Farmers Alley Theatre

For anyone who’s ever been in theatre, you know that the last week before a show opens is the most exciting, stressful, whirlwind of a time.  And this week has been no different as we look to open ‘A Grand Night for Singing’ on the 5th.  The Farmers Alley Theatre cast and crew have been working non-stop to make this event unique for its audiences.

Step one is having a fabulous product.  When you start with the music of the best songwriting team in musical theatre history that’s a good beginning.  One you have Marie Kerstetter musical directing and leading a fabulous orchestra of six talented musicians, that’s a great next step.  And when you hear this fabulous cast of past and future New York professionals singing new arrangements of some of the most famous songs in American culture, you know you’ve got a grand night of music, love, and romance.

Step two is getting the word out.  We have a wonderful graphic designer named Chris Honeysett who has designed all of our programs, posters and postcards.  We sent out nearly 1500 postcards getting the word out.  If you want to be on our mailing list, please send your name and address to farmersalleytheatre@yahoo.com.  We also had the priviledge of being on the Lori Moore show on 590 WKZO at 6:45 in the morning this past Tuesday.  We sang snipets of three different numbers on her show, and you can hear our audio by joining of Facebook Fan Page!  Just search for Farmers Alley Theatre on Facebook and listen to our singers at the crack of dawn singing about ‘Some Enchanted EVENING’ or ‘A Grand NIGHT for Singing’.  The show runs from December 5th through the 20th.  So if you like what you hear, please spread the word to your friends and family.

And step three, is putting all the work in place to make the entire elegant evening a smashing success.  As mentioned before, we are going to be setting up the theatre in beautifully decorated tables and chairs, and serving desserts and coffee from some of the finest local restaurants in town (Mangia Mangia, The Union, Epic Bistro).  The lighting, the decorations, the silverware has all been meticulously planned and picked for the enjoyment of our audience.

To order tickets for ‘A Grand Night for Singing’ you can call our box office at 343.2727 or simply go to the home page of our website and order online.  Tickets are $22 general admission, $19 for students and seniors with $5 for desserts and coffee.  But wait, there’s more…

STUDENT RUSH TICKETS

Farmers Alley Theatre will be offering Student Rush Tickets for $10 a half an hour before each show.  Anyone with a valid student ID, just show up 30 minutes before the show, and get nearly a 50% discount on your ticket.

Enjoy the Show!

This December, we open up our musical revue “A Grand Night for Singing” which combines songs from all of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein’s shows. If you are a musical theatre lover, you know exactly what shows I’m talking about. And if you’re not a theatre geek, then you still know the shows. I mean, Oklahoma!? King and I? Sound of Music? These are the classics. However, there’s a spin on them.

The coolest thing about this revue are the brand new orchestrations for every song. Listening to ‘Some Enchanted Evening’ in this tight five part harmony is amazing. And you’ve never heard ‘Honey Bun’ sung like this before. The cast we have assembled sounds hot. We open December 5^th. And the show isn’t the only thing unique about this production.

Instead of traditional theatre seating, we will substitute in beautifully decorated tables and chairs. And during the evening you will have the option of being served coffee and desserts while taking in a great night of music. You’ll feel like you are in New York City cabaret and you won’t even have to leave the state.

I’ve been listening to the Grand Night CD for a couple months now and never realized how much I loved Rodgers and Hammerstein. I mean, they definitely are on the Mount Rushmore of Musical Theatre. Which brings up a good question. Who is on the Mount Rushmore of musical theatre composers? R & H obviously. Sondheim without question. Who else? Cole Porter? Gershwin? Webber? Kander & Ebb? If you have any thoughts, post em. I’d love to hear who you think should be carved in stone.

In honor of R & H, I’d like to begin a segment on this blog I’m gonna call Rob’s Rankings. And this entry’s subject is Top 5 Rodgers and Hammerstein shows:

5. The Sound of Music

Everyone loves the Von Trapp family and the songs are so sickeningly sweet from “Do-Re-Mi” to “My Favorite Things”

4. South Pacific

I never really liked this show, but after being re-introduced to the some of the music via ‘Grand Night’ and the success of the new Broadway revival, I’m warming to it. Our version of “Wash that Man” is outta sight!

3. The King and I

Great characters and absolutely gorgeous music. Oh, and if you’ve ever seen the movie, you know that Yul Brenner is a badass.

2. Oklahoma!

One of, if not THE quintessential American Musical. With songs that are more than just classics, they’re staples in American culture. “O, What a Beautiful Mornin’” , “I Cain’t Say No, “ and the title song are just some of the all-time greats. Though I never really understood why Laurie would agree to go to the picnic with Jud in the first place.

1. Carousel

By far, my all-time favorite R& H show. From the opening Carousel Waltz to its heartbreaking conclusion, this is serious musical theatre. There isn’t too much happiness to be found about a show where the protagonist beats his pregnant wife, dies trying to escape police capture, and then returns to earth only to slap his daughter. And that’s the show’s hero. Yet there is still redemption at the end for Billy Bigelow and, in my opinion, R&H’s finest score.

I hope you can join us for Rodgers’ and Hammerstein’s A Grand Night for Singing. It’s going to be a grand night of romance, music, and excitement. I’ll see you at the show!

It was a dream come true.  That’s the best I can describe it.  Farmers Alley Theatre is open to the public and our first weekend went off without a hitch. The doors opened Friday night for A FEW GOOD MEN and the audience poured in with a buzz surrounding them.  By the end of the night the buzz was still circulating in the air.  And when the audience left and the lights were dimmed, Jeremy, Adam, Denene and I stood on the stage, looked around and exhaled.  Slightly.

So much work was put into this theatre over the course of its construction that there are too many people to thank to be listed here.  But I do want to make mention of several names without whom we could not have done this.  Brenda Ryan, Joe Pendowski, Ted Dent, Roy Richardson, and Jerry and Janice Stifler from Continental Construction were instrumental in making our space look as beatiful as it does.  Megan Zumwinkel, Derek Menchinger, Kyle Waterman, Lissa and Kristin Hartridge, and Lanford J. Potts carried the torch for us behind the scenes in not only our production of A FEW GOOD MEN but in crafting our space, and giving advice on all of our techincal needs.  And of course our board of directors who represent a great combination of business smarts and artistic vision.

Have you seen our outdoor sign?  I’m in love with it.  Literally.  I want to shout it from the rooftops. ” I LOVE FARMERS ALLEY THEATRE’S OUTDOOR SIGN!!!”  I’m not ashamed.  The love between a man and a sign is pure and true.  It’s a silver marquee that has vanity lights that move and flicker.  Plus our name and logo are backlit so at nightime if you walk down Farmers Alley, you’d think you were passing a theatre in Chicago or Toronto.  Sorry, I just had to gush a little.

Our opening performances went exceedingly well, and I’d like to thank the Kalamazoo Gazette and the Western Herald for such postive reviews.  I do hope anyone reading this gets a chance to see our inaugural show, because it really does transform you into the military at some points, while at others you feel like you are right on top of the action in the courtroom.  Tickets are still available for shows on 10/30, 10/31, 11/1, 11/2, 11/6, 11/7, and 11/8.

What we are really excited about this week at Farmers Alley Theatre is the spoken word duo KINETIC AFFECT (Kirk Latimer and Gabriel Giron) and their collaboration with us titled SPEAK IT FORWARD.  To say they do slam poetry is to stereotype them into a corner.  They are word weavers and so much more.  Their shows incorporate music, dancing, lights, interaction, power, sensitivity, the whole gamut of emotions.  KINETIC AFFECT is bringing in musicians from across the Midwest for their show including a renowned Sitar player.  Plus, if you come to their Friday night show you get free food in a reception catered by Full City Cafe! (yum)  So in honor of KINETIC AFFECT I’ve written a poem.  Here it goes.

don’t hesitate     before it’s too late    get your tickets yo     for this slammin’ show

call the box office don’t be a slob      tell em i sent ya, you know me….Robby Rob

Ya like it?  I spent all of 28 seconds on it.  But the message is powerful.  CALL 343-2727 for tickets.  Their shows are 10/24 and 10/25 at 8pm and 10/26 at 7pm.

Hope to see you at the show!

Hey FAT fans.  Rob here again with another blog entry.  We are getting so close!!  I look around the theatre and I see light fixtures and drapery ready to be hung.  Go into the rehearsal room and I hear shows getting ready for stage.  Smell the paint fumes drying and I get lightheaded and…I….(thump).

I’m back!  Sorry, I just had to ventilate for a moment, but I’m good, seriously.  The buzz is building and the first show is off book and picking up steam!  For those of you unfamilliar with the play A Few Good Men, we’re going to do a little review and preview of the show that kick starts Farmers Alley Theatre’s inaugural season.

The 1992 movie poster.

Many people are familiar with the film version of A Few Good Men.  Released in 1992, it starred Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, and Demi Moore and was nominated for several Academy Awards including Best Picture.  Jack Nicholson’s infamous portrayal of Col. Nathan Jessup is well known as are his famous words, “YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH!”  This was the 29th most memorable quote in movie history by AFI.  The film also starred Kevin Bacon, Kiefer Sutherland and Christopher Guest.

Does he think you can handle the truth? Answer: no.

What many people are unfamiliar with, is that Aaron Sorkin (writer of The American President, and creator of TV series’ The West Wing, Sports Night, and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip) wrote A Few Good Men as a stage show in 1989, before the movie was produced.  He based the story on a real case involving his sister, who was serving as lawyer for Navy’s JAG Corps after she graduated law school.  The broadway version starred Tom Hulce (Animal House, Amadeus) as LTJG Daniel Kaffee and he was subsequently nominated for a Tony Award.  Other famous actors who have been in the show include Rob Lowe as Kaffee and Hellboy’s Ron Perlman and La Bamba’s Lou Diamond Phillips as Jessep.

Who knew Amadeus was in the Navy?

There are several plotlines, characters, and scenes that are altered slightly from the show’s transition from stage to screen.  The characters of Dawson and Downey, the two marines accused of murder, are much more fleshed out.  But aside from a few lines here, and an extra scene there.  The scripts to both the film and stage play are strikingly similar.  Very rarely do you see an adaptation that aligns so closely to the original.  Maybe that’s because Aaron Sorkin wrote both the script and the screenplay (for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe).

Just try to subpeona him.

Some other fun facts about the movie include the casting of Wolfgang Bodison as Dawson.  Rob Reiner (The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally), the director employed Bodison as a film location scout.  But he liked the look and acting abillity of the young man so much he was cast he cast Bodison in his first motion picture.  It just goes to show you never know were talent may be lurking.

A Few Good Men opens two short weeks from this Friday.  Call our box office at 343.2727 to reserve your seats today.  It’s not everyday you get to chance to see a brand new company open the doors to a brand new theatre.  We all want you to join in the celebration of this one of a kind opening.

Blog post number 2 coming at you, and in the words of Denene Mulay Koch: “I’m pumped, brother.  I’m juiced!” Actually that’s a line of hers from our upcoming production of A Few Good Men. Sometimes there are certain lines you have in a show that make you smile.  And that’s one of them for Denene.  Rehearsals have been just chugging along at a nice rate.  I just know that once we get those military uniforms on  we’ll be ready for anything.

I want to talk a little about our Gala Fundraiser Event that was held Friday, September 12th at Cityscape.  And can I just say, it was a smashing success!  The venue was great!  The food was delicious!  And the turnout was more than we could hope for. It was so gratifying and meaningful to see so many supportive faces in attendance.  During the gala, aside from the food, drinks, and wonderful mingling that was happening, we gave tours of the space, some of our board members made heartfelt speeches, and there was even a little musical presentation from the four founders.

Our board president and vice president, Josh Weiner and Kathy Mulay respectively, introduced the four of us, and we sang about how we all were “Putting it Together”. Then Denene took center stage and harmonioiusly reminded us that this was her “Home”. Adam and I then took a page from Mel Brooks’ Producers and proclaimed “We Can Do It”.  Next, Jeremy returned to some of his west side roots as he felt “Something’s Coming”. We all then joined together and thanked the wonderful audience in attendance for sharing in “Our Time”. It was a fantastic night, and once again, I want to thank everyone that could find time in their schedule to spend an evening with the Farmers Alley Theatre.  And if any who wasn’t there would like to be on our mailing list, or contribute with financial support, you can email us at farmersalleytheater@yahoo.com, or visit our SUPPORT page right here on our website.

In that same vein, if anyone has time to volunteer in our box office, ushering, concessions, advertising, set construction, anything you feel that you can contribute to our company we are always looking for a helping hand.  We love our supporters and all the talents that they share with us.  Once again, you can contact us at farmersalleytheater@yahoo.com or reach us via phone at 343.2727.  Until next time…

Robbie

Greetings!

And welcome to the Famers Alley Theatre website and Blog! We’re so excited to begin this amazing theatrical journey, and even more thrilled to have such wonderful supporters.  In this blog, we will inform you of the latest FAT (yes, that’s our acronym) news, the inner workings of the theatre, stories and anecdotes about our process, and much more.  This blog will be able to connect with you, our friends and supporters, in a personal way.  And since we’re getting personal right off the bat, you might want to know who I am: The man behind the keyboard. My name is Robert Weiner and I’m the Deputy Director of Farmers Alley Theatre.  Or as my associates lovingly refer to me as: that furry little genius. I’m not sure where they got that from.  But I guess I’ll take it as a compliment.

Exciting News!

The Farmers Alley Theatre Box Office is now open for business! Our first show, A Few Good Men, opens on October 17th and runs through November 8th.  We’ve been in rehearsal for a little over a week, but I can tell right now, this a show you won’t want to miss.  These guys are intense! Our very talented cast even includes an actual Marine, Kris Dalton.  You may recognize Kris as the gentlemen in full dress blues at our Gala fundraiser event.  In any case, he’s been giving the rest of the cast tips on how to perform a “Code Red”.  I still have the rug burns.  The cast has even decided to start their own personal BOOT CAMP invloving pushups, sit-ups, crunches, jumping jacks, et al. before each rehearsal. Ten Hut!

Get your slam on!

Farmers Alley Theatre is thrilled to be bringing you the wildly popular spoken word duo Kinetic Affect on the weekend of October 24th.  I’ve known Kirk Latimer ever since he was jumping on desks and blasting Journey in his classroom.  And if you think he can fire up his students, wait until you see him and Gabriel Giron fire up a crowd.  If you haven’t been to one of their shows, get your tickets now, because it’s an experience unlike any other.

I will continue to update this blog with news of our Gala Fundraising Event, continued progress and pictures of our brand new state of the art black box theatre, and any other miscellaneous tidbits of knowledge I feel the FAT fans need to know.   Thanks for traveling to our website and check back for the latest news.  Bye!

Robbie

We are ecstatic to have you join us on this journey, bringing a new level of professional entertainment to downtown Kalamazoo and all of Southwest Michigan. The 2008-2009 theatrical season guarantees a wide array of opportunities presented in a brand new, state of the art, black box theatre. Our first season is filled with stories that will charm, thrill, enlighten, and keep you coming back to see what’s next on Farmers Alley.
 
The dramatic works in our Signature Series take you from a courthouse in our nation’s capitol to a towering mansion on the moors of England. Or perhaps the comedies in our Signature Series will tickle your funny bone, whether you’re visiting a deer camp in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula or a humid trailer park in the backwoods of Florida.

Additionally, our Children’s, Cabaret, and New Works/Spoken Word Series will have something for everyone, be it discovering clues alongside a big blue dog, enjoying some of Broadway’s classic songs, or experiencing the original words of heartfelt poet.

We can’t wait to share with you all the talent and pride that our professional artists will bring to the stage. Make the Farmers Alley Theatre a “must see” onyour agenda this year.

Sincerely,

Adam, Jeremy, Denene, and Robert
Founders of the Farmers Alley Theatre