Starring Role Donor Party with Cybill Shepherd

At the end of April, John and Debbie Ratliff hosted a lovely party at their home in Raleigh to honor starring role donors (who give $2500+ to our annual fund) featuring special guest, Cybill Shepherd. As you know, Cybill was originally scheduled to star in our recent production of Hello, Dolly! but could not perform in the title role due to an injury. Before she left Raleigh she attended the party to meet and greet with donors and sing a few songs. She was a huge hit and the party was fabulous!

Here are some pictures from the event, courtesy of Curtis Brown Photography:













Special thanks to the Ratliffs for such a fun evening!

Do you want to receive invitations to exclusive North Carolina Theatre events? Contribute to our annual fund - click here for a host of benefits!

Meet The Cast Of Hairspray!

North Carolina Theatre is very excited to present to you our cast of Hairspray! The show runs July 23rd-31st at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium. Visit http://www.nctheatre.com/ for more details!

Roy Anthony* (Chorus)

J. Michael Beech* (Male Authority Figure)

English Bernhardt (Chorus)

Katie Bottomley (Chorus)

Christopher Brasfield (Chorus)

Ariana DeBose* (Chorus/Little Inez)

Carlita Ector (Chorus)

Seth Eliser* (Chorus)

Donell Foreman* (Seaweed)

Jennifer Foster (Tracy)

Rhiannon Hansen* (Amber)

Marja Harmon* (Chorus/Dynamite)

Dale Hensley* (Edna)

Christine Hunter* (Chorus/Velma)

Charlie Johnson (Chorus)

Lisa Jolley* (Female Authority Figure)

Jannie Jones* (Motormouth Maybelle)

Caroline Jordan (Chorus)

Jason Kappus* (Link)

Dirk Lumbard* (Wilbur)

Christopher C. Minor (Chorus)

Ryan Naimy (Chorus)

Crystal Sha'nae* (Chorus/Dynamite)

Justin Showell (Chorus)

Christopher Sloan* (Corny Collins)

Dana Steingold* (Penny Pingleton)

Adrienne Sulkey (Chorus/Dynamite)

Kelsey Walston (Chorus)

The Show Does Go On Despite a Quiet Blog!

The month of April was especially busy for North Carolina Theatre as we worked through extensive planning and promoting of our groundbreaking 2012 season while putting up our second production of the year, Hello, Dolly! Despite an untimely injury by our leading lady, Ms. Cybill Shepherd, the brilliant North Carolina Theatre team turned on a dime and replaced her with Broadway veteran, Jacquelyn Piro Donovan. Opening weekend audiences showed their adulation for the new 'Dolly Gallagher Levi' and our outstanding cast with resounding ovations after each performance.

Feedback has also been overwhelmingly positive for our 2012 season that is a collaborative effort with Broadway Series South. In case you haven't heard, the line-up includes three tours: A Christmas Story, The Musical, Green Day's American Idiot and Les Miserables; one play produced by North Carolina Theatre: Steel Magnolias, and two musicals produced by North Carolina Theatre: Oliver! and Legally Blonde The Musical! We are excited to leverage our relationships and resources with Broadway Series South and Hot Summer Nights at the Kennedy as we build on our mission-driven tradition of bringing world-class entertainment downtown to the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts!

Check out some photos taken by production photographer, Curtis Brown, during last week's dress rehearsal.

Stephen Godwin as Horace Vandergelder and cast of Hello, Dolly! in "It Takes A Woman"

Stephen Godwin as Horace Vandergelder and Jacquelyn Piro Donovan as Dolly Levi

Cast of Hello, Dolly! in "Put On Your Sunday Clothes"

Jacquelyn Piro Donovan as Dolly Levi

Harmonia Gardens

Dolly! Star Jacquelyn Piro Donovan sings Hello, Dolly!

Cast of Hello, Dolly!

Jacquelyn Piro Donovan as Dolly Levi

Jacquelyn Piro Donovan as Dolly Levi

There are six performances of Hello, Dolly! left - come see the show! Visit www.nctheatre.com for tickets.

Remaning performances:

Tuesday, May 10: 8 PM

Wednesday, May 11: 8 PM

Thursday, May 12: 8 PM

Friday, May 13: 8 PM

Saturday, May 14: 2 PM

Saturday, May 14: 8 PM

Hairspray Local Auditions

LOCAL AUDITIONS FOR

Book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan. Music by Marc Shaiman. Lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman. Based on the New Line Cinema Film written and directed by John Waters.

Director: John Simpkins. Music Director: Edward G. Robinson. Choreographer: Josh Rhodes.

DATE/TIME: Sunday, April 3^rd. Sign in begins at 10:30am. Vocal auditions will begin at 11:00am. Callbacks begin at 3:00pm with dance. Principal callbacks will follow. No appointments; no alternate auditions in NC. You must be signed in by noon to be guaranteed an audition spot.

AUDITION LOCATION: NC Theatre Studios/Conservatory for the Performing Arts. 3043 Barrow Drive, Raleigh NC 27616.

PROCEDURE: Sign in at desk and hand in photo and resume stapled together then wait for name to be called. Bring sheet music and prepare to sing best 8 to 16 bars then more if asked. Bring soft soled or dance shoes and clothing to dance in if asked to callbacks. ALL AUDITIONING MUST HAVE PHOTO, RESUME AND SHEET MUSIC.

Seeking to cast adults of all ethnicities, teens of all ethnicities who look 16 to 18 years old and one young African American girl age 7 to 12 in appearance. All must be strong singers. Teens must be strong movers/dancers. All roles are open. Both Equity and non-Equity performers are being sought. Cast size: 28. Please see information on roles and chorus listed below.

Tracy Turnblad: Female lead, mezzo, strong pop belt singer, strong dancer/mover. Overweight and pleasant looking, outgoing, good-hearted high schooler.

Edna Turnblad: Male supporting playing female, tenor. Mother of Tracy. Larger than life character actor with strong vocal, acting and comic ability. Large physique, sincere and honest.

Link Larkin: Male supporting, pop baritone, strong mover. Handsome heartthrob of the local TV teen dance show. Clean-cut and good-hearted high schooler.

Corny Collins: Male supporting, pop tenor, strong mover. TV show host.

Penny Pingleton: Female supporting, belt, good mover. Ditzy, neurotic high schooler. Tracy's best friend.

Amber Von Tussle: Female supporting, belt, strong dancer. Conniving, selfish, falsely perky high schooler.

Velma Von Tussle: Female supporting, belt, good comic actress who sings well. Ex beauty queen, sweet-seeming villainess. Amber's mother; producer of TV show.

Wilbur Turnblad: Male cameo, baritone, character actor, moves well. Tracy's lovable dad who owns a joke store.

Seaweed J. Stubbs: Male supporting, pop tenor, strong dancer/singer. Easing going, street smart attractive African American high schooler.

Motormouth Mabel: Female supporting, strong soulful, gospel/pop singer. African American radio DJ. Infectious, brassy personality.

Little Inez: Young African American girl (age 7 to 12 in appearance.) Seaweed's lovable little sister. Spunky, tough, streetwise, outgoing. Soulful voice, strong belt, great mover;

Ensemble: Many strong dancers and movers are needed for the ensemble for dance show scenes. Ensemble also includes The Dynamites, Newscaster Voice Over, other chorus specialties.

HAIRSPRAY begins rehearsal on Saturday, July 9th 2011. Show runs July 23rd – 31st, 2011 at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium in the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts. NO CONFLICTS ALLOWED.

Patron Spotlight: "Play Dates"

My name is Jane. This past Christmas, my son-in-law, Brad, and his friend, Roger, conspired and gave their wives, Stephanie and Lorrie, "Play Dates".

Stephanie and Lorrie

It was pre-planned for the ladies to open their gifts simultaneously in their respective homes by their daughters calling each other on Christmas morning. They put their moms on the phone for a quick "hi" and the husbands handed each of them a gift. Seeming to be an odd interruption, they cooperated and opened their presents.

Needless to say, this was such a thoughtful "hit" - pardon the "play" on words. Each received a dress circle ticket to NC Theatre's 2011 Blockbuster Broadway Series - what a great "play date" for ladies!

I plan to take my granddaughters, Isabelle and Emma, and Lorrie's daughter to see Hairspray as part of the Target Student Preview Night offer.

Theatre tickets are the perfect gift for a girls night out, follow Jane's lead and purchase a "play date" for your mother, wife, daughter, sister, teacher, etc! For personalized service call the NC Theatre Box Office at 919-831-6941 x6944 or x6943.

Producers Spotlight: Interview with NBC-17

Michael McCormick, who stars as Max Bialystock, and Stacey Todd Holt, who stars as Leo Bloom, talk The Producers with NBC-17.