Uproar: Red, Write, & Blue - A Success!

On November 7th, Uproar Theatre Corps hosted our 3rd 1-5 Minute Play Festival since our foundation as a club in September 2011.  

This year, we did a few things differently - we added an Assistant Director, we decided to take on the Palladium Multi-Purpose Room, and we put it together in only 3 days!  But a giant thanks to our actors and our artistic team for making that possible.  Hurricane Sandy had a huge effect on everything on campus, but everyone pulled through nicely and fiercely, and made the reading great!  We had an excellent turnout - at least 40 people came and showed their support for friends and colleagues.  Past Uproar members and graduates came, as well many members in the Educational Theatre, and even friends outside the community.  The show wouldn't have been possible without our superb audience!

Rabble Rousers perform Jenna Briedis's play NEITHER.

Daryl Embry, our director, and Sarah Chichester, the assistant director, went above and beyond with each and every play - making them all enjoyable, entertaining, and frankly, hilarious.

Our actors took their direction and went with the flow, while also making their own wonderful choices.  They were all fun to watch, great to work with, and just fantastic people.

But we couldn't have done it without the playwrights, who wrote some super funny, meaningful, and quirky plays that we couldn't take our eyes off of.

And a big thanks to Amy Cordileone, our faculty advisor; the Upboard, for pulling it all together; the Steinhardt USG, Dean Mary Brabeck, and Justine M. Kelly-Fierro for making this all possible.

And a special thanks to Andie Patterson for making all the Uproar graphics.

In case you missed it, or just want a reminder of what you saw, here it is! (And for some BIG-UPs, answer the trivia questions about the plays on Twitter @UPROARtheatre if you were there!)

You've Got to Go by Marco Santarelli
featuring Luke Doyle, Emily Kugel, Mel Ridgway, Spiro Tzakis, and Dan Walsh
--An office comedy in which the employees need to vote someone out of the office.  Who got fired?

Neither by Jenna Briedis
featuring Jessie Delgado, Luke Doyle, and Anne Lieberson
--Ben and Jerry have two new ice cream flavors to test out.  Which one did Jane pick?

When the Sun Goes Out by Charlie Wright
featuring Jessie Delgado, Luke Doyle, Mel Ridgway, Robert Stevenson, Spiro Tzakis, and Dan Walsh
--A coffee house poetry competition, and a poet who just isn't fully appreciated in his gay-crazed community.  What does Phil ultimately decide to do?

A Forever Changed World by Jamie Lerner
featuring Emily Kugel
--A courtroom drama about figuring out which pickles belong in the worldwide pickle family.  Which pickles were picked?

I Voted for the Queen by Andrew Anzel
featuring Jessie Delgado, Robert Stevenson, Spiro Tzakis, and Dan Walsh
--A high school boy's journal entry about his encounter with the lovely and beautiful Katrina Von Tassle.  What actually happens when he talks to her?

Undecided by Jack Dod
featuring Luke Doyle, Emily Kugel, Anne Lieberson, Robert Stevenson, Spiro Tzakis, and Dan Walsh
--The voting officials are counting up the votes, and no one has voted for Obama or Romney!  There aren't even any real people on the ballot.  So who became President of the United States?

Hosting a Professional Reading

Jeff Binder and "students" reading a scene.

On Saturday, October 20th, Uproar had the honor of hosting a reading for Ian Mairs' play, The Learning Curve.  It was a full-length, two act play about a man who got thrown into teaching, not really knowing which direction to take or choices to make.  He fell into a job in a Creative Writing class full of students with various personalities.  

The reading featured many notable actors, including Jeff Binder (NYU alum, B'way: The Lion King, Mary Poppins, and more) as the leading man, and Michael Emerson (Lost, The Practice, and more) as his mentor.  Up and comer, Mason Lee (NYU alum, The Hangover, Pt. II) played one of the students in the creative writing classroom.

But my experience went beyond just watching the reading.  I arrived at the Palladium Multi-Purpose Room at 11:30am, ready to start the day of rehearsal and performance.  When the actors started arriving, the director, another notable figure, Sean Daniels, got together food and water for the actors.

He then made sure they all had scripts, talked about the process of the day, and asked Ian if he had anything to add.  Ian didn't say much, but just that the actors should "play the comedy of it, not the tragedy.  It is a comedy."

Michael Emerson (left) and Jeff Binder, performing a scene.

And then the actors began to read.  A few times, Sean would say, 'Okay, let's do that again, and this time...', but for the most part, he just allowed them to read, and would afterwards give each actor a note that they needed to remember for the reading.

It was acting under pressure, but Sean did everything he could to make it a relaxed setting - it didn't feel high pressure on my end, but that's because the group of people was so fun, chill, and talented.

The reading was a huge success.  The audience responded really positively, and both Sean and Ian seemed extremely thrilled with it.  After the reading, many audience members (an invited audience) and the cast was invited to a fancy/swanky after party.

One day, I'm sure all us Uproarians will be going to fancy/swanky after parties too!

The four "students" in the classroom.

Michael Emerson, Jeff Binder and More Set for Industry Reading of THE LEARNING CURVE, 10/20

Michael Emerson, Jeff Binder and More Set for Industry Reading of THE LEARNING CURVE, 10/20

What's Next Uproar?

So far this year, we found Nan. And that is a BIG success. But there's still chances for more BIG-ups! So come rouse at our next Rabble Rousers meeting on Oct. 5 in the Third Floor Lounge of Pless at 6pm!

The Ultimate NanHunt!

Hey Uproarians! Check out this video from the NanHunt! It rocks!

The NanHunt is coming up!

Nan has gone missing! She's somewhere in New York, and only the Uproar Rabble Rousers can help find her. Saturday (9/22) at 5:30pm. Keep listening. Keep reading. Clues are coming...

Graphic by Andie Patterson

Welcome Back and Instant Gratification!

Last night was the Welcome Back party for Educational Theatre and the kick-off for the coming school year!  It was a great opportunity to meet and mingle with fellow Educational Theatre students, as well as to learn more about the Educational Theatre program from our wonderful faculty.

This semester, the main stage production will be Salvation Road directed by David Montgomery, which will take place on the last weekend of October and the first weekend of November.  Many friends of Uproar and even our very own Uproarians are involved, so we hope that everyone will go out and support!

We also learned that next semester's main stage production will be The Crucible directed by Phillip Taylor, and the auditions will take place shortly after Thanksgiving, so get ready to act your heart out!

But even sooner auditions will take place September 21st and 22nd for Shakespeare-to-Go's production of Hamlet directed by Daryl Embry.  Be on the look-out for more info if you'd like to be involved - it's a great opportunity and experience!

Amy Cordileone, our faculty advisor and newly appointed full-time faculty, also told us a little about the Writer's Circle.  Many renowned writers, as well as some of our very own alumni, will be writing new works throughout the school year in a writer's circle that will also open up some opportunities for current students to be involved in.  Later on, these writers may need student actors, and we're also thinking of ways to get Uproar involved as well!

Finally, we learned that Theatrix in Spring 2013 will have an extremely different flair from years past, and we cannot wait to hear more about it!

We hope that you will all find ways to be involved in as many events as possible - integrate yourself into the Ed Theatre community!

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However, one of the most exciting things about our kick-off Ed Theatre evening was Instant Gratification.  6 playwrights wrote plays over night with some very specific parameters, which were then to be directed, memorized, and perfected the next day to be performed that night.  All six plays were enjoyable to watch and exciting to see.  Everyone on our Uproar E-board played a part in Instant Gratification, whether it was writing, directing, or acting.  Did you do anything for Instant Grat?  Share here!

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Let us know what you thought about Instant Gratification - and what you're planning to do for the coming school year in Educational Theatre!

Auditions for Fellow Friends!

You've probably heard about a number of auditions going on throughout NYU for various great productions. Here is a collection of those audition listings. Enjoy!

Renegade presents ZANNA-DON'T

Come to NYU Renegade Theatre's auditions for their upcoming production of Zanna Don't!

WHEN: Friday, September 21 from 7:30pm-10pm & Saturday, September 22 from 12:00pm-4:00pm
WHERE: TBD (Check the fb page: https://www.facebook.com/events/360315007380555/)

Please prepare a 32-bar cut of any song as well as a 45-90 second monologue. An accompanist will be present so sheet music is encouraged.

The cast is 4 men and 4 women - you may find more information athttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zanna_Don%27t

The location of the auditions/sign-up sheet will be updated within the following weeks. If you cannot attend either audition time, or you have any questions, please email mag626@nyu.edu

The performances of Zanna Don't will be the weekend of Nov. 29-Dec 2.

SHMUTZ presents TITLE OF SHOW

We're putting on [title of show]: a musical about four friends writing a musical. It's very meta, very silly, and has some really great music.  We will be performing on December 2nd.

WHEN: Wednesday, September 19th 6:00-8:00 pm & Sunday, September 23rd 3:00-5:00 pm

WHERE: 5th floor of the Bronfman Center, 7 East 10th street.

Please come prepared with 32 bars of music (bring your own sheet music), and we will provide you with a side to read.

A Rabble Rousing Start to the New Year!

Hey everybody! Uproar has an awesome year planned, but none of it is possible without all of you. The first meeting of the Uproar Theatre Corps general membership, now officially named the Uproar Rabble Rousers is this Friday (9/7) at 6pm (Third Floor Lounge). We'll be playing games, announcing our baller schedule, going over our semester-long competition (Big Ups anyone?), and talking advanced statistics for my fantasy basketball team. Come and join us and be a Rabble Rouser!