Strollers Theatre
  • Home
  • Tickets
  • About
    • Contact
    • History
    • Membership
    • Show History
    • Board of Directors
    • Database
    • History Project
    • Policies
    • MAPC
    • Prop Rental
    • Advertising
    • Show History List
  • Donate
  • Get Involved
  • Auditions
Madison, Wisconsin

The musings of an actor in the role of producer

4/6/2016

1 Comment

 
Picture
​Just over a week ago, we (Strollers Theatre LTD) closed a wonderful production of George Bernard Shaw’s Misalliance. I was the co-producer for this production, and as Vice-president of the board of directors for Strollers Theatre LTD, I was heavily invested in the success of this production, and I mean “success” on many levels. I can confidently say that we succeeded on most of those levels to a very high degree, and even where we fell short of our goals, we did not miss by much.
 
The number one goal I had for this production was to ensure that those involved were getting something from it that has inspired me to put so much of my personal time, money and heart into every production I am involved with; A sense of community.
 
We succeeded in that beyond my wildest expectations.
 
I have had gigs in what is referred to as “Professional Theater”, and almost all of them were fantastic experiences. But my heart belongs to Community Theater, and here, I will attempt to explain why.
 
Many people don’t even like the term “Community Theater”. They say it carries a negative stigma. To them, it somehow diminishes the product, and maybe on the purely commercial/commodity level it does. But theater, in my opinion, should never be confused with a commodity. Yes, we must sell tickets in order to produce it on any level above back yard players, and there is a need to attend to the business side of any theater company (something too often overlooked), but Theater as an art, is not the same thing as theater business. Community Theater can exist in many forms, and inhabits many levels of production quality. From the casual back yard players all the way to Off-Off Broadway productions with relatively large budgets. What is at the heart of it though, and what I can’t ever see myself doing theater without, is “community”. To call it “Non-professional theater”, or “Amateur Theater” literally rips the heart out of it for me. Many “Professional Theaters” have some aspect of community to them, and in my experience, it makes them stronger from a business standpoint and also improves the quality of the art they produce.
 
Theater is a collaborative art. A strong sense of community improves collaboration between the artists involved in creating the art of the theater, and gives everyone ownership of the business of producing and presenting that art to an audience. And yes, the audience can play a very important role in that community as well.
 
The sense of community we built within this production was strong, and will last well past the point where I placed the ghost light on the stage and locked the doors. It is the kind of experience I hope will continue to define what it is to be a part of Strollers Theatre for many years to come.
 
Roughly a quarter century ago, I had my first legitimate role in a small community theater production in Denver, Colorado. The part was non-speaking, and I wore a mask the entire time I was on stage. There was no glamour, no pay, no adoring fans, but I did get my name in the program:  Guard 1 – Matthew Korda
 
It felt more “right” than just about anything I had done in my life. Thus began my career in community theater.
 
It wasn’t until about 2 years later that I got my next on-stage roll, but I was heavily involved with many productions in the interim. I have not gone an entire season without some involvement in theater since that first production, and I plan to keep that up until the day I die… Maybe longer.
 
Next time:
How do we promote this sense of community in our productions, and what do we expect to accomplish?

​- Matthew Korda


1 Comment

Retro-Spectacular

2/21/2016

1 Comment

 
Picture
Not many organizations of any stripe live to see their 60th year, but that's exactly what is in store for Strollers' 2016/2017 season.

​We've decided to celebrate those 60 years by producing four plays in our coming season that were previously staged by Strollers. We've a long list of excellent scripts to consider, and we've had quite a few directors pouring through the Strollers' history as they considered what shows they might wish to take on.

​We're in the final stage of planning for next season. We're sorry we can't share the names of the plays and the directors selected for them just yet. There's still some backstage work to be done on the season - coordinating all of the dates and the play selection with the Bartell Theatre and with the other "participating theatre companies" (PTC's) of the Bartell, for instance. Also getting contracts for the rights for the selected plays.

​So it will be a little while yet till we can share the news. But this much we can share:

​The Strollers 2016/17 season will be "retro-spectacular" (a new word coined by our own Matt Korda, but pretty self-explanatory). You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll be entertained.

​But most of all, we hope you CELEBRATE with us this achievement - a milestone accomplished through the generous efforts of hundreds and hundreds of talented volunteers over an awesome sixty years.

​Meanwhile, here's photo of a show from our 2016 season (Hair). Spoiler Alert: We're not doing Hair next year. We just like this photo, and it certainly expresses the exuberance we're feeling about our future.

​We hope to see you at our current production, MISALLIANCE, opening March 4.

​And we thank you for sixty years of support.

1 Comment

All in the Timing - 2003

9/17/2015

2 Comments

 
Picture
In 2003, Strollers put up All In The Timing, a play that the program described thusly: "It's about romance.  It's about Trotsky with an axe in his head.  It's about monkeys writing Hamlet... and Philip Glass buys a loaf of bread."

Contributed by Lucas Sevedge

2 Comments

Equus - 1986

9/10/2015

1 Comment

 
Picture
In 1986, twenty-one years before Daniel Radcliffe made waves by performing in the risqué play on the heels of his Harry Potter stardom, Strollers put up a production of Equus at Madison Christian Community. 

Can you identify the actor pictured here, in his role as Alan Strang?


1 Comment

Strollers Throwback Thursday, cont. (1973)

9/4/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
TBT! June 1973 - The day before "Any Number Can Die" opened at Madison Christian Community, principal actor Mark Buxbaum contracted appendicitis. With less than 24 hours before opening night, Ron Paska, the director, stepped in to fill the role for the first weekend of performances. How's that for "the show must go on"?

This is the 2nd of a new series of "Strollers Throwback Thursday" posts - featuring various productions from the last 59 years. Feel free to comment on these posts, especially if you were involved, attended them, or if you can identify the actors!

Contributed by Scott Bennett
0 Comments

The Curious Savage, 1963

8/20/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
When Strollers opened The Curious Savage in February, 1963, the following text appeared in its program:

'As we watch ourselves being played this day on the stage - - let us introspect into our position in the action.  In seeing self, project knowledge into the world, Nature, the Cosmos.  There we shall also meet Wisdom, i.e. which has "charged the world".'

This is the first of a new series of posts which we call "Strollers Throwback Thursday" - featuring various productions from the last 59 years. Feel free to comment on these posts, especially if you were involved, or attended them or if you can identify the actors

Contributed by Lucas Sevedge

0 Comments

Strollers Archive Day

8/18/2015

0 Comments

 
For 2 Saturdays a month since May, Lucas Sevedge has led the charge on our Archive Project.  

What is the archive project?  Well, over a dozen bins of photos, newspaper articles, programs, and production drawings from Strollers shows dating as far back as the early 60’s are being scanned.  This project will likely take 2 to 3 years to complete, however, at the end we will have our history digitally stored and be able to share it with everyone!

Have you done a production with Strollers?  Would you like to take a walk down memory lane?  All of this will be possible thanks to Lucas and the volunteers who donate their Saturday afternoons to the Archive Project.

Anyone is welcome to participate and you can see what dates and at what location we will be archiving by going to the Volunteer Spot  website or by contacting Lucas Sevedge at lsevedge@gmail.com

Come be a part of Strollers history!


Contributed by Erin Baal

0 Comments

    Authors

    Blog postings are contributed by several (hopefully literate) members of the Strollers team. 

    Archives

    June 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015

    Categories

    All
    Awards
    History
    Strollers Recommends

    RSS Feed

Strollers Theatre
1958-2023

Madison, Wisconsin