:)

So as most of you followers should be aware of by now this blog has transferred over to tumblr. I am not completely sure at this point if I still wish to keep it there or not. So far i am leaning toward moving it back in May or June... we'll see what happens

Last weekend I went to see the 1 Act Plays at the Amato Center. I really enjoyed them a lot. My favorite one was probably Finger Food. I do not know if I was biased because I had seen it when I was at NEC but it is still one of the funniest one act plays I have ever seen. The Lottery was pretty interesting.. I have the book around somewhere and now I am inclined to read it. Everyone did a very good job!! Excellent job Milford Area Players

My life has been very consumed by Oklahoma rehearsals.... not that I am complaining. I am so happy to be in the PTA Play again this year. I remember when I saw Oklahoma a few years ago at Summer Theatre In Meredith Village and I remember really like the show... now I am even moe excited to be in it. The production process has flown by so quickly and I can't even beleive that tech week starts next week and the performances are two weeks away. Craziness! Loving every minute of being in this show and it's gonna hit me like a ton of bricks when it is over. I think the fact that it is 60th anniversary of the PTA Plays this year is what makes it all the more exciting. I wrote an editorial for the newspaper about the effect that PTA Plays has had on me over the years. The thing that makes eame the happiest sbout being involved in the PTA Plays is that I finally found a local theatre group that I can conncet with....and in more ways than one. I discuss in my editorial how I went to school here in middle school and high school and saw the plays every year from 6- 12th grade. I kind of wish I had actually gotten involved in a few of them when I was in high schooll.. kind of kicking myself for that now oh well. I go on to discuss how there are people who I have looked up to over the years and how lucky I am that things have come full circle for me and I get to work with them in the show. One person that particulary stands out to me is Mrs. Emmond. Her support has meant a lot to me throughout the process of thos production and I have already mentioned that to her. In general though everyone has been amazing to work with. I really love the family I have found within the PTA group!! :)

NHTA 10

Happy 10th Anniversary NH Theatre Awards

For the complete winner list go to the NH Theatre Awards Website or here: http://http//caughtintheactnh.blogspot.com/2012/02/2011-nh-theatre-awards-winners.html

I love the NH Theatre Awards because it really exposes me to shows I may have not seen throughout the year as well as new theatres to add to my ever growing list of places to go see shows at. Last night was fabulous. Prior toe show Matt and I went out to dinner at Ignite Bar and Grille which is a few doors up the street from The Palace Theatre. The food was delicous. As previously noted Music Man was nominated for 9 awards so it was a very exciting night for me and the rest of the cast. There was pretty tough compettion all around but I was so excited that Ashely Hughes got Best Actress in A Musical for playing Marian Paroo. It was certainly well deseved. Paula Troie also got in the top 3 for best costume design but was beat by Allison Szklarz for her costume design for The Dionsaur Musical at Peacock Players (one of the many shows I wished I had seen.) Milford Area Players also won several awards for their Production of August Osage County which I am quite excited about. I was impressed by the performances my favorites were definitley Guys and Dolls- Actorsinger (Love Sit Down You're Rockin The Boat) The Dinosaur Musical Peacock Players, Oliver Manchester Community Theatre Players amd The Drowsy Chaperone New London Barn Playhouse. I was so happy for my co-worker on Princess K.I.M The Musical Toby Tarnow for her award for Children And Yoiuth Theatre. I have worked with her twice before now (once as a theatre camp counselor and once backstage for Man Who Came To Dinner last year.) It was certainly a well deserved award as I am costantly impressed with everything the Rivebend School of Theatre Arts puts on.

Shows with Multiple Wins
The Dinosaur Musical Peacock Players Best Youth Production, Best Youth Actor (Taylor Morrow) ,Best Director (Keith Weirch) , Best Musical Directo (Judy Hayward, Best Costume Designer., Best Sound Design (Rich Loomer) Best Lighting Design ( Keith Weirch,Norm St Germain Jeremey Robarge)
The Drowsy Chaperone New London Barn Playhouse Best Production (Professional Musical) ,Best Actress (Anne Torsigerler Bri ( Best Actress) Best Musical Director (Joel Mercier) , Best Director (B.T. Mcnichol) Best Chroregraphy (Sarah Case&Keith Coughlin )
Tom Ford also took home an award for Best Actor in A Musical for A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum
Measure For Measure Peterborough Player Best Production Drama Comedy (Professional) , Best Sound Designer (Kevin Frazier), Best Scenic Designer ( Charles Morgan) Best Costume Designer ( Lara de Bujin), Best Actress Karen Peakes)
The Drowsy Chaperone Community Players of Concord
Best Production Musical (Community) , Best Supporing Actress Candace Azerola
August Osage County Milford Area Players
\Best Director Vick Bennison Best Supporting Actress Deb Shaw Best Productin Drama Comedy (Community)
Suessical The Musical Peacock Players
Best Supporting Actress Youth Megan Dwinell Best Supporting Actor Youth Nathan Schwartzberg



Congrats to all winners and nominees for the 10th Annual NH Theatre Awards.


I hope Okalhoma will get nominated for a few things next year. I look incredibly foward to the prospect of that. :)

2011 Theatre Viewing inHik Review

The 2011 In Review Theatre Post

Movies and Plays

It has been a busy year for me in both seeing movies and plays. Here's the run down

I made my return to the stage in 2011 after a four year hiatus landing an ensemble role in the Amherst PTA Producation of The Music Man. What a great experienee! It was such a great show to work on and so great to work with people I had seen in other PTA shows over the years. I am looking forward to auditioning for Oklahoma on Wednesday and hope that if I get cast the experience will be just as amazing as being in Music Man was. During January I was quite busy running back & forth between Music Man rehearsals and rehearsal for Guys and Dolls JR with Riverbennd Youth Company where I ran the spotlight. I think I found my technical niche finally which makes me quite happy. In March I tried something new and saw the annual Irish Music Show at the Amato Center around St Patrick's Day weekend. It was very cool to introduce myself to a new genre of music and I think Matt and I are likely to make this an annual tradition. At the end of April we went to NEC to see Hotel Laputts the annual spring mainstage production which was directed my former theatre professor Wally Pineault. Prior to the show we went to a reception for Wally's retirement at Country Spriit resturant which was quite lovely. I then had a whirlwind month between the end of April & middle of May where I saw 5 shows in the course of four weeks. A very interesting musical interpertation of Jane Austen's Sense and Sesibility at Wellsely College, NEC Movement Concert, Les Mis with Riverbend Yout Company (One of the best shows Riverbend has dne IMHO) Guys and Dolls at Actorsingers and Suessical The Musical at Peacock Players. All five shows were amazing. To read the full review see my entry The Killer Viewing Update. Suessical is nominated for several NH Theatre awards and I think that all nominess will be well deserving of the wins. Over the summer I had season passes to Summer Theatre in Meredith Village and the season was thier best season yet. Out of all the shows they did I'd have to saw my favorites were Buddy Holly Story and Hairspray. Looking very foward to their 2012 season, Though the schedule has not been finalized yet the show I am very excited about seeing Little Shop of Horrors. In August I saw The Producers for Riverbend Youth Company. I thoight the Riverbend crew did that show incredible justice. It is easily in top 5 list of favorite muscals. In September I saw I Love You You're Perfect Now Change at the Palace Theatre . Matt and I got our seats upgraded from aisle seats to onstage seating which was quite amazing. It was a whole new way to see a play.. which has be laughing the whole time In October I was blown awaya by amazing performances at the Milford Pumpkin Festival talent show espeically that of the winner 11 year old Caroline Burns of Hollis who did an amazing rendition of Adele's Rollin In The Deep. On October 23rd I saw And Then There Were None , Milford Area Players fall show and it definitely kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat. On November 6th I saw A Chorus Line at Stagecoach Producitions (Another show up for numerous NH Theatre Awards) which was quite impressive. Chorus Line is one of my top favorite musicals and I feel that Stagecoach did it wonderful justice. I also saw a benefit concert for the Motivating Miles Foundation the week before Halloween which was quite lovely. My 2011 theatre viewing schedule wrapped up with the Riverbend Youth Company/Milford Area Players joint Holiday production The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. This was Sonya's acting debut and I was very excited for her I thoight this was lovely interperation of one of my favorite holiday books growing up. Great job to everyone in the cast.

As for movies here is my top 10 list

Top 10 Movies of 2011

*Home Viewing ** Theatre Viewing @Remake

1. @* True Grit Rating A

2 **@ Footloose Rating A-

3 * The Departed A-

4 ** Harry Potter and The Dealthly Hallows Part IIRating A-The overall rating for all the Harry Potter movies is A.

5. ** The HelpRating A

6 * Country StrongRating

A7 ** Sherlock Holmes II Game of ShadowsRating A-

8. ** Twilight Breaking Dawn Part I Rating B

Ratings of past Twilight Movies Twilight B New Moon B- Eclipse C+Overall Rating of Series up to this point C+

9. ** MoneyballRating A-

**10. Green LanternRating B-

Movies that did not make the top 10 but are still worth seeking out: Burlusque, The King’s Speech, Enchanted. Mildred Pierce, Sherlock Holmes,Horrible Bosses

If you have seen any of these weigh in with your view points. It will merit fine discussion.

Bect Christmas Pageant Ever Article

Get Into The Holiday Spirit with ‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever’
By
Janine Leffler

Get ready for a hilarious holiday show as Milford Area Players and Riverbend Youth Company present their annual Holiday Production “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.” The play is based on the popular children’s book of the same name by Barbara Robinson which tells the story of
how the troublemaking Herdman children get involved in the annual church
Christmas pageant. The townspeople, knowing the Herdman clan, brace for a disastrous
play, but in the end they find the true meaning of Christmas. According to her
website biography, Robinson’s book was inspired by her small town community of
Portsmouth, Ohio. Her family and the people in her town, including children,
school teachers and local heroes all helped spurred her imagination for the
story.
Michelle Emmond, who plays Grace Bradley, got to
know her character through reading the book annually to her fourth grade class
at Wilkins School. “There are so many fun and funny lines, and the interactions with the young actors are a hoot!” Emmond went on to describe her character “Mrs. Grace Bradley is a mother, and you get the sense that she helps out in
the community, but not in that leadership way that Helen Armstrong does; she's
more of a behind-the-scenes helper. When the pageant gets foisted upon her, Grace really steps up to the plate. And, even though the Christmas pageant doesn't come together in the way that Grace, or the community, expected, it ends up being better because of her open-mindedness in allowing the Herdmans to have parts, and in allowing for some alternative interpretations within the pageant.” Emmond looks forward to the performances especially since in 2008 the amount of performances was shortened \due to the ice storm.
The rambunctious Herdman clan is made up of six kids
played by students from Amherst and Milford. Eleven year old Ben Erdody who
plays Charlie Bradley says the most exciting thing about playing his character
is that he gets to play a classic kid brother character, “it's really fun to be
that person!” He went on to say that he looks forward to the upcoming play. “I'm
very excited about the show because it's always fun to do Riverbend shows, and
they're always really good. My mom is in this one with me and it's a great
thing to do together!”
Sonya Walcott of Hudson makes her Milford Area Players debut in ‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever’ and couldn’t be more excited for this opportunity. “What I have enjoyed about this experience is being chosen to become part of the cast and having the opportunity to be back on stage.” When describing her character, Walcott says, “My character is part of a group of
ladies that share the same beliefs and are much similar to one another in
character. They think it's scandalous that Grace is allowing the Herdman children to act in the Christmas pageant, and they gossip and share their displeasure about it over the phone.”
Director Robin Lacroix also looks forward to the
performances. “It’s such a sweet show and a joy to work on- it reminds us all of the true meaning of Christmas.”
‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever’ will be performed
at the Amato Center for the Performing Arts located at 56 Mt Vernon Street in
Milford, NH on December 9-11th. Evening shows will be at 7:30pm and the matinee
is at 2pm on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8.00 for
students.

Murder and Mayhem to Shake Up Amato Center Stage

Help solve the mystery of

And Then There Were None

By Janine Leffler

Murder, mystery and mayhem will be unleashed on the Amato Center stage this October as Milford Area Players performs their fall production of the Agatha Christie mystery And Then There Were None, the novel on which the board game Clue is loosely based.

Conrad Koch makes his Milford Area Players debut as General John Gordon McKenzie.  He is impressed by how quickly the process of the show is progressing, “I am amazed how well the show matures. Several of the actors, after only three or four rehearsals, are "off book" making no mistakes as they recite their lines. I am impressed with the quality and the progress of our production. “  When asked about character development, Koch went on to say, “Although I am the correct age, with my being, arguably, of sound mind and able body, it is difficult for me to "get into his head".  I am looking forward to receiving critique from our director, Tom Partridge, and other cast members in order to play the part more convincingly.”

This is Kevin Linkroum’s first straight play, in which he plays the role of Captain Lombard. In the past he has mostly done musicals and did not have a lot of lines to memorize so at first he found memorizing his lines difficult. To overcome this challenge and make it less daunting he practices his lines on the train to and from his job in Boston and also practices blocking outside rehearsal with his wife Sophie who is also in the cast, playing Miss Vera Claythorne.  For Linkroum the most enjoyable part about the rehearsal process has been “interacting with the cast.  It's a great group and everyone is talented and a lot of fun.  I think we manage to get just the right balance of laughs and seriousness.”

Director Tom Partridge is excited about the performances and says it will be an enjoyable night out for local theatre goers.  “The story is one of the best known and most read Agatha Christie mysteries. I am sure anyone who has read the book will remember it; however I feel it is our job to make them wonder if they remember correctly. I am looking forward to getting on the stage and working with props and a full set complete with sound and lights.”

And Then There Were  None  will be performed at the Amato Center for the Performing Arts located at 56 Mount Vernon Street October 14^th-23rd. Performances will be at 8pm on Fridays  and Saturdays and 2pm on Sundays Tickets are $12 for Adults and $8.00 for students and seniors.

August Osage County to be performed at the Amato Center
By Janine Leffler




The 2008 Pulitzer prize winning dark comedy August Osage County by Tracy Letts will be performed at the Amato Center for The Performing Arts In Milford. The play is set in modern day Oklahoma and is the story of how a dysfunctional family deals with the mysterious disappearance of the family patriarch, Bill Weston. Come see this powerful story of dealing with past and present.

According to Len Deming who plays Bill Weston, “It has to be the most compelling portrayal of the "reality" of a dysfunctional family that I have seen in a long time. The characters are all real and all have their own problems and agendas. There are few, if any, "flat" characters. Even the sheriff has a story.” For Mitch Fortier who plays Little Charles the show’s complexity is the most interesting aspect. “It is so rich in its dialogue and really exposes the lives of these characters that will touch everyone in some way.”

Isis Lee who makes her acting debut in August Osage County as Jean, the 14 year old daughter of Bill and Barbara, is excited to be performing with such a talented cast. “I think my favorite part has just been watching it all come together and go from the early rough stage to where we are now. It's been a great experience seeing how everyone develops their character and how well everyone interacts with each other.” She continued by explaining the most interesting aspect of playing her character “ Jean's personality is pretty similar in a lot of ways to my own at 14 and in some ways even now, but her experiences and choices are very different from mine as a teenager.”


When it comes to character development, Deborah Shaw, who plays Ivy the middle Weston daughter, the key aspect is analysis “With a well-written script like this, almost everything an actor needs is in the words, but it's just taking the time to explore what she feels about her given circumstances and about the other characters. I think about the challenges she's faced, the obstacles she's overcome, her personality, etc. and then turn all the analysis into behavior. I get overly absorbed in the analysis, and then memorize the words.” She went on to say that she looks forward to the performances as they approach. “I'm honored to be part of such an amazing show and its regional premiere. Ivy is a strong woman and it is a rewarding challenge to play a role like this.”


Director Vick Bennison looks forward to seeing the actors respond to an audience. “It usually brings everything up a notch or two. I also am very excited about seeing the audience reaction to the play. This is such a great play. But you never know how they are going to react. I can't wait to find out. “


August Osage County will be performed July 15-24 at the Amato Center for The Performing Arts in Milford located at 56 Mt Vernon Street. Show times are Friday and Saturday at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm. Tickets are $12 for adults and $7 for students and seniors. You won’t want to miss this show!

Get Into The Holiday Spirit with Miracle On 34th Street

Note 4/23/11

I would llke to apologize for falling so behind in posting my Cabinet articles to this blog I get so overwhelmed sometimes with posting other things that I sometimes forget that the original intention of this blog is which is share my Cabinet articles. I will do better about posting the articles as soon as I write them. My next article is about Riverbend Youth Company's production of Les Miserables so be on the look out for that.. in this blog and in the Cabinet. The article below is about the Riverbend Youth Company/Milford Area Production of Miracle on 34th Street which took place in early December.

Discover the true meaning of Christmas with Miracle on 34th St
By Janine Leffler

Get into the true Christmas spirit with the Milford Area Players/Riverbend Youth Company annual holiday production of the heartwarming holiday classic Miracle on 34th Street. The movie version of Miracle on 34th Street was released in 1947 and rereleased in 1994. The play is based off the original movie in which a man claiming to be Santa is institutionalized and a trial lawyer is assigned to bring him to justice. When it comes to comparing and contrasting the staged and film version Tom Partridge, who plays Al The Postman, Drunk Santa and Mr. Pierce, said “The main contrast is that the movie has sets. We have limited sets so we have to paint the picture for the audiences of the scenes in the movie such as the Macy’s Parade.”
When asked what the meaning behind the play is most cast members said that the true message behind the show is ‘to believe’. Believe in Santa, believe in yourself and fellow man, and believe in the spirit of the holidays.
Cast members have various methods for developing their characters . Dave Atkinson and Dan Pare have found their characters relatively easy to develop. Atkinson plays the judge in the courtroom scene and he said “I don’t do much to get into character. I just rule the scene.” As for playing his character of Kris Kringle Dan Pare, who in real life sports a white beard, said “I don’t do much to get into character. I just look deep inside myself and really believe I am Santa Claus. “Most cast members find it helpful to go over their lines with family and friends as a method of perfecting their line memorization. Dave Atkinson and Karen Ostrowski record their lines and listen to them on a CD while driving to work.
Each production has its share of challenges but equal share of fulfilling qualities. Director Vick Bennison says the biggest fulfillment of directing s show such as this is “Working with those cast members who are relatively new to acting. Some have danced and sung on stage before, but never had to deliver lines. Others have been very active backstage, designing sets, stage managing, etc., but have seldom if ever been on stage. Our Kris Kringle has performed as a Santa for years at Christmas-time, but has never had to memorize lines. He is also an experienced stage painter and set designer. We have a core of experienced actors, but the cast is large. So a number of people have been given their first opportunity to act. That's what community theatre is all about.”For Lucy Stover ,a fourth grader at Wilkins Elementary School in Amherst the biggest challenge is that her character of Susan Walker is her first big role. “Memorizing lines is the hardest thing because in the other shows I’ve been in I’ve been in the ensemble and haven’t had to memorize a lot of lines.” Dan Pare who is a technical theatre teacher at Goffstown High School makes his debut with this production as Kris Kringle. “This is the first show I have acted in. The experience has been a very eye opening one for me. “ While Pare has found memorizing the lines and blocking to be challenging his biggest fulfillment of working on this production has been “Just being in a room with people who are having so much fun and doing something nice.”


You won’t want to miss this delightful holiday show to help ease the stresses of the holiday season. Miracle on 34th Street runs from Dec 10-12 at the Amato Center for the Performing Arts in Milford. Evening performances are at 7:30pm and matinees are at 2pm. Tickets are #12 for adults and $8.00 for students and seniors.

Latest Milford Cabinet Article

Up Close and Personal With The Technical Staff of Our Town
By Janine Leffler



Have you ever sat in the audience during a play and wondered what goes on behind the scenes in order to make the show run smoothly? Of course the actors spend endless hours learning their lines and rehearsing , but those who work behind the scenes should not go unnoticed. They also deserve credit for bringing the shows we see to life.
Milford Area Players opens their fall main stage production of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town on October 15th. I spoke to many people involved in the play to get their insights, inspirations and challenges.
When it came to choosing Our Town for their fall production Set Designer Deb Shaw said “Our Town" was a very logical choice for MAP. As an organization, we blend our seasons with various genres of theatre: light comedy, drama, mystery, "dramedy", farce, and classics. In 2004 we staged Wilder's "Skin of Our Teeth", which is a bit less accessible but also a classic and an award-winning play. "Our Town" has not been staged at the community theatre "level" in many years and with our location in the southwestern area of the state, it seemed a good fit for Milford Area Players. It is the only drama and only classic of our 2010 mainstage season, and has a much larger cast than our other productions this year, providing opportunities for more actors to work with MAP. Grovers Corner is Milford, NH for the purposes of this production, and we are excited to welcome the community to 'our town'.”
Vicky Sandin was excited to take on the role of director when the original director had to bow out. She stated “What I look forward to the most with each rehearsal is directing actors who are at the top of their game. I love actors and have a tremendous respect for their craft, because I know I could never do it. I have seen the work of most of the actors in Our Town, and I have also worked with many of them on separate projects, so I'm familiar with how meticulously they study their part and process their character. I love working with them to glean the best of what they have to offer, and in the process attempt to push them outside their comfort zone a bit, to stretch their actor muscles, as it were.: She went on to say “ I am glad I accepted the job to direct. It’s going to be a great show.”
When Set Designer Deb Shaw was asked about the technical aspects of the show she said “As far as the set, the most important part is creating a physical representation of the director's vision of the show. Vicky had a very clear idea of how she wanted the show staged, and it was my responsibility to find a way to express that and stay within the limits of a community theatre budget. I'm fortunate to have a husband who has built MANY sets in the southern NH theatre community, so I was able to hand my plans over to him knowing that the set pieces would be built with the precision and care that I needed. We looked at what dimensions and materials would give the look and feel of the show to every piece constructed and that the overall effect would be cohesive”

Stage Manager Mayer Lipman said that the biggest challenge for the show technically has been
Thornton Wilder left it up to the audience (and trusted them) to "fill in the gaps" with how the town looks, what the homes look like, where the scenery is, etc. It's up to our actors to help them out. With a little furniture, some lighting changes, and a few sound effects, the technical staff staff does the rest. We've chosen to use even less sound effects than Wilder allowed, trusting our audience and our actors even more. That said, we have to be very precise with what we have. Furniture has to placed in exactly the right spot. Sounds have to occur at precisely the right time” Lipman contimued by saying “In community theater, everyone has "their real job," either working, maintaining a household, or going to school. "Our Town" has a cast of almost 25, each with a schedule of when he or she can come to the theater and prior commitments he or she cannot ignore. I had the joy of watching this large cast of individuals work around these conflicts and transform themselves into the town of Grover's Corners. During rehearsals, I often had to fill in for one or more roles when an actor was unable to be there. It's a good feeling when you know you can do that in a way that doesn't distract the actors around you. It's also good to know you can pass on good blocking notes and other notes from the director to the absent actor such that the next time the scene is rehearsed you don't have to start all over again”


Weather on stage or behind the company of Our Town looks forward to putting on the show and hopes that patrons enjoy it. Our Town runs from Oct 15-24th at the Amato Center for The Performing Arts in Milford. Evening shows are at 7:30pm and matinee performances are at 2pm. Come out and support your local thespians.

Summer loving had me a blast

Okay so this summer has been very much consumed by work and I haven't had much time to blog. That's why I am so behind on my commentary. I shall reflect while I watch the Red Sox and the 11:00 news

These are the shows I have seen this summer

• Trip To Bountiful Wellsely College Summer Theatre June 29th
• Dick Tracy Andy's Summer Playhouse July 8th

• The Pursuit of Happiness Milford Area Players July 25th

• Chicago Summer Theatre In Meredith Village July 31st

• Almost Maine Peacock Players August 6th

• Shout The Mod Musical Arundel Barn Playhouse Aug 14 (which I just returned from)

A mixture of the familar and something new. My theatre travels first took me to Wellsley College. My boyfriend recently moved to Welllsely and we decided to take advantage of the summer theatre offerings. Trip To Bountiful took place in Texas and was about an older woman who was struggling with moving on from her hometown and trying to escape from her son and daughter in law to return to Bountiful. It was a very powerful story with a good message behind it and one that especially resonated with me because of my struggles to move on from NLBP. July 8th I went to Andy's Summer Playhouse in Wilton with my sister to see Dick Tracy. The kid she babysits was in the show. It was my first time seeing a show at Andy's and I was very impressed with how talented all the kids were. For a review please scroll a few entries down. On July 25th I went to see The Pursuit of Happiness at Milford Area Players. This had a good mixture of drama and comedy in it. It was about a girl who is preparing to go to college but she is realizing in the process that going to college is not for her. It's a battle of wits between Annie (Kathy McKay) and Jodi (Grace Stover) I was laughing the whole time. A scene that I thought was particularly humourous was the scene that takes place between Annie and Skip in the mall food court.

July 31st my travels led me to Meredith where I saw Chicago at Summer Theatre in Meredith Villlage. This was my first time seeing a stage production of Chicago and I loved it. Maggie Politi played Roxie Hart and she did amazing. My favorite musical numbers were Razzle Dazzle. My Own Best Friend and Roxie. For a full review of the play and a letter to editor I have submitted to the Weirs Times in regards to the show please see previous entries I have posted.

Last weekend I saw Almost Maine at Peacock Players. Typically I am more of a fan of musical then I am of straight plays but this one was really good. It was directed and performed by the Peacock Players Young Company which is the youth theatre troupe at Peacock Players. It's a romantic comedy which is a seires of short vingettes of the various stages of love. Favorite scenes were They Fell, Getting It Back and Story of Hope. I was really impressed with the versatility and talent of the cast which is consisted of high schoolers from Nashua and surrounding towns.
and finally tonight Matt and I went to see Shout the Mod Musical at The Arundel Barn Playhouse. It was my first time back to Arundel after being there several summers ago when my family used to rent a vacation home in Wells... back then we saw I Love Your Perfect Now Change (which I believe was in 2003) and Nunsense (which I believe was in 2005) Shout The Mod Musical was a musical revue of songs from the 1960s. I had heard of a few songs by hearing my parents talk about them but had never seen them performed. There were times when I wanted to get up and dance along and sing along too. Overall a very enjoyable time. I will definitley go back to Arundel next summer.


Now as summer winds down the only two upcoming shows that remain are my trip to New York this weekend during which I willl be seeing Jersey Boys and September 18th where I will go up to NEC to see the Open Door Performance of As You Like It. After that however I will be on hiatus until the spring when I go to see the Mainstage Theatre production of Hotel Laputts in April. After NYC I have start saving money up for an apartment bc I hope to move out of my house in the next year or so.

Latest Milford Cabinet Article

Holiday classic A Christmas Story to be performed at the Amato Center
By Janine Leffler





Stop for a moment and think of three words that come to mind whenever you think of the holiday season. Perhaps they are, laughter, joy and togetherness as families gather around their tables sharing memories. Laughter and joy will not be in short supply at the upcoming performances of the popular holiday comedy classic A Christmas Story. This play is a perfect way to bring families together in the spirit of the holidays.

A Christmas Story, which is a holiday comedy that tells the story of young boy’s proof to his family, friends an Santa that the Red Ryder BB Gun the gift that he really wants for Christmas is a combined effort of the companies of the Riverbend School of Theatre and The Milford Area Players. The show is directed by Robin Lacroix and stars Gary Locke, Mike Wood, Jennifer Erdody, Matt Campbell, Cameron Mackie, Anthony Lopez, Doulgas Pedroza, Tom Partridge, Paige Craven, Kayla Bullwinkel, John Sheridan, Karen Hammes, Kent Maggelet, Ben Lopez, Alex Taylor, Andi Burnett, Helaine Hall, Rachel Taylor and Olivia Mackie.

The biggest challenge that director Robin Lacroix has faced in directing this play is “There are many locations in this play from inside the house to the school room to the playground to the inside of the department store and more so thinking through how it should all flow together.” Lacoix continued by saying that while she has some nerves about the upcoming performances she looks forward the most to portraying a faithful representation of a classic holiday movie.”

To get into character Paige Craven, a 15 year old sophomore at Souhegan High School has paid close attention to her younger siblings who are eleven and eight. Craven’s character Esther Jane is nine years old and the love interest of the main character Ralphie. Eleven year old Cameron Mackie of Brookline finds it a challenge to play a character that is younger than him. He is eleven and he plays Ralphie’s little brother Randy who is five. Mackie says the thing he enjoys the best about working on this show is getting to act in a play that is based on his favorite non-animated holiday film.

The cast has been rehearsing for weeks. Cast members in this production had various methods when it came to memorizing their lines. Mike Wood, of Nashua who plays the Old Man, used index cards in which he wrote his cue on one side and his lines on the other. Theatre runs in Karen Hammes’s family as all of her children have been in shows at the Amato Center so when she rehearsed at home, she got help and advice from them. Kayla Bullwinkel used a very unique method to memorizing her lines. “If you do not go to bed too late and your script is the last thing you read before you go to bed, the lines are fresh in your head the next day.”


When asked if this play captures the true meaning of Christmas cast members gave various responses. Jen Erdody said that this play is a great representation of Christmas nostalgia and shared family memories which are important especially in these economic times. Director Robin Lacroix shared a similar sentiment “We chose this particular play because it’s a family show. In this hurried world, at the most hurried season of all, it’s such a joy to be able to provide an activity the whole family can enjoy together. And time with our families is the greatest gift we could give.”
The cast is looking forward to the upcoming performances and to performing such a timeless holiday classic. Cast member, Kent Maggelet elaborated that his family enjoys the movie and can’t wait to see how the movie is brought to the stage.


A Christmas Story runs Dec 11-13 at the Amato Center for The Performing Arts at The Souhegan Valley Boys and Girls Club. Shows are at 7:30pm on Friday and Saturday and 2pm on Sunday. Come out and enjoy the show!

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Laugh a lot at The Foreigner
By Janine Leffler

Imagine a fishing lodge in Georgia on a pristine lake. Then imagine some quirky characters including one from a foreign country staying there. The scene has been set for the fall mainstage production for the Milford Area Players The Foreigner by Larry Schue.


The play is set in 1982 at a run-down fishing lodge in Georgia which is owned by Betty Meeks (Cheryl Giffen). The show opens with Froggy Lessuer (Bill Mauser) and Charlie Baker (Dave Kulvette) entering the lodge. They are staying at the fishing lodge because Betty is a friend of Froggy’s and she asked him to come visit. Charlie is rather uncomfortable in social situations so he and Froggy devise a plan…Charlie will pretend that he is from a foreign country and does not speak or understand any English. This way, he does not have to speak to anyone during his stay. The other characters in the play are easily fooled. As the first scene progresses, Ellard Sims (Weston Kulvette ) attempts to teach English to Charlie, who catches on quickly learning the new language. It is never outwardly stated throughout the play which country Charlie is supposedly from. This fact makes his character all the more interesting to the others on stage as well as members of the audience.

This show is a non-stop comedic romp. In one scene, Charlie tells a story to Betty, Ellard and Catherine (Kristen Lawson). His character truly comes to life with exuberance and energy as opposed to earlier when he is reserved and quiet. Another funny scene is when Charlie is trying to teach everyone the language of his home country. Everyone willingly participates except for Owen Musser (David Ducharme) who is annoyed by Charlie’s presence and thinks Charlie should not be staying in the house. Tension fills the fishing lodge, creating humor and a sense of good vs. evil.

Will Charlie come out of this story a victorious hero? You'll just have to wait to see the show to find out.

Stay tuned for the next Milford Area Players production which is a combined effort with the Riverbend Youth Company in December of A Christmas Story.

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The Rehearsal Process
By Janine Leffler





Now comes the grueling part… the rehearsals. It’s time to develop each character and blend them together with other characters in the production while intertwining the props and costumes. The rehearsal process definitely has its challenges, but the biggest reward for any group of actors is putting on an entertaining performance for an audience.

Rehearsals begin the minute the play is cast and go until the final week before the production. The actors spend the first week of rehearsals getting to know their characters and seeing how their characters relate to other characters in the production. Early on, they have their scripts in hand and have a prompter there to assist when they forget their lines. A lot of time is spent by the actors perfecting their characters; part of this process involves memorizing their lines.

Most of the actors I talked to in the Milford Area Players fall main stage production of Larry Schue’s The Foreigner usually practice their lines at home on their own time. One method that Dave Kulvette who plays Charlie Baker finds it to be helpful is to make cds of his lines so he can study them in the car on his commute to work. Kristen Lawson who plays Catherine Simms finds it helpful when her husband goes over her lines with her so that way she knows at what point in the script to come in. When it comes to character development one common challenge seems to be development of an accent. Once the character is more developed and the actor is more used to the character’s mannerisms, the accent almost becomes second nature.
A rehearsal typically lasts about three hours and usually consists of fine tuning a particular scene in a play and working on blocking. Blocking is a term which refers to the movement and positioning of actors on a stage during a play. When asked about blocking Tom Partridge said “It is important to see how everything fits together and where people fit on the stage. You want to make things look. natural.” After certain about of time the actors have to be off book which means they have to have their lines memorized and are not allowed to refer to their script during the course of a rehearsal. Throughout various parts of the process props are integrated into the rehearsal and costumes are usually integrated close to the end of the process. Director Tom Partridge said ““Props come in at various times, depending on when needed or available; costumes usually do not come into use until the last couple of weeks before the play depending on the play itself.”

The members of the cast and director Tom Partridge are in agreement that the show is coming along well. All members of the cast are looking forward to entertaining audiences.
Be sure to mark your calendars for October 16th-25th at the Amato Center for the Performing Arts at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Souhegan Valley in Milford. Showtimes are 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays and 2pm on Sundays. Tickets are $12 for adults and $7 for students and seniors. Stay tuned next time for a review of The Foreigner.

My latest Milford Cabinet Artilce

1st in a three part series of articles about the Milford Area Players Fall Mainstage Production of The Foriegner by Larry Schue

The Audition Process
By Janine Leffler




Auditioning for a play is never easy nor is the process of casting. Auditions for the upcoming play, The Foreigner, took place on Tuesday and Thursday August 4th and 6th at the Amato Theater. Several weeks before the audition, a ‘casting call email’ was sent out which outlined the play and gave a list of characters including specifics such as age requirements. This gives the prospective cast members an idea of what the director is looking for.
When Jeannie Gall of Nashua auditioned for this upcoming fall production, she was both nervous and excited. . “Nervous, because I wanted to do well and impress the director; excited, because I was imagining getting the part and having fun at the rehearsals and developing the character and finally performing.” When asked further about her audition preparation process she states, “I always read the play several times before I audition. And I always scope out the characters that I might play and spend time rereading some of those key scenes. When there is a monologue required, I choose one that fits the style and tone of the character in the play, or I find a monologue that highlights a special quality in me and my ability that would be useful in the show.”

The Director of The Foreigner is Tom Partridge who shared his sentiments on the process of casting. “In casting most of the time it is both a physical look and the person can be made up to look the part, a good reading of the part and experience also help. Sometime it is an age requirement. People can be made to look older; it is hard to make someone look 20 when they are 50.” As far as the decision process for part selection is concerned, he said the following, “Usually after auditions are complete the director and assistant director review the names and come up with the person for the part in a couple of hours.” As soon as the decision is made the director will call the people who auditioned to let them know if they got the part. Within a week the cast gets together for a “reading” of the script to get to know each other and find out the relationship between the characters. Then rehearsals begin.
Partridge was in The Foreigner seven years ago and really enjoyed being a part of the cast. He took this into consideration while choosing which play to direct for Milford Area Players “I thought it would be a fun play for the Milford Area Players to do.”
While conducting my interviews for this article, out of the blue, I was asked to audition. This took me by surprise as I had not auditioned for a play since my college days. Similar to the rest of the people in the room I was nervous about whether or not I would make a good impression on the director.
Since the night of the auditions, the cast has been selected. I won’t be in the play but I will be following the rehearsal process for my next article, so stay tuned....
The Foreigner will be performed at the Amato Center for the Performing Arts at the Souhegan Valley Boys and Girls Club in Milford on October 16- October 25th.

So excited!

This article will be published in the Milford Cabinet next Thursday December 18th. I am so pumped!!


The Best Christmas Pageant Ever : The true meaning of Christmas
By Janine Leffler
Get ready for a hilarious family Christmas theatre event as the Milford Area Players and Riverbend Community Players put on their joint performance of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. This play is based on the best selling children’s book by Barbara Robinson which tells the story of how the troublemaking Herdman children get involved in the annual church Christmas pageant. The townspeople, knowing the Herdman clan, brace for a disastrous play. In the end they find the true meaning of Christmas. According to her website biography Robinson’s book was inspired by her small town community of Portsmouth, Ohio. Both her family as well as the local people in her town, including, children, school teachers and local heroes all helped spurred her imagination for the story.
The show is directed by Vick Bennison and Robin Lacroix. Their reason for selecting this show was the size of the cast and the fact that it combines adults and children. The cast consists of local area actors from the Souhegan Valley Area. They combine their talents to put on a heartwarming and funny performance which includes a lot of holiday music.
Nine year old Natalie Petersen, a fourth grader at Wilkins Elementary School in Amherst plays Gladys Herdman. This is her first show with Riverbend Youth Company and she finds the most challenging parts to be memorizing lines and blocking. She looks forward to having all her friends come see the show. Her mother Meg Petersen, also performing in the show, has enjoyed seeing her daughter’s character grow.
For Michelle Emmond the most fulfilling thing about this show has been getting to work with people she has worked with on previous shows as well as acting with students she directs in Amherst Middle School.
The show runs Dec 19-21st at the Amato Center for The Performing Arts at the Boys and Girls Club in Milford. Shows are at Dec 19 and 20th at 8pm and December 20th and 21st at 2pm. Tickets are $7.00 for students and seniors and $12.00 for adults.