Show Notes: Summer 2023
Show Notes: Summer 2023
The Quarterly Newsletter of All-of-us Express Children's Theatre
In this issue:
Next on stage: Frozen Jr.
Season 35 and upcoming auditions
Summer drama camps and specialty workshops
Annual meeting: Save the date
Show recap: School of Rock
Show recap: A Murder is Announced
Alumni feature: Ayden Soupal
It’s hot outside and we’re excited to cool down when Frozen Jr. opens later this month. Read on for news from the All-of-us Express Children’s Theatre (AECT) nonprofit Board!
Next on stage: Frozen Jr.
Do you want to build a snowman?
Did you know that Frozen Jr. was originally planned for summer 2020, but was postponed due to the pandemic? We’re so happy that, for the first time in forever, you can join us in Arendelle as our talented cast and crew bring Disney’s beloved Frozen Jr. to the stage beginning July 28! This will be a hit for the whole family, so spread the word and buy your tickets early.
Frozen Jr. show times
Fridays, July 28 and August 4: 7:00pm
Saturdays, July 29 and August 5: 3:00pm
Sundays, July 30 and August 6: 3:00pm
Can you lend a helping hoof?
As Kristoff might say, reindeers are better than people, unless those people are AECT volunteers! Can you spare some time to help sell concessions and merch, supervise our cast in the Green Room, or help—er—herd our littlest actors through costumes and makeup? Sign up to help with Concessions and Merch Sales or Green Room, Laundry, Littles, and More.
Frozen Jr. opening night reception
The AECT Board of Trustees invites you to join us for a bite to eat and some pre-show fun on opening night. The Frozen Jr. reception will be Friday, July 28 in the Hannah Center Ballroom from 5:15-6:30pm. RSVP below and enjoy free food, beverages, fun games, and door prizes! Feel free to bring your whole family after dropping off your cast or crew member.
Season 35 preview & upcoming auditions
Something old, something new, plus two musicals for you!
We’re thrilled to announce our Season 35 AECT productions! More information about audition dates and times, performance dates, and plot details can be found in the Season 35 brochure.
Fall 2023: The Witch’s Princess *Auditions August 24 & 25*
A comedy, a fairy tale, and a princess who gets to do a lot of sword fighting
Directed by Jen Shaw
Holiday Show 2023: A Christmas Carol *Auditions August 19*
A classic! This Saturday rehearsal experience is akin to the studio class but with a holiday twist.
Directed by Elena Forman
Winter 2024: The Addams Family
A kooky musical based on the endearingly creepy TV characters
Directed by Jocelyn France
Spring 2024: The Wind in the Willows
A beloved tale of two best friends and their adventures
Directed by Blake Weil
Summer 2024: The SpongeBob Musical
Can our favorite yellow sponge save Bikini Bottom from certain destruction?
Directed by Jocelyn France
Summer drama camps & specialty workshops
A few workshop spaces remain!
AECT’s drama camps are filled to capacity, but did you know we also offer summer specialty workshops? For kids ages 11 and up, these workshops offer insights into theatre specifics. Workshops run for 2.5 hours, either morning or afternoon, and meet anywhere from one to five days. Sign up for one morning session to learn about how to make the most of an audition, or register for a whole week of stage combat! Remaining workshops include Audition Tips, Character Depth & Scene Study, AD & ASM, Stage Combat, and a Hair Workshop. Scroll down below the summer camps listed here to see dates and descriptions and to register!
Annual meeting date set
Did we mention ice cream?
Save the date to join us for the annual meeting of the AECT board of trustees, which will take place at 8:00pm on Tuesday, September 12 in room 235 of the Hannah Center. Come for a short (like less than 30 minutes) and sweet (ice cream social after) meeting to cover a few bylaws updates, vote on new board and executive committee members, and distribute the annual report. All AECT members have voting privileges. If you are interested in serving on the board or joining a subcommittee (no board membership required), please contact us prior to the annual meeting.
Show recap: School of Rock
We turned it up to 11!
Our spring production of School of Rock smashed every AECT record for attendance, bringing nearly 1,700 people to the East Lansing Hannah Community Center! We are so grateful for the incredible efforts of the School of Rock production team, cast, crew, and musicians who made it all happen, the front-of-house and backstage volunteers, School of Rock East Lansing, and of course for the hundreds of audience members who came to see the magic unfold “here at Horace Green!”
Show recap: A Murder is Announced
An Agatha Christie classic stumped audiences
Mere days after closing one show, AECT opened another! This studio class production of the Agatha Christie classic, A Murder is Announced, was on stage for two performances only. Audience members brought their sleuthing skills to the Hannah Center and joined Miss Marple and Inspector Craddock as they tried to unravel the mystery of a murder that was, well, announced.
Alumni feature: Ayden Soupal
From Shrek to Schneebly
Ayden Soupal (Class of 2019) is an actor and director who has pursued theatre around the greater Lansing area since starting with AECT in 2013. He first played Owl in Winnie the Pooh. He left AECT in 2018 with his last show being Shrek, in which he starred as the titular character. He appeared again in the first-ever AECT-only production including adults when he took to the stage as Ned Schneebly in this season’s production of School of Rock. After AECT, he started doing community theatre at places like Riverwalk and Peppermint Creek. He also started directing, with The Trail to Oregon being his latest project (coming to Riverwalk in the fall). Working at AECT helped him appreciate the work that crew does backstage with the guild crew system and working on the crews himself. He’d like to say that without AECT, he wouldn’t be the actor or director he is today.
(Alumni interview by Liam VanDerHeide)
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