. . . and how much fun THAT was? Well, seeing it on stage with 26 amazing young adult actors from around the area and around the country is even MORE fun. Our summer stock actors and crew will mount the full musical version on the MainStage for four performances only. August 2, 3 and 4 at 8:00 p.m. and August 4 at 2:00 p.m. The building has just been afire with their energy this last month since Director Don Dillon, choreographer Eric Derkel and 26 supercharged young musical stage actors arrived at the end of June.

There’s very little ‘out there’ of this calibre during the summer. These kids first had to audition for admission to VLT’s first summer stock program. Then – besides rehearsing hard every night – they’ve spent their days building sets, creating costumes and even doing publicity. VLT resident artistic staff act as mentors and VLT Technical Apprentices have taken on the design duties.

You can check out their progress on their video diary or on the MySpace page created by one of the students -with lots of real time video and some of that wonderful music:

VIDEO DIARY AT http://venicestage.com/summerstock07.html

MY SPACE PAGE AT www.myspace.com/vltfootloose07

Tickets on sale now of course - $20 (or $15 for students).

. . . but this is the last week. Remember - if you want input on a choice for the 08-09 Stage II season, Summer Rep is where it happens.

. . . July 20 at 7:00 p.m. and July 21 at 11:00 a.m.. For only $6.00(!), you can come and see what all the buzz is about - VLT’s six-week TheatreFest students, aged from 7 to 17, present a musical review "Magic in the Air" with guest artist, professional magician Coe Marsh. Staging the show are camp instructors and administrators. Brad Wages directs, Natalia Mock choreographs, Michelle Kasanofsky provides musical direction and Candace Artim coaches acting. Kelly Duyn, who instructs in technical theatre, has been involved with TheatreFest for 14 years - first as a student and then, beginning four years ago, as an instructor. "TheatreFest helped shape my adult life - academically, creatively and socially. Now, as an instructor, I take joy in giving my students the opportunity to grow and explore the world of theatre."

and somewhere a bird

who is bound he’ll be heard,

is throwing his heart at the sky!

Oh man. Rogers & Hammerstein knew how to write a song. Tony-winner Walter Bobbie knows how to package that glorious music. And VLT knows a good cabaret show when it sees one, which is why A Grand Night for Singing opens in the Pinkerton Theatre August 2, 2007. And bringing those songs to you are MaryBeth Antoinette, Renee Cordonnier, Coleen Sudith, Nidal Zarour and Shane Ferreira. Dare you not to sing along! Runs through August 26 and tickets are on sale now.