The Young Adult Theatre program was started last year to provide opportunities for those ages 16 to 25 to become more involved with CP and take an active leadership role in learning the ins and outs of producing a show.

We are presently looking for an individual(s) who are interested in taking on this year’s project. As part of the application process we are asking what show a candidate would like to direct for the program. A $500 stipend will be offered to the selected candidate.

Applications for the program are available at the theatre. Click here for more information.

Application deadline is Feb. 19, 2010

Tickets for this event are only $5 and can be purchased at the CP Box Office, in addition to The Beatrice Area Chamber of Commerce and Security First Bank. While this is not a CP event, we have agreed to serve as a ticket outlet to support yet another opportunity for area residents to experience top quality live entertainment. Tonic Solfa’s performance is made possible thanks to a generous grant from the Hevelone Foundation.

Tickets for this type of event should cost $22 but are being made available for just $5 thanks to the Beatrice Area Arts Council and the Hevelone Foundation.

You’ll have the chance to meet and get your picture taken with Belle and other characters from the show, in addition to joining them for tea and cookies and hearing some of the music from the show.

If you want you (or more likely your young ones) can come decked out in their favorite princess outfit and make the event even more special.

This is a terrific event for moms and daughters to enjoy together!

Admission only $8, tickets available now at the CP Box Office and that day at the door, and includes photo with Belle. Thank you to Valentino’s for helping to make this event possible!

Featuring a cast of new and familiar CP faces the show is a stage adaptation of the Disney favorite animated film.

Playing Belle, the young girl who gives herself over to the Beast to save her father, is Claire Frahm (last seen at CP in “Hello, Dolly!”. Taking on the role of the Beast is Steve Kramer (“I Love You Because”). Belle’s father, Maurice, is played by Jim McNeal (“Something’s Afoot”). The swaggering Gaston is played by Nate Koch (“Moon Over Buffalo”) while his sidekick Lefou is played by Curtis Reynolds (“Something’s Afoot”).

Objects in the enchanted castle of the Beast are Quinn Barnas (“Yes Viriginia, There is a Santa Claus”) as Lumiere, Ryan Rabstejnek (“Hello, Dolly!”) as Cogsworth, Judy Anderson (“South Pacific”) as Mrs. Potts, Linda Gibbs (“Hello, Dolly!”) as Madame De La Grande Bouche, Emily Rademacker as Babette and Noah Snurr (“Children of Eden”) as Chip.

Other cast members include Matt Jurgens (“Children of Eden”), Jason Shonerd (“Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus”), Steven Roberts, Jesse Magdalus, Jacob Paliwoda (“Yes Virignia, There is a Santa Claus”), James Beavers (“Hello, Dolly!”), Cruz Barnas, Allison LaDuke, Amber Colgrove (“Children of Eden”), Annie Bock (“Children of Eden”), Samantha Hovendick, Jenny Christensen (“Children of Eden”), Natalie Frahm (“Hello, Dolly!”), Megan Decker (“Something’s Afoot”), Elena Poole (“Something’s Afoot”), Cecilia McNeal (“Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus”) and Chris Obbink (“Hello, Dolly!”).

The stage manager is Merle Jobman, and the assistant stage manager is Cindy Shepherd. Jean Spilker is the musical director.

Pictured above members of the cast hang out in the greenroom following the Dec. 22 read thru.

Kirsten has been a sign language interpreture in the Beatrice and Diller school systems since moving to Beatrice two years ago. Previously living in Grand Island, Kirsten has been involved in Grand Island Little Theatre productions and was a choir director for 10 years. She was also involved with theatre growing up in her mother's theatre company in Scottsbluff. She and her husband, Steve, have two children, a daughter - Layna, and a son - Tevan.

CP is happy to welcome Kirsten aboard, be sure to say "hi" next month when you purchase tickets for "Beauty and the Beast"!

Kirsten replaces Shae Rogge who had been with CP for more than two years. Shae and her husband, Matt, are moving out of the area for work. Thanks Shae for all your hard work and efforts for CP, we'll miss you!

Erica will doing a wide variety of work at CP. One of her jobs will be putting together educational acting workshops for students that we will launch in January. She will also be stage managing the spring production of "The Cemetery Club" in addition to other small jobs around the theatre.

"I am very excited to doing my internship at Community Players! I have heard many great things about the place and I cannot wait to be part of what has yet to come! Thanks for letting me into the Community Players family," she said.

SCC students signing up for the course have three credit options which require then to put in 15, 30 or 45 hours of work at CP.

The fall of 2009 saw the first student to go through the class, Barbara Drewes. She worked on set painting for our production of “Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus”. Pictured here CP Artistic Director Jamie Ulmer, shows Drewes faux painting techniques to create a brick wall look for the show’s set.

This award is presented annually by the community theater to an individual or couple who have been outstanding in support of the theater and fine arts in Beatrice and the Southeast Nebraska area.

Williams was presented with the award prior to a performance of the theater’s recent production of “Something’s Afoot”.

On stage in his first production at the theater in 2002, Williams has since become an active and dedicated supporter of the organization. He has appeared on stage in numerous productions including “Hello, Dolly!” “State Fair,” “Rumors,” “To Gillian on her 37th Birthday” and the upcoming production “Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus.” Off stage, he has lead the organization’s set construction crew for many years. This year he completed his second three-year term on the organization’s board of directors where he served as vice president for four years and chaired several committees.

Williams’ name will be added to a plaque that is displayed in the theater’s lobby.

The award was established in 1985 in honor of former Beatrice resident Mary Ellen Morgan, who was one of the founders and promoters of Community Players. Click here to see a list of all past winners.

The grant totally $8,706 was awarded from the Nebraska Arts Council as part of funds the organization received from the National Endowment for the Arts provided by the ARRA.

The funds will be used to maintain staff positions at the theater of Box Office/Communications Manager and Costume Librarian and contract positions of musical director and rehearsal accompanist for musicals.

“We are extremely grateful to be receiving these funds,” Jamie Ulmer, Community Players artistic director, said. “While the grant does not cover the full costs of all these positions it does relieve some funding pressure as we prepare our very active 2009-2010 Season.”

The Nebraska Arts Council announced grants to 15 nonprofit arts organizations throughout the state totaling $271,800. The funds are to be used exclusively to save salaried or contractual positions within those organizations. Forty-seven Nebraska organizations applied for these grant funds.

According to Suzanne Wise, Nebraska Arts Council executive director, “It’s important for people to know that the nonprofit arts industry plays a significant role in Nebraska’s economy. A loss of jobs from the arts sector has the same impact as the loss of a manufacturing job. Nebraska Arts Jobs helps arts organizations retain staff that in turn will be there to provide vital services and education to the community.” She added, “I would challenge anyone to find any business sector that can squeeze more benefit from a buck than nonprofit arts organizations do.”

The cast was recognized with the award for “Outstanding Ensemble” and actor Matt Rogge received an award for “Most Versatile Actor”.

Eleven shows from seven states participated in the four day festival. Each of the shows qualified for the regional festival by winning their state level festivals. Productions of “How to Talk Minnesotan: The Musical” from South Dakota and “Lemondae” from Kansas were selected to advance to the American Association of Community Theatre’s national festival in June.

“There were some terrific examples of what community theatre can achieve at this festival ,” Jamie Ulmer, Community Players artistic director, said “Our cast and crew did a great job and showed the kind of high quality fun we like to have onstage here in Beatrice.”

Members of the cast and crew who traveled with the show were Julie Bratt, Matt McNiff, Matt Rogge, Missy Marlatt, Pat Marlatt, Bill Bratt, Janet Apfelbeck, Heidi Krieger, Elizabeth Claassen, Cindy Shepherd and Alyssa Bratt.