Stage Directions

Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, Artistic Director BJ Jones, and the Northlight Theatre Board of Directors announce that Northlight has been appropriated $927,500 from the state of Illinois for the construction of its new building in downtown Evanston, IL.

SIX the Musical, a modern re-telling of the lives of the six wives of Henry VIII, got its start at the Edinburgh Festival in 2017, and has since been popular with an indefinite run at the Arts Theatre in London’s West End. DPA’s d:facto 4018V Vocal Microphone plays a starring role in the staging of SIX the Musical - and not just because it conveys the crystal clear audio that sound designer Paul Gatehouse was looking for. Equally important is the look of the microphone and the fact that it is handheld, which truly conveys the concert-like atmosphere that this hugely popular show aims to replicate.

It’s the last call for The Collaborator Party 2019, the official Tony night party for the entire theater community. This year’s #CollaboratorParty is coming up fast; it's this Sunday, June 9th. Here's a video last call from The Collaborator Party: {youtube}v=Xss1YOk3AxQ{/youtube}

Palm Beach Dramaworks announces that Michael Amico, the company’s production manager and premier set designer, was honored by the Florida Professional Theatres Association (FPTA) with the Vic Award for being “one of Florida’s most creative scenic designers” and in recognition of “his years of work in theatre production.” The award was recently presented to Amico at the FPTA’s 39^th annual Statewide Professional Theatre Auditions and Workshops at Riverside Theatre in Vero Beach.

Winners for the 64th Annual Drama Desk Awards were announced Sunday night, June 2 at The Town Hall in New York City. The 2019 Drama Desk Awards full list of winners is available below. In keeping with Drama Desk's mission, nominators considered shows that opened on Broadway, Off Broadway and Off-Off Broadway during the 2018-2019 New York theater season in the same competitive categories.

Robe is delighted to be involved as a supporter of the 2019 Prague Quadrennial which is being artistically directed by scenic lighting and costume designer Markéta Fantová and runs 6th – 16th June at the Vystaviste Praha (Prague Exhibition Grounds) and locations in and around Prague, the Czech Republic’s beautiful and vibrant capital city.

Howards Grove is a small community and suburb of Sheboygan, WI, and Howards Grove High School serves over three-hundred students from Howards Grove and nearby communities. Its music department is well-developed and extremely active, with three choirs, and concert, jazz, symphonic, and  marching bands and also has an active drama department. Surprisingly, Howards Grove High School made do for years without an auditorium of its own by appropriating the gymnasium, the cafeteria, classrooms, or even neighboring schools’ auditoriums. That’s all changed now with the completion of its own 450-seat auditorium, complete with the high-fidelity and even coverage of Danley Sound Labs loudspeakers and subwoofers.

West Side Story ranks as one of the most popular musicals of all time and continues to delight audiences 60 years after its Broadway debut. Leonard Bernstein’s score remains as timeless as ever, and Arthur Laurents’ storyline, based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet transposed to gang-ridden 1950’s America, also remains hauntingly relevant. However, the production at Manchester’s Royal Exchange theatre is the first ever not to feature Jerome Robbins’ original choreography, having been adapted for the theatre’s in-the-round configuration by Aletta Collins. West Side Story features a sound design by Richard Brooker. Here's a video trailer for this production: {youtube}v=3mbn1QjQQmg{/youtube}

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival [OSF] has been delighting audiences since 1935. Their productions are wildly varied; one constant is the fact that when they need wireless dimming and DMX, they turn to products from RC4 Wireless. “I really am happy with our RC4 products. We’re not having drop out problems, and they handle power really well,” notes Michael K. Maag, Resident Lighting Designer, Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

Editor’s Note: It is with great sadness that we learned of the passing of Robert Scales, Dean, Technical Director, Theater Consultant, Professor, Mentor, and Friend to many in theater. We will have more on his life and career. Requiescat in Pace, Bob. Here is a remembrance from his friend and colleague, Pat MacKay:

The consummate theatre production professional and everything you could ever want in a friend and colleague has left us for a new venue. Technical director, designer, problem solver, organizer, manager, professor, dean, theatre consultant, Bob Scales was always kind, ever generous, curious, giving, and concerned.