Help LaNita become Diva!

If you've been around ACT for awhile you probably know LaNita Cloninger. She's starred in many performances (most recently The Hallelujah Girls) and is a volunteer extraordinaire. This May she'll be vying for the title of ACT Diva at our annual fundraising Gala, Diva*licious.

To help her Diva cause LaNita has put together a series of fabulous pre-Diva fundraising events. First up: Dinner at Fiore's Ristorante Toscano (across the street from ACT) this Tuesday evening, April 13. From 5:00pm to closing 20% of all food purchased will be donated to ACT in support of LaNita's bid to become ACT's Diva 2010.

See you at Fiore's for a night of great food and fun.

Diva*licious

The musical theatre gala and annual fundraiser of Asheville Community Theatre

Diva*licious Concert – Friday, May 21, 8:08pm at ACT

Diva*licious Concert + Gala – Saturday, May 22. Reception starts at 6:45pm; concert at 8:08pm

Tickets: 828-254-1320

Sale of the Century........

Well, we'll settle for the sale of the month....and it's going to be a big one. Macy's and Target will have nothing on ACT next weekend as we host our Theatrical Rummage Sale. Help us clear out our stores of stuff by picking up choice items including:

- men's and women's clothing (dresses, accessories, hats, vests, shirts, and skirts)
- adult and children's costumes
- jewelry
- fun accessories
- books and scripts
- oriental style rugs

All of this and more will be on display and for sale in the ACT Lobby from 10am-4pm Saturday, March 27. Cash, check, and charge accepted. Happy shopping from ACT!

Party with The Affiliates

The "Asheville Affiliates" know how to throw a good party, which is exactly what they'll do on April 8 to benefit ACT. Excellent!

With a tagline of "Parties with a Purpose Since 1999" - The Affiliates is a group of young professionals who partner with non-profits annually to host fund raising events. On Thursday, April 8 from 6:30 - 9:30pm, The Affiliates will host "Spruce Street Speakeasy" -- a throwback-to-the-1930s-event at Pack's Tavern in Asheville. Join us for food, drinks, gangsters, cigarette girls, and music by the Goodies .... plus a raffle and a silent auction.

Tickets are now on sale: $25 in advance and $30 at the door. A super-fun evening that helps support ACT. Hope to see you there!

A Shayna Maidel by The Autumn Players

The Autumn Players return in March with a new Readers Theatre Showcase production.

Since its opening in 1985 A Shayna Maidel, written by Barbara Lebow, has impressed audiences around the country. The story centers on two sisters, Rose and Lusia Weiss, who are reunited in the aftermath of the holocaust.

As the play opens we are introduced to Rose (played by Mara Breindal), who has spent nearly her whole life in New York and remembers little about her sister or her family's native Poland. Rose wears makeup, jewelry, and attractive clothes, has her own apartment, dates, and by all accounts is "Americanized."

One day her father Mordechai (played by Arnold Sgan) surprises Rose with the news he has found her long-lost sister Lusia (played by Thelma Cousins) and that she will be visiting America.

At first uncomfortable with each other, Rose and Lusia grow close as they share their stories and memories.

Now A Shayna Maidel comes to ACT with RoseLynn Katz directing a talented cast featuring Mara Breindel, Ben Oliver, Thelma Cousins, Kermit Brown, Eileen Walkenstein, Arnold Sgan, and Beth Ely.


Performance dates are Friday and Saturday, March 5-6 at ACT's 35below and Sunday, March 7 at The Reuter Center. All show times are 2:30pm.

Tickets at 828-254-1320 or at the door. $5.

Come in from the cold with ACT's Diva Cabaret

We don't know about you, but ACT is sick of the snow. Our remedy: a smokin' hot night at the cabaret - Diva style.

ACT's 2010 Diva Cabaret, featuring some of the top performers in Asheville, is set for March 12 at 8:00pm at "Olive or Twist" (formerly Decades Restaurant and Bar) on 81 Broadway Street in downtown Asheville.



The performers? For starters, we've got two past ACT Diva*licious winners: Michael Cheek, "2007-Diva" and star of last summer's smash hit Miss Gulch Returns!; and "2009-Diva" Craig Justus. Rounding out the Divas are Kelly Christianson, Jeff Neese, and Lori Hilliard. Lori is directing ACT's next Mainstage production, The Boxcar Children, and was last seen on stage in ACT's fall 2009 production of Peter Pan.

Diva Cabaret will be directed by Eric Mills, with Musical Direction and outstanding piano playing by Ruth Sieber Johnson.

Tickets: $15. Online at www.ashevilletheatre.org or by calling the box office at 828-254-1320.

ACT teams up with Manna and Brother Wolf

It's been a year of great partnerships for ACT. First, we became a "Friend of Earth" - and now we're teaming up with Manna Food Bank and Brother Wolf Animal Rescue for our upcoming production of The Boxcar Children.

"Boxcar" patrons who bring a canned good for either Manna or Brother Wolf (or both!) will be entered into a drawing for a 2010-11 Season Subscription to ACT. That's a great incentive for doing a good deed....and you're going to see a great show to boot.

Cheers!

The Boxcar Children
March 5-21, 2010 on the ACT Mainstage
Fridays, 7:30pm; Saturdays and Sundays at 2:30pm



Video preview with director Lori Hilliard

ACT becomes a "Friend of Earth Fare"

Yahoo! ACT has recently been named a "Friend of Earth Fare." That means that through March, Earth Fare will donate 5 cents to ACT every time a recyclable bag is used at its South Asheville location. Those nickels add up -- so pop into Earth Fare today. Healthy food for you, and a healthy financial boost for ACT. The Beatles were right: "We get by with a little help from our friends."

Chat with an Earth Fare staff member at one of the final few performances of The Big Bang, on the ACT mainstage Sunday January 31 at 2:30pm and Saturday, February 6 at 7:30pm.

"The Big Bang" talks back

The Big Bang co-stars Michael Cheek and Jerry Crouch and director Eric Mills took a few extra minutes after their Sunday performance to answer audience questions.

1. How do you remember all those lines? Hint: a mnemonic device for the frenzied final scene.

2. How long does it take to memorize the show? Hint: a long time.

3. Wow, the props are amazing. So many! How do you put it all together? Hint: ACT props master Anne Silkie, her 62nd show!

4. What are the most difficult scenes? Hint: Ceasar and the Asian Ladies.

5. So Michael...how long have you played the trumpet? Hint: the trumpet has seen all of its better days.

Enjoy the video

"The Big Bang" runs for two more weekends at Asheville Community Theatre: January 22-24 and 29-31. Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm; Sundays at 2:30pm.

Tickets online or by calling the ACT Box Office at 828-254-1320.

Read the fabulous full review in the Mountain Xpress.