by Bill | Feb 8, 2016 | Announcements, Auditions
Photo credit – University of Texas at Arlington
Quick reminder that auditions for Hard Road’s spring musical, FIRST DATE, are tonight (Monday) at 7:00 in the Highland Elementary chorus room
FIRST DATE is a small cast musical that both audiences and cast members will love. Looking for a challenging role? This will do it.
If you are auditioning, we’re asking you to fill out the audition form online before coming tonight. You can link to it here It’s easy, trust me.
If you would like more information, the casting call poster follows:
See you tonight!
by Bill | Feb 2, 2016 | Announcements, Auditions, Casting
Do you remember your first First Date? Well, this show is nothing like that! You will actually enjoy going on this date.
FIRST DATE is just that – a blind date that unfolds in real time. The couple quickly finds they are not alone in this unpredictable evening. Casey and Aaron’s inner critics take on a life of their own when other restaurant patrons transform into supportive best friends, manipulative exes and protective parents who sing and dance the pair through ice-breakers, appetizers and potential conversational land mines.
This could also be one of the most challenging shows in which you have ever performed. Aside from our main couple, everyone plays multiple roles. This is a true ensemble show.
There are roles for 3-4 women and 3-4 men. Lots of singing and dialog and very little dance (so, if you avoid musicals because you can’t dance well – like me – cast your worries aside!)
Auditions are next Monday, February 8th at 7:00 in the Chorus Room at the Highland Elementary School. Have a musical number prepared – modern show tunes would be a good choice (you should put away your Rogers and Hammerstein Songbook) and be prepared for some cold readings from the script. AND – here’s the change from our traditional auditions – fill out your audition form BEFORE you come. Our form is online and will be very easy to complete. If you have a picture or theater bio you’d like to submit, you can upload it with your form. Pretty easy, huh? To access our form, go HERE or HERE or even HERE.
Callbacks will be held the following night at the same location.
Performance dates are April, 15, 16, 17, 22 and 23. Rehearsals will begin late February. Bill Sullivan is directing the show (that’s me) and David Wilton is the musical director. Guaranteed good times!
See you Monday night?
by Tom Varner | Jul 14, 2015 | Announcements, Shows
IT’S A BIG, BRIGHT, BEAUTIFUL WORLD WITH SHREK
Hard Road Theatre in association with the Highland Arts Council and sponsored by Bradford National Bank present SHREK THE MUSICAL. Based upon the 2001 Academy Award-winning movie and the 2009 Tony-nominated Broadway musical of the same name, SHREK is the story of an ogre named Shrek who just wants to live alone in peace in his swamp. Join our unlikely hero and his loyal steed and best friend, Donkey, as they embark on a quest to rescue the beautiful (if slightly temperamental) Princess Fiona from a love-sick dragon. Add the diminutive Lord Farquaad (who just wants to be King), a gang of fairytale misfits, and a cookie with attitude, and you’ve got the biggest, brightest musical comedy around! It’s a must-see show for the entire family.
With over 40 cast members, SHREK marks the largest regular length musical Hard Road has ever presented and is one of the spotlight shows for our 15th season. Our production features Broadway-style costumes and professional-grade prosthetics. The show itself features an original score with the exception of the classic pop-rock song “I’m a Believer” written by Neil Diamond and first made famous by The Monkees.
Cast members in the show come from several different communities in the area including Highland, Greenville, Breese, Collinsville, Belleville, and Swansea. The show is directed by Evan Fifer with musical direction by David Wilton and choreography by Christine Taylor.
Performances for SHREK are July 24, 25, 31, and Aug. 1 at 7:30 p.m. and July 26 and Aug. 2 at 2:00 p.m. All performances will be held at the Highland Elementary Auditorium located at 1800 Lindenthal Ave., Highland, IL. Tickets are $12.50 each (children 3 years old and younger are free). Tickets can be purchased online or at the door. Online ticket purchases stop 30 minutes before the scheduled show time. Children 4-12 will receive a special coupon at the door for a FREE small drink and popcorn. Seating is on a first come, first serve basis.
Hard Road Theatre Productions is a non-profit theatre organization committed to providing the greater Highland area with high-quality, affordable, live theatre productions. Online tickets can be purchased via the Hard Road website or through the Hard Road Facebook page. For more information about SHREK or Hard Road in general, please send an email to tom@hardroad.org or call 618-409-6286.
by Tom Varner | Jun 30, 2015 | Announcements, Press Release, Shows
PROM IS FOR EVERYONE
Hard Road Theatre Productions in association with the Highland Arts Council and sponsored by Staunton Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram invite you to attend a prom of the undead as they present the original musical ZOMBIE PROM. Set in the fabulous 1950s, ZOMBIE PROM is the tale of a sweet teenage girl named Toffee and her rebel-without-a-cause boyfriend, Jonny. The two meet at Enrico Fermi High School and fall in love, but Principal Delilah Strict intervenes and persuades Toffee to break up with Jonny for her own good. Tortured by his betrayed love, Johnny drives his motorcycle to a nearby nuclear power plant and flings himself inside a cooling tower. Toffee mourns the loss of her love, but Jonny returns in an altered state, professes his love, and promises to take Toffee to the prom if she’ll have him. As Toffee finds herself torn between being with her love and living a “normal” life, Principal Strict deals with the dilemma and chaos that Johnny’s return brings to the school and threatens to cancel the senior prom.
Directed by David Whitacre, ZOMBIE PROM includes a cast of about 25 students from several different communities including Highland, Greenville, and O’Fallon. Performances for ZOMBIE PROM are July 9th-11th at 7:00 p.m. and on July 12th at 2:00 p.m. All performances will be held at the Highland High School Kennel located at 12760 Troxler Ave., Highland, IL. Tickets are $9 if purchased online and $10 at the door. Online ticket purchases stop 30 minutes before the scheduled start time of the show. Seating is on a first come first serve basis and is limited to 200 people.
Hard Road Theatre Productions is a non-profit theatre organization committed to providing the greater Highland area with high-quality, affordable, live theatre productions. For more information about ZOMBIE PROM or Hard Road Theatre visit the Hard Road website at www.hardroad.org, send an email to cs@hoardroad.org, or call 618-409-6286.
by Tom Varner | Mar 2, 2015 | Announcements
Hard Road Theatre will be holding a trivia night on Saturday, March 7th at the John Wildi Masonic Temple located at 721 9th St., Highland, IL 62249. Doors open to the public at 6:30 p.m. and the event begins at 7:00 p.m. The cost is $100 per team with a maximum of 8 people per team. Trivia questions are general knowledge questions. There will be free snacks. Soda and water will be available for purchase and alcohol is permitted at this venue. In addition to the trivia contest, there will be a 50/50 drawing, a silent auction, and a “Broadway Best” table decorating contest. Items available for bid in the silent auction include autographs from Hollywood celebrities, St. Louis Cardinals tickets, season tickets to Stages St. Louis, Six Flags passes, movie theatre gift certificates, gift baskets, and much more. The proceeds from this event will be used towards the recent purchase by Hard Road of $11,000 in new lighting instruments that will be installed at the Highland Elementary Auditorium. Hard Road Theatre Productions is a non-profit theatre organization committed to providing the greater Highland area with high-quality, affordable, live productions. For more information about the trivia night, information about Hard Road’s upcoming season, or to reserve a table for the trivia night, please email tom@hardroad.org or call 618-409-6286.
by Tom Varner | Feb 18, 2015 | Announcements, Press Release
Hard Road Theatre in conjunction with the Highland Community Chorus and sponsored by TheBANK of Edwardsville will be presenting a special one-night only production of SOUTH PACIFIC – IN CONCERT on Thursday, March 19th at 7:00 p.m. Based upon the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by James A. Michener and and adapted from the Tony-award winning musical, SOUTH PACIFIC – IN CONCERT has a plot that centers around an American nurse stationed on a South Pacific island during WWII who falls in love with an older expatriate French plantation owner. The show features such popular tunes as “Bali Ha’I”, “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair”, “Some Enchanted Evening”, “There Is Nothing Like a Dame”, “Happy Talk”, and “Honey Bun”. The cast includes Bill Sullivan as Emile de Becque, Breanna Noe as Nellie Forbush, Rob Bowman as Captain Bracket, Chris Weckler as, Gentry Nessel as Bloody Mary, Jonathon Morgan as Lieutenant Cable, and Tom Varner as Luther Billis. The evening will also featured catered hors d’oeuvres and a special tribute and recognition of veterans and the U.S. armed forces. SOUTH PACIFIC – IN CONCERT will be performed at the Highland K.C. Hall located at 12454 State Route 143, Highland, IL 62249. Tickets are $40 per person and can be purchased at the Highland Chamber of Commerce office or online at www.hardroad.org. There is limited seating for this event and ONLINE TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED BEFORE March 1st. For more information call 618-409-6286 or email evan@hardroad.org.
