TheatreAddict.com - Bakersfield Drama Blog

This weekend I'm going to be taking in Anne of Green Gables at Bakersfield Community Theatre and the final performance of Pterodactyls at the Empty Space (which I have learned is the last show for Doug Cheeseman before he heads off to Hollywood or wherever to make it big and leave us all behind). I'm still trying to get through to the Empty Space for reservations so hopefully the seats aren't all reserved yet... We'll see.

You'll hear about it all right here on TheatreAddict.com on Sunday, I'll be posting articles & pictures of those two shows. Also, I'll be releasing Episode 3 of Bakersfield Theatre Radio, our most adventurous podcasts yet with interviews backstage at these two shows PLUS talk live from Disneyland where I'll find out just why theatre freaks get such a kick out of "The Happiest Place on Earth."

I'm going to be out of town for a few days so this will be the last update before Sunday.

Peace, have a great weekend Bakersfield!

In today's episode I drop by the Spotlight Theatre to talk to Roger Mathey and Kevin lively about upcoming Spotlight events and other upcoming shows they are working on. To listen, click on the podcast page by clicking the image below. Please help spread the word! We've got our own medium, theatre freaks, now let's use it!

The podcast is up and running. In a few days you will be able find and subscribe to it through iTunes. For now, you can listen to it by dowloading it directly and listening (mp3 format).

Check it out, let me know what you think, and stay tuned for much more!

In episode one I kick off Bakersfield Theatre Radio with our first podcast. I discuss the birthing of the website, the future of the podcast and website, and a quick preview of April shows around town.

Download Episode One In MP3 format by clicking here.

Subscribe to the RSS feed at: http://www.theatreaddict.com/podcasts/podcasts.rss

and look for it soon the iTunes podcast directory!

My daughter, Emma, and I had the pleasure of seeing "The Diary of Anne
Frank" at East Bakersfield High School last night.

I wasn't sure what to expect - I had never seen the play and only had
vague recollections of the movie. (Mostly I remember Shelley Winters,
actually.) I do remember the book as my older daughter, Katherine, read
it this year as a part of her home school curriculum.

Everyone did their job.... cast, crew, Director Justin Brooks. We left
the theatre and stepped back into the cold night with Emma muttering
"Why did God let Anne Frank die? How did this happen? Why did this
happen... its just not right, it doesn't matter that she is Jewish..."

I imagine the cast was plenty nervous - opening night! I loved the
lighting in Anne's monologues. For some, Anne (Sonia Valdovinos) stood
center stage and was backlit. Her face was unseen, but her voice boomed
- it seemed from her ever-growing heart - and her silhouette was an
ethereal gold.

At other times, she was sitting on her bed, reading her diary in the
darkness with only the back screen lit.

Valdovinos was believable as the Anne I have known and loved for years.
Sweet, flirty, naughty, argumentative, free thinking. Excellent.

Michael Miranda - playing the cranky Mr. Dussel - got a lot of laughs
for his sarcasm. I thought Juliana Paz did a fine job as Mrs. Van Daan.
There were several scenes where she showed her emotion really well.

Peter Van Daan is a challenging role - subtle, interesting, connecting -
and Anthony Padilla rose to the challenge. I remembered the big, lusty
climactic kiss from the movie and wished we had gotten either more
excitement from Anne's first kiss or the climactic embrace when the
Nazi's rated the Annex, but that is hardly a critique, more a... "hmmmm"
than anything else. (Also reminds me as a playgoer to shut off the movie
and look at a play from the place of Beginner's Mind!)

I enjoyed the film that was a part of the production - the facts on it
were mind expanding. My little Emma, sweet thing, was appalled,
especially at the thought of the Nazi's exterminating Homosexuals. She
did not understand that at all. It is always a bit strange as a mother
to hear the word "homophobic" coming out of my third-graders mouth, but
with the pure sadness and sweetness in those eyes... she "gets" it and
"The Diary of Anne Frank" helped her get there.

When we said her prayers last night, she cried.

This is what theatre is supposed to do. Make us think. Make us feel.
Make us care.

With Passionate Gratitude,

Julie
__________________________________

Thanks to Julie Jordan-Scott for contributing this lovely piece of writing. You can catch up with Julie on her blog, Julie Unplugged, or on myspace at http://www.myspace.com/juliejordanscott

I've been studying the artful aspects and the technical side of podcasting lately in preparation for the launch of TheatreAdddict.com. Today I think I will be ready to post the very first broadcast to get things started. It will be mostly a preview of April shows around town, and I'll be talking about what shows I want to see and do stories on. The podcast will be listed in the iTunes podcast directory so you can just plug in the feed and download new "episodes" whenever they are available. You don't have to have an iPod to listen but if you do it's pretty freakin' sweet. That's it for now, I'll update the blog when the first podcast goes up.

I was excited to see lots of interest today as I "hit the streets" to talk about the site. Stopped by Channel 29 earlier to chat with them. It was really fun and the short segment they cut just aired on the 5 O'Clock news. A bit harrowing (I hate watching myself) but it was awesome to get some attention for TheatreAddict.com which in turn will be giving attention to local theatre. The people in the newsroom seemed genuinely interested, which is awesome, and asked lots of questions. Had a fun moment when I mentioned MySpace and asked how many of them used the site. The entire newsroom staff looked around, giggling with those knowing looks. Guilty! A room full of myspacers (like me). I just found myself a bunch more peeps for my friends list. Thanks a bunch to the people at 29 for the interest and call me anytime! I'm happy to come down and talk theatre whenever.

Then, this afternoon the wife and I stopped by Tailgaters to talk with N.L. Belardes. I'll be appearing on his Buck City Podcast when it is released later this week. N.L. is a great guy and one of my inspirations for starting this whole thing. He inspired me to see how creative use of technology (like blogs & podcasts) can become a powerful promotional tool to bring attention to the arts. N.L. has been doing this for years and has made some big waves in the local music scene. When I saw what was possible I instantly saw how important it was to focus this movement on local theatre, which remains polarized as a community and ignored by locals who just don't know about all the cool stuff going on. I told N.L. a few months ago that I wanted to be "the N.L. Belardes of local theatre." I think we are both complimented by that idea.

Read N.L.'s short article about my TV appearance today on his blog by clicking here.

I am glad to be getting the word out and am happy that people are seeing the opportunity this offers local drama, but most of all I really want local theatre people to know that this is your website. I'm going after this attention because this effort is meant to start a revolution up in here, and change the way Bakersfield sees local entertainment. Today I fired the opening shots, and in the coming months and years I hope to wage a full scale assault on the consciousness of Bakersfield until theatre gets the attention it deserves.

More to come, theatre addicts. Check out the calendar, go see some shows, and send me your thoughts! Peace out and talk to you again soon.

I've been working on getting the calendar updated this week and it's pretty much complete for March & April. March is more than halfway over which means we're getting closer to the official release of TheatreAddict.com. All that is really left to do is starting the process of going out and getting content to add. When I think about it sometimes it is awfully overwhelming; going out and reviewing shows and publishing pictures and podcasts, not to mention maintaining an extensive calendar with tons of local events. It's never-ending.

But, on the other hand, it fits me like a glove. I like to keep track of all the stuff happening and it's really fun. It's rewarding to provide something to the community that wouldn't exist (at this point) without me. Before now, there was no place (be it website or print publication) to quickly see all of the theatre events in town. Sure, the Californian lists events but never every one, not even close. The county website has a listing of events but only ones submitted to them and no one knows about it or has the time to submit. Some theaters have websites, lots don't. Seat Of Your Pants Productions sends out great weekly emails listing all of the theatre in town each week, but his list is mostly theatre people who know anyway. The list isn't advertised on any website because the only theatre websites that exist belong to single theatre companies. So in essence, the general public is left to rely on the local papers and TV news to find out about shows, or go on a google goose-chase looking for theatre websites.

In fact, for most part the only people in Bakersfield who know about ALL of the theatre in town are people like me, theatre addicts who become connected in the theatre community because they spend all of their time on stage and going to see shows. To anyone else the theatre community is fairly innaccessible. I'm sorry to say it but it's true and I'll show you why...

I consider myself pretty average. I work full time and I live in Kern County. I don't subscribe to the paper, and even if I did I wouldn't have time to sift through it every day to find out about upcoming shows, and even if I did the Californian doesn't always list every show. (Not their fault entirely as press releases aren't always sent, but that's how it is). So if I was an average Bakersfieldian, how would I find out about shows? I wouldn't.

The problem goes like this: First, not very many people are interested in the first place. There is a huge population out there who just doesn't know or care about live theatre, and very little is done about this. Second, if they do care, the information isn't there for them to find. A handful of them run across showtimes in the media or stumble across an up-to-date website and a seat in the house is filled. I have to assume that there are others who don't find the information and consequently, miss out.

I want this website to be an instant passport, so that any person on the street can quickly and easily become an involved supporter. It has to be a good thing for someone to be able to jump on this site, quickly see what shows are playing, and call and make reservations. Just like that. On one page I can see all of the shows that are playing on a certain day. I see that a show I want to see is playing at a certain theater, and on another page ALL of the information is listed about that theater. That's got to be good for something.

http://www.theatreaddict.com/listings.htm

On one page you have instant access to all of the info on BCT, Spotlight, Empty Space, Gaslight, BMT, Stars, NOR, Rabobank, The Fox, and the CSUB & BC theatre departments. Addresses, phone numbers, websites, email addresses, ticket prices, seating capacity.

Accessibility to information, at least for anyone who can manage to find their way to theatreaddict.com in the coming years, is taken care of. The next step is to get the word out to everyone else, and I think this effort should help there as well. Anyone who catches a glimpse of this large bustling community of thespians will surely be pleasantly surprised at all of the high quality shows going on every weekend, and it will be my goal to put that story in everyone's faces until it's digested by the masses.

Today, an all-inclusive theatre calendar, tomorrow the world!