THE UNIVERSITY THEATRE PLAYERS CHAPTER OF
THE TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY EX-STUDENTS ASSOCIATION
GREENROOM NOTES
March 18, 2008
"Green Room everyone!
It is time for notes"- Ron Schulz
I know you’re thinking, “What’s up with Jimmy? The boy can’t get it together for months at a time and then suddenly he gets two editions of The Notes out in two weeks’ time?”
Well it’s called Student Matinee. And while it may sound lethal, I don’t think anyone has been irreparably injured. Except, perhaps, Mr. Rossini, the composer of Barber of Seville, the
aforementioned Student Matinee. In any case, I’ve got letters, time and a great desire to have something else to do besides listen to the monitor in my dressing room.
So first up, a note from Cole Cantleberry.
Jimmy,
You know, for a while there I was wondering if I had been bumped off the players list for being a bad player and not writing in. I'm so glad that's not the case. lol. (I had to give you just a little grief and now that it is finished it, I'm putting it to rest.)
I don't know when the next issue of the players is due, but I wanted to sneak this in there incase it comes before spring break.
USITT is in Houston this year and I wanted to invite any and all of the players out for a Saturday
night dinner, March 22nd. Place TBD, but watch the call boards for more info at the conference. Or email me. cole.cantleberry@ttu.edu
Thanks Jimmy and take care,
Cole
Okay, folks. If you’re in Houston or the surrounding environs, check with Cole and get some Player time in.
I said that I am working on a Notes archive. Marijane Wernsman actually has editions dating back to June of 2000, which she has thoughtfully forwarded to me. So in semi-short order we should have a far more comprehensive collection than I thought was possible. Thanks, Marijane!
Next, Jennifer Smith checks in with her birthday note.
Jimmy!
So glad to get the notes. I thought I had fallen off the planet without them!
This is my Birthday news. My show THE DROWSY CHAPERONE, closed on December 30th. I was very sad. Am doing the obscure musical JUNO at the Encores Series at City Center at the end of March and a few days on Confessions of a Shopaholic movie in April. Lots of auditions and lots of rejections but ain't that showbiz........ At least I can catch up on reality TV. Was actually in the Hub City on my birthday and caught up with my dear friend and Player, Betsy Goebel Jones. She is amazing! Hope all is well. Loved seeing Mark's birthday pics.
Jennifer Smith
I’d be concerned about Jennifer, except that she’s our Player who always, and I mean always, lands in clover. Whatever the next Best Show Tony award winner is, it’s a pretty safe bet that Jennifer will be in it.
Millie Casillas gives us an update as to what’s happening on campus.
Hey
EVERYONE,
Well I just wanted to let you know how things are going here at Tech's Theatre. This semester has gone by really fast and 3 shows have gone up and down now. First was Dance Tech: Artistry in Motion and that as always, was awesome to watch! Second was I'm Batman by Ted Dalhman (MFA playwriting student) which was a great comedy! And this past weekend was A Streetcar Named Desire directed by Dr. Jim Bush. Great show! Tonight was the read thru of Comedy of Errors being directed by Master Bill Gelber. I am part of it and I am really excited to start rehearsing with this great cast!
The real reason I wanted to write to you all was to announce some really cool news. Last semester Jeff Scott, Brandon Duncan, and myself were nominated for the Irene Ryan competition at the KCACTF deal that happened
this Feb26-March 1. The process of each of us finding a scene partner, 2 scenes no more than 2 1/2 min. each and a monologue was intense and stressful! However we all pulled through and took along with us Paul Fillinghim, Shane Roberie, and Daniel Ballard to compete with us and represent Texas Tech at Sam Houston State University. (they were hosting ACTF this year) Daniel and I, and Jeff and Paul advanced to the Finals and got to perform on their mainstage in front of a packed house. It was super exciting. The audience LOVED us.
And the greatest news I have for you is that Jeff and Paul were one of the teams to make it to NATIONALS at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C!!! They are officially Irene Ryan National Finalists!! The faculty and fellow students are extremely thrilled by this! I dont think this has ever happened! They will be going sometime in April (during Technicals for Comedy-which they are both in! luckily everything is scheduled well). I hope this brings a smile to everyone's faces!
-Millie Casillas
BFA Acting
Cangrats to all of you! I
remember participating in the Irene Ryan competition with Bob Starr. I don’t really think that you could say I was his acting partner, as I sat behind him in the dark and played flute while he actually acted (a scene from Royal Hunt of the Sun, dog nose pie), but I tell people that I participated all the same. I also seem to recall playing piano for someone (Judy Blue?) during that competition.
And finally, a note and reminder from Patrick Donnelly.
I am so glad Jimmy found a scene break long enough to publish the Notes.
That makes it a lot of fun. A wonderful way to get the Notes.
Bravo Jaime! Scroat, you rule!
One word of advice: Props. In the props dept. we can find some very long breaks.
But that is a professional dispute. Jimmy can sing wonderfully, while I can hand some schmuck a lit cigar with the cherry pointing away from him.
Jimmy sings and the crowd applauds, I get the rest of the cigar.
Values. It is all about values.
And, we come to the
subject.
Jia Wa Chen. The scholarship in his name.
Forgive me if I don’t spell his name correctly. {Editor’s Note: “Jia-Hua Chin” is
the actually spelling.} My name is easy, PAT, but I don’t get a lot of names right. Ask the people who know me. Or are related to me. It is a curse.
Anyway. Time for a donation. Your donation.
Many years ago we proposed the “year of graduation” gift. The year you
graduated (or just left) the theatre program and drear old TTU. Translated into dollars and cents.
I can wax poetic or compose conspicuously, but the simple truth is:
This young man died on our stage.
A scholarship in his name, and in his memory is something we, as Players, need to consider.
The math is simple, the checkbook is near, the pen is not far away.
Take the day you graduated. 1979 can be $19.79.
Twenty Bucks. For a silenced Player. Get used to the idea.
Patrick Donnelly
Patrick reminds me that I have been remiss in yet another of my duties. Which is to remind us that we have ways we can help. One of these is to contribute to the scholarship funds available to the Players who are still working on the University Theatre stages. The logistics are simple, write your check. On the memo line write Jia-Hua Chin Scholarship Fund. If when you put in the amount, you accidentally put the decimal point a place or two too far to the right, don’t worry about it.
It’s a good thing. Put it in an envelope addressed to:
Texas Tech University
Dept. of Theatre and Dance
Box
42061
Lubbock, TX 79409-2061
I’ll have a list of the other funds next time.
There’s my call
for the Act I Finale. I have to grab my tricorn hat and rifle and get to the stage.
That’s it for this time.
Don’t forget to check the board as you leave!
Jimmy