Hard Road has two major upcoming events that are just around the corner. The first is our annual trivia night on Saturday, March 7th.
Hard Road Theatre’s Annual Trivia Night will be held at 7:00 p.m. at the John Wildi Masonic Temple (Masonic Lodge) located at 721 9th St. in Highland, IL. The cost is $100 per table (maximum of 8 people per table). The theme for the event is “Broadway’s Best.” There are free snacks, a silent auction with some very cool items, a table decorating contest, and more. This is Hard Road’s major fundraising event for the year and all of the money raised this year will be used towards the cost (over $11,000 worth) of new lighting equipment that Hard Road purchased for the Highland Elementary Auditorium. You can reserve a table by calling (618) 409-6286 or emailing tom@hardroad.org. More information about this event will be forthcoming.
The second major event is the performance of South Pacific-In Concert on Thursday, March 19th. Sponsored by TheBANK of Edwardsville, this performance event is a joint endeavor between Hard Road and the Highland Community Chorus. In addition to the performance of the show itself, the evening will feature catered hors d’oeuvres and a special recognition of our veterans and the branches of the armed services. The festivities begin at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $40 each. There are a limited number of tickets and we are expecting to sell out soon, so it is highly recommended that you purchase your tickets online far in advance of the performance itself. If you have any questions about this event, please call (618) 409-6286 or email evan@hardroad.org.
Thank you to all the children and their parents who came out to the audition last night. We appreciate your support. Please keep in mind that there were only two roles for this production. We have several other opportunities for children in our upcoming 15th season. The casting for the two children’s roles for SOUTH PACIFIC – IN CONCERT is as follows:
Jermone: Spencer Powers
Ngana: Julia English
The read-through/1st rehearsal for the lead and supporting roles (including the children) of SOUTH PACIFIC – IN CONCERT will be held on Wednesday, February 4th at 7:00 p.m. at Highland Machine. For more information, please contact the director, Evan Fifer at (217) 556-6399 or via email at evan@hardroad.org. Thank you again to everyone who auditioned!
Sponsored by TheBANK of Edwardsville, Hard Road Theatre Productions and the Highland Community Chorus will present a special one-night only Event Presentation of South Pacific-In Concert on Thursday, March 19, 2015 beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the Highland KC Hall. This event will include catered hors d’oeuvres and special recognition of our military and veterans. Most of the roles for this show have already been cast. However, the director is looking for two children, one boy and one girl ages 8-12, to play the roles of Jerome and Ngana.
There will be a special children’s audition for these roles THIS FRIDAY, JANUARY 16th from 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. at the Highland Elementary School, 1800 Lindenthal Ave., Highland, IL. Auditions will consist of an a cappella singing of the song “Dites Moi” and a possible interview with the director. Links to the sheet music for “Dites Moi” can be found below. Also, please listen to the YouTube video at the bottom of this post to hear the song. Please note, there will be NO accompaniment provided or allowed: children will be expected to sing the song a cappella.
If you have any questions about this special audition or have children who are interested in auditioning, but will be unable to attend the audition this Friday, please contact the director, Evan Fifer, at 217-556-6399 or via email at evan@hardroad.org.
While we are in the midst the holiday season and as we approach the end of the year, we would like to ask you to consider becoming a Hard Road Patron for 2015. Hard Road is dedicated to providing high-quality live theatre to the greater Highland, IL area and beyond. Hard Road has been producing theatrical events in and around the community since 2001 and next season (2015-2016) will be our 15th Season! In addition, we have attempted to improve the performance spaces at the local schools (for example, installing air conditioning at the Highland Elementary Auditorium) and have assisted those less fortunate in our community (for example, the 2013 Benefit Production of The Odd Couple for the HACSM Food Pantry). With that in mind, we ask you to consider becoming a Hard Road Patron for the 2015-16 Season.
Our patron program has recently been redeveloped with several different levels that include a variety of perks:
Friend ($25-$74):
*Name listed on Hard Road website
Supporting Role ($75-$149):
*Name listed on Hard Road website
*2 Season Tickets
Leading Role ($150-$249): *Name listed on the Hard Road website
*2 Season Tickets
*Name listed in Lobby Display
Superstar ($250-$499): *Name listed on the Hard Road website
*4 Season Tickets
*Name listed in Lobby Display
Benefactor ($500 or More): *Name listed on Hard Road website
*6 Season Tickets
*Name listed in Lobby Display
*Name recognition in the programs for the season
Oh, and did we mention that donations are tax-deductible?
So, what do you say? Will you join us and support us as a Patron for our 2015-16 Season? We have some very big surprises in store for the upcoming year and we are working on some major projects that will be announced soon. You can help us bring these things to fruition by becoming a Patron today.
All checks should be written out to: HAC-Hard Road Theatre. Donations should be mailed to: Hard Road Theatre Productions, P.O. Box 68, Highland, IL 62249.
Thank you to everyone who auditioned! All of you did a wonderful job. Thank you for giving your time and sharing your talent with us by auditioning. Auditions are often intimidating, but I hope this audition experience was a positive one. Whether you were cast or not, I hope that all of you will return and audition for future Hard Road productions. I am really looking forward to this production (it’s such a funny show!). Thanks again for auditioning.
Sincerely,
Tom Varner, Drinking Habits director
*********************************** Drinking Habits Cast List: Sister Philamena – Linda Collman
Sister Augusta – Breanna Noe
Mother Superior – Mary Knebel
Paul – Evan Fifer
Sally – Gentry Nessel
Sister Mary Catherine – Mary McCoy
George – David Harnetiaux
Father Chenille – Rob Bowman
If you choose to not accept the role in which you were cast, please contact the director (Tom Varner) immediately. If the director is not personally notified, it is assumed you have accepted the role in which you were cast. The read-through/initial rehearsal for the show will on Monday, November 24th at the Highland Elementary Auditorium, 1800 Lindenthal Ave., Highland, IL at 7:00 p.m. Please brink a pencil (you will need a pencil at all rehearsals). A rehearsal schedule for the production will be passed out at that time. If you have any other questions, contact Tom.
Hard Road Theatre announces auditions for their upcoming winter production, DRINKING HABITS, directed by Tom Varner. DRINKING HABITS is a “divinely” inspired comedy full of wild accusations, mistaken identities, and sweet romances. Two nuns at the Sisters of the Perpetual Sewing have been secretly making wine to keep the convent’s doors open, but reporters Paul and Sally (also former fiancées) are hot on their trail. They go undercover as a nun and a priest, but the their presence, combined with the addition of a new nun, spurs paranoia throughout the convent that spies sent from Rome have arrived to shut them down. Secrets and wine are inevitably spilled as everyone tries to preserve the convent and reconnect with lost loves. DRINKING HABITS has a cast consisting of five women and three men. Auditions will be held on Monday, November 17th and Tuesday, November 18th at 7:00 p.m. at the Weinheimer Community Center, 1100 Main St., Highland, IL. Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script. Anyone who prepares a monologue ahead of time will be allowed to perform it. Those auditioning should be aware of any conflicts they have from Nov. 19, 2014 – Feb. 1, 2015. Performances of the play will be Jan. 23-25, 30-31, 2015. If you have any questions about the show or would like to audition but are unable to do so during the audition dates, please contact the director, Tom Varner at 618-780-4444.
Sponsored by TheBANK of Edwardsville, this performance event is a joint endeavor between Hard Road and the Highland Community Chorus. In addition to the performance of the show itself, the evening will feature catered hors d’oeuvres and a special recognition of our veterans and the branches of the armed services. The festivities begin at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $40 each. There are a limited number of tickets and we are expecting to sell out soon, so it is highly recommended that you purchase your tickets online far in advance of the performance itself. If you have any questions about this event, please call (618) 409-6286 or email evan@hardroad.org.
