BLOOD, SWEAT AND CHEERS by Amy Gentry and Kaci Beeler, Salvage Vanguard Theatre, May 30 - June 9, 2013

Mr. and Mrs. Danger Productions

presents

Blood, Sweat, and Cheers

A New Comedic Play About Competitive Cheerleading

May 30th through June 9th, 2013

Thursdays - Saturdays at 8 pm, Sundays at 4 pm

Tickets $15-20 available at http://www.austincheershow.com.

Salvage Vanguard Theater at 2803 Manor Rd, Austin, TX 78722 - click for map

From the minds of critically-acclaimed Hideout Theatre artistic director Roy Janik and "Best of Austin" actor Kaci Beeler comes a brand new comedic play about the world of competitive cheerleading.

In Blood, Sweat, and Cheers 17-year-old June Davis returns to her old cheer gym, the notoriously competitive Austin Cheer Depot, after an abrupt two-year sabbatical. While some of her old teammates are happy for her return, rival and cheer captain Kennedy Campbell is not pleased. June battles her teammates, her parents, her coaches, her best friend James, and herself to make it to the top...but is being the best worth losing everything?

This high-energy, heart-felt, coming of age comedy features a new script by local writer Amy Gentry and improviser Kaci Beeler, performances by notable Austin comedians including Curtis Luciani and Courtney Hopkin of Your Terrific Neighbors, and a full competitive cheer routine starring athletes from Austin Cheer Factory, Austin's most elite cheerleading program.

After the original script was created by Kaci and Amy, the actors were encouraged to create spontaneous elaborations and interpretations in rehearsal, making the final product a collaborative mix of traditional and improvisational theater.

The lead actors, Kaci Beeler, Kayla Lane Freeman, Karen Jane DeWitt, and Courtney Hopkin, have been doing intensive physical training for the past 8 months. Led by fellow actor and 73-time National Champion Halyn Erickson, these 4 adult women have learned to cheer in the extremely athletic, competitive style executed by today's contemporary All-Star Cheer training centers. All five women have been documenting their training experience online in the Austin Cheer Show blog (http://austincheershow.blogspot.com).

Due to the intense nature of the production, Blood, Sweat, and Cheers is running for two weekends (eight performances total) at The Salvage Vanguard Theater main stage on Manor Rd.

This is one theatrical event no one in Austin will want to miss.

(Click to go to the AustinLiveTheatre front page)

Upcoming: 40-Hr Improv Marathon Fundraiser, Hideout Theatre, June 26 - 28

UPDATE: Review in the Austin Chronicle, July 2, by Robert Faires, who sat in on hours 39 & 40, Sunday morning: "sharp, focused and riotously funny."

UPDATE: Robert Faires' interview of Andy Crouch concerning the 40-hr marathon, Austin Chronicle of June 25

UPDATE: Erik Adams' interview of Jeremy Lamb concerning the 40-hr marathon, Austin.Decider.com of June 25

Found on-line at KEYE-TV:

An Austin institution known for its improv is getting a second life after 10 years of comedy in the Capital city.

Roy Janik, Kareem Badr and Jessica Arjet are taking over The Hideout Theatre, a local improv comedy club where they were all once students. Despite the lease running out and the previous owner stepping down after 10 years, these three wanted to keep the laughs going.

“We didn’t want to see it die because that’s where we learned improv, and we love it,” stated Janik.

Arjet even put her life’s savings on the line. “I have an inheritance, which is all my savings in the entire world. My husband was like, are you sure you want to do this?”

She is sure, she says, because you can’t put a price on making people feel good.

“Who needs material things when you have theater?”

In order to accomplish their goal of reviving the theater, the three new owners will be hosting a 40 hour improv marathon next weekend. This marathon will not only help save the theater, but will also fund other acting programs in Austin.

Badr said, “It’s the worst idea ever, it’s going to be amazing.”

[photo by Peter Rogers, published in the Austin Chronicle]

Read more at AustinLiveTheatre.com . . . .