FANS NEWSLETTER- Winter/Spring ‘08
A note from the FANS President:
Hello everyone! We are so excited to share with you what is new for FANS and the Cal Poly Theatre and Dance Department. A new board has taken over FANS and we are all proud to be enriching the Cal Poly Theatre and Dance Department through our work with students. Our annual event is coming up on April 26th, where we will be awarding two scholarships, and the Theatre Departments production of The Heidi Chronicles begins this week. Please enjoy our newsletter and we hope to see you all at our annual event!
Sincerely,
Amanda Sitko
FANS President
FANS Annual Event on April 26th:
The annual FANS event is coming up on April 26th! FANS will be hosting a reception in the Spanos Theatre, where we will be recognizing the graduating seniors and awarding two scholarships. This event celebrates the Cal Poly Theatre and Dance Department and brings together current students with alumni. We believe in giving students the opportunity to meet alumni and begin to build relationships while still at Cal Poly.
Please join us for an evening of food, wine and friends. Tickets to the event are $15 and all proceeds go towards FANS so that we can continue to provide workshops, scholarships and enrich the student’s experience at Cal Poly. For information on applying for our scholarships, please contact Josh Machamer at jmachame@calpoly.edu.
Saturday, April 26th
The Spanos Theatre, Cal Poly
5:00pm – 7:00pm
$15.00
Cal Poly to Stage Pulitzer Prize-Winning ‘Heidi Chronicles’:
Cal Poly’s Theatre and Dance Department will stage six performances of the 1989 Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy “The Heidi Chronicles” Thursday through Saturday Feb. 28 to March 1, and March 6 to 8 in the Spanos Theatre on campus. All shows will begin at 8 p.m.
Hailed as a landmark “history of a generation,” Wendy Wasserstein’s most famous play, “The Heidi Chronicles,” depicts 25 years in the life of baby-boomer art historian Heidi Holland. It examines her relationships, career and ongoing quest for self-discovery. Insightful and witty, the play chronicles Holland’s often bittersweet journey to “have it all.”
Pamela Malkin, associate chair of Cal Poly’s Theatre and Dance Department, directs the production. She has previously directed “Proof,” “The Beauty Queen of Leenane” and “Guys and Dolls.” Tim Dugan, chair of the Theatre and Dance Department, has designed the scenery for the large, episodic production. Senior theatre arts major Lowell Olcott are serving as lighting and multimedia designer. Kathy Dugan is costume designer.
Kerry DiMaggio, a senior theatre arts major, Heidi. Senior theatre arts student Duncan Calladine portrays Scoop Rosenbaum, with whom Holland had a tumultuous emotional relationship. Zachary Johnson plays Peter Patrone, Holland’s gay best friend. Theatre arts major Lindsey Geibel is cast as Susan, Heidi’s lifelong friend. Theatre arts majors Sarah Butler, Melanie Marshall and Christina Venezia as well as engineering major Matthew Hranek, play multiple roles.
Tickets are on sale at the Performing Arts Ticket Office from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. To order by phone, call SLO- ARTS (756-2787). For more information, contact Malkin at 756-6071.
Traveling to London by Duncan Calladine:
This past summer, some students from the Cal Poly Theatre Department had to opportunity to study in London. Here is Duncan Calladine’s recap of his trip!
“I spent the summer of 2008 in London, involved in a highly active and intellectually stimulating program provided by Cal Poly State University. Throughout the summer, besides learning the history of the United Kingdom, our classes focused mostly on the art of dramatic and musical theatre. Over the course of six weeks I was able to view over fifteen professional productions, provided by the program. And was able to view five other productions with friends outside the class curriculum. Because of the program I was able to see a variety of different shows ranging from independent low budget shows, several shows in the Globe, musicals in piccadilly circus, and productions at the National Theatre. The teachers were all very welcoming and entertaining, and the food really was not too shabby. I was able to meet people from all over the country and even met a fair amount of people from Cal Poly. After the six weeks were up I was able to travel around Europe for a month and enjoy the sights for the rest of the summer. If anyone was considering taking this trip, I would highly recommend it.”
Jeffrey Azevado, Duncan Calladine and Elaine Schrieber
Theater in New York - Going to the big city after graduating from Cal Poly by Mark Sitko
I graduated from Cal Poly with a Theater Arts degree in December of 2000. After spending 5 years in Los Angeles I moved to New York last October with hopes of finding something I did not find in LA - young talented theatre artists doing interesting work.
The good news is that I found what I was looking for - in great numbers actually, but the bad news is that being able to do
artistically challenging work comes at a great price. I write this article to pass along some insights to both the students of the Cal Poly Theatre Arts program, as well as their parents. I know that what I have to say may be discouraging to those of you who have dreams of making it big in NYC, but I think it is extremely valuable for you to know what you are getting yourself into before making a decision to move across the country.
Now I am going to be talking specifically about artistic theatre - not commercial theatre. If you are interested in being in a Disney musical on Broadway or doing regional work with plays that were written at least ten years ago you do not need to listen to this at all. The paths to that type of work are much like other industries - just work your way up from the bottom and wish for a whole lot of luck. But to be working on the new American theatre - with the cutting edge writers/directors that define the modern theatrical voice - you have to find your own way, and it is often financially treacherous.
First - you will not make a living acting/directing/writing in New York. There is a decent chance that you can sell your
technical/design skills to get by, but that is difficult if they are not extremely sharp. I do not mean to imply that no one here is
making a decent wage by doing their craft - my point is that it is very rare and should not be expected. I have worked on several shows since I have arrived here and every single member of the cast and crew for those productions has had a day job. This is the reality. Sometimes it is a theatre administration position, but usually it is a regular corporate 9 to 5. My suggestion is coming to New York with the mindset that you will have to earn a living outside of the arts for the rest of your life, and that your commitment and passion for the stage has to be enough to keep you active in this community in spite of the need for a day job.
Second - the best way to get into the scene here is to get involved in anyway possible. I know that almost all college students have an ideal job in mind. Maybe it is acting in a company, or becoming an artistic director of your own theatre, but these end points rarely offer a clear path to follow while pursuing them. What I have found is that this lack of instructions causes many young artists to become stagnant as they wait for their "big break". We must all realize that we can't go to the end right away,
that we have no idea how we are going to get to where we are headed, and that our best shot is to open ourselves up to any and all opportunities available.
I am here in New york to write and direct. My first gig was building bird puppets for an experimental piece that was being put up in someone's apartment. Form there I landed a Stage Managing gig with 13P (a production company that fosters new works by 13 downtown playwrights - including Sarah Ruhl and Young Jean Lee). And that lead me to another Stage Managing gig for an eclectic performing arts showcase called Catch. Now I am the technical director for Soho Rep. I am still not doing what I set out to, but in my random project ramblings I have met many people that I know will be the guiding force in achieving my goals.
Third - you will have shelter and food. There is a small community of Cal Poly Theatre Department Alumni that I have come to know here in the city - and none of them are homeless or starving. You can make a life for yourself here, and many people who come from the exact same situation you are in are doing just that. The key is acknowledging how difficult it is just to get by in a city this size, and that the success stories will be reserved for those who are able to build a functional life and still have the energy to pursue their dreams.
Like I said to begin with, my intention is not to discourage you from making a go of it out here in the theatre heartland. Moving to New York has been the greatest decision I have ever made other than going to Cal Poly to get my undergraduate degree. I only want to kill all your illusions about this place. It is hard work, and it takes more dedication and drive that I ever imagined. But I have seen some of the best shows in my life here - plays that rival the strongest theatre I have seen in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Edinburgh and London - and it's being done by people in their 20's. I will be directing my first full production this year (my third year in NY) and the script I am writing with two other Cal Poly Alumni will have it's first reading in May. It is all possible, but the price of admission to this dream is high...and long lasting.
If you have any questions about coming to New York to chase your theatre goals feel free to contact me at anytime.
Mark Sitko
FANS Vice President
Coming up this Spring, Animal Farm:
Adapted from George Orwell’s original story, Animal Farm presents an allegorical tale of revolution: the overthrow of Farmer Jones by the animals. FOUR LEGS GOOD. TWO LEGS BAD. What starts as utopian idealism quickly turns into a chaotic and chilling power grab of totalitarian proportion. The tyranny of the human farmer ultimately is replaced by the ruthlessness of pigs. In the end, the new “Animal Farm” starts to look eerily familiar. All animals are equal… but some are more equal than others…
Performances are set for May 15-18 and May 21-22. Tickets are $10 to $12 and are on sale at the Performing Arts Ticket Office from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. To order by phone, call SLO- ARTS (756-2787). For more information about the play or Cal Poly’s Theatre and Dance Department, contact Machamer at (805) 756-5560 or jmachame@calpoly.edu.
Become a member of FANS:
Interested in Becoming a Member?
FANS has a membership level that fits your needs
|
Per Year* |
Lifetime** |
FANS + CPAA*** (per year) |
Joint |
$40 |
$200 |
$100 |
Individual |
$25 |
$125 |
$55 |
Student |
$10 |
$50**** |
N/A |
Visit here to download a membership form.
Make check payable to FANS, and mail it, with form to:
FANS
P.O. Box 3853
San Luis Obispo, CA 93403-3853
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