On Saturday, Oct 1st, an Improv Comedy night will be held in the Arena theater at 8PM. It will feature five members of the Moravian College Theatre House, a suite of students who have a special interest in Theatre. This will be the first of many Improv Nights, designed to reach out to students and get them interested about Theatre at Moravian.
Performing in the show will be students Jazzy Thomas, Phillip Wallens, Addison Rymar, and yours truly, Harry Matten Gillen. Adam Dart will be "emceeing" the event.
Phillip Wallens has taken charge of organizing the project, creating fliers, spreading the word, and ensuring performers are all up to speed with what is going on.
The show will be formatted somewhat like the classic TV show Whose Line Is It Anyway?, but Phillip warns not to compare it too closely. "We're not that good," he says humorously.
Admission will be free, and should be a very fun time for anyone who wants to join in. This will be a recurring event, and as we move futher into the year, plans are for the audience participation to become a larger factor.
All that said, if you're not doing anything on Saturday ad want to spend an evening with some fine artistic folks, meet some new friends, and have a good laugh with and/or at the performers, make sure you're in the Arena Theater by 8PM!
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Tooth and Claw Reading Friday the 30th
This Friday there will be a reading of the play Tooth and Claw by Michael Hollinger in the Arena Theater at Moravian College, starting at 8 pm. This is a part of the season's reading series, a new tradition at Moravian as of 2009, formally introduced last year.
I sat down with Gianna Miranda (a Moravian College Junior), the actress portraying the lead character Dr. Schuyler Baines for a short interview.
Harry Matten Gillen: So, Gianna. How did you first get involved with the Moravian College Theater Department?
Gianna Miranda: Well, my freshman year Kimberly Van Orden (Moravian College Senior, then and current Company Manager) was doing the [Student] Cabaret and I really wanted to participate in it but I couldn't because I had two concerts that weekend, since I'm a music major. I ended up helping Kim with the Cell Block Tango because she needed someone who had actual Tango experience.
HMG: So you were in Cell Block Tango then?
GM: No, I was the Tango choreographer.
HMG: Ah, okay.
GM: Then last year I was able to participate in the reading of "Frankly", and both perform and direct in the student cabaret. And that's how I got involved.
Harry: So did you attend any of the meetings at the beginning of the year?
GM: I went to one meeting at the beginning of freshman year, but then I got swamped with being a college freshman and didn't have time, and when I wanted to participate everything conflicted.
HMG: Understandable. So, Tooth and Claw. What's your role?
GM: I play Dr. Schuyler Baines. I am the new director of the Charles Darwin Research Center in the Galapagos Islands.
HMG: What should we expect?
GM: The play focuses on Schuyler arriving at the Galapagos and starting to get situated in her new job, trying to protect and save these giant tortoises, and in the journey to save the tortoises she encounters many problems with the natives of the islands.
HMG: Last year the reading of Escape was chosen largely to tie in to the yearly theme, 'China in Focus'. Does this reading tie into this year's theme of Poverty and Equality?
GM: Yes, it definitely does[...] There's a huge divide between Schuyler and the actual natives of the island, and the Ecuadorian Government. They see her as this rich gringa, who's just coming in and messing with things. For example, a giant conflict that exists is how she's trying to restrict the fishing of pepinos de mar, which are sea cucumbers. The problem is that they're overfishing and in the Galapagos, due to its ecological significance they don't want anything to really change. They don't want one species to boom, and they don't want other species to die off. The locals who are fishing for these pepinos prevent her from putting a limit on their fishing, because they make a lot of money from it. The fact that to them, Schuyler doesn't have to worry about money, but they have to over fish just so they can have money, is a huge conflict.
HMG: That sounds very interesting. Who else is involved in the show?
GM: Other students?
Harry: Students, faculty, whoever.
GM: Ariel Hudak, who plays my secretary, Thom Eiser plays Dr. Malcom Geary, a renowned Biologist with a specialty in birds. Alanah Cervantes is a chorus member, and Dana Smulkis reads the stage directions, among others.
HMG: Who's the director?
GM: Christopher Shorr! And Dr. Jones plays a member of the chorus, and Mendoza, the congressman of Galapagos.
HMG: Anything else we should know?
GM: The play itself, the way it's formatted is really interesting. Malcom, Dr. Geary, functions as a narrator as well as a character in the play, and he's almost more important as the narrator. It's structured kind of like a science lecture, where he talks about Evolution in his narration, and that covers scene changes and you learn a lot of important points none of the other characters know.
HMG: And when is it?
GM: It is Friday at 8 pm in the Arena Theater.
HMG: Well, thank you for your time and I look forward to seeing it on Friday!
For those wishing to attend, here's what you need to know:
I sat down with Gianna Miranda (a Moravian College Junior), the actress portraying the lead character Dr. Schuyler Baines for a short interview.
Harry Matten Gillen: So, Gianna. How did you first get involved with the Moravian College Theater Department?
Gianna Miranda: Well, my freshman year Kimberly Van Orden (Moravian College Senior, then and current Company Manager) was doing the [Student] Cabaret and I really wanted to participate in it but I couldn't because I had two concerts that weekend, since I'm a music major. I ended up helping Kim with the Cell Block Tango because she needed someone who had actual Tango experience.
HMG: So you were in Cell Block Tango then?
GM: No, I was the Tango choreographer.
HMG: Ah, okay.
GM: Then last year I was able to participate in the reading of "Frankly", and both perform and direct in the student cabaret. And that's how I got involved.
Harry: So did you attend any of the meetings at the beginning of the year?
GM: I went to one meeting at the beginning of freshman year, but then I got swamped with being a college freshman and didn't have time, and when I wanted to participate everything conflicted.
HMG: Understandable. So, Tooth and Claw. What's your role?
GM: I play Dr. Schuyler Baines. I am the new director of the Charles Darwin Research Center in the Galapagos Islands.
HMG: What should we expect?
GM: The play focuses on Schuyler arriving at the Galapagos and starting to get situated in her new job, trying to protect and save these giant tortoises, and in the journey to save the tortoises she encounters many problems with the natives of the islands.
HMG: Last year the reading of Escape was chosen largely to tie in to the yearly theme, 'China in Focus'. Does this reading tie into this year's theme of Poverty and Equality?
GM: Yes, it definitely does[...] There's a huge divide between Schuyler and the actual natives of the island, and the Ecuadorian Government. They see her as this rich gringa, who's just coming in and messing with things. For example, a giant conflict that exists is how she's trying to restrict the fishing of pepinos de mar, which are sea cucumbers. The problem is that they're overfishing and in the Galapagos, due to its ecological significance they don't want anything to really change. They don't want one species to boom, and they don't want other species to die off. The locals who are fishing for these pepinos prevent her from putting a limit on their fishing, because they make a lot of money from it. The fact that to them, Schuyler doesn't have to worry about money, but they have to over fish just so they can have money, is a huge conflict.
HMG: That sounds very interesting. Who else is involved in the show?
GM: Other students?
Harry: Students, faculty, whoever.
GM: Ariel Hudak, who plays my secretary, Thom Eiser plays Dr. Malcom Geary, a renowned Biologist with a specialty in birds. Alanah Cervantes is a chorus member, and Dana Smulkis reads the stage directions, among others.
HMG: Who's the director?
GM: Christopher Shorr! And Dr. Jones plays a member of the chorus, and Mendoza, the congressman of Galapagos.
HMG: Anything else we should know?
GM: The play itself, the way it's formatted is really interesting. Malcom, Dr. Geary, functions as a narrator as well as a character in the play, and he's almost more important as the narrator. It's structured kind of like a science lecture, where he talks about Evolution in his narration, and that covers scene changes and you learn a lot of important points none of the other characters know.
HMG: And when is it?
GM: It is Friday at 8 pm in the Arena Theater.
HMG: Well, thank you for your time and I look forward to seeing it on Friday!
For those wishing to attend, here's what you need to know:
- When: Friday the 30th at 8pm.
- Where: In the Arena Theater, bottom floor of the Haupert Union Building.
- Admission is free, but it's recommended you show up early to ensure you get a seat.
The Student Cabaret
If you've talked to anyone from the Theater Company here at Moravian College at any length, you've probably heard, at least in passing, about the annual Student Cabaret here at Moravian. But what is it? When is it? Where does it take place, who runs it, and why does it exist? Today I will answer these questions, so you can get involved if you so desire, or just enjoy the performance when it comes around!
Key points are:
More information is available at http://home.moravian.edu/public/eng/theatre/index.htm.
This is a great jumping-off point to get involved in the Moravian College Theatre Company. If you have any interest at all, keep your eyes and ears open for when the audition date is announced, and get involved!
Thank you for your time,
Harry Matten Gillen
Key points are:
- The Student Cabaret, a yearly tradition since 2010, takes place around February each year. This year it will be performed 4 times, Feb 23-25 at 8pm and Feb 26 at 2pm.
- The show is run entirely by students, and entirely for students with a focus on fun, learning, and camaraderie.
- Anyone with a talent they would like to share is welcome to audition and perform in the Cabaret.
- For those hoping to get involved, auditions will be coming up soon. The auditions will be held October 6 at 6pm.
- Rehearsals last from the point of auditions through the show in February, less Winter Break.
- The time commitment is minor (About one-two hours/week per piece) until the weeks immediately leading up to the show, and you can do as many or as few pieces as you want.
- Beginners are welcome! Again, the biggest goal of the show is to learn and have fun!
More information is available at http://home.moravian.edu/public/eng/theatre/index.htm.
This is a great jumping-off point to get involved in the Moravian College Theatre Company. If you have any interest at all, keep your eyes and ears open for when the audition date is announced, and get involved!
Thank you for your time,
Harry Matten Gillen
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Why I'm Blogging.
Hello, Bethlehem! My name is Harry Matten Gillen and I will be running this blog, The Christmas City Curtain! (Cue Fanfare)
(Cut Fanfare)
The purpose of this blog will be to track the goings-on of the Bethlehem, PA art scene. This blog will mostly focus on upcoming events in local Theatre, Music, and Visual Art, with the intention of informing those interested how they can get involved, or just to keep up with what's going on.
Again, my name is Harry Matten Gillen. I'm a local actor, poet, and musician, with an intense interest in local arts. I have interned at Touchstone Theater on southside, I work as a Stage Hand at Zoellner Arts Center, I studied Theatre and Music at the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Performing Arts, DeSales University, Northampton Community College, and Moravian College, and I have been involved in many productions as both an actor and crew. I've played in local bands and many an open mic night, and have met and talk to many of the best local musicians and theatre artists.
The reason I'm creating this blog now is because of a class I'm taking, but it's something I've been interested in doing for much longer. It's fair to say I wouldn't have been motivated enough to start it without the class, but I may continue it after the class is over if it works out well and doesn't conflict with other projects I'll be doing by then. We'll see what happens.
So, if you want to know:
I'd like to end this post with a thank you to everyone who reads it. Suggestions and comments are always welcome!
Thanks for your time,
Harry Matten Gillen
(Cut Fanfare)
The purpose of this blog will be to track the goings-on of the Bethlehem, PA art scene. This blog will mostly focus on upcoming events in local Theatre, Music, and Visual Art, with the intention of informing those interested how they can get involved, or just to keep up with what's going on.
Again, my name is Harry Matten Gillen. I'm a local actor, poet, and musician, with an intense interest in local arts. I have interned at Touchstone Theater on southside, I work as a Stage Hand at Zoellner Arts Center, I studied Theatre and Music at the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Performing Arts, DeSales University, Northampton Community College, and Moravian College, and I have been involved in many productions as both an actor and crew. I've played in local bands and many an open mic night, and have met and talk to many of the best local musicians and theatre artists.
The reason I'm creating this blog now is because of a class I'm taking, but it's something I've been interested in doing for much longer. It's fair to say I wouldn't have been motivated enough to start it without the class, but I may continue it after the class is over if it works out well and doesn't conflict with other projects I'll be doing by then. We'll see what happens.
So, if you want to know:
- What shows will be in the area, when, and how much it will be to see them
- What opportunities are coming up to get involved in the arts both on and off campus
- What's generally going on in the area, new developments etc.
I'd like to end this post with a thank you to everyone who reads it. Suggestions and comments are always welcome!
Thanks for your time,
Harry Matten Gillen
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