Get to Know Cinderella: Into the Woods

Hi, Gang!


I recently ran into Bethany Jackson who is playing the lovely Cinderella in the upcoming Chaska Valley Family Theater summer production of Into the Woods (btw -NOT to be missed). Bethany (below left) is new to the CVFT theater family but NOT to theater. She is a vocal performance major and theater minor at Northwestern College in St. Paul. This is the inside scoop...

Bethany Jackson/Cinderella at rehearsal (on left) 

with Anna Stauber/Little Red Riding Hood 

What does being a part CVFT mean to you? Why is it special?

Bethany/Cinderella: "I'm SO excited to FINALLY actually be in a CVFT show.... after years of seeing them, having friends involved, and hearing about it, I finally decided to audition and it has been somewhere between thirty and forty TIMES more fun than I thought it would be. This is an amazing group of people putting together a REALLY amazing, really challenging show.... there is something quite awesome and joy-filled about that, let me tell you."

Tell me about your character and what she would say about coming to the show.

Bethany/Cinderella:  "CInderella would say: "I just want everyone to be there! I want to see all my friends and make sure that everyone is included. If you don't come, my feelings might get hurt a little, but I guess I am used to it, so I probably won't yell at you....although I might complain sadly to my bird friends."

Other things we should know about you?
"I saw Chaska Valley Family Theater's Fiddler on the Roof 3 times because Ann Nelson was in it and I love her."

Any rehearsal funny stuff we should know about? 

"Oh, you know..... that one time when Dave Vandergriff was playing a female cow being milked for magic milk."

Dave/Milky White is see here (right) practicing with his arm crutches. I have seen him DANCE with those things...if I can get the video pulled together I will post. VERY impressive.

Show run is at the end of July - here is the link to reserve your seats... TIX

Hope to see you there! 


Jibs
CVFT, Behind the Scenes Gal

COOL (Free) SHOW this SATURDAY!

It's going to be a hot one this week....but we have something to cool you down. 

The Dragonfly Theater Arts Camp is performing "Off the Wall, the Mother Goose Mystery Musical" this Saturday, June 30th at the Chaska Community Center. Show times are at 1PM and 2:30 PM. Air conditioning is FREE and so are the performances!

The play, directed by the beloved, Charlie Title is a festive tale of well-known Mother Goose Characters. Just when you thought you knew their stories, all your favorites find themselves standing in a lineup, trying to sing and dance their way out of a sticky situation. A perfect afternoon delight for the kids and kids at heart. 

We hope to see you there!

*********

Dragonfly Theater Camp is a summertime must for kids, ages 8-13, who are interested in the theater. The week long camp is lead by Charlie Title and runs daily M-F 8 AM to 2 PM with performances on Saturday.  Due to popular demand, the camp will be offered twice this year. Next session is August 13 - 18, 2012.  All camps and performances are conveniently held at the Chaska Community Center.  For more information please visit us online at www.cvft.org/dragonfly.htm

EVENT NEWS

Theater Friends....Summer is here!  The kids are home. I actually got to sleep in. NIce. 

Before you all dash off to the beach, I wanted to let you know there are some VERY exciting things going on at your favorite community theater this summer....CVFT is gearing up for an AMAZING show this July/August...Into the Woods. I was thinking we probably couldn't beat the Oliver! performances, but I don't know. This cast is off the hook. Not to mention the Production Team. More than 90 talented people, from all over the Twin Cities, tried out for the production. Jim Lund, our esteemed Artistic Director, said he was amazed by the talent. I am sure the Casting Team had quite a time.

I am lucky enough to be working on the Into the Woods Production Team - under the direction of our very own and greatly talented Dianne Strandberg. She is letting me see the behind-the-scenes interworking of the show and it is facinating. More on that later.....

In the meantime, we have a lot of activities and events happening this summer to keep you plugged into the fabulous world of CVFT. Whether you are new to the group or have literally been in 20+ shows (you know who you are !), we welcome you to join in the fun. Please "Like Us" on Facebook to ensure you are in the loop....

http://www.facebook.com/ChaskaValleyFamilyTheatre

EVENT NEWS: Here is our first one...

Our very own Into the Woods Vocal Director....Bobby Ragoonanan. This weekend he is performing and Charlie Title (Producer, Into the Woods) said it should be amazing...

More on Bobby: http://www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?action=info&rid=287944

On Saturday, June 9th at 7:30PM at Peace Lutheran Church in Lauderdale (1744 Walnut Street, Lauderdale, MN, 55113) Bobby will be participating in a Keyboard Concert, featuring Caitlin Miller, Bobby on Piano, and Michael Berndt on Organ. Works on the program will include:

Grainger: Zanibar Boat Song for Piano, 6-Hands
Mozart: Sonata in F Major K332
Buxtehude: Toccata in D Minor
Beethoven: Sonata in C Minor Op. 10 No. 1 Mvt. I
Mendelssohn: Sonata for Organ Op. 65 No. 1
Debussy: Estampes Suite, The Girl with the Flaxen Hair
Bartok: Allegro Barbaro
Rachmaninoff: Romance for Piano, 6-Hands

Word has it the concert is going to ROCK and it is definitely worth your time to traverse on over to Lauderdale, which is just north of St. Paul and just east of Minneapolis. Best of all, the concert is FREE (donations are accepted). 

Questions?? Please contact: 
-- 
Bobby Ragoonanan 651-354-6512
Accompanist at Luther College

That's all. Time to weed the garden.

Jibs

Cast List for Into the Woods!

Dear fellow thespians,

What an amazing week of auditions! I am very pleased to announce the cast
list for Into The Woods.  I am confident that this very talented group will
put together a show that we will all be proud of!

The first meeting of the cast will be Monday at the rehearsal studio,
starting at 6:30.  At that meeting, you will learn more about CVFT, about
each other, about our directing team, and about our schedule.  We'll talk
about strategies for promoting our show and meet our promotion team (who are
very excited to meet you!)

This first meeting will be for the members of the adult cast only -- there
will also be children in the cast, but  the children's meeting will happen
at a later date.

I look forward to seeing all of you again, and to a creative and eventful
rehearsal process!

Jim Lund  (            952-486-3914       cell,             952-380-1995       home)

Did you think I forgot the list?  Here it is!  If for any reason you are not
able to accept your role, please let me know as soon as possible.

Gillian Barron  Cinderella's Stepmother
Ali Dorschner       Rapunzel
Shannon Dorschner       Cinderella's Mother
Shana Eisenberg       The Baker's Wife
Mathew Ferche  Cinderella's Prince
Wade Fields  The Baker
Kayla Hambek  Granny/The Giant
Bethany Jackson Cinderella
Brianna Keener  Lucinda
Alex Nelson  The Steward
Rachel Olson   Florinda
Travis Rother  Cinderella's Father
Anna Stauber Little Red Riding Hood
Caroline Swanson Jack's Mother
Mark Taintor The Wolf
Charlie Title   The Narrator/Mysterious Man
Dave Vandergriff     Milky White
Brendan Veerman Jack
Hayley Wender  The Witch
Michael Whalen  Rapunzel's Prince


Children playing birds, rabbits, horses, hens, etc.:

Lauryn Bolz
Victor Bolz
Zemek Callen
Ariel Crabtree
Willow Fields
Karsten Johnson
Courtney Olson
Clayton Phillips
Abe Stauber
Ellen Whalen

Callback List for Into The Woods at CVFT

A very sincere “Thank You!” to everyone who auditioned!  By about the middle of Tuesday’s auditions I realized two things:  That the pool of local talent is OUTSTANDING (really – so many excellent auditions!)  and that it is also BIG.  There are many of you and a limited number of roles.  Please remember two things:  A spot on the callback list does not guarantee a role, and being missing from the callback list does not necessarily mean you will not be cast.  This is a small cast for a musical, so there are going to be many disappointments.  I apologize for that, but please do keep coming back to CVFT auditions!

The list follows.  The callbacks will take place on Friday at the CVFT warehouse (henceforth referred to as the “rehearsal studio” which sounds so much better!)  Callbacks will begin at 5:30 (to better accommodate those who can’t stay past 6:30) but if you can’t arrive until 6 that’s OK.  Callback materials and more information will arrive later today via email for those on the list.  If you have questions please feel free to email me at lundj@district112.org or call (after school hours) 952-380-1995.

Jim Lund

The CVFT Warehouse is located in the Chanhassen Lakes I Office Building at 1351-1365 Park Road in Chanhassen, Directly across from J&R Radiator and east of Gorilla Combat. 

The Baker’s Wife	Bethany Jackson Hayley Wenber Shana Eisenberg Katie Lenius	The Baker	Jesse Wagner Mark Taintor Wade Fields
Cinderella	Bethany Jackson Stephanie Simmons Nikki Allen	Jack	Brendan Veerman Travis Rother Alex Nelson
Little Red Riding Hood	Anna Stauber Brianna Keener	Rapunzel’s Prince	Andrew Alness Jesse Wagner Mark Taintor Matthew Ferche Alex Nelson Michael Whalen
The Witch	Gillian Barron* Hayley Wenber Caroline Swanson Shana Eisenberg	Cinderella’s Prince	Matthew Ferche Jesse Wagner
Rapunzel	Nikki Allen Ali Dorschner	The Wolf	Mark Taintor Michael Whalen

Dragonfly 2012!

The dates for Dragonfly camps have been announced - we're doing TWO this year, under the continued direction of the masterful Charlie Title!  And new this year, in addition to hand registration (see the link at the bottom of the page) you can register via email and pay online!

http://www.cvft.org/dragonfly.htm

CVFT's Oliver in the Star Tribune West Section today!

http://www.startribune.com/local/west/142161413.html