Tibbits Opera House

Angelica Golden and Samantha Rey are both very busy girls here at Tibbits this summer. This week they have closed their On Broadway 1956 review on Saturday, they have rehearsed and opened The Frog Prince, for Popcorn Theatre, and all the while been rehearsing to open Chicago soon. Whew! Like I said, busy gals.

Sam and Angel both just graduated from SUNY Cortland with BFA degrees in Musical Theatre.  Angel is originally from Albany and Sam is from Syracuse, NY.  They even travelled here together, from NY to Tibbits, via Sam's car.

This is both of the girls' first summer here at Tibbits. It is Angel's first summer stock experience, but Sam spent last summer at Northern Lights Playhouse in Hazelhurst, WI.  Angel, however, has worked for Auburn Public Theatre with an original children's theatre show, "The Littlest Witch."

Angel said she most likes how welcoming people are here in Coldwater. For example, employees at Northwoods know the cast members by name.  Sam said she really enjoys working with new directors and actors, learning new things outside of college by working with new people.

Angel began in theatre when she was in 6th grade, she played Adelaide in Guys and Dolls. Angel is a triplet, with two brothers. She remembers her mother always singing to them and says her mother inspired her love for music and then the theatre.

Sam was a jock all her life. Her uncle is in the theatre business, so she grew up seeing shows he was involved with often. Then in 9th grade she joined friends doing musicals and got cast in Beauty and the Beast. Sam said she was hooked, she quit sports and now, here she is.

Angel tells me her dream role to play is Kathy in The Last Five Years, and Sam tells me her top three dream roles would be Fantine or Eponine in Les Miserables, and Charlotte in Little Night Music.

Both of these girls have good advice for young people seeking a life in the theatre.  Angel said, "Never stop trying, even when it is hard.  Stay faithful to yourself and you will have the strength to make it.  It's hard to be real in a phony world."  Sam definitely added to this wisdom by stating, "in theatre, with all its drama, baggage and pressure to be something cookie cutter, just stay true to yourself."

These girls have done just that.  Make sure to catch them in The Frog Prince next Friday and Saturday at 10am, July 13th and 14th, and soon in Chicago opening July 12th, playing thru July 21st.

In preparation for Chicago, our costume designer Theresa Hartman, is hard at work as well.  This is Theresa's 3rd year returning to Tibbits, this year she will design Chicago and Nymph Errant.  Theresa is originally from Milan, MI, she holds an undergraduate degree from Wayne State and an MFA in costume design from Virginia Tech. 

Theresa began in fashion design which then led her to Theatre Costume Design at Wayne State.  She interned at Seattle Children's Theatre and says that children's theatre and musicals are her favorite to design for, because of the heightened reality and the freedom of design within those styles of theatre.

The challenges Theresa faces this summer, with the two shows she is designing, is that there is limited time to build and lots of people in Chicago, each playing several parts in the show as well.  In Nymph Errant, one person has to change into another character in the matter of seconds or a few lines. 

Theresa's advice to young people interested in costume design is to learn about as many different time periods, cultures and styles of theatre as possible.  She believes acting experience is a plus in order to understand what works for actors.  Theresa stated that good costume design, "is not just about pretty drawings, but the right designs for the the show." 

You will see the fabulous designs by Theresa next week as we open Chicago and then again during our last show of the season, Nymph Errant.

See you at the show!!!