Into the Woods Auditions at Near West Theatre

Come have some fun at Near West Theatre!

New Video & Website for a Great Theatre Artist!

Check out the new website and video I put together for the amazing Director & Choreographer Martín Céspedes!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTe3FKPp--M

New Video from THE AVENUE!

Enjoy the BRAND NEW demo video from The Avenue from Jerry Bruno Productions!



Thanks so much to Eddie Tomecko and the whole gang at AV Works!

STAGES: Stories from the BW Music Theatre Program- Pt. 19

Click to Play

A look at auditions for "Rent" and the learning opportunities that can happen for Music Theatre students, both in the audition room and in the classroom.

This documentary series follows the stories of the students and teachers of the acclaimed Baldwin-Wallace College Music Theatre Program led by Victoria Bussert. Produced by theater artist and documentarian Geoffrey Short , STAGES gives viewers unprecedented access to this exclusive program that draws the very best talent from around the country to this small private college in Berea, Ohio (just southwest of Cleveland). Graduates of this program often go on to careers on Broadway. Learn more about Baldwin-Wallace College at www.bw.edu . See other theater video documentary series from Geoff Short at www.youtube.com/CallBackCleveland .

STAGES: Stories from the BW Music Theater Program

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The Newest Episode of "STAGES: Stories from the BW Music Theatre Program"

Episode 19: A look at auditions for "Rent" and the learning opportunities that can happen for Music Theatre students, both in the audition room and in the classroom.

Happy New Year from THE AVENUE!

Pix of The Avenue at The Max Prokell/Austin Graves Engagement New Year's Eve Party at The Pittsburgh Athletic Association in Pittsburgh, PA. Here's to a great New Year in 2011!

Rooting for Spidey

I agree with Ken Davenport's blog entry yesterday "Superhero spotted on 42nd Street " about the new Spiderman Musical.

I'm rooting for it too. Pushing new boundaries is exciting. I like rethinking and reinventing the art form.

As Ken says, if Spiderman succeeds it could put a lot of people to work and bring many more people to the theatre. Could be a spectacular success or a spectacular failure - either way, both are spectacular!!

I trust the genius of Julie Taymor and I like what she said in the preview piece about Spiderman on 60 Minutes last weekend: "I like it when people say 'that's a terrible idea'"!

I'm sure the Wright brothers heard the same thing. And now, all these years later, you can get groped for free at any airport TSA checkpoint!
Genius.

Live Theatre...In Your Living Room!

If they won't come to the theatre, bring the theatre to them!

I've always thought that finding creative ways of merging live theatre and video can be a cool way to raise awareness of plays and musicals. Check out one of my previous posts Why Video Should Be Center Stage in Theatre Marketing. Obviously there are a lot of people smarter than me who think so, otherwise we would never have seen motion picture versions of musicals. And speaking of movie musicals, isn't it ironic that some people will pay good money to go to a movie theatre to see a film version of a play or musical while seats remain empty at local productions often producing the same works? But I digress...

In the never-ending quest for theatres to maintain and build audiences, I've been experimenting with the concept of streaming video of live performances over the internet. I was really excited recently when I was successfully able to test out an internet broadcast using UStream, a free online service . The show was the Baldwin-Wallace College Music Theatre's senior class production of "Edges", a contemporary song cycle.

It was fairly easy to set up a show page for "STAGES", the video series I produce for the BW Music Theatre Program and I figured out how to add cool on-screen graphic elements like logos and links throughout the program. So with a single video camera,my computer and an audio mixer, we were on the air! We had a few glitches...the internet signal wasn't great in the theatre and the program crashed once....but after restarting some things, everything worked pretty weel for the rest of the show. UStream even lets you record your program as you broadcast so you can replay it later or embed the video in other sites:



Obviously the biggest challenge with broadcasting theatre are the licensing issues that prohibit the videotaping or broadcasting of most theatre works. "Edges" was the perfect project for this experiment because it wasn't a scripted piece, but a very interactive, in-concert presentation of songs by composers known to the Director. Audience members were encouraged to text and tweet the cast during the show to tell the cast what they would like them to do. I even texted one cast member to come up and say hello to the camera at some point during the show and sure enough, he did!

But the point is, we're on to something...this particular night was about erasing traditional boundaries of producing theater.....the house lights remained up so the cast could see the audience who were communicating with them in real time. We were texting, tweeting, broadcasting live on the internet and - oh, yeah - singing the living shit out of some wonderful new music!

But for me the coolest part of the experiment was hearing from relatives of the students on stage from all around the country who now had the chance to share in the experience and were communicating with the cast in real time right on stage. Really an incredible experience. Especially the cast member's brother in the military, stationed out of town who got to see his brother on stage.

That's what it's all about.

Cleveland Plain Dealer Covers New Season of "STAGES"!

Click the link below to check out this cool piece from Cleveland Plain Dealer Theatre Reporter Tony Brown about the start of the new Season of "STAGES" and our "It Gets Better" Special Episode! Thanks Tony!


Baldwin-Wallace music-theater program director
Victoria Bussert works with students in 2008.
(Photo by Scott Shaw, The Plain Dealer)

Baldwin-Wallace College musical theater program is back, and so is video documentary 'Stages'

My Latest Video! It Gets Better!

A special episode of "STAGES: Stories from the BW Music Theatre Program"
IT GETS BETTER!

Produced by Geoff Short
www.geoffreyshort.com



In response to recent national news stories of bullying and a rash of tragic suicides by young gay people, Baldwin-Wallace College Music Theatre students and teachers took time out of rehearsal for "Rent" to share personal stories and offer hope to anyone who is hurting...and desperate.

BOO!

Hope You Had a Great Halloween!

STAGES: 2010-2011 Season Premier! (Episode 18)

SEASON PREMIER! STAGES: Stories from the BW Music Theatre Program

The 2010-2011 school year begins! Meet the new freshman class and some new faces on the teaching team too as students begin preparations for auditions for BW's Fall productions of "Rent" and "La Boheme"!




This documentary series follows the stories of the students and teachers of the acclaimed Baldwin-Wallace College Music Theatre Program led by Victoria Bussert. Produced by theater artist and documentarian Geoffrey Short (www.geoffreyshort.com), STAGES gives viewers unprecedented access to this exclusive program that draws the very best talent from around the country to this small private college in Berea, Ohio (just southwest of Cleveland). Graduates of this program often go on to careers on Broadway. Learn more about Baldwin-Wallace College at www.bw.edu. See other theater video documentary series from Geoff Short at www.youtube.com/CallBackCleveland.

The Avenue Rocks Another Wedding!

The Avenue from Jerry Bruno Productions kept the dance floor full all night long at another great wedding reception! This time the Lisa Grandinetti/Jason Swoger Wedding!



August 28, 2010
Walden Inn - Aurora, Ohio

Geoff Short- Vocals
Tiffany Marchak - Vocals
Leigh Peterson - Vocals
Bob Kessler - Bass
Ray Porello,Jr.- Drums
Joe Blues - Guitar
L.R. Smith- Keyboards
Chris Vollstadt - Sax/EWI
Shawn Delaney - Sound

THE AVENUE - Grace and Kim Lee Wedding, Severance Hall 8-21-10

The Avenue from Jerry Bruno Productions entertained at the beautifully elegant wedding of Kim and Grace Lee. Great to work with Genevieve Nisly Photography and Amy Hissa with At Last Event Planning!

Geoff Short - Vocals
Leigh Peterson - Vocals
Tiffany Marchak- Vocals
L.R. Smith - Keyboards
Bob Kessler -Bass
Ray Porello, Jr.- Drums
Joe Blues - Guitar
Chris Vollstadt - Sax, EWI
B.J. Bishop - Trombone
Nate Heath - Trumpet
Shawn Delaney - Sound

My new Vid for FPAC's Pride & Prejudice!

Another video preview I produced for the amazing Fairmount Performing Arts Conservatory! This time for Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice"!



Produced By Geoff Short
http://www.geoffreyshort.com

CORRECTION: The actor credited as Ryan Stafford is actually Amnon Carmi as "George Wickham"

Pride & Prejudice at Fairmount Performing Arts Conservatory (FPAC)
August 12-15, 2010
440-782-4087

original adaptation by James Maxwell
revised by Alan Stanford

Novel by Jane Austen

Director - Mitchell B. Fields
Set & Lighting Design -- Ben Needham
Costume Design - Craig Tucker
Sound Design - Carlton Guc
Stage Manager -- Mandalyn Stevens
Assistant Stage Manager - Kayla Spira
Assistant Director - Anthony Ritosa

All productions are performed at Mayfield Village Civic Center,
6622 Wilson Mills Road, Mayfield Village (just off the I-271 / Wilson Mills exit)

My Latest Video Preview: "Honk! Jr." at FPAC

Video Preview of the FPAC presentation of "HONK! Jr."
Produced By Geoff Short



HONK! Jr.

Honk Jr. will be performed for one weekend at the Mayfield Village Civic Center on Thursday, July 29 at 7:30pm, Friday, July 30 at 7:30pm, Saturday, July 31 at 2:00pm and 7:30pm and Sunday, August 1 at 2:00pm.

Book & Lyrics by Anthony Drewe
Music by George Stiles
Based on Hans Christian Andersen's The Ugly Duckling

Director / Choreographer - Sarah Clare
Music Director - Brad Wyner
Assistant Director - Eric Fancher
Set & Lighting Design -- Ben Needham
Costume Design - Craig Tucker
Sound Design - Carlton Guc
Stage Manager - Sarah Lynn Nicholas

Honk! Jr. is a contemporary retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's classic story, The Ugly Duckling.

Call-Back: Rent - School Edition at Near West Theatre - Part 2

Behind the scenes look at Near West Theatre's production of "Rent- School Edition"
Produced by Geoff Short

Part 2 Takes a look at the production as rehearsals heat up and Opening Night quickly approaches. We also get a look at some of the things that make Near West Theatre so unique including activities the cast participates in to get a better understanding of the context of "Rent" - like discussion groups with community member effected by addiction and AIDS.


RENT - SCHOOL EDITION
Near West Theatre -www.nearwesttheatre.org
Directed by Bob Navis,Jr.
Choreographed by Stephanie Morrison-Hrbek
Asst. Music Direction by Jordan Cooper

July 23, 24, 29, 30, 31,August 6, 7 & 8
Thurs., Fri. & Sat. @ 7:30 pm, Sun. @ 3:00 pm
Tickets: $8 Adults, $6 Children (12 & under)
Performance Location:
St. Patrick's Club Building
3606 Bridge Ave.- 3rd Fl.

Call-Back: Rent School Edition at Near West Theatre -Pt. 1

Behind the scenes look at Near West Theatre's production of "Rent- School Edition"
Produced by Geoff Short

Part 1 focuses on the unique audition process at Near West Theatre designed to break down walls and inspire auditioners from all walks of life at all skill levels to find their artistic voices. Includes insight from Artistic Director Bob Navis, Jr. and Executive Director Stephanie Morrison-Hrbek.



RENT - SCHOOL EDITION
Near West Theatre -www.nearwesttheatre.org
Directed by Bob Navis,Jr.
Choreographed by Stephanie Morrison-Hrbek
Music Direction by Jordan Cooper

July 23, 24, 29, 30, 31,August 6, 7 & 8
Thurs., Fri. & Sat. @ 7:30 pm, Sun. @ 3:00 pm
Tickets: $8 Adults, $6 Children (12 & under)
Performance Location:
St. Patrick's Club Building
3606 Bridge Ave.- 3rd Fl.

New Promotional Video from Geoff for "Children of Eden"

Promotional Video by Geoff Short for FPAC's production of Children of Eden

Fairmount Performing Arts Conservatory Presents
CHILDREN OF EDEN
Thru July 18th, 2010

Information: http://fredsternfeld.com/edenhonkprid...

Book by John Caird
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
Based on a concept by Charles Lisanby

Director - Fred Sternfeld**
Music Director - David Williams
Choreographer - Bebe Weinberg Katz
Set & Lighting Design -- Ben Needham
Costume Design - Craig Tucker
Sound Design - Carlton Guc
Associate Director, Associate Choreographer,
Associate Music Director and Stage Manager -- Sean Szaller*
Assistant Stage Managers - Sean Cahill, Mandy Arent
Production Assistant - Jamie Benetto

New STAGES Episode! Season Finale!!

THE SEASON FINALE....All preparations are over and it's showtime for the Class of 2010 Showcase in New York City. Go behind the scenes and see how things turn out for this amazing class of new Broadway stars. Includes insight from BW alumni currently starring in Broadway smash hits like, "Hair", "A Little Night Music" and Best Musical Tony Winner "Memphis"!

To see individual performance videos from the 2010 Showcase, check out the previous video blog entries below or visit:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list...

This documentary series follows the stories of the students and teachers of the acclaimed Baldwin-Wallace College Music Theatre Program led by Victoria Bussert. Produced by theater artist and documentarian Geoffrey Short (www.geoffreyshort.com), STAGES gives viewers unprecedented access to this exclusive program that draws the very best talent from around the country to this small private college in Berea, Ohio (just southwest of Cleveland). Graduates of this program often go on to careers on Broadway. Learn more about Baldwin-Wallace College at www.bw.edu. See other theater video documentary series from Geoff Short at www.youtube.com/CallBackCleveland.