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Bonnie's Column
I want to be an outrageous old woman,
who never gets called "an old lady."
I want to get leaner and meaner, sharp
edged and earth colored...
'til I fade away from pure joy.
--author unknown
When I opened a letter from a colleague a few days
ago, her business card dropped out and onto my desk. On one side
was her contact information, and on the other was the above saying.
I casually put the card, with the saying facing me, next to my
clock on the desk. Every day, I found myself reading the quote over
and over. It really has spoken to me. I thought it might speak to
you also. Enjoy!
Best in theatre,
Bonnie L. Vorenberg
President, ArtAge Publications
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Adapting theatre to the new "Now"
The Prize was performed outdoors
Photo courtesy of Patrick Cook Expressions
Of course, theatre is meant to be staged in front of a live
audience but these challenging times call for us to be creative and
to adapt. "The show must go on" so Senior Theatre
companies are turning to many different formats and finding success
while having some fun along the way. The goal is to stay involved,
keep actors stimulated, and entertain audience members who long for
entertainment.
Here are some popular adjustments:
Teach
Classes and hold meetings online: Senior Theatres
are holding meetings, rehearsals, and classes online mainly using
Zoom or conference call systems. One company meets twice
weekly--one day is for rehearsal and the other is to socialize, an
important activity during these isolating times. If you
are like some folks who are unsure about online theatre, you will
have a good handle on it after you listen to our recent session, Teaching Senior Theatre Classes Online.
Select a
different script for each meeting. A company
director focuses on one play per session. They use the script to
work on a specific skill like pace, character development, or a
technique that needs to be improved. At the end of the session, the
actors read the play. Since the reading is only in front of the
participants, with no audience, no royalties are required. The
director says, "We've been able to explore so many plays that
the next time we perform live, I know the perfect shows we'll
stage. The production is going to be a huge hit!"
Stream
performances: Many Senior Theatre companies are
performing online using a variety of platforms with Zoom still
being the most popular. What most people say about the experience
is that by going online, you can still perform and as a side
benefit, it's good learning. See the online shows coming soon in
the below list.
Perform for
a smaller audience: A Senior Theatre director at a
retirement community tells us that they can only have a limited
number of audience members in their auditorium. To keep live shows,
they added performance dates so they could accommodate their usual
number of audience members.
Stage
outdoor performances: The Prize by Arthur Keyser was
recently performed outside as a production by The Sauk. The
director said, "The show was a huge success. It was a lot of
work but a lot of fun. My advice would be to make sure the audience
is comfortable...find a good open space. We also staggered call
times and dismissed cast members once they were finished
performing. Attendance was 71% of the available 80 seats per show,
all socially distanced."
What about
royalty and copyright for online performances? Livestream
is a live production but it's done online. Standard copyright and
royalty rules apply. When you decide to perform online, contact us
for a Streaming License. You'll be asked about the platform you are
going to use such as Zoom and when the show will be staged. For
questions, feel free to contact us.
Click here for more
information about Streaming and Online Theatre
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Watch these online shows!
"Made for Each Other" in Production
Watching online performances is the best way to get inspired about
this new way of doing theatre. When you view productions, you learn
acting and directing techniques, become familiar with a variety of
technical methods, and begin to develop a feel for the medium. Try
it! As Kathie West says, "Directing this Zoom stuff is
fun!"
Here are some upcoming performances:
July 31 and August 1
From Age on Stage
®: Comedies for Readers Theatre, Volume 2 watch Where’s Columbus, The Helpmate, and The Private Eye. The
book, with some of our most popular plays, includes 10 ten-minute
shows and is always a Best Seller!
August 11
Made for Each Other
Pauline Stewart, an 80-year-old retired dentist, lives alone. To
insure Pauline’s safety, her daughter and son-in-law have hired
companions for her. She fires every one of them! That is until
Annie Simms appears on the scene. Together the dynamic duo engages
in a variety of escapades as they build a fun, trusting friendship.
The Tech Director transformed his retirement community apartment
into a 'studio' equipping it with a green screen, lighting, and
three cameras. See his handiwork by watching the show.
September 19
Just a Song
at Twilight
After unpacking from her move to a senior apartment, an older woman
goes to the park and meets another tenant. Do they share a past?
Can lost love be recovered?
- The link will be sent at a later date.
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Plays that work well for streaming
We tried to make a list of our plays that work well
for streaming and online theatre but had to stop the process
because so many of our shows are super in this new format.
For streaming, choose small cast plays that focus on character and
plot and don't need a lot to technical elements to be successful.
Since movement is limited online, turn to plays where action can be
done vocally like with Radio Theatre.
If finances are a consideration, understand that our shows are a
good value. We are always aware of our cost-conscious customers so
we keep our prices quite reasonable. That's how we've been able to
help older actors find wonderful scripts for so many years!
Here are some plays that have been streamed lately:
G-O-A-L
11 minute comedy, 1 man, 1 woman
Jay and Amanda are a couple waiting to happen–or are they? An
under-five soccer game seems an odd place to find a companion but
maybe the grandkids are the key.
Gin and Tonic (French and Spanish
versions, too!)
10 minute comedy, 1 man, 1 woman
This laugh-out-loud comedy offers a fresh look at the problems
of senior dating. A ‘never-fail’ show!
Up and Down
10 minute comedy, 1 man, 1 woman
What happens when two people get trapped in an elevator? Find out
in this delightful comedy about anxiety, anger, and connecting. Fun
and very easy to stage!
Still Twenty-Nine
10 minute comedy, 1 man, 1 woman
Life is quiet, simple, and routine for stodgy retiree, Earl, until
Aileen, his fun-loving wife, jostles the norm by joining a
motorcycle club!
Love in 4/4 Time
40 minute play for aging awareness
Two couples, confronted by the reality of Alzheimer’s disease and
dementia, forge ahead into life’s undefined future with humor and
honesty.
Tech Support
15 minute comedy, 2 men and 2 women or 2 either
An older person calls tech support to get their new computer
and printer working. On the other end of the line,
somewhere in Calcutta, India, tech support is
anything but helpful!
Save $5 on
e-scripts until August 12, 2020
Click here to see all of
our NEW plays!
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How to help ArtAge
In these difficult times, we are so grateful for
your continued support of our work. You can help us when you:
- Buy and perform plays
- Sign up for "Who's Who in Senior Theatre"
- Order the book and plays below because the
playwrights are donating their sales to ArtAge:
We so appreciate you!
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Visit our
ever-changing website!
Download
our catalog:
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