The Near West Circle: February 2013

Allan Stubbs is immersed in his first year as a member of the Near West Theatre family. He found out about NWT from Edward Gale, a friend of his from high school. Allan joined the 2012 production crews of Hairspray, Children of Eden and will likewise work the show at the annual benefit this Saturday, Feb. 16. A student at Cuyahoga Community College, he is involved in a number of campus activities, including serving as the president of the Anime/Gaming Club and the Treasurer of Student Government.

1. What's the most satisfying thing in your work as a crew member?

I would say that the most satisfying thing about being a crew member is supporting each actor as he or she gets ready to go on the stage. I do this knowing that even though I'm never seen by the audience, the work I do will make every actor who is seen shine his or her brightest.

2. What's the most fun about being a crew member?

There isn't any one thing about being a member of the crew that I enjoy most. I think that all of the things I experience, from changing scenes and putting props away to moving out of the way of actors, all of those experiences roll into one good feeling.

3. How does being part of a production affect your life outside the theater?

Being a part of the productions at Near West Theatre and just knowing that a place like this exists where no one is judged by anyone else gives me hope for the world.

SEASON 2012-2013

May 3 - May 19, 2013

July 19 - August 4, 2013

July 17-28, 2013

The Near West Circle

Editor: Hans Holznagel
Writer: Julie Cajigas

Designer: Sara Radak

You can't stop the beat
You CAN help NWT change lives

What are you doing this Saturday, Feb. 16? That's the night of our 2013 benefit, You Can't Stop The Beat, where we will celebrate 35 years, honor two wonderful pillars of our organization, and throw a party no one will soon forget. We want you to come out, get your sock-hop on, dance the night away, enjoy great food and drink, and change the lives of thousands, all under the spires of the beautiful Trinity Cathedral.

Join us from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at 2230 Euclid Ave. downtown. Click here to learn more and purchase tickets.

Our benefit is our most important fundraiser of the year. Those who attend, buy raffle tickets and have the best Saturday night in town will provide support that helps us bring professionally directed classic musicals and children's programming to actors and actresses, crew members, audience members and more. Our organization is able to touch so many lives, and we have our generous donors and benefit attendees to thank.

Changing lives isn't the only reason to attend this year's benefit - did we mention the sock-hop? This 50s and 60s themed party will feature actor and musician Jordan Cooper as the character Edna Turnblad from Near West Theatre's 2012 production of Hairspray, the Broadway Musical. Guests are encouraged, if they wish, to dress in late-50s or early-60s attire.

In addition to the dancing, attendees will be treated to a high-energy, original performance by NWT cast members. The party won't stop there. Bid in the silent auction, try your luck in the raffle and keep a look out for other surprises as well! The evening will also include food provided by Spice of Life Catering and desserts by Gypsy Beans & Bakery.

Speaking of changing lives, this year's benefit honors Char and Chuck Fowler, whose investment, leadership and love has brought NWT into a new phase in our journey towards an accessible performance facility. To learn more about them, read on! They are featured in this month's newsletter.

We need you to come out and sock-hop in the name of transformational theatre, love and community. We can't wait to see you there! Tickets are $85 for a single ticket or 10 tickets for $800. Through Feb. 13, advance tickets can be purchased online at our website, by phoning 216-961-6391, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, or in person during those same hours at our business office, 6516 Detroit Ave., Suite 9. Tickets will also be available at the door starting at 6 p.m. Feb. 16. $50 of each ticket is tax-deductible.

Thank you for 35 years of love and support through our annual benefit.

A heartfelt thank you...

To the sponsors of our 2013 Benefit, You Can't Stop The Beat.

We are so grateful for those organizations and individuals who have stepped up to support our most important fundraiser of the year. Near West Theatre uses this generous support to build community among ordinary people by staging classic musicals with large, diverse casts of all ages and also offers children's and youth programming. Companies and individuals are invited to consider Benefit sponsorships at levels of $10,000, $7,500, $5,000, $2,500 and $1,000.

We want to extend recognition and thanks to those who have become sponsors as of February 11, 2013 including: Director Sponsors--$7,500, Euro USA Foods; Producer Sponsors--$5,000, American Limousine Service; Choreographer Sponsors--$2,500, Dominion East Ohio, Richard Fleishchman + Partners Architects, KeyBank, Chuck & Rita Maimbourg, Medical Mutual of Ohio, Panzica Construction Co., PNC, Tucker Ellis LLP, RPM International, Inc.; Designer Sponsors--$1,000, Jim and Anne Schoff, R.C. Distributors, The Sherwin-Williams Company, Stone Mad Pub Grille & Bocce, Cohen, Rosenthal & Kramer LLP, Fifth Third Bank.

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, there's still time! Please call Lindsay Doerr at 216-961-9750.

Special thanks to our lead sponsors - Euro USA Foods & American Limousine Service.

Near West Theatre 2013 Benefit Honorees: Char and Chuck Fowler

Chuck & Char Fowler

"We claim this ground for love!" These words, proudly shouted out at the groundbreaking for Near West Theatre's new home on Nov. 27, 2012, come to mind again as we honor Char and Chuck Fowler at our Annual Benefit on Feb. 16. Their investment, leadership and love brought us to that groundbreaking and to the phase we've reached in our journey to a new performance facility.

First introduced to Near West through Jim and Anne Schoff, Char and Chuck began attending performances over a decade ago and can often be seen filling entire rows of seats with their grandchildren at our shows. They donated a $1 million challenge grant in 2010 toward the campaign to build a performance center for NWT in the Gordon Square Arts District, and have given an additional $1 million since then.

You can read our profile of them at our Benefit web page or in the Benefit playbill on Saturday, Feb. 16.

Wanted: Daring performers

to audition for Jacques Brel

If you haven't been keeping up with "The Brel Chronicles," a month of inspirational words from Artistic Director Bob Navis Jr. at Near West Theatre's blog, you are missing a wonderful opportunity to experience the spirit and substance of Jacques Brel - the man and the theatrical piece named for him. Bob is posting reflections, photos, videos and bits of information - complete with deliberately wacky lettering and lack of punctuation - to prepare performers for auditions and audience members for the rich spectacular coming this May.

In the second installment of "The Brel Chronicles," Bob shared his thoughts on who the cast (ages 16 to adult) would be, and how each individual can find a place:

Auditionees circle up for Ragtime auditions at St. Luke's in February 2012.

"Our cast of Brel will need to consist of actor/singer/dancers who are emotionally free and daring performers ... a vital mix of teen angst/freedom, twenty-something rebel/daring, 30-50 something solidity, conviction and achievement and over-fifty something sense of harvest, letting-go/transitions and the wisdom and fears born of aging a diverse group of actors who bring varying racial, ideological, sexual/relational and spiritual perspective to the work actors with a high value for adventure, reflection and internalization with a high value for ensemble work and energy for a rehearsal process which is about creating an original piece of theatre patience and love for the experimental inspiration for building a new vehicle for these songs and becoming one of the voices to bring them into the second decade of the 21st century"

With that vivid description, each actor and actress should be able to see where he or she fits into the cast of Jacques Brel. Are you ready to be daring? This piece also has room for actors with special talents that might be added into the show: musical instruments, circus skills, French language - surprise us at the audition!

Everyone 16 years old and up, regardless of experience, is encouraged to join us for auditions on Feb. 26, 27 or 28, 2013, from 7:30 to 10 p.m. at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, on Lake Road at West 78th Street, just north of Detroit Ave. Mapping it? It's 1349 W. 78th St., Cleveland.

About our audition process:

Near West Theatre holds group auditions in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. No preparation or pre-registration is required. Actors of all experience levels are led through multiple improvisational exercises providing every participant equal opportunity to create through word, movement and song. Auditions focus on the creative process, not the product; on working as an ensemble, not solo. After this first level audition, callbacks will focus on individual roles/songs and working from the script.

All individuals should arrive 15 minutes early to register. Auditions begin promptly at the designated time. Wear comfortable clothing that permits movement and appropriate shoes for dancing. For information, call the NWT business office, 216-961-9750.

Kids clamor for KLAMOR

Make this exciting program part of your

children's summer plans.

The snow may still be flying, but those hot summer days are just around the corner. Looking for a way to avoid hearing: "I'm so bored, what is there to do"? Near West Theatre has a summer program that promises to engage, enchant and enrich your child, all through the transformative power of theatre: KLAMOR.

"Kids Loud and Musical Organic Revue" (KLAMOR) is Near West Theatre's six-week summer program for grade school and middle school kids ages 9 through 13. Meeting four days a week, they develop awareness of their strengths, fears, dreams and struggles through the theater arts: music, movement, improvisation, scenic arts, stage combat, story development and more.

Diverse in their backgrounds and skill levels, they build confidence and trust as a performing troupe in a process that ends with three public performances of the material they have developed.

If your grade and middle school aged children are ready to clamor for KLAMOR, mark your calendar for auditions on April 13 & 14. Auditions will be held that Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. in the 3rd floor of St. Patrick's Club Bldg., 3606 Bridge Avenue, Cleveland.

Children do not need previous experience in the theatre, nor do they need to bring along any prepared songs or monologues. Our open audition process assures that everyone who comes is able to give a successful, fun audition.

Construction update:

An accessible stage

As architectural drawings become increasingly detailed for our new theater in the Gordon Square Arts District, we're glad to say we've set aside space for a built-in accessibility ramp from the floor of the main auditorium to the proscenium stage. From the audience's perspective, it will be at the front right-hand side of the auditorium (stage left). In order to fit and not be too steep, it will consist of two parallel sections with a turn-around landing between them. In other construction updates: We've penciled in a tentative date of June 5 for the start of excavation, the first real work at the site. Read the full story here.

A schematic structural drawing of the ramp from the auditorium floor to the stage. Richard Fleischman + Partners Architects

THE CREATIVE EDGE

LIFE AS A PERFORMING ART

Here are the thoughts of some of the theater world's most honored and respected actors, directors, designers, choreographers, composers and writers. My hope is that this feature will offer inspiration to all the NWT family for living each day with radical expectation, eternal zest and joyous satisfaction. - Bob Navis Jr, Artistic Director

Hey dear friends,
On the eve of Benefit 2013, with the highest creative energy I've ever felt flowing to and through everything NWT, I offer you this video clip of Jacque Brel sharing his thoughts on ACHIEVING ONE'S DREAMS......I hope this brings a smile of knowing to your lips, that we are always one desire, one breath away from our dreams.

Grimper toutes les montagnes! (Don't speak French? Cut and paste into "Google Translate.")

-Bob

Near West Theatre is an open and affirming organization.