Tickets are on Sale Now for DRT'S original musical, "Brigid, the legend begins."
For ticket information: go to durhamregionaltheatre.com/drt-shows
Last winter audiences laughed and cheered at Jennifer Justice’s dazzling original play, “Alice, a mad musical adventure.” This year Justice’s newest musical, “Brigid, the legend begins,” will bring howls of laughter, gasps of suspense, and rousing ovations. The musical is a bold and breathtaking homage to the storytelling tradition, once our only form of entertainment and still the way we determine who we are, individually and in community.
Jennifer Justice began studying theatre more than fifty years ago; she has made her living on the stage and in classrooms, and traveled the nation as a “master storyteller.” (Boston Globe) In 2016, the board of New England’s longest running storytelling conference, “Sharing the Fire,” named a scholarship after Justice, honoring her significant contributions to arts education.
Durham Regional Theatre is an intentionally multi-racial, intergenerational, not-for-profit theatre building community, character and careers since 2010. All of our plays tenaciously reflect the rich diversity of our community.
For a description of the play at its premiere production in 2014, read Cliff Bellamy’s Herald Sun article, “Finding your story: DFT to present new musical.” Written 2/6/14
DRT Summer Theatre Camps 2017
Are Open for Registration
With more chances for creativity than ever before
June 12 – 16, 2017, Ages 5-12
A Play A Day 1: Amazing Tall Tales
June 19 – July 1, 2017, Ages 6-12
Children’s Theatre Camp 1: Ghosts*R*Us #6: Guardian of the Western Gates,
Sixth in the “Ghosts*R*Us” series written by Jennifer Justice
July 10 – 22, 2017, Ages 13 - 18
Teen Theatre Intensive
A Full-Evening of One-Acts from “The Best Short Plays in America” and “The Humana Festival” collections of outstanding, groundbreaking, mind-expanding plays
July 24 – 28, 2017, Ages 5-12
A Play A Day 2: Magic Moments
July 31 – August 12, 2017, Ages 6-12
Children’s Theatre Camp 2, Stealing the Magic Capes, From the Chronicles of Bob the Dragon, Second in the “Chronicles of Bob the Dragon” series written by Jennifer Justice
August 14 -18, 2017, Ages 5-12
A Play A Day 3: Tricksters Around the World
Camps meet Monday – Friday, 9 am – 3 pm
At 927 W. Trinity Ave., Durham, NC
(Trinity Ave. Presbyterian Ch.)
Early drop off & after care are available by arrangement
COST
A Play A Day, 1-week camps: $145 wk/$40 day
Children’s Theatre Camps, 2-weeks: $300
Teen Theatre Intensive, 2-weeks: $300
REGISTER AT: durhamregionaltheatre.com/theatre-camps/ or with a check to DRT PO BOX 61894, Durham, NC 27705
DRT is an intentionally multi-racial, not-for-profit theatre, durhamregionaltheatre@gmail.com, (919) 286-5717,
Camp Descriptions:
"A Play A Day" (APAD) campers start each day with some physical warm-ups and acting games. Then they hear a story told by "Master Storyteller" Jennifer Justice. For the rest of the day (except for fruit break, lunch and rest time) the campers turn the story into a story-theatre show and perform the show for a small group of family and friends at the end of each day. APAD campers may register for as many days as they wish, from one to all.
At DRT two-week “Children's Theatre Camps,” campers play acting games, throw themselves enthusiastically into physical, imaginative and vocal theatre warm-ups, and find out what it takes to put on a show from auditions through rehearsals, set-design, creating costumes and props to the big finale of two public performances.
Students should have had at least one-year of reading learning in a school or home-school setting, and be able to follow-along in a reading of the script (with support from our teen teaching interns on the big words.)
“Teen Theatre Intensive” is designed for youths with a strong interest in theatre, at whatever level of experience. In two-weeks, Teen Intensive students take a full-length show from idea to performance for public audiences. Along the way they gain knowledge of the focus, commitment, and risk-taking that are involved in a professional actor’s exciting work. Teen actors will find themselves growing in talent, skill and confidence. (No Cell Phone Use during Camp Hours)
DRT is Looking for People of All Ages Who Love to Sing
“Brigid, the Legend Begins,” an original musical
Written with Lyrics & Melodies by Jennifer Justice
Director, Jennifer Justice; Music Director/Vocal Arrangements, Joy Harrell-Goff
All Music Produced & Arranged by Michael D. Jones, Sr.
What: DRT is looking for people of all ages to sing with the large chorus of an original musical. Some small peaking parts available. If you are interested, simply come to our first rehearsal and sing with the cast. (For a full description of the play, CLICK HERE and read Cliff Bellamy's 2014 Herald Sun article.
When: Thursday, January 5, 2017, 6:15 – 8:30 pm
Where: Auditorium of EK Powe Elementary School, 913 Ninth Street, Durham, NC
(Plenty of free parking on the street and in small lots)
How: It is easy, arrive with the cast at 6:15 pm and sing with the chorus – you may be asked to sing some scales for us to establish what parts you will sing.
Roles for: Chorus (Ages 7 yrs – adults)
Rehearsals: Monday, Tuesday, Thursdays: 6:30 – 8:30 pm and Saturdays: 12:30 – 3:00 pm.
Show Dates: Friday, Feb. 10 & 17, 2017, 7:00 pm
Friday, Feb. 17, 2017, 10 am educational matinee
Saturday, Feb. 11 & 18, 2017, 2:00 pm
Durham Regional Theatre is an intentionally multi-racial, not-for-profit theatre building community, character and careers since 2010. All of our plays include a multi-racial cast.
“Brigid, the Legend Begins,” was written with melodies and lyrics by DRT artistic director, Jennifer Justice. It is an exciting fantasy set in pre-Celtic Ireland that was first produced by DRT in winter 2014. For a description of the play, CLICK HERE & read Cliff Bellamy’s Herald Sun article, “Finding your story: DFT to present new musical.” Written 2/6/14
Michael and Naomi Gibson in "The Giver," DRT Nov. 2015
In August 2010, DRT was a vision made real by the offer of space and students eager for acting classes and summer camps. We premiered our first original musical in 2011 and have been growing and fulfilling our mission ever since.
Now, DRT is in our 7th season as an intentionally multi-racial and intergenerational community theatre, making a place for exciting talent to grow and shine. Like all small 501(c)3 arts organizations, funding is a steady challenge. Here is a video https://youtu.be/rSLjgH0hXWM
of DRT shows along with an appeal to help us keep giving in the future. Enjoy it - and then send it to everyone you know. Help us reach our goal of $2,500 by January 1, 2017.
Jenny Justice, DRT artistic director
The fabulous cast of "Walk Two Moons" is halfway through our rehearsal process - working hard and having a blast creating a strong, exciting, funny and moving show for our audiences. Tickets are now on sale for DRT'S 7th season opening Main Stage show for general audiences (no children under the age of 9, mature themes) The show opens on Fri., Oct. 28 - Don't miss it. Go to durhamregionaltheatre.com/drt-shows and reserve your seats today!
A wonderful group of actors aged 13 - 60s showed up to read tonight at our first audition for "Walk Two Moons," Tom Arvetis' compelling and surprisingly humorous adaptation of the Newbery Medal winning book by Sharon Creech. When asked what the play is about, I answer with a paraphrase from a character in the play: a person has to have hope to survive all the suffering in the world. It is easy to find out about the plot - sparknotes.com has a fine summary and character overview of the book.
The 2nd round of auditions for DRT'S production of this honest and moving play will be this Saturday, September 10, 12:00 pm - 2:30 pm, at EK Powe Elementary School auditorium, 913 Ninth St., Durham, NC.
ACTORS WE ARE LOOKING FOR on SATURDAY
3 - Teen Girls, (can be as old as early 20s if can play 13) for leads and supporting roles
2 - Adult Women: ages 20s - early 40s for small and supporting roles
2 - Adult Males: ages 20s - early 40s for small and supporting roles
1 - Adult Males - aged 50s - 60s for a supporting role
Join us on Saturday - We are going to have a great time bringing a powerful play to life for our audiences. Warmly, Jenny Justice
The DRT Teen Conservatory 2016 has taken five of the best scripts from the original "Twilight Zone" TV series, and we're adapting them to the stage: designing and creating sound, lights, sets, costumes, as well as rehearsing for the full-length production - bringing our suspenseful, often frightening and surprisingly uplifting plays to life. Join us for the shows.
Each spring we invite volunteers to join us at our garage-loft costume shop to re-organize (unpack from the Main Stage shows and 8-week classes), sort, and repack our costumes and props in preparation for a very creative summer – You are invited to join us this season – and bring family and friends too –
Members of the DRT Costume Team will be here to show you what needs doing and how.
We Need
1) People that aren’t great at climbing stairs and lifting heavy things, to sit and sort costumes from boxes and bags into piles for “repacking people” to carry away –
2) People that are willing and able to carry big plastic containers of costumes, maybe up and down stairs and help re-organize the loft storage space.
DATE: Sunday, May 22, 2016
TIME: Noon – 4:00 pm (Stay as long as you like)
PLACE: Yard behind 1025 Carolina Avenue, Durham, NC
CONTACT: durhamregionaltheatre@gmail.com; (919) 286-5717
PLEASE RSVP to the contact address, so we’ll know how much bottled water and treats to have for the DRT Spring 2016 Costume Shop Party.
I look forward to seeing you Sunday afternoon.
Jenny Justice
A new and exciting tradition is emerging at DRT Summer Theatre Camps. It helps fulfill our mission to mentor students into professional job skills.
One reason that our camps fill-up every summer is our fantastic volunteer teaching assistants/interns. The first summer that all our children’s camps were full, in 2014, it was painfully clear that we also needed a mature, experienced, paid at some level, Assistant Camp Manager. The ACM would take over the crucial tasks of keeping up with daily administrative needs, supervising our teen teaching assistants, and generally supporting the Camp Director in any way necessary to keep our camps positive and exciting experiences.
The following summer, 2015, we held a public search and ended up hiring someone we already knew and loved. Our first Assistant Camp Manager was Korinn Jefferies, who had worked with DRT in the past as a volunteer teaching assistant and an actor on our Main Stage. Fresh from her first year in the musical theatre program at Howard University, Korinn was a perfect ACM.
And the tradition of training interns up to stipend level employees began. In 2016, the tradition continues.
We are pleased to announce that DRT’S Assistant Camp Manager 2016 is Johanna Fleischer.
Johanna has been actively involved with DRT since 2012. She has twice volunteered as a directing assistant/technical artist for DRT Main Stage productions (Watsons’ Go to Birmingham – 1963 (DRT 2014) and The Mousetrap (DRT 2013.) For three years Johanna was a student in DRT summer theatre camps (children’s and teen conservatory) and acting classes; the minute she was old enough, she began volunteering as a teaching assistant.
Johanna is currently a rising sophomore at Durham School of the Arts, where she is involved in the theater and choral program. This past year Johanna has worked on You Can’t Take it With You, Arms and the Man, and Eurydice. She has learned new aspects of technical theater to go along with previous and continuing performance acting knowledge. One of her favorite shows to work on was Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl because she got to create stage makeup designs for all the characters. She is thankful and excited for the opportunity to work with Durham Regional Theatre and Jenny Justice this summer!
Only two camps still have openings for students (Children's Theatre Camp 1 and Teen Theatre Conservatory) and both are nearly full. Sign up today and join us for a great creative summer.
Yesterday DRT'S "A Play A Day 1" summer theatre camp 2016 filled up - the first to fill for 2016, but Children's Theatre Camp 2 has just one spot left open and the others are ... well, if you want to know how many registration spots are open at any of our fabulous 2016 summer theatre camps, just go to the summer camps page for the up to date number of openings listed under each camp date. And while you're there - grab a spot for your family - it's going to be a great creative summer!
Warmly, Jenny Justice, artistic director
The theme this spring is growth, and we're seeing it everywhere at DRT.
- Summer camp registration is in busy bloom, with several camps about to fill. Teen interns are signing up as assistant camp teachers and we're almost ready to announce our assistant camp manager for 2016. To help you keep up, we've listed the number of open spots remaining in each camp and we'll keep it up to date; you can find everything you need to know at durhamregionaltheatre.com/theatre-camps/
- DRT 8-week acting classes have expanded so that each sessions includes 50 or more students in acting and musical theatre classes. And students this spring are making break-throughs in vibrancy, imagination, communications, empathy, stage craft and depth of experience - Every week brings beautiful new blossoms from our dedicated students. durhamregionaltheatre.com/classes/
- Hamlet Project Durham will end our first year with 13 students committed to the 5-year artistic, career training, cultural transformation project. We'd like that number to reach 20 by next December, so we're well on the way to reaching our first HPD participation goal. AND WOW these actors are getting it already - they are making Shakespeare their own and bringing it alive today! Find out all about it at durhamregionaltheatre.com/hamlet/
- Because we lost our lead actor mid-way through rehearsals, we've delayed production of the hysterical, award-winning adult comedy, Alfred Hitchcock's "The 39 Steps" until November 2016. And the outcome of that challenge is an exciting new seed that is putting out shoots and starting to take root at DRT. We're calling it the "DRT Players," an adult acting troupe doing plays for our adult audiences. Right now we're putting in structures and processes - we'll keep you posted on ways to get involved.
Here's wishing your spring is also blossoming -
Warmly, Jenny Justice, DRT Artistic Director
FIND ADDITIONAL ACM JOB DESCRIPTION AT durhamregionaltheatre.com/jobs
Auditions: Saturday, March 5, noon - 2 pm and Monday, March 7, 6 - 8 pm
DRT auditions for the adults-only cast of Alfred Hitchcock's "39 Steps," adapted by Patrick Barlow from the Novel by John Buchnan, will be held at 913 Ninth St., Durham, NC, in the auditorium of EK Powe Elementary School, beginning at noon this Saturday, March 5th and again on Monday, March 7th starting at 6:00 pm - Auditions will be loose and relaxed - some improvisation and some cold readings from the script (you'll have to time look it over before you take it on stage)
Plans for our production of "39 Steps" are still a bit unclear - not our commitment to producing the hysterically funny, award-winning show, we are tremendously pleased to hold the rights to produce this play. Our vision of how DRT produces shows for adult only audiences (or mature teens) is actively taking shape - Because of this we're talking about where to present our adult MainStage play (dinner theatre? cabaret? formal auditorium? nightclub?) and when - spring, summer, next spring -
A good deal of our thinking is around the idea of forming a DRT adult acting troupe that works together year-round and has a major role in deciding what plays to do, etc. (in partnership with the DRT artistic director) So, we will hold two auditions at once this week: 1) auditions for specific parts in "The 39 Steps" and 2) a first audition/inquiry into the idea of a DRT adult acting troupe.
All adult (including young adults) actors are invited to attend these important, and exciting auditions. Who know what will happen next?
Warmly, Jenny Justice