Camper Profile: Traci Lee

This past Friday was Technical Fun Friday. This is always so much fun especially for the younger campers. It gives us the opportunity to see what the crew does backstage from lighting and constructing the set to make up. We get to draw our own set designs, play with the light board and learn what make up is best for the stage lights. The kids really look forward to it every year and they learn so much. We, as performers, usually take what the crew does for us for granted. Without them we wouldn't have a set or lights and now the kids know that. Camp is a really good way to keep kids off of the couch watching television all day. Its fun, and you meet so many people during the process. Thats what keeps us coming back.

-Traci Lee
Second from left in picture

An Early Look: Into the Woods

Last week, Mark Oristano of Mark Oristano Photography took press photos for our upcoming production of Into the Woods. As a special treat for The Drip readers, I thought I would give you an early sneak peak at the photos. (And don't forget the show begins performances on July 26 - get your tickets today!).

Stacey Oristano & Mary Gilbreath

Margaret Shafer & Patrick Pevehouse

Denise Lee & Stacey Oristano

Randy Pearlman & Mary Gilbreath

Camper Profile: Shayna Hill

By the time I was three I knew exactly how to pop in videos in the VCR. I grew up watching and loving Disney, Wizard of Oz, Mary Poppins and all the other classics. I've always loved film, stage, singing and acting. But it was 2002 when I caught the virus. The Broadway bug. I was a first time camper, only 14 years old, in WTT's Summer Musical Camp. That summer we produced Fiddler on the Roof, Jr., and by the next year, I was a Junior Intern and casted as Ado Annie's understudy for our version of Oklahoma. The experience of growing up in a theatre is indescribable. My exposure to all the aspects of theatre, such as performing, producing, designing, directing, etc, captivates me. The classes are educational and helpful and the guidance of professionals is inspiring and motivational. I've learned to be an artist, worker and professional. The teamwork and dedication to make art is a beautiful thing that I know I want to be apart of for the rest of my life.

I am now 18 and about to head out to UT to chase my dream, and this summer marks my fifth and last year in Addison. School House Rock, Live! is just another fun and exciting show here at WTT. Already the show is coming together and looking great. The kids are amazing little boogers that I absolutely adore. I can't believe it's already been two weeks (including intern week). In another two weeks, we will be on that stage, which is my last time, and it's going to feel great. I've had the opportunity to mentor and grow right beside these campers, including my little sister, and its going to be sad to leave. But I can't wait to see them in the following years take up the duties of internship and produce the art that they love.

This camp is special for it is the strings that tie me to Meredith Cook. We both live in Mesquite but attend different high schools and WTT reunites us every summer. She is like my twin and we've been right with each other all these years. Mark Mullino, our director, has given us the privilege this year of singing a duet in the famous song "We the People." Together we will sit on stools, side by side and sing our farewells to WTT, our directors, our peers and each other. Camp has been a big part of my life; it was there that I began to believe that my dreams weren't silly and can come true.

Camp has started, and our summer camp production is always an interesting one to work on.

First of all, it’s a larger group of people on the production side than we usually have during rehearsals for our mainstage productions. We’ve got Landrie and myself, 3 college-age interns, whose internships are sponsored by TCA (Texas Commission on the Arts – the same organization who sponsored my own apprenticeship here 5 years ago!), 4 high school-age production interns, the director, the musical director, the choreographer, the costume designer, the set designer, the lighting designer, the sound designer, the costume assistant… basically a lot of people who are here to get this production of Schoolhouse Rock Live! going strong.

Secondly, design-wise, we’re taking the camp show and putting it on a pre-existing set with a pre-existing light design – it’s not being created from scratch as all of our other productions are. That does make it a different process than usual, but in the end, it’s really fun to see how a production design like that of our mainstage Take Me Out will be turned into a schoolhouse complete with a tree house and playground equipment (courtesy of camp set designer Clare Floyd DeVries and her assistant, TCA Design Intern Paul Arebalo Jr.). But hey, last year we took a set that represented two Los Angeles apartments and turned it into the magical world of Whos and a Jungle of Nool, so that just proves what we’ve all known - anything can happen in the magical world of theatre…

-Heidi Shen

WTT's Resident Stage Manager

CAMP HAS BEGUN!!

As the Education Administrator, it is my job to oversee the camp and make sure that each child’s experience is educational and fulfilling. The first day of camp each year is always an exciting day for the campers to start finding their curiosity for the theatre and making new friends. While each camper is always a bit nervous on the first day, the new campers that come to play are inevitably a bit more nervous than the others. However, my experience with these campers has always been that they quickly dissolve their nerves and step out of their shell to make their new friends and learn about the theatre. Our hope is that the kids will find and explore new areas of theatre every year.

It is always a pleasure to see the familiar faces come back year after year. And to see how much they have grown over the past year is nothing short of amazing!

Today, the campers started classes in music, acting, and dance. We welcome Shane Peterman and Jennifer Laws to the team this year. Returning from last year is Vonda Bowling and Mark Mullino.

The campers concluded the day by auditioning for specific roles in SCHOOL HOUSE ROCK LIVE! Everyone in the camp will be cast in the show, but the audition serves as the deciding factor for casting the entire show with specific roles and ensemble numbers. We are very excited with this year's cast! Hope you can join us! See you at theatre!

-Landrie Bock
WTT's Education Administrator

Camp Update...

Today I had the privilege of teaching a workshop for our interns during our Summer Camp. Entitled, How to Audition For Musical Theatre, we looked at the sometimes scary, but ever-necessary beast of singing at an audition. Each intern had the opportunity to get up in front of their peers and I, and with Vonda Bowling sight reading for them, they sang their audition piece. We then broke it down as a group. Looking at who exactly they are telling this story to, why are they telling it, and making it as personal to themselves as possible. I talked about the importance of going into the audition room with a need and desire to tell this story (sing the song.) And while, yes, the musicality of it is very important, what makes you stand out above the masses is acting your song. If you are really telling me something about yourself and not just singing pretty notes, I am immediately invested in what you have to say.

I can not say enough about how amazing these kids were. They each trusted me and each other enough to get up and share a piece of themselves. Each of them had to audition to get a spot as an intern for our camp, so I knew they would be talented, but I had no idea the level would be that high. They are dynamic and talented and so dedicated to their art. And, MAN, can they sing!!! I feel closer to each of the interns for letting me into their world and trusting me to help. I went into this class knowing that I wanted to teach them but, in truth they taught me. I came away from class inspired by their bravery and heart. So I am sending out a HUGE thank you to all of my interns for everything that they do!! I love you guys!

-Stacey Oristano

Take Me Out Added Performances...

Due to audience demand, we have added two additional performances of Take Me Out on Sunday, June 11 at 18 at 7:30 PM.

The decision to add performances is never an easy one. We have to make a best guess determination if the additional cost of producing those performances (which means overtime pay for everyone involved) is worth what we would potentially make in box office sales. You never figure on selling a 100% on an added show. You simply don't have as much publicity going into those performances as you do your regularly scheduled ones. If you can sell 75% of those seats, you are doing well.

And sometimes the expenses aren't just monetary. Six shows a week is hard on the actors. Especially if you are doing two shows on any given day. It takes a very special effort from them to make sure that Sunday evening performance is of the same caliber as the Friday or Saturday night performance. Luckily, all the actors in Take Me Out are pros, so for us that was not an issue.

By the way, if you still haven't seen the show, we hope you do. The Box Office number is 972.450.6232. You can get great seats at those added performances!

Inter Week Begins...

Each summer, WTT hosts our annual Summer Musical Theatre Camp - which begins today!

Over the next four weeks, we will have approximately 80 students, teachers, designers and interns learning about what it takes to mount a full production of School House Rock, Live!

We've asked Patrick Pevehouse, a former inter and the camp's current Texas Comission on the Arts Administrative Apprentice to keep up updated on all the camp happenings! Patrick writes: "Intern Week has started! Each summer, WaterTower holds an educational summer musical theatre camp for kids and teens ages 9-18. The camp includes a small, select group of older performance and production interns. These interns range from ages 15-18, and they start work at WaterTower a full week before the camp's starting date. This week consists of the usual: preparation for the campers, training, and tying up all the loose ends before the campers start classes on Monday. However, intern week is especially beneficial for the interns because of everything they learn that week. The interns go through several challenging master classes each day that increase and push their knowledge and passion for their craft. Jennifer Green, an acclaimed actress in DFW, works with the performance interns on different acting methods to explore. Paula Morelan, one of the top choreographers in the area, comes in to give the performance interns a mock dance audition. The production interns work with some of the best designers in town including Paul Arebalo, Clare DeVries, and Ashley Willeby to create a design for the camp show, School House Rock Live! The purpose of Intern Week is not only to prepare for the camp and learn about their craft, but also to learn about each other and form a bond as a strong ensemble. Intern week is often described by the interns as their favorite week. "

Fun Friday...

Sometimes we get accused of all play and no work - especially during the 9 AM to 5 PM work day. While this statement is mostly false, there has been the rare occasion where we have been able to have a little fun during the day.

In honor of the end of the week, we share with you this rare footage of what goes on in the hallway of the WTT offices during one of these rare "fun" moments. Names have been changed to protect the innocent...

Click here to view (at your own risk)...

Wedding Bells are Ringing...

This past Sunday, the staff of WTT celebrated the wedding of our Resident Stage Manager Heidi Shen to Mike Wang at the lovely Addison Quorum Park.

Heidi has been with WTT for the past two years stage managing and assisting with the Summer Musical Theatre Camp. And during that time, we have also had the honor of having Mike as an "unofficial" staff member.

Best wishes from everyone at WTT for a long and joyous marriage!