THE
Editor: Pat Boera
SPOTLIGHT
Web Site: www.lyrictheatrevt.org · Email: [email protected]
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
By Syndi Zook
To paraphrase Colonel Pickering from My Fair Lady:
Tonight, my friends, we did it! We did it! We did it!
We said that we would do it, and indeed we did.
I thought that we would rue it;
I doubted we'd do it (not really). But now I must admit it
That succeed we did!
On March 9th Lyric Theatre Company became the proud
owners of our dream facility. At a table surrounded by Lyric
members from 1974 to today we signed on the dotted line.
This building secures Lyric’s future, forever! But now back
to My Fair Lady as Henry Higgins chimes in:
Now, wait! Now, wait!
Give credit where it's due, a lot of the glory goes to YOU!
To date over 400 community members have pitched into
the Lyric Capital Campaign and we cannot thank you
enough. After six years of planning and two years of
fundraising we will be bringing this successful Capital
Campaign to a close on June 1st. Though we have raised
enough to purchase the building, we still need to reach our
final goal to renovate the property for our specific needs.
Please make yourself a part of the Lyric Legacy during this
exciting time in our history! Call Syndi (that’s me!) at 6581484 or pull a pledge card down off of the Lyric website
www.lyrictheatrevt.org today!!!
BOARD CHAIR ARTICLE
By Steve Kendall
March 9th, 2015, was an historic date for Lyric. That is
the day Lyric became the proud owners of our new facility at
7 Green Tree Drive in South Burlington. This is a
monumental step towards Lyric’s goal of having all
production, rehearsal and administrative functions under one
roof and helps secure Lyric’s future for many years to come.
Congratulations to everyone who played a part in bringing
the purchase to fruition. This truly was a grassroots project
and hundreds of people played parts, some big and some
small, but all vitally important, to put us in a position to
purchase the building. I want to specifically acknowledge
John Gravel, Capital Campaign Chair, Syndi Zook, the
Capital Campaign Committee and the Board of Directors
(past and current) for their dedication, commitment, bravery
and perseverance on this project.
What happens next? The short answer is a lot of
planning and coordinating. Now that we own the building we
need to hammer out the logistics of how and when we can
and will utilize the space. We still own our warehouse on
Leroy Drive in Williston. The new building at 7 Green Tree
has tenants with lease agreements occupying two units. We
still need to raise additional funds for the fit up of the new
April 2015
building. We are in the process of creating a time line and
developing specific cost estimates for the renovations and fit
up. We will have numerous informational meetings in May
for all specific areas such as costumes, props and set
construction to provide input into how their respective spaces
in the new building should be configured and set up.
Rome was not built in a day and neither will our new
facility. That said, the sun has risen and we are well into the
late afternoon! We are very close to the time when we will all
be under one roof in new, accessible, safe, bright, clean
space. Stay tuned and we will keep you informed on the plan
and the progress.
APPLY FOR THIS YEAR’S DELANO-NULTY SCHOLARSHIP
By Syndi Zook
For over 41 years, Lyric Theatre Company has been a
part of Greater Burlington’s vibrant arts community. Each
year, Lyric awards a $1,000 scholarship to an area high
school senior to help defray expenses during his or her
freshman year of college. The scholarship honors two of
Lyric’s founding members: Howard Delano and Polly Nulty.
Criteria:
 Graduation from an area high school or technical school in
2015 and plans to attend college or a professional theatrical
training program beginning in September 2015.
 Involvement in theater, through Lyric Theatre Company,
school productions, or other area theater companies.
 Demonstration of a continuing interest in the performing
arts.
 Education/career goals that relate to the performing arts
(theater, music, dance or technical theater).
Call the Lyric office for an application or download a
copy from the website. The applicant must provide two
letters of recommendation from his or her drama or music
director, or an adult who has supervised/instructed the
applicant in the performing arts or technical aspects of
theater. These letters should be in a sealed envelope marked
confidential and included in the application package.
Scholarship applications and letters of reference must be
received by May 8th.
LYRICKIDS SUMMER CAMPS: SIGN UP NOW
LyricKids provides an enriching, high quality and funfilled musical theatre experience for youth. Camp dates are:
July 13th-17th and July 20th-24th for youth ages 9 to 12
July 27th-31st for ages 13+
The registration form for 2015 LyricKids Camps is
available on the website. The Leadership Team of Nikki
Juvan, Kim Hathaway, and John Luce encourage you to sign
up now at http://www.lyrictheatrevt.org/lyrickids2010.html.
SPOTLIGHT SHOUT-OUT
By Serena Magnan O’Connell
The Membership and Sunshine Committees would like
to thank you for being a Lyric volunteer! Every month, we
will be highlighting a different Lyric member for exceptional
“volunteerism” for our organization. If you would like to
nominate a Lyric volunteer you believe deserves a “shoutout” for their Lyric efforts this month, email Serena Magnan
O’Connell at [email protected]. We thank ALL
of you for ALL that you do!
This month’s Spotlight Shout-Out goes to Kathleen
Leach! A Lyric member volunteering behind the scenes
painting and building sets since 2003, Kathleen recently
served on the Artistic Team for Legally Blonde as the Dog
Trainer. She put in numerous hours with the canines, using
expertise and love to turn Enzo and Joey into stars. Kathleen
didn’t just give out love to those animals; her amazing smile
and cheerful presence was felt by all those in the cast and
crews who had the pleasure of being around her. Kathleen,
we thank you for the time and energies you give to Lyric and
we wanted to give you a Spotlight Shout-Out!
TURN IN YOUR HOURS
By Serena Magnan O’Connell
A reminder to all of you to turn in your hours to the
Lyric office on a monthly basis. Crew chiefs and committee
chairs are responsible for their crews’ and committee
members’ hours, and stage managers track cast hours during
the run of the show. If you don’t fall into any of these
categories, YOU are responsible for tracking the time you
give to Lyric. Lyric hour tracking is important; it determines
Lyric’s eligibility for certain grants, and the state actually
tracks our volunteer hours as part of our non-profit status.
Did you know we are second in the state to only University
of Vermont Medical Center for most volunteer hours given?
Please help each other to remember to turn those Lyric hours
in at the end of every month to Marcus in the Lyric office at
[email protected]. Any questions regarding hour
tracking? Contact Serena Magnan O’Connell
at [email protected].
COSTUME/VINTAGE CLOTHING FOR SALE
By Donna Watts
After years of costuming for the school system, I have a
room of vintage clothing of my own: pieces I bought when I
saw them (for “someday”), had no receipts for, or just plain
paid for with my own money because they were too
expensive to buy on the school's costume budget, or I didn't
think they would have use for again.
I am selling what hasn’t already gone to consignment
stores for less than thrift store prices. Most pieces will be $1
each. Some especially nice pieces will be more like $5.
Please call or email for an appointment to see them.
Home Voyage line: 802-347-1333
Email: [email protected]
CALLING ALL PRODUCERS, DIRECTORS, MUSIC
DIRECTORS AND CHOREOGRAPHERS
By Margaret Welch
The Show Selection and Evaluation Committee is
starting to look for Lyric’s fall 2016 show. If you have been
thinking about proposing a show, please let us know how we
can help. For information about how to propose a show, visit
Lyric’s website: http://lyrictheatrevt.org/propose.html or
contact Margaret Welch, Chair of Show Selection,
at [email protected] or 862-2428.
SUMMER CELEBRATION TO HONOR THE LIFE OF
SAM C.J. PARK
By Connie Kite
The Lyric family is invited to a party to celebrate the life
of Sam C.J. Park, who died in December. The party will be
on Saturday, July 18th, at 1:00 p.m. at the St. John’s Club, 9
Central Avenue, Burlington. Sam hated funerals, so we’re
throwing him a grand party instead! Come share your special
memories.
Please RSVP to Connie Kite at [email protected] or
802-862-4027 so that we’ll have an accurate count for
catering.
MUSICAL THEATER ROAD TRIP—
IT’S TIME TO ORDER YOUR TICKETS
By Pat Boera
The Lyric Development Committee is planning a
Musical Theater Road Trip to the historic Proctor’s Theater
in Schenectady which gets A-level National Tours of all the
latest Broadway shows. We hope you’ll join us for this
special outing with fellow musical theater fans.
Saturday, June 20th, 2015
Matinee performance of Kinky Boots
Kinky Boots is the unforgettable Broadway sensation
with music by Tony® and Grammy®-winning pop icon
Cyndi Lauper.
Tickets for the Musical Theater Road Trip are $139 per
person which includes round-trip motorcoach transportation
provided by Maple City Charters, departing from Burlington,
and seating in the orchestra section of Proctor’s Theater.
Maple City Charters will provide snacks and bottled water
for the trip down and back as well as movie-themed movies
and trivia contests to make the journey to Schenectady fun.
There are many restaurants within walking distance of
Proctor’s Theater and we’ll allow time after the show for
participants to dine on their own. To register for this trip,
download the ticket order form from the Lyric website—
www.lyrictheatrevt.org. Click on the Kinky Boots logo on the
bottom of the page. Send the ticket order form with payment
(cash or credit card) to: Attn: Lyric Musical Theater Road
Trip, c/o Shawn McElwain, 11 Smith Street, St. Albans, VT
05478…or scan and email your order to the address on the
form.
Sponsored by:
AN UPDATE FROM THE PRODUCERS
OF WHITE CHRISTMAS
Congratulations to everyone behind and on the stage for
Legally Blonde—so pink, and so fun!! Bravo!!
Hard to believe White Christmas is next in line; it will
indeed be here before we know it. And while we might
(maybe) put away our plaid producer’s hats while the warmer
weather winds its way to Vermont (and that will (must!)
happen), there is no shortage of incredible work going on in
anticipation of November!
Our creative teams have been digging in on brilliant and
bright color schemes for costumes and sets and reviewing
and refining their fabulous designs. Stay tuned for the
Artistic Team’s recently developed character descriptions.
This show has a wonderfully wide range of parts, for both the
young and for those of more respectable years. If you are
ready to dust off your dancing shoes, watch for the musical
theater dance workshops to be held at Spotlight Vermont in
June. A great way to test and tune your tapping and jazzing!
We could not be more excited about our incredible team
and this beautiful show—it sparkles with laughter, and love,
and all the best that communities and caring people bring to
each other—even if it takes a bit to figure it all out!
We hope you’ll join us at auditions in August. Save the
date and share the fun. We look forward to seeing you there!
With joy,
Sarah and Marc Tischler, Co-Producers
MUSICAL THEATER TAP AND JAZZ DANCE
TECHNIQUE WORKSHOPS
Looking to improve your dance skills? Spotlight
Vermont will be offering workshops this summer with a
focus on Musical Theater dance technique. Spotlight owner,
Jen Barden, and Broadway veteran, Susan Burk Walsh (cochoreographers for White Christmas) will be instructing
along with special guest teacher, Lisa Hopkins. Hopkins,
currently on the faculty of STEPS on BROADWAY and
Pace University in New York, is also the creative force
behind the international touring company TAP KIDS.
The workshops begin the week of June 29th. Classes will
be held over five weeks, meeting twice per week (Monday
and Wednesday evenings).
Advanced Beginner Musical Theater Tap:
Monday and Wednesday, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Musical Theater Jazz:
Monday and Wednesday, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Intermediate/Advanced Musical Theater Tap:
Monday and Wednesday, 7:30-8:30 p.m.
Workshops will be held at Spotlight Vermont, 50 San
Remo Drive, South Burlington. Cost is $95 per workshop;
$16 single class rate applies. Contact Spotlight Vermont:
[email protected] or 802/865-7626.
SAVE THESE DATES
By Erin Evarts, Artistic Director
Keep your eyes on the Lyric website and Spotlight
newsletter for more information but mark your calendars now
for these events related to White Christmas:
Kick-Off Meeting: August 19th
Kids Auditions: August 22nd
Adult Auditions: August 23rd-25th
Callbacks: August 26th (if needed)
All events will take place at Spotlight Vermont in South
Burlington.
WHAT’S THE NEXT BIG THING IN JEWISH THEATRE?
THEATRE KAVANAGH: JEWISH PLAYS PROJECT
Yep, you heard right. The Vermont Jewish Playwriting
Contest is back, and you get to cast the deciding vote to
determine which of three semi-finalist plays will advance to
the final round in New York City. Let’s take a look at our
three outstanding contenders, shall we?
Belfast Kind by Margot Connolly
A 12-year-old girl struggles with her identity as a Northern
Irish Jew as she prepares for her bat mitzvah during The
Troubles.
Diaspora by Gary Jaffe
Latino and Jewish heritage collide in the body and minds of
two sisters. One searches for Jewish meaning on a LGBT
Birthright trip, while her more wild sister gets in a car
accident with her immigrant boyfriend.
The Owl Girl by Monica Raymond
A Palestinian family returns to the house they left, now given
to an Israeli family. One of the daughters turns into an Owl,
the fathers play chess with the remains of tragedies, and the
mothers bond. Is this peace?
Music! Food! Audience voting! And three exceptional
plays.
Sunday, April 19th, 2:00 p.m.
Monday, April 20th, 7:00 p.m.
Temple Sinai, 500 Swift Street, South Burlington
Open to the public. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the
door. Tickets/info: www.theatrekavanagh.org
ON OTHER STAGES
Shelburne Players present Calendar Girls by Tim Firth
through April 18th at Shelburne Town Center. Tickets/info:
www.shelburneplayers.com or 802/343-2602.
Essex Community Players present William Shakespeare’s
The Tempest May 16th through 24th. Tickets/info:
www.essexplayers.com or 802/878-9109.
Lost Nation Theater presents Eurydice, April 16th through
May 16th; Treasure Island, April 23rd through May 17th; and
Always, Patsy Cline, June 4th through 21st. Tickets/info:
www.lostnationtheater.org or 802/229-0492.
Lamoille County Players present The Play’s The Thing,
May 8th through 17th; Cats, July 23rd through August 2nd;
Curtains, September 24th through October 4th; and Wait Until
Dark, November 13th through 22nd. Tickets/info:
www.lcplayers.com.
P.O. Box 1688
Williston, VT 05495
Spring is upon us, but we’re planning for
Christmas—White Christmas!
The Spotlight: A monthly publication of Lyric
Theatre Company. To submit material for
the next issue, email [email protected].
Distribution questions? Call 802/658-1484.
Deadline for May issue: April 28th, 2015
AT YOUR SERVICE--LYRIC THEATRE COMPANY BOARD & STAFF
Marna Bisaccia
[email protected]
238-4896
Christopher Brown
[email protected]
Andrea Cronan
[email protected]
Karyn Dubie
[email protected]
658-6339
Susan Geise
[email protected]
Geri Ann Higgins
[email protected]
Stephen Kendall
[email protected]
Sean Leach
[email protected]
363-4599
Serena Magnan O’Connell [email protected]
233-2516
Brian Meyer
[email protected]
Julianne Nickerson
[email protected]
Donna Riera
[email protected]
922-1946
Nanette Stevens
[email protected]
Doug Viehmann
[email protected]
Margaret Welch
[email protected]
862-2428
Syndi Zook, Exec. Dir.
[email protected]
658-1484
Doris O’Brien, Bookkpr
[email protected]
658-1484
Marcus Certa, Adm/Comm [email protected]
658-1484
Kristina McSalis, Campaign [email protected]
658-1484
Sponsored by:
November 12th-15th, 2015 | Flynn MainStage
Non-profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit No. 333
Burlington, VT
05401
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
MEETING TIMES FOR LYRIC’S STANDING COMMITTEES
Board (Chair: Stephen Kendall): 3rd Tuesday of the month, 6:30
p.m., Lyric temp office, 7 Green Tree Dr., South Burlington
Building (Chair: Doug Viehmann): Monthly, Time TBA,
Location varies
PR/Development (Chair: Geri Ann Higgins): 1st Tuesday of the
month, 6:00 p.m., Lyric Office, 7 Green Tree Dr., South
Burlington
Education (Chair: Andrea Cronan): Meeting details TBA
Finance (Chair: Nanette Stevens): 3rd Tuesday of the month,
5:30 p.m., Lyric Office, 7 Green Tree Dr., South Burlington
Membership (Chair: Serena Magnan O’Connell): 4th Tuesday of
the month, 7 p.m., home of the O’Connell’s, Burlington
Show Selection (Chair: Margaret Welch): Monthly, Time TBA,
Location varies
GIFT IDEA FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS
Is there a musical theater fan in your life? If your answer
is “yes,” then we have the perfect gift idea—tickets to
Lyric’s upcoming season which features White Christmas in
November and Mary Poppins in April. Tickets will go on
sale to Lyric members this summer and to the public in
September. Make the next special occasion extra special
with the gift of live theater.