Alton Little Theater

Alton Little Theater says "Ooh la la" to the final production of the 79th Season!

    Alton Little Theater will present CHASE ME UP FARNDALE AVENUE, S'IL VOUS PLAIT for nine performances, May 10th through 19th at the Showplace. The hilarious French Farce closes out the 79th Season of shows in grand style. The play within a play is the master crafting of a 'comedy tres saucy’ when an English Woman's Dramatic Guild attempts to mount a complex French farce to honor their French guests. Hapless actors gradually lose their slender grip on plot and off-stage drama threatens to overwhelm them - while the audience is reduced to helpless laughter! Audience members and actors alike can appreciate the wit and timing of days when everything that can go wrong - DOES! Of course, the incompetent troupe carries on, playing two or three roles and drafting the stage manager, the costume mistress and the light and sound crew into on-stage performances. Of course the obvious chaos is carefully directed - and happens the same way night after night despite collapsing beds and hapless props and blunders aplenty.

Director, Mark Hilgert, has a true passion for farces and discovered this piece by David McGillivray and Walter Zerlin and thought that ALT audiences would enjoy seeing the kind of behind-the-scene-antics made famous in productions like NOISES OFF. To capture the spirit of the play he needed a cast who could handle the physical comedy and the timing needed to pull off the fun of being in a very "bad" production. Tanya Fox, Pat Kulish, Patti Kruegel, Julia Swan and Steven Harders take on the delightful roles and are relishing rehearsals (and trying to remember just which door to open). Tanya is indeed English and brings a unique appreciation to the characterizations of the play. Jane Hill is serving as language coach for the purposeful "bad" French needed in the production and Kevin Frakes has helped to construct a set that really doesn't work (going against all his instincts.).

Audiences on three continents have enjoyed this play and ALT hopes to provide an enjoyable evening out - and give theater lovers the first opportunity to purchase advance (discounted tickets) for the 80th Anniversary Season. The Director, Mark Hilgert can be contacted for interviews and photo opportunities at (618) 402-6417 and promises that CHASE ME UP FARNDALE AVENUE, S'IL VOUS PLAIT is a farce to make any Frenchman twiddle his mustache! Reservation and Ticket information can also always be found on the ALT Website: altonlittletheater.org. Tickets are $15 for Adults and $8 for students (through college). Reservation/box office number is (618) 462-6562.

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Alton Little Theater Announces Summer Musical Workshop

Alton Little Theater will sponsor a summer program for youths 13-17 that will culminate in eight performances of THE MUSIC MAN. Students will learn performance skills, musicality, lighting, sound, costuming and all aspects of performance and technical theater. Tuition is $25. Fee covers rehearsal assistants, most costume items and show shirt. A limited number of tuition waivers are available.....please check with the director. Performers will be expected to provide their own dance shoes. Call or E-mail Liz Enloe with questions: liznill@sbcglobal.net - 791-5343 . Auditions are FRIDAY, April 12th, 6-8:30 pm and SATURDAY, April 13, 1-3:30 pm at the ALT Showplace. Callbacks will be at 3:30 on Saturday, if needed. Rehearsals will begin the last week of May with Performances July 18-21 AND  July 25-28. Audition requirements include 24-32 bars of a Broadway musical, cold readings and a short dance audition. Auditioners must bring sheet music. An Accompanist will be provided. The ALT Showplace is located at 2450 N. Henry Street in Alton, Illinois. The Production Team of Liz Enloe, Jean Heil and Kevin Frakes looks forward to casting and showcasing some of the talented youth performers in the Riverbend area.

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Alton Little Theater announces its 80th Anniversary Season with an ambitious showcase of eight productions from July 2013 through July 2014. The theme for the 80th Season is: "Eight Decades of Entertaining...and NOW Building the Next Stage for the Future" - which previews the theater's hopes to break ground for a major expansion and renovation early in Spring 2014. The Theater is also changing the performance schedule and productions which will now run for (8) shows Thursday - Sunday afternoon matinee; Community groups and private parties will still have the opportunity to book an additional performance. The core Season will open with the musical THE DROWSY CHAPERONE(directed by Diana Enloe), a charming musical comedy replete with a Broadway Starlet, a debonair fiance', an overzealous producer, a Latin lover and a couple of bumbling gangsters! The opening musical runs September 12th through 22nd. Following that is a dramatic Halloween treat, THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE(directed by Kevin Frakes) - The definitive haunted house story and a revival of ALT's first production done (you guessed it) in the 80's. THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE runs October 24th - November 3rd. January 2014 will open with MOONLIGHT AND MAGNOLIAS(directed by Lee Cox), a fun, farcical look at the behind-the-scenes-birth of one of the most beloved films of all time, "Gone With The Wind". This new hit play runs January 23rd-February 2nd. Spring follows with two equally entertaining stories about love and relationships. SEX, PLEASE, WE'RE 60(directed by Mark Hilgert) will be on board March 13th-23rd and will tickle your funny bones with the antics of a group of friends determined to stay young at heart. Then HALLELUJAH GIRLS(co-directed by Lee Cox and Kevin Frakes) is another rollicking comedy by the writers of SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY and this time our southern gals are trying to renovate an old church (and rekindle an old flame) in the Spa-Dee-Dah salon. HALLELUJAH GIRLS runs May 1st-11th. The Season just gets more fabulous with another musical production, 9 TO 5, THE MUSICAL(directed by Kevin Frakes). This high energy musical was written after the popular movie and is sure to become a crowd favorite! 9 TO 5, THE MUSICAL will run July 24th through August 3rd. The 80th Season is one of the best ever - AND Season Ticket Holders also have the opportunity to be the first to purchase tickets for TWO additional shows, THE MUSIC MAN(directed by Liz Enloe)which will be ALT's Summer Youth Showcase Musical and will run July 18th-28th. A CHRISTMAS PUDDING(Musical)(directed by Lee Cox and Steve Loucks) will be a Holiday Benefit Show and run December 12th through 15th. Season Tickets for all of the Core shows are $80 (but only $70 if purchased before May 31st). Season Ticket holders can then purchase tickets for the Special Shows for half-price (just $10 each) - So for $90, theater-lovers can receive $140 worth of tickets (savings of 36%), guaranteed seating, eight editions of THE PROMPTER, and early-bird discounts on other ALT programs. Tom Hoecht, the mayor of Alton, Illinois has declared Alton Little Theater a "jewel" in the city's cultural landscape and will help with the kick-off of the 80th Campaign, beginning March 15th. Brochures and tickets will be available during the run of CLUE, THE MUSICAL and CHASE ME UP FARNSDALE AVENUE, SI VOUS PLAIT, one hour before the productions and at intermission. For updates about tickets or to purchase on-line, go to www.altonlittletheater.org

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ALTON LITTLE THEATER OFFERS THREE NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH PERFORMERS

* Auditions for MUSIC MAN, ALT's Summer Showcase Youth Musical on stage in late July, will be held on Friday April 12th from 6-8:30 and Saturday, April 13th from 1-4pm. Performers ages 13-17 are asked to come to auditions prepared with 24-32 bars of a Broadway musical solo. An accompanist will be provided. There will be cold readings from the script and a short dance audition. Contact Director Liz Enloe at 791-5343; liznil@sbcglobal.net

* The Creative Dance Studio presents Drama Camp at ALT ( ages 9-16) June 3-7, Mon-Fri, 12:30 to 2:30. Tuition is $75. Children will work character development through physical and vocal improvisation, learning how to use their bodies and voices to create a character. Through scene work, they will study both comic and dramatic techniques. They will present their work on the last day of camp. Call 462-6268 ( Rachel and Scott Brady) to register. Rachel frequently choreographs for ALT And Scott has graced the ALT stage in LAUGHTER ON THE 23RD FLOOR and THE GLASS MENAGERIE.

* Eric Christensen will conduct Improvisation Classes, beginning on Saturday afternoons in March. Eric is an energetic and experience young teacher/director endorsed by the ALT Board of Governors. For more information, please contact Eric at 773-495-9599 OR producer@compassimprov.org

ALT is dedicated to showcasing talent of all ages and to nurture the talents of the next generation of performers. Tickets for MUSIC MAN will be available on-line SOON!

The Alton Little Theater has been entertaining audiences with quality productions continuously since 1934. This makes Alton Little Theater one of the oldest community theaters in the state of Illinois!

As we enter this years season of live community theater, our talented, hard working actors and volunteers are ready to entertain you! When you become a season ticket subscriber, you can look forward to a variety of shows filled with comedy, drama, and music.

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54 Performances during the year!

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General Meetings the third Monday of each month

7:30 pm at the Showplace