Albany Civic Theater – Albany, OR

Albany Civic Theater - Albany, OR

now in our 72nd season

2022-2023 Season

The Savannah Sipping Society

by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten

Directed by: Scott Harvey

Auditions: July 10, 11, 12, 2023

Performances: Sep. 15, 16, 17(m), 22, 23, 24(m), 28, 29, 30, 2023

In this delightful, laugh-a-minute comedy, four unique Southern women, all needing to escape the sameness of their day-to-day routines, are drawn together by Fate—and an impromptu happy hour—and decide it’s high time to reclaim the enthusiasm for life they’ve lost through the years. Randa, a perfectionist and workaholic, is struggling to cope with a surprise career derailment that, unfortunately, reveals that she has no life and no idea how to get one. Dot, still reeling from her husband’s recent demise and the loss of their plans for an idyllic retirement, faces the unsettling prospect of starting a new life from scratch—and all alone. Earthy and boisterous Marlafaye, a good ol’ Texas gal, has blasted into Savannah in the wake of losing her tom-cattin’ husband to a twenty-three-year-old dental hygienist. The strength of her desire to establish a new life is equaled only by her desire to wreak a righteous revenge on her ex. Also new to town, Jinx, a spunky ball of fire, offers her services as a much-needed life coach for these women. However, blinded by her determination and efforts to get their lives on track, she over-looks the fact that she’s the one most in need of sage advice. Over the course of six months, filled with laughter, hilarious misadventures, and the occasional liquid refreshment, these middle-aged women successfully bond and find the confidence to jumpstart their new lives. Together, they discover lasting friendships and a renewed determination to live in the moment—and most importantly, realize it’s never too late to make new old friends. So raise your glass to these strong Southern women and their fierce embrace of life and say “Cheers!” to this joyful and surprisingly touching Jones, Hope, Wooten comedy!

Director

Scott Harvey got started with ACT in 2001 and made his directorial debut at ACT with The Trouble With Cats. He has since then directed No Body Like Jimmy. He has been involved in almost every aspect of the theater productions, from assistant director (Singin’ in the RainWaiting for Godot) to acting (Peter Pan, The Secret Garden, It’s a Wonderful Life, Man of La Mancha, Looking for Normal) to behind the scene duties (Treasure Island, The Game’s Afoot, The Mousetrap).

Director’s email: pengserv1@yahoo.com

Cast of Characters

Randa Covington: age 49
Dot Haigler: age 69
Marlafaye Mosley: age 57
Jinx Jenkins: age 53

Disney's My Son Pinocchio Jr. - ACT Summer Camp (Special Event)

Book by Jennifer Lee
Music & Lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez

Directed by: Rebecca Douglas

Audition Dates: Jun. 26, 27, 28 (callbacks), 2023

Camp Dates: Jul. 31 – 18, 2023

Performances: August 18, 19(m), 19, 25, 26(m), 26, 2023

In Disney’s My Son Pinocchio Jr., the classic tale of toymaker Geppetto’s little wooden puppet is given new life. This new musical, which retells the classic Disney story from Geppetto’s perspective, features the beloved classic songs, “When You Wish Upon a Star” and “I’ve Got No Strings,” alongside a host of new songs by Oscar winner and Grammy Award winner, Stephen Schwartz. Join the Blue Fairy, Stromboli and a lively cast of characters as Geppetto journeys beyond the toyshop to discover the meaning of family. When the Blue Fairy grants Geppetto’s wish to bring his beloved puppet to life, the new father quickly learns that being a parent is full of challenges. He struggles to make his son “the perfect boy,” only to lose him to a gang of Roustabouts. It is only when faced with the thought of never seeing Pinocchio again that Geppetto truly learns the joys of being a father and loving his child unconditionally.

Director

Rebecca Douglas has been involved in community theater for thirty years! Some of her local credits include: ACT’s All Together Now!, Annie as Grace Ferrell, Big Fish as Josephine, Shrek as the Witch, Avenue Q as Lucy and Mrs. T., Thoroughly Modern Millie as Alice, Meet Me in St. Louis as Anna Smith, The Music Man as Eulalie Shinn, and Hello, Dolly! as Ernestina Money.  She also directed Seussical Jr., Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka Jr., The Wizard of Oz, Once on This Island Jr. and At First Sight, co-directed MatildaThe Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and served as vocal director for The Wizard of Oz, Man of La Mancha, Meet Me in St. Louis, and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, as assistant director for Treasure Island and Excalibur! The Story of Young King Arthur and as administrative director/stage manager for Shakespeare for Kids. She also performed in On the Verge and Annie Get Your Gun at CCT, An Adult Evening of Shel Silverstein with Pipe Dream Theatre, Majestic Eight and The Little Mermaid with the Majestic Theatre.  She has also directed a number of shows for CCT and Majestic Education. She is the General Music Teacher at Albany Christian School. She is also the Music Director for the Adventures in Acting Camp at the Majestic Theatre.

Director’s email: rbbailey@hotmail.com

Cast of Characters

ANIMALS

Animals (Pig, Foxes, Horse) serve as voices of reason for Geppetto’s journey. Performers cast in these roles do not have to sing; however, comic timing and deadpan delivery are essential. These performers should be comfortable inhabiting the mismatched animals they portray.

BERNARDO & MARIA

Bernardo & Maria are married residents of Idyllia who are looking to purchase a “perfect” daughter from Professore Buonragazzo. These roles require group singing only. These performers can become part of the ensemble in other group numbers.

THE BLUE FAIRY

The Blue Fairy is convinced of her own perfection and does not like having it called into question. The performer you cast should have good comedic instincts and a solid singing voice. This role does not require excessive dancing.
Range: G3 – E5

BOY 1

Boy 1 is one of three spokespeople for a group of traveling singers. They are larger than life as they spread joy throughout Rainbow Valley with their songs.Boy 1 is the first replacement for Pinocchio, created by Professore Buonragazzo’s machine. Find an actor who can mimic a comedic version of the famous puppet.
Range: C3 – C4

BOY 2

Boy 2 is the second replacement for Pinocchio. He should be even more wooden than Boy 1.
Range: C3 – C4

CHILDREN OF IDYLLIA

Children of Idyllia (Amelia, Salvatore, Carla, Lucia, Giuseppe, Boy 1, Boy 2) are the perfect children created by Professore Buonragazzo. Performers cast in these roles should be able to sing in groups, with featured speaking lines. There are great opportunities for movement and dance.

DELINQUENTS

Delinquents (Malvolio, Brutto, Sporco, others) can expand to include more performers and are great roles for non-singers. Also, they must be comfortable turning into donkeys.

GEPPETTO

Geppetto A Sharecropper who bids his time until he can go away to college. He has a quiet strength.Geppetto is a lonely toymaker who longs to be a father. Look for a mature performer who feels comfortable playing a parent to Pinocchio and isn’t afraid of showing emotion. Cast a strong singer, as Geppetto has several solos.
Range: Bb3 – F5

JUNIOR

Junior is Professore Buonragazzo’s mirrorimage assistant, created using the child-making machine. The performer in this role will need to work closely with the performer playing the Professor to mimic his movements. A short solo is required, but it can be spoken if necessary.
Range: Bb3 – C#5

MARIONETTES

Marionettes are the stringed puppets in Stromboli’s show. There are solos available for marionettes, if you choose to separate their voices from Stromboli. Marionettes can be added as need to the ensemble.
Range: Bb3 – E5

PINOCCHIO

Pinocchio is a wooden puppet who doesn’t know where he belongs. Look for a performer who can handle the lively personality of a little boy while also capturing tender moments. Although Pinocchio is a boy, the role can be played by a boy or girl. Pinocchio has a few solos, but a strong character actor can easily act through them.
Range: G3 – E5

PROFESSORE BUONGRAZZO

Professore Buongrazzo is a passionate, mad scientist obsessed with building perfect children. While some solos are required, character work is most important for this role.
Range: Bb3 – C#4

THE RINGLEADER

The Ringleader runs Pleasure Island. The performer playing this role should have a real sense of showmanship. This role requires some singing and is a great opportunity to showcase a dancer. The Ringleader can be played by a boy or a girl, but be sure to cast a performer who can commit to the character’s mischievous ways.
Range: A3 – E5

ROSA, VIOLA & ARANCIA

Rosa, Viola & Arancia, fairies in training, are sweet and kind. The performers in these roles should be expressive observers since they often oversee the action occurring onstage during flashbacks. They sing as a group, often alongside the Blue Fairy. Their individual distinctions from one another can be discovered during rehearsal.

ROUSTABOUTS

Roustabouts are the sidekicks to Pleasure Island’s Ringleader. When performing these roles, personality is key. Group singing is required.

SIGNORA GIOVANNI

Signora Giovaani is Pinocchio’s teacher. The role can be a great opportunity to feature a performer who doesn’t sing. If needed, this performer can become part of the ensemble in other group numbers.

STROMBOLI

Stromboli is a bumbling, loud, incompetent puppeteer who has at least a few screws loose. Cast a versatile performer who can create silly voices to take this character and his marionettes over-the-top. Stromboli’s songs are challenging, so look for someone who is comfortable with his solos and doesn’t shy away from silliness.
Range: Bb3 – F5

SUE

Sue is a fairy in training who marches to the beat of her own drum. She isn’t your typical fairy, as sweetness isn’t in her nature. The performer in this role can be brooding or brash, but certainly a contrast to Rosa, Viola and Arancia, although vocally she should blend in.

TALIA

Talia is the “perfect child” created for Maria and Bernardo by Professore Buonragazzo’s machine. Talia sings and dances to impress her parents, so this is a great role to feature a dancer.
Range: C3 – C4

THE TOWN CHILDREN

The Town Children (Dante, Agata, Fiorello, Francesca, Adriana, Luigi, Gina, Lia, Rico) love the toys in Geppetto’s shop. The performers cast in these roles should be able to create individual personalities for their characters. There are opportunities for solos, but performers can sing in groups.

TOWN PARENTS

Town Parents (Signora Lisi, Signore Fucito, Signora Mancini, Signor Alcamo, Signora Sommelia, Signora Contrastana, Signora Rosati, Signore Proto, Signore Marino) are the beleaguered mothers and judgmental fathers of the town children. The performers cast in these roles should be able to create individual personalities for their characters. There are opportunities for solos, but performers can sing in groups.

Moonglow

by Kim Carney

Directed by: Sarah Roth

Performances: Jun. 23, 24, 25(m), 29, 30, Jul. 1, 2023

On-demand streaming tickets are available for Moonglow by clicking HERE
Individual ticket: $15; Group ticket (2 or more persons on single device): $20

Maxine, a feisty, bitter Alzheimer’s victim, doesn’t want to move into a nursing facility. But when she meets Joe, a widower who shares her love for dance, her outlook begins to change. Although the two clash when lucid, their hazy memories overlap, and they begin an affair that rejuvenates and fulfills them. But can these lovers — played simultaneously by an elderly twosome and a young, vivacious couple — stay together despite their families’ wishes and their fading vitality?

Director

Sarah Roth started her ACT career costuming The Rocky Horror
Show in 2005, and has since had many roles including the Cook in Clue, Sylvia in Sylvia, Sister Rita in The Runner Stumbles, ensemble in Pippin, Bet in Oliver!, and Tweedle Dee in Alice in Wonderland. She was Assistant Director for Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, stage managed Fly Babies and Dracula, and was lead costumer for Mamma Mia, Annie, and many other shows. Sarah is also the current costume room manager for ACT. She lives in Albany with her childhood best friend. Sarah works in accounting for Power Auto Inc. Her hobbies include theater, hanging out with her sister and nephew, and playing Animal Crossing.

Director’s email: sarah.roth85@gmail.com

Cast of Characters

Maxine: Jackie Weiner
Joe: Emmet Jones
Diane: Kathie O’Brien
Greg: John Michael Murphey
Benita: Bernadette Feyerherm
The Sailor: Nathan Greensweight
The Girl: Dylan Renfro

Love, Loss and What I Wore

by Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron

Directed by: Leigh Matthews Bock

Performances: May 12, 13, 14(m), 18, 19, 20, 2023

A play of interactive monologues, Love, Loss, and What I Wore covers a lot of territory linked by the common thread of what was worn at key moments in women’s lives. There’s the unfortunate prom dress, the evils of fitting rooms, the inability to find anything in your messy purse, searching for a bridal gown, and the trauma of bra shopping for the first time. The stories are all deeply personal, yet oddly enough, universal.

Director

Leigh Matthews Bock – joined the world of Community Theatre with her first audition and role at Albany Civic Theater in 2002.  For the seven years that followed, she acted in such shows as Arsenic and Old Lace, The Diary of Anne Frank, Of Mice and Men and Steel Magnolias and worked behind the scenes in various shows in nearly every capacity. In 2009, Leigh began directing her first show, Mornings at Seven, and quickly fell in love with storytelling from the director’s point of view. She just recently completed directing for the twenty-third time and feels blessed beyond measure to have worked with so many talented actors and designers. Leigh counts herself fortunate to have directed in five Willamette Valley theatres and can’t believe her luck at getting to direct Love, Loss, and What I Wore at Albany Civic Theater. It will be her fifth, and final time, directing this witty and compelling script.

Email: Leighmbock@comcast.net

Cast of Characters

Jodi Altendorf (Gingy)
Laura Blackwell
Storm Kennedy
Ellie Surckla
Manuela Terlinden
Billie Travelstead

Something Rotten!

Book by: John O’Farrell and Karey Kirkpatrick
Music & Lyrics by: Karey Kirkpatrick and Wayne Kirkpatrick

Directed by: Christi E. Sears

Performances: Apr. 7, 8, 13, 14, 15 16(m), 20, 21, 22, 23(m), 27, 28, 29, 2023

On-Demand Streaming tickets are available for Something Rotten! by clicking HERE.
Individual ticket: $15; Group tickets (2+ persons on a single device): $20

Download the digital Something Rotten program for the play here.

Something Rotten! is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. (www.mtishows.com)

“Two brothers set out to write the world’s first musical in this hilarious mash-up of sixteenth century Shakespeare and twenty-first century Broadway. Set in the 1590s, brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom are desperate to write a hit play but are stuck in the shadow of that Renaissance rock star known as “The Bard.” When a local soothsayer foretells that the future of theatre involves singing, dancing and acting at the same time, Nick and Nigel set out to write the world’s very first musical. But amidst the scandalous excitement of opening night, the Bottom Brothers realize that reaching the top means being true to thine own self, and all that jazz.” (Music Theatre International, 2022)

Director

Christi E. Sears has a string of hit musicals and plays to her credit, including: Clue, Altogether Now (Special Event), The Secret of Chimneys: ACT Radio Play, Mamma Mia, The Addams FamilyAnnie, Big FishShrekYoung FrankensteinAvenue QThoroughly Modern MillieCurtainsSteel MagnoliasThe ProducersThe Music ManHello, Dolly!The Rocky Horror ShowPirates of PenzanceInto the WoodsYou’re a Good Man, Charlie BrownBell, Book and CandleAuntie Mame, and Greater Tuna at ACT. Christi also directed at CCT: CinderellaDamn Yankees, and Little Shop of Horrors. A long-time administrative member at ACT, Christi has served four terms as president and two terms as treasurer. She currently serves on the ACT Board as Production Manager. Christi resides in Albany and has worked for over 27 years as the Accounting/Payroll Manager at Palm Harbor Homes.

Director’s email: cirsey@comcast.net

Cast of Characters

Nick Bottom: Ryan McWayne
Nigel Bottom: Jonathan McQuay
Shakespeare: Dean Keeling
Thomas Nostradamus: Pat Megowan
Bea: Frankie Caswell
Portia (Puritan): Melissa Gutierrez
Brother Jeremiah: Bill Brown
Minstrel (plus ensemble): Anya Corbitt
Shylock (plus ensemble): Ray Phipps
Lord Clapham (plus ensemble): Sam Sappington
Master of the Justice (plus ensemble): Douglas Hambley
Ensemble: Josiah Barnett, Ed Beaudry, Nancy Beaudry, Noah Camuso, Susan Jones, Shauna Kiefiuk, Christoph Littrell, Jennifer Moody, Olivia Pereyra, Dylan Renfro, Stephanie  SchwarzMadison Stevens, Christa Tillman, Adam Vester

Chapatti - Readers' Theater (Special Event)

by Christian O’Reilly

Directed by: Harriet Owen-Nixon

Performances: Mar. 25, 2023

Livestreaming tickets are available for Chapatti by clicking HERE.
Individual ticket: $15; Group tickets (2+ persons on a single device): $20
 

Lonely Dan is a dog lover who bumps into Betty, the proverbial cat lady at the Vet’s. Their lives are changed forever.  This is a touching Irish two-hander filled with many moments of laughter.  It is never too late for love.

Director

Harriet started her theater journey on stage at ACT almost 40 years ago. Since then she has directed and acted throughout the Willamette Valley. She appeared as Dolly in Hello Dolly, Maureen in Beauty Queen of Leenane, directed Fawlty Towers, I Am My Own Wife, and most recently, The Wolves at The Majestic Theatre. She lives in the wilds of Benton County with Dougal the Great Doodle, The Etta Cat, and one very tolerant human. She wants to give thanks to ACT for the years of support and for giving us this opportunity.

Director’s email: hamartithian@gmail.com

Cast of Characters

Dan: Rick Wallace
Betty:
Charlotte Headrick

A Night of Drag-nificence

Hosted by: Nicole Onoscopi

Performance: Feb. 25, 2023

A livestream option has been added for this show. A limited number of free livestream tickets are now available by clicking HERE. Multiple people may watch from one device using one ticket. Please consider making a donation for the livestream by clicking HERE. All donations will go to the show’s performers.

Albany Civic Theater, in partnership with the Oregon Community Foundation, is proud to present its first ever drag show, A Night of Drag-nificence. This show will be hosted by Nicole Onoscopi, a Portland area drag queen who earned the title of Miss Gay Oregon XLVIII for the 2021-2022 season. Nicole’s performances are humorous, uplifting and fun, and she often does a combination of live and lip-synching routines for her events. The night will follow Nicole and several other drag queens from across Oregon as they sing, dance, and enchant the audience to a variety of popular music. We look forward to seeing the wide range of talent that will be joining Nicole on the evening of February 25th, 2023.

Admission for this event is free! Please consider bringing some funds to tip the performers, and reserve your seat online ahead of time by clicking HERE We are recommending that this event is for audience members 13 years old or older because there may be some minor adult themes implied.

About Oregon Community Foundation

Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) works with donors and volunteers to award grants and scholarships to every county in Oregon. From 2020 to 2021, OCF distributed more than $560 million, supporting more than 4,000 nonprofits and 6,000 students. With OCF, individuals, families, businesses, and organizations create charitable funds that meet the needs of diverse communities statewide. Since its founding in 1973, OCF has distributed more than $2 billion toward advancing its mission to improve lives for all Oregonians. For more information, please visit: oregoncf.org

Silent Sky

by Lauren Gunderson

Directed by: Rus Roberts

Performances: Feb. 16, 17, 18, 19(m), 23, 24, 2023

On-demand streaming for Silent Sky will be available during the run of the show: Feb. 18 – 24.
Individual ticket: $15
Group ticket: $20
 (2 or more people on single device)
To get tickets for streaming, go to tinyurl.com/act-silent-sky

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the performance dates have been changed.

The true story of 19th-century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt explores a woman’s place in society during a time of immense scientific discoveries, when women’s ideas were dismissed until men claimed credit for them. Social progress, like scientific progress, can be hard to see when one is trapped among earthly complications; Henrietta Leavitt and her female peers believe in both, and their dedication changed the way we understand both the heavens and Earth.

Director

Rus Roberts appeared onstage at ACT as Van Helsing in Dracula, Don Pedro in Much Ado About Nothing, Bob in Beyond Therapy, Duke Felmet in Terry Pratchett’s Wyrd Sisters, many roles for The Further Adventures of Hedda Gabler, Lombard in And Then There Were None, Sir Wilfrid Robarts in Witness for the Prosecution,
and Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew; he also directed Dog
Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead, Children of a
Lesser God, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, Deathtrap, and The
Vampyre, served as assistant director for Paradise Lost and
Found, and worked as crew and dialect coach for The 39 Steps.
He also appeared in Midsummer Arts’ Little Red Robin Hood, for
CCT in Bell, Book and Candle and Camping with Henry and Tom,
and as director for A Man For All Seasons; and at LBCC in A View
from the Bridge and The Agamemnon. He lives in Albany with his partner Johanna Spencer.

Director’s email: r.e.roberts67@gmail.com

Cast of Characters

Henrietta Leavitt: Gina Eslinger
Peter Shaw: JJ Halchishick
Annie Jump Cannon: Laura Davis
Margaret Leavitt: Joy Johnson
Williamina Fleming: Leslie Hogan

A Winter Showcase of Willamette Valley LGBTQ+ Choral Groups (Special Event)

Performance: Jan. 28, 2023 (at Linn-Benton Community College)

FREE Concert: an evening of choral music performed by three Willamette Valley-based LGBTQ+ choral groups – Soromundi: Lesbian Chorus of Eugene (formed in 1989), Confluence: The Willamette Valley LGBT Chorus (formed in 2000 and based in Salem), and the Eugene Gay Men’s Chorus (formed in 2018). Each chorus routinely performs concerts throughout the Willamette Valley multiple times a year. This special event marks the first joint appearance of these groups in the Albany community and will take place in the Russell Tripp Performance Center on the Linn Benton Community College campus in Albany on Saturday, January 28, at 7:30 p.m. Seating for this free concert is first-come, first served. Doors open at 7 pm.. Presented in partnership with Oregon Community Foundation.

Murder on the Orient Express

by Agatha Christie

Directed by: Josh Mitchell

Audition Dates: Aug. 22, 23, 24, 2022

Performances: Oct. 28, 29, Nov. 3, 4, 5, 6(m), 10, 11, 12, 2022

Famous detective Hercule Poirot is called back from Istanbul to London on urgent business. He intends to book a first-class compartment on the Orient Express, run by his former friend and colleague, Monsieur Bouc. The train is surprisingly full, but Bouc manages to secure Poirot a spot in the first-class cabin. While aboard the Orient Express, Poirot meets a host of peculiar characters: an aging Russian princess, her Swedish companion, a Hungarian countess, a Minnesota housewife, a Scottish colonel, an English governess, a French conductor, a disagreeable American businessman, and his anxious secretary. While aboard the train, the angry businessman, Samuel Ratchett, corners Poirot and demands Poirot to investigate a series of ominous letters that have been sent to Ratchett, threatening his life.

As a snowdrift halts the Orient Express in its tracks, Ratchett is found stabbed multiple times in his locked train compartment. Poirot is tasked by Monsieur Bouc to solve the murder, as the killer could still be in their midst. As Poirot investigates, conflicting clues and convoluted alibis lead him to dead ends. Over the course of 48 hours, will Poirot be able to solve the case of the Murder on the Orient Express?

Director

Josh Mitchell appeared in ACT’s All Together Now! as a vocalist,
Christmas Carol as Christmas Future and Fred, Too
Good to Say Goodbye as Dutch Van Dyke, The Three
Musketeers as Porthos, Shrek as Fourth Knight and Mad
Hatter, The Wizard of Oz in several roles, Avenue Q as
Trekkie Monster and the Newcomer, It’s a Wonderful
Life as George Bailey and The Adventures of Tom
Sawyer as Injun Joe. A real estate broker and toy store operator, he lives in Albany with his wife Holly and sons Quentin, Hudson, and Lincoln. He enjoys music, art, cooking, home remodeling, and playing Ultimate Frisbee.

Director’s email: joshmitchell.srr@gmail.com

Cast of Characters

Hercule Poirot: David Milner
Monsieur Bouc: Josh Anderson
Mary Debenham: Megan Forsyth
Hector MacQueen: Nic Anunsen
Countess Andrenyi:
Diane Slamp
Princess Dragomiroff:
Diane Cooper
Michel the Conductor: Jonathan McQuay
Greta Ohlsson: Lucy Elgin
Helen Hubbard: Christine Hanks
Colonel Arbuthnot: Nathan Greensweight
Samuel Ratchett:
Josh Burlock
Head Waiter: Carly Munson