Tips for Throwing a Tony Awards Party

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Last year, I threw my first annual Tony Awards Party. It was a big hit among my theatre-loving friends, theatre-liking friends, and even my don’t-care-about-Broadway-but-came-to-support-me friends. As I write this blog, I am actively planning my second Tony Awards Party with the hope that it will be just as successful as last year’s event! This blog is directed at anyone who may be thinking about throwing a Tony-themed Party or anyone who is looking for new ideas to “spice up” their yearly Tony celebration.  Happy Planning! 

1.) GAMESBecause I have the guests arrive two hours before the Tony’s, there is plenty of time for games.  Last year, I compiled a list of “Tony trivia”, which included 25 questions about the Tony Awards, new or currently running musicals and plays, and Broadway “people” (actors, composer/lyricists, directors, choreographers, etc). I created most of the trivia questions myself, but the Tony Awards website offers many trivia questions specific to the history of the Tony Awards, so that is an excellent resource as well. http://www.tonyawards.com/en_US/history/facts/index.htmlWe also played a game of “Tony quotes”. I created a list of about 20-25 quotes from popular Broadway showtunes and the guests must determine which musical the quote originated from. The guest who achieves the most correct answers on trivia and quotes is given a prize (more on prizes below). Here is an example of a trivia question and a quote. Which actress has played Elphaba (Wicked) in more performances than any other actress? “I’m as corny as Kansas in August...” 

2.) DECORATIONSDecorations are really a matter of preference. I like to keep the lights low and decorate my living room with white Christmas lights. I also like hanging black and silver balloons around my living room. This year, I’m going to frame Broadway and New York-related photos and playbills from the Tony-nominated shows and hang them around my living room to set the mood. 

3.) FOODI know some theatre fans like to serve Broadway-themed food. For example, serving French food for Les Miserables or corned beef and cabbage for Once or Southern food for Memphis. I have no culinary ability, so I do not do this. Plus, I know too many picky eaters. However, I do ensure that there is plenty of food to be enjoyed. I tend to stick with pizza, sandwiches, vegetables and dip, chips and dip, fresh fruit, and a punch bowl. This year, I will be serving Broadway-themed cupcakes that will be decorated with candies relevant to this year’s Tony-nominated shows. For example, some cupcakes will be decorated with a candy guitar to represent Once or a candy star for Peter and the Starcatcher, etc. 

4.) MUSICUntil the Tony Awards begin, I have Broadway music playing in the background. I compile a playlist of songs in iTunes from ONLY the Tony-nominated shows and put it on shuffle, which usually gets everyone in Broadway mode (if they’re not already!). The only downfall to this is that some of the Tony-nominated shows have not yet recorded a cast recording by the time of the Tony Awards and so some shows are left out of my mix. 

5.) COSTUMESOh, did I forget to mention?  My Tony Awards Party is also a costume party!  My guests are required to dress up as a character from a Broadway musical or play (the show does not have to be running on Broadway currently). Last year, my guests included: the Phantom of the Opera, Elphaba from Wicked, Diana and Dan Goodman from Next to Normal, and Extraordinary Girl from American Idiot. During commercial break, I have the guests vote for best costume and the winner gets a prize! 

6.) RED CARPETLast year, I was checking out decorations at iParty and I came across a mock “red carpet”. I loved the idea of the guests walking up the red carpet to get to the party and so I bought it. The red carpet was a lot of fun. I placed it in my front yard, making a path from the road to the front door, and everyone had the chance to walk on the red carpet in full costume while we took pictures. It also entertained my neighbors who drove by my house to see a green witch, a phantom, and a red carpet among other things.  Very fun. 

7.) BALLOTShttp://www.tonyawards.com/en_US/nominees/2012_Printable_Ballot.pdfOn the Tony Awards website, there is a printable ballot.  I print this out and take it to FedEx to have copies printed on cardstock. Cardstock makes it a little more durable in case some of the die-hard theatre fans want to save it.  Before the Tony Awards begin, everyone fills out the ballot based on who they think will win.  The guest who correctly guesses the most winners gets a prize.  

8.) PRIZESSince a Tony Awards party can become expensive, I don’t go crazy with prizes. Between the two games, the costume contest, and the ballots, I need four prizes, but last year there was a tie for the costume contest and the trivia game, so it’s a good idea to have extra prizes on hand.  The cost per prize is usually less than $5. Some examples are: Times Square themed playing cards, Broadway-themed wall calendar, Broadway-themed bookmark, NYC-themed stationery, Broadway-themed key chains or magnets, home-made fudge, and hand soap. I try to have a couple of non-Broadway-themed items available since some guests are not die-hard Broadway fans. 

I hope this is helpful! What are your ideas???? 

Show & Tell: RAIN - A Tribute to the Beatles Brings Mop Top Mania to Appleton

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Put your dancing shoes on and take a tripdown memory lane with RAIN – A Tribute to the Beatles when Beatle mania makes astop at the Fox Cities P.A.C. in Appleton this weekend.

The multimedia Beatles experience iscomplete with large screens transporting the audience back to “the good olddays” with the images and sounds of the phenomenon that was the Beatles duringa volatile and pivotal time for the world and our country.


The living documentary of RAIN givesaudience members the opportunity to experience iconic times in American historyno matter what their age. Although this reviewer had yet to be born, this thirty-year-oldfeels as if she had a seat in the Ed Sullivan Theater for the Beatles Americandebut and as if she stormed the field during the concert at Shea Stadium.


RAIN inspires its audience members to trulyexperience the Beatles. There were young and old fans alike on their feetsinging and dancing. There were girls crying and screaming, although most ofthem were no longer girls but women who had been transported back to a timethey had thought they lost.

RAIN band members Steve Landes, JoeyCuratolo, Joe Bithorn, Ralph Castelli and Mark Beyer have been living,breathing and preforming everything Beatles their entire lives - and it shows.They execute not only every note, but every head bob, sway and toe tap so seamlesslythat at times it is almost eerie.


Playing a complete songbook of Beatlesfavorites, RAIN is an all-around crowd pleaser. Mega fans and younger Beatlesnovices alike are guaranteed to leave the theater with a few favorites stuck intheir heads.

Best Seats + Best Prices = Season Tickets

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If you are thinking about becoming a Kimberly-Clark Broadway Across America – Fox Cities Season Ticket Holder, there’s no time like the present.It’s the easiest way to secure the best seats at the best prices to next year’shottest shows in one simple purchase. Plus, you’ll enjoy great Broadway SeasonTicket Holder benefits!   
SEATING
Become a Broadway Season Ticket Holder and seats you’ll love can be yours forevery Broadway Series show.

SAVINGS
Season Tickets Holders take advantage of special package pricing and save up to30% compared to buying each show separately.*

FLEXIBILITY
Can’t make your scheduled show? You can easily exchange your tickets foranother performance of the same title.

PRIORITY ACCESS
Season Ticket Holders can order additional ticket now months before the generalpublic, and you are among the first to know about new events.

SERVICE
Have you lost your tickets? Season Ticket Holders can request reprinted ticketsfree of charge.
 UPGRADE TO PREMIUM SEATS

Premium Broadway SeasonTicket Holders have access to coveted Orchestra Level and Dress Circle seatinglocations and enjoy the very best benefits including:

• An exclusive invitation to a Blue Man Group preshow party
• Special savings on show merchandise
• Premium parking pass
• Special offers from preferred restaurants
• New York concierge Ticketing Service to assist with purchasing tickets forshows on Broadway
• Complimentary Ticket Exchanges by Phone
• Complimentary Ticket Replacement by Phone






MAYBONUS:The Fox CitiesP.A.C. is offering two great incentives if you become a Season Ticket Holder byMay 31. First, take advantage of an optional payment plan and pay 50% now and50% on June 29. Then, as you head to a show, enjoy complimentary preshow andintermission drinks with a guest pass to the exclusive Partners Lounge!

*Basedon performance date, time, seating location and final single ticket prices.

Winners of Watch & Win with Billy Elliot!

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The credits are rolling on the Watch & Win with Billy Elliot sweepstakes, and it's time to announce the winners! One lucky winner has been selected at random to receive a four-pack of tickets to the opening night performance of Billy Elliot the Musical on June 19! Four other winners will receive a Billy Elliot prize pack.
Congratulations!
GRAND PRIZE WINNER
 Jennifer Breining
PRIZE PACK WINNERSShari Blohm
Sylvia Dittman
Audrey Sherrill
Kimberly Stevens
Winners, be sure to check your email for details on how to claim your prize! 
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Broadway Buzz: And The Award Goes To…

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You see themhighlighting the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center’s posters, but just whatdoes it mean that a show’s “award-winning?” Is there only one award? Whichawards count for what? Here’s a quick breakdown of some of the most highprofile awards and what they might mean for your next trip to the theater.

Tony Award

The Tony Awards®The Tony Awards, named for Antoinette Perry, launched in 1947 and took thenational spotlight in 1967 when it was first televised nationwide. Nomineeseach year are selected from among shows that have opened in an eligibleBroadway theater. A nominating committee of 35 theater professionals sees everyshow before making nominations, and awards are based on input fromapproximately 750 Tony voters, like the Center’s president Susan Stockton.
Olivier AwardsThe Brits have theirown version of Broadway known as the West End and their own awards show namedafter Sir Laurence Olivier. There’s some give and take across the pond, soyou’ll often hear Olivier references for shows with dual citizenship like Billy Elliot the Musical.
The Obie Awards  
Created by The Village Voice, The Obie Awards honor excellence in off-Broadwayand off-off Broadway productions. Around since 1955, the Obies play asignificant role in promoting the off-Broadway and off-off Broadway theaterscene. For many familiar titles, off-Broadway is an important evolutionary stepas the show grows and develops.
The Drama Desk Awards  
The Drama Desk Awards take into account Broadway, off-Broadwayand off-off Broadway shows playing in New York City. Founded in 1949, the DramaDesk Awards are unique in that the voters are comprised of media professionals, hence the name.
The Pulitzer Prize
Wait a second… Isn’t the Pulitzer Prize awarded for writers? The Pulitzer Prizehonors excellence in journalism and art, including an award for drama. Showslike Clybourne Park, Next to Normal and even South Pacific have been honored byPulitzer. Interestingly, if submissions in any particularyear do not meet a degree of excellence expected by Colombia University’sPulitzer Board, the honor is simply not bestowed on a lesser work.

Art Conversation with Serena Supplee @ Main Gallery, St. George Art Museum, St. George, July 19th

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ST. GEORGE ART MUSEUM

May 26 through September 8, 2012

Main Gallery Starry, Starry Night: The Paintings of Serena Supplee with Art Conversation on July 19^th at 7pm (3^rd Thursday Art Conversation Series)

Mezzanine Gallery Starry, Starry Night, National Parks through the Lens of Wally Pacholka

Legacy Gallery Great Basin Exteriors: A Photographic Survey

(Nevada Arts Council exhibit-opens June 20^th)

The magic of the night sky comes alive in the paintings of Serena Supplee in the Main Gallery. They are like dreams of the heavens that open this special grouping of exhibits at the St. George Art Museum this summer.

The beauty, truth, and freedom of canyons and rivers pulse through Serena Supplee. Thirty years of living and loving the Colorado Plateau serve as the current of inspiration for Serena’s artwork. Her passionate palette captures the expansion of rims, the movement of rivers, and the dance of clouds with the lighting on canyon walls, and the night with is dark though alive with the star filled sky full of galaxies, which have long captivated the minds and souls of humans.

Originally from Iowa, Serena graduated with a BFA from Northern Arizona University. She worked summers as a guide on the Colorado, Green, and San Juan Rivers and still loves rowing her boat. Serena’s book, Inner Gorge Metaphors, features a series of paintings focused on the rapids and the Inner Gorge of the Grand Canyon. The series of paintings that start with the rock temples that grace the rim of the Grand Canyon and lead down to the Colorado River are on view in Catchin’Current at the Powell Museum in Page, Arizona through February 2013.. For the St. George Art Museum exhibit she specifically focused on the drama and mystery of the evening twilight. Both exhibit catalogs will be available in the Museum Store, along with other merchandise.

Serena works primarily in watercolors and oils. She paints watercolors on site and also draws detailed sketches, which she transforms into large oils. A collection of her geometric landscape paintings woven into rugs and baskets by Navajo weavers are on display at Twin Rocks Trading Post in Bluff, Utah. A spectacular selection of giclee prints of Serena’s paintings, a library of originals and works in progress, along with Serena’s outdoor sculptures may be seen at her studio by appointment. Two of her graceful, sandstone-inspired sculptures are on public display in Moab.

www.serenasupplee.com

Great Basin Exteriors: A Photographic Survey @ Legacy Gallery, St. George Art Museum, St. George, June 21st

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ST. GEORGE ART MUSEUM

May 26 through September 8, 2012

Main Gallery Starry, Starry Night: The Paintings of Serena Supplee

Mezzanine Gallery Starry, Starry Night, National Parks through the Lens of Wally Pacholka

Legacy Gallery Great Basin Exteriors: A Photographic Survey (Nevada Arts Council-opens June 21^st) with Art Conversation on June 21st at 7pm (3^rd Thursday Art Conversation Series)

About 150 years ago, the West was known as the last frontier in America. Once the space race began, space was labeled the final frontier. In the exhibits on view this summer, you have a chance to explore both, as well as America’s best idea, according to Wallace Stegner, our national parks.

In the Legacy Gallery beginning June 21st, we feature, The Great Basin from the Nevada Arts Council. Great Basin Exteriors: A Photographic Survey, an exhibition of 30 photographs by three regional artists – Adam Jahiel, Daniel Cheek and Nolan Preece – which examines loss, change and abandonment in the American West.

In this exhibit, the Great Basin is roughly defined as the area between the Wasatch Mountains along the Idaho and Utah borders and the Sierra Nevada Mountains along the Nevada and California borders. The three photographers featured in the exhibit have, independently, concentrated on the documentation of subjects that are changing in or rapidly disappearing from the Western landscape.

Geologically, the Great Basin is part of the Basin and Range Province that covers most of Nevada and more than half of Utah, as well as parts of California, Idaho, Oregon and Wyoming. Jahiel’s photograph of cowboys in Northern Nevada poignantly illustrates both this rugged way of life and its marginalization in contemporary society. Daniel Cheek’s work celebrates the spaciousness of the Great Basin, which is then juxtaposed with small intrusions in the landscapes that are indicative of a changing West. Nolan Preece examines the rustic patina that is diminishing with restoration and development across the Great Basin.

The work of each photographer reflects a distinct style and technique, perfected during careers as highly regarded professional artists. Jahiel uses the platinum print to archive and preserve his images for the future. Cheek works with an 8 x 10 camera to reproduce the rich color of the Great Basin on chromogenic photo paper. Preece combines large format and digital cameras to produce black and white and color images of high quality.

This exhibit was organized by the Nevada Arts Council and is part of the Nevada Touring Initiative – Traveling Exhibition Program and is funded by the National Endowment, Nevada State Legislature and Western States Arts Federation. The Nevada Arts Council is a division of the Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs.

www.danielcheek.com; www.adamjahiel.com; www.preece.myexpose.com

A special thanks to the Darrell Armuth and Donna Hellwinkel Collection for its loan of their Adam Jahiel platinum prints for this exhibition.

Curator of Education @ Utah Museum of Contemporary Art

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Job Description: Join the team at the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, recognized as Utah's Best Museum for 2011 and 2012, and recent recipient of a major grant from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.

This is a prime opportunity for a museum educator who wishes to develop and implement thoughtful and ambitious programs that further the mission of UMOCA.

Skills, Knowledge, and Qualifications

BA, BS in Art Education, Art History, Education, or equivalent in relevant field; preferred Masters in Art Education, Art History, Fine Arts, or Museum Studies.

Experience teaching visual arts classes and working with youth, collegiate and adult populations. Fluency with art history and artistic media imperative. Preferable experience with diverse populations.

Minimum of 4 to 6 years relevant professional experience with educational programming in an art center, museum, or equivalent educational institution.

Ability to develop strategic relationships/collaborative partnerships for education programs.

Knowledge of contemporary art and art education.

Ability to work independently and as part of a team, and to work with trustees, donors, members, the public, and co-workers professionally.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, in addition to strong leadership and organizational skills.How to Apply: Please send CV and cover letter to Adam Price at adam.price@utahmoca.org. Position to remain open until filled.Contact:Contact Name: Adam Price
Email: adam.price@utahmoca.org

Development & External Relations Director @ Discovery Gateway

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Job Description: Development and External Relations Director is responsible for implementing the organization’s strategic direction for development and for raising $1.5 million annually in support revenue. Coordinate and manages all development activities including major gifts, annual fund, special events, corporate relations and grant writing. Works collaboratively with the Creative Director to oversee the public relations and marketing activities for the museum. Prepares and executes annual and long-range development, marketing, public relations and communications plans.

Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in management, communications or related fields. Master of Public Administration preferred. 10 years professional experience required, with a minimum of 2 years of experience as a development director for a nonprofit organization with an annual support revenue budget in excess of $1 million.How to Apply: If you are interested in this position, please submit a cover letter, resume, and writing sample to jobs@discoverygateway.org]Contact Name: Victoria Bernier
Email: vbernier@discoverygateway.org

Altered Books Taught by visiting artist Alice Marie Perreault @ Art Access's Kindred Spirits Summer Camp (June 18 - June 22)

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Kindred Spirits Summer CampAltered Books Taught by visiting artist Alice Marie Perreault Altered books is an art form using mixed media to change the design, meaning, purpose and even the structure of books. Depending upon the artwork, the original book may not even be recognizable when the work is finished. Artists may add windows, niches, pockets, pop-ups and countless two-dimensional and even three-dimensional elements that create a sculptural sensibility. Ali will be working with Kindred Spirits participants for a five-day summer workshop to explore this exciting form of art. No two pieces of art will look alike! And, by the end of the week, everyone will have new insight into their own and other's creative processes. So, come to Kindred Spirits and alter your very own book! All levels and abilities welcome. Books, supplies and materials are provided, but you may want to bring a few of your own little found-object treasures. Class ScheduleDaily from Monday, June 18th through Friday, June 22nd1:00 to 3:00 PMMax Enrollment: 7 (14 with partners).Children are usually accompanied by a partner, often a parent or sibling.Fee: $50 and includes all art supplies (no fee for partner companion).Learn more and register online by visiting our WEBSITE"This is the best children's art program we've ever participated in!" ~ Kate Jensen, Kindred Spirits Parent                                                                                About Kindred SpiritsDesigned for children whose chronological and/or cognitive age is 5 to 13, the Kindred Spirits program offers young participants an opportunity to engage creatively in a variety of visual arts projects in an inclusive environment.

Historically Hardcore

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If you have not seen the Historically Hardcore posters that have gone viral, here they are. I love them! They were a student project done for and rejected by the Smithsonian Museums. I guess they were not the image the Smithsonian wanted to maintain. Why would a museum wish to be hip and relevant to young people? Geekosystem has the full story. As a history educator, I definitely see the value of this kind of edginess to capture the imagination of high school students.
Enjoy.

Marc Chagall at Philadelphia Museum of Art

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Currently at the Philadelphia Museum of Art is a wonderful exhibition on the work of one of my favorite artists, Marc Chagall. "Paris Through the Window: Marc Chagall and His Circle" is at the Perelman Building now through July 1, 2011. With over seventy works of art from Chagall himself, his teachers, and those artists with whom he surrounded himself, this exhibition allows you to see both the influence on Chagall and his influence on others.
What I have always loved about Chagall's work is his ability to transport the viewer to a different world, one where the laws of physics are slightly off. His universe is filled with floating people, anthropomorphic animals, interiors on the outside, and colors that at times arrest the viewer while at others coddle and comfort. In the painting above, from which the exhibition takes its name, Chagall literally captures his first impressions of Paris. The influence of cubism which he discovered up arrival can be seen, while his use of color is drawn from his days studying in Saint Petersburg.
Leon Bakst, a costume designer for Les Ballet Russe, was one of Chagall's most important influences in Saint Petersburg, and quite possibly one of the reasons Chagall chose to journey to the City of Light. In the painting "The Pilgrim" to the left one can glimpse the palette of expressive colors that Chagall adopted to create much of his dream world.
The sculpture to the right, "Sailor with Guitar" is by Jacques Lipchitz, a Lithuanian-born artist of Jewish descent who was in Paris when Chagall arrived. A friend of cubist John Gris, Lipchitz brought cubism to Chagall's world, though the Russian would never fully adopt the style. Both this statute and Lipchitz other "Woman with Braid" were two of the gems of the show.
Possibly my favorite of the non-Chagall works were those by Amadeo Modigliano. While Chagall was only just beginning his time in Paris and his career as a painter, unbeknown to everyone, Modigliano was coming to the end of his. Though he would die in 1920 at the age of 36, the works he left behind are hauntingly beautiful, with a style unique and wonderful. In "Blue Eyes" one sees the elongated neck and flat eyes that denote a Modigliano portrait, capturing both African sculptural portraiture and more traditional techniques.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art has assembled a brilliant show worthy of a world class museum. Maybe the best part is the fact that all of the paintings are from the museum's own collections. This is not a gathered exhibit, but rather this is the museum showing off it own wonderful holdings. Bravo! In truth, I might not have been interested in anything but the Chagalls and Modiglianos, but seeing the other in context as Chagall's circle made me appreciate them in an unexpected way.
If I had any complaint at all, it was about the cell phone tour. It found that is was simply a substitute for reading the placards. Personally I am not looking for the curator to read to me what I can read for myself. Instead, I want to hear him tell me more than what I can read there on the wall or under the painting. When they did that, the cell phone tour was worth the minutes, but most often it was a waste of my time and cell minutes. Thank God I have roll over.
All in all, every one in Philadelphia who cares even s little about art should see this show. And those who don't give a fig about art, maybe you need to see this more than anyone!