Congrats to Grand Award Winners!

Photo by Eryn Kovach, video projection screen by David Kolenda

Actors’ Theatre would like to congratulate the entire Grand Rapids theatre community for their support and involvement in the 2010 Grand Awards.  Proceeds of this event go to scholarships for theatre students.  This year’s scholarship winners were Brian T. Martin, Luke Virkstis and Lizzy Sulkowski.  (Actors’ Theatre patrons will recognize Lizzy for her work with Living on the Edge and onstage in last year’s production of The Little Dog Laughed.)

Click here to see a complete list of the award winners.

Grand Awards Nominations for Actors’ Theatre

This year’s Grand Awards will take place on October 3, 2010 at the Aquinas Performing Arts Center.

Congratulations to all the community and college theaters involved in the program! This is a wonderful way to raise money for a theatre scholarship. To learn more about the Grand Awards, check out their Facebook page.

The Actors’ Theatre nominees are:

Leading Actress in a Play:
Krystina Schripsema – Mr. Marmalade
Kitty Carrico Carpenter – Frozen

Lead actor in a Play:
Ralph Lister – Frozen
Greg Rogers – Drawer Boy

Supporting Actress In a Play:
Becky Monterusso – Frozen

Supporting Actor in a Play:
Dylan Harris – Mr. Marmalade
Rob Karel – Mr. Marmalade

Direction of a Play:
Fred Sebulske – Top Dog/Under Dog
Michelle Urbane – Mr. Marmalade

Best Play:
Top Dog/Under Dog
Mr. Marmalade

To see a complete list of the Grand Award nominations for this year, go to Spotlight on the Grand.

Theatre and Arts This Weekend

This is a big weekend for theatre and the arts in Grand Rapids!  Be sure and check out the following shows and events going on this weekend:

Actors’ Theatre Grand Rapids – Living On the Edge VII, Making Art, Making Money.  Check out this celebration of the 10 minute play!  This year’s installment of the Actors’ annual ten-minute play series features five works about the joy and dilemmas of creativity.  Performances on June 3 at 8:00 PM and on June 4 at 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM

Circle Theatre – Steel Magnolias. Come join the ladies in Truvy’s beauty salon in Chinquapin, Louisiana, where all the ladies who are “anybody” come to have their hair done. Performances June 3-5, 9-13, 16-19, at 7:30 PM Wednesday through Saturday, 5:00 PM on Sunday.

Grand Rapids Civic Theatre – Doubt, A Parable. Set at a Catholic school in 1964, Doubt, A Parable centers on a nun who confronts a priest after suspecting him of abusing a black student. He denies the charges, and much of the play’s quick-fire dialogue tackles themes of religion, morality, and authority. Performances June 4-13, at 7:30 PM Wednesday through Saturday, 2:00 PM on Sunday.

Dog Story Theatre – Mint. Mint is the story of Charlie who moves back into his childhood home after the sudden death of his father, at the same time his Evangelical aunt Sheralyn moves in to ‘minister’ to the family. The action in Mint centers around the deteriorating mental health of Charlie’s mother, but the real drama arises when his aunt discovers his boyfriend making dinner in the family’s kitchen. Performances Thursday and Friday June 3-4 at 8:00 PM and Saturday and Sunday June 5-6 at 2:00 PM.

41st Festival of the Arts, Grand Rapids – 2010 marks the 41st festival of the arts, making it one of the longest-running festivals in the state. Festival always takes place the first full weekend in June in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. Festival of the arts is a community celebration featuring arts, entertainment, food and fun activities for the entire family. Festival Hours are Friday, June 4 Noon to 10:00 PM, Saturday 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM and Sunday 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM.

LOTE VII, Special Thanks

There are still a few tickets available for Living On The Edge VII, Making Art, Making Money. Please remember that seating is very limited (there are less than 50 seats available for each performance) so be sure and reserve your seats by purchasing them  through the Actors’ Theatre website or by calling the Box Office at (616) 234-3946.

Performance Dates for Living on The Edge VII
Thursday, June 3 – 8:00 PM
Friday, June 4 – 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM

Living on the Edge is made possible, in part, by a generous contribution from:
Charles and Sara Homeyer

We would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their ongoing support of Actors’ Theatre.  We would also like to thank the following playwrights, actors, directors, cast and crew for all their hard work on Living on the Edge VII:

Selling It
Written by G.M. (Bud) Thompson
Directed by Calin Skidmore
The Visitor ………………………….. Nick Milbratz
The Conossiuer …………………… Sarah LaJoye
The Artist ……………………………….. Ian Borton
The CEO ……………………………. Amy Kachele
The Art …………………………………. Todd Lewis

Extra-Curricular Activities
Written by Kristin Andrea Hanratty
Directed by Elizabeth Sulkowski
Mr. Early ………………………….. Jonathan Clausen
Mr. Minkus …………………………….. Nick Milbratz
Ms. Quinn …………………….. Mackenzie McElroy

How to Make a Mobile
Written by Randy Wyatt
Directed by Steve Taber
Lila ………………………………. Maureen Kirkwood
Colleen …………………………………. Taylor Lannan

A Very Lovely Dress
Written by D. Richard Tucker
Directed by Rachel Pinero
Tailor ……………………………………. Hans Heikkinen
Sarah ……………………………… Elizabeth Sulkowski

Voices
Written by Todd Michael Lewis
Directed by Kyle Amanda Dutkiewicz
Abstract ………………………………………. Steve Taber
Jeremy …………………………………… Owen McIntee
Realism ………………………………….. Angela Schaffer
Impressionism …………………… Liene Strautneiks
Statue ………………………………….. Cordello Jordan
Angelina …………………………………… Chelsea Kaye

PRODUCTION STAFF
Stage Manager………….Erin Short
Lighting Design………..Will Gearring
Sound Technician……..Steve Taber

ADDITIONAL SPECIAL THANKS
Michelle Urbane, Catherine Dreher, Don Rice, Patricia Dutkiewicz, Pegeen Jefchak

Reserve your seats by purchasing them  through the Actors’ Theatre website or by calling the Box Office at (616) 234-3946.

Living on the Edge – Making Art, Making Money

Tickets are now on sale for Living on the Edge VII: Making Art, Making Money. This year’s installment of the Actors’ annual ten-minute play series features five works about the joy and dilemmas of creativity. Each year Actors’ begins a process in February that includes the submission, selection and public reading of new plays based the theme provided. The culmination of this process is the public performance of these works, which will take place tonight, tomorrow and Friday in the Black Box at Spectrum Theater (Room 201). Be sure and join us for a wonderful evening of local community theatre!

Tickets for Living on the Edge VII are now on sale through the Actors’ Theatre website or by calling the Box Office at (616) 234-3946. Get your tickets today as seating is very limited.

Performance Dates for Living on The Edge VII

Wednesday, June 2 – 8:00 PM
Thursday, June 3 – 8:00 PM
Friday, June 4 – 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM

This year’s theme is “Making Art, Making Money.” The five finalists from chosen from our public reading are:

Selling It
Written by: G.M. (Bud) Thompson
Directed by: Calin Skindmore

A casual visitor to an art gallery encounters a unique piece on display that challenges his concepts of what art is… or can be…or should be: esthetic expression? Social statement? Commercially viable generator of funding for future pieces? Welcome to a world where art can be… has to be… all those things at the same time. Is anyone buying it?

Extra-Curricular Activities
Written by: Kristin Andrea Hanratty
Directed by: Lizzy Sulkowski

Is what we do for a living the true definition of who we are? In the comedy Extra-Curricular Activities, a young hotshot lawyer is confronted by two co-workers about her scandalous after work activities, but they too must deal with their own unconventional aspirations.

How To Make A Mobile
Written by: Randy Wyatt
Directed by: Steve Taber

Lila discovers that she may not know everything about her daughter Colleen – or about Alexander Calder.

A Very Lovely DressWritten by: D. Richard Tucker
Directed by: Becky Smith

Sarah goes for a dress fitting in preparation for the most important day of her life… but not exactly what we were expecting.

Voices
Written by: Todd Michael Lewis
Directed by: Kyle Amanda Dutkiewicz

For artist Jeremy Filburn, separating the art from the artist becomes increasingly challenging when a woman comes back into his life.

Tickets for Living on the Edge VII are now on sale through the Actors’ Theatre website or by calling the Box Office at (616) 234-3946. Get your tickets today as seating is very limited.