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Arts & Entertainment

Ed Leroy

2006-08-01 13:21:00

: What hours are you open?ANSWER: Although AGE OF THE GUNFIGHTER weekend is a special event its part of Old Cowtown’s regular season where we are open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from Noon to 5 p.m.QUESTION: Just how common were gunfights in the historical old west?ANSWER: Although there were certainly many individuals who openly wore their guns for all to see, there was very little gunplay in the real Wichita of the 1870s. As with most towns, Wichita enacted and posted a gun control ordinance that was never evenly enforced. But because of that open display, there was always an excitement from the threat that ‘something could happen’. Throughout all of the Old West, gunfights didn’t occur with the frequency that Hollywood and the small screen would have us believe. But they did happen often enough to become an exciting part of the legend and myth of the Cowboy. However what did happen during the 1870s was a literary phenomenon known as the Dime Novel where gunfights were an important part. These magazines contained short fictions detailing adventures, exploits and exaggerations of actual events that would rival any motion picture's content today. Their heroes and heroines performed extraordinary feats against incredible odds and prevailed. Dime Novels were so popular that they influenced fashions of the day. People wanted to dress like their favorite characters. Cowboys would return home after a cattle drive and read

ANSWER:  We call theweekend’s activities the “AGE OF THE GUNFIGHTER”. Gunfight reenactments have proved to be one of the most requested presentations at every Old West or Cowboy venue. At Cowtown we daily receive inquiries about whether there are going to be any gunfights. We find that with especially our out-of-state and international guests that gunfights are eagerly anticipated and we’re delighted to be able to fulfill their request.During the AGE OF THE GUNFIGHTER weekend Cowtown hosts the Kansas Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association contests and the American Frontier Reenactment Guild’s Grand National Championships with Classic Gunfights and Living History competitions. After gathering points competing in state and regional gunfight and living history tournaments, groups of re-enactors head to Wichita to see who can take home the prize.QUESTION: What hours are you open?ANSWER: Although AGE OF THE GUNFIGHTER weekend is a special event its part of Old Cowtown’s regular season where we are open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from Noon to 5 p.m.QUESTION: Just how common were gunfights in the historical old west?ANSWER: Although there were certainly many individuals who openly wore their guns for all to see, there was very little gunplay in the real Wichita of the 1870s. As with most towns, Wichita enacted and posted a gun control ordinance that was never evenly enforced. But because of that open display, there was always an excitement from the threat that ‘something could happen’. Throughout all of the Old West, gunfights didn’t occur with the frequency that Hollywood and the small screen would have us believe. But they did happen often enough to become an exciting part of the legend and myth of the Cowboy. However what did happen during the 1870s was a literary phenomenon known as the Dime Novel where gunfights were an important part. These magazines contained short fictions detailing adventures, exploits and exaggerations of actual events that would rival any motion picture's content today. Their heroes and heroines performed extraordinary feats against incredible odds and prevailed. Dime Novels were so popular that they influenced fashions of the day. People wanted to dress like their favorite characters. Cowboys would return home after a cattle drive and read of "their adventures" in the latest novel (probably wondering how they managed to miss all that excitement in the story). Occasionally they would emulate the men in those stories on the next drive. Children in Wichita likely wanted to live in Abilene "where all. the excitement was" and kids in Abilene probably wanted to be in Wichita for the same reason. Many people living east of the Mississippi River thought these stories to be true although most Americans embraced the dime novel for what the stories actually were: entertainment. These stories offered an escape from a world of hard work and harsh realities.Every culture in every era develops its own ‘action heroes’. The United Kingdom has its Robin Hood, France has the Three Musketeers and America has the heroic cowboy who sometimes has to use the ‘six-shooters he’s packin’’ to save the day.

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Arts & Entertainment

Wayne Bryan

2006-07-01 09:38:00

Question: When does Music Theatre’s 2006 season conclude and what shows are still to come?

ANSWER: Great News! Music Theatre’s 2006 season, with a “Going To The Movies” theme, still has three great shows remaining and does not conclude till August 6th.  The season got off to a spectacular start with “The Full Monty” and “Seven Brides For Seven Brothers”, both of which were huge hits with the critics and the audience.  The remaining three shows promise to be just as good, if not better. Individual tickets are still available, though it is recommended you call soon as they are selling out fast. Here is a preview of the remaining shows.“The Wizard of Oz” is an all-family favorite with a thrilling cyclone, singing Munchkins, flying Monkeys, dancing Jitterbugs, and a melting Witch.  The excitement is live, onstage, July 5-9. The adventures of Dorothy, the Tin Man, Lion, Scarecrow and Toto are suitable for the entire family. (A specially edited 90-minute matinee is being offered Saturday morning, July 8, at 10 a.m., to which children 3 and older will be admitted. Our usual minimum age requirement is 5.)“Sweet Charity” will have you singing “Hey, Big Spender” for weeks! Adapted by Bob Fosse from the classic Italian film “Nights of Cabiria,” this sizzler enjoyed a recent revival on Broadway, but hasn’t been seen at MTW for thirteen years. Dance hall hostess Charity Hope Valentine casts her spell in Wichita July 19-23. “Thoroughly Modern Millie” will close the season with another spectacular MTW Premiere. Millie Dillmount (from Kansas!) takes New York City by storm as she changes the lives of everyone she meets. See the Roaring Twenties brought to life in this Tony Award winning “Best Musical” from August 2-6. Individual ticket prices range from $14-$48, with discounts for seniors, students, and groups of 20 or more. For information, simply contact the Music Theatre of Wichita Box Office at 316-265-3107, or visit the website http://www.musictheatreofwichita.org/ for all the latest details.

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Arts & Entertainment

Wayne Bryan

2006-06-01 09:01:00

Question: Can we get a preview of the upcoming Music Theatre season and what to expect?

ANSWER: Music Theatre of Wichita is “Going to the Movies”! The Silver Screen meets the Great White Way in Music Theatre of Wichita’s 35th Anniversary season, presenting five Broadway musicals inspired by classic films. The season starts June 7, 2006. “The Full Monty” kicks off the season with its raucously funny and deeply touching story of six unemployed blue-collar workers who become hapless male strippers for one night only. Based on the Academy Award winning film of the same name, this recent Broadway smash is a real winner. The men of “The Full Monty” will bare all (or will they?) June 7-11.  (This show is recommended for mature audiences, due to adult language and brief nudity.)“Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” brings the MGM classic film to the stage June 21-25.  Seven robust frontiersmen woo potential spouses with breathtakingly athletic dances.  MTW proudly presented this show in 1993, but the exceptional dancers hired for this season at MTW might make this the most spectacular dance show ever presented here. “The Wizard of Oz” is an all-family favorite with a thrilling cyclone, singing Munchkins, flying Monkeys, dancing Jitterbugs, and a melting Witch.  The excitement is live, onstage, July 5-9. The adventures of Dorothy, the Tin Man, Lion, Scarecrow and Toto are suitable for the entire family. (A specially edited 90-minute matinee is being offered Saturday morning, July 8, at 10 a.m., to which children 3 and older will be admitted. Our usual minimum age requirement is 5.)“Sweet Charity” will have you singing “Hey, Big Spender” for weeks! Adapted by Bob Fosse from the classic Italian film “Nights of Cabiria,” this sizzler enjoyed a recent revival on Broadway, but hasn’t been seen at MTW for thirteen years. Dance hall hostess Charity Hope Valentine casts her spell in Wichita July 19-23. “Thoroughly Modern Millie” will close the season with another spectacular MTW Premiere. Millie Dillmount (from Kansas!) takes New York City by storm as she changes the lives of everyone she meets. See the Roaring Twenties brought to life in this Tony Award winning “Best Musical” from August 2-6. Individual ticket prices range from $14-$48, with discounts for seniors, students, and groups of 20 or more. For information, simply contact the Music Theatre of Wichita Box Office at 316-265-3107, or visit the website www.musictheatreofwichita.org for all the latest details.

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Arts & Entertainment

Wayne Bryan

2006-05-01 16:01:00

Question: Broadway Theatre in Wichita, is it possible?

ANSWER: The Silver Screen meets the Great White Way in Music Theatre of Wichita’s 35th Anniversary season, presenting five Broadway musicals inspired by classic films.Broadway and the cinema have always been linked. In the early days of the “talkies,” movie moguls in California began making films out of Broadway shows, and importing actors with legitimate stage experience (since they evidently knew how to talk!). Since then, most great stage plays have been turned into films.But lately this process has been reversed, with well-remembered movies becoming full-scale Broadway musicals. Current New York hits include “Hairspray,” “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” “The Color Purple,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Tarzan,” and “The Phantom of the Opera,” all of which are indebted to screen versions that made those titles well-known to the theater-going public. So this year, Music Theatre of Wichita “Goes to the Movies!”“The Full Monty” kicks off the season with its raucously funny and deeply touching story of six unemployed blue collar workers who become hapless male strippers for one night only. Based on the Academy Award winning film of the same name, this recent Broadway smash is a real winner. The men of “The Full Monty” will bare all (or will they?) June 7-11.  (This show is recommended for mature audiences, due to adult language and brief nudity.)“Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” brings the MGM classic film to the stage June 21-25.  Seven robust frontiersmen woo potential spouses with breathtakingly athletic dances.  MTW proudly presented this show in 1993, but the exceptional dancers hired for this season at MTW might make this the most spectacular dance show ever presented here. “The Wizard of Oz” is an all-family favorite with a thrilling cyclone, singing Munchkins, flying Monkeys, dancing Jitterbugs, and a melting Witch.  The excitement is live, onstage, July 5-9. The adventures of Dorothy, the Tin Man, Lion, Scarecrow and Toto are suitable for the entire family. (A specially edited 90-minute matinee is being offered Saturday morning, July 8, at 10 a.m., to which children 3 and older will be admitted. Our usual minimum age requirement is 5.)“Sweet Charity” will have you singing “Hey, Big Spender” for weeks! Adapted by Bob Fosse from the classic Italian film “Nights of Cabiria,” this sizzler enjoyed a recent revival on Broadway, but hasn’t been seen at MTW for thirteen years. Dance hall hostess Charity Hope Valentine casts her spell in Wichita July 19-23. “Thoroughly Modern Millie” will close the season with another spectacular MTW Premiere. Millie Dillmount (from Kansas!) takes New York City by storm as she changes the lives of everyone she meets. See the Roaring Twenties brought to life in this Tony Award winning “Best Musical” from August 2-6. Individual ticket prices range from $14-$48, with discounts for seniors, students, and groups of 20 or more. For information, simply contact the Music Theatre of Wichita Box Office at 316-265-3107, or you can visit the website www.musictheatreofwichita.org for all the latest details.

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Arts & Entertainment

Wayne Bryan

2005-04-01 10:50:00

: Why are there so many different versions of "The Phantom of the Opera"? Is the story based on any kind of historical truth?

ANSWER: To answer this, one must begin at the Paris Opera House itself. In December of 1860, the Ministry of Fine Arts in Paris instigated a competition for a magnificent, state-funded Opera House. After reviewing 700 drawings, the judges selected 35-year-old Charles Garnier, a comparatively unknown architect with a demonstrated talent for romanticism.

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Arts & Entertainment

Wayne Bryan

2003-08-01 13:57:00

: What is coming this year to Music Theatre? What is the schedule?

ANSWER:  We are extremely excited by our upcoming 32nd Summer Season, which we're calling "Fancy Foot Work," a title chosen to reflect the great diversity of athleticism, dance skills, and swashbuckling prowess to be demonstrated by our resident company of performers, and by our Broadway guest stars.     Throughout March, MTW  will hold extensive auditions around the country. (In Wichita, they are Thu - Mon, March 6 - 10. Call our office for details and appointment times.) We will receive about 4,000 resumes, and we'll audition about 800 artists, before selecting the actors who will come to Wichita this summer.      April 26 - 28 - Young People's Auditions (for selecting children and teens for some roles in the shows. Watch The Wichita Eagle for details.)     Tuesday, May 13, the season kicks off with the INTRUST Festival of Broadway, during River Festival, a fast moving sneak peak at the upcoming season. Admission is free with a River Festival button.Sunday, June 1, MTW hosts the Second Annual Jester Awards, saluting excellence in high school musical theatre work presented in our area. It will be held at the Mary Jane Teall Theatre in Century II.      June 11 - 15 - GOOD NEWS!Football fever grips the campus of Tait University in this high spirited collegiate romp. Set in the 1920s, the lively tunes include "Button Up Your Overcoat," "Keep Your Sunny Side Up," "The Best Things in Life Are Free," and the dance sensation "The Varsity Drag." This production marks the tenth anniversary of MTW's adaptation of this happy show, created by Wayne Bryan and Mark Madama in 1993, and subsequently performed in over 100 productions around the U.S. and Great Britain.     June 25 - 29 - FOOTLOOSEBased on the popular Kevin Bacon film of the same name (and inspired by a true incident), Footloose tells the story of a young man who moves, with his mom, to a small Midwestern town only to discover that dancing is forbidden by city ordinance. The stage version brings to life all the great songs from the chart-topping movie soundtrack, including "Let's Hear It for the Boy," "Almost Paradise," "Holding Out for a Hero," and Kenny Loggins' catchy title tune.     July 9 - 13 - OKLAHOMA!Even though this trailblazing Rodgers and Hammerstein classic is once again a hit show on Broadway, MTW was able to secure the rights so we could celebrate the 60th Anniversary of this classic show with our own energetic production. High stepping farmers and cowmen will bring the vivid score to new life, including "The Surry with the Fringe on Top," "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'," and the stirring title song. Current Broadway matinee idol Matt Bogart is scheduled to return to MTW to play Curly.     July 23 - 27 - CHICAGOThe new film version is a smash hit, but you have to see the stage show to experience all the songs, all the dances, all the razzle dazzle. Sinfully delicious and decidedly adult, CHICAGO examines the link between "Show Biz" and the criminal justice system in America. If the conclusions reached aren't exactly encouraging, the results are always entertaining. Dazzling songs and dances include "All That Jazz," "Razzle Dazzle," "Mr. Cellophane" and "All I Care About Is Love."     August 6 - 10 - THE SCARLET PIMPERNELBefore there was Spiderman or Superman, the first heroic crusader with a secret identity was the Scarlet Pimpernel, a brave English nobleman who risks his life to save innocent French aristocrats from the guillotine. Fancy swordplay and great pop tunes are complemented with hilariously funny routines, plus spectacularly lavish sets and costumes. Anyone with a sense of humor, a sense of adventure, or a sense of romance needs to meet the Scarlet Pimpernel!     For more information, please visit our website at www.musictheatreofwichita.org or call (316) 265-3107.

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Arts & Entertainment

Wayne Bryan

2003-08-01 11:28:00

: How do I become an actor?  

ANSWER: You can try standing on Hollywood Blvd, looking cute, but you'll probably have more luck if you buy the trades, go on open calls, audition your heart out, get yourself into a show that people will come to see, build up your credits, do student or independent films, and knock on agents and casting directors doors. It's a lot of work, but it can be done. I think a lot of us like to believe in the fairy tale that someone will tap you on the shoulder, as you're walking down the street, and say "I'm a Hollywood Producer, you're perfect for my movie!" But most working actors have worked their way up, and have been doing what they do for a long time, some decades before receiving any major recognition. Work, enjoy it, share it, keep doing it if it means something (or everything to you), keep putting yourself out there.

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Arts & Entertainment

Wayne Bryan

2002-10-01 13:43:00

:  We enjoy Music Theatre at Century II very much. We have seldom missed a show. I have always wondered, how does one begin to coordinate all the things that need to be coordinated? Or, are all the shows produced and a given market just buys the show, complete with all of its props and performers?

Wayne Bryan Question:  We enjoy Music Theatre at Century II very much. We have seldom missed a show. I have always wondered, how does one begin to coordinate all the things that need to be coordinated? Or, are all the shows produced and a given market just buys the show, complete with all of its props and performers? Answer:  So glad you've been enjoying our efforts. Music Theatre of Wichita is one of the last summer theatres in the country that creates its shows "from scratch," hiring directors, choreographers, and musical directors who may or may not have had previous experience with a certain show, and then auditioning across the country (during the month of March) to find the perfect actors for each show. Those actors assemble at Century II and in just ten days learn all the staging, music and choreography, and then perform the show just one week. After that, the production, as seen in Wichita, is never seen again (although certain elements may be seen again elsewhere). The casting challenge is complicated further by the fact that we try to hire one resident company of multi-talented young people, who may perform in as many as five different productions. Last summer, for instance, our young ladies began as tap-dancing cowgirls in THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES, became comical secretaries in HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS...., Asian wives in THE KING AND I, ballroom dancers in CINDERELLA, and a variety of ethnicities in RAGTIME. Then we bring in Broadway guest stars to work with our resident company. In addition to performers, we annually hire a full staff of backstage technicians (painters, costumers, properties artisans, carpenters, stage managers, etc.) and designers (for sets, costumes, lights, sound) to create the shows. We begin planning the new season before the last one has even finished, but the crew usually has no more than two or three weeks to actually build a show, and the actors only have ten days of rehearsal. (We only have access to the wonderful Century II facility during the summer months, and many of our personnel are involved with studying or teaching at universities during the school year.) Even though each show is created "fresh" for our local audiences, we sometimes do rent scenery, costumes and props from other sources. For instance, many of the key elements in RAGTIME last summer (Model T Ford, most costumes) were from the Broadway/National Tour of the show, but the scenery was augmented with many other elements created by our staff (Atlantic City boardwalk, Morgan Library) to bring the show back up to the size of the original Broadway production, rather than the scaled back size of the touring edition. Conversely, many of the sets, props and costumes we have created (and which are stored in a variety of warehouses ... anybody got warehouse space we should see?...) do get rented to other theatres. We've had PHANTOM, WIZARD OF OZ and JOSEPH.... play on both coasts, for instance, and our DAMN YANKEES costumes were seen in Canada!

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Arts & Entertainment

Wayne Bryan

2002-07-01 10:27:00

Question:  Are all of the actors in a local music theatre production local, or are they brought in from other areas? How are local actors selected?

Answer:  At Music Theatre of Wichita we audition all over the country, during the month of March, to assemble a resident company of singer-dancer-actors (most of them are currently college students, majoring in musical theatre), as well as the Broadway veteran guest performers who will headline each production. Local actors, as well as those from around the country, are chosen on the basis of singing, dancing and acting skills, and on their appropriateness for the roles we are seeking to fill. This year, we saw roughly 850 adult performers, out of whom about 30 were hired for leading and supporting roles, and 40 were hired for the resident company. Quite a few this year are from the Wichita area. We also saw 250 local teens and children, 125 of whom will be seen in some of the productions. (For those who are interested, the March auditions are held in Wichita, Oklahoma City, Chicago, Ann Arbor, New York, and Los Angeles. Upcoming audition dates are posed at our website, http://www.musictheatreofwichita.org/)Question:  We all know about those actors who were in the right spot at the right time and got their break. Do most actors however get their start by appearing in local music theatre productions? Answer:  It's true that a "lucky break" often helps an actor proceed up the ladder to success, but it's usually accompanied by many hours (weeks, days, years) of preparation, so that the opportunity can be effectively seized. Performers often spend years training in all the various disciplines, in the hopes that a performance somewhere will be seen by someone who can help. Theatres like Music Theatre of Wichita are popular with performers for a number of reasons. An actor can build a resume quickly (five big productions in just ten weeks). All artists, from high school apprentices to Broadway guest stars, are treated with respect and dignity. And, many important contacts are made each season. Directors, choreographers and musical directors are often hired from New York, Los Angeles, and other regional theatre centers. Several of our performers have been hired or recommended for Broadway shows by members of the staff who got to know them here. Right now, Music Theatre of Wichita has young alumni in almost every Broadway musical currently running in NY, and most of the national tours. In many cases, this happened because someone at this theatre got to know them. So, yes, local productions like these can completely change the careers and lives of those who participate.Question:  Other than experience, are there any mandated courses of study to become an actor? How would a local actor ever get noticed for a shot at something better? Answer:  Any person can claim to be an actor. There are no "mandated" courses of study, or degrees required, to be hired in the performing arts. This does not mean, however, that training, study, and education aren't very big advantages. The staff at Music Theatre makes a concerted effort to see performances around town, and to take note of artists who are doing especially fine work. It is to our theatre's advantage, on many levels, to take advantage of expertise that can be found locally. It's important for artists (local and otherwise) to be brutally honest about their own strengths and weaknesses, learning to maximize the effectiveness of the former, and strengthen (or camouflage) the latter. This may mean voice study, dance lessons, acting classes, physical training (like dieting or weight lifting), or classes in better sight-reading (mastering new material at a glance, so auditions are more effective). There are a number of university classes and private instructors in our area who can help with some of these. But it has to begin with a clear knowledge of one's own pluses and minuses.... probably the hardest thing for humans like us to learn to do!Question:  What is the Screen Actors' Guild? Is it necessary to belong to get any kind of shot at commercials, sitcoms and stage performances?Answer:  The Screen Actors' Guild (SAG) is one of three unions to which most professional actors will eventually belong. In larger cities, actors must be a union member to perform in anything created on film, whether it's a TV commercial, a sitcom, a television movie, or a theatrical film. (The other two unions are Actors' Equity Association (AEA), the union of professional stage actors, and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), which handles work created on tape, be it video or audio.) In the Wichita area, membership in these unions is not necessary, and can actually be a disadvantage. Once an artist belongs to these unions, he or she may not accept any work that doesn't meet the union requirements and have the union's endorsement. Until our region has more opportunities for union performers, we don't encourage artists to try to join. If one does join one or all of these unions (and one usually has to be hired for a union job before getting into the union - sort of a "Catch 22" situation), one should consider moving to a market which has more opportunities for this kind of work. (At Music Theatre we hire a certain quota of union artists each summer, not only actors but also musicians, stage hands, directors, and choreographers.)For more information about these or any other related questions, please don't hesitate to call the Music Theatre of Wichita office at 316 265-3253.

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Arts & Entertainment

Trish Higgins

2002-05-01 15:03:00

: What would you tell an aspiring artist as the quickest, best way to sell his or her paintings?

Trish Higgins Question: What would you tell an aspiring artist as the quickest, best way to sell his or her paintings?Answer:  I'm not sure there is a quick way to sell art work, except just by having incredible luck. Also, quick and best don't go together when it comes to creating and making art.     The "best" way is the traditional way with some current technology added.  That means a formal education in the arts, continuing to make your work (despite your circumstances), spending time with mentors and other artists, building a body of work, and generally just paying your dues.   Then a first step might be to find a business (restaurant, office building,etc.) that schedules rotating exhibits. Make sure, if you decide to show your work, that the space has a reasonable amount of foot traffic and is secure.     Enter art competitions that give awards.  You can find notices for them in art journals, on the internet and in university and college art offices.     So, you build a vitae with your education, exhibition record, competitions you've entered and awards you've won and collections that your work is in.  Then have some professional quality images of your art work made into slides, or put on a CD. The images should represent your work as closely as possible.  Correct color and detail shots are important.       At that point, you have several choices. One is to get your own website or get your work on a virtual gallery's site and see what happens. Another is to take your vitae and images to a gallery that you think would be compatible with your work and see what happens. Good Luck!