New Semester, New Seats, and Underground!

The new seats!

The old seats. Goodbye green seats!

It's the third day back on campus since our busy week at ACTF and we're helping our friends in the Simpson Music Department get ready for their spring opera, Albert Herring. Even though we're jealous that they get to use the new version of Pote Theatre before we do for "Eurydice." The new red, purple, and, gold seats and red carpet are much more sophisticated looking than the old green ones that looked fit for a miniature golf course.

In other news, the Underground is back this friday and is Star Wars themed! Dress as your favorite character and win a prize. Made up characters are also welcome. Sith or Jedi all are welcome. The Underground is a once a month caberet-style line up of performances sponsored by the Performing Arts Theme House of Simpson College, the longest running theme house of Simpson College. Come to Camp Lounge at 9:30pm and bring your spare change. All donations will go to the AIDS Project of Northern Iowa. Come have fun, geek out, and help a good cause.
http://JessIrvinPhotos.zenfolio.com/p9696917/e32cb84d0 (Click on the link to see a preview of what the Underground has in store. Star Wars skits are go!) See you there. 

More amusing than mangos

Today the business has finally started slowing down. I saw three plays today.
Once On This Island
Richard III
Godspell

The first one I saw was called Once On This Island. It was absolutely adorable. It was a musical that made the audience clap along and feel an emotional attachment to every character. It was by far my favorite play I saw today. It was put on by Highland Community College. The plot revolves around a young island peasant woman named Ti Moune. As a little girl she was saved from a flood by the water god, Agwe. She then goes on a journey that follow the universal theme of life not always being fair and that the only hope a person can have is the power of love and forgiveness. It is a healing power. My title for this particular blog is actually a quote by the earth goddess who is quite witty. The only thing that turned me off about the show was some of the lighting cues. The actors didn't always make it to their light, so they were acting in the dark and hard to see.  The reason for this bungle is most likely because the crew hung the lights in this new space and not their original stage. Yet, you think that this wouldn't be a problem because they still rehearse before performing for the 1,500 people at this festival. But all in all, it's a touching performance that has the audience on their feet begging for more.

After about an hour break for lunch, we took bus to a theatre in downtown Ames to see Richard III. In a blunt conclusion: Richard's a prick, but don't worry I'll do a better summary. The story was about poor deformed Richard III, unloved and not next in line as an heir to the thrown. His lust for power then drives him to murder, even of his two preteen nephews who were in line before him. UMD, Duluth took a classic Shakespearean piece and set it in a non-traditional setting. I was turned off to this play, because it seemed too familiar to Simpson's production last year of Henry 5 (also by Shakespeare). Both plays were set in a post-apoptalyptic state. Scaffolding made up the set and punk music was used for transitions. The only thing that really impressed me was the lighting. There was a scrim set in the background and whenever someone died in the play, the scrim lit up and you could see blood splattering in the background. It made those people who were in midday nap mode sit up in their seats.


Godspell was performed by Johnson County Community College of Overland Park, Kansas. The set was utterly amazing. The band for this musical was onstage disguised as other characters. A giant rusty pickup truck was the band was set up. A trap-set was in the truck's bed and a keyboard was set up where the engine would normally be. The best part was that the conductor actually acted. He came out as a drunken bum who sleeps in the rusty pickup. He even carried a liquor bottle, but of course, he straightened his act when he conducted. The cast was a talented singing bunch and quite smart. Most of their lines were improvised and kept by the director. It was a laughing riot.

Simpson theatre students: Meghan Vosberg (Me!), Samantha Aaron, and Heather Powers strike a pose with the gods from "Once On This Island."

Spawn of Thespis

Team Simpson (AKA Team Gold with Team Ram Rod!) With our powers combined... we are... Team Gold Rod!

Day two in the land of Ames. The announcement for the finals of stage crew showdown was today. The main competition revolved around set shifting. Simpson College became allies with Team Ram Rod from North Dakota. (Their mascot was in lederhosen.)

Team Simpson (AKA Team Gold) Members: Ethan Newman, Paul Privitera, Natalie Hining, and Kelsey Swanson

Sadly the proud Simpson team will not be going on. But we do have a representative going onward to Semifinals for the Irene Ryan scholarship. Congrats to Tiffany Flory and her scene partner Erin Tracy. You girls rock!

And now I must hit the hay. I have an audition tomorrow morning at 8am and I will be the first out of over 200 people to audition for the entire day. Good morning! My name is Meghan Vosberg and this is your wake up call as I rap in your face.

Welcome to Ames

The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival for Region 5 is underway! It's been awesome so far. And before I start listing it's awesomeness, I would like to thank Simpson College for letting us use the big bus so our company all rode together instead of taking separate (not so peppy) vans.

And now to the awesomeness. Simpson College is well represented this year. At the opening ceremony, the festival president announced the outstanding merit awards. Awards went to:
-Last year's cast of Spring Awakening (Outstanding acting in an ensemble)
-Cassie Ring (Assistant Set Designer for The Learned Ladies)
-Kennedy Horton (Hair and Make-up Designer for The Learned Ladies)

Congrats Simpson!

                         (Simpson's rowdy group cheering their faces off at Stage Crew Showdown!)


After that everyone raced over to Iowa State's Fisher Theatre to watch Stage Crew Showdown. For those who don't know what that is, it's a competition for those company members who work backstage. The contest for tonight was a relay race of hanging drops and lights. Judging went by who was the fastest and the most accurate, but for those in the crowd it was about who could scream and cheer for their team the loudest. But I shouldn't write too much since it is after midnight and I have an audition in the morning at 9:00 AM. I shall fill you in later. Til then!

Kothurnos

Kothurnos-
(Greek) High shoes worn by tragic actors to increase their stature.

My first blog is up and running. I had the hardest time trying to find a title. I knew that I wanted to write about theatre since the Blank Performing Arts Center at Simpson College is where I end up spending the majority of my time. I even Googled different theatrical terms, thus finding the random Greek term listed above. Theatre is my passion. So, don't worry. There will be plenty to blog about. Get ready for my adventures I will be spending all next week (January 17th-21st) in Ames, Iowa for the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. There will be competitions, plays, auditioning, interviewing, and meeting some of the most interesting people ever. Stay tuned.