What pays for a theater?

Not to put too fine a point on it, you do.

Primarily through ticket and subscription purchases, it's the individual patrons who keep a theater alive. The best "fundraising" program in the world is no substitute for loyal ticket buyers who come year after year, and bring their friends and their families.

But as the trope from every fund appeal you've ever gotten says "your ticket purchase does not cover the full cost of our programs."

If they did, every theater would have "downtown" prices, not just for the best orchestra seats, but also for those seats up in the corner of the balcony. The half price tickets for kids, and the subsidized ones for low income and special populations would be a distant memory.

To support these seats, and to keep other prices down, we rely on a long list of sponsors. These include the individual patrons who give us gifts from $10 on up to ones with lots and lots of zeros (wow, thank you!), the retailers and restaurants that help with promotional sponsors and patron discounts, the foundations who support the arts, and our corporate sponsors, who offer cash support in exchange for promotion.

With the new season just weeks from Opening Night, we want to take a moment to thank our sponsors, and to urge you to patronize these businesses first when making your purchasing decisions! A complete list of our sponsors and Dining Partners is on our website. You'll also find them all listed in the program booklet for every show.

Next time you're at one of these wonderful businesses, tell them thank you!

In Rehearsal with Light Opera Works:Q&A with Maggie Portman

Hello once again Blog Buddies! Kyle here again. Last week we gave you a peek at Rob Hunt who is playing Tommy in our upcoming production of Brigadoon. During this week of rehearsals, I have an interview with the funny, and extremely talented actor,singer, and dancer Maggie Portman who is playing Meg! Once we get to the interview you can tell why she was cast so brilliantly as the comic relief of Brigadoon!

Full given name: Maggie Anne Portman

Hometown: Marietta, Georgia

Special skills: I’m a mean roller skater and a great multi tasker!

Skill/talent you wish you had or were better at: Computer skills! I’m like a grandma on those things!

First musical you ever saw: Cinderella was first one I ever saw I was 6 and it was a Cobb County Choral Youth production of it. Stellar!

Current Chicago show you have been recommending to friends: Rodgers and Hammerstein Revue at the No Exit Café with Theo Ubique

Three favorite musicals: Sweet Charity, Hair, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (cheesy I know but come on that show is fun!)

Favorite showtune of all time: "Oom Pah Pah!" from Oliver or "Master of the House" from Les Misérables. I love a great drinkin' song and a dance number full of bar wenches! Ha ha ha!

The one live performance that you will never forget: Seeing Les Misérables with that revolving stage and that huge barricade! Oh and the voices and the show were so emotional, I cried my eyes out! Breathtaking!

What has been your most embarrassing moment on stage? Hello Dolly National Tour, I’m wearing a big pink strawberry shortcake poofy dress and it’s the courtroom scene. Suddenly, and most embarrassing, I need to go to the bathroom so bad I didn't know what to do. I had to try to sneak offstage without being noticed in the middle of a very quiet moment in a big pink poofy dress and bright red wig! and then I had to explain it to our company manager and stage manager and the cast after the show. Aaaaaaahhh!

Most played song on your iPod: Fiona Apple Extraordinary machine “I had to break the window”

Last book you read: Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

Last good movie you saw: 9-5 on rerun TV the other night was most recent! That copy machine scene is my life!

Must-see TV show: Americas Next Top Model

Three greatest TV shows of all time: all time ? really? Uh……. Cosby Show, Golden Girls, Lost

Performer you would drop everything to go see: Patti Lupone

Tell me the story of your First stage kiss: EW! He slipped me the tongue. It was the biggest soap opera drama moment ever! I had all the kids talking about it in our theatre company. I was dating a guy in the cast and I guess this other guy kinda had a crush and decided to take his moment. Unfortunately it was my first stage kiss so I was traumatized for quite a while after that. Took me years to build up trust again. He licked almost my whole face poor guy. He recently contacted me on facebook to apologize for that kiss that happened 20 years ago, literally!! Couldn’t believe he was still thinking about it!

Favorite or most memorable onstage role as a child/teenager: Dorothy in The Wiz

Worst job you ever had: Street surveying. People actually punched me. I have never felt so low in my life. I got screamed at, pushed, punched, and shunned. I don’t envy those people with the clipboards in the street! I called my temp agent and quit on the job!!

Who would play you in the movie? If she was younger than me I’d say Sissy Spacek, now it would probably be Natalie Portman just to piss me off. She stole my last name, it’s a silly petty thing but I’ve never liked her because of that and with my luck that’s what would happen. The universe is a comedian!

Three things you can't live without: Pepsi, Chocolate, my kitty cat Akasha Lily. Just try to take one of these my pretty….just try!

Finish this sentence: "I'll never understand why…" people walk around so unaware of their personal space and surroundings. I’m always shouting like a crazy bag lady about how everyone should be required to take drama classes to learn how to get around without bumping into people or how to weave through people to move through streets faster. And don’t just stop suddenly in the middle of the sidewalk! Look around you. Patience is not one of my virtues!

For tickets for Brigadoon go to www.lightoperaworks.com.

In Rehearsal with Light Opera Works: Q&A with Rob Hunt

Hello Blog Buddies! Kyle here, Production Associate here at Light Opera Works. I'll be interviewing our performers all season throughout each rehearsal period and give you a peek into who the performers are!
This first week of Brigadoon rehearsals, we have Rob Hunt who is playing Tommy Albright in our June production. Rob, who is right off the national tour of South Pacific, sent me a lot of great stuff about his interests and background. Here are the highlights:

Hometown: Ogden, Utah. Spent 13 years in New York City. But I now consider Chicago my hometown.

Current audition song:“If I Can’t Love Her” from Beauty and the Beast and “Wake Up and Dream” by Cole Porter.

Special skills: I play the piano (thanks Mom!), I do basic juggling and I can eat fire! It’s amazing what skills you have to learn in this business.

First musical you ever saw: Oklahoma! It was a production being “put on” by my church when I was a kid. I was amazed sitting there watching the dream ballet and seeing Jud killed right before me on stage. I knew that night this was what I wanted to do.

Current Chicago show you have been recommending to friends: My favorite Chicago theatre experience over and over again is Barrel of Monkeys! If you haven’t seen them, then you must! (NB/Kyle-- what about Light Opera Works! Helloooo)

Three favorite musicals: Les Miserables, Sweeney Todd and Spring Awakening

Favorite showtune of all time: “Move On” from Sunday in the Park With George

What has been your most embarrassing moment on stage? I did an Off-Broadway show several years ago called Boobs! The Musical. In the opening number I wore jazz shoes, a purple sparkly vest (no shirt) and purple stretch velvet bell-bottomed pants. During one scene in the show I played a mad scientist who created a Bride of Frankenstein who had singing breasts. Also, at two different points in the show I was in drag, chest hair and all. I don’t remember any specifically embarrassing moment but I’m sure it must have come during my run in this show.

MAC or PC? MAC all the way.

Most played song on your iPod: OK….I think my iPod is a liar. It says my most played song is “Viva la Vida” by Coldplay. I do admit to going through a phase when I loved this song and played it often, but I don’t think it’s my most played song. I would guess it’s probably “French Café” by Marc Broussard.

Last book you read: The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett.

Must-see TV show: Right now it’s “Parks and Recreation”. I really never miss an episode and I fill up my DVR with back episodes so I can re-watch them – which I often do.

Three greatest TV shows of all time: I would answer this question but I’m afraid it would really date me. Next! (NB/Kyle-- we'll just tell everyone you found it on Netflix.)

Performer you would drop everything to go see: Marc Broussard. I discovered his music several years ago. I’ve seen him in concert three times (and I don’t go to a lot of concerts so three is a lot for me). I love his voice and his song writing.

Worst job you ever had: I take the 5^th to protect the innocent.

Who would play you in the movie? I’m told it would be Timothy Olyphant. But, he’d have to gain at least 30 pounds.

Tell me the story of your First stage kiss: Oh boy! My high school did a production of a holocaust play called I Remember Mama. I was a sophomore and the girl I was playing opposite was a senior. Not only was this my first stage kiss it was also my first real kiss beyond the kissing games played at recess. I remember not being able to sleep the night before we were to rehearse the scene with the kiss. I was so nervous. Where do the noses go? Are there secrets about kissing I couldn’t figure out? Would she (my co-star) be able to tell it was my first kiss ever? The next day I was a wreck, but I kept my calm on the outside, did the kiss, no one knew what had just happened, and rehearsal went on without a stop. Easy!

Three things you can't live without:My dog, My computer, Pretzel M&Ms.

Finish this sentence: "I'll never understand why…" hate and fear seem to win so often.

See ya next week for another Q and A with the actress playing Meg, the wonderful Maggie Portman!

All Jerry Herman, all the time

It seems to be Jerry Herman week! Our own Hello, Dolly! of course, opens on Boxing Day (that's December 26) but you can learn more about this wonderful composer and lyricist in the comfort of your home, with two television specials.

First, on Christmas Day at 5 p.m., see Words and Music by Jerry Herman (link opens with music) on WTTW Channel 11. This new documentary by award-winning filmmaker Amber Edwards takes you backstage through insightful on-camera interviews, behind-the-scenes rehearsal sessions, rare photographs, and never-before-seen archival footage of original Broadway performances.

Next, watch the award ceremony for the Kennedy Center Honors on CBS at 8 p.m. (CT) on Tuesday December 28 (unless of course, you’re watching Hello, Dolly! at Light Opera Works!) when Mr. Herman will be honored along with Merle Haggard, Paul McCartney, Oprah, and Bill T. Jones.

Read about Mr. Herman's road to the musical theater stratosphere in Mike Kotze's terrific article (scroll down to "More about the show") about this composer of Mack and Mabel, Mame, and La Cage aux Folles.

Wordless Wednesday

Hats from Hello, Dolly!

Meet Reeny

Our fall 2010 intern is Reeny Hofrichter, master of accents, deviser of stories, and savior of the unavoidable busy work of a theatrical office (stored in the file we call “Intern Exploitation”.)

Reeny’s an actor (hence the accents, and trust me, she really can do pretty much any accent you throw at her), but likes just “being in the theater world.” Her ambition is on stage, but while she works towards that she says she “wants to do something artistic with my time. It’s so great to be in Chicago for theater, and there’s so much to do here. I want to learn all the different parts that make a theater work.”

We were all impressed with Reeny’s very comprehensive resume (listen up, job seekers, this woman knows how to write a resume that makes you sit up and read), full of intriguing insights like her ability to do accents, and a stint as a “story deviser,” which involves um,

What does it involve, again?

“It’s an aspect of ‘physical theater’,” says Reeny. “Theater involves language, emotion, and movement. Story devising is coming up with ways to move in a theatrical idiom—coming up with ensemble ideas and then getting the story across through movement.”

Still in the wings as an actor, Reeny regrettably does not know any famous people whom we could stalk, um, that is we mean, whose autograph she could get for us, but “My cousin’s ex-roommate dated Megan from Rock of Love just before she started dating Brett Michaels.” (If that means anything to you, you watch too much reality tv.)

She can also wiggle her ears.

She sings, she writes, what *can't* she do?

Turns out our "Yeomen" star Alicia Berneche is quite a poet as well. Alicia was a winner of the City of Evanston's recent poetry competition. Original poems by five Evanston residents were installed in concrete on the sidewalk ramp in front of the Evanston Public Library in downtown Evanston.

Alicia played leading lady Elsie in last June's The Yeomen of the Guard, Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance in 2009, as well as Marian in The Music Man and Phyllis in Iolanthe, both in 2008.

Here's Alicia's poem "The Poetic Foot"

Your feet scan these words
And feel the vibration of meaning
through their soles.
Poetry is motion
And the rhythm of bodies
That pound their stories
Into the earth.

You can see the inscription of her words at the Evanston Public Library at Church and Orrington in downtown Evanston