Kaleidoscope Theatre

Kaleidoscope Theatre June Newsletter

2011-06-08T11:55:00.000-04:00

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Kaleidoscope Theatre Newsletter

Volume 7, Number 6

June 2011

www.kaleidoscopetheatre.com

kaleidoscope@kaleidoscopetheatre.com

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Our tickets for Summer 2011 are still on sale.

For a complete list of our upcoming performances,

check out our website at:

www.kaleidoscopechildrenstheatre.com!

For up-to-date information about Kaleidoscope Theatre, you

can also check out our two online blogs.

For general information and current news –

www.kscopetheatre.blogspot.com

Scheduling information for all Kaleidoscopians -

www.kaleidonews.blogspot.com

For pictures and video clips (old and new) come visit us on

YouTube (www.youtube.com/kaleidoscope1977) or find us

on Facebook!

In this issue you can read about:

1. Our 2011 Summer Tour!

2. Our Summer Venues

3. Promote our NEW VENUE - Scottish Rite Auditorium

4. Supporting our Members - Success for Life 101 Seminars

5. Congratulations Olivia Sczuroski

6. School Touring shows

7. Camp Reservations

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1. OUR 2011 SUMMER TOUR!

Our Summer Series Kicks off!

Beauty and the Beast

Scottish Rite Auditorium – Tues, July 12, 11am

South Shore Music Circus – Thurs, July 14, 10:30am

Pinocchio

Scottish Rite Auditorium – Tues, July 19, 11am

North Shore Musical Theatre– Fri, July 22, 10am & 1pm

South Shore Music Circus – Thurs, July 28, 10:30am

Cinderella

Scottish Rite Auditorium – Tues, July 26, 11am

Cinderella’s Wedding

Scottish Rite Auditorium – Tues, Aug 9, 11am

Cape Cod Melody Tent - Wed, Aug 3, 11am

South Shore Music Circus – Thurs, Aug 4, 10:30am

North Shore Musical Theatre - Fri, Aug 5, 10am

Snow White

North Shore Musical Theatre – Fri, July 29, 10am

Scottish Rite Auditorium – Tues, Aug 2, 11am

Cape Cod Melody Tent – Wed, Aug 10, 11am

South Shore Music Circus – Thurs, Aug 11, 10:30am

Katherine Hepburn Theatre – Sat, Aug 20, 1pm

Sleeping Beauty

Scottish Rite Auditorium – Tues, Aug 16, 11am

Cape Cod Melody Tent – Wed, Aug 17, 11am

Little Red Riding Hood

Kingstown Library – Fri, July 15, 6pm

Blithewold Mansion – Fri, Aug 12, 1pm

Scottish Rite Auditorium – Tues, Aug 23, 11am

North Shore Musical Theatre – Fri, Aug 26, 10am

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2. Our Summer Venues

Scottish Rite Auditorium, 2115 Broad St, Cranston, RI

Katharine Hepburn Theater, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook, CT

North Shore Musical Theatre, 62 Dunham Rd, Beverly, MA

South Shore Music Circus, 130 Sohier St., Cohasset, MA

Cape Cod Melody Tent, 21 West Main St., Hyannis Port, MA

Blithewold Mansion, 101 Ferry Rd., Bristol, RI

North Kingstown Library, 100 Boone St., North Kingstown, RI

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3. PROMOTE OUR NEW VENUE - Scottish Rite Auditorium

This summer our classic fairy tale musicals will be held at the Scottish Rite Auditorium, instead of at Rhode Island College this season. We have the opportunity to promote and sell our own tickets for these shows so please help us spread the word!! Post on facebook, myspace, twitter, wherever!

Scottish Rite Auditorium

2115 Broad St.

Cranston, RI

We are offering the following shows, all on Tuesdays at 11am:

July 12 - Beauty and the Beast

July 19 - Pinocchio

July 26 - Cinderella

August 2 - Snow White

August 9 - Cinderella's Wedding

August 16 - Sleeping Beauty

August 23 - Little Red Riding Hood

Ticket information:

Advance:

$8/floor (Cindy, B&B sold out)

$10/stadium (still quite close to stage)

Season Pass: $50

Group rate (25 or more): $5/ticket

AAA discount: -$1/ticket

Credit card fee: +$2/order

At the Door:

$10/floor (Cindy, B&B sold out)

$12/stadium (still quite close to stage)

Call 401-942-3637 M-F 10-4 for tickets or email kaleidoscope1977@gmail.com

With your help we can make this summer series at Scottish Rite Auditorium the most successful ever!

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4. SUPPORTING OUR MEMBERS - Success For Life 101 Seminars

Marianne Douglas (Fairy Godmother in Cinderella and Cinderella’s Wedding this summer) is holding seminars at various locations for recent high school graduates this summer called Success for Life 101: A How-to Guide for Life After High School.

Marianne also plays the teacher/mother in and helped write the high school/middle school version of BULLY partly based on the multiple award winning anti-bullying leadership/success program Strategies for Success. She is a wonderfully positive influence on everyone with whom she comes in contact. Her passion and drive to support students is apparent in everything she does. Thank you Marianne!!

For more information, please visit the following links:

SuccessforLife101

StrategiesforSuccessProgram

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5. CONGRATULATIONS OLIVIA!

Congratulations to our very own Olivia Sczuroski for winning the Motif Award for Best Performance by a Youth for her performance as Young Thomas in our production of Pocahontas. Young actors from all over Rhode Island were nominated for this award. Other Kaleidoscope shows that were nominated were:

Magic of Storytime for Best Musical

High School BULLY for Best New Work

We are very proud of her and all of our extremely talented performers we are lucky enough to have here at Kaleidoscope Theatre!

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6. SCHOOL-TOURING SHOWS

Spring is winding to a close and summer approaches, but we still have a few performances touring local schools:

BULLY at Leo Savore Elementary on June 9 and Brown Ave on June 10.

GOLDILOCKS at Barnum Preschool on June 21 & 22.

BULLY at Smithfield YMCA July 13

Host BULLY at your camp this summer!! Call 401-942-3637. We have limited availability so CALL NOW!! : )

Thinking ahead to the Fall:

We have educational shows, such as “B.U.L.L.Y.” (Better

Understanding by Listening and Learning about You), which

addresses the ever-present and often dangerous problem of

bullying amongst children, and “I’m Special – You’re Special”,

a show that deals with the inclusion of a young boy with Down

Syndrome into his brother’s and sister’s school.

Several of our smaller fairytale productions, such as “Little

Red Riding Hood” (suggested for K through 6) and “Goldilocks

& the Three Bears” (suggested for pre-K through 3) also tour to

schools!

Please encourage any interested parties who are curious

about our programs to visit the website at

www.kaleidoscopetheatre.com or call our office at (401) 942-3637

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7. CAMP RESERVATIONS

We are now accepting camp reservations for our summer 2011

performances at Scottish Rite Auditorium. Camp/YMCA groups of

25 people or more can benefit from our special group rate of

only $5 a ticket! For more information or to make a reservation,

please call the office at (401) 942-3637 and ask for Jamie.

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That concludes this month's newsletter.

We hope to see you all soon at one of our upcoming performances!

Remember, if you have any questions, you can always contact us

by e-mail at kaleidoscope@kaleidoscopetheatre.com or call our

office at (401) 942-3637.

--

Kaleidoscope Theatre

(401) 942-3637

kaleidoscope@kaleidoscopetheatre.com

Our 2011 Summer Series starts July 12th at a NEW VENUE:

Scottish Rite Auditorium

2115 Broad St

Cranston, RI

Call us at (401) 942-3637 for tickets.

Kaleidoscope Theatre June Newsletter

2011-06-08T11:24:00.002-04:00

HELP US help end bullying in schools!

2011-04-21T13:51:00.001-04:00

You can help by attending our upcoming fundraiser event, Alice Through the Kaleidoscope. All proceeds from this night of family-friendly entertainment will go towards bringing our award-winning BULLY Program to schools that could otherwise not afford it. This special one night event will be held on Friday, May 13th at 7:30pm. Tickets for this fundraiser event are the same price as our regular performances and the show will be at the Scottish Rite Auditorium in Cranston. Call (401) 942-3637 for more information!!

Check out this video preview from last year's event!!

April Newsletter

2011-04-13T23:52:00.001-04:00

The April edition of our newsletter has been released... if you haven't already received it, it'll be arriving in your inbox soon! Spring is here and along with it comes a sneak peak at our 2011 summer season!

For a complete list of our upcoming performances, check out our website at:

www.kaleidoscopechildrenstheatre.com!

In this issue you can read about:

1. “Goldilocks & the Three Bears”

2. Sneak Peak – Summer 2011

3. Annual Fundraiser

4. Last Call – School-Touring

5. Supporting Our Members

If you're not on our mailing list and would like to be, email us at kaleidoscope@kaleidoscopetheatre.com!

BULLY

2011-04-05T17:02:00.002-04:00

Kaleidoscope recently developed detailed descriptions of the different versions of BULLY we have available to schools. If you're interested in more information about any of these productions, please clal us at (401) 942-3637 and ask to speak with our Educational Coordinator, Jamie!

Level One (Recommended for grades K-5)
Synopsis: 6 students attend auditions for their school play, The Wizard of Oz, and enact a variety of bullying situations audience members may have encountered at school. A sensitive yet realistic portrayal of situations experienced by the bully, the bullied, and the bystanders, our BULLY program offers viable alternatives and solutions on how to deal and heal.

Level One is performed in-the-round (meaning audience members sit all around the playing area) and includes:
* An interactive opening demonstration
* A 35-minute musical performance/storyline
* A closing question and answer session

Topics covered:
* Physical bullying
* Emotional bullying
* Gossip
* Exclusion
* Cyber bullying
* Hints at suicide and other consequences of bullying behavior
* Solutions and strategies presented - Anonymous bully boxes, designated bully contact person, and telling an adult.

Level Two (Recommended for grades 4-8)
Synopsis: 6 students attend auditions for their school play, Grease, and encounter a variety of bullying situations. Watch as the bullies, the victims, and the bystanders learn from their mistakes and discover that liking yourself is an important step in ending the bullying cycle.

Level Two is performed proscenium, either on a stage or gym floor. This program including the story line, strategies, and closing Q&A runs about an hour.

Topics covered:
* Physical bullying
* Emotional bullying
* Gossip
* Exclusion
* Cyber bullying
* Consequences of bullying behavior - Suicide and School Violence
* Solutions and strategies presented - "What else could it mean?", "Like Me", deep breathing, online help - http://www.teenstrategies.com/ and partnershiptoaddressviolence.com

Level Three (Recommended for grades 7-12)
Synopsis: 6 students attend auditions for their school play, Grease, and live through a variety of bullying situations audience members may have encountered at school. Gary, a student who has been bullied for years, decides to take matters into his own hands and has something special planned for the upcoming auditions...

Level Three is performed proscenium, usually on an auditorium stage. This program including the story line, strategies, and closing Q&A and runs about an hour.

Topics covered:
* Physical bullying
* Emotional bullying
* Gossip
* Exclusion
* Cyber bullying
* Bullying/discrimination because of sexual orientation or experience
* Consequences of bullying behavior
* Suicide and School Violence (One of the characters commits suicide by the end of the show. Although nothing of the suicide is shown, one actor is left onstage to symbolize that he is no longer alive. Schools can determine if they'd prefer not to use this ending.)
* Hints of abuse
* Solutions and strategies presented - "What else could it mean?", "Like Me", deep breathing, online help - http://www.teenstrategies.com/, http://www.itgetsbetter.com/, http://www.partnershiptoaddressviolence.com/

Come meet the Princesses (and their Princes) this weekend!

2011-03-31T10:50:00.000-04:00

Cinderella, Snow White, and their princes will be at the RI Home Show this weekend. Join us at the RI Convention Center as we present Happily Ever After - A Fairytale Story Hour at 11am and 2pm. In between performances, the Kaleidoscope royalty will be roaming the Home Show floor meeting guests, signing autographs, and posing for pictures. See you there!

Birthday Parties!!

2011-03-28T11:14:00.000-04:00

Kaleidoscope Theatre characters are available to come to your child's birthday party! Snow White visited two parties just yesterday and was a hige hit! Here's what one of the mom's had to say....

"I just wanted to take this opportunity to say that Snow White was AMAZING at my daughter's party!!! To keep 19 little girls hanging on every word!! Thank you again for a wonderful party! You made Katie's birthday and I am truly grateful. Everyone is talking about it."

If you're interested in having a character come to your upcoming event, check out our website or call us at (401) 942-3637.

Announcing our 2011 Summer Line-up!

2011-03-23T17:09:00.001-04:00

Kaleidoscope Theatre is pleased to announce our show schedule for the summer! This year we will be performing all of our shows at the Scottish Rite Auditorium in Cranston, RI. All shows will still be on Tuesday mornings at 11am.

*Drum roll......*

July 12th - Beauty & the Beast
July 19th - Pinocchio
July 26th - Cinderella
August 2nd - Snow White
August 9th - Cinderella's Wedding
August 16th - Sleeping Beauty
August 23rd - Little Red Riding Hood

For more information about the shows, check out our website and tickets will go on sale May 1st. Stay tuned for information about our other venues across New England!!

Kaleidoscope Returns to the RI Home Show!!

2011-03-21T15:23:00.001-04:00

Something for Every Home!

(East Providence, RI.)--The largest Home Show in southern New England returns to the Rhode Island Convention Center, March 31st through April 3rd, with some exciting new features! It’s Rhode Island’s longest running show with over 400 exhibitors, a Fine Arts Showcase, how- to- seminars, children’s entertainment, cooking demonstrations, sampling and endless opportunities to win valuable prizes!

In addition to useful information on home building and remodeling trends, this year’s show promises attendees an unbelievable value for the price of admission! For 10 dollars you can learn from the pro’s, check out what’s new, sample wine, beer and other libations, taste award winning dishes, enjoy fine art, learn how to save money, enjoy children’s entertainment and take advantage of thousands of dollars in discounts, savings and give-a-ways!

New-The Fine Arts Showcase will feature over 80 artisans, representing galleries from New York and New England. Daily demonstrations will allow attendees the opportunity to see how these works of art are created! Fine art, pottery, glassware and more will be displayed and available for purchase. A portion of the proceeds will go to RIBA’s Builders Helping Heroes charity. At the end of the show, 14 pieces of fine art will be given away.

This year’s seminar line-up includes the popular How to Hire a Contractor, New Kitchen and Bathroom Trends and “The Coupon Queen” Kathy Spencer. Kathy, who has been featured on Good Morning America, Inside Edition and the Food Network will offer her popular, nationally known “How to Shop for Free” seminars on Saturday and Sunday. This mother of four amazingly, feeds her family and shops for everything virtually free and you will too after attending this seminar!

The popular Rejuvenation Room returns to the Home Show Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings from 6-9pm. Attendees can relax with free chair massages from Back in Balance and Therapeutic Impressions LLC while sampling fine wines from the vineyards of the Jonathan Edwards Winery, Rhode Island’s own Newport Storm Beer, Cabot Cheese, delectable chocolate treats from Sweet Occasions and more!!

The award winning chefs from Newport Restaurant Week return to the Home Show demonstration kitchen. Cooking demonstrations and recipe sampling from the kitchens of Newport and Bristol County Restaurants will take place Thursday and Friday evening from 6-8, Saturday from Noon-6pm and Sunday from 11am-3:30pm. At the end of the show, the Frigidaire Gallery edition dishwasher, refrigerator and range from the demonstration kitchen will be given away to one lucky attendee! The appliances have been donated by Gil’s Television and Appliance, J&A Appliance and Home Theater Center and S & W TV and Appliance.

Also featured throughout the Home Show will be the Designer Dog House Competition, with entries built by area career and technical school students. Visitors will be able to vote on their favorite entry for the People’s Choice Award, and prizes will be awarded in several categories. The schools competing are Warwick Area Career & Technical Center, Woonsocket Area Career & Technical Center, Wm. M. Davies, Jr. Career & Technical High School, Chariho Area Career & Technical Center and Burrillville High School. Winners will be judged by a panel of judges comprised of residential building industry professionals.

The categories include: Most Green, Most Creative, Most Functional and Best in Show. Winning teams will receive a $250 gift card from one of these generous RIBA members: Douglas Lumber Home Center, JT’s/Riverhead Building Supply, Arnold Lumber Co., Inc., Coventry Lumber, Inc., L. Sweet Lumber Co., Inc.

There will be plenty of events for kids, including performances by Kaleidoscope Theatre, balloon animal artist Lon Cerel, a visit with Paws the Pawtucket Red Sox Mascot and a craft area located in the Fine Arts Showcase.

Kaleidoscope Theatre brings your favorite fairy tale characters to life in a wonderful interactive performance, “Happily Ever After Fairy Tale Hour”, filled with songs, fables, fantasy, and fun. Parents, bring your cameras! These charming costumed characters will be roaming the show floor to meet and greet children of all ages!

Balloon artist, Lon Cerel, will entertain and amaze with his animal creations on Friday night, Saturday and Sunday. Lon Cerel is a keen combination of performer, comedian, and magician - the total entertainer. He has been working audiences with skill, wit, and a love of his craft for more than 18 years. Lon Cerel, the "world's fastest balloon animal maker," has written a how-to for all of us who wish we could make poodles, elephants, and such out of balloons the way Lon and some of his fellow artists do. Lon Cerel's How To Blow Up Animals: A Beginner's Guide to Fun with Balloons will be on sale at the show with partial proceeds going to Builders Helping Heroes.

The Art Project area, provided by VOILA, will offer free classes for both Children and Adults during the show. Henri Matisse inspired Construction Paper Cut-out Designs Class will be created as children and adults are introduced to Henri Matisse with a brief biography, and shown examples of his most famous "paintings”. They will be able to design and create their own Matisse inspired collages.

The second class is Georgia O'Keefe inspired Watercolor Pencil Paintings - children and adults will be introduced to Georgia O'Keefe with a brief biography, and shown examples of her famous flower paintings. They will be taught how to use watercolor pencils and can create their own Georgia O'Keefe inspired work of art.

Ticket Prices
Adults - $10
Seniors - $8 (65 and older)
Children - 13 and under are free
Prices subject to change.

Show Hours: March 31 - April 3, 2011
Thursday - 2:00pm to 9:00pm
Friday - 2:00pm to 9:00pm
Saturday - 10:00am to 9:00pm
Sunday - 10:00am to 6:00pm

Box office closes one hour prior to show closing each day.

Thursday is AAA Day

"Show Your Card & Save" $4 on Full-price Adult Admission, valid for March 31st only.

Additional AAA Discounts Friday through Sunday

"Show Your Card & Save" $2 on Full-price Adult Admission, valid for April 1st, 2nd & 3rd.

It's almost here... The Summer 2011 Tour

2011-03-15T12:47:00.000-04:00

At our performance of Beauty & the Beast this Saturday, Kaleidoscope will be announcing our 2011 summer line-up! Join us at the show for all the details!

Meet Flora and Dora

2011-03-13T15:33:00.000-04:00

Before you come see Beauty & the Beast next weekend, we wanted to introduce you to Beauty’s silly sisters – Flora and Dora!

The sisters recently stopped into the Kaleidoscope office looking for their father. He’s late returning home from his recent merchant trip overseas. Nicki, our Administrative Director, interviewed them about their upcoming performance.

Nicki: So, why should people come see your show in March?

Flora: What show?

Dora: (rolling her eyes) Well, obviously they should come see us! Father brought us beautiful silks and jewels from his last trip and we look simply beautiful in them. Hopefully, Father will be back from his current trip by then and we’ll have even newer gowns to wear for the show!

Nicki: How about your sister, Beauty? Is she excited for the show?

Flora: Who?

Dora: You know... our little sister... yecchh, Beauty.

Flora: Oh! Why is she called “Beauty” anyway? After all, we're more mature than she is and we're certainly prettier. Why don't people call me pretty? I'd like that for a name. I think I should be called “Pretty”. How does that sound?

Dora: How does “ugly” sound?

Flora: That's nice! I can be “Pretty” and you can be “Pretty Ugly”! (laughing)

Dora: Why, you... you...

Nicki: Ladies... please sit down! You might mess your hair...

Dora: Oh my, we wouldn’t want to do that! Maybe I should reset my hair in a new style for Father’s return... Flora, when I fix my hair tonight, how do you think I should set it?

Flora: On fire! (laughing)

Nicki: Oh dear... maybe I should have invited Beauty in for this interview instead.

Dora: Oh don’t worry, she’ll be at the show. Why is she everyone’s favorite anyway?

Flora: Who are we talking about now?

Dora: Beauty!!

Flora: Oh...

Nicki: Right. I think we’re all set ladies. Thank you so much for coming in and we look forward to seeing you again on March 19th and 20th. (Flora and Dora exit.)

Well, that was... interesting. Don’t worry, we know Beauty is your favorite too! Come meet Beauty in person next weekend at our performances of Beauty & the Beast. For tickets to our RI performance on March 19th, please call us at (401) 942-3637. For tickets to our MA show on March 20th, please call (781) 230-EXPO!

UP next - "Beauty & the Beast"

2011-03-07T12:05:00.000-05:00

Our monthly RI and MA series, continues this month with the traditional tale of “Beauty & the Beast.” While our production doesn’t have any dancing candlesticks, it has wonderful sets, beautiful period costumes, and absolutely gorgeous music.

Join us as Beauty and her family lose everything in a terrible storm at sea only to discover that outward beauty and possessions are not important, but that it’s the beauty inside that really counts.

If you live in Rhode Island, join us at 2pm on March 19th at the Scottish Rite Auditorium (2115 Broad St., Cranston, RI) to watch as Beauty sees past the Beast’s outward appearance and discovers true love. Tickets, which are $10 in advance for stadium seats and $8 in advance for floor seats, can be purchased by calling (401) 942-3637.

Audiences in Massachusetts can see this classic show the following day on March 20th also at 2pm. This performance will be held at 466 Central St. in Saugus, MA and tickets can be reserved by calling Paul Ryan at (781) 230-EXPO.

If you have any questions about either performance, feel free to call us or email us at

kaleidoscope@kaleidoscopetheatre.com!

March Newsletter

2011-03-03T11:15:00.005-05:00

The March edition of our newsletter has been released and you should all be receiving your copy soon! Spring is right around the corner and we’re in the process of planning our Summer 2011 tour... Stay tuned for an announcement soon!

For a complete list of our upcoming spring performances, check out our website at: http://www.kaleidoscopechildrenstheatre.com/

In this issue you can read about:

1. “Beauty & the Beast”

2. Meet Flora and Dora, Beauty’s silly sisters

3. “The Magic of Story Time”

4. Birthday Parties

5. Supporting Our Members

If you don't get our newsletter yet, but would like to, please email us at kaleidoscope@kaleidoscopetheatre.com

SAVE THE DATE - Friday, May 13th!

2011-02-22T13:50:00.000-05:00

The second annual performance of "Alice Through the Kaleidoscope" will be held at the Scottish Rite Auditorium on Friday, May 13th at 7:30pm. All proceeds from the event will go to benefit our BULLY programs and help bring BULLY to schools that could otherwise not afford it.

The show will follow the story of Alice (from Wonderland) as she journeys through the Fairytale Land Forest, meets your favorite Kaleidoscope characters, and helps them put the mixed-up fairytales back to right.

Stay tuned for more details!

This Weekend - Hansel & Gretel

2011-02-18T23:15:00.001-05:00

Before you come see Hansel & Gretel this weekend, you can get to know them a little bit right now! Meet Hansel (Donnie-Ray Brearton) and Gretel (Elizabeth Silvia). We recently had the opportunity to ask them a few questions about working on the show. Here’s what they had to say -

Q: How long have you been with Kaleidoscope Theatre and what's your favorite part of working with the company?

Donnie-Ray: I have been with Kaleidoscope Theatre since 2006. My Favorite part of working with Kaleidoscope is that we get to perform at different theaters across New England and we are also like one big family.

Elizabeth: Well, I have been working with them for about three years now. My favorite part of working with them was probably playing Little Red Riding Hood. It’s really hard to decide what

was my favorite part because all of the shows that I have done are really fun!

Q: What's your favorite part of the show “Hansel & Gretel”?

Donnie-Ray: My favorite part of the show Hansel & Gretel is when Gretel and I discover the candy house.

Elizabeth: My favorite part is probably when Hansel is in the candy house and Misery (the cat), Hansel, and I have to figure out a plan to get him out!

Q. Should kids in the audience worry about being scared of the witch in the show?

Donnie-Ray: I don’t think that kids in the audience should worry about being scared of the witch because she is actually a funny character and in the show she also falls down a lot of times (ha-ha).

Elizabeth: I think the witch is the best part of the show! Kids shouldn’t be scared of her because she is sooo funny!!!

Come meet them in person this Saturday and Sunday at 2pm. Saturday's performance is at the Scottish Rite Auditorium (2115 Broad St.) in Cransto, RI and Sunday's show is at the Saugus Senior Center (466 Central St.) in Saugus, MA.

February Newsletter

2011-02-04T18:11:00.002-05:00

Welcome to the February edition of our newsletter! We hope the crazy winter weather hasn’t gotten you down. To combat the snow, Kaleidoscope is moving forward with a lot of fun events to beat the winter blues! We hope you can join us!

In this issue you can read about:
1. “The Frog Prince”
2. “Hansel & Gretel”
3. Meet Hansel & Gretel
4. February vacation - “Goldilocks”
5. April vacation – “Magic of Story Time”

UP next - Frog Prince and Hansel & Gretel

2011-01-24T11:39:00.001-05:00

The month of February sees two new shows on tour! On February 5th, we will be performing The Frog Prince at Westborough High School in Westborough, MA.

Splash! Young Prince Noble is having a really bad day - a smelly Gypsy woman is in love with him, he gets pushed down a well, and then he’s transformed into an icky green frog! Now instead of traveling the land looking for a beautiful wife, he's short, green, and hoping to catch a fly for dinner! Will Prince Noble learn a lesson in humility and win the lovely Princess Cassandra’s heart? Watch as plots twist, stories intertwine, and all the characters discover that Happy Endings can happen when you least expect them!

Then, on February 19th and 20th, we will be performing Hansel & Gretel as part of our monthly series in RI and MA.

When Hansel and Gretel go for a walk in the woods, they stumble upon every child's dream: a house made entirely of candy! But when the house's owner, a silly witch named Grumpella Finklestink, discovers them, delight could turn into disaster.

All shows are at 2pm. For more information, call us at (401) 942-3637.

A Bully Free New Year

2011-01-12T11:27:00.000-05:00

Check out Marianne's Blog at http://secretsofsuccessnewsletter.blogspot.com/

We’re one week into the New Year, one week past making those resolutions that most of us don’t keep for a variety of reasons. We quit making whatever changes we’re looking to make too soon (Research shows that it takes twenty-one to twenty-eight days to build or break a habit) or we take on something we think we need to change but actually don’t want to change. Keeping resolutions is just not that easy... READ MORE

Thanks, Marianne for sharing!

This Week - Little Red Riding Hood

2011-01-09T18:13:00.000-05:00

Come join us for our first fairytale production of 2011. This coming weekend, Kaleidoscope will be producing Little Red Riding Hood in both Rhode Island and Massachusetts!

On Saturday, January 15th, fans can see the show at 2pm at the Scottish Rite Auditorium (2115 Broad St.) in Cranston, RI. Tickets are $8 in advance for floor seating ($10 day of show) and $10 in advance for stadium seating ($12 day of show). Call (401) 942-3637 to purchase your tickets!

On Sunday, January 16th, fans in Massachusetts can see the production at the North Shore Musical Children's Theatre at 466 Central St. in Saugus, MA. To purchase tickets, please call Paul Ryan at (781)230-3976.

As our Wolf says, his "tail is a great tale to be told"so we hope you can all join us this weekend!!

5 Myths about BULLYING

2011-01-07T07:10:00.000-05:00

Thanks, Chuck for sharing!

5 Myths about Bullying from the Washington Post

From schoolyards to workplaces and now in cyberspace, it seems that bullies are everywhere. New efforts to stop them and to help victims cope - such as the It Gets Better campaign - are gaining attention and popularity, but are they the best ways to protect kids and others from the worst forms of bullying? For them to have a fighting chance, let's first dispense with a few popular fallacies about getting picked on.

1: Most bullying happens online
2: Bullies are bullies and victims are victims
3: Bullying ends when we grow up
4: Bullying is the major cause of suicides
5: We can end bullying. Can we? The debate rages on, but we still always try!!

See the full article, with explanations of each point, on the Post's website!

January Newsletter

2011-01-06T12:09:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year!! We hope 2011 brings you all nothing but the best. Kaleidoscope is very excited to see what this new year brings and we hope you will all be a part of it.

For a complete list of our upcoming performances, check out our website at:
http://www.kaleidoscopechildrenstheatre.com/!

For pictures and video clips (old and new) come visit us on YouTube (www.youtube.com/kaleidoscope1977) or find us on Facebook!

In this issue you can read about:
1. This month - “Little Red Riding Hood” on January 15th!
2. School-Touring 2011
3. Update from the Anti-Bullying Summit Committee
4. Save the Date – Fairy Tale Fundraiser
5. In the Event of Snow
6. Supporting Our Members

To sign-up to receive the newsletter every month, please email kaleidoscope@kaleidoscopetheatre.com!

Upcoming Performances

2011-01-02T12:35:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year, everyone! We hope you all had a wonderful holiday season! Looking forward to the new year, tickets are already on sale for our winter/spring performances!

Our next performance is Little Red Riding Hood on Saturday, January 15th! This musical adaptation of the familiar fairy tale has audience involvement and participation galore! From a unique beginning to a fun-filled happy ending, the traditional characters come to life through song, dance and laughter. As our wily old wolf says, "My 'tail' is a great tale to be told!

The show will be at the Scottish Rite Auditorium at 2pm.
For tickets, please call Kaleidoscope Theatre at (401) 942-3637.

Upcoming Schedule:
January 15th - Little Red Riding Hood
February 19th - Hansel & Gretel
March 19th - Beauty & the Beast
April 16th - Goldilocks & the Three Bears

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T11:24:00.001-05:00

HAPPY HOLIDAYS to you all!

Have a safe and happy weekend and we hope to see you all in 2011!

Cinderella's Christmas Tour continues...

2010-12-07T12:23:00.000-05:00

Thank you to everyone who made this Saturday's performance of Cinderella's Christmas such a wonderful success! It was a sell out! If you missed us this past weekend, you can visit us this Saturday in Wallingford, CT and this Sunday in Saugus, MA!

For tickets:

Saturday, December 11th at the Oakdale Theatre, 11am

95 South Turnpike Road, Wallingford, CT

http://www.livenation.com/Cinderellas-Christmas-tickets/artist/1082091

Sunday, December 12th at the North Shore Musical Childrens Theatre, 2pm

466 Central St., Saugus, MA

Call (781) 230-3976

If you missed us and you're from RI, our monthly series will continue into 2011 with the following line-up!

January 15th - Little Red Riding Hood

February 20th - Hansel & Gretel

March 19th - Beauty & the Beast
April 16th - Goldilocks & the Three Bears

Tickets are already on sale, so call (401) 942-3637 today!

Anti-bullying town meeting

2010-12-06T12:44:00.002-05:00

David Payton from Kaleidoscope and John Reis from PAVE are panelists in this bully discussion panel put together by NBC 10.

Cinderella will make dreams come true on Saturday

2010-11-30T10:17:00.000-05:00

Check out the article on CranstonPatch.com and call Kaleidoscope Theatre today to reserve your tickets - (401) 942-3637!

Schools say "NO" to bullying

2010-11-29T11:13:00.003-05:00

"Jake" (Ryan Hanley, front left) and "Hank" (Daniel Larson, front right) bully "Gary" (Joseph Catanzaro) during "Bully", a play performed for the Pier Middle School students by Kaleidoscope Theatre Friday afternoon. The presentation, geared toward middle-schoolers, deals with issues of physical, psychological and technological bullying.
(Photo by Selena Millard)

Check out the whole article in the South County Independent!

"BULLY show rings with kids"

2010-11-18T15:19:00.002-05:00

The Warwick Beacon and the Cranston Herald recently attended a performance of BULLY at Hoxsie Elementary in Warwick - Check out that they had to say by visiting warwickonline.com!

Congrats, Marianne!

2010-11-18T11:41:00.001-05:00

Kaleidoscope's own Marianne Douglas will be on Oprah's Favorite Things show as a "hero" this Friday at 4pm! Later that night, she will also be interviewed live on NBC 10 for the 7:00pm news! Make sure you tune in! :)

Looking Through The Kaleidoscope #500: Being a Bully is a Statistic...The News is Making Me Sick...

2010-11-17T17:34:00.002-05:00

It's my 500th post! Or 16th if you are counting. The "#500" just seemed cooler. What's in a number?

I'm used to the idea of bad news being on the news all of the time. What I am still not used to is the fact that a good chunk of this bad news has to do with bullying. To be more precise, the tragic end-results that are coming from it. How many more child suicides do we have to have before the hammer falls?

Many times Jamie has spoke about her very poignant and important experiences with bullying. I have only mentioned mine briefly in Kaleidoscope's public forum. Like Jamie, I was bullied as a child, however I feel it was never to the same extreme as her. I was constantly picked on for being skinny, and in that sense smaller than other people. Being tall didn't exactly help matters. I was still skinny, and therefore considered weak. I don't think I'm weak, and I think a part of me back then felt the same way back then. But according to bullies, the stick-like arms don't lie. I don't think I ever was able to move past this until my first year of college. I was once again an outsider, being one of two Rhode Islanders in my freshman class, but everyone was an outsider. Even those who lived in the Berkshires were embarking on a brand new experience, and all they could bring to the table was themselves, or at least who they chose to be at that particular time.

I've actually explored this a bit not too long ago. I took part in a solo-performance class while pursuing my MFA. This class focused on varying aspects of the craft, and ultimately led to an autobiographical show that we put together. Right away, I knew who I wanted to model my show around in terms of format: the late, great Spalding Gray. For the theatre kids reading this, Google him. He paved the way for a lot of solo theatre that is around today, and his work holds up strong. Now came the content, and with only 26 years under my belt, this autobiography is not much of a read. I didn't feel that there was something in my life (at least the span of my life being observed) that warranted much of anything. It's been a mixture of ordinary in the sense that not much has happened, and in the same way blessed that I haven't had much experience with trauma (knock on wood). So what do I talk about?

Part of the process was recollecting and observing our own memories, and through this process I was able to string together some themes. I found repeating patterns in my life that revolved around various things, but one of the aspects that really stuck out was this sense of social hierarchy in our younger years, and the fact that we don't make the decisions in terms of this hierarchy. Someone else makes the decision for us. The frustrating part is that I couldn't find out who this someone (or group of someones) was. The self that I explored knew two things for sure: someone made the decisions, and I wasn't that someone. And at that point, I had my show. I sat at a table, had a few props, and told my stories. Through these stories, I tried to paint a picture of a hidden society within our childhood, and most of us our peasants. If you wanted to know where your place was, just look at where you were sitting at lunch. If you even had a seat.

When I think about who Kaleidoscope is trying to reach right now, it made me think of this show. It also made me ask this question: if every bullying victim's experiences are unique, then how can we reach all of them in one message? It's like I said before, both Jamie and I were bullied, but the experiences, on the outset, seem like night and day. The dawn was thankfully the same: we both came out stronger in the end. So where is the constant? Where is the constant within all of these victims?

If I had to guess, I would say it is control. The victim only has so much of it. They have a degree of control in how they respond to the bullying (I say "degree" because I don't think some reactions are made rationally or by "choice"). With bullying, I believe that the constant is that, at the end of the day, whether we can take the punishment or not, we feel that someone else is in control of our lives.

Maybe the message should be something along these lines: you are in control of who you are. It is your identity, and no one has the right to tell you that it is wrong or against the laws of nature. Yes, we may feel that certain sides of us aren't ready to blossom, but that's alright to feel that way. Somewhere, there will be someone we can trust in, and we can bloom for them. It might take a while, but it will happen. No question. If you feel the need to hide, hide in plain sight. What I mean to say is don't let the ignorance of others constitute your identity. Just because one person can't accept something doesn't mean that everyone else will follow their lead. I am fully aware that there are many factors in this very sensitive subject, and we can only do so much at a given time. But whatever we are allotted to do at that given time, give it everything you've got.

Don't let bullying take your identity. Take it back.

In the words of Garrison Keillor, "be well, do good work, and keep in touch."

Digging Deeper: Kaleidoscope Theatre on bullying

2010-11-16T12:06:00.001-05:00

Update from the Anti-bullying Summit Committee

2010-11-16T10:59:00.000-05:00

Kaleidoscope Theatre was a partner in the recent Rhode Island Anti-bullying Summit. The event created quite the buzz all across the state and we had almost 30 cities and towns attend the event! Thank you to everyone who attended and the volunteers who made the event such a success! The Planning Committee is currently in the process of analyzing the data gathered at the summit and will be sharing the findings with all the participants shortly.

Stay tuned!

Pocahontas - November 21st

2010-11-10T14:23:00.000-05:00

Kaleidoscope Theatre will be performing our historically accurate production of Pocahontas at the Holy Family Parish Hall (195 Walcott St.) in Pawtucket, RI on Sunday, November 21st. The show will begin at 4pm and all proceeds from the event will go to benefit the Pawtucket Soup Kitchen and Kaleidoscope Theatre. For tickets, call Adrienne Marchetti at Pawtucket Soup Kitchen – (401) 256-3446 or Kaleidoscope Theatre at (401) 942-3637. Admission is $10 in advance and $12 day of show.

Come join Pocahontas as she teaches the audience about preserving nature and respecting the circle of life. This production is a great tie-in to history units and helps illustrate the importance of mutual respect among people and cultures.

Snow White this weekend!!

2010-11-04T12:53:00.000-04:00

Join us this weekend for our musical version of “Snow White.” Come meet this iconic princess and her seven amazing friends… but beware of anyone selling apples!

Rhode Island audiences can see this wonderful show on Saturday, November 6th at the Scottish Rites Auditorium (2115 Broad St.) in Cranston, RI. The show begins at 2pm and tickets can be purchased by calling Kaleidoscope Theatre at (401) 942-3637. Admission is $10 in advance and $12 on the day of the performance for stadium seating and $8 in advance and $10 day of show for floor seating.

Massachusetts fans can see the same production the following day on Sunday, November 7th at the North Shore Musical Childrens Theatre (466 Central St.) in Saugus, MA. Tickets can be reserved by calling Paul Ryan at (781) 230 - EXPO or by emailing Grouptixne@aol.com. Tickets are $9 in advance and $12 day of show and include a free healthy snack!

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T09:31:00.000-04:00

Join us today at the Roger Williams Park Zoo - Spooky Zoo Event and meet Snow White's Evil Queen, Maleficent, and the Candy Witch!

Anti-bullying Summit featured in the PROJO!

2010-10-27T12:56:00.000-04:00

Linda Borg, a staff writer for the Providence Journal provided coverage of the RI Anti-bullying Summit yesterday. Here is an excerpt from her article, "A new effort to block bullying in schools."

For Jamie Dellorco, the bullying began in seventh grade. Her classmates called her “Del Dorko” and said she was the ugliest girl in class. After two boys tried to push her down the stairs, her mother sent her to a private school. 'I tried to be invisible,' says Dellorco, education coordinator of Kaleidoscope Theatre. 'You start to believe what they say. You contemplate suicide.' Dellorco says she was one of the lucky ones. Things did get better. But there are still moments when she looks in the mirror and 'all I can see is the girl who wanted to be invisible... to read more, check out Projo Online!

(Photo: Jamie Dellorco portraying Snow White for Kaleidoscope Theatre.)

Anti-bullying Summit - Oct. 26th

2010-10-25T21:12:00.000-04:00

Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch announces that his office, along with four organizations, is hosting an Anti-Bullying Summit at the University of Rhode Island’ s Feinstein Providence Campus, 80 Washington Street, on Tuesday, October 26th, from 8AM to 3 PM. Lynch’ s Office, along with Kaleidoscope Theatre, PAVE (Partnership to Address Violence through Education), Horizon Enterprises, and CABINS (Committee Against Bullying in Schools) comprise the Anti-Bullying Summit Planning Committee that is proposing measures the entire state can take to prevent, control and eradicate bullying, intolerance and violence in Rhode Island’ s communities and schools.

Representatives from the majority of Rhode Island’ s cities and towns will brainstorm, discuss and arrive at a consensus about bullying and violence issues, with a goal toward creating a resolution for a uniform statewide anti-bullying policy. It is requested that each city or town be represented at the Summit by a team consisting of a teacher, principal or superintendent, police officer, the mayor or a designee, a parent, student and school committee member.

Randy Ross, M.S., M.A. will be the event’ s keynote speaker. An Equity & Diversity Specialist at the New England Equity Assistance Center, she focuses her work on the areas of school climate (including bullying and harassment), gender equity, cultural proficiency and social-emotional learning, and supports school districts in the development and implementation of comprehensive policies and procedures aimed at reducing bullying and harassment in school communities. Ms. Ross formerly
worked for the New Jersey Attorney General, in the Office of Bias Crime and Community Relations, and also served as coordinator for New Jersey Cares About Bullying, a statewide, state-sponsored campaign.

Lynch, who has made bullying prevention a centerpiece of his administration and who has visited at least one school a week during the academic year over the close to eight years he has served as attorney general, said, “ Bullying is a particularly cruel and vicious form of abuse that does great damage to its victims, sometimes with disastrous results. Bullies are especially at-risk
of ending up in our criminal justice system, whether as juveniles, adults or both. This Summit is a viable vehicle for students and adults from around the state to take action on protecting our children and teens from bullies who, through their behavior, pose a real threat to the victims they target.”

For its production of High School B.U.L.L.Y., Lynch accorded special recognition to Kaleidoscope Theatre with a 2009 Justice Award. The play was co-written by David G. Payton, the Theatre’ s Executive Director, and Marianne Douglas, President of Horizon Enterprises who are also the Co-Chairs of the Anti-Bullying Summit Planning Committee.

The Summit is also acting in partnership with URI’ s Feinstein Providence Campus and the Third Eye YCW Project.

For questions or further information, please contact Moses Saygbe, Crime Prevention Specialist at the Department of Attorney General, 274-4400, X2469, or email info@Anti-BullyingSummit.com.

This Week - The Frog Prince!

2010-10-06T23:49:00.000-04:00

For audiences in Massachusetts – You can see this wonderful production on Sunday, October 10th at the North Shore Musical Children’s Theatre in Saugus, MA. For tickets to the show in Saugus, please call 781.230.EXPO or
email Grouptixne@aol.com. Tickets are $9 in advance and $12 day of show and include a free healthy snack!

Kaleidoscope’s monthly series in Rhode Island continues on October 16, 2010, at the Scottish Rites Auditorium (2115 Broad St. Cranston, RI), with “The Frog Prince.” Showtime is 2:00pm and admission is
$10 in advance and $12 on the day of the performance for stadium seating and $8 in advance and $10 day of show for floor seating. For this performance only, Kaleidoscope will be offering a special 2 for 1 ticket deal! If you pay for your tickets in advance, you can get one free ticket for every one you buy! Contact our office at (401) 942-3637 to purchase your tickets!

Show synopsis:

Splash! Young Prince Noble is having a really bad day –

a smelly Gypsy woman is in love with him, he gets pushed down

a well, and then he’s transformed into an icky green frog! Now

instead of traveling the land looking for a beautiful wife,

he's short, green, and hoping to catch a fly for dinner, as he

laments in the humorous song "Whenever I see a Fly".

Will Prince Noble learn a lesson in humility and win the lovely

Princess Cassandra’s heart with the beautiful ballad "How I

Love This Feeling?" Join us on October 10th and watch as plots

twist, stories intertwine, and all the characters discover that

Happy Endings can happen when you least expect them!

Kaleidoscope Theatre’s Education Coordinator, Jamie Dellorco recently interviewed two members of the cast, Bob Macaux and Emily Staples, about their experiences with “The Frog Prince.” Bob and Emily play Prince Henry and Princess Ariana in the show and have done so for many years now. (See photo.)

Q: When did you first start performing in “The Frog Prince”?
Bob: I began touring with this production in 2005.
Emily: I started in the summer of 2007 after I performed as one of the 3 good fairies in “Sleeping Beauty” the summer before.

Q: What is your favorite thing about working on this production?
Bob: I enjoy getting to perform in a musical and to practicing my acting skills.
Emily: I like being a part of a team and getting to work with all the other actors.

Q: Do you have a favorite scene in the show?
Bob: I like the scene at the beginning when I harass Anya, the Gypsy Queen, and she chases me off the stage.
Emily: My favorite is when Prince Henry and I find out that he is a prince so our characters can get married after all!

Come see Bob and Emily’s favorite scenes and chose a scene of your own on October 16th! Call (401) 942-3637 to buy your tickets!

Kaleidoscope at Roger Williams Park Zoo!

2010-09-28T17:26:00.002-04:00

Kaleidoscope will be supplying characters for two of the Zoo's upcoming October events! We're so excited to be asked to participate again in the Jack-o-Lantern event and also the Spooky Zoo day time events. Check out the Zoo's website for more information about the events in general, but here is a list of dates and times our characters will be at the ZOO!

Jack-o-Lanterns
Thursday, October 7th
6pm-8pm - Little Miss Muffet and Mother Goose /   7:30pm-9:30pm - Cinderella
Friday, October 8th
7:30pm-9:30pm - Alice in Wonderland, Queen of Hearts, Mad Hatter
Saturday, October 9th
6pm-8pm - Little Red and the Wolf    /   7:30pm-9:30pm - Cinderella
Sunday, October 10th
7:30pm-9:30pm - Snow White, Evil Queen, Prince
Friday, October 15th
6pm-8pm - Mother Goose, Little Miss Muffet, Little Bo Peep Saturday, October 16th
7:30pm-9:30pm – Pinocchio, Blue Fairy, Gepetto
Thursday, October 21st
6pm – 8pm - Cinderella, Stepmother, Fairy Godmother
Friday, October 22nd
6pm-8pm - Snow White    /   7:30pm-9:30pm – Cinderella, Fairy Godmother
Saturday, October 23rd
6pm-8pm – Cinderella   /   7:30pm-9:30pm- Blue Fairy, Pinocchio
Friday, October 29th
6pm-8pm – Cinderella, Stepmother, Fairy Godmother
Saturday, October 30th
7:30pm-9:30pm - The Blue Fairy, The Fairy Godmother, Tinkerbelle

Spooky Zoo Event

Sunday, October 24th
10am-12pm and 1pm-3pm - Characters are TBD

Saturday, October 30th
10am-12pm and 1pm-3pm - Characters are The Blue Fairy, The Fairy Godmother, Tinkerbelle

Sunday, October 31st
10am-12pm and 1pm-3pm – The Witch from “Hansel & Gretel”, Wicked Queen from “Snow White”, and Maleficent from “Sleeping Beauty”

Locally Grown - Locally Given

2010-09-16T14:20:00.000-04:00

Support the efforts of Kaleidoscopian Santana Roberts to support the local food bank on September 25th!

The Magic of Story Time

2010-09-13T10:14:00.001-04:00

On September 18, 2010, at the Scottish Rites Auditorium (2115 Broad St. Cranston, RI), Kaleidoscope Theatre will perform the musical production The Magic of Story Time. Showtime is 2:00pm and admission is $10 in advance and $12 on the day of the performance for stadium seating and $8 in advance and $10 day of show for floor seating. This production will feature the beautiful Cinderella and Snow White! Audience members can join these two lovely princesses (and their handsome princes) as they tell the magical stories of how they first met and fell in love! For ticket reservations and more information, please call Kaleidoscope Theatre at (401) 942-3637.

Kaleidoscope Theatre's The Magic of Story Time is an original combination of the traditional stories of Snow White and Cinderella. Both princesses will read their classic tales of romance and adventure and sing fan-favorite songs from the David G. Payton version of the full-length fairytale productions. Stories and songs are taken directly from Kaleidoscope Theatre’s Fairytale Musical Series and include material from Snow White, Cinderella, Cinderella’s Wedding, and Jack and the Beanstalk. After the show, all four characters will be on hand to meet the audience, sign autographs, and pose for pictures.

Cast members are Cinderella (Meredyth Waterman of Cranston, RI); her Prince Charming (Brendan Macera of Cranston); Snow White (Jamie Dellorco of Franklin, MA); and her Prince (Dan Larson of Smithfield, RI). Creative and technical staff include Kaleidoscope Theatre’s Executive Director (David G. Payton of Cranston, RI); Kaleidoscope’s Managing Director (Bob Zannini of Cranston, RI); Stage Manager (Nicole Frechette of Lincoln, RI); Sound Engineer (Adam Ramsey of Cranston, RI); and Assistant Stage Manager/Projectionist (Diondra Perillo of Johnston, RI).

MY FIRST BLOG by David G. Payton

2010-09-07T10:40:00.000-04:00

I remember my parents calling me and asking me why the video recorder kept flashing 12-12-12. Now it’s my turn. I am much older now and it’s not the video recorder but the internet that sometimes baffles me. I have a great deal more empathy for my parents and their predicament with the video recorder now. Amazing how long it takes us to learn that there will always be new technology that will test us as we grow older.

Anyway, here I am trying to write my first BLOG! I can hear the laughter of even our youngest member of Kaleidoscope Theatre as they read this. I don’t care. I love laughter and if it’s at my expense, so be it. I will do my best to tell you all about Kaleidoscope and its impact on me.

Bob Zannini, still our Managing Director, came up with the name ‘kaleidoscope’ for our theatre company. We wanted it to be colorful, always changing and fun. When I was a student at Rhode Island College, Ann Colannino, my critic teacher when doing my student teaching at Central High School, was very encouraging and supportive and became our first Artistic Director. Our goal was to produce productions that would aid teachers in dealing with the really sensitive and difficult topics that were becoming evident in the ‘70’s’. Yes, that’s right, the ‘70’s’!

What was then referred to as ‘mainstreaming’ but has now become ‘inclusion’ was beginning in Rhode Island. Schools wanted a play that would educate the students all ready in the school to better understand what was going to happen when a ‘retarded’ child was mainstreamed into their school. We have come a long way in the last 30 years. We don’t refer to anyone now as the ‘retarded’ child. We say that, first and foremost, they are person, a person with a disability, who is now included in the school. Today there is even a justifiable mission to exclude the ‘R’ word totally from our contemporary vocabulary.

In 1979 we created a play called, ‘I’m Special - You’re Special’ which received numerous awards and was chosen to represent the USA in 1989 at an International Down Syndrome convention in Jerusalem, Israel. Over the years, ‘I’m Special’ went through many changes. The most recent, totally eliminating the word ‘retard’ from the script. It still is a viable production which teaches understanding and acceptance and parents and teachers still want it performed in schools.

When “I’m Special’ was first created we had an actor with no disability playing the part of David Brown, the main character in the play. We always give feedback sheets to teachers so they can evaluate what we do and how we do it. For the first five years of touring we gradually received more and more feedback sheets coming in where teachers wanted us to ‘practice what we preach’. We stated in the play that given the same opportunities as others people with disabilities can do just as much and often just as well as anyone else. I had a lot to learn…..still do!

I had no idea if what I was espousing was true. The only way to find out was to listen to what the teachers were asking for and try to see if it could be done. I needed an actor who reflected the learning disabilities of David Brown but who could play the part. I made one phone call to the Northern RI Association for Retarded Citizens, now called Homestead, and found not only the perfect actor but also a good friend, Bill Sousa.

Bill was about 18 years old and working on an assembly line at the center while also taking part in activities provided by the ARC. He was very verbal and, as I was to find out, quite intelligent and talented. He was a member of the ARC Singers and since we do include music in most, if not all, of our shows that was a plus.

Vince Petronio, an actor with our company, and I went to Woonsocket to audition Bill. (We called him Billy then as most everyone did. After a few years of working with us he asked us to call him Bill as he felt he was too old to be called ‘Billy’. Smart young man.) Vince and I met an articulate, although there was a slight speech impediment that sometimes made it difficult to understand him onstage, and very friendly young man. He could read, write and understand everything we said. Imagine, I found that amazing. Today, it is accepted and often expected of those with Down Syndrome. I didn’t realize it then but I was beginning a truly exciting and wonderful journey that would make me realize that what people say about the real person being on the inside not the outside is so very, very true.

Needless to say, Bill’s mother, Janice, was quite skeptical. Who are these people who want to put my son onstage? Luckily, she and husband, Ralph, decided to give us a chance to prove that what we wanted Bill to do was indeed possible. She and Bill came to many rehearsals and Janice traveled with us to every performance for the first year or so. Janice rewarded us by eventually allowing Bill to travel on his own without her. A very difficult thing for a parent to do, but she realized he was capable and needed to do this on his own.

Most, if not all, of the actors, including myself, had never met someone like Bill. We were anxious to get to know him and he felt the same. I don’t remember how we discovered it but we found out that Bill was not only an excellent reader but also an excellent speller. On one occasion we were all traveling in the van to a show and we started to ask Bill to spell different words. We kept trying to find more and more difficult words for him to spell but we couldn’t stump him. This went on for some time and eventually Bill stated to all of us loudly and clearly, ‘I have had e-n-o-u-g-h!’ We all laughed and thought that was a really clever way to tell us to stop and from that moment on we never again asked him to spell anything for us. Bill had begun his teaching of us.

Bill’s speech problem was interfering with his being able to be understood all the time while onstage. We created what we called the ‘echo effect’. We simply found a way to repeat what Bill had said if we thought it was not going to be clearly understood by our audiences. It worked perfectly. We found a way to make it work and we have used this realization to find ways to make it work for our actors with other disabilities as well. We had learned that there is always a way. Thanks, Bill.

After each school performance, if there is time, we always try to open it up for questions from the audience. One of the questions that was often asked of Bill was - ‘Are you really retarded?’ It was not asked in malice but rather out of the child’s natural curiosity and innocence. For so many of our audience members this was the first time they interacted or even saw a person with Down Syndrome on stage. Bill always dispelled the misguided fears and misunderstandings some people have of persons with disabilities through his performances so well that quite often it was difficult for some to believe he was actually a person with Down Syndrome.

Herein lies the rub, Bill did not feel that he was ‘retarded’ so he would often answer, ‘No.’ when asked if he was. I would quickly jump up and add that because the word retard means ‘slow’ and Bill does so many things we do just as well if not better, he feels that he is not retarded but just happens to be a person with Down Syndrome.

In the early 80’s inclusion was so new and frightening to so many that those with Down Syndrome sensed the fear and just like anyone else wanted to fit in. Bill wanted to be accepted for himself and not to be identified by a disability. Eventually, Bill answered the question with “Yes, I am retarded. I have Down Syndrome but that doesn’t stop me from doing anything I want to do.” It never did.

It wasn’t always a bed of roses. Bill was socially inexperienced. Not having been in an inclusion program in school Bill was not always able to understand what was appropriate behavior. Especially when it came to girls. Bill really liked girls and was always on the lookout for a girlfriend. Quite often, a teacher or woman in the audience would come up to him after a performance and give him a hug. Sometimes Bill didn’t want to let go. In the beginning, when his Mom wasn’t around, there might be a pretty, young teacher who would give Bill a kiss on the cheek and he would quickly reciprocate with a kiss on her lips. That created a bit of a furor but we realized that someone needed to talk with Bill about his behavior if he wanted to continue touring with us. His Dad took charge and we never had another problem in that respect again.

After a couple of years of touring to schools with “I’m Special” Bill felt ready to do more. We were coming back from a show in early spring and most of the cast were talking about the summer fairytale touring we were about to do. Bill tapped me on the shoulder and asked what part he would have that summer. I suddenly realized that yet again, we had been saying: ‘…given the chance a person with disabilities can do whatever we all can do’ and here was Bill asking a perfectly natural question. I started that summer to write parts which people with disabilities could play in our summer tours. I couldn’t change the plot of the fairytales we were performing but I could create ancillary characters that would aid the heros and heroines. If not for Bill’s simple question that day our audiences would never have experienced all the fantastic performances our actors with disabilities have provided for them. Thanks, Bill, for helping me ‘practice what I preach’ and for opening my eyes in so many ways.

Kaleidoscope strives to open doors for actors with disabilities and, hopefully, provides all of our actors with the opportunity to work with and learn from one another. Bill unfortunately passed on this year but his spirit, humor and the lessons he taught us will always be with us. His physical presence will be sorely missed but he put us on the road to where we are today and we appreciate his talents and kindness more than ever. Quite often, as the touring day would wear on, I would announce to the cast, “I’m hungry!’ whereupon Bill would always respond with, “I’m Bill!” Corny? Yes. But it always brought a smile to our faces. Thank goodness there’s a little bit of ‘Bill’ in all of us.

Thanks for reading my first blog. Hope you like it

~ David

Tickets now onsale!

2010-09-01T10:39:00.000-04:00

Our monthly series in Saugus, MA will continue into the fall and now Kaleidoscope will be holding a monthly series of their own at the Scottish Rites Auditorium in Cranston, RI! We will be presenting a different fairytale musical each month all year round and we hope you can join us! Tickets for the stadium seats will be $10 in advance and $12 day of show. For the floor, tickets will be $8 in advance and $10 at the door. To reserve your tickets, please call Kaleidoscope Theatre at (401) 942-3637.

Here’s the line-up!

* Saturday, September 18th at 2pm – The Magic of Story Time

* Saturday, October 16th at 2pm – The Frog Prince

* Saturday, November 6th at 2pm – Snow White
* Saturday, December 4th at 2pm – Cinderella’s Christmas

The first show is The Magic of Story Time - Come join Cinderella, Snow White, and their handsome princes as they retell the magical stories of how they met. Stories and songs are taken directly from Kaleidoscope Theatre’s Fairytale Musical Series and include material from Snow White, Cinderella, Cinderella’s Wedding and Jack and the Beanstalk.

Last Day to Vote!

2010-08-31T09:51:00.002-04:00

It's the last day to vote for Marianne's program.... Let's see what we can do!

Text* 101886 to Pepsi (73774) AND go online to register your votes and help move Marianne towards the top!

THANKS!
~ The Kaleido-Staff

Anti-bullying Summit - Oct. 26th

2010-08-26T17:50:00.001-04:00

Kaleidoscope Theatre will be participating in a state-wide anti-bullying conference in October. Kaleidoscope is partnering with the RI Attorney General's Office, Horizon Enterprises (Strategies for Success), PAVE (Partnership to Address Violence through Education), and CABINS (Committee Against Bullying In Schools) to make this worthwhile event a reality. The members of the Rhode Island Anti-bullying Summit Planning Committee are committed to engage a unified effort on measures the entire state of Rhode Island can take to prevent, control, and eradicate bullying, intolerance, and violence in our cities, towns, and schools. Each city and town in Rhode Island has been asked to send representatives to this event... check out the planning committee's website as we get closer to the summit to see if your town has stepped up to the plate and made a commitment to end bullying in your community.

August Newsletter

2010-08-19T20:33:00.002-04:00

Our summer tour is wrapping up… but don’t worry, we have a lot of exciting events on tap for the fall!

For a complete list of our upcoming performances, check out our website at:

www.kaleidoscopechildrenstheatre.com!

For up-to-date information about Kaleidoscope Theatre, you can also check out our two online blogs at:

www.kscopetheatre.blogspot.com (for general news)

www.kaleidonews.blogspot.com (for our members)

For pictures and video clips (old and new) come visit us on MySpace at www.myspace.com/kaleidoscopetheatre or find us on YouTube or Facebook!

In this issue you can read about:

1. VOTE TO HELP STOP BULLYING

2. JACK & THE BEANSTALK

3. FALL FAIRYTALE SERIES

4. BULLY AUDITIONS

Thanks so much for joining us on tour this summer. We’ve had a wonderful time and we hope you did too!

Now on tour... Jack & the Beanstalk!

2010-08-18T20:04:00.003-04:00

Come help Jack believe in himself and climb to the top of the beanstalk!

* Wednesday, August 18th at the Cape Cod Melody Tent, 11:00am
* Thursday, August 19th at the South Shore Music Circus, 10:30am
* Friday, August 20th at the North Shore Music Theatre, 10:00am
* Tuesday, August 24th at Rhode Island College, 11:00am

This Week at RIC - RAPUNZEL!

2010-08-16T00:31:00.002-04:00

Rapunzel is a magical musical based upon the famous fairytale where a young girl is kept in a tower by a comical and bumbling witch and the only way in is by climbing Rapunzel's beautiful and extremely long hair.
This enchanting adaptation closely follows the classic and timeless tale we all know and love. Lovely and lively songs create a mood of enchantment and romance as Rapunzel meets her true love and is rescued from her tower with help from the audience. It is a delightful experience the entire family will enjoy and remember!

Tickets for this Tuesday's performance are still available for the advanced $10 price. All you need to do is call the RIC Box Office today (Monday) between 10am and 4pm. See you Tuesday!

Pocahontas tomorrow - FREE!!!

2010-08-13T21:03:00.001-04:00

Kaleidoscope will be performing “Pocahontas” on Saturday, August 14th at 4pm. This event is free and open to the public courtesy of the Roger Williams National Memorial in Downtown Providence. The memorial will be hosting this event outside near the historic site of Roger Williams’ house. Bring a blanket, pack some snacks, and join us for a wonderful evening! (There will be a Providence Waterfire after the performance.) The Memorial is located at 282 North Main Street in Providence, RI.

Our version of “Pocahontas” is historically accurate and follows the life of Pocahontas from when she meets John Smith and the English colonists, to her marriage to John Rolfe, and her journey to England.

Come join Pocahontas as she teaches the audience about preserving nature and respecting the circle of life!

On tour this week... GOLDILOCKS!

2010-08-09T00:23:00.006-04:00

Come with us on a delightful romp through the traditional tale of Goldilocks, but be prepared for a new twist at the end. Did you ever wonder what happened after Goldilocks ran all the way home?

Well, we answer that question in a fresh and fun way and teach some lessons about proper manners, too.

This is a show you just can't 'bear' to miss!

Coming this week to a theatre near you!

SHOWS:

* Tuesday, August 10th at Rhode Island College, 11am.

* Wednesday, August 11th at the Cape Cod Melody Tent, 11am

* Thursday, August 12th at the South Shore Music Circus, 10:30am

* Friday, August 13th at the North Shore Music Theatre, 10am

For a complete list of upcoming performances and venue information, check out our website.

This Week - SNOW WHITE!!

2010-08-02T20:33:00.000-04:00

Snow White and her seven friends will be on tour this week across RI and MA. Here is this week's touring schedule.... Hope to see you at the theatre near you!

* Tuesday, August 3rd at Rhode Island College, 11am

* Wednesday, August 4th at Cape Cod Melody Tent, 11am

* Thursday, August 5th at South Shore Music Circus, 10:30am

Call us at (401) 942-3637 if you'd like any additional information!!

Vote to help stop bullying in America!

2010-08-01T09:38:00.000-04:00

Marianne Douglas, co-author of our High School BULLY program, put through a grant to the PEPSI Refresh program to support her curriculum and our BULLY programs. Please go online and vote!
http://www.refresheverything.com/helpstopbullyinginamerica

Here are the goals of Marianne's grant:

To complete the curriculum revision, donate the program to 100 schools
Fund the filming of the DVD's of the two anti-bullying plays
Help buy a much needed new van for actors to do anti-bullying shows
Create the middle school and college versions of the curriculum
Fund a booth at 2011 principal's and superintendent's conferences

Your vote can help Marianne promote her curriculum and help Kscope get a new touring van and create DVDs of our award-winning programs! You can vote once a day from now through August... Thank you for your support!!

Also this week... GOLDILOCKS!

2010-07-27T22:06:00.000-04:00

Kaleidoscope will be returning to Connecticut this Thursday with Goldilocks & the Three Bears! We are so excited to be making our debut at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center... and we hope you can join us!

Come with us on Thursday for a delightful romp through the traditional tale of Goldilocks, but be prepared for a new twist at the end. Did you ever wonder what happened after Goldilocks ran all the way home? Well, we answer that question in a fresh and fun way and teach some lessons about proper manners, too. This is a show you just can't 'bear' to miss!

Show time is 11am and tickets are still available through their website. See you there on Thursday, July 29th!

This Week on Tour... THE THREE PIGS!!

2010-07-26T21:05:00.001-04:00

The three pigs are trying to make it onto America’s Barnyard Idol, but that big, bad Elvis-loving wolf has stolen their ticket to the big audition!

Can they get their ticket back in time?

Can Mama Pig save them from the Wolf?

Will the Pigs make it big in show business?

There's lots of music and laughter in this original take on The Three Pigs – tons of fun for everyone!

At a theatre near you...

* Tuesday, July 27th at Rhode Island College, 11am
* Wednesday, July 28th at Cape Cod Melody Tent, 11am
* Thursday, July 29th at South Shore Music Circus, 10:30am.

This Week.... CINDERELLA!

2010-07-18T15:35:00.003-04:00

Come see fan-favorite musical, CINDERELLA, all over New England this week!

The washing and waxing and scrubbing have been finished, but Cinderella's gown is ruined and her Stepmother and stepsisters have already left for the ball! Will the Fairy Godmother arrive in time? The mice seem to think so.... Join us and find out!

Performance Schedule:

* Tuesday, July 20th at Rhode Island College
11:00am

Call (401) 456-8144 for tickets!

* Wednesday, July 21st at Cape Cod Melody Tent
11:00am

Check out their website for tickets!

* Friday, July 22nd at the North Shore Music Theatre
10:00am and 1:00pm

Check out their website for tickets!

***

Pocahontas this Sunday!!

2010-07-08T14:37:00.000-04:00

This historically accurate tale follows the life of Pocahontas from when she meets John Smith and the English colonists, to her marriage to John Rolfe, and her journey to England.

This performance will be on SUNDAY, JULY 11th at 2pm up at our Saugus, MA venue (466 Central Ave). For tickets, use the venue's paypal link or call (781) 230-EXPO!

Youtube - NEW CLIPS!

2010-07-06T14:57:00.001-04:00

Check out youtube.com/kaleidoscope1977 for new clips as we move through the summer. Two clips are up from today's performance of THE FROG PRINCE. Like what you see? Join us next Tuesday for MOTHER GOOSE! Call the Box Office at (401) 456-8144 for tickets!

Check out our ad on Projo.com!

2010-07-02T11:05:00.000-04:00

Our ad pops up randomly throughout the day on Projo.com! Hope you can join us for the start of our summer series at Rhode Island College, this Tuesday with The Frog Prince at 11am!

Please note...

2010-07-01T11:25:00.000-04:00

You only have two more days to get your Frog Prince tickets at the advanced $10 price! Call the RIC box office today (7/1) or tomorrow (7/2) from 10am to 4pm at (401) 456-8144.

PLEASE NOTE: The Box Office will not be open on Monday, 7/5!!

If you do not have tickets by 4pm on Friday, you will have to pay the day off $12 ticket price. No exceptions.

Thanks so much and CALL TODAY!!

;)

Summer Week One: THE FROG PRINCE

2010-06-30T11:02:00.003-04:00

IT’S IN HER KISS!

Prince Noble, seen here as a slimy green frog, puckers up for a kiss from the lovely Princess Cassandra (Sarah Pothier of East Providence, RI) in Kaleidoscope Theatre’s original musical The Frog Prince. The Frog Prince will be performed on July 6, 2009 at 11:00 am at Robert’s Hall Auditorium at Rhode Island College, Providence, RI.

Tickets are $12.00 at the door and $10.00 in advance. There is a special group rate for parties over 25. For further information, please call the RIC Box Office at (401) 456-8144. ** Please note that the RIC box office will not be open on Monday, July 5th due to the 4th of July holiday. **

Kaleidoscope Theatre's The Frog Prince is a musical written by David G. Payton of Cranston, RI, the Executive Director of Kaleidoscope Theatre. The Frog Prince starts with a SPLASH! Young Prince Noble seems to be having a really bad day - a smelly Gypsy woman is in love with him, he got pushed down a well, and then he was transformed into an icky green frog! Now instead of traveling the land looking for a beautiful wife, he's short, green, and hoping to catch a fly for dinner! Will Prince Noble learn a lesson in humility and win the lovely Princess Cassandra’s heart? Watch as plots twist, stories intertwine, and all the characters discover that Happy Endings can happen when you least expect them.

Cast members include - Princess Cassandra (Sarah Pothier of East Providence, RI); Prince Noble (Luke Doyle of West Greenwich, RI); his servant, Henry (Bob Macaux of East Greenwich, RI); King John (Mike Daniels of North Providence, RI); Anya, Queen of the Gypsies (Jamie Dellorco of Franklin, MA); and Princess Ariana (Emily Staples of Narragansett, RI).

Tickets available online!

2010-06-29T11:10:00.001-04:00

Tickets for our two upcoming summer shows in Saugus, MA are now available online. Check out the Paypal links for both Pocahontas on July 11th and Little Red Riding Hood on August 15th. Buying the tickets online in advance allows you to take advantage of the $9 advance price (tickets are $12 at the door). You can also call (781) 230 - EXPO.

Hope to see you there!

Kaleidoscope returns to Connecticut!

2010-06-25T15:09:00.000-04:00

Kaleidoscope will again be performing in the lovely state of Connecticut. This summer, we will be coming to The KATE - The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center in Old Saybrook, CT. On July 29th we will be presenting fan-favorite musical, Goldilocks & the Three Bears. For more information on how to get tickets, check out their website or call the box office at (877)503-1286. CT residents - We hope to see you on July 29th!

Pocahontas remount debuts tomorrow!

2010-06-22T20:06:00.001-04:00

Our updated version of Pocahontas (with brand new orchestrations from Dan DeLange) will debut tomorrow! This historically accurate tale follows the life of Pocahontas from when she meets John Smith and the English colonists, to her marriage to John Rolfe, and her journey to England.

Pocahontas is available to tour to schools, camps, and parks! If you'd like to bring the show to a venue near you, please call us at (401) 942-3637.

The public can see Pocahontas in both RI and MA this summer! For Massachusetts residents, we will be performing the show on July 11th at 2pm as part our out monthly series up in Saugus, MA. Call (781) 230-EXPO to reserve tickets! For Rhode Islanders, the Roger Williams National Memorial (on N. Main St. in Downtown Providence) will be presenting a free performance of the show on August 14th at 4pm. Bring a blanket and enjoy a beatuful historical and natural setting for the performance. Waterfire event will follow in Providence, so come on down and make a night of it!

If you have any questions, feel free to call our email us!

Summer Video Preview

2010-06-17T11:42:00.002-04:00

June Newsletter has been released!

2010-06-13T22:55:00.000-04:00

This issue will feature a list of all our summer venues and upcoming public performances. If you have any questions about a specific performance or venue, please feel free to contact us!

For a complete list of our upcoming performances, check out our website at:

www.kaleidoscopechildrenstheatre.com!

In this issue:

1. Roberts Hall Auditorium, Rhode Island College, Providence, RI

2. Cape Cod Melody Tent, Hyannis, MA South Shore Music Circus, Cohasset, MA

3. South Shore Music Circus, Cohasset, MA

4. North Shore Music Theatre, Beverly, MA

5. North Shore Musical Children’s Theatre, Saugus, MA

6. Other Public Performances

7. Supporting Our Members

Let us know if you have any questions!

Buy your tickets today!

2010-06-11T18:53:00.002-04:00

Box Office at Rhode Island College is open Monday through Fridays from 10am to 4pm. For tickets, please call (401) 456-8144.

* Please note, the Box Office will not be open on Monday, July 5th... so buy your tickets to The Frog Prince in advance!!

Looking Through The Kaleidoscope #15: When In Doubt, THROW IT IN!

2010-06-11T11:23:00.004-04:00

Kaleidoscope recently had a trip to New Jersey for a three-show run of Mother Goose at the Kelsey Theater. Trips to New Jersey always prove to be pretty interesting. I had gone to the Kelsey with the gang in the past, and those trips also have some fun memories. Some of the fun was a bit more dangerous than the rest. For instance, I don't think you are allowed, by law, to stop on the highway and contemplate a situation. Don't get me wrong, stopping to observe your surroundings is good now and then, but when your surroundings include heavy, metal-encased vehicles of death, swerving around you at 70 mph, the roses will just have to wait. On a related note, the death vehicles don't like it when you start backing up.

This trip wasn't as deadly, but it is the longest overnight I have done with the company so far. We left on a Thursday evening and came back to RI Saturday evening/Sunday morning, depending on how you want to look at it. Regardless of the length of the trip, it went smoothly. I was lucky enough to be in the "quiet" van for most of the trip. With many long trips at Kaleidoscope, there are usually two vans. One van is the "We're young, we're excited, let's sing Glee the whole trip" van, and the other is the "Shut up and sleep" van. Glee is all well and good, but I felt very fortunate to be in the latter of the two vans, being able to use my new hat (which is getting a surprising amount of approval, if I may say) as a makeshift sleep mask. Between the sleep and a trusty iPod Touch (loaded up with music, an episode of Criminal Intent, and The Sting), I was certainly occupied for the six-hour trek. It should have taken four, but with so many people to deal with at once, delays are bound to happen. I will take this time, however, to say that I was in the noise box on four wheels on the way back, at the helm as it were, and all I will say is that at least there was no danger of being asleep at the wheel.

I have to say that one of the more interesting things to happen on this trip was the meeting with the infamous New Jersey Bridge Troll. She isn't a real troll, however she could be for all I know, seeing that she was hidden from the world in her toll booth. This wasn't a normal toll booth, mind you. This was a $1 booth, however you needed change. The attendant was not even visible. She was in fact hidden behind a sliding screen door that was shut. From what I understand, the lead van (U.S.S. Noisebox) was scrambling for change when they got there, until the attendant yelled to them "Just give me the dollar! If you do this again, I'm giving you a ticket!" How would she? She has to present herself to do so.

Now our van gets there, and Bob, who is driving, doesn't notice the change receptacle. I tell him we need change, but he can't seem to find any either. Finally we here a "THROW IT IN" echo from the bowels of this toll booth. This voice painted an image of a disgruntled toll worker, who perhaps lived in the booth very comfortably with her HD television and Wi-Fi, and here we were disrupting Days of Our Lives. All this time I thought trolls were eunuchs with fun hair.

The shows themselves went very well, and a good deal of that credit needs to go to the Kelsey. The folks there are really wonderful to work with and are very knowledgeable in their craft. Our audiences were good as well. Friday was pretty full, mainly because there were schools coming in the see the show. The two Saturday shows had modest audiences each, so all together it was pretty good. One child in particular got to steal the spotlight a little during the second Saturday show. As the Knave, I have a speech that I do right after the intermission. In this speech, I mention that the king's birthday cake has been stolen. After saying this during the second Saturday show, a young kid shouted at me "It was probably you!!" at the top of his tiny lungs. I couldn't just ignore this statement, particularly because it echoed throughout the whole theater, so I responded with "What do you know?" It got a good laugh.

It's funny that this happened in a children's theatre production, however I wonder if the old "theatre code of conduct" would discourage it. By definition, children's theatre has little to do with the content of the shows. Yes, they usually play for younger audiences, however what truly makes children's theatre is the idea that it is teaching young children the conventions of the theatre. Good children's shows encourage participation and response, however they also encourage it when it is deemed appropriate. On the other hand, if we considered what theatre could be in our society, then this kid is on the right track. I think what I was able to witness that day was someone not stuck in the Deadly Theatre that Peter Brook talks about. This child was not fully aware of the social conventions that are placed in are theatre (for better or worse), and therefore he reacted from his gut. He reacted in a way we should all encourage when we go to the theatre. Sure, we could get into a discussion about respect for the actors and the other patrons, but if the theatre is not a place for all parties to express themselves, then what good is it? However we choose to look at it, I'm glad I got to experience that moment.

All in all, a good trip. But it's always good to come home.

In the words of Garrison Keillor, "be well, do good work, and keep in touch."

Emily Luther wins Glee Audition

2010-06-05T11:04:00.000-04:00

Kaleidoscopian Emily Luther recently won the Glee Casting Call audition that Fox/ The Rhode show held on Friday, April 16^th. She was on The Rhode Show on Tuesday morning for the announcement. We’re all very proud of her!! Here's the clip from the show!

RIC Tickets are now onsale!

2010-06-04T09:48:00.000-04:00

Call the RIC Box Office at (401) 456-8144 to purchase your tickets! Our 2010 Series opens July 6th and runs through August 24th. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 day of show. A season ticket for all eight shows can be purchased for only $50! Regular tickets for all eight shows would be $80... so a season pass can save you $30! There is also a ticket rate of $5/ticket for groups of 25 or more.

Here's this season's line-up:

July 6 - The Frog Prince

July 13th - Mother Goose

July 20th - Cinderella

July 27th - The Three Pigs

August 3rd - Snow White

August 10th - Goldilocks

August 17th - Rapunzel

August 24th - Jack & the Beanstalk

For a complete list of all our 2010 Summer performances, check out the "Upcoming Schedule" on our website!

See you this summer!

Summer 2010 Video Preview!

2010-06-04T09:46:00.000-04:00

Look out NJ... Mother Goose is on the loose!

2010-06-03T15:43:00.001-04:00

Mother Goose will be on tour in New Jersey this weekend! There will be 4 performances at the Kelsey Theatre (on the Mercer County Community College campus) in West Windsor, NJ. On Friday, local school children can see the show at 10:00am and 11:45am. On Saturday, Mother Goose will be open to the public for two shows at 2:00pm and 4:00pm. To purchase tickets, call the Kelsey Theatre Box Office at (609) 570-3333.

Hope to see you there!

Snow White - Tomorrow in Boston!

2010-05-29T17:47:00.001-04:00

Come see Snow White this Sunday, May 30th at the Wilbur Theatre in Boston, MA. Show time is 2:00pm and tickets can be purchased online or by calling the theatre at (617) 248-9700.

Hope to see you there!

Wilbur Theatre

www.thewilburtheatre.com

246 Tremont Street

Boston, MA 02116

(617) 248-9700

Alice through the Kaleidoscope - Character Profile

2010-05-26T17:08:00.000-04:00

MEET the FAIRY GODMOTHER????

But where is she? That's exactly what Alice is trying to find out! Alice needs the Fairy Godmother to get back home, but no one in Fairytale Land seems to know where she is! Do you know where she is? Join us this Friday to help Alice find the magical Fairy Godmother and make sure all your favorite fairytale characters get the HAPPY ENDING they deserve!

Alice Though the Kaleidoscope

When: Friday, May 29th, 7:30pm

Where: Scottish Rites Auditorium

2115 Broad St.

Cranston, RI

Call (401) 942-3637 to reserve your tickets!

Alice through the Kaleidoscope - Character Profile

2010-05-25T15:49:00.000-04:00

MEET THE FOREST ANIMALS

They may be small... but these animals know a lot about what's happening in the forest. This Friday, they will help Alice and the Big Bad Wolf solve the problems of the Fairytale Land Forest and help ensure that everyone lives, 'Happily Ever After."

Tickets for Alice Through the Kaleidoscope will be available at the door, so come on down and support a great cause! For more information, check out our official website.

Looking Through The Kaleidoscope #14: At Least I'll Pull Off The Hat (I Hope)

2010-05-24T16:00:00.000-04:00

Summer is just about upon us. The weather is starting to warm up, school is ending for us college folk and will be ending soon for everyone else, and I already had the task of lugging the clunker of an AC into my living room. Summer also means the ending of school touring for Kaleidoscope, as well as the beginning of the annual summer tour. For me, this is where Kaleidoscope is at home. Don't get me wrong, the school touring shows have been doing very well, and in a way they are the crux of the theater's business, but when I think of Kaleidoscope, like many other people who grew up with the company in its thirty-plus years, they think of going to places like the Warwick Musical Tent to see their favorite fairy tales come to life through fun performances and music. I remember seeing Alice in Wonderland when I was very young, probably at the Warwick Musical Tent. All I remember was that it was in the round and there was a guy running around singing "Smile". I think at the time I didn't even realize it was Alice in Wonderland, or at least that is how memory serves me now.

Everyone will always have a favorite show with Kaleidoscope, or at least one that is dear to them, but there was always something about Cinderella. The creme de la creme of the summer tour. If any fairy tale has stood the test of time, it is certainly the one with the fair girl, her mean old mother, the ugly stepsisters, the prince among princes, a fairy godmother, and one very particular slipper. There is something about the tale itself that makes every little princess in New England and beyond want to be Cinderella. Sure, there are a few Snow Whites and Belles, maybe a Sleeping Beauty here and there. But you could toss a magic wand in the air at one of our shows (available at the Kaleidoscope concession stand, just ask for Bob) and it will probably land near a tiny Cinderella. Here at Kaleidoscope, there are fairy tale musicals, and then there is Cinderella. The glass slipper stands alone.

This summer, I get the honor of playing the Minister in Cinderella. Of all the parts in the play, this is one I can really sink my teeth into. There is a lot of room for creating a unique character, there are some great scenes that the character is involved in, and last, but certainly not least, great actors to work with directly who have done their respective parts for some time. Many of the scenes with the Minister and the King are real crowd pleasers, and I do not intend to do anything less than what I've seen in the past.

That's probably the biggest difference between the other shows I've done with Kaleidoscope and my upcoming work with Cinderella: the pressure is on! Without a doubt, this is going to be the toughest character to pull off. Not to knock any of the other shows I've done, or any of the other shows for that matter, but I know the workload is going to be the greatest with the Minister. I can handle the idea of this being a show with high expectations in itself, however I know I'm going to be very tough on myself when it comes to meeting those expectations.

If anything, this show is going to test my singing like nobody's business. Character voices won't cut it this time around. This part takes a serious singer, so I'm going to have to start thinking like one. I've got past recordings of the parts I need to do. Now I need to listen, practice, listen, practice, listen, and practice until I can, and am, singing this in my sleep. This is nerve wracking, it's exciting, and it's all going to come together in a matter of time.

Welcome back to summertime at Kaleidoscope.

In the words of Garrison Keillor, "be well, do good work, and keep in touch."

Video Preview - Alice Through the Kaleidoscope

2010-05-22T00:20:00.001-04:00

This event is being held at the Scottish Rites Auditorium at 2115 Broad St. in Cranston. Tickets are $15 and are available at the door! Show time is 7:30pm on Friday, May 28th.

See you there!

Alice through the Kaleidoscope - Character Profile

2010-05-21T17:38:00.001-04:00

MEET the FAIRIES

Alice and the Wolf are looking for someone with magical powers to help Alice get home... but the Three Good Fairies aren't going to be able to help. They cast a sleeping spell to protect the castle until Sleeping Beauty awakes, but it rebounded and put them to sleep instead!

The Blue Fairy is having trouble with her magic too, but she can still tell when someone's lying to her... Perhaps it's time for the Wolf to come clean... What do you think he's hiding?

****

Alice through the Kaleidoscope - Character Profile

2010-05-19T21:35:00.000-04:00

MEET SNOW WHITE and the 7 DWARVES!!

Somewhere deep in the Fairytale Land Forest lives Snow White and her friends - Doc, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, Sneezy, Bashful, and Friendly. But will hiding in the forest really keep Snow White safe from the jealous Evil Queen? Join us May 28th to find out!

Alice through the Kaleidoscope - Character Profile

2010-05-17T13:11:00.001-04:00

MEET THE 3 PIGS - Iggy, Ziggy, and Ralph

The 3 Pigs are not having a good day! The Big Bad Wolf has been at it again... huffing and puffing till all their houses blew down. But, is the Wolf trying to actually eat the Pigs or is he just upset about something? Maybe the Pigs should just learn how to build stronger houses... In the meantime, they're moving into another fairytale's neighborhood. Whose house do you think they'll decide to live in?
Find out on May 28th!

Email kaleidoscope@kaleidoscopetheatre.com for more information about our fundraiser, Alice Through the Kaleidoscope.

Alice through the Kaleidoscope - Character Profile

2010-05-15T12:37:00.001-04:00

Meet PRINCE NOBLE and ANYA, the GYPSY QUEEN

The Gypsy Queen is a woman who's used to getting what she wants... And what she wants is Prince Noble to fall in love with her. Unfortunately, the dashing Prince is more in love with himself than with anyone or anything else. Look out Prince Noble, if Anya uses her magic, you might be spending the rest of your life living in the nearby well. What do you think she might do to him?

Come on May 28th to find out!

Alice through the Kaleidoscope - Character Profile

2010-05-13T21:11:00.003-04:00

Meet JACK, LITTLE RED, and THE GIANT

Jack and Little Red have not been very good! Jack stole a golden harp from the Giant and Little Red never took her basket of goodies to granny! To make matters worse, they lied about what they did! Now their stories are all askew and they're looking for some magic to help put things to right. Let's hope the angry giant doesn't find them first... join us May 28th to find out!

To purchase tickets for the fundraiser, please call (401) 942-3637.

:)

This Sunday - Rapunzel!

2010-05-13T15:48:00.002-04:00

Come join us May 13th at 2pm for Rapunzel at the North Shore Musical Childrens Theatre in Saugus, MA. (466 Central St.) Tickets are $9 in advance and $12 at the door. Call (781) 979-4185 to reserve seats!

Alice through the Kaleidoscope - Character Profile

2010-05-10T19:12:00.001-04:00

MEET ALICE'S SISTER and THE WHITE RABBIT

Alice's sister is just trying to educate her sister in the ways of the world... by making sure she's well read in literature, fairy tales, and poetry. Unfortunately, Alice is more concerned with chasing a rabbit she's found in the yard. What Alice's sister doesn't know is that this Rabbit has a pressing engagement at the Queen of Heart's royal court... and if Alice follows the rabbit, she'll embark on a wonderful and crazy adventure.

Alice through the Kaleidoscope - Character Profile

2010-05-07T11:22:00.002-04:00

Meet CINDERELLA and her STEPSISTERS

Cinderella is trying to get to the ball... but the stepsisters destroyed the dress she fixed up from the attic and then her Fairy Godmother vanished before being able to help her! Not to worry, the stepsisters aren't having a good day either... They want to marry the Prince, but they'll never catch him looking like that! Find out on May 28th if any of them get to the ball and win the Prince's heart.

Alice through the Kaleidoscope - Character Profile

2010-05-05T13:55:00.003-04:00

Meet ALICE and the WOLF!

On her way to Wonderland... everything suddenly goes dark and Alice finds herself lost in Fairy Tale Land! While wandering the forest, Alice meets the BIG BAD Wolf that she's read about in some of her favorite fairytales, but she soon realizes that this Wolf isn't so scary after all. He agrees to help her find someone magical to send her back home... but he wants to find someone magical for his own reasons. He's keeping secrets from his new friend Alice... join us on May 28th to find out what's going on with the Wolf and to see if Alice is able to find her way home.

Alice through the Kaleidoscope

2010-05-04T16:45:00.002-04:00

Tickets now on sale! Call (401) 942-3637!

Scottish Rites Auditorium

May 28th at 7:30pm

Want to support a great cause and promote awareness about bullying in schools? Join us for an evening of all of your favorite Kaleidoscope songs and characters in a brand new original story for the whole family to enjoy! All proceeds will go toward bringing our H.S. BU.L.L.Y. presentation to area high schools around the Rhode Island and Massachusetts area.

Alice through the Kaleidoscope:
The Fairy Godmother is missing and without her magic all of Fairy Tale Land is in chaos. No one’s story is following the path that it should and it seems that Happily Ever After may be a thing of the past. Even Alice (of Wonderland) has not ended up where she is supposed to be. Now she must team up with the Big (not so) Bad Wolf to find the Fairy Godmother and put everything right.

Looking Through The Kaleidoscope #13: Sometimes You Have to Go Back to Go Forward

2010-04-29T13:25:00.012-04:00

I was looking through my Twitter today (yes, I tweet) and I was extremely pleased to see that Kaleidoscope's very own Amber Rose Johnson took first prize at the Poetry Out Loud National Finals, earning both a pretty penny for herself as well as a stipend for Classical High School to purchase poetry books, which is an idea I am fully behind. On top of that she got to meet John Leguizamo and have Garrison Keillor as one of the judges. It sounded like a fantastic experience all around.

Perhaps it is just me, but it feels like a good time to be creative. Theatre is in a very interesting place this day in age, and I believe the limits that might have surrounded it at one time are slowly loosening their grips. We are living in a time (again) where we are getting down to the basics. We are going back into a place where the theatre is once again about the performer and the empty space, as Peter Brook might put it. Forget the set, don't worry about the props, just give us a place to do the show and we're good. Sure, we still have the glamor of the Broadway musical, but even they are going back to their own golden age with the amount of revivals that have come out in the last few years. The owners of the Rogers and Hammerstein estate are probably doing pretty well in the royalties department. But I think we might be coming back to a time where we are willing to ask the most important question in theatre: "What are you doing?"

The question might sound harsh to the novice theatre performer, but it isn't meant to be. It's not a "What are you doing, for goodness sake, and whatever it is STOP" kind of thing, but more like an awareness of what our actions on stage are. We need to remember that it is action that will always drive a theatrical work. The center of theatre will always be people, and the good plays are going to showcase people in effect.

Whether this be a new wave or old news, I think Kaleidoscope should jump on board. Creatively, I see the company in a good place. There is a good variety of talent, good people at the helm, and the right opportunities are presenting themselves. Consider this: one of the hottest topics in the news right now is bullying. There have been several commentaries on the subject on public radio alone, and this national crisis (yes, crisis) will continue to get attention. Here we have Kaleidoscope with not one, but two anti-bullying shows, both with a strong message, and both with recognizable accolades. I'm surprised there aren't more bookings of this show.

From what I can see, Kaleidoscope has several doors it can step through. The anti-bullying program, the creation of new works like Magic of Story Time and Alice Through the Kaleidoscope, the thirty plus year lineage that it has woven in this community. We are well in our means to do more, and we should. We have a real opportunity not only to continue what we do, but to create great theatre. The theatre is all about the big picture, and Kaleidoscope can absolutely widen its canvas.

In the words of Garrison Keillor, "be well, do good work, and keep in touch."

Vote for Kaleidoscope Theatre!

2010-04-27T15:57:00.003-04:00

VOTE FOR KALEIDOSCOPE – MOTIF AWARD NOMINATION

Kaleidoscope Theatre has been nominated for two 2010 Motif Awards – ‘Best alternative holiday production’ for Cinderella’s Christmas and ‘Best youth performance’ for Jeffrey Sewell’s portrayal of Jack in Jack & the Beanstalk. Rebekah Philip won last year for her performance in Little Red Riding Hood and with your support, Kaleidoscope can win again this year!

Voting is open until May 10th – Thank you for your support!

Other Kaleidoscopians were nominated for their work at other theatres - please support them too!
* Kim Frenze for "Best Female Performance" (college)
* Molly Marks for "Best Female Lead" (Pro/Semi-Pro)
* Ryan Hanley for "Best New Work"
* Kevin Broccoli for "Best New Work"
* Ariana Pacheco for "Best Youth Performance"
Vote here - http://www.vmassociates.com/TheatreAwards.html

Here's a clip from Cinderella's Christmas -

For more videos, check us out on YouTube!

Jack & the Beanstalk on Sunday!

2010-04-23T17:35:00.000-04:00

Jack & the Beanstalk will be presented on Sunday (April 25th) at the North Shore Childrens Theatre (466 Central St.) in Saugus, MA. Tickets are $12 at the door and the ticket price includes a free ice cream! This is your last chance to see Jack and his friends until our summer tour performances at the end of August. Show time is 2pm. Hope to see you there!

Roger Williams Park Zoo's Party for the Planet Event! Aprill 19-25

2010-04-19T02:15:00.003-04:00

This year, Kaleidoscope will be participating in the Zoo's annual Party for the Planet event! Come see some of your favorite characters and party with a purpose! Each day has a theme designed to teach kids how to live green, protect the planet, and stay healthy. For more details on the overall event that runs all week from 11am to 3pm, check out the Zoo's website.

Kaleidoscope characters will be appearing on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday from 12-2pm.

Monday, April 19th - The Caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland

Thursday, April 22nd - Kscope's own gymnastic giraffe!

Saturday, April 24th - Pocahontas

Worthy Cause - Pediatric Hydrocephalus Foundation

2010-04-12T12:43:00.000-04:00

Kaleidoscope recently donated a four-pack of tickets to help the Pediatric Hydrocephalus Foundation raise money for a cure. You can help too, by attending their Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser on Saturday, June 5th! Tickets are only $10 for adults, $5 for children 4-12, and free for under 4. The event will be held at the Scottish Rite Masonic Temple from 4:30-7pm and will feature a silent auction and 50/50 raffle. For more information, call Rebecca Minasian at (401) 663-4434.

Jack & the Beanstalk - Today at 10am!

2010-04-10T00:10:00.000-04:00

Kaleidoscope Children’s Theatre Performance of “Jack and The Beanstalk” Sponsored By Wood River Preschool on April 10^th at 10 am will take place at the Chariho Middle School, 455B Switch Road, Wood River Junction.

Tickets are $5/person at the door starting at 9am and people of all ages are encouraged to attend.
Wood River Preschool is a non-profit, parent cooperative preschool and this April 10^th performance will help raise funds to bring increased educational opportunities to students and will also give the community the opportunity to enjoy professional theatre.

PAVE Fundraiser tonight!

2010-04-08T07:39:00.000-04:00

On April 8, 2010 at 6:30pm, Partnership to Address Violence through Education (PAVE) will be hosting a SKATING FUNDRAISER @ UNITED SKATES SKATING ARENA. 100% of proceeds will help send inner city youth to SUMMER CAMP... and tickets are only $10!

Note: This is a 21yrs. and up event. (sorry kids) Also, you do not have to skate to attend!!!

For tickets and more info, Please contact Kobi Dennis @ 499-7462, John Reis @ 464-2004 or Kyle Dennis @ 556-0347.

Hope to see you tonight!

Help the Arts - Fill out your Census!

2010-03-30T15:21:00.001-04:00

April 1st is Census Day. Because the 2010 Census is so significant for nonprofits, the Arts Council is asking Rhode Island's cultural community to get involved. Please return your Census surveys!

WHY?

Rhode Island communities could lose millions of dollars if we are undercounted. The federal government will distribute almost $4 trillion over the next decade based on the data collected in the Census. The Rhode Island General Assembly also distributes millions of dollars based on census data.

Programs that enrich peoples' lives, help people through tough times, educate our children, and protect our environment receive federal funding based on the Census. Here's a tiny sampling of programs that are affected by census data:
   - Section 8 affordable housing
   - Head Start
   - State Children's Health Insurance Program
   - Low income energy assistance
   - Water treatment and conservation programs
   - National Endowment for the Arts, which provides arts funding for Rhode Island.

Local nonprofits (including Arts organizations) could lose funding, either directly or indirectly, if an undercount occurs. Nonprofits could lose (or gain) because government dollars often flow to nonprofits to deliver programs based on census data. Plus, even if you don't get money directly from the government, if Rhode Island suffers an undercount and loses government money, then grantmakers might redirect their funding from local nonprofits to fill the void of lost government funds for needed human services delivered by others.

Fill out and return you census by April 1st!

*

March Newsletter

2010-03-20T14:31:00.000-04:00

The March edition of the newsletter has been released!

In this issue you can read about:

1. Upcoming Performances - Goldilocks

2. Jack & the Beanstalk
3. Recent winner - RI Justice Award
4. Fundraiser - “Alice through the Kaleidoscope”
5. Skills on Stage - Acting classes!
6. “Rapunzel”
7. Supporting Our Members

For a complete list of our upcoming performances, check out our website!

Join us tomorrow (March 21st) for Goldilocks & the Three Bears at 2:00pm in Saugus, MA! Call 1-781-230-EXPO for more details!

Looking Through The Kaleidoscope #12: School's In

2010-03-18T13:34:00.007-04:00

I'm not even sure if people even remember these blog entries. Something is convincing me to resuscitate this poor being of a mini-blog.

Busy seems to be the key word lately. From a personal standpoint, I've been busy putting together an MFA project in order to graduate, but things seem to be busy on the KScope front as well. Most recently the company has been in the midst of the RI Home Show, where our newest show, The Magic of Story Time, has been making its magical mark. In general, this show is in pretty good demand. Having been part of a performance way back in its early stages, I can see why it is so popular. There is a lot of enthusiasm and talent behind the simplicity.

My work with Kaleidoscope has been on and off as of late. There are times where I am heavily involved with the shows, followed by periods of inactivity, and then more work. If you had asked me a year ago, I never would have thought that I would be involved with the school touring shows in the capacity that I have been in.

A little while ago I was able to do a performance of I'm Special, You're Special, KScope's show that focuses on the inclusion of individuals with down syndrome, specifically inclusion in a public school setting. Up until the few rehearsals I had, I didn't have a lot of knowledge about the show. The main reason for my involvement was due to the fact that we were short on people to play the father/gym coach in the show. I realize I'm a bit on the young side to play such a character, however we were able to pull it off because our ages sort of lined up. It wasn't like I was playing opposite to someone older than myself. So, roll up my sleeves, put on some glasses, and I'm a dad.

I had a good time with this show. We had done two performances, both of which went over without a hitch. The children were extremely attentive, which tells me that young children not only have the capacity to understand a concept such as inclusion, but are also willing to move in the right direction. I think we take this understanding for granted. As we get older, a great deal of people in our society seem to stray from the idea of inclusion. Something in our brain will change how we view people, and we start to become more cynical. We could chalk that up to personal experiences, but we fail to see how easy it is to accept when we are young. It has nothing to do with naivety. I think it has to do with the fact that the more things that we realize, the more things we have to question. Perhaps, once in a while, we can just tell ourselves to save the questions for something else. Once in a while, maybe we should just be able to accept someone for who he or she is, merely because we are all the same in the grand scheme of things. Keep the bad eggs in mind, but don't put that title on a person before you know them. I think its time for us to let us make the decisions for ourselves and not let society tell us how to think of someone because they are different. Treat people as people, not delicate beings who will shatter in our hands. The kids get it. We can get it.

The big thing in school touring right now is still BULLY, but this season it has been the new incarnation of the show, High School BULLY. The show is still in its infant stages, but the crawl is slowing progressing to a walk.

The show has revealed one of the biggest obstacles in theatre, which is speaking to a younger audience. The high school period of our lives is sort of like an age of reality. We are figuring out the truth of who we are, who are the important people in our environment, what is our purpose, and so on. It is an age where we turn off the willingness to imagine, especially with the theatre. We are able to simply believe something is real on stage as a child because it is simply there. We regain this ability as an adult because we understand the nature of the theatre. As for high school, we seem to like to point out the sparks of reality that are subtle enough to not break the image on stage, but potentially could if they were to reveal themselves. It's a tough audience. And this is a tough show being delivered to a tough audience. The show is tough in the sense that we are educating, and the last thing a high school student wants is an education. Sounds silly, yes, but there is truth behind it. Educating ourselves as adults seems more natural because now we are free to be curious about the world and actually go out and satisfy those curiosities. In high school, we'll tell you what to be curious about. Got it, slick?

Some of the difficulties involved in the show are certainly coming from our end as well. Don't get me wrong, it's a good show. However I think there are still instances where we are taking our audience for granted. We need to be able to communicate our message effectively, however we need to either meet the students on their level, or we need to exceed it. Either way, we are paying the students the respect they deserve as people of the theatre. I specifically will refer to them as "people of the theatre". They may not go to the school plays, they may not have an interest in the craft, but the fact of the matter is that once they walk into the theater, they are deserving of our best as performers. But the problem doesn't lie in the talent of the people on stage. We have it. What we need to focus on is whether we are offering a work that is appropriate to our audience, in this case high school students. Many times, I would say the work finds the audience, and we should not have the audience in mind when creating. This show is an exception. However we aren't going to reach our goals by changing what we do on stage. We need to look at what we are giving. Theatre is about doing. We go out there, we do, and we reach who we are going to reach. We need to refine what we are doing via the content.

As someone who has performed in a production of High School BULLY, I think we are on the right track. I think we still have important work to do as well. The show has gained a lot of notoriety already, but I say we can't pat ourselves on the back just yet. Let's see what we can do to make a great thing even better. Theatre isn't just the act of doing on stage, it is the act of doing in the creation process. We aren't done working yet, nor should we ever be done working.

In the words of Garrison Keillor, "be well, do good work, and keep in touch."

Goldilocks this weekend!

2010-03-17T17:12:00.001-04:00

On Sunday, March 21, we will be presenting Goldilocks & the Three Bears at 2:00pm in Saugus, MA. The close and intimate performance venue of the Saugus Senior Center is always a joy to perform in and the crew there has truly become a part of the Kaleidoscope family. To reserve your tickets, please contact Paul Ryan at grouptixne@aol.com or (781) 230-EXPO. Tickets are $12 and include a yummy free ice cream.

Kaleidoscope will continue to present a monthly production in Saugus throughout 2010. Our schedule through June is as follows:

* April 25th – Jack & the Beanstalk

* May 16th – Rapunzel

* June 13th – Mother Goose

Details for performances in July and August will be announced shortly.

Acting Class - Skills on Stage

2010-03-16T12:49:00.000-04:00

Kaleidoscope Theatre will be offering a theatre class this spring for children in grades 3-5!

In this class, children will begin to learn about the skills necessary to become an actor. The class will focus on the skills of Observation, Imagination, Concentration, and Cooperation and the students will practice them using a variety of theatre games and exercises. All students in the class will also participate in Kaleidoscope Theatre’s production of Alice through the Kaleidoscope on May 28th at the Scottish Rites Auditorium in Cranston. This show is being produced as a fundraiser for our B.U.L.L.Y. program and will offer the students a chance to work alongside professional actors. The class will be taught by Jamie Dellorco, who currently serves as Kaleidoscope Theatre’s Education Coordinator as well as an actor for the company.

Classes will begin Friday, April 9th from 6:30pm – 8:30pm and will run every Friday at the same time through the performance on May 28th. This class is being offered for a fee of $200. All classes will be held in the function room of the Orchard Church located at 180 Oaklawn Ave. in Cranston.

Call (401) 942-3637 to reserve your slot!

Performances again tomorrow!

2010-03-13T17:48:00.001-05:00

Cinderella, Snow White, Rapunzel, and Sleeping Beauty will be at the RI Home Show again tomorrow! Performances of The Magic of Story Time will be at 11am and 2pm! Children under 12 get into the event free!

JOIN US!

The Magic of Story Time this weekend!

2010-03-12T11:09:00.000-05:00

Kaleidoscope's favorite princesses will be telling their stories this weekend at the RI Home Show in the RI Convention Center!

Performances on both Saturday and Sunday!

11:00am - Rapunzel and Sleeping Beauty

2:00pm - Snow White and Cinderella