January News
January 2007 
 Andy's Summer Playhouse Newsletter
 Auditions for 2007 Season ~ March 24-25!
In This Issue
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 2007 Annual Appeal
 Halfway to $12,000 goal!

In our recently mailed annual appeal, we quoted a letter written by Jessie DiGiacinto, long-time Andy's kid, now a graduate student in the New York University Musical Theater Program. She wrote this at the end of last summer, after participating at Andy's as co-director of the Conservatory program. Please forgive if you've already received that mailing, but we feel her thoughts are so quintessentially at the core of Andy's, that they bear repeating:

Working here this season proved to me once again how important, how vital, Andy's is to the kids, their parents, and the community. If magic existed, I think it would exist there; on the stage and by the costumes and up on the bridge. Andy's is where so many find a home, a comfort to those who have a hard time feeling comfortable anywhere else. Lives have been changed--and as grandiose as that sounds--I'm living proof of it.

We ended the 2006 season with quite a large deficit so while we re-plan, re-structure, and re-prioritize for the coming season, will you please consider supporting Andy's at this very crucial time and help us continue to change kids' lives? Thank you!

Donate now 


 Andy's in Vienna
 Bob and Sally and Sharon

Sharon in Vienna
Many of you know that Bob Lawson and Sally Bomer (Artistic and Administrative Directors) were in Vienna, Austria for the fall semester, with their two sons and a dozen college students. We were delighted to find that Sharon Hayes, former Andy's writer and director, was also there for a bit, presenting new work through the MUMOK (her "action" is seen in the photo at the Stephansplatz in Vienna). She also graciously spent time with our group of Franklin Pierce College students, discussing her processes. Andy's abroad?

Sharon Hayes' Current Work 


 Foundation Grant for Cheap Cabaret
 $2,000 Grant for 2007 Season

NHCF logo Last summer's sleeper success program, the Cheap Cabaret, has received a $2,000 grant for the 2007 season, from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation--Monadnock Region.

Other new funds for the 2007 season include a grant from Wisconsin-based Quad/Graphics, facilitated by Andy's parent John Forgit. Our profound thanks to both NHCF and Quad/Graphics for helping our 2007 season move forward.

 


 Board Members Needed
 

The Board of Directors of Andy's Summer Playhouse, Inc. faces a challenging period of flexible adaptation to the financial and demographic climate of southern New Hampshire, as well as continuing to care for our beloved historic building. Please contact Matt Gelbwaks, Acting Chair, mgelbwaks@yahoo.com, or Sally Bomer, Administrative Director, sally@andyssummerplayhouse.org, if you have an interest in serving.

 


 Henry Akona Directs Premier Havel Play
 

Henry Akona and Vaclav Havel The first production in English of a Vaclav Havel teleplay was directed in New York by Andy's director Henry Akona in a production starring Andy's alum Liz Wisan and with sound design by Andy's man of many talents, DJ Potter. The festival was the first worldwide presentation of all of Havel's plays.

Henry, Assistant Artistic Director of the Havel Festival, wrote to us:I directed, A Butterfly on the Antenna. It's a very funny piece with a dramatic performance history. Written as a teleplay during the Prague Spring in 1968, it was accepted by Czechoslovakian Television but, before it could be broadcast, the Soviet tanks rolled into Prague and the new government banned all of Havel's work. It received its world premier as a radio play broadcast from (what was then) West Germany in 1975. It has rarely been performed since then and never in English.

The Havel Festival 


 

Andy's Auditions will be held March 24-25 at Temple Elementary School. The season is well under construction... and it's not too early to sign up if you even think you might be interested in being in one of our summer mainstage productions. Call or e-mail with questions, concerns, or to set up an audition time. And don't worry if you can't make it that weekend---you can audition electronically! Just e-mail us a video from your digital camera, or post it on photobucket.com (it's free) or anywhere else we could see it. Or snail mail a DVD or CD or VHS tape. Introduce yourself and your age, read for 30 seconds from a a text (book, script, poem, etc) and sing Happy Birthday (to Bob of course, a cappella is fine).

Open to all children ages 8-18, regardless of who you know or your favorite hairstyle.

See ya' at the Playhouse!



phone: 603-654-2613