'RIVER' FIRST SHOW'.Byline: Carol Rock Staff Writer VALENCIA - It's been said ``If you build it, they will come,'' and that saying came true for director Mark Salyer when he held auditions for the musical ``Big River,'' the first production at College of the Canyons' new EPIC Center The Epic Center is a skyscraper located in Wichita, Kansas. At 325 feet, it is the tallest building in the city of Wichita, and the entire state of Kansas. The tallest structure in the state is the KWCH Tower. for the Performing Arts. ``The show is huge, with a cast of 31 people. We drew from the student base and from the community at large. The community really turned out, too,'' Salyer said. ``We found a lot of talented actors and musicians. We also had a lot of TV actors who said they'd love to be a part of this because they live in the area and wanted to be a part of this amazing first production. It's a good mix.'' The show is also a collaboration of disciplines, with faculty and staff combining forces in music, dance and theater. ``We were looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. something big in scale and theme,'' he said. ``Big River'' debuted on Broadway on April 25, 1985, and ran for 1,005 performances, winning seven Tony Awards, including best musical. A revival, created by Deaf West Theatre Founded in 1991, Deaf West Theatre Company has become a cultural institution serving as a model for deaf theatre worldwide. It is noted for being the first professional resident Sign Language Theatre in the western half of the United States. in North Hollywood, opened July 24, 2003. The play features the adventures of Huckleberry huckleberry, any plant of the genus Gaylussacia, shrubs of the family Ericaceae (heath family), native to North and South America. The box huckleberry (G. brachycera) of E North America is evergreen and is often cultivated. The common huckleberry (G. Finn, with the action taking place on the mighty Mississippi. As Huck huck n. Huckaback. Noun 1. huck - toweling consisting of coarse absorbent cotton or linen fabric huckaback toweling, towelling - any of various fabrics (linen or cotton) used to make towels helps his friend, Jim, a black slave, escape to freedom at the mouth of the Ohio River Ohio River Major river, eastern central U.S. Formed by the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers, it flows northwest out of Pennsylvania, and west and southwest to form the state boundaries of Ohio–West Virginia, Ohio-Kentucky, Indiana-Kentucky, and , the story brings to life all the characters of Mark Twain's classic novel: the Widow Douglas and her stern sister, Miss Watson, the King and the Duke, Tom Sawyer, Pap Finn and Mary Jane Wilkes. ``The role of Huck is being played by Steven Ladd Jones, who is a wonderful guy, quite a talented musician,'' Salyer said. ``When he auditioned, I looked at him and knew he was born to play Huck. Jim will be played by professional actor Kris Coleman, who I found in a production of 'Steel: The Story of John Henry' at the Ford. He's done a bit of work in the Civic Light Opera and won the NAACP NAACP in full National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Oldest and largest U.S. civil rights organization. It was founded in 1909 to secure political, educational, social, and economic equality for African Americans; W.E.B. Du Bois and Ida B. Award for his portrayal of Dr. Martin Luther King.'' Salyer said audiences will be floored by the talents of Lisa Nauls, a chorus member who solos with the show-stopping gospel tune ``How Blessed We Are.'' He added that Hart High School Hart High School may refer to:
Two young women will share the role of Mary Jane, something Salyer did because he felt the script was ``somewhat boy-centric.'' ``I really wanted to give more opportunities to the ladies, so I split the role of Mary Jane between Ever Feske and Jessie Seeley,'' he said. ``I've never had an audition where I was looking at both and wanted to use them both because they bring something special to the production.'' Seeley will performing on opening night, with Feske performing on closing, which was determined by a coin toss. ``It's kind of weird; they've grown a lot from it,'' Salyer said. ``It's good to have someone to sit down and talk about the character and hash out its nuances. ``As the first production, we're creating tradition here. I have to admit that it is somewhat intimidating. Some of the designers that came on to this production are really excited; it's a lot more work coming into a new building that's never been done before, but every one of them has said that this is a cool experience that doesn't happen very often.'' Salyer came to College of the Canyons College of the Canyons is one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the state. According to the National Junior College Research Association, College of the Canyons consistently ranks in the top 50 community colleges in the nation. to teach musical theater two years ago and has seen the program grow by leaps and bounds, something that is sure to continue as EPIC makes a name for itself. ``If I have any hair left at the end of this, I'll be happy,'' he said, laughing. He's assembled a top-flight crew for this first show; EPIC Center technical director Brodie Steel is designing sets that are automated as well as complicated; Steven Young, from the Civic Light Opera in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. is also designing; costumes are by Jessica Holmes Jessica Holmes (born August 29, 1973 in Ottawa, Ontario) is a Canadian comedian and actress. She is best known for her work with the Royal Canadian Air Farce, which she joined in 2003. She is married to actor Scott Yaphe. , who comes from the Sacramento Music Circus Music Circus was a theatre form begun in Lambertville, N.J., by St. John Terrell[1] in 1949. Established as summer stock, the new theatre venues primarily housed light operas and operettas, produced in the round, under a circus-style big top. Overview St. ; sound designers Matt Carpenter Matthew Edwin "Matt" Carpenter (born North Carolina, July 20 1964)[1][2] is an American trail runner. He has won the Pikes Peak marathon on twelve occasions, the Vail Hill Climb eight times, the Imogene Pass Run six times, the Barr Trail Mountain Race, the and Julie Ferrin are well-known in the live theater community; Andrea Slominski is working as Salyer's assistant director; and stage manager Caroline Law is assisted by Mary Ferguson. Carol Rock, (661) 257-5252 carol.rock(at)dailynews.com IF YOU GO: Tickets for ``Big River'' at College of the Canyons' new EPIC Center are $18 for Friday's 7 p.m. opening night; tickets for 8 p.m. performances on Saturday and Oct. 22 and 23 and the 2 p.m. performance Oct. 17 are $12 general admission, $10 students, staff and seniors and $8 for children under 12. The EPIC Center box office can be reached at (661) 362-5304. CAPTION(S): 2 photos, box Photo: (1) Steven Ladd Jones, left, plays Huck Finn and David Knebel plays Tom Sawyer in the play ``Big River,'' the first production at the new EPIC center. (2) Ever Feske plays Mary Jane and Steven Ladd Jones plays Huck Finn in ``Big River,'' the first show to be presented in the new EPIC center at College of the Canyons. Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News Box: IF YOU GO (see text) |
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