About the New York State Theatre Education Association

Design and Composition class created short films as visual accompaniment. We're loooking forward to a visit from Nichols alum and playwright A.R. Gurney in early December in association with the Buffalo premiere of Indian Blood at Studio Arena. I recently performed along with western region members Jen Fitzery and Toni Smith Wilson in a Buffalo Soundpainting Ensemble performance of Tell Tale Heart: A Sounpainting Opera at Trinty Place in Buffalo, NY. The production will be restaged at Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center in January.

Margo Davis (Park School) reports: Park School just presented a terrific production of The Good Doctor, dedicated to the memory of beloved teacher, Thomas Bailey, and will be presenting You're a Good Man Charlie Brown the last week of February.

Kate Muldon (Niagara Falls High School) reports: Niagara Falls High School performed Of Mice and Men for 700 students at a school time matinee. I look forward to working with Peelee Clark, a student of the University at Buffalo's "Education In and Through the Arts program" on a story theatre project this Spring. New western region NYSTEA member Tom Vitello will be directing Man of La Mancha this March.

Kate Olena (Nichols Middle School) reports: I'm looking forward to working with western region NYSTEA member Rob Tucker, a student of the University at Buffalo's "Education In and Through the Arts" program, as an intern in my program during the spring term. The Nichols 7th grade will perform a Chinese folk tale Ming Li and the Magic Tree and the 8th grade will perform the Push Cart War with an Augusto Baol forum at the end of each performance.

Roger Paolini (Williamsville South) reports: We just finished a successful run of The Dining Room by A.R. Gurney. We're currently in rehearsals for Pajama Game and are grateful for the loan of costumes from NYSTEA member Kate Muldoon.

Patrick Kuciewski (The Niagara Fine Arts Program) reports: The Niagara Fine Arts Program, Inc., Niagara Falls, NY has just completed it's 2007 season with extremely successful productions of Fame - The Musical at Niagara Falls High School in July and A Christmas Carol - The Musical at the Lancaster Opera House in November/December.
Plans for 2008 include a production of 42nd Street during July/August and another "yet to be named" production at the Lancaster Opera House.
Auditions for 42nd Street will be on Monday June 2nd and Tuesday June 3rd at Niagara Falls High School. For more information about the Niagara Fine Arts Program, Inc, please visit our website at www.niagarafinearts.org

Toni Wilson (Buffalo Seminary) reports: We have had an interesting and challenging journey with our fall production King Stag. What a different acting experience from Antigone and The Importance of Being Earnest. This style feels much more difficult in many ways. It is difficult to preserve the honesty in the characters while focusing on caricature, comic timing and slapstick routines.
We were fortunate to be able to bring Craig Jacobrown, a mask maker and performer in to school for a week workshop with the cast. We purchased Comedia masks from Craig and he helped the girls learn to work with them.
Workshops included warm-ups, improvisational exercises and games.
Approximately 35 girls were involved with this production, covering cast, crews and ushers. The cast itself was 18 strong, ,a production staff of 5 included a student designer, Rebecca Wing who designed the parrot and a student choreographer, Alyssa Militello choreographed and danced. Strong, stage managers, Morgan Gress and Katey Kelley, ran a particularly difficult show calling special effects and myriad entrances. The stage crew consisted completely of freshmen (Sound Board-Journee Azaria Robinson, Stage crew-Paige Gress/Jennifer Cotto-Ecklund/Olivia Knauss).
The play production class built 24 period costumes for the show.

Peter Weisenberger (The Gow School) reports: We hosted the western region student conference this past September and recently completed a production of Of Mice and Men for which we borrowed gobos from Nichols School.

Jean Weisbeck (Alden High School) reports: Our fall play was a comedy/farce Airline by Tim Kelly. The large cast of 38 had a fun experience as did the audience. The biggest challenge was constructing the
007 aircraft. It turned out excellently with overhead lights, windows and a ramp. Our spring musical is Fiddler on the Roof. This is the first high school musical by our new (to the high school) chorus teacher. Auditions are underway. The Theater Club production in late spring will be a collection of skits, scenes, and a one act play. The senior class members of the club direct. This year is the first time teachers will be included in the cast.

Western Region NYSTEA is proud to support THE WRITE TO BE HEARD, a student play writing contest for grades 8-12. The winner receives a $1,000 scholarship to the college of his/her choice. It is open to all, both the United States citizens and Canadians, within a 60 mile radius of Buffalo.
With a ten-year history, the project is suppported by Sheas's Buffalo Performing Arts Center, New York State Theatre Education Association, Barnes and Noble Booksellers Amherst, and The Laura Adams Foundation.
NYSTEA students discuss submissios and perform in the winning plays.