Magic Circle Players’ 26th Season Finale is the Musical Comedy

“25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”

Western Slope lovers of fast-paced hilarity, energetic song and dance numbers, and poignant insights into the angst of adolescence will embrace Magic Circle Players’ rendition of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” The Tony Award-winning show is staged with adult actors uproariously playing mid-pubescents battling each other for their county’s spelling championship crown. Directed by Sandy Lundberg with Amy Nelp serving as Assistant Director, Music Director and Choreographer, the nine-member cast includes Magic Circle veterans: Bob Allyn, Peter Ambrose, Teira Ila, Jason McCay, Dalyn Pearson, Amy Priest, Jill Vincent, Chris Walsh, and Jaime Walsh. Each performance is unique. During each performance, there will be many opportunities for the actors to toss in “ad-libbed” lines, double entendres and Colorado and Montrose County references throughout the show. Plentiful music and action knit the show together into a tapestry of more than 20 colorful song and dance numbers. Woven seamlessly throughout the swirling action and hilarity, however, are insights into the middle schoolers’ complex home lives, their adolescent insecurities, and their conflicting desires for victory over their opponents while also garnering their peers’ acceptance. As with any good theatrical production, audience members will recognize themselves and recollect many aspects of their own pre-teen searches for identity. (Most of us have “been there and done that” at some point in our lives.) “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” o p e n s M a y 1 3 f o r f o u r w e e k e n d s o f performances: Fridays and Saturdays May 13 and 14, 20 and 21 and 27 and 28 and June 3 and 4 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees May 15, 22 and 29 at 2 p.m. Online tickets sales for t h e g e n e r a l p u b l i c o p e n M a y 6 a t magiccircleplayers.com. General public ticket sales by telephone at (970) 249-7838, or in person at the box office beginning May 10 from 2 to 5 p.m., Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

24 25 26 PATRONS Make online reservations, email or voicemail. Box Office for Patrons 2-5

27 PATRONS Make online reservations, email or voicemail. Box Office for Patrons 2-5

28 PATRONS Make online reservations, email or voicemail. Box Office for Patrons 2-5

29 30

1 2 3 Season Ticket Holders Make online reservations. Box Office for Season TKT Holders 2-5

4 Season Ticket Holders Make online reservations. Box Office for Season TKT Holders 2-5

5 Season Ticket Holders Make online reservations. Box Office for Season TKT Holders 2-5

6 7

8 9 10 Box Office Open to Public 2-5 pm

11 Box Office Open to Public 2-5 pm

12 Box Office Open to Public 2-5 pm

13 Spelling Bee 7:30 pm

14 Spelling Bee 7:30 pm

15 Spelling Bee 2:00 pm

16 17 Box Office Open to Public 2-5 pm

18 Box Office Open to Public 2-5 pm

19 Box Office Open to Public 2-5 pm

20 Spelling Bee 7:30 pm

21 Spelling Bee 7:30 pm

22 Spelling Bee 2:00 pm

23 24 Box Office Open to Public 2-5 pm

25 Box Office Open to Public 2-5 pm

26 Box Office Open to Public 2-5 pm

27 Spelling Bee 7:30 pm

28 Spelling Bee 7:30 pm

29 Spelling Bee 2:00 pm

30 31 1 2 3 Spelling Bee 7:30 pm

4 Spelling Bee 7:30 pm

5 6 7 8 9 10 Velveteen Rabbit 7 pm

11 Velveteen Rabbit 2 pm

12 Velveteen Rabbit 2 pm

13 14 15 16 17 Velveteen Rabbit 7 pm

18 Velveteen Rabbit 2 pm and 7 pm

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28 29 30 1 2

Week One Drama Camp - June 19 - 24 ………………………………….

Week Two Drama Camp - June 26 - July 1………………………………

Public may purchase

tickets online from

May 6th on.

OPENINGNIGHT!

MAY

JUNE

See following articles for audition dates

for Theatre for Children Travel Show,

Moonlight & Magnolias, and

Annie

Performance 2 pm and 4 PM

Performance 2 pm and 4 PM

The Magic Circle Board strives to keep Magic Circle Players healthy and growing, from patron satisfaction to financial accountability, this group of seven volunteers works tirelessly towards the success of our community theatre. During our annual retreat, several decisions were made towards our goals: tickets will be available a week earlier than 2015/2016 and ticket prices will increase.

Currently, Patrons have the privilege of having same seat reservations for the season or reserving their seats three weeks before Opening. We will continue to offer same seats, but all patrons without same seat reservations may call, e-mail or come in at ANY TIME for any show. We will not have a designated Patron week three weeks from Opening; the Box Office opens to Patrons, Tuesday, August 16, 2016 – feel free to call, e-mail or come in any time after that date for reservations to ANY SHOW. The arrival of the Teaser in your mailbox or inbox is still the cue to call, e-mail or come in. The URL code with access to all five shows will be sent to Patrons using online ticketing. Season Ticket Holders will move up to three weeks from opening night, instead of two weeks, and will continue to call, e-mail or come in for advanced reservations during their designated week. Online tickets will now be available to the General Public two full weeks before opening. Previously the general public could purchase tickets the Tuesday before opening – we hope to reach wider audiences by making tickets available before the week of Opening.

So that we can continue bringing you the magic of Mary Poppins, the history of The Last Lifeboat and all the drama, creativity and quality that you expect from Magic Circle, we will have a price increase this season. We are pleased to offer early renewal for last year’s prices – see the Season Flyer for details.

I have appreciated the feedback on Online Ticketing and know many of you have navigated the new system and appreciate the benefits of choosing your seat and printing your tickets at home. We are pleased to offer that option, HOWEVER, it is very important to me that you, our guests, know that you are ALWAYS welcome to call, e-mail or come in to make your reservations. It is never a hassle to make your reservation or print your tickets! If you want to learn to make online reservations, please call and I can walk you through the process, or come in and we can review it together. We are here to serve you however you choose to make reservations!

If you plan to use online ticketing during the 2016/2017 Season, it will be easier for you to purchase your 2016 Season Package ONLINE. Your coupon codes are generated at purchase; the same codes are used for the entire season so keep them bookmarked or print and keep handy. Our 2016/2017 magnet will have a place for you to record your code.

I have said it before, but please allow me to repeat that I love my job and YOU ARE ALL the best part of what I do – I enjoy seeing you on show nights and at the Box Office. Thank you for your support and friendship!

A musical version of The Velveteen Rabbit, based on the 1922 classic tale by Margery Williams, will be presented by MCP’s Theatre for Children this June. Directed by Pat Myers, assisted by MCP newcomer Suzanne Rose, vocal director Allyson Crosby, accompanist Emily Johannessen and choreographers Chris Boyce and Luke Hatten,  this adaptation captures all the tenderness and magic of the original story and adds six beautiful songs.

In the story, a young boy (Ben Hale) receives a stuffed, velveteen rabbit as a Christmas present from his parents (Emily and Sheldon Smith). The rabbit soon becomes the boy’s favorite toy and best friend. At nighttime, when the boy goes to sleep, the nursery magically comes alive. The Velveteen Rabbit (Owen Amis) tries to interact with the other toys as they play, sing and dance, but most of the toys snub him until the oldest and wisest toy in the nursery,

the Skin Horse (Brenda Joyce Coda), takes him under her wing. The Skin Horse tells him that toys can magically become REAL when they are loved by children. When the boy becomes very ill and must go to the hospital, he asks to take his rabbit with him. But the Doctor (Patty Ratliff) says the rabbit must be discarded. When the boy declares his love for his Velveteen Rabbit, the Nursery Magic Fairy (Erin Porteous) turns the boy’s love for his rabbit into a miracle and the Velveteen Rabbit meets the real rabbits playing in the garden.

Chorus/Dance members who portray toys and rabbits include: Tessa Bailey, Noah Cox, Kali Dietrich, Racyn Dunnagan, Aylla Fritz, Luke Hatten, Grace Hotsenpiller, Emmalee Machart, McKinley Nichols, Misty Penasa, Sara Redman, Xavier Smith, Nadia Smith, Breanna Swanson, Aubrey Swanson, Cindy Swanson, Kayli Swanson, Annie Waitman, Elizabeth Waitman, Grace Waitman, Hannah Waitman, and Olivia Waitman. 

This is the ideal show for entire families, both the young and the young at heart. Mark your calendars: 7:00 evening performances on June 10, 17, 18 and 2:00 matinees on June 11, 12 & 18.

2015 - 2016 MCP Board of GovernorsRay Jantzen (President) - Ginny Spaven (Vice President)

Kevin Cohenour (Treasurer) - Judy Wind (Secretary)Bethany Ward - Kathy Murdoch - Jim Isler

.

AUDITIONS!

KIDS!FREE AUDITION

WORKSHOPVOCAL, DANCE, AND

DRAMA CLASSESMay 14, 2016 9 am to noon

at Magic Circle Theatre

Kids ages 7-13 years are invited to prepare for Annie auditions through a FREE workshop!

Registration forms available at Magic Circle Theatre and

www.magiccircleplayers.comAudition workshop attendance is

not mandatory for actors to audition for Annie.

Attendees must be able to read from a script.

Magic Circle Players presents:

Saturday, July 16th starting at 10 amSunday, July 17th starting at 2 pm

Monday, July 18th starting at 6:30 pm Audition Packets Available May 14th at

Magic Circle Theatre and www.magicircleplayers.com

The first show next season (September 2016) is Moonlight and Magnolias, a comedy set in 1939 Hollywood. Auditions will take place at 6:30 pm on Sunday May 22nd and Monday May 23rd at the theatre. There are parts for 3 men and 1 woman. For more information contact: Tony Ryan at 275-0035 or Bill Cunningham at 240-6090.

AUDITIONS for Theatre for Children Travel Show and two one-acts to be performed on Patrons’ Night will be held Sunday, May 15 at 6pm. Audition Packets will be available May 1 at the Box office and online.

Established 1959Recipient of the Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts

All Friday and Saturday performances are at 7:30 PM. Sunday matinees are at 2:00 PM. The Box Office at Magic Circle Theatre opens two hours before each performance.Regular Box Office times during a play in production are Tuesdays, Wednesdays,

& Thursdays 2 PM to 5 PM. Come in, call and leave message, or use our new online system to make reservations.

420 S. 12th St. Information and Reservations 249-7838 Find us on the web at www.magiccircleplayers.com

Box Office is open every Tuesday from 2-5 PM.

WHAT: Director Training Meet & GreetWHO: Anybody interested in learning more about directing at Magic CircleWHEN: Saturday, May 21 at 10 amWHERE: Magic Circle TheatreWHY: To connect potential directors with qualified directors

Scene from Rabbit Hole

Magic Circle PlayersSave-the-Date Summer Events

Mark Your Calendars

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONU.S. POSTAGE PAID

MONTROSE, COPERMIT NO. 11

Magic Circle PlayersP.O. Box 1897Montrose, CO 81402RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

It’s A Wrap! Rabbit Hole