Archive for September, 2009

Lyric Arts had the opportunity to talk with director of Little Shop of Horrors, Laura Bidgood.  Find out what she had to say about the show, cast, and working in the Halloween Capital of the World.

LA: For those that are unfamiliar with Little Shop of Horrors can you tell us about the show?  

LB: The show is set in the 1960’s, in a scuzzy place called Skid Row. The story centers around a nerdy flower shop worker, Seymour Krelbourn,  and his discovery of strange new plant he calls an “Audrey II.”

LA: Tell us a little bit about why this particular rock musical interested you?

LB: Little Shop has always been a favorite of mine. I grew up watching the 1986 movie version and was drawn in by the larger than life characters, catchy musical numbers and campiness. I am very excited to have the opportunity to bring Little Shop of Horrors to the stage!

LA: The movie,  Little Shop of Horrors,  is considered by some to be “a cult classic.”  Why should those who have seen the movie come to see the stage version? 

LB: If you love the movie version, you’ve got to see the stage version! Both the stage and film versions are quite similar but just different enough that it gives you a new perspective on the show.

Also nothing beats seeing live theatre and those characters from the movie, come to life right before your eyes. We’ve also got a number of special effects in this show that will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat!

I can’t wait to see this show…and I’m directing it!


LA: How is directing a musical different then directing a play without music?

LB: The most obvious difference is the addition of music and dancing to help the story along in a musical that you don’t get with a straight show.  Also in musicals your characters tend to be more over the top and larger than life.  Especially in this show!

Directing straight shows, it is usually just the director calling the shots in rehearsals. In a musical you have a lot of creative minds all coming together in their areas of expertise, i.e. choreography and music. It’s been interesting and fun in the rehearsal process working with and  bringing all three of those elements: singing, acting, and dancing together. 

LA: Being that you have directed at Lyric Arts in the past, how has Little Shop of Horrors been a different experience for you? 

LB: While I have directed musicals before, this is my first one at Lyric Arts. It’s been a lot of fun working with such creative people in putting the show together.  Musicals take a little bit more work to get performance ready and the process of us getting there has certainly been a different but enjoyable experience for me.

LA: What do you feel are the “wow” elements of Little Shop of Horrors?

LB: There are a lot of “wow” elements in this show; the actors, the set, costumes, the lights.  There are so many “wow” elements that you may, as you watch show, find yourself inadvertently making a “w” sign with first your left and then your right hand.  Next you’ll be lifting those hands to your mouth, while your lips make an “o” shape and you will be literally spelling out the “wow.” Almost against your will. That’s how good this show is.

LA: Comment on the talent level in the cast. 

LB: We’ve got the most talented cast ever! Okay…I might be a little influenced in my remark because I am the director.

But all kidding aside, we do have a great cast. They are not only exceptionally talented in singing and acting, but also exceptionally hard working and easy to get along with.

We’ve got a small cast for a musical (only 9 people!) and I believe that’s really made them a close knit group that understands and plays off each other very well. We’ve had a lot of fun preparing this show for an audience.

LA: Being that Anoka is the Halloween Capital of the World, how is this show appropriate for the Halloween season?

LB: Well first I just want to say what an honor it is to be working in the Halloween Capital of the World on Halloween. This show is super appropriate for Halloween, you’ll get some tricks during the show and afterwards you’ll thank us for the treat.

LA: Tell us what is something that you are particular excited about this show coming to together? For example, a certain scene, costumes, set, lights, etc?   

LB: I am most excited for the finale of our show coming together. It’s going to be a cumulation of all the elements in the show giving it 120%; the costumes, lights, set, the orchestra, not to mention the actors all coming together to end the show with a bang that you will not soon forget.  When the lights in the house come up, you will NOT leave this show disappointed and who knows…you may just want to come back again.

LA: Anything else you’d like to touch on that wasn’t mentioned our asked.

LB: Only that I adore Lyric Arts and the opportunity to work here. I’ve worked at a number of community theatres throughout the metro and am always blown away by the talent, strong support from the staff, and the solid productions that Lyric Arts produces! I love Lyric Arts!!

LA: We love you, too, Laura!  Little Shop of Horrors opens Friday, October 16, and runs through Sunday, November 1.  Tickets available by phone (763-422-1838) or online.  Click for more information about show dates and times.

With Doubt in performance on stage (what an amazing production that was, I hope you all got to see it!) for the past month or so, the cast of Little Shop of Horrors had been rehearsing in the back rehearsal room and dance studio.  Yesterday was our first chance to get on stage now that Doubt has closed, the set has been struck and Patrick (our kickin’ tech director) has been able to paint the floor for our show. 

It’s great to finally be on the stage! The blocking that we did upstairs transferred nicely to the stage, save for a few minor alterations and I think the entire cast is excited to have more space to play around.

There was great excitement to get started working on the stage yesterday that was thwarted by heavy, parking lot traffic on 169, the route that seems all of our 9 person cast and majority of crew uses. EVERYONE (me included!), except for our  stage manager Chris was late to rehearsal.

That got us off to a later and slightly frazzled start than planned, but despite that, we got some excellent work done! We ran the show and It’s looking good!  We’ve got some work to do in these next few weeks, but we are on our way!!

I am looking forward to the rest of this week as we start to get more comfortable working on the stage!

Rehearsals this weekend went really well!

*high five*

On Saturday we focused on the “dentist” scene from the show. Nick (“Seymour”) and David (“The Dentist”) play off each other so well that this scene is going to be hilarious!

David really beats up on Nick during this scene. I don’t think David has ever gotten blocking notes like this before, “Put him in a headlock and then slap his face.”  But I think he is enjoying it!  I just hope that I am not traumatizing Nick too much for future dentist visits!

Also on Saturday, our fantastic choreographer Charise came in and worked with out “Doo Wop” girls on cementing some of their choreography.  Man those girls have a lot of back up dancing in this show. There’s not a single song in which they don’t do some sort of movement.  Charise manages to keep every dance number they have fresh and original and new.  My favorite thing about Charise choregraphing is how she decribes dance moves.  My two favorites are:

1)  ”Just throw it away”

2)  “Blade Hands”   

Many of you who know me probably look at me and just assume I’m a dancer. But I am going to admit something right now. Right here:

I, Laura Evelyn Bidgood, am NOT a dancer.

I know. It’s shocking, but true.

Not only am I left handed, I have two left feet.  Ironically enough my favorite show is So You Think You Can Dance. *shoulder shrug*

If left to my own devices with choreography, everyone would be box stepping and jazz handing all over that stage, with a shimmy thrown in once in a while for good measure. That’s why I am so delighted to have Charise on board as choreographer.  She brings a log of experience and a lot of awesomeness to the stage with her choreogrpahy.  She’s so good I think would even be able to teach ME how to dance.  

Sunday’s rehearsal was low key but we got some good work done.  We’ve blocked almost all of the show except for one very short scene and it was fun on Sunday to start exploring and fine tuning scenes. 

That’s it for this weekend’s rehearsals. Check back tomorrow for an update on Monday’s rehearsal. Thanks for stopping by!

Thank you to all who came out to auditions. We had a slew of talented people. Please see the finale cast list at under “Get Involved” then “A Christmas Carol“. Or click on the link below:

 http://www.lyricarts.org/get-involved/auditions/a-christmas-carol

Well Hello There! 

My name is Laura Bidgood and I am the director of Lyric Art’s production of Little Shop of Horrors…opening on October 16^th! 

*high five*

I have been asked to write a blog about our show giving you an inside scoop into our rehearsal process.   It’s going to be pretty awesome, so you’ll want to check back every Monday, Thursday and Saturday for new blogs tracking our progress as we get this puppy ready for an audience. 

How about I introduce you to our cast and crew?

Laura Bidgood, Director. That’s me!  I am a  five foot three bundle of directing dynamite.

Kablam!

I love Lyric Arts. For real. *serious head nod*  I am delighted that they keep asking me back here to direct!  Lyric Arts Main Street Stage is nothing but a good time filled with tons of talent.

Speaking of…here’s my crew and cast:

Jane Frank, Music Director.  This is Jane’s first time Music Directing at Lyric Arts, but something tells me it won’t be her last. I like to call her “Keys” because she is one amazing pianist.  She’s also got a great ear and really is whipping (figuratively not literally) our cast into excellent vocal shape. 

Christopher Marc, Stage Manager. Chris is one cool cookie. He is super organized, always on time, easy going and quite possibly one of the best stage managers I’ve ever worked with. He helps to keep us all on track!

Stacy Karger, Assistant Stage Manager. Stacy has had a bit of a break from theatre, but boy am I every glad she is back. She brings a lot of enthusiasm to her job and is doing great!

Charise Schrupp, Choreographer.  Charise is awesome! This show doesn’t have a ton of dance in it, but I wish there were more because Charise is so creative and fun to work with!

Becky Flanders, Costumer. Becky always puts 110% into every show. I’ve worked with her before and am always super impressed with what she manages to come up with! She’s got a great eye for costume.

Dan Thorson, Lighting Designer. Dan always has really good music on his iPod that he pipes in through the theatre whenever he is working on lights which I really enjoy. He also happens to be a wonderfully talented and smart lighting designer. He always sets a mood with his lights.

Todd Edwards, Set Designer. Todd is new to Lyric Arts and has an incredible eye for set design. I can’t wait for the audience to see what he has come up with for Little Shop of Horrors. You will NOT be disappointed. He’s great!

Patrick Vital-Schwartz, Technical Director. Todd’s designing the set and Patrick is putting it all together. Patrick is awesome to work with and quite an incredible set designer himself. He always gets the job done!

Anna Clinkenger, Props Master. Anna is new to Lyric Arts, but no stranger to props. She went to college in Ohio where she specialized in props. I think we are going to be in great hands with her!

Jeff Geisler, Sound Designer.  Jeff is incredible at what he does! It’s not easy making sure that everyone can be heard but Jeff does it perfectly. He’s an all around great guy and we are so lucky to have him and his mad sound skills on board! 

Joanna Diem, Production Manager. Joanna is a true asset to Lyric Arts. With her keen eye for detail and her can do professional attitude, she is truly the glue that holds productions together and helps to make them so successful. She is super cool!

Now you’ve met the crew. How about our cast?

Nick Menzhuber, Seymour.  Nick takes center stage as our lead and is splendid! He really delivers the goods in this show. What an actor! He plays the nerd really well…sometimes it’s like he’s not even acting!  He takes a lot of abuse from the other characters during the show; Orin pokes and punches him, Audrey slaps him, Mushnik pushes him, and Ronnette trips him…I won’t be surprise if Nick is black and blue by the end of the run!

Sarah Wind, Audrey. Sarah is brand new to Lyric Arts but are we ever glad she decided to come here.  She possesses a truly amazing voice that I can’t wait for our audiences to hear.  Her and Nick’s duet, “Suddenly Seymour” is my favorite from the show! Such raw emotion!  Sarah said that she definitely relates to Audrey, but doesn’t dress like a floozy and actually has a very nice boyfriend.

Willow Bousu, Ronnette.  Willow is also a new addition to Lyric Arts, but no stranger to musical theatre.   I gave her, Molly and Emily the assignment of watching some episodes of Maury, Jerry Springer and Peoples Court, to develop their “street urchin” characters.  Willow was excited for this excuse to watch bad reality TV. She has a really pure, classically trained voice that blends perfectly with Molly and Emily.

Emily Picardi, Crystal. Emily is our youngest cast ember, with quite possibly the biggest voice. She is an amazing soprano that can sing so incredibly high, that I think if she wanted to, could break glass. She didn’t seem as thrilled by her assignment to watch People’s Court, but I think once she does it might become her new favorite show. She sings the soprano part in the Doo Wops and compliments Willow and Molly’s voice terrifically.

Molly Landgrebe, Chiffon.  Talk about your soulful voice. She is a powerhouse of a belter and I am so glad she’s in the show! She’s quite mellow offstage but onstage has this terrific sass and spunk to her that makes Chiffon come alive.  Molly seemed slightly intrigued by the concept of watching reality TV to develop character, so I can’t wait to get her opinion on the latest episode of Jerry Springer.  She sings the low part in the Doo Wop harmony and sings it well!

David Ulrich, Orin, Bernstein, Snip, Luce, and Patrick Morgan. David is a comic genius! He comes alive once he hits the stage and brings with him a separate and distinct character with each role he takes on during the show.  My favorite is the roles he plays in the song, “The Meek Shall Inherit.” That is one you do not want to miss. He also does a bang up job (pun intended) as Orin, the sadistic dentist. You’ll never think of Orthodontry (I think that’s a word – but you know what I mean) the same way again.

Ron Tolliver, Mr. Mushnik. Ron is no stranger to the Lyric Arts stage. He’s done a number of shows here and done them all very well. An experienced actor with a ton of experience, he knows what to do and always gets it done on stage.  He is always early for rehearsal and always super prepared. A director’s dream!  Be sure to not miss him tangoing during the show!

Curtis Burton, Voice of  Audrey II, Wino #1.  Curtis has such a rich, velvety voice that it makes you want to just sit and listen to it….all day.  I am so glad that he auditioned as he is perfectly suited to voice Audrey II.   Curtis has a fun cameo in the first scene as Wino #1, that you will definitely not want to miss.  He seems to be having a great time and we are glad to have him the show!

Zach Miller, Plant, Wino #2, Ensemble.  Zach is tackling the role of the puppeteering (I am not sure if that is an actual word) our plant.  He also has a few fun cameos throughout the show so be sure to look for those.  Zach has a fun sense of humor and is a great addition to the ensemble. His enthusiasm makes him the perfect choice to puppet the plant! The plants we are using in the show are actual  replicas from the Broadway show, that we are renting and they look  amazing!

That’s it! The cast and crew of Little Shop of Horrors. Check back with us later for new blogs as I give you  glimpses into how rehearsals are going, share insider secrets, and tell some funny stories as we get this show up and running.

So until next time! And remember whatever you do…. don’t feed plant!

Tune into MPR (91.1FM) Art Hounds at 8:25 A.M. and 4:44 P.M. on Thursday, September 17 to hear Laura Bidgood, a director at Lyric Arts, talk about her experience seeing Doubt, A Parable at Lyric Arts.

Did you know that Lyric Arts tracks volunteer hours during each season?  We do, and this past 2008-2009 season, Bruce Humphrys was selected as the ‘Volunteer of the Year’ with over 200 volunteer hours!

Bruce may be recognized from his stage work in such plays as Meet Me in St. Louis and Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus. Or perhaps you recognize him as a House Manager in the lobby.  However, we bet you didn’t know that he also worked behind the scenes painting sets and helping with auditions.  Way to go, Bruce!

Bruce was one of eight nominees to be recognized on the new Lyric Arts Century Club.  Click here to meet the other nominees and members of the Century Club!

Tonight is the last night to audition for A Christmas Carol. Lyric Arts is still in need of male and female adults to audition. Auditions are from 6:30 p.m.-9:00 p.m. in the dance studio. I hope you can come out and audition for this great Christmas production!

See ya tonight!

Lyric Arts would like to send a big “thank you” to everyone who attended “Doubt, A Parable” during opening weekend and to everyone who helped us spread the word by sharing their enthusiasm for the show with their friends.  We’ve heard stellar reveiws from audience members in the lobby; we’ve also heard them on our Facebook pages. 

Just came home from Doubt—very powerful—very well acted.—Eileen Rathbun, Anoka

A riveting show with a stellar cast…Talk about returning to the stage with a bang…[Anthony R. Johnson's] performance was FANTASTIC in a very difficult role….Bravo Tony!—Steve Moy, Anoka

Come join us on Saturday, September 12 for the first day of auditions for  A Christmas Carol. This show features many different roles  for every person in the family. Come one, come all! For more information on auditions, click on “Get Involved”.

Hope to see you at auditions!