Announcing the 2012-2013 Season

January 29th, 2012

GLT Presents our 2012-2013 Season:

SCAPIN by Moliere
THE HAIRY APE by Eugene O’Neill, adaptation by Sean Keeley
HAMLET by William Shakespeare

And after a fierce battle, the Bards VI Winner is… *drumroll*

PAPER BULLETS by John E. Allis!

Thank you to all the shows who competed this year, our donors, and to all of you who voted! See you soon for our Bards V winner, FREAK STORM, Feb 24-March 11!

11:15 check in

January 28th, 2012

So the votes keep coming in and things are pretty tight right now. We’ll be closing up the online voting in 13 minutes. Any donation made after that we’ll gladly accept, but won’t be able to count it toward a show.

I hope it’s been fun following so far. there’s just a little bit too much for me to do to be able to record every detail, but things are happy and going well!

Also the first two shows that are a part of our season are Scapin (by Moliere) and The Hairy Ape (adapted by Sean Keeley and Directed by Wilder Nutting Heath).

Rob

Second Intermission

January 28th, 2012

Apocalypse Soon was met with large cheers tonight and it certainly showed up in the voting. Here are the scores:

Apocalypse Soon: 854

Mack the Knife: 733

Paper Bullets: 653

First Intermission

January 28th, 2012

The Lobby was filled with audience members after the final night of first show Mack the Knife. The intermission break pushed Mack into a tentative lead and the voting is currently laid out as such:

Mack the Knife: 712

Paper Bullets: 610

Apocalypse Soon: 603

Closing Night

January 28th, 2012

After a bordering on insane rush to the bar and an audience of almost 100 people, we are about halfway through the first show. We started basically on time (yay!). There has already been some fast action, someone dropped a Benjamin, baby.

We already ran out of red wine, but Brenan went and picked up a couple more boxes (yes boxes plural).

Come by for the party tonight at about 10:00 pm. We’ll have the sweet sounds of DJ Frankenheart, and we’ll keep you up to date on our upcoming season as well as the winner of the battle at 12:00, Midnight.

Rob

Final Tickets

January 28th, 2012

The final tickets for tonight’s Battle of the Bards should sell in the next 10 minutes. if you are really intent on scoring seats, you had better get here soon! Here’s the score:

Paper Bullets: 551

Mack the Knife: 532

Apocalypse Soon: 531

Scores

January 27th, 2012

Are up to the minute current on the Battle of the Bards VI page. Chizzity check it out.

The apocalypse

January 27th, 2012

Has come and gone, and I got some ice cream. Things are going well.

Voting update will come along shortly, once we’ve tallied all these intermission votes!

Come and get a Beer

January 27th, 2012

From Keg Mistress Chelsie Q Hanner. She’ll pour the hell out of a Redhook ESB for you and she’s got the hat to prove it!

It Begins

January 27th, 2012

This is the house for opening night. It is very full. We have an exciting night of theatre set up for them. Keep those votes rolling in!

We only started 10 minutes late and most of the audience was here on time, a fantastic beginning for sure!

Opening Night

January 27th, 2012

There is a buzz in the space as one of the cast members of Mack the Knife plays with the incredibly out of tune piano, we finish the cleaning and prepping and unloading stuff for the night. The keg is ready to be tapped, most of the booze is either refridgerated or on the way to being refridgerated and we already have our first in person donation of the night. There are only 5 walk up tickets remaining for the performance tonight, so if you are following this and want to pop on over, you might still be able to get tickets.

I’ll try and post about every half an hour for the night and if I fail, I apologize

Mack the Knife

January 26th, 2012

With all the flair and flash of the 20′s, Mack the Knife brought a new layer out of the Scottish play, with a twittering group of molls, a cross-dressing doorlady and enough olde-timey talk to start a speakeasy, it was the perfect sing-songy way to end our tech.

I’ll update the standings when I get home in short order.

-Rob

Paper Bullets

January 26th, 2012

It’s the story of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie and their publicists…. I mean, it’s all about the world of fame scene through the lense of Much Ado About Nothing, with a healthy dose of dance party and balloons.

Sadly I could not get any pictures of this show because my camera phone stopped working. here is a setup picture, but if you want to see the real thing you’ll have to come tomorrow or Saturday!

-Rob

Apocalypse Soon

January 26th, 2012

What would happen if you gathered the worlds dieties and religious icons together to decide the fate of Humanity? What if Buddha brought veggie hot dogs and Orpheus brought a guitar? Why that would be Apocalypse Soon, the second show of our Battle of the Bards VI. Here are some photos from the quirky show from the demented mind of Courtney Meaker. Sorry for the quality of image here, I have a crappy camera phone :( .

The Dress is about to start

January 26th, 2012

Our performance order for the night is:

Apocalypse Soon (currently in first place with 252 Votes)

Paper Bullets (currently in second place with 240 Votes)

Mack the Knife (currently in third place with 207 Votes).

We’ve got a full house for the dress rehearsal. Yay!

-Rob

Waiting pre-tech

January 26th, 2012

The company has arrived for a pre-dress rehearsal company meeting. Things are starting to happen. Looking forward to describing this business for you. I’ll be posting some photos and quick details about the shows as we go along tonight, and then tomorrow will be focused on other happenings.

The casts are starting to arrive pretty early tonight and we have put them both into our green room and the borrowed green room of our GREAT Neighbor Michael Matewauk.

-Rob

Bards Lighting

January 25th, 2012

Tuesday was a crazy day for preparing the space. We had sent our dimmers out for repair to ensure that each show could have a special and that we would have complete lighting coverage of the space. Thanks to Hollywood Lighting for making sure we got the dimmers back in time to hang up for the show.

After Artistic Associate Ben Newton and I finished picking up the dimmers, it became a mad dash from SODO to Ballard (with a quick stop to pick up Bu’’ons, legendary Ghost Light Mascot), where we had about 4 hours to install the dimmers, cable and circuit the lights, fine tune the focus and clean up before Apocalypse Soon and Stage Manager Andrew Rekdahl arrived for the 8:00pm tech and we managed to do it with about an hour to spare. Luckily, for this show, there were only three lighting cues to incorporate into the script. Reports from the scene provide that tech went really smoothly, and Apocalypse Soon is ready to go for Thursday night’s dress rehearsal.

Thanks to all of the recent votes (and there have been a lot). The standings are tightening up, and I suspect that they will get even tighter after the actors/directors from all three shows have a chance to see each other’s work. Click through here to see the current standings, and remember that you can have a say in how it all goes down.

–Rob

The Battle is coming…

January 22nd, 2012

Hi!

Ghost Light Theatricals Managing Director Rob here. I am going to be blogging about Battle of the Bards this week and hope to keep anyone who is checking into the website apprised of all of the comings and goings of the next few days. The week leading up to the Battle is always one of the craziest weeks for me, and this time around was surely no different. I just got back from painting the stage floor black. Due to the fact that our first show of the season was in our standard proscenium layout and our second show was in the round, there were still a couple of areas that had the paint job from that first show, so we had to make sure it was neutralized.

Other things that were accomplished this weekend were the moving of the seating units and setting up of the seats for the audience, resetting the booth for our Bards layout, cleaning out our storage and rehearsal rooms, cleaning out the box office, picking up a new filing cabinet (!) and coinstarring all of the change we had laying around the space ($68.74!).

Amidst all of this, Beth and Val stopped into rehearsals for each of the show to give some brief notes and determine the order of the show. Coming up later this week we’ll be circuiting and focusing all of the lights and prepping the bar for what I’m sure will be a crazy night. This is the first time we have had a pre-sell out for both nights (though there are going to be between 12 and 15 tickets available at the door), so everyone in the company is really excited about the shows. We’ll all get to see them during the dress rehearsal on Thursday, but you’ll have to wait until Friday or Saturday to cast your votes for the shows.

The paypal voting has been spectacular for this year, and we’ve already gotten over 200 votes. For now, check over at The Battle of the Bards Page for an update of the scores. During the performances, I’ll give a quick rundown of the shows as well as the voting, 2012-2013 season information and any other tidbits from the event. Stay tuned either here or over on Facebook for what we are pretty sure will be the party of the year.

Rob

“BARDS” SHOWS ANNOUNCED!

November 30th, 2011

In BATTLE OF THE BARDS VI, three ensembles perform scenes adaptations of classic works. The audience then picks which play goes into Ghost Light’s 2012-13 Season. Admission includes one vote – additional votes are only $1 each. All proceeds support the work of Ghost Light Theatricals.

Right after the Saturday performance, cast, crew, and audience will celebrate and find out the winning show. A ticket to the BARDS VI or a donation is admission into the party.

Mack the Knife
Written by Stephanie Mallard Couch and Stephen Bucheit
Directed by Stephanie Mallard Couch
Mack the Knife is a fast and loose musical adaptation of (that Scottish play) set in a 1920′s speakeasy complete with gangsters, molls, dolls, canaries, et al.

Paper Bullets
Written by John E. Allis
Directed by Emily Harvey
In Paper Bullets two media powerhouses tamper with the personal and professional affairs of four budding Hollywood icons. Scandalized sweethearts fumble with love and illusion in this modernization of Much Ado, a farce replete with sex, glitter and deception.

Apocalypse Soon
Written and directed by Courtney Meaker
Religious figures throughout a variety of texts and oral traditions come together for a three day reunion to plan the apocalypse and decide who’s saved. Surfacing issues like hope, salvation, choice, whiskey, and acoustic music the characters try to resolve their angst before destroying the world.

AUDITIONS for Spring Shows

November 28th, 2011

Ghost Light Theatricals will be holding auditions for their spring productions of FREAK STORM and THE LAST DAYS OF JUDAS ISCARIOT!  Auditions are December 5th at 6th with callbacks on the 10th and 11th.  Please prepare two contrasting monologues, at least one comedic, spanning no more than 3 minutes.  Email Rob at rob@ghostlighttheatricals.org for an audition slot.  Check out the links at the top of the page for more info about the shows!

Freak Storm Casting Needs:
4m/4f/2either

BEN, Dr. Benedict Karybduf, geothermal scientist
SILLA, his ex-wife
ZIP, male action figure from Daybreak Unlimited
ANDY, son to Ben, Randy’s twin
SPOCK, Dr. Jessica Pocari, Ben’s post-doc
SESQUATH, large hominid
TRANK, laid-back pilot, runs Cascade Whirlybird with Stefi
STEFI, Native American Pilot, common-law wife to Trank.
RANDY, daughter to Silla, Andy’s twin
R.E.L., The Remote Electronic Liason, cybernetic system

All Roles Open

The Last Days of Judas Iscariot Casting Needs:

Must be comfortable with blue language and adult themes.
10m/5f

Satan: Male, Smooth Dark and Handsome, Any age.
Gloria/Mother Teresa: Hispanic Female, any age
Judge/Caiaphas the Elder/Saint Matthew: 40 – 60 male, any ethnicity.
Loretta/Mary Magdalene/Sister Glenna: 25 – 40 Female, any ethnicity.
Bailiff/Simon the Zealot: Male, Any age, any ethnicity.
Sigmund Freud/Saint Thomas/Soldier 1: Male, any age, any ethnicity.
Pontius Pilate/Uncle Pino: Male, 30 – 45, any ethnicity.
Matthias of Galilee/Saint Peter/Soldier 2: Male, 25 – 40, must be able to play a child, any ethnicity.
Jesus of Nazareth: Male, 25 – 40, strong and capable. Any ethnicity.
Judas Iscariot: Male 25 – 40, must be comfortable with limited lines, lots of stage time. Must be able to play full age range in play. Any Ethnicity.
Saint Monica/Soldier 3: Hispanic Female, 25 – 40.
Henrietta Iscariot: 35 – 50 Female, any ethnicity.
Butch Honeywell: 30 – 45, Male, any ethnicity.
Fabian Aziza Cunningham: Female, 25 – 40, red head or willingness to dye hair red., any ethnicity.
Yusef El-Fayoumy: 25 – 40, Male, Middle Eastern/Eastern Indian

Upcoming Audition for GLT’s Late Night

September 20th, 2011

Ghost Lite presents LAPDSMU – “In Los Angeles, the very worst homicides are handled by an elite squad of detectives — the Serious Murders Unit. They are: LAPDSMU.”

Ghost Lite’s first late night of the season will follow Ghost Light Theatricals Vengeance at Sundown. We will be seeking 2-3 Women and 5-6 Men.

Auditions: Sunday, September 25th at 7:00 and Monday September 26th at 7:00. Please prepared a one minute comedic monologue.

Rehearsals will start on Tuesday September 27th.
We’ll rehearse the following days: 9/27, 9/29, 10/2, 10/3, 10/4, 10/5
Load in / tech will be on 10/9 starting at 10:00 AM and 10/11 and 10/12, with final dress on 10/13

WIN FREE TICKETS TO VENGEANCE AT SUNDOWN!

September 13th, 2011

Ghost Light Theatricals is participating in Arts Crush this year! You can enter to win free tickets to the Thursday, October 13 performance of Vengeance at Sundown. Sign up here between September 16-29. http://freenight.artscrush.org/

Visit us at the Arts Crush Kick-Off Fair on Sunday, September 25, 11am-2pm, at McCaw Hall http://artscrush.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=883

ARTS CRUSH is 31 days of creative adventures in art, literature, music, theatre, dance, film and more. GET CRUSHED during this extraordinary month-long festival by connecting with artists and arts groups in unique and unexpected ways. Arts Crush features hundreds of free events, special discounts and once-a-year interactive arts opportunities for all ages. Visit www.artscrush.org to join in the fun.

Upcoming Open House

August 5th, 2011

Ghost Light made some big improvements to the space this summer – the green carpet is gone and the new floor looks a-mazing! The space will be open between 6pm – 10pm so you can check out the new floor, have a drink, and dance!

Saturday, August 13
6:00 to 10:00pm
The Ballard Underground
Cash Bar available including $15 drink bracelets. Drink all you want for $15!
Musical stylings of DJ Frankenheart
“Song Inspired Paintings” by Melissa Fenwick featured on the art wall
No admission and open to the public

The Ballard ArtWalk is that evening as well (6-9pm), so be sure to check it out! http://www.ballardchamber.​com/artwalkinfo

Audition for Ghost Light Theatricals’ Fall 2011 Productions

August 3rd, 2011

Ghost Light Theatricals will be holding auditions for our fall productions at on Monday, August 8th and Tuesday, August 9th between 6:30 and 10:00 pm. Callbacks will be on Wednesday, August 10th and Sunday, August 14th. If you are interested in auditioning please schedule a time by emailing your resume and headshot to rob.bergquist@gmail.com and we’ll schedule your five minute audition slot. Please have prepared two contrasting monologues, at least one of which should be comedic.

Show #1: Vengeance at Sundown is a 1950’s B-Movie adaptation of the Jacobean play, The Revengers Tragedy written by Ben Newton and David Van Wert and directed by Ghost Light Theatricals’ Founding Artistic Director Beth Raas-Bergquist. It is a vivid, lustful and violent satire following many characters seeking revenge. Rehearsals for this project are weekday evenings and weekend afternoons beginning at the end of August. Performances are the first three weekends of October 2011. All rehearsals and performances will take place at the Ballard Underground on NW Market Street in Ballard.

Roles for Vengeance at Sundown are available for 9 Men and 3 Women, 18 years or older.

Show # 2: Hedda takes Henrik Ibsen’s classic Hedda Gabler, and remixes it. Inspired by Chuck Mee’s use of found text and by the Viewpoints and Suzuki methods, Nikki Przasnyski originally conceived, adapted and directed Hedda in the spring of 2003 as the culmination of a research grant at the University of Washington. Nikki will again be re-conceiving and adapting her script for performance the first three weekends of November 2011. This adaptation uses self destructive female archetypes in literature and history to highlight Hedda’s struggle (such as Lady MacBeth, Ophelia and Janis Joplin). Rehearsals will begin in early September and will be split between Mercer Island’s Youth Theatre Northwest campus and the Ballard Underground on NW Market Street in Ballard.

Roles for Hedda are available for 3 Men and 10+ Women of all ages, races, sizes, etc; movement and generative experience a plus.

Auditions for: The Clouds, A Reality Play

February 15th, 2011

The Clouds, a reality play
by Alexis Holzer
Adapted from
The Clouds
by Aristophanes

Ghost Light Theatricals
The Ballard Underground
2220 NW Market Street, Lower Level

• Auditions are February 17th 6-10 – prepared comedic monologue
• Callbacks are February 20th 11-5 – sides from the script
• Rehearsals begin the last week of February – April 14th; tentative rehearsal schedule:
o Mon-Thurs 6:30-10:00
o Sat 1-5 and/or Sun 3-8
• Performances are Friday 4/15, Saturday 4/16, Thursday 4/21, Friday 4/22, Saturday 4/23,
Monday 4/25, Thursday 4/28, Friday 4/29, Saturday 4/30, Sunday 5/1 @2:00.

Versatile, diverse, creative and collaborative artists are needed for this new play where Greek
comedy meets reality television. This is largely an ensemble cast; most actors will play many
varied parts.
Adult actors only please due to script content. It ain’t for kids.

Actors needed:
FEMALE plays ages 7-20
FEMALE plays ages 20-40
FEMALE plays ages 20-40
FEMALE plays ages 30-40
FEMALE plays ages30-50
4 CHORUS MEMBERS, male/female 20 years+
MALE plays ages 8-20
MALE plays ages 8-30
MALE plays ages 16-40
MALE plays ages 20-40
MALE plays ages 30-50

Contact Alexis Holzer at alexisdianah@gmail.com for an audition appointment on Thursday
February 17th. Auditions will be 10-minute slots between 6pm-10pm. Bring a resume, headshot
and prepared comedic monologue. Callbacks will be held on Sunday February 20th 11-5. If
you are only able to attend on Sunday, or not able to attend either time but are interested in the
project, contact Alexis.

At this time, Ghost Light Theatricals is not able to pay their devoted, hardworking, amazing artists
with anything but gratitude, loyalty, and alcohol.

We need a set designer for The Clouds, stat.

February 9th, 2011

Ghost Light Theatricals seeks a set designer for our upcoming production of THE CLOUDS, an adaptation of Aristophanes’ comedy written and directed by Alexis Holzer. THE CLOUDS will be performed at the Ballard Underground April 15th – 24th, with tech the week before April 15th, and load in April 9th and 10th. Design and production meetings start immediately. All designers and actors with Ghost Light Theatricals are volunteers.

Please email Alexis Holzer, alexisdiana@gmail.com, to apply.

Auditions for Caryl Churchill’s “The Skriker”

November 30th, 2010

Ghost Light Theatricals presents Caryl Churchill’s THE SKRIKER, directed by Beth Raas.

I am casting ensemble members, and need 5-7 men and women of various ages, shapes and sizes, over 18 due to the subject matter of the play.

The Skriker is a modern adaptation of Rumplestiltskin, in which a deranged fairy tricks two young women into giving her their babies and descending with her into the underworld. The ensemble plays a number of dark fairies (no glitter involved) from British/Celtic mythology who are onstage, engaged in independent activity and unnoticed by the other characters, for most of the play; each actor in the ensemble will most likely play more than one fairy. While the ensemble is primarily movement based (there are only a few lines here and there, and one song everyone sings which does not have to sound as though everyone can sing), there will be lots of stage time and I will make it worth your while should you be cast.

Ghost Light rehearses and performs between three and five weekday nights (or weekend days) per week at The Ballard Underground on Northwest Market Street (there may also be one or two rehearsals at TPS in Seattle Center), with Skriker rehearsals starting in late January/early February. The show runs March 11 – 27, 2011, Friday, Saturday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 7:30, and a 2:00 p.m. matinee on Sunday 3/27. Unfortunately, we are unable to pay actors.

Group auditions are from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. this coming Sunday, December 5th. Please contact me for an appointment and with any questions at beth@ghostlighttheatricals.org.

Auditions for Ghost Lite’s AMNBCOES!

October 7th, 2010

HERE THEY COME!

(Insert terrified 1950′s woman scream here)

Auditions for Ghost Lite’s (see what we did there?) “A Midsummers Nightmare Before Christmas on Elm Street”! A late night show that will take place after Ghost Light’s performances of A Midsummer Night’s Dream!

Audition/Interview Dates:
Sunday 10/10 starting at 6pm. Please email Jen Ross for an appointment

Callbacks or second audition/interview?
Callbacks Monday 10/11

Audition Requirements:
Please prepare a 1 min comedic monologue. We would like to see this monologue done twice with 2 different characters if possible!

Describe any monetary compensation:
This is a volunteer opportunity!

Character Breakdown / Project Needs
Looking for actors with strong comedic skills who are ready to play!

Come see a rehearsal of AMSND!

October 4th, 2010

Want to come see what happens behind the scenes of the shows you love to see? Come see an open rehearsal of A Midsummer Night’s Dream as part of Arts Crush

The bar will be open and you will be able to sit and see how the artists prepare the show. Just for coming you will also receive a coupon for $1.00 off your next GLT ticket! Who doesn’t like that?

Click the image above or follow this link to RSVP!

Auditions for Kafka’s Metamorphosis

September 13th, 2010

Kafka’s Metamorphosis
Directed by Wilder Nutting-Heath

Project Description:

Kafka’s Metamorphosis is a theatrical adaptation of Franz Kafka’s short story by the same name. Many of the ideas, themes, and imagery will be the familiar to you, if you have read the original short story. However, what makes our project more than a simple rehashing of the short story, is that we are infusing our script with pieces of Kafka’s personal biography to create a more rich back-story for our characters. In doing so, we hope to enrich the story by creating a more dimensional Gregor Samsa who, much like Kafka, was denied his art, his humanity, and his love.

In this project, we will be delving into the world of metaphor and imagination through the use of shadow puppetry. As actors and puppeteers, you will also help to develop and finish a script by using collected writings (that I have already written), biographies, drawings, improvisations, and workshops. This will be a very collaborative process and, as such, requires some flexibility and enthusiasm for creating an ensemble developed script.

Kafka’s Metamorphosis was a winner of the 2010 Battle of the Bards when a section of the play was produced as a One-Act. We have been working on this project since March of 2009. It is a labor of love and I am excited to share it with you. All are welcome to audition.

Rehearsals:
First Rehearsal: Sunday, Oct. 3rd

A more complete list of rehearsal dates and performances will be available at auditions.

Auditions:
Sept 21 & 22nd, 7:00pm – 10:30pm, with callbacks by invitation only on Sept 29th, 7:00pm-10:30pm

What to Bring:
No monologues are necessary. I simply want to see you as you are. Please, however, bring your calendar and a list of any conflicts. Also, if you play the violin, please bring it with you as we are looking for someone with experience playing the violin.

Performances:
January 14th – January 30th*, Thursday – Saturday evenings, as well as some Saturday and Sunday matinees, and one Monday Industry Night
*Note: If ticket sales are strong, we may extend the run to close on Sunday, Feb. 6th

Auditions, Rehearsals, and Performances will be at:
The Ballard Underground,
2220 NW Market Street, Seattle, 98107

Characters needed:
Gregor Samsa
Grete Samsa
Herr Samsa
Frau Samsa
Smoking Man
Manager
Women w/ Ermine Cuffs
Incidentals x 2
Tenants x2
Puppeteers x 4

To audition, please email Wilder Nutting-Heath, wnuttingheath@gmail.com, for an appointment, and with any questions

Ghost Light Theatricals is currently an all-volunteer company, and unfortunately is unable to pay actors at this time.

Auditions for A Midsummer Night’s Dream

August 17th, 2010

William Shakespeare’s A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
Directed by Rob Bergquist

One of Shakespeare’s most popular works, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM witnesses the bitter dispute between the Fairy King and Queen, smashing two worlds into a mass of love, illusion and magic. Their quarrel engulfs a group of unsuspecting humans as this fantasy world transforms them emotionally, mentally and physically.

Rehearsals: Begin in late September and take place weekday evenings and weekend days, between 3 and 5 days per week

Auditions: The evening of Wednesday, August 25th, with callbacks by invitation only on Saturday, August 28th

Performances: November 5 – 21, Thursday – Saturday evenings, as well as some Saturday and Sunday matinees, and one Monday Industry Night

Auditions, Rehearsals, and Performances will be at:
The Ballard Underground,
2220 NW Market Street, Seattle, 98107

Men and women ages 18 and older needed for all roles

To audition, please email Rob Bergquist, rob.bergquist@gmail.com, for an appointment, and with any questions

Ghost Light Theatricals is currently an all-volunteer company, and unfortunately is unable to pay actors at this time.

Matt’s Magnificent Meanderings

May 4th, 2010

Howdily ho, neighborinos!

Ghost Light is in the offseason, but that doesn’t mean that we aren’t still doing stuff! We are working on our website, we are planning our company retreat and getting ready to ramp up our next season!

Take a look at the website. Look up. Look down. See that? No? Well, we added the “Like” button AND “Share” buttons. I know that doesn’t feel like much, but come on, baby steps.

Guess what else you should check out: our photos. We have spent a lot of time trying to make sure we had a solid archive of all of the shows we have done in our history, and Chelsie (our wonderfully talented graphic artist and archivist) has spent a lot of time getting the images put on our Flickr page and now (due to stupid Flickr’s stupid image limit and their dumb faces) we have decided to move to Picasa!

This move is going to take some time, so Flickr will still be there, but we are going to put photos up on Picasa going forward and Chelsie (bless her soul) has offered to spend the time to re-upload all of our images to Picasa. Hopefully this will be the last move. I mean, they have lots of upload space, so cross your fingers! Plus, to upgrade (if needed) is $20 less a year ($25 for Flickr, $5 for Picasa), so all of our wonderful donor’s money goes to the theater, not to us adding photos to the internet…look to the future, not the past.

Also, we will need some ideas for next February’s Battle of the Bards V, so if you have ideas feel free to email matt@ghostlighttheatricals.org. The only things we ask are:

1. No/minimal royalties
2. At least 7 actors
3. Based on a classic text

Those are the only rules! But we do loooooove local playwrights (hint, hint).

I think that’s it for now. Look out for more updates – because I have decided that I will be updating you as often as flippin possible!

“Conformity is the ruin of the mind” – Jesse Shelley

Matt

We have a new home!

December 21st, 2009

Dear Friends,

After 6 1/2 years of roving, Ghost Light Theatricals is thrilled to announce our new permanent home, at 2220 Northwest Market Street in Ballard!  We couldn’t be happier to become Ballard’s theatre company.  We’ll be moving in January 1st, so come on down and visit us in our new 65-seat basement home in the new year (formerly occupied by our friends Live Girls Theatre).

Give us a house-warming gift by clicking “Donate” above, or party with us and choose our next season February 5th and 6th at the fourth annual Battle of the Bards!  We’ll see you soon – at our house!

HOME for the Holidays?

December 15th, 2009

We want to wish Everyone the Happiest of holidAys, and hope to haVe some very special nEws eArly in the New year. Each year at this time, We think about tHe year that has passed, and the year yet tO coMe, and evEry year brIngs New tidings of BlAh, bLah, bLAh… aRe you reaDy for the new year?

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes are afoot

December 8th, 2009

Thank you to everyone (cast, crew, company, audience members) for a fantastic opening to our 2009-10 season with The Oedipal Duplex. We haven’t ever been this excited to start a season, and we hope to have even more exciting news about Bards, The Three Sisters and our future in the coming weeks.

You might notice that there is a new design to the page and we have added a Donate link at the top of our page; that’s because Ghost Light is closer than ever to having a permanent space.  Having a home means being able to grow and thrive as a theater group, without the constant worry of finding a temporary space to rent.  In order to secure a new Ghost Light home we need to raise enough money for one year of rent.  One year of rent and expenses will cost over $30,000, which is no small feat.  We hope to raise $8,000 by January 31st and $35,000 by June 30th.  Please, help us to reach our goal!

If you are interseted in contributing to our 501(c)3 Non-Profit, just click on the button below or email info@ghostlighttheatricals.org for more information:


THE OEDIPAL DUPLEX, Nov. 6 – 22, 2009

August 8th, 2009

November 2009 Ghost Light Theatricals will be featuring not one but two new adaptations of Oedipus Rex. The first of the world premieres, written by Ghost Light Literary Manager Matt Lyman, is an adaption of Oedipus Rex aptly titled Mother PhΩcker. As a second act, Ghost Light proudly presents BATTLE OF THE BARDS winner Blinding Pains,  a sitcom style comedy written by company members David Van Wert and Ben Newton. Blinding Pains features Oedipus Rex (as a restaurant owner in Phoenix, Arizona) as well as many of the craziest characters in classical drama. The Oedipal Duplex plays at TPS Theatre 4, on the fourth floor of the Center House in Seattle Center, at 7:30 p.m. the first three weekends of November.  Stay tuned for more information soon!

Battle of the Bards IV

August 8th, 2009

bards-1Ghost Light Theatricals is proud to announce information about the 4th annual Battle of the Bards. This year’s scorecard features plays directed by Ken Holmes, Wilder Nutting-Heath and Shawn Bookey. It will be performed February 5th and 6th, 2010 at Freehold Theatre in Belltown. Following the final Saturday performance, Ghost Light will sponsor a party that culminates in the selection of our final play for the 2010 – 2011 Season. Join us at this raucous, alcohol fueled fundraiser, and be involved in choosing part of our season.

More updates to come!

Three Sisters

August 8th, 2009

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The final show in Ghost Light Theatricals 7th season will be Anton Chekov’s The Three Sisters, directed by Nikky Przasnyski. All shows will be at TPS Studio 4 and will run April 3rd – 18th, 2010. We’ll be keeping you updated about auditions and design opportunities, so check back often for more information!

I need a costume designer!

February 23rd, 2009

Good morning faithful readers (whoever you may be),

Ghost Light Theatricals is in need of a costume designer for our spring production of A Dream Play. If you are interested or know anyone who is interested, please send an email to rob.bergquist@gmail.com. It’s a really exciting production, and should be buckets of fun to design and work on. That’s right, I said buckets of fun.

-Rob

2007 – 2008 Season

February 22nd, 2009

Fall Show: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead By Tom Stoppard, directed by Beth Raas

Winter Show: Battle of the Bards    

  • The Misanthrope (Winner) by Lauren Goldman Marshall with concept by Alan DiBona, directed by Jessica Stepka
  • Hamletmachine by Heiner Muller, directed by Alex Garnett
  • Loves Fire by John Guare, directed by Rob Bergquist

Spring Show: The Beaux Stratagem by George Farguahar, directed by Steve Cooper

For the 2008 – 2008 season, Ghost Light explored two different ways to realize our mission. Through Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, the beloved reimagining of the lives of two minor characters from Hamlet and an all female production of The Beaux Stratagem. We continued our successful and fun fundraiser, Battle of the Bards, which proved even more successful than the previous season’s. Ghost Light also added three company members during the season (Matt, Rob and Becky). Overall it was both a financially and artsitically successful season, though it did represent the final show we would perform at Oddfellows hall, which despite some of the craziness and unorganization we faced there, really was a great venue to perform in. We did, however make a great connection with Theatre 4 (where we performed The Beaux Stratagem) which would eventually lead to the entire 2009-2010 season being performed there.

The nature of Dreams

February 22nd, 2009

I am going to be spending a lot of time over the next few months thinking about the nature of dreams: as in, what is the nature of a dream? I find it remarkably interesting that once I decided to start keeping a dream journal, in order to personalize the process of directing A Dream Play, my dreams started to take on what seems to be, a greater meaning. Maybe it has to do with the fact that along with rehearsals just having started, I am working my way through the dream dictionary that Beth got me for Valentine’s Day.

At any rate, the dreams that I am having have been rather vivid and filled with a lot of the stereotypical dream symbolism. There are always a ton of people that are in some way a representation of myself, or at least how I view myself. There is often some form of violence, whether it is toward an object (such as the aquarium that broke over my head the other night) or toward a person (seemingly always self inflicted). There are doorways, there is falling, there are very clear allusions to the play. I think what it comes down to, or at least how I am choosing to view it, is that in this case my conscious personality is winning out over my subconscious one. Perhaps I have, at least in terms of dreaming and this play go, conquered the tension that exists between my conscious and my subconscious–though that is not likely the case. Whatever the case is, I am beginning to become very emotionally invested in the process (which is what I should expect of myself), and I am quite connected to the majority of the working concept that we have.

I am unabashedly excited about the team of people that we have assembled for this production. We have such a fantastic core of actors and designers, and even though I have my definite hesitations about portions of the show, as well as a healthy fear in my ability to direct it cohesively, I am filled with complete confidence in the team’s ability to make it happen, even if an aquarium breaks over someone’s head.

-Rob

Battle of the Bards 2009

February 21st, 2009

When: January 16 at 8:00pm and 10:30 pm, January 17 at 8:00pm (join us for a party right after as we tally the votes)

Where: Stone Soup Theatre in Wallingford google map

How Much: $10 gets you a ticket and one vote (1$ for each additional vote)

In BATTLE OF THE BARDS, three ensembles perform scenes from three classical play adaptations. The audience then picks which play goes into Ghost Lights 2009-10 Season. Admission includes one vote, additional votes are only $1 each. All proceeds support the work of Ghost Light Theatricals.

Right after the BATTLE at 10pm Saturday, January 17, cast, crew, and audience will celebrate and find out the winning play. A ticket to the BATTLE or a donation is admission into the party.

BATTLE OF THE BARDS features a selection from SUENO by Jose Rivera  A modern adaptation of Calderon de la Barca’s, Life is a Dream. This dark comedy about freedom, family, and power shifts between the real world and the world of dreams  directed by Nikki Prysanski; SUMMERTIME by Chuck Mee  This is a surrealist romance by Chuck Mee, drawing on settings from As You Like It, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and The Cherry Orchard, just to name a few  directed by Ciara Rose Griffin; and part of BLINDING PAINS by David Van Wert and Ben Newton  An hilarious sitcom style imagining of what happens to Oedipus Rex after he is blinded and forced to move to Phoenix to open a Greek- Mexican fusion restaurant called “Oedipus Mex; World premiere  directed by Shawn Bookey.

Musical interludes provided by local Chamber-Grass band Die Fledermaus

ISO adaptations of classical plays

February 21st, 2009

Do you have a new play that you want to have produced? Is it based on a classical play? Then we at Ghost Light would love to read it in consideration of the 2009-2010 Battle of the Bards. Our requirements are that it is based on any classical play and has at least eight roles for actors. We produce three one act adaptations a year as part of this fantastic festival.

If you do have a play that you are interested in having Ghost Light read and review, please send it to submissions@ghostlighttheatricals.org

Our Best Fundraiser Yet

February 19th, 2009

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The 2009 edition of Battle of the Bards was by far the most successful yet!Thanks to everyone who worked on the productions and to everyone who came and was so generous with their votes and their love.

Also, congratulations are in order for Blinding Pains which will be produced in full as part of our 2009 – 2010 season. We couldn’t be more excited to produce this local, original script as part of what could be our most challenging and rewarding season!

2009/2010 Season

February 19th, 2009

Next year, Ghost Light Theatricals will produce two plays about Oedipus, Mother Phoeker adapted by Matt Lyman, and Blinding Pains by Ben Newton and David Van Wert.  Our annual fundraiser, Battle of the Bards, will be in February, followed by Chekov’s The Three Sisters in the spring.

A Dream Play

February 16th, 2009

The 2008-2009 season’s last show is August Strinberg’s “A Dream Play.” Playing at The Down Stage Theatre (Stone Soup Theatre).

April 3rd, 4th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 16th, 17th, 18th @ 7:30 PM

April 19th @ 2:00 PM

4035 Stone Way
Seattle, WA 98103
google map

dream-postcard-stem

A Dream Play explores the nature of truth and the human experience through the format of a dream. Anything that is possible in this dreamscape can and will happen, but what is real? Is truth an external force that everything is measured against, or is truth an internal perception defined by individual experience? What is the role of the dreamer when they are constantly being beset upon by a manipulative and unpredictable subconscious? Will the dreamerwant to wake up, or are they comfortable in their created world?
A Dream Play follows Agnes through this magical landscape and as she searches for the essence of the human experience, she encounters many characters who symbolize and embody the hopes, fears, and realities of being human.

The Misanthrope

February 16th, 2009

THE MISANTHROPE by Molière, translated and adapted by Lauren Goldman Marshall – based on a concept by Alan DiBona
Directed by Jessica Stepka
Dates: January 23 – February 7, 2009. 7:30 pm. February 8, 2009. 2:00 pm.
Where: The DownStage Theatre at Stone Soup in Wallingford, 4029 Stone Way N, Seattle, WA 98103

What happens when reality finally catches up to your fantasy life? What happens when your brutal honesty comes back to bite? Alceste’s darkest fears become a reality as the world he has constructed crumbles around him in Lauren Goldman Marshall’s adaptation of Moliere’s The Misanthrope. Based on a concept by Alan DiBona, this “rock ‘n roll” variation on the classic comedy shows us a modern take on this social misfit and his battle for true love.

Measure for Measure

February 15th, 2009

MEASURE FOR MEASURE
by William Shakespeare
directed by Beth Raas
October 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18 at 7:30pm
October 19 at 2:00pm

Stone Soup Theatre – in Wallingford
4035 Stone Way N
Seattle, WA 98103

Tickets $15 ($12 st/sr) at the door or brownpapertickets.com

Shakespeare’s dark comedy about sex, power, and hypocrisy. Angelo takes advantage of his temporary authority to crack down on fornicators . . . and to join their ranks.

MEASURE FOR MEASURE features the work of Rob Bergquist, Val Brunetto, Becky Chong, Steve Cooper, Justin Emerick, Melissa Fenwick, Jalyn Green, Matt Lyman, Molly Mahar, Daniela Melgar, Jeff Pierson, Jenifer Ross, Jessica Stepka, Derek Van Heel, David van Wert, John-Paul Wilson, Evan Woltz.

In the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. – Matthew 7:1

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Ghost Light Theatricals' mission is to create theatrically bold and imaginative stories that are inspired by classical texts and resonate with a modern world. Founded in 2003, Ghost Light Theatricals is a 501(c)(3) non-profit theatre company based in Seattle. Ghost Light is dedicated to producing classical and classically-influenced plays in theatrical ways. Volunteers are always welcome. Contact Us for more information.

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