Amanda Grillo News

The concept of family is a very large aspect of this production. The cast becomes a family through bonding; the script features two every day families. This week, we have the pleasure of meeting the Gibbs family and getting an inside look at their perspective of theatre and the production.

Welcome back! This week's article features an art form that a production of Our Town would not be complete without: PANTOMIME! For those who don't know what pantomime is, I decided to give you the gift of the Oxford Dictionary definition:

Getting off book not everyone's favorite part, but a necessary one in the rehearsal process. Once the book is out of your hand, you can move freer and explore the character more. You can really dive into specific choices when you aren't preoccupied by the book taking up space in your hands. How does one get off book, you might ask? Well here are some tips and tricks based on what I've learned in my experiences, with input from some of the cast from Our Town.

This week, we go around our Broadway World to feature stories in New Jersey, Tallahassee, Seattle and more. Check out our top 10 stories around our Broadway World below, which include THE PRODUCERS at Paper Mill, AS YOU LIKE IT in Tallahassee, and GHOSTS in Seattle, just to name a few.

Music is in the air at the University of New Haven as the Theatre Club prepares for their third cabaret. The tradition started last Fall under the direction of Robert Vaccaro, who also directed the Spring Cabaret 'Cabaret 2: Electric Boogaloo'. Upon Vaccaro's graduation, the Cabaret was passed to the direction of two time cast member Jared Reynolds. I had the pleasure of speaking with the director, choreographer, and a few cast members about their experiences with Cabaret III.

Welcome back! Now, the first article was called a first look , the second was meet the director , and I suppose you can guess what the third will be Stage Managers! This show is graced with four. One stage manager, two assistant stage managers, and an actor. In the name of metatheatricality, Thornton Wilder constructed a stage manager character that acts as the narrator. I was lucky enough to get the chance to discuss the show and their roles, with Kate Herr (the stage manager) and Zach Fontanez (who plays the stage manager).

Welcome to the second installment of the behind the scenes look at the University of New Haven's production of Thorton Wilder's American classic, Our Town. For those who are just joining us this week I have the pleasure of guiding this journey from the rehearsal process all the way through closing night.

The season has officially begun at the University of New Haven. Our season opener, Our Town, has officially begun the rehearsal and I am honored to be a part of this amazing cast as Lady in the Box, Man Among the Dead, and a member of the Choir. I am thrilled to be able to bring you behind the scenes as we bring Thorton Wilder's American classic to life at the Bucknall Theatre.

School is back in session at the University of New Haven. One week of classes is officially in the books as we look forward to the rest of the semester that lies ahead of us. In the theatre department, we are particularly excited to begin the process for our Fall Production of Thorton Wilder's Our Town which is the first show of this season. We have an exciting season lined up so far and more announcements to come!

This week, we go around our Broadway World to feature stories in New Jersey, Tampa, San Diego and more. Check out our top 10 stories around our Broadway World below, which include IAGO in New Jersey, SPRING AWAKENING in Tampa, and LOVE'S LABOR'S LOST at the Old Globe directed by Kathleen Marshall, just to name a few.

Whether it be a physical warm up, group bonding, or prayer, everyone has something they do to center themselves and get 'in the zone' before a performance. Whether it is an intentional ritual that you are superstitious over, or just something that makes you feel good, everyone has at least one thing.

Alas, the summer of 2016 draws to a close and I pack my bags for back to school in just a few short days. This summer has been one for the books. I learned a lot about myself, theatre, and life. If it wasn't for this production, I probably wouldn't have grasped those lessons as quickly, which is why I appreciate my friends and supporters that just tell it like it is. They know what I need to hear to get the point across. They know how to help me grow and aren't afraid to knock me down a few pegs if I get too high and mighty.

It's that time in the process yet again. Welcome to Tech week. Some call it tech week, hell week, production week, or show week. It all means the same thing though. It is the week leading up to the first performance. It is graced with long nights, malfunctions, and unfortunately a good deal of stress. I, however, hope to alleviate some of that stress with a few tips and tricks to get through the week. Being that we are in tech week, ourselves, at The Comedy of Errors, this article could not be more relevant. Here we go!

As we now are roughly two weeks from opening, I thought I would be a little punny. Two weeks from opening, I decided to do a 'double feature'. That's right, I am interviewing both sets of twins! In this 'twinterview', we will hear from both Dromios and Antipholuses Antipholi?

This week, we call our attention to a position that is necessary for any production to run smoothly. Whether it be a play or musical, professional or community, no production is complete without a stage manager. They keep you organized and aren't afraid to take that script from you when you were supposed to be off book last week. They are a wealth of knowledge, glue that keeps the show together. Here at the West Haven Council on the Arts/ Theater West, our stage manager for The Comedy of Errors is Dana Kaplan.

This week, we go around our Broadway World to feature stories in Maine, Chicago, San Diego and more. Check out our top 10 stories around our Broadway World below, which include LuPone/Ebersole in Goodman Theatre's WAR PAINT, THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME at Ogunquit, and SENSE AND SENSIBILITY at The Old Globe, just to name a few.

It is summertime! Whether it be community theatre, regional theatre, all the way to the professional level, summer is a prime time to take in a show. There is a lot of thought and work that comes into creating the experience. Experiences can range from the traditional indoor theatre to taking in a production while enjoying a picnic at a local park. This week we are taking a look at some of the positives and negatives to outdoor theatre productions.

This week I had the pleasure of discussing the progress of The Comedy of Errors as well as the progress of our Summer Youth Theatre production of Les Miserables School Edition, with West Haven Council on the Arts President, Barth McNeil. He has been a part of the Council on the Arts since it was first established in 2007.

Diving into week three of rehearsals with a bang! Between running lines and research to rehearsals with the whole cast, I discover new things about Luciana every single time. There are so many elements that come into play when trying to figure out a character.

Welcome to the first behind the scenes article for The Comedy of Errors, presented by West Haven Council on the Arts. This production is being put on by the adult theatre group called Theater West. This program has been in place for about seven years and most recently has gotten into doing an annual Shakespeare production on the green in West Haven, CT.