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?

Suspense – Sorry, Wrong Number

Suspense – Sorry, Wrong Number

Greetings from Hard Road Theatre! Welcome to Hard Road Theatre Stage at Home Radio Serials where we step back in time and bring you tales from the Golden Age of Radio. Tonight we present “Suspense” featuring notable melodramas from stage and screen that will bring you to the edge of your chair and keep you in … Suspense!, brought to you by Blake Schrumpf, State Farm.

We know a lot of people who think there are a lot of people who don’t like a good ghost story. For the benefit of these, at least, we go on record at the outset of this evening’s entertainment with a sober assurance that, although blood may be curdled on this program, none will be spilt. There’s no shooting, knifing, throttling, axing or poisoning here. No clanking chains, no cobwebs, no bony and/or hairy hands appearing from secret panels or, better yet, bedroom curtains. If it’s any part of that dear old phosphorescent foolishness that people who don’t like ghost stories don’t like…then, again I promise you, we haven’t got it. Not tonight. What we DO have is a thriller. If it’s half as good as we think it is, you can call it a shocker. A story doesn’t have to appeal to the heart, it can also appeal to the spine. Sometimes you want your heart to be warmed and – sometimes you want your spine to tingle. The tingling, it’s to be hoped, will be quite audible as you listen tonight … to “Sorry, Wrong Number”

Tonight’s episode is titled – Sorry, Wrong Number

FEATURING:
Announcer – Bill Sullivan
Mrs. Stevenson – Mary Knebel
Operator/Information – Linda Collman
1st Man/Western Union – Carlos Munguia
George – Brian Knobloch
Chief Operator – Gentry Fifer
Sergeant Martin – Evan Fifer
Hospital Receptionist – Breanna Noe

PRODUCTION STAFF:
Recording/Sound Engineer – Carlos Munguia
Audio Sous-Chef – Bill Sullivan
Audio/Foley Editor – Brian Knobloch/blockplanedesigns
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We’re trying to recreate that magic this fall and winter with a new venture entitled “Hard Road Stage at Home Radio Serials”. Our plan is produce and release a high quality, expertly produced vintage radio show on a weekly basis throughout these cold winter months. We have assembled a talented production staff and have cast these shows with top notch talent!  If you like what you’ve heard please consider becoming a donor. For more information about Hard Road Theatre, to donate to our organization or for information on becoming a sponsoring please visit our website, www.hardroad.org.

Suspense – Sorry, Wrong Number

Suspense – The Hitchhiker

Greetings from Hard Road Theatre! Welcome to Hard Road Theatre Stage at Home Radio Serials where we step back in time and bring you tales from the Golden Age of Radio. Tonight we present “Suspense” featuring notable melodramas from stage and screen that will bring you to the edge of your chair and keep you in … Suspense!, brought to you by Blake Schrumpf, State Farm.

We know a lot of people who think there are a lot of people who don’t like a good ghost story. For the benefit of these, at least, we go on record at the outset of this evening’s entertainment with a sober assurance that, although blood may be curdled on this program, none will be spilt. There’s no shooting, knifing, throttling, axing or poisoning here. No clanking chains, no cobwebs, no bony and/or hairy hands appearing from secret panels or, better yet, bedroom curtains. If it’s any part of that dear old phosphorescent foolishness that people who don’t like ghost stories don’t like…then, again I promise you, we haven’t got it. Not tonight. What we DO have is a thriller. If it’s half as good as we think it is, you can call it a shocker. A story doesn’t have to appeal to the heart, it can also appeal to the spine. Sometimes you want your heart to be warmed and – sometimes you want your spine to tingle. The tingling, it’s to be hoped, will be quite audible as you listen tonight … to “The Hitchhiker.”

Tonight’s episode is titled – The Hitchhiker

FEATURING:
Announcer – Bill Sullivan
Ronald Adams – Evan Fifer
Mrs. Adams – Mary Knebel
The Hitchhiker – Bill Sullivan
Gas Station Attendant – Carlos Munguia
Storekeeper – Brian Knobloch
Woman (Rider) – Breanna Noe
Operator – Gentry Fifer
Mrs. Whinney – Linda Collman

PRODUCTION STAFF:
Recording/Sound Engineer – Carlos Munguia
Audio Sous-Chef – Bill Sullivan
Audio/Foley Editor – Brian Knobloch/blockplanedesigns
______________________________
We’re trying to recreate that magic this fall and winter with a new venture entitled “Hard Road Stage at Home Radio Serials”. Our plan is produce and release a high quality, expertly produced vintage radio show on a weekly basis throughout these cold winter months. We have assembled a talented production staff and have cast these shows with top notch talent!  If you like what you’ve heard please consider becoming a donor. For more information about Hard Road Theatre, to donate to our organization or for information on becoming a sponsoring please visit our website, www.hardroad.org.

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