Co-Op Updates – April 2007

Members: Clarinda Ross, who is National Councillor at Actors Equity, offers a guide to the perplexed. By now, you should have received your AEA ballot for the upcoming national elections. Clarinda offers what she stresses is a highly personal recommendation on some candidates to vote for based on the following considerations: all the following are working actors, show up at meetings, and, from Clarinda’s point of view, contribute to “discussions with insight” and are “fair and decent people.” She recommends presidential candidate Mark Zimmerman, and first vice presidential candidate Paige Price. For the Eastern Region in the five year category, she recommends Ira Denmark, Margot Moreland, Paul Ames, and Christine Toy Johnson. She recommends Bob Knapp in the four year category, Jeff Bateman in the Chorus five year category,, Craig A. Meyer in the Chorus 3 year category, and Jess W. Speaker and Lisa J. Snodgrass in the Stage Manager five year category,. In the Central Region she recommends David Girolmo. In the Western Region she recommends Kate Burton, Joe Ruskin, Jennie Ford, Paul Ainsley and Barbara Roberts in the five year slot and Cynthia Marty and Jane A. Johnston in the three year category. In the Chorus category she recommends Michael Dotson.

Summer is the time for internships; if you know a student who might be interested in either of the following positions, pass it on. Both of these internships are sponsored by the LA County Board of Supervisors.

The Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival is looking for a summer intern. Her or his primary job will be to take charge of the performer submissions process for the Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival 2008 and to provide daily operational support across the spectrum of administration including general administration, educational programming, development, marketing, and graphic design support. The same kind of office skills are required as in the PRT internship- and basic bookkeeping skills and graphic design skills are highly desirable. For more information on LAWTF, applicants can visit www.lawtf.com ; for more information on this position, applicants can call 818 760 0408. Cover letters and resumes may be sent to Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival, 11411 Cumpston Street #204, North Hollywood, CA 91601 or e mailed to lawtfspotlight@yahoo.com . Submissions should be in by May 10th.

April 16th, 2007

There were no items for the tree this week. I’m going to take this opportunity, therefore, to clarify policy on the deadline for the tree.

The deadline is on Sunday afternoon at 3PM. Sometimes items come in after the deadline. If I haven’t already put the tree together, I may include these. Otherwise, anything that comes in after the official deadline will appear in the next week’s tree.

It’s true that sometimes I put out an addendum to a tree to rectify mistakes I’ve made, but an addendum is not a second tree with a second deadline. (That’s why addenda often begin with “Whoops.”)

To repeat, the deadline for the tree is Sunday afternoon at 3PM.

April 2nd, 2007

Co-op: Proof, playing in the co-op, will have three more performances. It will skip next weekend and then play Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, April 13th, 14th and 15th. Friday and Saturday’s performance will be at 8PM and Sunday’s will be at 7PM. The number for reservations is 323 460 2508.

Tom McDermott is casting Simpatico by Sam Shepherd. He has put in for the rights and hopes to secure the May 31st to June 17th co-op slot. He ‘s holding casting sessions from 11AM to 3PM on Friday, April 6th, and Saturday, April 7th in 707 . He is casting the following roles.Carter, a one time con man, 40-50. He is now a respected member of the horse racing community but is still paying for his past. Outwardly self assured and successful, inwardly he is threatened and fragile. Vinnie, Carter’s ex partner, who is also 40-50, and is seeking “redemption for the past, revenge and something good and innocent.” Simms, Carter and Vinnie’s victim, 60-70. “He hides and waits. But a realist, survivor” Cecilia, a female 30-35 who “loves to imagine herself in other roles till they get too real” Kelly, a maid and housekeeper to Carter and his girlfriend. She is 20-30 and “holds keys that she can use when she wants to.” (The part of Rosie is cast.) Tom directed Inadmissable Evidence, The Workroom and Pygmalion in the co-op. Harold Pinter’s Betrayal, also a co-op production of his, went on to have a mainstage run. Tom says that scripts for Simpatico will be left on the PRT piano to be read in the lobby. If you want to take Simpatico home, it can be copied at the Staples on Lincoln Boulevard where Tom will leave a copy. When you’ve read it you can call him for an audition appointment. His voice mail is 818 445 1810

The co-op committee will host a training session for laisons on Saturday, April 14th, from 10 to 11AM. Matt Solari, the co-op committee chair says, “We are looking for more people to contribute once a year to serve as a laison for a co-op production. It’s not a big time commitment and it is an integral part of the process. Even if you aren’t sure when you can actually commit to being a laison, we want you at the training session.” Matt pledges it won’t last more than an hour and he asks “anyone even remotely interested’ to contact him at 323 691 9268 or at matt@matthewsolari.com .

Members: Terry Davis works with a group called Valley Leadership Institute. They’ve been helping Nidorf Juvenile Hall in Sylmar with educational, personal growth and rehabilitation programs. Terry says “the powers that be at PRT” are letting her “put up a box in 703” for donations for Nidorf. For those of you who wish to contribute what follows is a partial wish list. They can use board games, video and nteractive games; art materials and drawing supplies; indoor recreation equipment (basketballs, ping pong equipment, air hockey, etc.), and books and magazines. When Terry ran a notice on our list serve, PRT Members, she got a strong response and she thanks those who responded; she says that she will contact all the people who told her they would like to voluntee in two weeks.

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