Pittsburg Community Theatre - News

PCT suspends Jr. Starz registration

4/2/2020

Dear Patrons,

This is typically when we open registrations for our popular summertime children’s theater workshop, Jr. Starz, which is held each June at Memorial Auditorium and Convention Center.

In compliance with the statewide and countywide stay-at-home order, Memorial Auditorium continues to be closed to the public and will be for at least the next few weeks.

Because the future is so uncertain, we are postponing registration for this summer's Jr. Starz workshop, "BOTS! A New Children's Musical" by Beat by Beat, until our board meets to make a decision on when registration shall open and when the workshop shall be held. Sadly, we aren’t alone; as you’ve no doubt begun to see, many organizations large and small have postponed, canceled, or rescheduled summertime events.

Please continue to follow us on social media and check our website at www.pctinfo.org for the most current information.

We appreciate your flexibility and understanding as we make decisions to ensure the health and safety of our audiences, cast, crew, and staff and in this case, children.

Thanks for your support of the arts!

XANADU POSTPONED

3/17/2020

Dear Patrons,
Based upon recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to prevent the spread of COVID-19, commonly referred to as coronavirus, the City of Pittsburg today announced the closure of Memorial Auditorium and Convention Center through March 30.

In light of this, we are halting ticket sales for our production of “Xanadu,” originally set to open April 2 and run through April 5 at Memorial Auditorium.

To our ticket buyers, show program advertisers, and PCT members:
We will be having discussions with Memorial staff and Music Theatre International in hopes of rescheduling this production if possible. We will be reaching out to those of you for whom we have an email in coming days. If you purchased tickets without using an email address, please call our box office at 620-231-7827.

We appreciate your flexibility and understanding as we make decisions to ensure the health and safety of our audiences, cast, crew, and staff. For continued updates, please visit our website at www.pctinfo.org.

Thanks for your support of the arts!

Cast announced for Xanadu

1/18/2020

Congrats to the following:

Clio/Kira: Jaley Hoyt
Sonny Malone: Christopher Stonecipher
Danny Maguire: John Womeldorff
Melpomene/Medusa: Emma Noonoo
Calliope/Aphrodite: Andrea Dinkel
Euterpe/Andrews Sister/Thetis: Meredith DeNisco
Erato/Andrews Sister/Eros/Hera: Hannah Casper
Thalia/Cyclops/Tubes Singer/Young Danny: Xavier Huffman
Terpsicore/Tubes Singer/Hermes/Centaur: Gabe Anderson
Urania: Trinity Dye
Polyhmnia: Courtlynn Rose
Bob: Brock Willard

I was so pleased at auditions that every performer came ready to work and just as ready to have fun! I have never enjoyed the audition process so much as I did this week. Massive kudos to all those who auditioned. You were fearless and willing to give anything a go! I wish there were more roles available for this show. Please consider auditioning for this summer's Matilda! I can't wait to work with you! Technical staff and cast will be contacted via email this weekend with more information.

Ticket sales will begin in March. Showtimes are April 2-4 at 7:30 p.m. and April 5 at 2 p.m.

— Mary Jo Harper, director

Cast chosen for Fox on the Fairway

7/31/2019

Congratulations to the cast of "Fox on the Fairway," our final production of the 2019 season, and thanks to each person who auditioned!

The show is a fast-paced farce set at the Quail Valley Country Club, and is filled with mistaken identities, slamming doors, and romantic shenanigans.

Tickets are on sale now at www.memorialauditorium.org for $8, $10, and $12.

PCT to hold auditions July 29-30

7/23/2019

Fresh off the production of the hit summer musical “Newsies,” we're now turning our attention to our final show of the 2019 season, “Fox on the Fairway,” with auditions planned for 7 p.m. July 29-30 at Memorial Auditorium, 503 N. Pine in Pittsburg.

The show is a fast-paced farce set at the Quail Valley Country Club, and is filled with mistaken identities, slamming doors, and romantic shenanigans.

Those auditioning may attend one night or the other — they are not required to attend both. Please download the audition form here, complete it to the best of your ability, and bring it with you to auditions.

Directors John Mazurek and Brad Stefanoni are looking for a cast of six. Casting requirements are two females and two males ages 30 to 60, and one female and one male ages 20 to 30. Actors should have good comedic timing and the ability to memorize lines well. As this is a play, not a musical, no dancing or singing ability is necessary. However, it is somewhat physically demanding.

Those auditioning are asked to be prepared to read from an excerpt of the script:
Script 1 (For characters Pam, Muriel, Bingham, and Dickie — the older characters)
Script 2 (For characters Justin and Louise — the younger characters)

Performance dates will be Sept. 26-29. Rehearsals will begin on Aug. 4 and primarily will be on weeknight evenings, but will include a few Saturdays.

The rehearsal schedule can be viewed here.

Newsies to open on 120th anniversary of historic strike!

7/12/2019

Our summer musical, “Newsies,” coincides with the 120th anniversary of a real-life historic strike by thousands of newspaper delivery boys in the era of publishing giants Pulitzer and Hearst.

Their plight and determination was captured in a Disney movie that went on to become a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, “Newsies.” Both bring to life the story of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of a band of teenaged "newsies." The year is 1899, the setting is New York City, and the newsies depend on their dimes to feed and clothe themselves and their families. When titans of publishing raise distribution prices at the newsboys’ expense, Kelly rallies newsies from across the city to strike against the unfair conditions and fight for what's right.

In real life, the leader of the strike is thought to have been Louis "Kid Blink" Baletti. The strikers demonstrated on Brooklyn Bridge for several days, bringing traffic to a standstill, along with news distribution. The strike lasted two weeks and caused Pulitzer’s New York World to decrease its circulation from 360,000 papers per day to 125,000. Ultimately, it's said to have inspired similar strikes in cities across the U.S. that laid the foundation for child labor laws and improvements in the newsboys' quality of life.

In our production, the story is being told by a cast of 45 youth and adult performers from cities across the Four State Area, including Webb City, Joplin, Carl Junction, Carthage, Parsons, Baxter Springs, Ft. Scott, Franklin, Girard, and Pittsburg. They’ve been working about 20 hours a week since summer began to learn high-energy, highly-choreographed dance numbers, powerful vocals, build a complicated set, and create period costumes.

“Newsies” opens on July 18 at Memorial Auditorium 503 N. Pine, Pittsburg, and runs through July 21. The show is directed by Kaye Lewis. Tickets: $8, $10, and $12 at www.memorialauditorium.org, 620-231-7827, or at the box office one hour before curtain.

Cast comes from miles around to perform in newsies

6/29/2019

Andy Garman

Xander Goertzen

Colton Stacy

Noah Smith

Luke Gilmore

Tammy Warford

Matthew Palmer

Pittsburg Community Theatre’s upcoming musical, “Newsies," includes many Pittsburg residents, from newcomer Emily Cooper George, who was smitten with the community when she attended a showing of “Shrek” here in 2016, to longtime resident Susie Lundy, who has been in countless productions.

But the production has also drawn performers from across the Four States. Many are driving a quite a few miles each week in order to be part of it.

Among them:
Joplin resident Andy Garman has plenty of Brooklyn pride as Spot Conlon, the leader of the Brooklyn newsies. In real life, he’s an electrical engineer in Springfield, Missouri. If you saw MRB’s “CATS” this spring, you may recognize him as the singing Mr. Mistoffelees!

Xander Goertzen, a seventh grader from Webb City, Missouri, plays Les, the youngest newsie in the bunch who hits the streets with his older brother, Davey, to earn money for their family. When Xander attended MRB’s production of “Alice in Steampunk Wonderland,” he knew he wanted to dance and be a part of theatre, and he’s studied with Lewis ever since. He’s already performed in several shows, including "Beauty and the Beast," "The Nutcracker," and "CATS." The first time he saw "Newsies," he knew he wanted to be Les and started taking tap classes to prepare.

Oscar Delancy, a thug who works for the highest bidder, is being played by St. Paul, Kansas native Noah Smith. This is his first show with PCT, but as a student at Pittsburg State University, he was in every Pitt State Theatre production last year.

After his last high school play, Colton Stacy, a native of Liberal Missouri, was sure that was it — he’d never get to perform again. He was wrong. Now a student at the University of Central Missouri, he’s playing Specs, a street smart newsie with plenty of wit.

Luke Gilmore, a Parsons native majoring in music theatre and vocal performance at Oklahoma City, first saw a performance by the “Newsies” company during the 2012 Tony Awards at age 13 and was so fascinated with the story that he rushed to watch the Disney movie. In 2016, he saw the Broadway National Tour when it stopped in KC. And now, he’s performing in the role of Buttons — a young newsie whose parents died at a young age, and he was left on the streets of New York too young to fend for himself.

Franklin, Kansas, resident Tammy Warford plays Katherine, the sassy reporter who befriends the newsies and helps them with their cause. In real life, she’s a teacher for students with visual impairments through Greenbush. She first saw “Newsies” when a Joplin movie theater had a special showing a couple of years ago, and it instantly became one of her favorite musicals. She and her 6-year-old daughter have spent many hours listening to the cast recordings together.

Matthew Palmer, a Baxter Springs, Kansas resident who will be a student at Saint Louis University in August, has longed to perform in “Newsies” ever since he first saw it. In his first performance with PCT, he’s taking on the role of Finch, a passive-aggressive newsie who loves to feel as though he has a big part in everything. “The musical shows the true bravery it takes to stand up in the face of adversity and fight, no matter their age,” he said.

Tickets are selling fast; order yours now to guarantee the best seat. They may be purchased at www.memorialauditorium.org or at the box office, 503 N. Pine, or by calling 620-231-7827. Ticket costs: adults $12, seniors/children 13 and under $10, general admission balcony $8.

Lewis announces Newsies cast

5/22/2019

Director Kaye Lewis has announced the cast of Pittsburg Community Theatre's "Newsies!" and asks that each person on the list confirm acceptance of their roles by emailing her at kayelewis_mrb@hotmail.com.

"Thank you to everyone who came and auditioned ! I wish I could have cast all 60 of you, as you were all awesome .
If you were not cast, please let us know if you'd be interested in other helpful areas such as tech, costumes , sets. It's going to be a fun show and exciting summer," Lewis said.

The cast and crew:
Jack Kelly - Dale ClarkKatherine Plummer - Tammy Warford
Davey Jacobs - Tanner Munson
Crutchie - Matthew Buck
Race - Alex Chesney
Les Jacobs - Xander Goertzen
Spot Conlon - Andy Garman
Finch - Matthew Palmer
Romeo - Miles Stamper
JoJo - Corbin Chaffinpin
Buttons - Luke Gilmore
Mush - Seth Harley
Specs - Colton Stacy
Splasher - Morgan Grotheer
Albert - Xavier Huffman
Smalls /Brooklyn – TJ Dye
Elmer / Brooklyn - Jack Brown
Sniper/Bill / Brooklyn/Scab 23 - Gunner Mengarelli
Mike /Brooklyn/Scab 1 - Megan Spiers
Tommy Boy /Scab 32– Gabe Anderson
Ike /Brooklyn - Alora Spencer
Henry/Brooklyn - Alexis Daniels
Joseph Pulitzer - Karl Wendt
Hannah - Lyndsey Viets
Bunsen - John Womeldorff
Seitz/ Mr Jacobi - Jon Eastman
Snyder - Mason Bayliss
Nunzio / Mayor - Brad Stefanoni
Wiesel - John Goertzen
Medda Larkin - Stacey Struble
Oscar Delancey - Noah Smith
Morris Delancey - Braden Bare
Darcy/ Stage Manager/ customer - Alan G Jones
Theodore Roosevelt - John Seglie
Goon/Policeman- Phoenix Burk
Goon/Policeman - Xander Dye
Nun, #3/Passerby - Susie Lundy
Nun - Mara Nowlin
Nun - Emily George
Nun - Whitley Chesney
Nun - Natalie Harris
Bowery girl - Jenna Stockstill
Bowery girl -Mallory Womeldorff
Bowery girl -Annabella Beachner
Bowery girl - Ella Rhuems
Bowery girl - Alex Muckala
Bowery girl - Annae Marie Martin

Jr. Newsies
Anna Firman
Jude Kershner
Ben Bolinger
Scott Moore
Emma Call
Auggie Allison
Leah Caskey
Trinitie Babcock
Veronica Babcock

Director and Choreographer: Kaye Lewis
Vocal Director: Breana Clark
Assistant Director, Diann Mazurek
Assistant Vocal Director: Fayelyn Kmiec

Costumers:
Lisa Quinteros, Kathy Sanley, Annabella Beachner, Barbara Davis, Corin Cooper, Noah Smith, Kiersten Sanzari, Alli Swatsenbarg, Jon Eastman, Diann Mazurek, Natalie Harris, Whiteley Chesney, Mimi Little

Tech Crew:
Set Design - Jason Huffman
Sound Design - Jason Huffman
Lighting Design - Kyle Newby
Video Projection Operator - Kennedy Tomasi
Stage Crew - Jazmin Havens, Logan Jones, Alexa Fletcher, Ashleigh Henderson, Alyssa Gibbs, James Ghost
Spotlight Operators:Mason Smith, Jennifer Goertzen
Stage Manager / Vocal Backup: Ethan McConnell
Set Construction/Painting Crew: MACC Staff, Newsies, PCT Board
Properties: Mimi Little
Publicity: Andra Stefanoni

Rehearsals:
Rehearsals will kick off with a read-through on May 30 in B1 of Memorial Auditorium.

Tickets:
Tickets are on sale now at Memorial Auditorium, 503 N. Pine in Pittsburg, or at www.memorialauditorium.org, or by calling 620-231-7827. Ticket costs: Adults $12, Seniors/Children 13 & Under $10, GA Balcony $8.

Show times and dates: July 18-20 at 7:30 p.m., and July 20-21 at 2 p.m.

auditions for newsies

5/14/2019

Auditions for PCT's summer musical, Disney's"Newsies," will be held at 7 p.m. on May 20-21 at Memorial Auditorium, 503 N. Pine in Pittsburg.

The production will be directed by Kaye Lewis, founder and artistic director of Midwest Regional Ballet. Lewis is a frequent collaborator of PCT, having done choreography for summer musicals such as "Gypsy" (2016), "Evita" (2015), and "Wizard of Oz" (2013).

Based on the real-life Newsboy Strike of 1899 and nominated for eight Tony Awards, "Newsies" tells the story of Jack Kelly, a rebellious newsboy who dreams of a life as an artist away from the big city. After publishing giant Joseph Pulitzer raises newspaper prices at the newsboys’ expense, Kelly and his fellow newsies take action. With help from the beautiful female reporter Katherine Plumber, all of New York City soon recognizes the power of “the little man.”

The score features songs by eight-time Oscar winner Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid), and the story is appropriate for the entire family. The show premiered on Broadway in 2010 and ran for more than 1,000 performances before going on a national tour.

Tickets to PCT's production will go on sale at May 20.

About auditions
The cast features 16 newsboys who must be able to sing and dance. Those auditioning should dress comfortably and bring tap shoes. They should be prepared to learn excerpts of choreography to "King of New York" and vocal excerpts from "Seize the Day." Those auditioning for the role of Katherine should be prepared to learn a vocal excerpt from "Watch What Happens."

For complete casting requirements (including all character descriptions, suggested ages and genders, vocal ranges, etc.), visit https://www.mtishows.com/full-cast-info/1893

About rehearsals
Rehearsals will be held Thursday and Friday evenings and Saturday and Sunday during the day starting the first week of June. Dress rehearsals will begin July 15, with the show opening July 18 and running through July 21. Sunday rehearsals will be held at Kaye's dance studio in Joplin. Those auditioning will be given a detailed rehearsal schedule.

Questions? Message us on Facebook at @PittCommTheatre.

MAS*H is coming!

3/19/2019

Pittsburg Community Theatre’s first show of the season, “M*A*S*H,” opens next week at Memorial Auditorium, bringing to life iconic characters who first made their appearance in a book by Richard Hooker, then a 1970 film directed by Robert Altman, and finally, a popular long-running TV series.

Director Jason Huffman said “M*A*S*H” is a comedy-drama that will be performed by a diverse cast, including several veterans of PCT productions as well as a few newcomers.

Among them: Col. Henry Blake is played by Mark Johnson, a real-life professor who has 14 PCT acting credits to his name; Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan is played by Allison Townsend, who grew up on the PCT stage and works for BMO Harris Bank; and retiree James Graham, who is taking on the role of Captain Frank Burns, the irksome chump of the hospital, in his first performance with PCT.

Hannah Gatson is somewhat new to PCT — last summer’s “Sister Act” was her first show, and it hooked her — but her role isn’t too much of a stretch: she plays Lt. Nancy Phillips, a nurse, and in real life is a nursing student at Ft. Scott Community College.

Audiences will likely recognize the voice of Stephanie Powers, who plays Private Boone — a hospital orderly who “is about as sharp as a marble,” Powers said. But they might not recognize her face: Powers’ real job is as the voice of Weekday Mornings on 96.9FM.

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. March 29-30 and 2 p.m. March 30-31.

Tickets on the main floor are $12 for adults and $10 for seniors and children, and are $8 general admission for the balcony.

Tickets may be purchased online at www.memorialauditorium.org or at 620-231-7827, or by stopping by the box office, 503 N. Pine, during business hours.