Announcing our 2009 - 2010 Season!

After spending months reading through almost 100 plays, the team of Mary Hausch (Producing Director), Lauren Caldwell (Artistic Director) and Tammy Dygert (Dramaturg) have selected a season that is sure to delight. In the next few weeks, we'll bring you a spotlight on each of these wonderful plays with a personal message from the people that chose them, but for now, here's a taste of what's coming starting this Fall!

Up
by Bridget Carpenter
Since Walter Griffin tied a bunch of weather balloons to a Sears lawn chair and shot 16,000 feet into the sky, life hasn’t been the same. Up is a quirky, bittersweet dramatic comedy about escaping the boundaries of the everyday and dreaming ourselves into a future.
“The incredible and beautiful conclusion leaves the audience thinking, philosophizing and talking all the way home.” - Grants Pass Daily Courier
Sept 4-27; Discount previews Sept 2 & 3

Mindgame
by Anthony Horowitz
This brilliantly inventive and heart-stoppingly scary thriller is just in time for Halloween. A prominent "true crime" novelist enters a secluded mental institution to interview a serial killer.
Mindgame is a riveting hit in London's West End.
"A truly gripping thriller [that] keeps you guessing and marveling from its deceptively normal opening to its fearful climax." - The Stage
Oct 16-Nov 8; Discount previews Oct 14 & 15

A Tuna Christmas *RETURNING FAVORITE*
by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard
Texas-sized laughs light up your holiday season!
November 27-December 20

A Christmas Carol *RETURNING FAVORITE*
adapted by Mary Hausch from the story by Charles Dickens
Share this holiday classic with your entire family.
November 28-December 20

Dead Man's Cell Phone
by Sarah Ruhl
The guy at the next table has croaked and his cell phone won’t stop ringing. Jean answers the call dialing her deeply into the dead man’s mysterious life. Sarah Ruhl (the playwright of last season's beautiful Eurydice) creates a quirky odyssey of coming alive.
"Satire is her oxygen. . . . In her new oddball comedy, Dead Man's Cell Phone, Sarah Ruhl is forever vital in her lyrical and biting takes on how we behave." - The Washington Post
January 8-31; Discount previews 6 & 7

Defiance
by John Patrick Shanley
It’s 1971 and North Carolina's Camp Lejeune is rife with racial unease. Two officers, one black and one white, are on a collision course over race, women and the high cost of doing the right thing.
"Spellbinding. I wouldn't have thought it possible, but John Patrick Shanley has followed up Doubt, the best play of 2004–05, with a play of identical quality." —Wall Street Journal
Feb 26-March 21; Discount previews Feb 24 & 25

Around the World in 80 Days
Adapted by Mark Brown from the novel by Jules Verne
Stampeding elephants! Raging typhoons! Runaway trains! Hold onto your seats for the original amazing race as fearless adventurer Phileas Fogg and his faithful servant race to beat the clock! Danger, romance, and comic surprises abound as five actors portraying 39 characters traverse seven continents in this new adaptation of one of the great adventures of all time.
April 16-May 9; Discount previews April 14 & 15

Summer 2010
Shear Madness
The uproarious whodunit where the audience gets to solve the crime.
or Boeing Boeing
A high-flying, first-class Broadway comedy.
or a toe-tapping new musical!

Season Subscriptions are available now through our Box Office: 352-375-HIPP! Remember to check back for in-depth looks at each of these exciting plays and let us know what you think in the comments!

Trailer Park is a-Brewin'

"The Great American Trailer Park Musical" is returning to the Hippodrome Theatre this summer and from the sound of this cast, this is a show that you cannot miss. Rehearsals have been going on all weekend and the cast has a well deserved day off today. For a special behind-the-scenes treat, we're going to give you a glimpse at a typical first day of rehearsals here at The Hipp.

The first day of rehearsals will typically begin with a Meet and Greet. The cast, crew and staff are invited to eat and socialize. It's a great chance to see old friends and meet the newcomers to our theatre.


The Hippodrome Theatre is a professional theatre and hires both union and non-union actors. The union for theatrical actors and stage managers is called Actor's Equity Association, or Equity for short. Following the Meet and Greet, the Equity actors in this production gathered together to hold a required meeting. I can't really give you too much of an insight there, but enjoy these pictures of the rest of the cast, crew and staff hanging out and waiting.



The Equity Meeting over with, everyone reconvenes back in the Rehearsal Room to watch the cast read through the script. The actors have been sent scripts (and scores, in the case of a musical) in advance and all are familiar with the dialogue and music. Some actors will have their lines memorized before rehearsals begin. After introductions of the cast, crew and staff, we jump right into it.



Lin, Betty and Pickles sing the opening number (Jorgia McAfee, Kim Mead and Rachel Lomax)


Two of our three returning cast members: Kelly Atkins as Pippi and Mark Chambers as Norbert


Our third returning cast member, Catherine Fries Vaughn as Jeannie.


Newcomer Tim Norton as Duke.


The cast of "The Great American Trailer Park Musical"

After the read through, the cast went straight into rehearsing the opening number. Cast members who weren't in that got their measurements taken and headed home early. They'll be doing plenty of work in the weeks to come.

"The Great American Trailer Park Musical" opens June 5th with Previews on June 3rd and 4th and will be running all summer at The Hipp. For tickets and more information, call our Box Office at 352-374-HIPP or visit our website at thehipp.org

Carson-Gets Awards Presentations Tonight!

The Hippodrome Theatre's annual presentation of the Carson-Gets Award takes place tonight before the 7pm performance of Shipwrekced!. Below is a special message from Kara Winslow, Theatre Specialist in our Education department.

Back in 1998 when I was a sophomore in high school I had the honor of receiving the Carson-Gets Award for my high school. I was so excited. Being recognized for my work in theatre was amazing and getting tickets to the next season at the Hippodrome was even more exciting. I got to come to every show and bring a friend with me. I felt so important. A couple years later my passion for theatre was still going strong and I went off to college to get my degree in theatre. It’s been over 10 years since I won the award and now it’s my honor to be the one to present it to a new group of high school students who have shown a passion for the theatre arts. This year the recipients will be honored before the performance of Shipwrecked on May 6th, 2009. They will have the chance to stand on the stage of the Hippodrome and be recognized for their hard work and dedication to the theatre arts in front of a Hippodrome audience. Each winner will receive a plaque, 2 flex tickets to next season at the Hippodrome and a copy of Uta Hagen’s Respect for Acting.

This years winners are: Samantha Fundenburg from Buchholz High School, Graham Zinger from Eastside High School, Caitlin Hunter from Gainesville High School, Tashala Carey from Loften High School, Kaylee Parsons from Newberry High School, Connor Harrison from Oak Hall School, Elizabeth Johansson from PK Yonge, and Daniela Castro from St. Francis Catholic High School. Each recipient was nominated by their drama teacher because of their commitment to the theatre arts.

The Carson-Gets award was named after two local actors that have gone on to have successful careers in the entertainment industry. Lisa Nicole Carson, who grew up in Gainesville, performed at the Hippodrome in the HITT (Hippodrome Improvisational Teen Theatre) program, as well as in the main stage production of Little Shop of Horrors. She later went on to appear in the 1990’s hit television shows ER and Ally McBeal. Her film career included movies such as Love Jones and Jason’s Lyric. Malcolm Gets also grew up in Gainesville and starred in Little Shop of Horrors, Amadeus, Cloud Nine, and As Is at the Hippodrome. He went on to be on the 1990’s television series Caroline in the City and As the World Turns. He also appeared in several Broadway and off-Broadway shows, including Amour, in which he was nominated for a Tony Award. He also worked on several films including Adam and Steve and 13 Conversations about One Thing. He most recently appeared in the Sex in the City movie.