The Sharon & The Studio Theatre Blog

Tag: comedy

Get to Know The Studio!

Company – 2018

What we do, and a few ways we do it!

First, a quick introduction: The Studio Theatre Tierra del Sol is a black box venue located in The Villages, FL, that seeks to inspire people with thoughtful and relevant storytelling. We seat roughly 125 patrons per show and our location is connected to the Tierra del Sol Bar & Grill. Our first season started in the Fall of 2016 and we have been producing exciting a groundbreaking stories ever since!

John & Jen – 2019

What is a Black Box Theatre?

Most theatrical venues fall into the same categories; usually they are fixed (like The Sharon) or they what is considered a “black box” (like The Studio). Being a black box means that we have the flexibility to change our seating arrangements for each show because there are very few permanent fixtures within the space. We tend to do very similar setups however, because we know that they are effective. The Sharon on the other hand, has the same essential seating arrangement, with only the pit section either set up or removed depending on the needs of any given performance.

What does that mean? What kinds of seating arrangements do you use?

This past season (2021-2022) we used 3/4 Thrust (Broadbend, Arkansas and The Cake), Proscenium (Urinetown), and Theatre in the Round (No. 6)! You can classify each type by the number of sides the audience can sit. For 3/4, the audience is on 3 sides; Proscenium has the audience on 1 side, and “in the Round” has the audience on all 4 sides. We have also done a “Wedge” style (audience in two sections in the same corner) and “Alley” (audience in two sections on opposite sides).

The style of the set and audience seating is determined by a whole team of people including the director, scenic designer, artistic director and several others. The vision for each show requires the full team to accomplish!

Stop Kiss – 2018

What about the shows you choose? How and why are those ones selected?

We have a Script Selection Committee that anyone on staff at The Sharon or The Studio may join. It is led by the Artistic Director Whitney Morse and Literary Manager Rachel Whittington, however the process is very democratic. All members pitch scripts that we then read, analyze and vote on. It is a long process, but we take pride in being intentional in our selections. Although each show may not be to everyone’s taste, we feel that the particular story/stories fulfill our mission and should be told.

We hope that we have established a form of trust with our audiences to provide high quality productions that they are not likely to see at other venues. In fact, we have had several regional premieres including: Bad Jews (2017), Neighbors: A Fair Trade Agreement (2019), Broadbend, Arkansas (2021), and No. 6 (2022). Our upcoming season has two regional premieres (In the Next Room and The Chinese Lady). Each show we produce is unique in genre, style, setting, and time period – and well-worth the trip!

Urinetown – 2022

How are the shows cast? Do you have open auditions?

Each year we have auditions that are open the public. Although general auditions for the 2022/2023 season have already come and gone, our process typically starts in the Spring of each year. You can find out more information and sign up to be notified of future auditions on our website.

Assassins – 2020

Tell me about ticketing options!

We have a few different options for tickets: Subscriptions, Individual Tickets, and Preview Tickets. Subscriptions are for the full season (4 shows); new subscriptions are still available for a discounted rate of $130 per person in 2022. Individual tickets are $35/person for plays and $40/person for musicals.

Previews are not available for subscriptions, however they are a unique opportunity to purchase individual tickets at a steep discount. These occur the first few days prior to Opening Night and are priced at $15 for plays and $20 for musicals. For Preview performances audiences will see the full production, however some elements may not be fully finalized. Previews are fun because (1) you get a discount, (2) you can see the show before any reviews are written, and (3) because things are still changing you might get to see a part of the show that a regular audience doesn’t!

Season 7 Auditions – The Studio Theatre Tierra del Sol

The Studio Theatre Tierra Del Sol will be holding in-person auditions in THE VILLAGES, ORLANDO, and CHICAGO. Please read instructions very carefully! Each location has a different sign-up link.

DO NOT GO TO THE STUDIO VENUE FOR ANY AUDITIONS.

NON-UNION RATE is $375/week + housing.
AEA* RATE is OAT Category 4, $451/week + Health and Pension + housing.
UNDERSTUDY positions are also available at $100/week; local actors preferred.

Show and rehearsal dates are subject to change.

AUDITION REQUIREMENTS:

  • To be considered for Plays AND Musicals please bring a 60-90 second monologue and a 16-bar cut of a musical theatre song in the style of the shows. No a cappella. “Legit” music theatre style preferred.
  • To be considered for the Plays ONLY please bring one 60-90 second monologue. Be prepared with a contrasting monologue if requested.

Accompanist will be provided for in-person auditions; No tracks or acapella auditions.

Actors without appointments will be seen as time permits and should bring a physical copy of their headshot and resume.

A note on casting: At The Studio we practice Non-Traditional Casting. Non-Traditional Casting is a method designed to increase artistic options by expanding casting opportunities for women, actors of color, seniors, and actors with disabilities in roles where race, gender, age or the presence or absence of a disability are not germane. To that end we encourage all actors to audition.


IN THE NEXT ROOM, OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY
BY SARAH RUHL

Directed by Celine Rosenthal
Intimacy Direction by Dan Granke
Rehearsals start: 9/6/22
Opening 9/30/22 – Closing 10/22/22
*Regional Premiere!*

Please note: all characters in this production take part in intimate situations that may involve the implied use of a vibrator as a medical device, kissing, physical touch, and the simulation of orgasms. In addition, a few characters are scripted in instances of implied or partial nudity (noted in character breakdown). The degree to which these are implemented will be agreed upon by the actor, director, and intimacy director; however, the script will not be changed in any way.


THE CHINESE LADY
BY LLOYD SUH

Directed by Reiko Ho
Rehearsals start: 10/25/22
Opening 11/18/22 – Closing 12/17/22
*Regional Premiere!*

Please note: Seeking actors with Chinese ancestry for both roles.

This audition process will be focused on identity conscious casting. The director recognizes that considerations of race and ethnicity are vital components to telling this story. It is the director’s hope that this production will be crafted in ways that honor individuals who identify as Asian, Mixed Asian or Asian American–especially those who identify as Chinese or Chinese American. The audition process may include discussions about race, ethnicity, or personal experiences.


LA CAGE AUX FOLLES
MUSIC AND LYRICS BY JERRY HERMAN AND A BOOK BY HARVEY FIERSTEIN

Directed by Nathaniel Niemi
Music Direction by Gary Powell
Choreography by Indigo Leigh
Rehearsals start: 1/3/23
Opening 2/3/23 – Closing 3/4/23

Please note: It is our intention to represent the diversity of gender and drag expression in our Cagelle ensemble and welcome performers of all expressions/identities. Performers should have strong dance/movement ability. Drag artistry and special skills (i.e. silks, juggling, acrobatics, death drops, and burlesque) are most welcome.


THESE SHINING LIVES
BY MELANIE MARNICH

Directed by Nathaniel Niemi
Rehearsals start: 3/7/23
Opening 3/31/23 – Closing 4/29/23


Full casting breakdown for the season is provided here.

AUDITION SIGN UPS:

CHICAGO

May 27th, 11am-5pm
May 28th, 11am-5pm
May 29th, 6pm-10pm

ORLANDO

June 4th, 10am-5pm
June 5th, 2pm-7pm

THE VILLAGES

June 11th, 11am-5pm

Meet the Cast of OPERA LOCOS!

Come see Opera Locos at The Sharon on April 9th!

About The Opera Locos

The Opera Locos is a comic opera show where five exceptional lyric singers perform some of the most well-known opera hits, sometimes combined in a clever and original way with rock and pop classics. The performance combines the best of clowning and opera to show off these fantastic entertainers in a production unlike any other!

The idea for the show was conceived and created by YLLANA, Spain’s award-winning comedy-theatre company.

The Cast

Edwin Parra, Countertenor/Contratenor

Edwin began his formal singing studies in 2011 at the UACH Faculty of Arts and was also a fellow of the SNFM Vocal Scenic Ensemble in Mexico City. He earned the First Place award at Ópera Durango 2016, and Countertenor of Mexico in the Olivia Gorra 2017 contest. He has sung the operatic roles of Nerone and Ottone from Monteverdi’s l’Incoronazione di Poppea; Cherubino from Le nozze di Figaro and The Cat from El gato con botas opera by Montsalvatge; he also performed Lumiere in the musical Beauty and the Beast.

María Rey-Joly, Soprano

Born in Madrid, María studied violin and piano and later graduated in singing from the Escuela Superior de Canto of Madrid. She completed her training in the masterclasses of Gundula Janowitz, Brigitte Fassbaender, Raina Kabaiwanska and Plácido Domingo. Her vocal personality makes her a highly versatile and flexible singer, allowing her to face a varied repertoire with roles from Mozart to Wagner! Highlights: Richard Wagner: Das Rheingold and Götterdämmerung (Woglinde), Die Walküre (Ortlinde and Helmwige); W.A. Mozart: Die Zauberflöte (Pamina and Erste Dame), Così fan tutte (Fiordiligi), Don Giovanni (Donna Anna and Donna Elvira), Don Pasquale (Norina); Leonard Bernstein: Candide (Cunegonde); Giacomo Puccini: La Bohème (Musetta), and many more.

Antonio Comas, Tenor

Born in Barcelona, Antonio made his debut with Massenet’s opera Herodiade at the Gran Teatre del Liceu where he went on to perform Strauss’s Il Capriccio and Puccini’s Turandot. In 2011, he premiered Amadeu, a musical by Albert Boadella about the composer Amadeu Vives, at the Teatros del Canal in Madrid (Ercilla Theatre Award for best actor). Highlights: Candide by Bernstein, Il Sequestro by Alberto García Demestres, La note d’acoté by Alfonso de Vilallonga, El Eclipse by Alberto García Demestres, Yo, Dalí by Xavier Benguerel, Shakespeare’s Richard III, among many more!

Mayca Teba, MezzoSoprano

Mayca is a soprano and Sevillian actress of great vocal and artistic versatility. Her repertoire ranges from Opera and Zarzuela to Musical Comedy, Jazz and Symphonic Rock. She began her lyrical career at the age of 20 at Maestranza Theatre in Seville with producer Pino Cuccia, singing Le Nozze di Figaro, Die Rossenkavalier, and many others. Highlights: Cosí fan tutte, Acis and Galatea, at López de Vega Theatre of Sevilla; Dido and Eneas at Isabel La Católica Theatre-Granada; Orpheus in the Underworld, West Side Story at The Sherman Theatre – Cardiff; Madam Butterfly at the Britten Theatre-London and at the Clonter Opera Theatre in Manchester.

Enrique Sánchez-Ramos, Baritone

Enrique was born in Aranjuez, Spain. He began his musical studies at age 9 at the Joaquin Rodrigo Music School of Aranjuez, Madrid and holds degrees in Solfeggio, Piano Teaching, and Choral Conducting. He made his operatic debut singing “Guglielmo” in Mozart’s Cosi fan Tutte. He has also performed in France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Brasil, México and Costa Rica. Since 2004 he has sung as baritone soloist with the early music ensemble Hyppocampus in the complete cycle of Bach’s Cantatas sponsored by Madrid’s Town Hall. Highlights: Orff’s Carmina Burana, J. Melchor Gomis’ opera Le Diable à Seville, Händel’s Agrippina, Gounod’s Faust, Händel’s Messiah, Delibes’ Lakmé.

The Opera Locos performs at The Sharon at 7pm on April 9th!

Urinetown Review – The Daily Sun

Urinetown, The Musical! Featuring Kristen Yates (Little Sally), Christian Quinto (Bobby Strong), Lauren Echasse (Hope Cladwell), Mark Kirschenbaum (Caldwell B. Cladwell)

Staff reporter Liz Coughlin had a great time at Urinetown, The Musical! Read more below:

Urinetown Audience Reviews!

Star-crossed lovers Bobby Strong and Hope Cladwell are caught between The Poor and Urine Good Company in Urinetown, The Musical (2022)

Audiences are RAVING about Urinetown, The Musical!

This hilariously irreverent show manages to tickle with laughter as much as it pulls the heart-strings.

“Ms. Yates [Little Sally] and the whole cast have incredible voices and can dance well. Thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and highly recommend this production!”

Queenie on facebook

“WOW. Not a weak link in the entire production. Thank you all for sharing your talents with us. Especial thanks to Whitney for asking audience members to mask up. Made us feel safer and hope entire cast remains healthy.”

“Just got home from the Studio Theater where we saw Urinetown. What an amazing, funny, talented production. The music was wonderful and such great voices. We just loved every minute!!!”

Geri on facebook

“This was a TERRIFIC production. Stellar cast, Great Directing and Tech, and wonderful Music. Don’t miss it!”

Tim on Facebook

Come see Urinetown, The Musical running through February 26th!

MUSIC AND LYRICS BY MARK HOLLMANN
BOOK AND LYRICS BY GREG KOTIS

URINETOWN is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com

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