will decide to continue your support. Of course, we also welcome new contributing members! All donations of at least $25 will receive mention in our program and all donations and support, be they monetary, time or simply good will, receive our most heartfelt thanks.

Read all about our program advertising opportunities and membership levels and donate online at our website.