Escape to Margaritaville Announcement

The weather is so dreary and cold right now… Wouldn’t you rather be sitting on a sunny beach with your feet in the sand and a drink in your hand?

Well you’re in luck! hard Road is excited to announce our first show of the 2023 Season – Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville! Hard Road is excited to be partnering with The Olde Wicks Factory to put on this fun show, full of all your favorite Jimmy Buffett songs! Directed by Lori Wahl, this show promises to have you dancing in your seats! This March get ready to set your mind to island time!

 

March 10-12 & 17-19, 2023

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Descendants The Musical Show Location –  Summer 2022

Descendants The Musical Show Location – Summer 2022

2022 Summer Show Location – HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

We are thrilled to announce that with amazing support from the City of Highland, and the Highland Parks and Rec Department we will be staging this summer’s show, Descendants The Musical on the stage at the Weinheimer Community Center!!!!

This amazing space, a historic corner piece of our community will have live theater on it’s stage for the first time in over 50? 60? …we don’t know, but a lot of years! If you know the last time it was used as a performance space, let us know in the comments below!

As Hard Road continues to rebuild it’s identity and works to build back up to a full slate of shows in a season, one of the critical areas we are addressing is the logistics of where to put on a show. For the last 20+ years Hard Road has been the gracious guest of the Highland School District and their facilities – the Auditorium and the Kennel. As the district has grown and changed the way they utilize those facilities for education, some spaces, have become unavailable for use. While the summer months in the school auditorium are generally clear for Hard Road’s use, the feasibility of staging multiple shows, one right after the other in the same facility presents enormous challenges for our production and creative teams – thus the need for another space!

We are looking to and building for the future of this organization. We are hopeful that with a successful show at the Weinheimer this summer, Hard Road can expand the number of shows we produce in the coming years by utilizing multiple spaces for multiple shows throughout the year – on stage at the Weinheimer and on stage at the school auditorium!

Now for what you really want to know about – Audition Materials/Times/Location etc… will be posted by Noon tomorrow, so keep your eyes peeled for that!

Summer 2022 Announcement – Descendants The Musical

Summer 2022 Announcement – Descendants The Musical

2022 Summer Show Announcement!!!!

The Hard Road board is excited to announce that this summer we will be producing Disney’s Descendants: The Musical! The show will be performed 8 times, over two weekends – July 14, 15, 16, 17 and July 21, 22, 23 and 24. If you don’t know anything about the show read the description at the bottom of the post (or ask your kids/grandkids!)

It is no secret that the last several years have taken a toll on live performances produced by Broadway all the way down to schools and local community theater groups. Hard Road is no exception. In addition to Covid, we have dealt with less access to familiar performance spaces and rising costs in producing shows. Thankfully, we have a community that loves live theater as well as a dedicated team of producers, directors and performers that has helped us find a way to be successful and stay on mission. As Hard Road continues to navigate this post-Covid (hopefully!) world and begins to rebuild our identity, vision and audiences we look back to the past. Over 20 years ago, Hard Road’s success in Highland was built on quality, highly entertaining shows for our community. That has never changed and it is something we pride ourselves on. Those first several years featured large summer shows with big casts of all ages. This summer, as we regain some of our lost momentum we’re going back to our roots! What that means is that Descendants isn’t just a kids show! We’re opening the auditions up to anyone who has finished FIRST grade or older!

These villain kids need some adult supervision, right? Throughout the years, we’ve had parents say, “These kids are having so much fun! It would be a hoot to be up there with them!” Maybe they were just blowing smoke, but now we’re calling their bluff! We’re hoping that some parents of our Hard Road kid performers will audition for the show too and share the stage with their children and their talents with the community this summer! And even if you aren’t a parent of a kid in the show, but think this sounds like a fun show, we invite you to audition!

One other piece of business. For over 10 years the kid’s summer show has grown and blossomed under the direction of Gentry Fifer and her amazing team. We’re giving Gentry this summer off – to rest, relax and enjoy some well deserved down time – to recharge her batteries (so she’s back in a director’s seat next summer!). We can’t thank her enough for her hard work and dedication over the last 10 summers (and hopefully many more in the future!). Don’t worry, you’ll still see her around this summer in various roles and capacities. She continues to be a dedicated and tireless member of the Hard Road board, helping to guide us into our next chapter of success!

Which leads me to my next piece of news! The Hard Road Board is thrilled to announce that we will have an alum from the Hard Road stage, Haylie Gombos on board as the director of this summer’s show. She comes to Hard Road with tons of experience on the stage as well as behind the scenes as well. Over the last several months she has been assembling a team of new and familiar faces for this summer’s production. We can’t wait to work with her vision and leadership in making Descendants: The Musical! another Hard Road summer hit!

It is the hope and vision of our Board, that over the next several seasons we can build on our successes and expand our summer season to once again include several shows. That at some point in the near future we can reintroduce fall and winter shows, so that Highland has the opportunity to see high-quality, live performances all year long!

QUICK DETAILS

Show Dates
July 14, 15, 16, 17 and July 21, 22, 23 and 24.

AGE RANGE FOR THE SHOW
Who can try out? Anyone who has finished 1st grade up to 100+ years old! So basically anyone older than a first grader! 😉

AUDITIONS:
Weekend of May 14 & 15
More info COMING SOON! We are still working on the details – where? when? and how auditions with be structured?, etc… Stay tuned to our FB page and website for updates in the coming weeks!

ABOUT THE SHOW
It is present-day, and in the kingdom of Auradon, all of Disney’s beloved heroes and royalty are living happily ever after, safe from the terrifying villains and troublesome sidekicks they have banished to the magic-free Isle of the Lost. That is until Ben, the benevolent teenage son of Belle and King Adam (The Beast), offers a chance of redemption for the troublemaking offspring of the evilest villains. Mal, Evie, Jay and Carlos – the children of Maleficent, the Evil Queen, Cruella De Vil, and Jafar – are welcomed to Auradon Prep to attend school with the children of their parents’ sworn enemies. Now entering a completely foreign world and way of life, the four Villain Kids have a difficult choice to make: should they follow in their parents’ wicked footsteps or learn to be good?

Disney’s Moana, Jr. Cast List

Disney’s Moana, Jr. Cast List

Hi everyone!! I know that we say the same thing each year but each year the casting process gets harder and harder and harder. We had an unbelievable amount of talent that came out. We want to thank everyone that took the time to audition. Auditions were a little bit different this year and I wasn’t there but watching all the videos, you all did a fabulous job and our decisions were NOT easy! We hope that anyone who did not get a role this year will keep trying and that we will see you back at auditions next year!!

For those of you who are in the cast, congratulations!!! I am really looking forward to working with all of you!! Please request to be added to the Facebook page “Hard Road Moana Jr. Cast & Crew” by Monday, May 10th. This is a private group and only parents, guardians and kiddos will be added.

Please know that if you are listed under ‘Ensemble’ you will be in multiple scenes throughout the show and will be singing in almost all the songs. Some of you are assigned parts that will have lines and/or solos.

Now, if you are NOT willing to accept your role, please send a private message on Facebook Messenger to the director(that’s me 🙂 ), GENTRY FIFER NESSEL, no later than Sunday evening, May 9th.

Our mandatory parent meeting will be announced on the Facebook page. Please bring your $50 fee with you that evening.

The first practice will be Thursday, May 13th and the details of ‘who is needed and where’, will be put on the Facebook page as well. Please bare with us over the next few weeks as we coordinate schedules and locations to fit our rehearsal needs 🙂
-Gentry

Now, DRUM-ROLL please……….. Here is the cast list for Hard Road’s 2021’s DISNEY’S MOANA JR.!!!!!!!

 

 

 

Disney’s Moana Jr. Cast
( * next to your name means you are cast in an additional role)

Moana – Ava Hettenhausen
Maui – Brandon Huntley
Chief Tui – Talon Vrell
Sina – Macey Golder*
Gramma Tala – Taylor Dressler
Hei Hei – Clark Rembisz
Pua – Ada Huelskamp
Chief Ancestors 1-3 – Addyson Goodwin, Naomi Saathoff and Maggie Rice
Tamatoa – Christian Knobloch
Claws – Kaleb Schwappach* and Miles Noud*
Te Ka – Abigail Scott*
Te Fiti – Mikayla Smith
Young Moana – Alyssa Goodwin*
Young Maui – Judah Young*

Featured Dancers
Abigail Scott
Emma Gualandi
Jayden Blackwell
Macey Golder
Madison Autry
Madisyn Shaw
Meagan Wieseman
Morgan Dressler

Ensemble
Adella Nessel
Alyssa Goodwin
Caleb Knobloch
Collin Sedabres
Gavin Goodwin
Haley Miller
Joshua Knobloch
Judah Young
Julia Blackwell
Juliet Knobloch
Kaleb Schwappach
Kori Huelsmann
Miles Noud
Miriam Boulanger
Myah Huhn
Natalie Brown
Rianne Lanahan
Riley Frey
Rory Jaco
Samuel Kukowski

Disney’s Moana, Jr. Audition Information

Show Announcement and Audition Update!!!!

This will be a LONG, LONG POST, so make sure you get all this information!

The Hard Road board is excited to announce that this summer we will be producing Disney’s Moana, Jr. at the Highland Elementary Auditorium! The show will be performed 6 times, over two weekends – July 24, 25, 26 and July 30, 31 and August 1. We are excited to have the financial support of Bradford National Bank to help make this show a reality! Below you will find the audition materials/procedures as well as some notes from the Production Team. Some of these new procedures have been implemented in an effort to keep our staff and performers safe and we thank you in advance for your help with that.

AUDITIONS
Here is information about the auditions this weekend:

Where: TBD (we will announce this in another post later this week)

When: Saturday, May 1 and Sunday May 2
All performers must have a time slot to audition. There will be no walk in auditions. Please use the link below to sign-up for an audition time slot. Sign up fast to ensure you get a slot that works for you, as we will be allowing 12 kids per time slot (12pm to 1pm, 1:15pm to 2:15pm and 2:30pm to 3:30pm) Please be on time for your time slot.

Audition Signup
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C4AA4A72FA0F8C61-hard

Who: All kids Aged 6 – 16 yrs old

What do you need:
1) MASKS! No exceptions. Parents and kids will need to have masks on when coming to their audition time slot.

2) Audition Form – Please print and fill out PRIOR to the auditions. Please include ALL absences. PLEASE BE HONEST in listing your schedule conflicts. Surprises after the show has been cast can lead to major challenges and may cause your child to forfeit his/her role in the show. Unless your child has a major scheduling conflict, an occasional absence generally can be accommodated. Please note if you are only missing part of a practice. *** ALL rehearsals during TECH WEEK(the Sunday-Thursday prior to opening night) are MANDATORY ***

3) Prepare a Joke (It helps break the ice and gives us a chance to see your personality!)

4) Scripts – Pick and Practice ONE set of lines to read from. (If you are auditioning for a different role, chose a character that most resembles the role you are going for) Please print for auditions.

5) Music – Pick and Practice ONE song. Kids will only have 15 minutes to review the SONGS at auditions.
Practice Music:
You’re Welcome – https://youtu.be/tIYURcd4WB4
Shiny – https://youtu.be/7wYT57xHgP4
How Far I’ll Go – https://youtu.be/a5LOjg1EiAk

6) Dance – Practice part ONE of the dance video. That is all you will be expected to do at auditions. Kids will only have 15 minutes to review the DANCE at auditions.
View Dance – https://youtu.be/Yx-DA9NBdpM

7) List of Characters – You will find a list of characters in this show with the other printed files.

8) PLEASE PRINT ALL THE MUSIC and SCRIPTS PAGES AT HOME. We will NOT have any available to use at the auditions to avoid any instances of cross contamination.

* You can find and download all the printed materials needed for Auditions in this Dropbox Link.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/nbfsjn3hqonir84/AAD_pP23nMiZ0CWo2Ex1tT0Ra?dl=0

OTHER NOTES:
Parents will NOT be permitted into the space for the auditions – They will be in a meeting with the “Parent Wrangler” about what they can expect this summer.

Safety Protocols & Procedures: (These are non-negotiable for everyone’s safety)
Wipedowns of surfaces, hand sanitizer located at all rehearsals, 100% masks (no exception, and this includes all parents that are dropping off and picking up their kids). There will be a designated person at the door taking temps and verifying kids don’t have symptoms (if they have symptoms, no admission). We are limiting the number of members in the cast this year and limiting the number at practice as much as possible for this show. Everyone will be spaced out for everything unless they are siblings (singing, dancing, blocking, sitting & waiting, etc). We will be providing the kids water bottles so there won’t be cross contamination if there are water fountains. We may add to or modify this list as expectations and situations change and fluctuate over the course of the next few months.

Note from the Production Team
We are excited to be able to perform live shows again. We realize and accept that there are still limitation due to the pandemic and we will be taking all the necessary steps to keep everyone safe in rehearsal and performances! Because of the parameters we have to work within due to the pandemic, there will be a limited cast this summer. Be sure to practice the songs, dances and lines – Drink plenty of water – Avoid milk based products that morning – Get plenty of rest. Unfortunately, not everyone will have the opportunity to be in the show this year – Meaning that even if you have been in a show in the past, there are no guarantees for this show (SO – practice, practice, practice) 🙂 We wish you all the best and can’t wait to see everyone this weekend!

The cast list will be posted by Friday, May 7.

Summer 2021 Announcement

Summer 2021 Announcement

EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT!

Our main priority, as stated last year at the start of the COVID health crisis, continues to be the safety of our performers, production staff and patrons. As more and more people are vaccinated and the case numbers continue to decrease and stay low in our area, we are ready to get back on stage! With that in mind, after months of delay and hours of discussions and meetings the Hard Road Board of Directors has decided to attempt an abbreviated summer season with an in-person show!

OUR GOAL IS TO PRESENT A KID’S SHOW THIS SUMMER!

We’re not ready to release ALL the details (including what the show is!) yet as the board is still in the process of securing the performance space, sponsors, etc…but we can let you know the audition dates and performance dates so you can get those on your calendar!

AUDITIONS will be held on May 1st and 2nd.

PERFORMANCE Dates: July 22-25 & July 29 – Aug 1

We are hoping to solidify our plans with the performance space in the coming weeks at which point we will release more information on the show and audition materials and other exciting details!

We are currently working on the procedures to ensure the safety of our performers and crew in rehearsals as well as performances. In the coming weeks we’ll also be releasing the requirements that we’ll be asking our audiences to follow so we can safely and successfully present an in-person show this summer!

With only doing a kid’s show this summer, due to the limitations still in place and performance spaces being at a premium currently, there will be no adult musical. If COVID conditions continue to improve we are hoping to have more opportunities for in-person performances this fall.

In the meantime, if you haven’t already, check out our Hard Road Radio Serials – high quality, vintage entertainment every Friday at 5pm!

We can’t wait to be on stage in front of all of you again!