Shakespeare in the Park is a labor of commitment and our love.  It is the distillation of all the good we can help bring to the Milwaukee area and deserves the life that a couple thousand people have already poured into it.  It is a newborn with  potential beyond that of any one individual.  It is not me, Ron, Tom, TJ, ML, Jim, Amanda, Jenni… any one person.  It’s you and me and all of us.

Shakespeare in the Park is extremely expensive and Ron and I are out of personal capitol to put into it.  We have fundraising ideas and are on the verge of kicking those into gear.  This is Part A of What’s Next.

Shakespeare in the Park needs feet on the ground and hands in the mixing bowl.  Many people have said, “I want to help.”  Email me at SSFry@OptimistTheatre.org if you still mean it.  We’ve got some stuff for you to do.  Don’t be afraid.  I will bet you’ll like it.  The coming cold months, when we start to hunker indoors, are the perfect time to get directly involved.

Optimistically,

Susan Scot Fry

It’s 1:00 in the morning, I’ve got a car full of Tribe leather and Ron’s delivering the Full Fathom Four piano.  The cast of The Tempest is might still be at Omega nomming on burgers and french toast.  I just discovered a surprise donation in the box.

Set the alarm for 7 am so we can get back to Alverno for strike tomorrow.

Life’s good.

In the mixed blessing category, I need to highlight a snag that some of our patrons for The Tempest have encountered…

Summerfest Traffic.

(insert the appropriate ominous music here)

At points, music fans on their merry way to the Big Gig are using the same routes as those wonderful folke on their way to Alverno College and so we had a few people show up late to the performance last night.  Everyone got in, but…

Please give yourself EXTRA TIME to get to Alverno.  If you arrive early, you’ll simply have more time to relax on the grass and enjoy your picnic and a beverage.

See you tonight!

Optimistically,

Susan Scot Fry

Calling all crew! We’ve got weekend 2 and final coming up for The Tempest. Before you know it, it will be Monday and we’ll be striking the set at Alverno. I’m putting out the call right here and right now for able bodied help. There’s a small stipend for helping AND guaranteed seating to The Tempest (in case you haven’t managed to swing confirmed seats). Please contact me at SSFry@OptimistTheatre.org for details.

“A hit, a very palpable hit.”

Through temperatures and tempests.  On glorious, mild and star-spangled eve’s.  The cast and crew of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest brought it.

Huge kudos and thanks to all the goodly folke who created and came this past weekend.  The feedback in person and via email has been glorious and gratifying.  A a grateful speck in the big scheme, it’s imperative that I share this cache of happiness with you all.

Here’s what people have said…

Updated and added to 7-8-10:

My daughter & I really had a wonderful evening for your first ever FREE Shakespeare in the Park………ALFRED AND LYNN WOULD BE SO PROUD OF ALL OF YOU   (ck out the story on who may have  really authored all of W S work)   THANKS AGAIN AND SEE YOU AGAIN!!!!!

A friend and I enjoyed the Tempest at Alverno last evening.  The tribe was fantastic as was the entire cast.  We certainly hope that you are able to continue doing this wonderful evening entertainment for years to come.

Thank you for sponsoring such a wonderful event.  Bravo!

Wonderful evening. So glad we took the time to come out. Thank you so much.

Susan,  What a charming, divine rendering of the Tempest!  Of course, I was enchanted by the revels of Ariel and Prospero.  The words of the Bard lept off the page in their hands/feet and I was captivated.  Even being the first public show, it was an engaging company performance, as well.    Certainly the weather even helped give the island aura.  Bravo to all!  Not the least of which is your clear and expert handling of tickets and directions.  Many blessings for the rest of the run.

Saw the performance today – magnificent.  A bit warm, but that was not in your conrol.  Everything from the staging (simple but used well), costume design, talent, etc was a joy.  Hope you are able to find the means to continue this venue.  We drove an hour to get there and would do it over and over again.  Thanks to everyone involved…

Congratulations on this wonderful achievement. I do hope you can enlarge your schedule next year.

Angela Iannone is solidly in the ‘makes my mouth hang open’ category.  It’s getting closer to show opening, so I’m not able to make it to every rehearsal.  When I do, it’s a joy to see what’s happened and where this cast has gone.

The cast started integrating the live music into the performance this week.  As Ariel, Angela is right in the thick of things.  It’s got to be frustrating, all the stops and starts, but they keep at it.  Anyway, one of the pieces they were working last night is the masque.  I had seen it without the music and at various phases in development and already had an appreciation for where it was going.  Last night, I looked up from my program proof and there was Angela on stage.  Her physical embodiment of Ariel playing a goddess was delicious, precise and sublime.  I swear, I forgot to breathe.

The answer to “How can she do that?” is obvious.  It’s years of training and dedication combined with natural physical gifts and discipline.  It doesn’t stop me from asking.

RSVP’s for The Tempest are rolling in very, very quickly.  I believe that I’ll be sending the ‘very sorry, but we’re SRO’ email responses quite soon.

I hope you get to see it.

Optimistically,

Susan Scot Fry

(UPDATED JUNE 11 AT 9:48 PM)

Greetings, Milwaukee!

Thanks to everyone for already filling 4 (count ‘em – 4!) of our 9 performances.

Not to fear – there are plenty of seats available, but it’s time to get an update out to help you plan your options for successfully attending The Tempest.

As of this moment in time this is what’s available:

Friday, June 18, 2010 – 12 noon performance:  We have 105 RSVP’s, which leaves 95 seats available

Friday, June 18, 2010 – 8:00 pm performance:  FULL.  All 200 seats are spoken for.

Saturday, June 19, 2010 – 8:00 pm performance:  FULL.  All 200 seats are spoken for.

Sunday, June 20, 2010 – 8:00 pm performance:  We have 161 RSVP’s, which leaves 39 seats available.

Thursday, June 24, 2010 – 8:00 pm performance:  FULL.  All 200 seats are spoken for.

Friday, June 25, 2010 – 12 noon performance:  We have 183 RSVP’s, which leaves 17 seats available.

Friday, June 25, 2010 – 8:00 pm performance:  FULL.  All 200 seats are spoken for.

Saturday, June 26, 2010 – 8:00 pm performance:  We have 154 RSVP’s, which leaves 46 seats available.

Sunday, June 27, 2010 – 8:00 pm performance:  We have 122 RSVP’s, which leaves 78 seats available.

Your options if the date you want to attend is full…

At 15 minutes prior to show time, we’ll open up unclaimed RSVP’s to walk-in’s.  We’ll put names on lists and it will be first-come, first-served.  At the same time, we’ll open up some limited space lawn seating.  You’d need to bring your own lawn chair.  Visibility from the lawn seating is a little limited, but hey, you’re in!

People also occasionally cancel an RSVP.  You can always ask for the date you want and if it’s become available, it’s yours.

Please RSVP to Susan Fry at SSFry@OptimistTheatre.org.  I need your first and last name, date, show time and total number of seats.  If they’re available, they’re yours.

Hope to see you there.

Optimistically,

Susan Scot Fry

Managing Director

Optimist Theatre’s newest video interview is up!  Click here to meet Ron Scot Fry, Director of The Tempest and Optimist Theatre’s Artistic Director.

As we get further and further into rehearsals and into producing the festival, perspectives naturally evolve.  It’s fascinating to listen to what Ron has to say now that he’s been into working with the actors for several weeks now.

Hope you enjoy it!

Optimistically,

Susan Scot Fry

AND WE HAVE A WINNER!

Kurt Magoon was the first person to guess the location of the The Tempest as Red Arrow Park.

Thanks to everyone who played – and good guesses for downtown locations!

Watch for another copy of The Tempest to be released into the wild late next week.

(Original Message…)

Attention Optimistic Agents,

Another copy of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest has been released into the wilds of Milwaukee.  The person who retrieves it and RSVP’s will be invited to bring it along to the performance and have it autographed by Prospero himself, Mr. James Pickering*.

Your first clue…

X doesn’t mark the spot, but another well-known, downtown symbol.  FIERY ARR–IEL would know just where to look.

Your next clue…

Try not to get trampled by City Hall employees on break by coming between them and their buzz destination.

Also – if you can’t play in person, you can still WIN.  Chime in with your guess on where the book has been placed by  emailing me at SSFry@OptimistTheatre.org and I’ll tell you if you’re correct.

Happy Hunting!

Optimistically,

Susan Scot Fry

*member of Actor’s Equity

On the Optimist Theatre Facebook page (click HERE to go to the album) there’s a new mish-mash of photos from our first all-cast rehearsal on May 11 and from our rehearsal on May 18.  It’s only been a week and we’re still blocking The Tempest, but the tranformations are amazing and beautiful.

Jim Pickering* (Prospero) still makes me cry.  I just want to punch him in the arm.

Angela Iannone* (Ariel) is lithe, sleek and kicks major butt.  She IS an anime heroine.

I’m shocked that Jacque Troy (Antonio) isn’t always surrounded by men.  She’s got this primal magnetism.  I know, I know.  It’s called acting, but it still makes me dizzy.

Ken Williams (Stephano) and David Flores (Trinculo) also make me want to cry and punch them, but I can’t because my soul is rolling on the floor laughing and holding my aching side.

Tom Reed* (Caliban) is primal.  We’ll be chitchatting about something like cutting wood for the stage platform legs and seconds later, my skin is crawling with fascination as I watch and listen with awe.

The Lovers, Andrew Voss and Jocelyn Fitz-Gibbon — Neil Haven  — Stacy and Flora  –  The Tribe…  I have so much more to say, but will save it for another post.

And, the best Stage Manager in the world.  I miss my Sandy Wood, but Sandy, you’d be so proud of Melissa Wanke*.

Optimistically,

Susan Scot Fry