THE SCOOP - Nov 2017

Volume 2, Issue 11 November 2017

IRMA THOMAS, THE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA & THE PRESERVATION HALL LEGACY QUINTET

issue THE SCOOP

IN THIS

Flip Fabrique

Tommy James & The Shondells

The Heart & Soul Queen of New Orleans Tango Buenos Aires LeAnn Rimes Kansas The Studio Bad Jews Fernando & Friends Puerto Rico Relief Concert Don't Tell Nonnie The Staff Spotlight Backstage at The Sharon The Sharon Performing Arts Academy Battle at the Villages

A Word From

Volume 2, Issue 11 | November 2017

WHITNEY

Whitney Morse, Artistic Director, The Sharon® L. Morse Performing Arts Center

Seasons & Script Selections It’s November already! That means our winter season at both The Sharon and The Studio are in full swing. We have been working nonstop to get Bad Jews up and running at The Studio, all while bringing in amazing acts into The Sharon. Just recently, we hosted the legend himself: Willie Nelson, the dazzling illusionist show: Champions of Magic (my 4 year old loved that one – he wore the shirt to school today!) and the playful and fun clown show: Air Play. Meanwhile at The Studio, one of the biggest parts of my job has been really heating up, and that is script selection for season three. Script selection is a very long, but truly stimulating experience. It is one of my favorite parts of my job. I have assembled a committee of Sharon and Studio employees to read and help select plays. They are all assigned plays to read (including myself ) and we meet roughly once a month to discuss all the plays. The meetings are usually three to four hours long with many breaks to stretch our legs and rest our minds. The amazing part of having these people in this particular committee is we all have very different backgrounds and tastes. We have people who are currently in school, people who are new to reading plays, and people with multiple graduate degrees in the field (read: Trevin Cooper) so that helps us get a myriad of opinions about a piece of theatre. If we were all a bunch of theatre nerds reassuring each other that a certain play is worth producing or not, we would never know how a person new to theatre would react to that same piece. It is important to me to hear the thoughts of a new theatre goer. Not everyone in our audience is going to be a seasoned consumer of theatre, in fact I hope that a steady stream of new theatre goers will attend a show at The Studio. Then we can show them what a great addition live theatre can be to one’s life. Having the opinions of people like that on my committee is very important to me. Also, I love getting feedback from fellow scholars about a play. It regularly sparks either a full on love fest for a piece or a heated discussion about its theatrical merits. All in all, script selection is a fun and enriching process. As a group, we collectively read close to 100 plays per selection season and some of them more than once. All so we can find shows that fit The Studio’s mission and will be impactful in our space. It can be grueling, but also well worth it. Currently we have whittled our list of about 100 scripts we began with in July down to about 30. We will have to get that down to about 12 in the next few months and then we will start looking at how those 12 scripts might speak to one another, what common themes they have that make sense to present as a season.

Then finally in or around the first of the year we will have our season selected. Then it is on to the pre-production phase of acquiring performance rights, securing directors, and so on. But that process is for another time in The Scoop. I’ll see you all at the theatre!

See you at

THE SHARON...

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$25-$70 7PM

LOVE HIGH-FLYING CIRCUS ACTS? Then why not join Flip Fabrique, a new up-and-coming troupe that comes to us directly from Quebec, Canada.

Take a trip to the cottage with these six acrobats and witness their first get-together in a decade! Haul out the folding chairs for a stunning and unique performance to kick off the party!

Leave your troubles behind and settle in for an astonishing, lively show that will leave you smiling from ear to ear. Banquine, hula hoop, trampowall, and humour are all part of the spell binding fun this group of artists has in store for you. A terrific crowd-pleaser!

“Flip FabriQue projects an irrepressible spirit of fun and, yes, it’s catching.” -THE NEW YORK TIMES

NOV 1ST

“You’ll see, it rocks!”

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-LE PARISIEN ATTRAPE

“Fresh, energetic and charming - World class artistry” -BERLINER MORGENPOST

“(...) all these mind-blowing acts are performed by six athletes at the height of their art.”

-LA PRESSE

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NOV 14TH

7PM

$65-$125

Tommy James and the Shondells Crystal Blue Persuasion, I Think We’re Alone Now, Hanky Panky, Crimson & Clover, Draggin’ The Line, Mony,Mony and Sweet Cherry Wine are just a few of the many hits from Tommy James.

With 23 gold records, 9 platinum albums, and over 100 million records sold worldwide; in addition to his 32 Billboard Hot 100 charting hits, many have been covered by artists around the world including Bruce Springsteen, Prince, Rem, Joan Jett, Billy Idol, Dolly Parton, Carlos Santana and even The Boston Pops.

His music is heard in thirty-one motion pictures to date, numerous TV shows such as Breaking Bad, Criminal Minds, The Simpsons, The Goldbergs and Aquarius; as well as in many TV commercials. Tommy’s critically acclaimed autobiography, Me, The Mob And The Music was listed on Rolling Stone’s Best Music Memoirs and is now in development for a film with producer Barbara de Fina, whose credits include Goodfellas, Casino, Cape Fear, The Color Of Money and just released Silence. Matthew Stone has just finished the screenplay, his credits include Intolerable Cruelty, Man Of The House and Big Trouble. BMI recently lauded Tommy for his success with the presentation of Five Million Air Awards for his music being played more than 21 million times on air. In 2015 Tommy performed his hit Crimson & Clover with Joan Jett, Dave Grohl and Miley Cyrus at The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Awards TV Show, three generations of artist performing his music. A career spanning almost 50 years and his music is still relevant. Tommy is now back in the studio working on his new album “ALIVE!”

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NOV 20TH

7PM

$20-$65

The Heart & Soul Sound of the Quarter If the French Quarter is the musical heart of New Orleans, then Preservation Hall is its heartbeat. Take a group of long-time performers from the venerable concert hall, combine them with the Crescent City’s “Soul Queen” Irma Thomas, throw in the spiritual authority of The Blind Boys of Alabama, and you get a very special evening of music that showcases “The Heart and Soul Queen of New Orleans.”

As part of New Orleans’ musical royalty, Irma Thomas is a Grammy Award-winning singer with her own rich musical history. Her first single in 1960 reached the

legends and modern-day innovators. These Sixtime Grammy Award-winners are not just gospel singers borrowing from old traditions; the group helped to define those traditions in 20th century and almost single-handedly created a new gospel sound for the 21st. Since the original members first sang together as kids in the late 1930s (including Jimmy Carter, who leads the group today), the band has persevered through seven decades to become one of the most recognized and decorated roots music groups in the world. In 2005, they released “Down in New Orleans”, a Grammy Award-winner for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album.

The Preservation Hall Legacy Quintet represents a tradition that started in 1961, when Preservation

Billboard R&B charts and from there she recorded for many labels, including Chess and Rounder Records.

Her soul-drenched voice can be heard on the Allen Toussaint-produced track “It’s Raining,” which was featured in the Jim Jarmusch’s cult classic, “Down By Law”; in 2007, she was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame; and in 2008, she was featured on the poster of the world-famous New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.

The Blind Boys of Alabama have the rare distinction of being recognized around the world as both living

Hall first opened in the French Quarter. This band is comprised of some of the most revered alumni of the Hall, many of whom have toured the world with The Preservation Hall Jazz Band for decades. As the worldrenowned Preservation Hall Jazz Band continues its exciting exploration of the boundaries of New Orleans jazz, the Preservation Hall Legacy Quintet has formed, with the help of the non-profit Preservation Hall Foundation, to help maintain a connection with the traditional aspects of the Hall’s musical legacy.

Touring together for the first time, “The Heart and Soul Queen of New Orleans” featuring Irma Thomas, The Blind Boys of Alabama, and The Preservation Legacy Quintet, will treat audiences to a special evening filled with musical collaborations and traditional standards.

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Buenos Aires

NOV 28TH

7PM

$20-$50

Tango

“...repeatedly crafted swirling, fast-paced tapestries of movement, laced with proud postures and sensual couplings.�

- The Washington Post 9

Direct from Buenos Aires, Argentina

Tango Buenos Aires is performing a journey through dance and music of the “Spirit of Argentina.”

Tango Buenos Aires has become one of Argentina’s great cultural exports, known throughout the Americas, Europe and the Far East as the most authentic and uncompromising representative of the Tango.

Tango Buenos Aires was created for the “Jazmines” festival at the famous Buenos Aires cabaret “Michelangelo” by renowned composer and tango director Osvaldo Requena. The company met with tremendous success and was immediately added to the season of the General San Martin Municipal Theatre.

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DEC 8TH

7PM

$35-$113

LeAnn Rimes is an internationally multiplatinum selling acclaimed singer and ASCAP award-winning songwriter. Globally, she has sold more than 44 million units, won two Grammy® Awards; 12 Billboard Music Awards; two World Music Awards; three Academy of Country Music Awards; one Country Music Association Award and one Dove Award. At 14, Rimes won “Best New Artist” making her the youngest recipient of a Grammy® Award. LeAnn recently inked a worldwide deal with RCA UK who recently released her 16th studio album, Remnants. The album dropped on February 3, 2017 in the U.S. and debuted at # 4 on Billboard’s Independent Album Chart and peaked at #3 on iTunes ® overall charts in its first week. The first single released in the U.S. is “Long Live Love” which has peaked at # 1 on Billboard’s Dance Chart and held the #1 spot for multiple weeks. Her new dance single “LovE is LovE is LovE” is currently in the top 25 on Billboard’s Dance Chart.

She had her first national hit at age 13 with the 1996 release of Blue, which remained at the #1 spot on Billboard’s country albums chart for more than three months. 2016 marked the 20th anniversary of her debut album, Blue. Out of the 42 charting singles she has released throughout her expansive career, LeAnn’s song “How Do I Live”, ranks #4 on Billboard’s “Greatest of All Time: Hot 100 Songs,” and it holds the record

for being the second longest charting song ever on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. 15 of her multigenre singles are top-10 hits, including “Can’t Fight the Moonlight”, which went #1 in 11 countries. She had a hand in penning every song on her 2007’s release Family, which received two GRAMMY nominations. Her last album with Curb Records, Spitfire, was released in June 2013 and was immediately a critics darling, debuting at #9 on Billboard’s Top Country Album chart and #4 on iTunes. An album of greatest hits dance remixes, Dance Like You Don’t Give A ....Greatest Hits Remixes, released the summer of 2014 and went to #1 on the iTunes Dance chart. In 2015, LeAnn released her third Christmas album titled, Today is Christmas, which is a follow up to her 2014 album, One Christmas.

LeAnn has long-supported a variety of charity organizations including the National Psoriasis Foundation, DAV (Disabled American Veterans), The Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes, Stand Up For Kids as well as The Trevor Project.

She recently began her work with the Friend Movement, an anti-bullying organization and last month she was honored with the “Ally of Equality Award” by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) celebrating her 20 years supporting the LGBTQ community. This follows her 2009 honor when she was the recipient of the ACM Humanitarian Award.

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DEC 9TH

7PM

$55-$125

Kansas, the legendary rock band!

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With a legendary career spanning more than four decades, KANSAS has firmly established itself as one of America’s iconic of classic rock bands. This “garage band” from Topeka released their debut album in 1974 after being discovered by Wally Gold, who worked for Don Kirshner, and have gone on to sell more than 30 million albums worldwide.

Composing a catalogue that includes fifteen studio albums and five live albums, KANSAS has produced eight gold albums, three sextuple-Platinum albums (Leftoverture,

Point of Know Return, Best of KANSAS), one platinum live album (Two for the Show), and two one million-selling gold singles, ‘Carry On Wayward Son’ and ‘Dust in the Wind.’

KANSAS appeared on the Billboard charts for over 200 weeks throughout the ‘70’s and ‘80’s and played to sold-out arenas and stadiums throughout North America, Europe and Japan.

‘Carry On Wayward Son’ continues to be one of the top five most played songs on classic rock radio, and ‘Dust In the Wind’ has been played on the radio more than three million times!

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SEASON TWO ON SALE NOW!

The Studio Theatre - Tierra del Sol 806 San Marino Drive, The Villages, FL 32159 www.TheSharonStudio.com | (352) 751-7799 #TheStudioTheatreTDS

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Opening: NOV 3rd Closing: DEC 3rd

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Cast of Bad Jews ADAM LUBITZ (Liam) Adam is a New York actor, playwright, and teacher who is thrilled to be making his Sharon Studio debut. His favorite theatre credits include playing Borachio in Classic Stage Company’s Much Ado About Nothing, as well as Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Folkwang International Shakespeare Festival), Romeo in Romeo & Juliet (Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival), and Templeton in Charlotte’s Web. He recently starred in the awardwinning independent mystery, Nadia Knows, as well as NatGeo channel’s I Am Rebel: Phreaks and Geeks playing Kevin Mitnick, the world’s first notorious computer hacker. Adam holds a B.A. from Brown University, and a Master of Fine Arts from Columbia University’s School of the Arts. He is a member of Actor’s Equity Association.

DAVID PAUL ROWAN (Jonah) David is excited to work with The Studio at Tierra del Sol this season for their productions of Bad Jews and Company. David attended the University of North Florida where he received his Bachelors of Music Education concentrating in violin and voice. He served as the choir and theatre director for The Villages High School for the past three years. He has had the opportunity of performing in the choir for Star Wars in Concert with the Royal Philharmonic and sang on stage with Patti Lupone at the Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center. His past roles include Lt. Cable in South Pacific and Freddy in My Fair Lady. David would like to thank his family and friends for their unwavering support.

LILY E. GARNETT (Melody) Lily is delighted to be playing at The Studio Theatre Tierra Del Sol for the first time. Her credits include: Thomasina in Arcadia, Petra in An Enemy Of The People, and The Countess in Picasso At The Lapin Agile (Mad Cow Theatre), Hermione in Future Legend (2017 Orlando Fringe Festival), Narrator in Section 60: The New Ghosts of Arlington (Winter Park Playhouse), Catherine in The Foreigner, Mariane in Tartuffe, and Mrs. Millenium in Urinetown (Rollins College). She is a recent graduate of Rollins College, having earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre Arts with a double concentration in theatre performance and musical theatre. Thank you, God, for allowing me to make my living by living so many other lives within my own. Labhair teanga, impím leat.

RACHEL COMEAU (Daphna) Rachel is totally stoked to make her debut at The Studio Theatre. She’s an Orlando, FL native. She went to Rollins College on a performance scholarship and graduated with a BA in Theatre Arts in 2016. Some of her favorite theatrical roles include Irina in Three Sisters, Ellie in The Whale, The Young Woman in Machinal, and Miranda in Expecting Isabel. She can also be spotted in principal roles of Orlando films like Testament, Manifest Destiny, and The Rules. When she’s not working on stage or behind the camera she enjoys writing poetry, yoga, and playing her ukulele.

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THE STAFF SPOTLIGHT

Layna Sasser The Sharon® Artist Liaison & Assistant Company Manager What is your role at The Sharon?

All things dealing with artist & management of backstage productions at The Sharon as well as managing the cast house for The Studio's casts.

What makes working at The Sharon unique?

Meeting and working with artists directly is an incredibly unique part of my job. Not only that, but it is uncommon for most theatres to have a hospitality concierge to ensure that the artists have great experiences, as well as the guests. I thoroughly enjoy striving to ensure that each artist leaves having felt the friendly, “handshake of the host,” in hopes that they will have a great experience and return to The Sharon for future shows.

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What got you interested in working in Theatre/Entertainment?

I have been dancing most of my life, from age 4 and up. I danced on a competitive dance team right here in our hometown as a Golden Girl for The Villages Charter School. I danced as co-captain my senior year of high school. After graduation, I worked for three years as a dance instructor for the Universal Dance Association and taught a dance/cheer program for Buffalo Adventures at the Charter School. Following the retirement of Kathy Baker I became assistant coach to the high school Golden Girl program for three years, achieving two 2nd Place National Titles in that time.

Dance has brought so much fulfillment to my life, and now it has brought me to my job here at The Sharon L. Morse® Performing Arts Center.

What has been your favorite experience so far?

My favorite experience at The Sharon so far is hands down one that occurred during the Clint Black show involving two patrons. Our booking coordinator passed along the information that the couple (Shawn & Caroline) had just been married that same day and inquired to my department to see if we could do anything special for them. We decorated their seats in the Ruby Box with bride & groom themed trinkets as well as tulle on the bride’s seat, large white bows, and bride & groom goody bags. I had the opportunity to speak with the couple following the show. Their kindness and appreciation was truly heartwarming. It was great to be a part of their special day. The world needs more happiness, and it’s wonderful that I have a job where I get paid to help others.

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BACKSTAGE AT THE SHARON 21

Behind the Curtain: Getting the Show!

The Vendini Conference With over 17 sessions and a dozen master class tutorials, over 200 individuals who have a part in performing arts venues across the country attended Camp Vendini in the Annual 2017 Vendini Member Conference. From speakers and panels, to one-on-one meetings with Vendini Experts, The Villages Box Office representatives learned an abundance of marketing, managing, and special maneuvers to selling tickets and creating events for The Villages venues. With legendary speakers from the well known Blue Bird Cafe to management of some of the world's largest outdoor festivals, Lisa Gruber and Yasmeen Stogden were inspired and felt more prepared to tackle the upcoming season of entertainment in The Villages. From The Studio Theatre's record breaking ticket sales, to upholding the community's core values in every interpersonal transaction; the Camp Vendini Conference was an experience that will reach every facet of The Villages Entertainment.

Camp Vendini Welcome.

Lisa Gruber and Yasmeen Stogden.

Vendini Fun.

Performing Arts Exchange At the end of September, The Sharon's Operations Manager, Jason Goedken, and Booking Coordinator, Elizabeth Constant, attended the annual Performing Arts Exchange (PAE) in Atlanta, Georgia. This booking conference is hosted by South Arts and changes locations each year to various eastern cities in the U.S. At the conference, The Sharon Representatives are able to meet with Artist's Agents to see what new talent and tours are available for the upcoming booking season. They found out what performances are touring through central Florida to host at The Sharon. Typically The Sharon books performances 12-18 months in advance. This conference was all about Fall of 2018 and Spring of 2019. They had 24 meetings over two business days (think of it as speed dating!) Jason and Elizabeth found some really great stuff and look forward to nailing down the future bookings at the national conference, Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP) in January 2018.

The PAE Conference took place in Atlanta.

PAE had an excellent showcase of talent.

Booking Coordinator, Elizabeth Constant and Operation's Manager, Jason Goedken

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Fernando

& Friends

Puerto Rico Relief Concert

Nov 7th

4pm & 7:30pm $30-$75

ALL PROCEEDS GO TO

PUERTO RICO RELIEF FUNDS

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NNIE

Come sing with us!

Nov 27th, 2017

Show Time: 7:30pm to 10:00pm Show (arrive and exit at any time)

Time

Doors Open at 7:00pm

Bring sheet music or peruse our collection, sing a song and cheer for your friends, and in between special guest Whitney Morse and Gary Powell will perform some of their favorite cabaret numbers.

Cost is $15 which includes a free drink at the bar.

Guests are to bring their own sheet music in their key (or choose a song from Gary's selections) and sing in the lobby while accompanied by Gary on the piano.

Everyone is welcome to get their chance in the spotlight or just come and be entertained.

Try the Signature Dri n

The Nonnie Sour

k:

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THE SHARON SCHEDULE

Performing Arts Theatres of The VillagesÂŽ

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The Sharon is now oering: Acting Classes, Theatre History Classes, and more!

If interested in the Spring Courses to come, please contact our Box Office for early registration.

For questions and registration visit: The Sharon Box Office | www.TheSharon.com/academy | 352-751-7799

FREE professional photography* available in The SharonÂŽ Lobby! * For select shows

Look for the photographer at your next show.

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CHALLENGE

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e c i f f O x o B s e g a l l i V At T h e November18th

g n i n n i g Be E B M E C E D

h t 0 3 h R 27t

The Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center has a mission to provide quality entertainment to The VillagesÂŽ and its surrounding communities. www.TheSharon.com #TheSharon

Our mission is to inspire the residents of Central Florida to examine relevant issues by elevating them through innovative and intimate storytelling. Think outside the box, inside the box at The Studio Theatre. www.TheSharonStudio.com #TheStudioTheatreTDS Š 2017 The Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center. Prices and availability subject to change without notice.