News from the INTIMAN

Lisa Shannon, Founder of “Run for Congo Women”—the Inspiration Behind a Global Effort to Support the Women of the Democratic Republic of Congo —Will Discuss Her New Book, A Thousand Sisters, on Monday, April 12 at 7 pm on Stage at Intiman Theatre, Co-Presented by Intiman, the World Affairs Council and Elliott Bay Books

Intiman will kick off its International Cycle with this new partnership and a one-day sale for Lynn Nottage’s Ruined on Saturday, March 27

SEATTLE— In support of its new International Cycle, Intiman Theatre will partner with the World Affairs Council and Elliott Bay Books to present author and activistLisa Shannon, founder of “Run for Congo Women,” on April 12 at 7 pm, followed by a signing of her new book, A Thousand Sisters, in the Intiman lobby. This is the first in a series of events Intiman will offer in connection with its summer production of Lynn Nottage’s Ruined, the Pulitzer Prize-winning play inspired by the real stories of Congolese women, which will be directed by Artistic Director Kate Whoriskey as a co-production between Intiman Theatre and the Geffen Playhouse and will be presented by Intiman at South Africa’s Market Theatre in the fall.

Lisa Shannon’s “Run for Congo Women,” which began with a solo 30-mile run and has grown into a global movement, has sponsored more than a thousand war-affected Congolese women through Women for Women International. Her book, about her journey to activism and experiences in the Congo , will be available for sale before and after the discussion on April 12.

The cost of the lecture is $10 for Intiman subscribers, World Affairs Council members and students; $15 for the general public. The cost of the lecture plus a reception beginning at 6 pm is $20 for Intiman subscribers, World Affairs Council members, and students; $30 for the general public. Tickets are available from www.world-affairs.org or 206.441.5910.

On Saturday, March 27, Intiman will offer a one-day sale on tickets for Ruined in commemoration of World Theatre Day, which was created in 1961 by the International Theatre Institute, and is celebrated annually by ITI Centers and the international theatre community.

Patrons can purchase adult tickets for any performance during the first two weeks of the run, July 2-July 18, for only $25 using the promo word Congo . Tickets are available from www.intiman.org, 206.269.1900 or in person at Intiman Theatre, 201 Mercer Street at Seattle Center . (Not valid for Opening Night on July 9, previously purchased tickets or combined with other offers.)

“If I were put in charge of arts programming on PBS and had unlimited funds at my disposal,” Terry Teachout wrote in the Wall Street Journal on March 20, 2010, “….I’d fly out to Seattle and tape an Intiman Theatre performance of Kate Whoriskey 's staging of Ruined.”

The most acclaimed play of the 2009 theatre season, Ruined is set in a Congolese bar-and-brothel that provides refuge to young women caught up in the chaos and violence that surrounds them. Infused with music, hope, spirit and wit, Ruined will be produced at Intiman from July 2-August 8 with members of the award-winning original company and then travel to South Africa ’s Market Theatre, where the story will be shared with Congolese refugees in Johannesburg as the first production of Intiman’s International Cycle. The new five-year series will include productions that will be produced both in Seattle and at other theatres around the globe and new theatre pieces collaboratively developed by artists from Intiman and other countries.

For tickets and more information, visit www.intiman.org.

Ruined and the International Cycle are sponsored in part by The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation.

Seasonal support for Intiman Theatre is provided by ArtsFund; Intiman Theatre Foundation; Kreielsheimer Remainder Foundation; The Leading National Theatres Program, a joint initiative of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; The Shubert Foundation; and Washington State Arts Commission.

The Best in Town's in On The Town

Seattle’s brightest stars, along with two New York guests, featured in The 5th’s production of classic Bernstein musical

SEATTLE, WA –Casting of principals and the company of The 5th Avenue Theatre’s production of Leonard Bernstein’s madcap musical On The Town, directed byBill Berry, was announced today.

Seattle actors Greg McCormick Allen (Ozzie) and Matt Owen (Chip) are joined by New York actor Joe Aaron Reid (Gabey) as the three sailors on a riotous 24-hour-trip to the Big Apple, and New York actress Courtney Iventosch (Ivy) joins 5th Avenue favorites Sarah Rudinoff (Hildy) and Billie Wildrick (Claire) as the trio of aggressive city dames who beguile our heroes.

The cast includes a star-studded roster of local actors, including Allen Fitzpatrick (Judge Pitkin), Suzy Hunt (Madame Dilly), Jennifer Sue Johnson (Lucy Schmeeler), Ekello Harrid Jr. (Workman), Richard Gray (Bill Poster, MC, and others), and Frances Leah King (Old Lady, Nun).

The rest of the ensemble is: David Alewine, Jeffrey Alewine, Kelly Ann Barton, Ty Alexander Cheng, Gabriel Corey, Geneva Jenkins, Brittany Jamieson, Kylie Lewallen, Nikki Long, Vincent Lopez, Amber Mayberry, Mia Monteabaro, Joel Myers, Kasey Nusbickel, Tory Peil, Patrick Pulkrabek, Marissa Quimby and Dane Stokinger, and with Dana Blasingame, Brian Scott Kerrick, Arwen Morgan and Sage Price as our performance interns.

The 5th is also delighted to partner again with Spectrum Dance Company, Washington’s largest professional contemporary dance company. Founded in 1982 and led since 2002 by Artistic Director Donald Byrd, Spectrum last partnered with The 5th for West Side Story in 2007, also directed by The 5th’s Producing Director Bill Berry. “We are excited to grow the partnership with The 5th Avenue Theatre this season with On The Town, and explore another classic Bernstein and Robbins production,” says Anne Derieux, Executive Director of Spectrum. “Why collaborate? The short answer is that we cannot achieve our mission alone. That mission is to make dance accessible, without limitations, to the community. In order to fulfill this we must bring dance outside the walls of the dance studio and into other theaters and venues.”

The company includes five performers who were featured in The 5th’s 2006 production of Bernstein’s Wonderful Town, also directed by Berry. Greg McCormick Allen, Richard Gray and Matt Owen are all back for another run at Bernstein, as well as Billie Wildrick, who’s again joined by her co-star from Wonderful Town, local singing sensation Sarah Rudinoff. Wildrick was nominated for a TPS Gregory A. Falls Award for her performance in The 5th’s production of Sunday in the Park with George last year, and Rudinoff continues to sing around town with her band “We Are Golden.”

On The Town was Bernstein’s first musical, written in 1944 with book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, and choreography by Jerome Robbins. This madcap comedy follows the fortunes of a trio of sailors on 24 hour shore leave in New York City, where they dance, joke and sing their way through misadventures, marvels and romance. Director Bill Berry’s production of On the Town earlier this year for New Jersey’s Paper Mill Playhouse received critical raves, including The Star Ledger (“a magnificent revival”), Curtain Up (“For the sheer number of belly laughs and for simply having a helluva good time, you can’t beat the jovial and rambunctious carrying on by the three sailors…”) and The Wall Street Journal (“….gets everything right, all the way down to the last detail, and the results are lovely and amazing to behold…. better than any musical now playing on Broadway.”)

Tickets for On The Town, as well as season tickets to the newly-announced 2010-2011Season, are available over the phone by calling 206-625-1900/toll-free 888-5TH-4TIX (584-4849), in person at the box office at 1308 5th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101, or online at www.5thavenue.org.

The 5th Avenue Theatre is Seattle’s premier musical theater. In 1980, the non-profit 5th Avenue Theatre began producing and presenting top-quality live musical theater for the cultural enrichment of the Northwest community. The 5th Avenue Theatre maintains a subscription audience of over 25,000 and an annual attendance of more than 287,000. It ranks among the nation’s largest and most respected musical theater companies. The Theatre is committed to encouraging the next generation of theatergoers through its Educational Outreach Program which includes: The Adventure Musical Theatre Touring Company, The 5th Avenue High School Musical Theatre Awards, the Student Matinee Program and Spotlight Nights. Unique in its Chinese-inspired design, the exquisite theater opened in 1926 as a venue for vaudeville and film. Today, under the leadership of Executive Producer and Artistic Director David Armstrong, Managing Director Bernie Griffin and Producing Director Bill Berry, The 5th Avenue Theatre continues to achieve the highest standards in all aspects of artistic endeavors and facility operations, while preserving its artistic, architectural and historic legacy. Visit www.5thavenue.org.

Our thanks to our 2009-2010 Corporate Sponsors Safeco and US Bank.

Taproot Theatre's Acting Studio keeps Greenwood Hopping this Summer

SEATTLE – March 22, 2010 – There’s something going on every week this summer with Taproot Theatre’s Acting Studio. From musical theatre to Shakespeare, acting for the camera and the art of comedy, summer quarter features nearly three dozen camps for kids and teens ages 4-17. Plus, the Acting Studio introduces the all-new Audition!, a one-week course that will take students through the audition process from start to finish, and will send them home with a professional resume, headshot and monologue. Summer quarter runs from June 21 through September 2.

Registration is open now. Classes are held at Taproot Theatre (204 N 85^th St.), Ballard Church (1460 NW 73^rd St.) and Grace Fellowship Church (410 NW 62nd St.) in Seattle. Registration forms and camp descriptions are available online at www.taproottheatre.org, or contact Taproot’s Acting Studio at (206) 529-3668 orstudio@taproottheatre.org.

About Taproot Theatre Company’s Acting Studio

Taproot Theatre Company’s Acting Studio offers year-round classes for youth and adults taught by local theatre professionals. Budding thespians will find classes to help them develop their acting skills, while more seasoned actors can build on their knowledge and learn new techniques. Taproot Theatre Company is a professional, non-profit theatre company with a multi-faceted production program. Founded in 1976, Taproot Theatre serves the Pacific Northwest with Mainstage Productions, Touring Productions and Acting Studio. Taproot exists to create theatre that explores the beauty and questions of life while bringing hope to our search for meaning. Taproot Theatre Company is a member of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), Theatre Puget Sound(TPS), and the Greenwood-Phinney Chamber of Commerce.

Special thanks to our media sponsor, ParentMap. Seasonal support provided by The Charles Simonyi Fund for Arts and Sciences, 4Culture, ArtsFund and PONCHO.

###

SUMMER 2010 FACT SHEET

Creative Dramatics Daycamp

Who knew learning could be so much fun? Through dramatization and creative play, your young performer will get a wonderful introduction to the art of acting, along with developing interpersonal skills and exercising their imagination. Students will have a great time creating an original play to perform for family and friends on the final day of camp.

1^st and 2^nd grades

Offered weekly*

Monday-Friday-1 week

10 am-2 pm

$185

Performance: Last day of camp, 1 pm

Location TBA

*Offered weekly. Please denote which week(s) you’d like when you register.

Creative Dramatics Jr Daycamp

This class offers your young one a great introduction to drama and is a guaranteed imagination builder. Students will have a great time cultivating their creativity and working together to create a presentation that shows off everything they’ve learned in camp.

Pre-K and kindergarten

Monday-Friday- 1 week

10 am-2 pm

$185

Performance: Last day of camp, 1 pm

Location TBA

*Offered weekly. Please denote which week(s) you’d like when you register.

Session 1 June 21-25

Session 2 June 28-July 2

Session 3 July 12-16

Session 4 July 19-23

Session 5 July 26-30

Session 6 August 2-6

Session 7 August 9-13

Session 8 August 16-20

Session 9 August 23-27

*Excluding the week of July 5

Musical Theatre Review 1 and 2

A perfect introduction to musical theater! Your young actor will sing, dance and act during this week of theatrical fun and friendship, then put all their new skills together in a performance on the final day of camp. Each week will have a different, exciting theme.

3^rd-12^th grades

Session 1- Monday-Friday, June 21-25- 1 week, Performance: June 25, 3 pm

Session 2- Monday-Friday, June 28-July 2- 1 week, Performance: July 2, 3 pm

10 am-4 pm

$310

Class meets at TTC

Mini Camp 1 and 2

Wondering what to do with your talented kids during these short holiday weeks? Mini Camp will delight and entertain. Your student will sample skills such as improv, stage combat, Shakespeare and more!

Pre-K through 12^th grade (students will be broken up into age-appropriate groups)

Session 1-Tuesday-Friday, July 6-July 9- 1 week

Session 2-Monday-Thursday, August 30-September 2- 1 week

10 am-4 pm

4 days

$210

Location TBA

The Art of Comedy - For Teens

Make ‘em laugh! This camp explores the basics of comedic acting, from improv to slapstick and pratfalls. This rousing one-week camp will help develop your teenage actor’s comedic timing. Family and friends are invited for a showcase of students’ talents on the final day of class.

7^th-12^th grades

Monday-Friday, July 6-9 – 4 days

10 am-4 pm

$250

Showcase: July 9, 3 pm

Location TBA

Shakespeare Daycamp

All the world’s a stage, and the Bard is still one of the greatest storytellers to ever tread its boards. Students will get to know Shakespeare and his plays, then perform a shortened version of one of his great comedies.

3^rd-12^th grades

Monday-Friday, July 12-16- 1 week

10 am-4 pm

$285

Performance: July 16, 3 pm

Class meets at TTC

Acting for the Camera - For Teens

Expand your teenage star’s acting skills with a camp that teaches the basics of acting in front of a camera. Students will explore the wide world of TV and film acting using new techniques to bridge the transition from stage to screen.

7^th-12^th grades

Monday-Friday, July 12-16- 1 week

10 am-4 pm

$310

Pre-requisite: Previous acting experience

Location TBA

Youth Summer Showcase

The acting bug? Check. Teamwork? Check. Determination? Check. Students will put it all together as they work with one another to rehearse and perform a challengingtheatrical production in just one week!

3^rd-6^th grades

Monday-Friday, July 19-23- 1 week

10 am-4 pm

$285

Performance: July 23, 3 pm

Class meets at TTC

Musical Theatre Supercamp

This two-week intensive will dive deeply into the singing, dancing and acting techniques needed for musical theatre performance. Not for the faint of heart, this class will be a challenge to even the most experienced young actors. Each student will go through an audition process and be cast in a Broadway-style musical, creating an experience they will never forget.

3^rd-12^th grades

Monday-Friday, July 19-31- 2 weeks

10 am-4 pm

$510

Performances: July 30, 3 pm, and July 31, 10 am

Pre-requisite: TTC Showcase class or an audition

Location TBA

Shakespeare Supercamp

Brush up your Shakespeare—this class will challenge even the most experienced young actors! Culminating in a shortened version of one of Shakespeare’s great plays, this two-week intensive will dive even more deeply into the voice, movement and acting techniques needed for Shakespearean performance.

3^rd-12^th grades

Monday-Friday, July 26-August 7 – 2 weeks

10 am-4 pm

$475

Performances: August 6, 3 pm and August 7, 10 am

Pre-requisite: TTC Showcase or Daycamp

Location TBA

Acting for the Camera - For Youth

Your child’s a natural on the stage, so what does it take to bridge the gap to acting for the camera? Your young star will learn new techniques specifically suited to the camera in this practical class that explores the wide world of TV and film acting.

2^nd-6^th grades

Monday-Friday, August 2-6- 1 week

10 am-4 pm

$310

Pre-requisite: Previous acting experience

Location TBA

The Art of Comedy - For Youth

It takes more than a good joke to make people laugh. Students will learn the secrets of comedic acting and develop comedic timing and skills as they explore everything from improv to slapstick and pratfalls.

Friends and family will be rolling in the aisles with laughter on the final day of class.

2^nd-6^th grades

Monday-Friday, August 16-20 – 1 week

10 a.m.-4 p.m.

$310

Showcase: August 20, 3 pm

Location TBA

Teen Summer Showcase

All the fun and excitement of putting on a great production in just one week. From getting cast to rehearsing and preparing for a final production, teens will have a great time working together and developing their acting skills. The play will be chosen specifically for teens.

7^th-12^th grades

Monday-Friday, August 9-13 – 1 week

10 am-4 pm

$285

Performance: August 13, 3 pm

Class meets at TTC

Summer Showcase

Students will polish their acting skills and then let them shine. Focusing specifically on the acting technique and ensemble building, this camp gets students working together to create a performance in just one week.

3^rd-12^th grades

Monday-Friday, August 23-27 – 1 week

10 am-4 pm – 1 week

$285

Performance: August 27, 3 pm

Class meets at TTC

Advanced Musical Theatre Supercamp

Aimed at young actors who want a taste of the professional world of musical theatre, this class is for the serious artist in continued training who wishes to take their performance to a new level. Each student will audition for a place in camp. Those who are accepted will audition for a role and be cast in a challenging Broadway-style musical.

5^th-12^th grades

Monday-Friday, August 9-21 – 2 weeks

10 am-4 pm

$535

Performances: August 20, 3 pm and August 21, 10 am

Pre-requisite: 2 TTC Musical Theatre Daycamps and audition with camp instructor

Location TBA

Audition! NEW!

Is your young actor itching to jump into the world of professional acting? This camp will prepare them for the most vital part of acting: auditions. Our team will lead them through the process of auditioning from start to finish, and they will leave this class with a professional resume, headshot and monologue. During the week, students will get the chance to interact with some of the best and brightest artists and Taproot professionals who know what it takes to excel in this industry.

5^th-12^th grades

Monday-Friday, August 23-27 -1 week

10 am-4 pm

$285

Location TBA