Weekly Update on Friday (as it should be)

April 24th, 2009
Two updates in one week!  How exciting.  
 
BE AGGRESSIVE
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I’m very happy to say that Caitlin has healed well and was able to perform last night with no problem.  Our cheer squad is back together again!
 
I’m also very happy to say that BE AGGRESSIVE has now become NVA’s top single ticket seller!  It’s such a great show - I hope you will all be able to see it.  Four chances left: tonight at 8 PM, Saturday at 3 PM and 8 PM and Sunday at 2 PM.
 
We’ll be holding a short strike of the show on Sunday from 4:15 - 5:45 - if you’d like to come by and help us take apart the set, please feel free - it’s usually a lot of fun.
 
SEASON 9 SOIREE
This is going to be a great party.  There are so many exciting things happening that it is difficult to list them all out here…
  • First off, the house is amazing.
  • Then, you get to see members of the Ensemble performing scenes from the upcoming plays - and if we are really lucky, maybe even a few musical numbers (oh, if Tom Zohar could only be there!!!)
  • The two short films created with our Ensemble will be premiered - both films were shot and edited by Ric Shellhammer of Pegasus Productions and feature music by Nathan James.
  • We get to taste the first wine ever grown from seed here in Carlsbad
  • We also get to taste lots of other great wine and food
  • There are fabulous silent and live auction prizes
  • And if you are really nice to him, Tim Parker might share with you his opening night tradition…
So, if you don’t have your tickets yet, you should buy them now (www.NewVillageArts.org) and be sure you have invited 50 of your closest friends to join you.
It’s Saturday, May 9th from 5-10 PM at Julie & Peder Norby’s house on Agua Hendionda Lagoon in Carlsbad.
 
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(Here are some members of the Ensemble acting like they were in summer camp…)
SUMMER CAMP TIME!!
For those of you who have people in your life aged 9-18, it’s time to sign them up for camp!  NVA is starting it’s first foray into summer camps and we have three great two-week options lined up.  Students will enjoy games, learn acting skills and have a blast in NVA’s Summer Youth Workshop!  More info is on our website.
 
SEASON ANNOUNCEMENT
For those of you unable to make the party on Saturday the 9th, we will be sending out the press releases to announce the whole season the following week.  I’m very excited about it - we have a little something for everyone and some truly wonderful plays.
 
ENSEMBLE RETREAT
The Ensemble will be taking their annual retreat May 3-6.  It’s a good opportunity to keep focusing in on our artistic mission and building a strong acting group.  Look for some fun photos when we return!
 
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Sunday, April 26th at 2 PM: last performance of BE AGGRESSIVE, followed by strike.
Sunday, April 26th 6-10 PM: the last in our first series of Master Classes, taught by me and Joshua.
Monday, April 27th 7-11 PM: Ensemble Auditions for Season 9.
Wednesday, April 29th: Rehearsals for FOUR DOGS AND A BONE start!!
Friday, May 1: 5:00 PM: ArtWalk in the Village starts at NVA.
        7:30 PM: Music at NVA: CD release party for Gunnar Biggs (tix $10 available at the door).
Sunday, May 3: Carlsbad Village Faire - we need volunteers!
        Ensemble Retreat Starts
Saturday, May 9: Season 9 Soiree 5-10 PM
Sunday, May 10: Happy Mother’s Day!
Monday, May 11: Playreading of WOMEN OF MANHATTAN at the Dove Library for Carlsbad Playreaders.  I’m directing & acting in it, along with the Amandas (Morrow & Sitton), Greg Wittman and Mark Broadnax.  Sexy, fun John Patrick Shanley piece.
 
KUDOS
To our fabulous Managing Director, Alex Scollon, who has been doing a wonderful job!  Thank him when you see him!
 
Have a great weekend-
 
Kristianne


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Weekly Update on Tuesday!!

April 24th, 2009
Hello everyone!  I was in Canada last week, so I wrote this update this past Tuesday…
 
A BIG WEEKEND FOR BE AGGRESSIVE
We had quite an exciting Saturday night this weekend.  Playwright Annie Weisman drove down from LA to see the play and do a talk back after the show.  She’s a really interesting woman and seemed to greatly enjoy the performance.  During the second cheerleader scene, our Cheer Captain, Caitlin Kunkle, rolled her ankle pretty badly and had to miss the rest of the show.  Alyssa & Rachel (and the entire cast) stepped it up and filled in the rest of the show.  Some people didn’t even know that we were missing someone, which shows what a good job they all did.  On Sunday, our own box office manager Kelly Iversen (who also assistant directed the show) did the role - and she did a fabulous job!
 
Here’s a photo from our dance rehearsal before the show on Sunday with Kelly in full cheer garb:
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It looks like Caitlin might be healed enough to do the show this weekend, but if not, we have another understudy who can take over the role.
 
We also had a group from Playwrights Project at the theatre on Saturday night (the show was sold out), which is good as we try to bring in new patrons.  We had a great audience on Sunday as well - BE AGGRESSIVE has now become our largest single-ticket sales show!  Congrats to everyone involved!
 
This is closing weekend, so be sure you make your reservations with Kelly now if you have not seen it yet.
 
O, CANADA
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Here’s Jonah (with push pop) standing in the middle of (the frozen) Pyramid Lake in Jasper National Park in Canada.
Jonah and I had a great trip to Canada - we went to an indoor waterpark in Edmonton - while it was snowing outside, spent a night in Jasper and spent some great time with my long time best friend (we have known each other for 27 years!!!)  Thanks to Alex & company for holding down the fort while I was gone.
 
SEASON ANNOUNCEMENT PARTY
Tickets are now for sale for the big party on May 9th!  I hope you all have plans to be there.  We have a great committee putting together the party, and we will be tasting the first wine ever grown from seed here in Carlsbad.  We’ll also be doing short scenes from the upcoming season, listening to some good music, eating some tasty food and drinking that good wine.  Not to mention that it is in a fabulous house.
 
Purchase your tickets now at www.NewVillageArts.org or call Kelly (between 1:30 and 5:30) at 760-433-3245.
 
STANDING OVATION FOR PLAY-READING!
Our Ensemble put on another great show last night, with the reading of AR Gurney’s SYLVIA.  The reading was directed by Ensemble member Tim Parker and featured Dana Case, Daren Scott, Rachael VanWormer & Tom Zohar.  The audience was thrilled with the show - congrats to everyone involved!
 
That’s all for now - I’ll send another update out on Friday.  In the meantime, get those tickets for BE AGGRESSIVE and the SEASON 9 SOIREE!!


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Be Aggressive Opening Weekend!

April 6th, 2009

What a fabulous opening weekend!  I’m so proud of the cast, crew and designers of the show - everyone did a wonderful job.  Audiences have been raving about the show - most commenting on how much fun they had - and the first two reviews to come out have been very positive.  Here are a few tastes:

“an exemplary production…hits all of the right notes” - Bill Eadie, www.sandiego.com

“Don’t miss this thought-provoking, energetic romp about life, death, and cheering!” - Andrea Susan Glass, www.sdwriteway.org

The opening night party was a blast as well.  Special thanks go out to Flippin Pizza and Karl Strauss Breweries, for sponsoring the event.  Here’s a fun shot of the cast with me and the hip-hop choreographer, Ramon Ivey (and his business partner):

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What an amazing group of people!

Go to the ticket page of our website and buy your tickets now - you don’t want to miss this one!

-Kristianne


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Weekly Update 4/3/09

April 3rd, 2009
Greetings, everyone.  Hope you are having a great week.  It’s been as busy here as usual…here’s a quick re-cap…
 
BE AGGRESSIVE
Opens Saturday night!!  We had one of our biggest first preview audiences ever last night, and we expect to be sold out tonight (opening night has been sold out for a few days now).  The show went very well last night - it runs about two hours and ten minutes - including intermission - and it moves so quickly!
 
We also were featured on the Fox Morning News on Thursday morning.  Alex, Sam, the five cheerleaders and I were all here from 5 AM - 9 AM and did four segments and four teasers with one of the morning reporters.  The reporter was a former cheerleader, so she had a lot of fun with us - and aside from being tired (5 AM is not usually on the schedule for theatre people), I think everyone had a good time.
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Pictured above: Ensemble members Amanda Morrow and Rachael VanWormer.  Photo by Daren Scott.
The playwright, Annie Weisman, will be joining us on Saturday, April 18th to watch the show and do a talk-back after.  This will be a joint fundraiser with Playwrights Project (where Ms. Weisman got her start), so it should be a successful evening!
 
So you all know, this is a typical NVA comedy - it’s very funny, but also very touching and moving - so be prepared for a complete evening!
 
NVA GALLERY
We have two artists in the lobby this time around.  We have the “lowbrow” art of Sophia Guymer - including paintings on skateboards and a surfboard - it fits the show very well.  Then, we are also featuring the photography of Ensemble Member Adam Brick.  We have put together a show of photographs of our Ensemble that helps kick off the GIVE 15 campaign.  Adam will be here on opening night to help celebrate the work.
MUSIC AT NVA
My sister Susanna will be in town performing at NVA again on Tuesday, April 7th.  This time around, it’s with Nathan James, Olivia Pierson and a host of other special guests.  The show starts at 7:30 PM and is pay-what-you-can.
 
SEASON ANNOUNCEMENT
The plans are well under way for the Season Announcement Party on May 9th at Julie & Peder Norby’s house.  It looks to be a fabulous evening - and Joshua, Alex & I are excited to share the new season with everyone.  Hope you all can join us at the event!
 
BIRTHDAYS, BIRTHDAYS and more BIRTHDAYS!!!!
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Sunday, April 5th: Jack Missett (seen above in FOOL FOR LOVE photo by Adam Brick) - we love you, Poppa Jack!  (He also opens in Mauritius at Cygnet Theatre next Saturday).
 
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Thursday, April 9th: Amanda Morrow & Tim Wallace (Amanda seen here in Sailor’s Song with Amanda Sitton - both are onstage at NVA right now in BE AGGRESSIVE).  Photo by Adam Brick.
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 Also on April 9th, Ensemble member Tom Zohar (seen here in This is Our Youth - photo by Adam Brick).
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Tuesday, April 14th: Kelly Iversen (Tech Director Becky Pierce, Dani Rhodes and Kelly at the Critics Circle Awards - Kelly will be acting in The Little Dog Laughed at Diversionary Theatre next month!).
 
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Saturday, April 4th: BE AGGRESSIVE opens at 8 PM
Tuesday, April 7th: Music at NVA with Susanna Kurner, Nathan James & Olivia Pierson at 7:30 PM
April 13-17: Kristianne is out of town (Jonah and I are going to see my best friend and her new baby in Canada!)
Saturday, April 18: Annie Weisman Event at NVA
Sunday, April 19: Talk-back after Be Aggressive Matinee
Monday, April 20: NVA Off Nights: Playreading of the comedy SYLVIA by AR Gurney.  Featuring Ensemble Members Dana Case, Daren Scott, Rachael VanWormer & Tom Zohar
Saturday, May 9: Season 9 Announcement Party
 
I look forward to seeing many of you at the theatre this weekend!
 
All the best-
 
Kristianne


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