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Tag: ECC Theatre

Theatre to Tell ‘Tales from the Shadows’ Next Week

October 20, 2020 | Campus News Performing Arts Theatre

Join the East Central College Theatre Department on campus next week for a chilling theatrical experience featuring storytelling and surprises.

Tales from the Shadows is a unique outdoor event that includes a journey around campus led by a “Ghoul Guide.” Tickets are on sale now for the Halloween-themed performance scheduled for Oct. 28-30.

According to ECC Theatre Director Grace Austin, plans for Tales from the Shadows spawned from the desire for an interactive event on campus.

“It came out of an idea for people to see more of the campus while at the same time being able to participate in an immersive event, which is new to the department,” she said.

There will be walking tours of up to 10 people that will depart every 15 minutes beginning at 6:30 p.m. each night. The tours are designed for social distancing and face masks will be required.

To purchase tickets visit www.ecctheatre.com or call the ECC Box Office at 636-584-6693. This activity is recommended for ages 13 and up.

During the event, tour guides will lead guests around campus to several stops where they will encounter strange mysteries, scary creatures, and a few surprises along the way.

Each tour lasts approximately 70 minutes, and it will include students as actors and guides.

Austin noted that she and colleagues Bess Moynihan and Sylvia Sellers, developed the Tales from the Shadows concept while discussing options for a Halloween production.

Bess, Sylvia, and I were tossing around some ideas for Halloween and we came up with a concept of hiring some master storytellers from St. Louis to work with the students to create a walking tour,” Austin added.

On hand for the “Tales from the Shadows” will be Hazel’s Back Porch BBQ, Montelle Winery, Sweet Kettle Corn Co., Happy Apples, S’mores, and more for ticket holders before and after the tours.

Outdoor Movie Canceled, Band Concert Moved Online

October 13, 2020 | Campus News

There will be changes to East Central College’s Fine & Performing Arts outdoor events next week due to dropping temperatures.

The Classics and Cocktails viewing of “Anatomy of a Murder,” featuring the ECC Jazz Band, previously slated for Thursday, Oct. 22, has been canceled. It was part of the ECC Film and Lecture series and the movie was to be shown in the Theatre in the Glen.

The Tuesday, Oct. 20, ECC Concert Band performance, also scheduled in the Theatre in the Glen, will now be livestreamed only and it will be held in conjunction with an ECC Jazz Band performance. The event will begin at 7 p.m.

A link to the livestream event will be posted on the ECC website at www.eastcentral.edu/ and the ECC Facebook and Twitter pages when it becomes available.

Anyone with questions about the cancellation of “Anatomy of a Murder” or the change to the ECC Band Concert may call 636-584-6720 or email Sylvia.sellers@eastcentral.edu.

Theatre Department to Deliver ‘Epic Proportions’

September 23, 2020 | Campus News Performing Arts Theatre

The East Central College Theatre Department is preparing for its second outdoor performance In the Glen.

The comedy, “Epic Proportions,” is set for Friday, Oct. 2 at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 4, at 5 p.m. in the Theatre in the Glen — an outdoor performance series held on the grassy hill between the Shook Center and Hansen Hall.

There will be pre-show music by the ECC Band and food vendors, including Hazel’s Back Porch BBQ, Pinckney Bend, Happy Apples (Friday) and Old Fashioned Sweet Kettle Corn Company (Sunday).

For more information, or to buy tickets, visit www.ecctheatre.com. The pre-show activities for Oct. 2 begin at 5 p.m., and Oct. 4 pre-show activities begin at 3:30 p.m.

Set in the 1930s, “Epic Proportions” tells the story of two brothers, Benny and Phil, who go to the Arizona desert to be extras in the huge Biblical epic “Exeunt Omnes.”

Things move very quickly in this riotous comedy and before you know it, Phil is directing the movie, and Benny is starring in it. To complicate matters further they both fall in love with Louise, the assistant director in charge of the extras

“Epic Proportions” was written by Larry Coen and David Crane and director by ECC Theatre Director Grace Austin.

Seating

The audience can purchase tickets for a square where they can sit on a blanket within a 10-foot by 10-foot square painted on the hill. Each square can seat up to six people.  No lawn chairs are permitted in the grass areas.

There also will be four-top table seats available for purchase on the bridge overlooking the Glen.

“Lawn Squares,” that can seat up to six people cost $20 and “Skywalk Seats,” that will seat four people, are $40.

Masks will be required unless audience members are seated in their lawn squares or at their tables. Walkways will be spaced according to CDC guidelines.

Social distancing will be observed while standing in line and there will be no tickets exchanged and all programs will only be available digitally.

In addition, each seat will be assigned to a bathroom in order to maximize space and safety.

Future Events

Other Music, Theatre, Art and Film & Lecture events planned in the Glen are the ECC Band Concert on Oct. 20; Classics & Cocktails: Anatomy of a Murder (Film & Music with the ECC Jazz Band), Oct. 22; and the Theatre Department’s performance of “Tales from the Shadows,” Oct. 28-30.

For more information visit www.ecctheatre.com or call the Box Office at 636-584-6693.

Auditions Set for Next Theatre Production

January 18, 2016 | Campus News
The East Central College Theatre Department will hold auditions for the final show of the 2015-2016 season  Monday, February 29, and Tuesday, March 1. 
 
Auditions for Into The Woods will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Theatre Department located in Hansen Hall at the ECC campus in Union.  Directed by Grace Austin with music direction by Colin Healy, this multi Tony Award winning show will be performed April 14-17.
 
Into The Woods intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales and follows them to explore the consequences of the characters’ wishes and quests.
 
Roles are available for up to 18 men and women ages 14 and up. There is also one featured role for a boy between the ages of 9 and 13.  Individuals auditioning should prepare one of the audition selections which can be accessed online at www.ecctheatre.com.  An accompanist will be provided.
 
More information, including the show synopsis and character breakdowns, is available at www.ecctheatre.com.

ECC Summer Musical July 16-19

June 30, 2015 | Campus News

Tickets are still available for East Central College’s summer musical, The 1940’s Radio Hour.

John Anglin directs the Walton Jones production for four performances at ECC July 16-19.

Full of 1940s music, dancing and old-time sound effects, the musical portrays the final 1942 holiday broadcast of the Mutual Manhattan Variety Cavalcade on New York radio station WOV. Classic songs featured in the show include That Old Black Magic, Our Love is Here to Stay, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, Ain’t She Sweet, Blue Moon, I’ll Be Seeing You and many more.

The stage audience becomes the studio audience as the broadcast is sent to troops overseas. The spirit of that bygone era when the world was at war is accurately captured as the harassed producer copes with a drunk lead singer, the delivery boy who wants a chance in front of the mike, the second banana who dreams of singing a ballad, and the trumpet playing sound effects man who chooses a fighter plane over Glenn Miller.

Cast members include George Meyer as Clifton Feddington, Tim Sexton as Johnny Cantone, Kelly Biser as Ann Collier, Vickie Danley as Geneva Lee Browne, Jacob Schmit as Neal Tilden; Joe Schimsa as B.J. Gibson, Ellie Schmidt as Connie Miller, and  Rebecca Brinker as Ginger Brooks.

Rounding out the cast are Erich Eastman as Wally Ferguson, Darrell Herron as Lou Cohn, Scott Mirly as Pops Bailey, and Alex Kammer as Stanley.

John Phillips is the band director and plays the part of band leader Zoot Doublemann.  Paula Nolley is music director for the production and is featured as pianist Kate “Keys” Cavanaugh.  Jordan Palmer is cast as trumpet player Biff Baker.  They are part of a16-piece band that also includes Alesia White, MJ Orf, Brandi Beanblossom, and Dylan Pich on saxophone; Derek Limback,   and Adam Phillips on trumpet; Brandon Yenzer, Jason Stone, and Aaron Bounds on trombone; and a rhythm section that includes Matt Sokeland, Chris Johnson, and Chad Haley.

Joining Anglin on the crew are Bethany Herron, assistant director and choreographer; Chris Swanson, technical director; Vince Niehaus, set designer; and Josh Turk, lighting designer. Greg Nuckolls is stage manager, Deb and Rich Carron are Foley designers and costumers are Elaine Hutson, Carol Buescher and Patty Kellmann.

Based on an idea by Jones and Carol Lees, The 1940’s Radio Hour will be presented Thursday through Saturday, July 16 through 18, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, July 19, at 2 p.m.   Tickets will go on sale at the door one hour prior to each performance. They may be purchased online at www.eastcentral.edu/tickets, by calling 636-584-6693 or by stopping at the ECC Cashier’s Office located on the first floor of Buescher Hall weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Please Note:  THIS PRODUCTION RUNS 1 HOUR, 55 MINUTES WITH NO INTERMISSION 

Tickets on Sale for Musical

April 14, 2015 | Campus News

Tickets for ECC Theatre’s upcoming production of Legally Blonde are now on sale.  Performances are set for 8 p.m. Thursday – Saturday, February 18 – 20.  The production wraps up Sunday, February 21, with a 2 o’clock matinee.

This fun, fast-paced musical follows the adventures of Elle Woods, a sorority girl who follows her ex-boyfriend to Harvard to try to win back his heart. On the way, she meets up with a group of friends and ends up defying expectations while staying true to herself.

Legally Blonde stars ECC Theatre veterans Samantha Rodgers as Elle, Riley Dunn as Emmett, Keith Goers as Professor Callahan, Holly Szakal as Paulette and Andrew Groom as Warner.

Supporting them are Trish Baker, Claire Blythe and Anna Miller as the Delta Nu Trio; Elin Feldmann as Brooke Wyndham and Brittany Losh as Vivienne.

The company includes Cara Arrigo, Mike Askins, Katie Bauer, Rebecca Brinker, Rita Bub Jr., Rita Bub Sr., Carol Buescher, Taylor Coggins, Madison Darrah, David Dereak, Molly Eckelkamp, Elin Feldmann, Ethan Fields, Alex Gansmann, Chad Greife, Mekaela Gross, Patty Kellmann, Heather Marsh, Hannah McKean,  Michael Niehaus, Heidi Nuckolls, Dawson Nuener, Shelby Oberle, Laurie Osseck, Alan Peterson, Allison Rice, Brendan Rodgers, Joe Schimsa, Jacob Schmidt, Olivia Schmitt, Anna Smith, Jared Sprick, Tara Steffens and Haley Walter.

Legally Blonde is directed by Grace Austin with music directed by Colin Healy.  Chris Page is the choreographer while Chris Swanson is in charge of technical direction and design.

Nominated for seven Tony Awards, the music and lyrics for Legally Blonde were written by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin, with book by Heather Hach.  The story is based on the novel Legally Blonde by Amanda Brown and the 2001 film of the same name that starred Reese Witherspoon.

Tickets can be purchased online or by calling 636-584-6693.  Tickets are also available for purchase at the Cashier’s Office located in the lobby of Buescher Hall, Monday through Friday during normal business hours.  Admission is $15 for adults.

This show is not recommended for children under the age of 12.