This just in, as the newscasters used to say, waving a teletype:
On September 24 Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell will proclaim October the month to Get Your Art On, and the Austin Circle of Theatres will announce the replacement of its 35-year-old organizational title with a new one: The Greater Austin Creative Alliance.
WHO: Mayor Lee Leffingwell and The Greater Austin Creative Alliance (formerly Austin Circle of Theaters), in partnership with the City of Austin Cultural Arts Division and CreateAustin, with sponsor Capital One Bank
WHAT: Mayoral Proclamation that October is time to “Get Your Art On,” Austin’s month-long celebration of art, culture and creativity in honor of National Arts and Humanities Month. Immediately following the Mayoral Proclamation, Austin Circle of Theaters will hold a press conference to announce their re-branding as The Greater Austin Creative Alliance.
The B. Iden Payne nominating committee of the Austin Circle of Theatres has just made public the nominations for ACOT's B. Iden Payne awards. ACOT members will be invited to download the list, vote and return votes for tabulation.
The awards and pre-show reception will once again be at the Rollins Studio Theatre in the Long Center: Sunday, October 18th. The Pre Show reception begins at 5:30pm and the show at 7pm.
Dave Buckman of The Frank Mills and show coordinator for the Austin Improv Collective will direct the show itself.
ACoT’s special "Outstanding Contribution to Austin Theater" Award recipient will be Shannon Sedwick. And Robert Faires will do the presenting honors.
2008-2009 B. Iden Payne nominations (partial list) COMEDIES
Outstanding Production of a Comedy As You Like It (Scottish Rite Theater) Black Snow (TUTTO Theatre Company) Cyrano de Bergerac (SEU Mary Moody Northen Theatre) House of Several Stories (Imagine That Productions) Killer Joe (Capital T Theatre)
Outstanding Director of a Comedy A. John Boulanger (House of Several Stories) Beth Burns (As You Like It) Mark Pickell (Killer Joe) Michelle S. Polgar (Cyrano de Bergerac) Dustin Wills (Black Snow)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Martin Burke (Bastian, House of Several Stories) Scott Daigle (Orlando, As You Like It) Tyler Jones (Simon Bliss, Hay Fever) David M. Long (Cyrano de Bergerac, Cyrano de Bergerac) Gabriel Luna (Sergei Leontievich Maxudov, Black Snow) Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Lauren Lane (Sue, House of Several Stories) Lorella Loftus (Susan, Good Things) Meredith McCall (Rissa, House of Several Stories) Bernadette Nason (Kate, Sylvia) Jennifer Underwood (Miss Witherspoon, Miss Witherspoon) Outstanding Featured Actor in a Comedy Travis Dean (mugged shopper, “Windchimes and Varicose Cream,” I ♥ Walmart) Matt Radford (Clive, Martin, Cloud 9) Justin Scalise (Adam, Silvius, As You Like It) Justin Scalise (William Slate, Kill Will) Mason Stewart (corporate executive, “Rebranding Meeting,” I ♥ Walmart) Outstanding Featured Actress in a Comedy Suzanne Balling (Maryamma, Miss Witherspoon) Sarah Burkhalter (Edward, Lin, Cloud 9) Smaranda Ciceu (Ivan Vasilievich, Black Snow) Jennifer Coy (Twink Futrelle, Christmas Belles) Jenny Gravenstein (Virginia Madden, Age of Arousal)
DRAMAS
Outstanding Production of a Drama Fences (City Theatre Company) Glengarry Glen Ross (City Theatre Company) The Grapes of Wrath (Zachary Scott Theatre Center) Ophelia (TUTTO Theatre Company) Orestes (Cambiare Productions)
Outstanding Director of a Drama Andy Berkovsky and Charles P. Stites (Glengarry Glen Ross) Susie Gidseg (Touch) Will Hollis Snider (Orestes) Dave Steakley (The Grapes of Wrath) Dustin Wills (Ophelia)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Marc Balester (Bernard 1, Bernard 2, Michael, A Number) David Christopher (Tom Joad, The Grapes of Wrath) Gabriel Luna (Orestes, Orestes) Nigel O’Hearn (Edmund Tyrone, Long Day’s Journey Into Night) Tom Truss (Prince Lev Nikolaevich Myshkin, The Idiot) Andrew Varenhorst (Kyle Kalke, Touch)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Janelle Buchanan (Ma Joad, The Grapes of Wrath) Shannon Grounds (Tish, The Long Now) Rachel McGinnis (Heidi Holland, The Heidi Chronicles) Adriene Mishler (Iphigenia, Iphigenia) Xochitl Romero (Una, Blackbird)
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Drama Wray Crawford (Shelley Levene, Glengarry Glen Ross) Sean Martin (Porter, Seyton, Macbeth) McArthur Moore (Gabriel, Fences) Justin Scalise (Mercutio, Romeo and Juliet) Gabriel Smith (Peter, The Heidi Chronicles)
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Drama Michele Goodson-Burnett (Shana, “Brownies,” Muses III) Jan Phillips (Nancy, Third) Anne Putnam (Felicity, The Shadow Box) Miriam Rubin (Agnes, The Shadow Box) La Tasha Stephens (Voice of the People, Orestes)
Received directly from the Austin Circle of Theatre (ACOT), for dissemination:
The "A"-Team
Dear Austin Theatre Companies and Arts Enthusiasts,
ACoT is about to launch a unique program that not only will help fill seats in your house on opening weekend, but will provide an added stream of positive reviews to draw traffic both to your show, and your website.
This program is called the A-Team.
The "A"-Team will be made up of local arts enthusiasts who will be given tickets to attend events covering all disciplines of art and culture in Austin found on NowPlayingAustin.com. These folks will then report back on the shows they have seen by writing reviews on NowPlayingAustin.com. There will also be monthly happy hours in which The "A"-Team can network and discuss the different events they've attended throughout the month.
How can you help?
THEATRES
Please let me know if you would be interested in having these A-team members attend your show! If you agree to participate, I will send an email weekly to organizations that have a show opening. You will tell me how many tickets you are willing to donate. One ticket will be given to each A-team member. ( Hopefully they will bring a friend.) Feel free to donate as many or as few tickets as you can afford.
You will be notified with the information of the A-team member so that you can add that person to your database.
ARTS FOLK
Wanna be on the A-Team? All you need to do is join ACoT as an individual member at a reduced rate ( 36 instead of 48) and you are on a roll! The free tix will pay for the membership fees in no time.
Please let me know if you are interested in joining us to help promote the "A-team" and the arts in Austin.
The Unified General Auditions of the Austin Circle of Theatres serve professional, working actors in Texas. They are open to all actors, union and non-union, local and regional.
The auditors in attendance are Central Texas' top producers, directors, and casting agents. This year, we are pleased to have faculty and graduate students of the University of Texas at Austin Department of Radio-Television-Film participate in co-hosting our auditions.This is your opportunity to have your work seen by the ones who really count!
Actors of color, physically challenged actors, actors under 18 years or over 60 years are actively encouraged to apply.
All applicants must meet at least ONE of the following criteria: * Be AEA or AEA Candidates OR... * Have accumulated the equivalent of one year's acting training OR... * Have performed in at least two non-school, public stage productions (university/college productions accepted)
How Much Does it Cost? * $36 for Non-Members * $10 for Current ACoT Members * No Fee for Equity actors
Renew your membership today to get the discounted Registration Fee.
Registration Deadline is Friday, August 14
ACoT membership brings many great benefits, but more importantly, your membership supports ACoT in its efforts to build a stronger arts community and to promote greater awareness, appreciation and support for the arts in Central Texas.
As an ACoT member, you are an essential part of a community that includes theater companies, symphonies, dance, concert and choral groups, opera companies, galleries, museums and all the people and places of significant action in Austin and Central Texas. We hope it also includes YOU!
Sincerely,Anne-Marie McKaskle Membership Director Austin Circle of Theaters 701 Tillery Street, #9 Austin, TX 78702 Phone: 512-247-2531 Fax: 512-247-2538 Email: membership@acotonline.org
Social Media for Theaters Every member of your theater is being asked to do more marketing with less money and time. Luckily for you, there are plenty of free (or low cost) tools available that will help you market your theater, shows and build relationships with others online.
Chicago-based social media coach Leah Jones is pleased to be working with the Austin Circle of Theaters to bring this session to town. She will be leading this 3-hour workshop to help you learn how to use all those sites and tools you keep hearing about like Twitter, Facebook, blogs, RSS readers, YouTube and Flickr.
Workshop Agenda
Section 1: Ethics and Search Skills In the first section, we will review the ethics of online engagement and word of mouth marketing. Additionally, Leah will sharpen your search skills and teach you about search engines other than Google to help you find more fans and reviews.
Section 2: What to do with all those accounts In the second half of the workshop, Leah will show you what sites are worth your time and what to do after you sign up. It won’t be a technical class of HOW to use each site, but WHAT to do after you’re using it. We will cover blogging, Twitter, Facebook Fan Pages, Flickr, Video Sites and Delicious.
Section 3: Bringing it together We will wrap up the workshop by looking at some case studies of Leah’s clients, how to complete the circle between online and offline activities, and brainstorm ideas that will work in Austin.
Tickets: $129 for general public, $100 for members of Austin Circle of Theaters
Received from Latifah Taormina, Executive Director, Austin Circle of Theatres:
Please act to help the arts TODAY! This is very very urgent and affects ALL artists and arts/cultural organizations all across the country!
Breaking News, February 6, 2009
This afternoon the U.S. Senate, during their consideration of the economic recovery bill, approved an egregious amendment offered by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) that stated "None of the amounts appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used for any casino or other gambling establishment, aquarium, zoo, golf course, swimming pool, stadium, community park, museum, theater, art center, and highway beautification project." Unfortunately, the amendment passed by a wide vote margin of 73-24, and surprisingly included support from many high profile Senators including Chuck Schumer of New York, Dianne Feinstein of California, Barbara Mikulskiof Maryland, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, and several other Democratic and Republican Senators.
If the Coburn amendment language is included in the final conference version of this legislation, many arts groups will be prevented from receiving economic recovery funds from any portion of this specific stimulus bill. It is clear that there is still much work to be done in the Senate and in the media about the role that nonprofit arts organizations and artists play in the nation's economy and workforce.
Plan of Action 1. Arts advocates need to quickly contact Senators who voted for the Coburn Amendment and express your extreme disappointment with their vote. We need these Senators to know that their vote would detrimentally impact nonprofit arts organizations and the jobs they support in their state. We have crafted a customized message for you to send to your Senators based on their vote on the Coburn Amendment. The correct letter, customized to each of your Senators will appear when you enter your zip code. If your Senator voted for this funding prohibition, you can send them a message expressing your disappointment and ask them to work to delete this language in the final conference bill with the House. If your Senator voted against the Coburn Amendment, you can thank them for their support of the arts.
2. We need as many news articles as possible this coming week to publish stories about the economic impact of the nonprofit arts industry and how the recession is negatively affecting arts groups across the country. Please click here to customize an opinion editorial to your local media. We have provided you with easy-to-use talking points.
3. Next week, Americans for the Arts will be sending you another action alert that targets the White House and the soon-to-be-named Senators and Representatives who will serve as conferees to the final economic recovery bill. Please be prepared to take action on this alert as well.
4. Americans for the Arts itself is submitting op-eds to several national newspapers and online blogs. We are enlisting high profile leaders to co-sign these letters as well.
5. Americans for the Arts is purchasing full-page ads titled "The Arts = Jobs" in Washington's top political newspapers in Roll Call, Politico and The Hill on Monday and Tuesday of next week. We encourage you to post the ad on your social network sites.
Please let others who support the arts know about this. And do consider joining Americans for the Arts and their Arts Action Fund. They're a great advocate for the arts and we all need their help.
Awards made Sunday, October 26, published at ACOT website:
B. IDEN PAYNE WINNERS 2007-2008
Plays for Youth
Outstanding Production of a Play for Youth 'The Red Balloon’ (Tongue and Groove Theatre)
Outstanding Director of a Play for Youth Andrea S. Smith ("Wiley and the Hairy Man")
Outstanding Actor in a Play for Youth Mark Stewart (the Boy, ‘The Red Balloon’)
Outstanding Actress in a Play for Yout Kristin Bennett (Mammy, ‘Wiley and the Hairy Man’)
Music Theatre
Outstanding Production of Music Theatre 'Troades: The Legend of the Women of Troy’ (VORTEX Repertory Company)
Outstanding Director of Music Theatre Bonnie Cullum (‘Troades’)
Outstanding Lead Actor in Music Theatre Cedric Neal (Sportin’ Life, ‘Porgy and Bess’)
Outstanding Lead Actress in Music Theatre Marva Hicks (Bess, ‘Porgy and Bess’)
Outstanding Featured Actor in Music Theatre James La Rosa (Abraham, ‘Altar Boyz’))
Outstanding Featured Actress in Music Theater Janis Stinson (Maria, ‘Porgy and Bess’)
Comedies
Outstanding Production of a Comedy 'Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead’ (Hyde Park Theatre)
Outstanding Director of a Comedy Ken Webster (‘Dog Sees God’)
Outstanding Lead Actor in of a Comedy Matthew Radford (‘Benedick,’ ‘Much Ado About Nothing’)
Outstanding Lead Actress in of a Comedy Katherine Catmull (Winnie, ‘Happy Days’)
Outstanding Featured Actor in of a Comedy Ben Wolfe (Michael, ‘Featuring Loretta’)
Outstanding Featured Actress in of a Comedy Bernadette Nason (Madame Arcati, ‘Blithe Spirit’)
Dramas Outstanding Production of a Drama "Doubt’ (Zachary Scott Theatre Center)
Outstanding Director of a Drama Shawn Sides (‘The Method Gun’)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama David Stahl (‘Henry Drummond,’ ‘Inherit the Wind’)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Kathleen Fletcher (Catherine Holly, ‘Suddenly Last Summer’)
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Drama Tyler Jones (Happy, ‘Death of a Salesman’)
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Drama Rachel McGinnis (Zubaida Ula et al., ‘The Laramie Project’)
Cast
Outstanding Cast Performance 'The Beauty Queen of Leenan’e (Renaissance Austin Theatre and VORTEX Repertory Company)
Outstanding Ensemble Performance Content Love Knowles, Betsy McCann, Kira Parra, Emerald Mystiek, Ashley Edwards, Leigh Shaw and Elizabeth Rast (Chorus, ‘Troades’)
Outstanding Set Design Arthur Adair (‘The Red Balloon’)
Outstanding Lighting Design : Jason Amato (‘Troades’)
Outstanding Sound Design: Jeffrey Alan Jones (‘Death and the King’s Horseman’)
Outstanding Costume Design: Derek Whitener (‘Porgy and Bess’)
Outstanding Music Director: Justin Sherburn (‘The Red Balloon’)
Outstanding Choreographer Robin Lewis (‘Porgy and Bess’)
Outstanding Original Script: Zell Miller, III (‘Radio Silence’)
Outstanding Original Score: Justin Sherburn (‘The Red Balloon’)
SPECIAL AWARDS
Austin Circle of Theaters Speical Recognition Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Theatre and Performing Arts: Jason Amato
ACoT's Rudy Kloptic Award for Outstanding Improvistional Theatre Given in 2008 to Austin's "Improvisational Dream Team" ( the best reps of improvisational theatre, both on stage and in the community.) Dave Buckman, Asaf Ronen, Tami Nelson, Chris Trew, Michael, Jastroch, Shana Merlin, Roy Janik, and Justin York
B. Iden Payne Committee's Standing Ovation Certificate: Outstanding Achievement in Animation to Leah Sharpe for ‘The Red Balloon’
