by Tom Varner | Jul 20, 2017 | Announcements, Press Release, Shows
Sponsored by Staunton Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Hard Road Theatre is proud to announce their summer musical: SISTER ACT. Based on the 1992 hit comedy movie of the same name that starred Whoopi Goldberg, SISTER ACT contains all new original music written by Alan Menken (THE LITTLE MERMAID, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, ALADDIN, TANGLED, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS). The plot follows Deloris Van Cartier, a lounge singer with dreams of stardom. She witnesses a murder and is put in protective custody in the one place the cops are sure she won’t be a found: a convent! Disguised as a nun, she finds herself at odds with both the rigid lifestyle and the uptight Mother Superior. Using her unique dance moves and singing talent to inspire the choir, Deloris breathes new life into the church and community but, in doing so, blows her cover. Soon, the gang is giving chase, only to find them up against Deloris and the power of her newly found sisterhood.
“I’ve directed over twenty different productions and vocally, this is the strongest cast I have worked with,” said director Evan Fifer. “It’s a show that I really think is going to resonate with our audiences. Not only that, but with about twenty singing and dancing nuns on stage, it’s a spectacle to be seen.”
SISTER ACT has a cast of 30 individuals from several different communities including Highland, Greenville, Breese, Collinsville, and Staunton. Some of the cast includes Jasmine French as Deloris Van Cartier, Ellie Mitchell as Mother Superior, Breanna Noe as Sister Mary Robert, Gentry Fifer as Sister Mary Patrick, Lori Wahl as Sister Mary Lazarus, Lynne Huelsmann as Sister Mary Martin-of-Tours, Sue Ellen Drewer as Sister Mary Theresa, Tim Albaugh as Curtis Jackson, and Tom Varner as Eddie Souther. The show is directed by Evan Fifer with musical direction by David Wilton and choreography by Christine Taylor. Performances for SISTER ACT are July 28, 29, Aug. 4 and 5 at 7:30 p.m. and July 30 and Aug. 6 at 2:00 p.m. House doors open approximately 30 minutes before show time. All performances will be held at the Highland Elementary Auditorium, 1800 Lindenthal Ave., Highland, IL. Tickets are $12 and $11 for children 4-12 and senior citizens. Tickets can be purchased at the door, at the Highland Chamber of Commerce, or online. Online ticket purchases stop 30 minutes before the scheduled showtime.
by Tom Varner | Apr 10, 2017 | Announcements, Auditions, Press Release
Sponsored by Staunton Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Hard Road Theatre is proud to announce auditions for their summer musical: SISTER ACT. Based on the 1992 hit comedy movie of the same name starring Whoopi Goldberg, SISTER ACT contains all new original music written by Alan Menken. The plot follows Deloris Van Cartier, a lounge singer with dreams of stardom. She witnesses a murder and is put in protective custody in the one place the cops are sure she won’t be a found: a convent! Disguised as a nun, she finds herself at odds with both the rigid lifestyle and uptight Mother Superior. Using her unique dance moves and singing talent to inspire the choir, Deloris breathes new life into the church and community but, in doing so, blows her cover. Soon, the gang is giving chase, only to find them up against Deloris and the power of her newly found sisterhood.
Auditions for SISTER ACT will be held on Monday, May 22nd and Tuesday, May 23rd at 7:00 p.m. at the Highland Elementary School, 1800 Lindenthal Ave., Highland, IL. Those auditioning should be at least fifteen years-old. Those auditioning should come prepared with a Broadway-style song to sing. An accompanist will be provided, but no recordings will be allowed. In addition, those auditioning will learn a short dance routine, may be asked to read sides from the script, and should be aware of any conflicts they have from May 24th – Aug. 7th. SISTER ACT is directed by Evan Fifer. Performance dates for SISTER ACT are July 28th-30th and Aug. 4th-6th.
Additional Information About Production
Audition Form
by Tom Varner | Mar 30, 2017 | Announcements, Auditions, Press Release, Uncategorized, Youth Auditions
Auditions for FRECKLEFACE STRAWBERRY (sponsored by Scott Credit Union) are scheduled to be held on Saturday, April 22nd and Sunday, April 23rd at the Highland Elementary School Auditorium, 1800 Lindenthal Ave., Highland, IL. Although some younger students could be cast at the discretion of the director, in general, students auditioning for FRECKLEFACE STRAWBERRY should be in 6th-12th grades (ages 13-18). Sign-ups for FRECKLEFACE STRAWBERRY will begin at 2:30 p.m. and auditions will be held from 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. Those wanting to audition for FRECKLEFACE STRAWBERRY should arrive before 3:00 p.m. All those auditioning should come dressed nicely. Pictures/headshots for publicity stills, program displays, etc. might be taken at auditions. ALL THOSE AUDITIONING MUST WEAR CLOSED-TOE SHOES: NO FLIP-FLOPS OR SANDALS. Audition materials (recordings, sides, sheet music) for the audition can be found here or at the link below.
FRECKLEFACE STRAWBERRY Audition Info
Performance dates for FRECKLEFACE STRAWBERRY are scheduled for July 13-16.
Lastly, here are some hints to prepare for auditions for our FRECKLEFACE STRAWBERRY.
Singing:
- If you are a male, be prepared to sing “Be Yourself.” If you are female, you may sing any of the other songs.
- The character that the song is originally for does not need to be the part you are auditioning for: pick the song that best suits your voice! Also, sing the song in the octave that is comfortable for you.
- It is not required that the song be memorized.
- You will sing the song with the accompaniment CD (i.e. No voices singing your part). It is important that we see you can sing your own part with an accompaniment.
- You may be asked to do some simple singing exercises to show us your range. We want you to do great, so relax and don’t worry!
Reading:
- Please be familiar with all of the readings as the director may choose any of them for you to perform.
- The readings DO NOT need to be memorized (just be comfortable with the text)!
- The director may have you read lines for a character that he/she doesn’t want to cast you in because she just wants to hear how your voice sounds.
- Be flexible and show us your personality.
Joke:
- Please be prepared to tell us a favorite joke. The directors may or may not ask for this. In doing so, they want to see your personality (and also just laugh!).
Personality:
- This is the most important part: be yourself and have fun!
by Tom Varner | Feb 16, 2017 | Announcements, Press Release
Hard Road Theatre will be holding our annual trivia night on Saturday, March 4th 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. There is a limit of 15 tables, so it is advised that you reserve a table ahead of time. Trivia questions are general knowledge questions. There will be free snacks. Soda and water will be available for purchase and alcohol is permitted at the venue. In addition to the trivia contest, there will be a 50/50 drawing, a silent auction, and a table decorating contest. Items available for bid in the silent auction include autographs from Hollywood celebrities, St. Louis Cardinals tickets, tickets to Stages St. Louis, amusement park passes, original Broadway memorabilia , gift baskets, and over 25 other items. 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 217-556-6399.
by Tom Varner | Jun 10, 2016 | Press Release, Shows
Hard Road Theatre Productions in association with the Highland Arts Council and sponsored by Bradford National Bank, invite you to join them in an evening of magic and enchantment as they present DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST JR. Adapted from a French fairy tale and based upon the Disney movie and stage show of the same name, DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND BEAST JR. is a fantastic adaptation of a story of transformation and tolerance. The classic story tells of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end and he will be transformed to his former self. But time is running out. If the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he and his household will be doomed for all eternity. DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST JR. features some of the most popular songs ever written by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman, including “Be Our Guest” and “Beauty and the Beast”. The show also features new songs by Mr. Menken and Tim Rice that were written for the Broadway stage show.
Directed by Gentry Nessel, the cast for DISNEY’ BEAUTY AND THE BEAST JR. includes over fifty students from several different communities including Highland, Greenville, Troy, Marine, St. Jacob, Hillsboro, and Collinsville. Performances for DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST JR. are June 23-25th at 7:00 p.m. and on June 26th at 2:00 p.m. at the Highland Elementary Auditorium, located at 1800 Lindenthal Ave., Highland, IL. Tickets are $10.
Hard Road Theatre Productions is a non-profit theatre organization committed to providing the greater Highland area with high-quality, affordable, live theatre productions.
by Tom Varner | Apr 4, 2016 | Press Release, Shows
Hard Road Theatre Productions in association with the Highland Arts Council invites you to join them for an evening of humor and romance during their production of First Date.
Set in the present day in New York City, First Date is a one-act musical that follows a blind date between newbie Aaron and serial-dater Casey. They meet for a casual drink at a busy New York restaurant. As the date unfolds in real time, the couple quickly finds that they are not alone on this unpredictable evening. In a delightful and unexpected twist, 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 them through ice-breakers, appetizers, and potential conversational land mines. Can this couple turn what could be a dating disaster into something special before the check arrives? First Date is a hysterical and hopeful musical about the chances we all take to find love. The show features adult content and is not appropriate for younger audiences.
Directed by Bill Sullivan, the cast is composed of a group of Hard Road veterans and includes Breanna Noe as Casey and Evan Fifer as Aaron. The other members of the cast are Josh Noll, Megan Noll, Gentry Nessel, Megan Ritter, and Tom Varner. David Wilton is the show’s musical director.
First Date performance dates are April 15, 16, 22, and 23 at 7:30 p.m. and April 17 at 2:00 p.m. Performances will be held at the Highland High School Kennel at 12760 Troxler Ave., Highland, IL. Ticket prices are $12 and can be purchased online (www.hardroad.org) or at the door.
Hard Road Theatre Productions is a non-profit theatre organization committed to providing Highland and the surrounding area with high-quality, affordable, live theatre productions. For more information about First Date or Hard Road Theatre visit the Hard Road website, send an email to tom@hardroad.org, call 618-409-6286, or visit the Hard Road Facebook page.
Sponsored by Staunton Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Hard Road Theatre is proud to announce their summer musical: SISTER ACT. Based on the 1992 hit comedy movie of the same name that starred Whoopi Goldberg, SISTER ACT contains all new original music written by Alan Menken (THE LITTLE MERMAID, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, ALADDIN, TANGLED, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS). The plot follows Deloris Van Cartier, a lounge singer with dreams of stardom. She witnesses a murder and is put in protective custody in the one place the cops are sure she won’t be a found: a convent! Disguised as a nun, she finds herself at odds with both the rigid lifestyle and the uptight Mother Superior. Using her unique dance moves and singing talent to inspire the choir, Deloris breathes new life into the church and community but, in doing so, blows her cover. Soon, the gang is giving chase, only to find them up against Deloris and the power of her newly found sisterhood.
