Four Stars Out of Five!

From Tim Treanor's review at DCTheatreScene.com:
"...it has such an enormous beating heart, and the actors are so committed to the playwright’s vision, that it is impossible not to be moved by it, or to not accord it the respect it deserves."

You can read the full review here.

To Tim and the many other audience members who gave us a great opening weekend: many thanks. And if you haven't seen the show yet, make haste! There are only two more weekends and three performances to go!

Opening Weekend!

First and foremost, a huge thanks to everyone who came out to support the show this weekend.  We had our first two performances today and yesterday, and I have to say things went extraordinarily well!  No snafus, mishaps, lots of incredible energy coming from our cast, people laughing in the audience, perfectly-executed lightning flashes thanks to Marissa's magic touch.  What more could you ask for?

Here's a smattering of photos that our very own sound designer, Mike Losco snapped a few days ago.  There will be more to come!

Meet the SKYWRITER Production Staff

Who we are and what we do, in no particular order:

Austin Williams (Lighting Design) is a graduate of Georgetown University, where he worked as a technical director and lighting designer. He has previously worked as a freelance designer and technician in his home state of Wisconsin. Design credits include Cabaret (Mask & Bauble), Trestle of Pope Lick Creek (Nomadic Theatre), Assassins (Mask & Bauble), Annie Get Your Gun (Riverside Players), and Blithe Spirit (Rocket Players). He works at his day job as a federal employee.

Laura Broom's (Media Relations) media relations experience includes work with the Kennedy Center and Arena Stage, and she currently works for VSA arts in D.C. She is a 2007 graduate of Davidson College.

Amrita Mangus (Dramaturgy) is thrilled to be working with Seamus and Jamie again, having recently dramaturged Harlan at the Rockpile for Arena Stage's Downstairs New Play Reading Series. She completed a dramaturgy fellowship with Arena Stage and will continue working with them as the new works senior producing fellow. Other dramaturgy credits include Crowns (Arena Stage),Cymbeline (The Great River Shakespeare Festival), and The Who's Tommy (Arizona Repertory Theater). Amrita wishes everyone a fantastic run filled with whooshing and spandex!

Ted Parker (Scenic, Costume, & Properties Design) has been working in the performing arts in Washington for over 30 years. He has worked at Arena Stage, the Washington Theatre Club, the Kennedy Center, Ford’s Theatre, The Washington Opera and The Washington Performing Arts Society. He has designed scenery and lighting for over 40 local educational, community and professional productions. He co-founded The Actors’ Center, was active in the formation of the Cultural Alliance, and served on the boards of several arts institutions, including Library Theater and Arlington Dance Theatre. He was Project Director for the creation of TicketPlace for the Cultural Alliance, and has taught at American University and several local high schools, and consulted with numerous Washington arts groups. He served for two years on the Multi-media Panel of the DC Commission on the Arts. He lives in a restored Victorian house in Chevy Chase with his wife of 40 years. They have three daughters and 7 grandchildren.

Jamie Gahlon (Producer) is an aspiring new works producer.  While Skywriter is her first Fringe endeavor, previous producing credits include Harlan at the Rockpile by Seamus Sullivan (Arena Stage Downstairs Series), Taking Over by Danny Hoch (Line Producer, Arena Stage workshop) Mrs. Joseph Porter (Short Film), The Importance of Being Earnest(Mask & Bauble) and Assassins (Mask & Bauble).  By day, Jamie works as part of the Artistic Development Team at Arena Stage. 

Matt MacNelly (Publicity)

Meghan McCormick (Assistant Stage Manager) is a rising junior at Georgetown University where she is an active member of the Mask & Bauble Dramatic society. She is thrilled to be working on her first fringe show with such a talented group of artists. She would like to thank Seamus for writing a show with laughs and a powerful message and the Angry Young Theatre Company for giving her the opportunity to be a part of their inaugural show.  

Marissa Reeves (Stage Manager)

Mike Losco (Sound Design)

Sarah Taurchini (Web Master)

Marjory Collado (Graphic Design)

120 minutes of tech

So, this morning we had first and only two hours of tech at The Shop @ Fort Fringe.  I woke up bright and early, met Hunter, picked up our lovely zipcar, "T-Rex," a far from T-Rex-like Toyota pick-up, headed to our rehearsal space to load everything in.  In all honesty, I was skeptical it would all fit in the bed, but thanks to our ever knowledgable set, props, and costume designer, Ted Parker (aka Renaissance man), we made it work.  Here are some photos of the finished product:

Tech itself went remarkably well, due to the awesomeness of the Cast, our Lighting Designer, SM, and everyone else who was around to offer their skills and support.  I'm doing laundry right now, trying to think of a way to tell my roommate why we suddenly have a hallway full of set pieces in my apartment, and gearing up for tonight's preview.  Less than 24 hours until we open- it's all happening!

Preview of Skywriter this Friday!

Thanks to Fringe's fabulousness, we have recieved a slot to promote Skywriter this Friday at the Baldacchino! We will perform roughly five minutes of the show to tease people into coming to see it in all its glory. Details are as follows:

WHEN: Friday, July 10th 7:30pm
WHERE: The Baldacchino Gypsy Tent/Bar
WHAT: 5 min previews of the following shows, and many others!

No 11 Productions: The Elephant Man
a musicalTrio: SOUP!
Angry Young Theatre Company: Skywriter
Zero Hour Theatre: The Foley Artist

WHY: Theater + Bar = good times


Hope to see you there!

..And we're in tech!

We started tech on Monday night, when we added full costumes into the mix. Yesterday we approved our sound design, and tonight we will practice load-in, run the show with costumes, transitions, sound, and make-up. It really seems to be coming together and Im excited to see as close to the real deal as we've gotten so far tonight.

For all of you visual learners out there, here's a photo from last night showing Hunter, Genevieve and Lynn hard at work on the final scene.

In other news, my friend and former colleague, Jared Neff, allowed me to ramble a bit about the Fringe process from a Producing standpoint on his blog, so check it out if you have a minute.

Skywriter Press Release

So, this release went out a while back, but I figured it best to share with all... So (drumroll......) Voila!

Contact: Laura Broom skywriterpress@gmail.com

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ANGRY YOUNG THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS

SKYWRITER BY SEAMUS SULLIVAN

(Washington, D.C.) – The new D.C. theatre collective Angry Young Theatre Company (AYTC) presents its inaugural production, Skywriter, as part of the 2009 Capital Fringe Festival. Playwright Seamus Sullivan – whose work Harlan at the Rockpile premiered recently in Arena Stage’s Downstairs Series – offers a play particular to the D.C. area. This unconventional story explores what it takes to be heroic in a D.C. public school. Is it compassion, or a kind of madness? And is there a difference?

Director Hunter Styles observes, “Seamus has a wonderful eye for comedy, and Skywriter is the fastest, quirkiest, snappiest thing he's written. We're looking forward to having a serious discussion about the public education system with D.C. audiences, especially within the framework of a poignant, funny new show."

"We spent the spring workshopping the script with Artists' Bloc,” Sullivan comments. “Since Skywriter is a short, sweet, off-beat new play rooted in D.C., I think Fringe audiences will go for it – and we're glad for the opportunity to present a show that's entirely our own."

STORY: As an English teacher at a troubled D.C. public school, Frank Fletcher deals with a host of problems: crumbling infrastructure, violence in the halls, controversial reforms, and students who aren't always inclined to sit and learn. Thanks to a traumatic accident, he also believes himself to be a superhero named Skywriter who spends his nights patrolling neighborhood rooftops. When a new student teacher uncovers his secret identity, Fletcher must reflect on whether his heroic alter ego is a dangerous delusion or a much-needed force for good in the city.

This production presented as a part of the 2009 Capital Fringe Festival. 

WHERE: 

The Shop at Fort Fringe

610 L Street NW, Washington, DC 20001

WHEN: 

Saturday July 11 @ 1:30 p.m.

Sunday, July 12 @ 3:15 p.m.

Saturday, July 18 @ 9:30 p.m.

Saturday, July 25 @ 9:00 p.m.

Sunday, July 26 @ 4:45 p.m.

This production runs approximately 60 minutes and has no intermission.

TICKETS: All tickets are $15 and may be purchased starting June 22 online at http://www.capfringe.org/fringe-festival.html or via phone at 1-866-811-411. Starting July 7, tickets may also be purchased at the Fort Fringe in the Festival Box Office at 607 New York Ave, NW, Washington, D.C. 20001.

CAST: 

Genevieve James as Elizabeth Finch

Christopher Michael Todd as Frank Fletcher

Lynn Bandoria as Lorena Cooper

Ricardo Frederick Evans as Principal Cooper

For more information, please visit http://angryyoungtheatre.blogspot.com/

###