Englert Blog

I and Love and You and 700 Friends and The Avett Brothers

2009-10-21T15:42:00.003-05:00

Well, The Avett Brothers lived up to my expectations.

Exceeded them, actually, with one of my favorite shows I've seen at the Englert. Alright, I'll admit I'm biased because I'm a big fan. Still, it's been quite awhile since I've seen a crowd so energized by a show in here, and with good reason - The Avett Brothers brought it.

With a style that was loose without being sloppy, forging elements of bluegrass, rock and pop music, and a stage presence that oozes confidence, the two brothers, a friend, and a guest cellist had the crowd on their feet for much of the night. Nicole Atkins and The Black Sea were perfect openers.

Check out the pictures here.

Sunday Night Pictures: The French Connection (1971), 10/4 @ 7 p.m.

2009-10-01T10:08:00.004-05:00

First off, thanks to the Englert for bringing movies back! And, of course, for giving me the space to talk about some of my favorite movies. I hope these posts get you to come out each Sunday night to catch some old, and new, classics on the big screen, where they're meant to be enjoyed.

It's a privilege to kick off these introductions with William Friedkin's 1971 Best-Picture (and Actor, Screenplay, Editing, and Directing!) Oscar winner, The French Connection. To really appreciate this, we have to forget everything we've seen over the last 30 or 40 years or at least use this film to recognize where so many of today's cop-and-robber archetypes came from. TV shows like The Wire, Homicide, and even Law & Order (and its numerous spawn) have solidified the ground that The French Connection broke. Guys like Dirty Harry or films like Lethal Weapon couldn't have existed were it not for Gene Hackman's portrayal of real-life detective "Popeye" Doyle.

Police procedurals until The French Connection were much starker contrasts between the good guys and the bad guys. Doyle was the first cop who'd stop at nothing to collar the crook, including going outside the law, thus complicating our traditional notions of heroic behavior. "He isn't after the smugglers because they're breaking the law," Roger Ebert says, "he's after them because his job consumes him." Try not to think of Al Pacino's character in Heat. Doyle, all the way.

Again, all this is old hat now to 21st-century audiences. But Doyle isn't just the tough-on-crooks type. He's cruel to the innocent as well as those he's convinced are guilty. He's a racist bully who, at least when it comes to the heroin smugglers he eventually (and literally) brings down, is on the side of the angels. And we still haven't seen his like since.

Of course, no mention of the film can be made without the two-and-a-half minute nailbiter of a car chase under New York's West End, B-line train. (Check out the Trivia link at IMDb for some of the story behind this sequence.) It perfectly encapsulates Hackman's portrayal of Doyle's unstoppable nature.

(Un)fortunately, this YouTube clip is grainy and dark. You're just going to have to see the real thing on the big screen this Sunday night.

Movies return to the Englert this fall!

2009-08-26T16:32:00.004-05:00

I am very excited to announce that movies are returning to the Englert screen this fall!

M.C. Ginsberg presents
SUNDAY NIGHT PICTURES

This is something people have been asking for ever since the Englert re-opened in 2004, and thanks to the support of M.C. Ginsberg, we're finally able to make it happen. We have 11 movies lined up, spanning over 60 years of classic film.

Most of the movies are only five bucks at the door (no advance ticketing), and there should be a little something for almost everyone, including a special Family Day early showing of The Sound of Music in November (kids under 12 free!), and an end-of-semester showing of Napoleon Dynamite in December (only $1 for UI students).

All movies will be shown digitally via a DLP projector on our 30-foot screen. Drinks and snacks will be available.

Here is the complete lineup and details:

SEPT 6 - THE GRADUATE - 1967 - PG | 7 PM - $5 | Dustin Hoffman (in his first major film role) turns in a landmark performance as a naïve young man recently graduated from college who is seduced by a middle-aged neighbor (Anne Bancroft). He, in turn, falls in love with her daughter (Katharine Ross). Mike Nichols won a Best Director Oscar, and Simon and Garfunkel achieved immortality with a score that includes "Mrs. Robinson."

SEPT 13 - FIGHT CLUB - 1999 - R | 9 PM - $5 | An insomnia-stricken corporate drone (Edward Norton) meets roguish rebel Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) and together they form a cathartic but brutal underground society where men fight each other freely. But the line between reality and sleepless haze starts to really blur when propagandist Durden transforms Fight Club from a group of men rebelling against conformity into a nihilistic cult with greater malice in store. Helena Bonham Carter co-stars.

OCT 4 - THE FRENCH CONNECTION - 1971 - R | 7 PM - $5 | Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle (Gene Hackman), a foul-mouthed, violent narcotics detective, pursues a suave French drug dealer (Fernando Rey) through New York City with Captain Ahab-like zeal. Director William Friedkin took the provocative stance that both the narcs and the smugglers use similar thuggish ends to get what they need. This thrilling Best Picture Oscar winner (based on a true story) is famous for its riveting car-vs.-elevated-train chase.

OCT 18 - SUPER TROOPERS - 2002 - R | 9 PM - $5 | Bored, occasionally high and always highly ineffective Vermont state troopers Mac (Steve Lemme), Thorny (Jay Chandrasekhar, who also directed), Foster (Paul Stoter) and Rabbit (Erik Stohlanske) must prove their worth to Governor Jessman (Lynda Carter) -- or lose their jobs. After stumbling on a drug smuggling ring, they plan to make a high-profile bust, but the rival police of Earlville are out to steal the glory in this irreverent comedy. Don't miss the cast LIVE in Nov. 7th's Broken Lizard show!

OCT 25 - EVIL DEAD 2: DEAD BY DAWN - 1987 - R | 7 PM - $5 | Stranded in a cabin in the woods, Ash (Bruce Campbell) and his girlfriend accidentally invoke a spell that causes the Evil Dead to rise and kill! As a lone man pitted against hordes of walking corpses, can Ash survive until the safety of sunrise? Director Sam Raimi's whip-crack direction and Campbell's comedic skills induce hair-raising fear and gales of laughter.

OCT 31 - THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW - 1975 - R | MIDNIGHT - $15 - includes prop bag | Come to the lab, and see what's on the slab! This notorious horror parody -- a fast-paced potpourri of camp, sci-fi and rock 'n' roll, among other things -- tracks the exploits of naïve couple Brad (Barry Bostwick) and Janet (Susan Sarandon) after they stumble across the lair of transvestite vampire Dr. Frank-N-Furter (a brilliant Tim Curry). Co-presented by Riff Raff Theater.

NOV 8 - THIS IS SPINAL TAP - 1984 - R | 7 PM - $5 | This satire about a fictional heavy metal group named Spinal Tap spoofs nearly every facet of rock 'n' roll -- from vacuous modern songwriting to half-baked album promos to pyrotechnic concerts. Michael McKean, Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer portray the washed-up, aging British rockers whose tresses and egos outstrip their talent. Chronicling the band's evolution and its calamitous comeback tour is filmmaker Marty DiBergi (Rob Reiner).

NOV 15 - SAY ANYTHING - 1999 - PG13 | 7 PM - $5 | A budding romance between noble underachiever Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack) and high school valedictorian Diane Court (Ione Skye) is threatened when Diane's overly possessive, disapproving father (John Mahoney) interferes with their relationship. With a prized scholarship to study abroad hanging in the balance, Diane must find a way to make both men happy. Writer-director Cameron Crowe steers this 1980s teen flick into instant-classic territory.

NOV 22 - THE SOUND OF MUSIC - 1965 - G | 3 PM - $5 - KIDS UNDER 12 FREE! | The hills are alive with the sound of singing siblings and nuns! In Rodgers and Hammerstein's greatest collaboration, a feisty postulant named Maria (Julie Andrews) is sent to care for the unruly, motherless Von Trapp children. She soon tames them -- and finds herself falling for their stern father (Christopher Plummer). Oscar-winning director Robert Wise used stunning Austrian locations to transform the stage musical into a cinema classic.

DEC 6 - NAPOLEON DYNAMITE - 2004 - PG | 9 PM - $5 - UI STUDENTS ONLY $1 WITH ID! | This indie favorite follows Napoleon Dynamite (Jon Heder), a quirky, ninja-loving teenager growing up in the far reaches of Idaho. Napoleon's life gets complicated when his shady Uncle Rico (John Gries) shows up, a shy girl (Tina Majorino) starts showing him some attention & his best friend Pedro (Efren Ramirez) runs for school president.

DEC 20 - MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET - 1947 - NR | 7 PM - $5 | When Santa falls down drunk in the Thanksgiving Day Parade, reluctant Macy's supervisor Doris Walker (Maureen O'Hara) offers the job to a bearded Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn, who won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar) purporting to be the real Santa! During the Christmas season, he shares a flat with Doris's neighbor (John Payne), who has eyes for Doris. Kris hopes to unite the two while winning over Doris's skeptical 6-year-old daughter (Natalie Wood).

Wizard of Oz visits the ICPL

2009-07-12T11:19:00.005-05:00

Who says theater has to take place in a theater?

Last Thursday, over 136 community members participated in an interactive THE WIZARD OF OZ storytime at the Iowa City Public Library. Actors from the upcoming production helped tell stories and play games, while library staff appeared in various costumes and led the entire audience down “the yellow brick road” through the library.

If you missed out on this event, don't worry -- you can still enjoy all of the great music, dance, and fun of THE WIZARD OF OZ! Contact the Englert Box Office now to purchase your tickets.

Performances:

Thursday, July 16th at 7:30 PM
Friday, July 17th at 2:00 and 7:30 PM
Saturday, July 18th at 2:00 and 7:30 PM
Sunday, July 19th at 2:00 PM

Tickets:

$15-$25

Photo: Audience members join the fun at a special THE WIZARD OF OZ storytime at the Iowa City Public Library. (Back row, left to right: Diana Upton-Hill, Melina Lagios, and Patrick Moyer. Front row: Henry and Frances Bottorff.)

The Power of Referral

2009-06-22T13:46:00.003-05:00

This Thursday night's presentation by Joe Ehrmann just sold out within the last hour.

Joe who?

I had never heard of Joe Ehrmann... and my guess is that at least half of the sold-out audience hasn't heard of him, either. (This is unsubstantiated - just my feeling)

So why did they shell out twelve bucks and give up a Thursday evening to see him? Because Kirk Ferentz and Nate Kaeding told them to.

This event is backed by Kirk and Nate, as a fundraiser for the Children's Hospital of Iowa. For the last week, in all the papers, there's been talk of this event and the fact that Kirk and Nate are bringing him to the Englert.

Joe Ehrmann is a motivational speaker - a former football player who had a rough life, turned himself around, and now shares his story to inspire others who may be in a rough spot in their lives. I'm sure Joe will give a great presentation, the people who come will likely leave inspired, and the Children's Hospital will see the benefit in terms of dollars and cents. All in all, hard to argue that this is a solid event.

But had we (the Englert) booked Joe Ehrmann ourselves - without the support of Kirk Ferentz and Nate Kaeding - I doubt we'd even be halfway sold out right now. Same Joe Ehrmann, different result. The reason? The power of opinion leaders. Think Oprah's book club. Or a celebrity wearing a certain designer's gown to the Oscars. In this town, Kirk and Nate are celebrities - and when they talk, people listen.

The power of opinion leaders to influence the success of an event or business is huge, and should never be overlooked. The challenge for us is to find those opinion leaders for every event we have, so that when they talk - people will listen.

Congrats to everyone involved with this Thursday's event!

Englert Night Out

2009-06-09T16:26:00.003-05:00

It's been a little busy around here, but I wanted to take a second to post some pics from last Thursday's Englert Night Out - our annual recognition party for donors and supporters. Around a hundred people turned out for good conversation, delicious desserts from a variety of area restaurants, and even a few awards.

As usual, Todd Adamson snapped some great photos. Check out the ones below, and see more here.

There's also a video below that I put together, sort of recapping the last year and giving a preview of events to come this fall (all of which go on sale Monday, June 15th, by the way)...

The other video I need to upload yet is of our Englert Impact Award winners: Christina Patramanis (volunteer) and Zephyr Printing (sponsor).

Parking problems

2009-05-27T12:29:00.002-05:00

Since the Englert opened in 2004, the City of Iowa City Parking Department has always offered Englert patrons a great deal in the city garages: four hours of parking for a buck when they present their ticket stub.

The City also was kind enough to let us issue free parking passes to some of our Friends of the Englert for the past couple of years.

Both of those programs are on hold for the time being, unfortunately. We're working with the City to get something going again, but until then, ticket stubs and "free parking" passes will not be accepted at City garages.

Truly sorry for the inconvenience, and we hope to have this worked out soon. Thanks for your patience, your continued patronage of the Englert, and for coming downtown Iowa City!

10,000 Eggstravaganza

2009-04-27T12:02:00.002-05:00

The Englert partnered with Life Church, Iowa Children's Museum, and Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity to put on the biggest Easter egg hunt in Johnson County. It was a FREE event for the community and we had a great turn out. A BIG THANK YOU to all the Englert volunteers who helped make this a HUGE SUCCESS!

10,000 Eggstravaganza 09' from LIFEchurchnow.org on Vimeo.

Ralph's World

2009-04-20T11:21:00.004-05:00

It was definitely Ralph's World on Saturday when he invited all the kids up on the Englert stage. The whole band was very laid back as they welcomed the kid's questions and participation as Rockin' Rollers. I have to admit that I was singing and moving as well. It was great seeing all the kids dance and sing the familiar songs.

Be cool.

2009-03-30T15:25:00.002-05:00

This Wednesday's GZA show will mark the first time in a long time that we've allowed beverages inside the theater.

Since I started here almost four years ago, this topic has been an ongoing source of much debate. Let's be honest - we're basically talking about beer in the theater, with the occasional bottle of Coke, instead of the other way around.

On the one hand, allowing beer into the theater helps create a vibe and environment that certain fans love and even expect when seeing a show - especially a hip-hop show like GZA or a rock show like Lez Zeppelin. Plus, the additional fundage from "beer money" is hard to ignore when you're barely breaking even on the show in some cases - and that's if it sells out.

On the other hand, what about spills? Won't that drive up the maintenance costs? Will it damage our historic building? Will people get out of control with that much access to alcohol? What about security? And what about the fans who don't like that kind of environment - are we making the vibe better for one group of fans at another group's expense?

The answer... Who knows?

We're not alone - most historic theaters do allow beverages into the theater these days, and have seen only modest increases in maintenance. No one we talked to cited security concerns. And when I was at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines last month, it was great to be able to sit back and enjoy a glass (er, I mean, plastic cup) of wine while listening to Andrew Bird.

So we're going to give it a go, starting this Wednesday night. All I can say is:

Please - BE COOL.

Let's make this a positive change, not something we regret and can never do again. Cool?

Cool.

A Hard Day's Night

2009-02-27T22:58:00.003-06:00

I just got back from the Beatles tribute show, where I attended as an Actual Audience Member, sitting in the fourth row with some family members.

Some observations from "the other side":

At least one playbill in circulation has two of some pages, and none of others. I know this because it was my playbill tonight. My hunch is that it's not the only one, unfortunately.
Whatever we did in concessions tonight, we probably could have doubled it by letting people bring beer & wine to their seats.
The Beatles did a cool thing where they had everyone get out their cell phones and call someone who wasn't there, so they could hear the music. This probably didn't happen with the real Beatles.
I wonder if the teen girls who rushed down front to dance during the last few songs were disappointed to find that the guys on stage are actually old enough to be their fathers.
Sarah called during the show to ask a question about tickets for The Vagina Monologues (which starts in about an hour as I write this). It is impossible to carry on a phone conversation about tickets in the fourth row in the middle of a concert. Nearly as impossible as carrying on a phone conversation about tickets at kickoff at Kinnick Stadium, which I have also done.
I find it odd that the Beatles tribute band was selling actual Beatles T-shirts, but CDs of the tribute band.

Out of the hundreds of events I've been to, I've gone as an Actual Audience Member only a handful of times. I have to say, not only was it fun to fly "under the radar" and sit in a seat with everyone else - it made me look at the same theater and even the same show in a different way.

The Beatles were a great band, and these four guys -- who have been doing this for an astounding 25 years -- truly do pay tribute to them. This is their fifth trip to the Englert, and I imagine they will be back next year. Just like the real Beatles, people can't seem to get enough of them.

Duh.

2009-02-20T12:53:00.002-06:00

I was on KRUI last night, during their weekly "arts hour." Nathan was a good interviewer - conversational, asked good questions.

One question was "If you could have anybody in the Englert, regardless of how 'big' they are or how much they cost, who would it be?"

Dead air space. Mumble, mumble... uh...

Total mental blank. Of course, I actually think about this all the time. I listen to a lot of music. I have a lot of answers for this. But live, on the air, I have nothing.

I buy time. I talk about how Iron & Wine was at the top of that list (which is true), and talk about the disappointment I felt when they played here last year but I had to miss them (on the way to Bonnaroo, where I would see them a couple days later).

Still nothing.

"Ya know, like, well, really, anybody who's big and you might think is too big to play the Englert. They would be cool. Like U2. Or Ben Kweller."

Huh? Now, I do think it would be cool to see U2 or Ben Kweller at the Englert. No doubt. U2 and Ben Kweller, however, are not even in the same galaxy in terms of "bigness and stardom." And that's the best I could come up with?

I manage to add Dave Matthews Band, Kings of Leon, then The National (which would be a dream come true). By this time, as ideas actually come to me, Nathan is ready to move on. Because really, it's time. He has a job to do. That job is keeping it interesting, keeping it flowing.

So, almost 24 hours later, I'd like to finish my thought:

How 'bout some Radiohead? TV on the Radio? Morrissey would be awesome. Elvis Costello. The Shins. Rogue Wave. Decemberists. Bon Iver. Ryan Adams. Silversun Pickups. The Hold Steady. Band of Horses. Or let's go back to high school (for me) and get The Cure, R.E.M. or Depeche Mode. Or turn the place into a club and get Girl Talk.

There. I feel better now.

Cool thing is, I don't think some of these bands/artists are out of reach. We certainly do our best to try.

As I write this, there are just a handful of tickets left to Mason Jennings, which is awesome. I really dig on "In The Ever" his new(est) release. If you can't make the show, tune into KRUI 89.7 or stream it at 3:00 today for his in-studio performance.

A business tougher than ours.

2009-02-18T15:25:00.003-06:00

I just got back from The Gazette, where I was asked to do a usability test on one of their new products, iGuide. It was flattering to be asked to be part of the test, and I tried to do my "job" by not holding back and being as blatantly honest as I could be.

I had a great conversation with Rob, the guy running the test. He's been at the Gazette for 10 years, and we talked a lot about how the old business model for media businesses like theirs is dying, and replacing it with a new business model is difficult because it requires a culture shift.

Now, it is tough to succeed in the theater business. Anyone who thinks we're walking away from each event with sacks of cash would be horrified at how razor-thin the margins are, and how contributions from individuals and businesses will always be a part of our business model. But as tough as this is, it can't be nearly as tough as being in the newspaper business.

I feel for Rob and for the Gazette, who are scrambling to be relevant in this new age of media and still be able to pay the bills - and to even turn a profit. Gazette probably has it better than most, with the paper, KCRG, iowa.com, Hoopla and the new iGuide. Slightly more diversified than some others.

But still - circulation heading south*, paid advertising heading south*, trying to develop new products to replace that revenue... many of these products are online, in an environment that is notoriously hard to monetize (Rob hates this word, most likely because it runs rampant around the office). Money going out, paying the web developers, but not enough money coming in*. May be months/years before the sites catch on, become part of the community, and start bringing in a little money. Of course, that's if they're lucky.

It must be very difficult.

No point to this post, other than to say that I enjoyed doing the testing (it's fun to be on the OTHER side of that scenario, as I start redesigning our own website), Rob was a cool guy, and I wish them the best with their new venture. I think we all benefit -- as businesses, consumers and citizens -- from smart and innovative local media coverage. The challenge -- after making it relevant -- is making a living from it.

Randomness:

Check out Todd Adamson's blog for some great pics he took of Dr. John and The Neville Brothers last Friday night!
I gave Dr. John a ride to and from his hotel. He was very gracious, had an almost unintelligible drawl, and told me a story involving Eddie Bo, Little Richard, adultery, murder, death row and lawsuits -- and even threw in some singing -- in the 5 minutes he was in my car.
A pretty small number of tickets for the Alley Cabaret's performance of The Vagina Monologues go on sale Monday, which is unusual (the rest of the Cabarets have tix at the door only). It's directed by our newest board member, Ryan West.

* UPDATE: I should note that these comments are about the newspaper industry in general, and not the Gazette specifically. I have no idea what the Gazette's numbers are. But it's been widely reported that the industry as a whole is experiencing challenges.

Nothing to worry about.

2009-02-11T14:27:00.003-06:00

In staff meeting today, we went 'round the table and each shared one thing we were excited about and one thing we were worried about with respect to this Friday's sold out Super Duper Groovefunkathonic Concert Extravaganza: Dr. John and The Neville Brothers.

This is a huge show for us on many levels:

It's expensive. I'm not gonna lie - it's tied for the most expensive show we've done here. Legendary artists demand - and get - large sacks o' cash to play.
Despite that, it's a fundraiser, with a silent auction and a raffle (the prizes are cool: two winners, and each winner gets backstage passes to all of the Summer of the Arts events AND two "Golden Tickets" to the Englert that will get you in the door for anything all year).
It's our first collaboration with Summer of the Arts.
It's essentially two whole shows, back to back, each with all of their own gear (which is coming in from Chicago that day), their own management and their own quirks.
Each act has an incredibly long and comprehensive rider (do you know how long we spent trying to find someone who had a specific rare kind of fish who could also cook it a particular way? No, you don't.).
We have more coffee makers and tea pots (thank you, Board!) than what would reasonably seem to be necessary.
It's sold out.
People are literally begging for seats.
There will most likely be a lot of people in line that night for standing-room-only tickets, so crowd control will be key.
There are a lot of sponsors, which means a lot of work to make sure everyone gets their benefits and is thanked in the right way.
It might snow.
...and so on.

it is safe to say that this show has dominated our collective attention over here for quite some time. There are certainly a great many details that have to go exactly right to pull off the event without a hitch, and a great many of those details are outside of our control.

Despite that, around the table today, the worries people expressed were all minor enough that I think I can say that we're not really that worried at all. We're anxious, sure. But more than anything I think we're excited.

Excited to see this place bursting at the seams with people. Excited to experience two musical legends on our stage. Excited to do what we do.

In other news:

I'll be at the Twestival tomorrow night, at least for a little bit. We donated a couple pair of Mason Jennings tix to be given away. If you're into Twitter, stop out. If you don't know what I'm talking about, start here.
We just booked Lez Zeppelin for April 8th! Tix on sale... soon.
We're getting some people together tonight for a first meeting about a reeeeeeally cool thing happening this October.
I have 8, um, tubes? things? of lip balm on my desk, courtesy of one of our board members who works at Raining Rose in CR.
One of our window microphones in the box office is broken - again. C'mon, Telex people. Get it right this time. Please. Thank you.

Auditions

2009-02-06T11:39:00.003-06:00

This was from last weekend, which is ancient history in "web time," I know, but I still thought it was worth mentioning.

First round of auditions for Wizard of Oz went great. I know David Kilpatrick (Producing Artistic Director at Old Creamery Theatre) was very excited by the enthusiastic turnout, and the many talented people who auditioned.

I personally was very impressed by Paul Dieke, the music director. He had a wonderful and kind way of both complimenting and coaching the kids. Someone would come up, sing their song. Paul would stop them, compliment them. Coach them. They'd do it again, he'd stop them. Compliment. Coach. Again. Stop. Compliment. Coach. By the end, each kid's performance was substantially better than when they walked in the door.

This bodes well for the quality of the show.

Katherine, our student designer (and part of the brilliant Donate Design program at the University of Iowa) has been busy whipping up logo and poster ideas for the show, and I'm really excited about the direction things are heading. When we settle in on final versions, I'll throw them up here.

Strength in numbers.

2009-01-30T10:34:00.002-06:00

Twenty one. That's the official "man count" at last night's sold out performance of Menopause the Musical. Six hundred and ninety-nine women, and 21 guys.

Apparently all of our bathrooms became women's bathrooms.

People loved the show. We'll try to bring them back. Kudos to the Iowa Women's Foundation for making it happen this time.

We're off to be the Wizard...

2009-01-28T16:02:00.003-06:00

Had a great meeting yesterday with David Kilpatrick from the Old Creamery Theatre and a handful of other Englertians to talk about this summer's production of The Wizard of Oz. This will be the first time we've worked with Old Creamery, after having done other Big Collaborations with City Circle/Iowa Children's Museum a couple of times (Seussical and Schoolhouse Rock).

Now, I'll be honest - I have never been a huge Wizard of Oz fan. Maybe it's because I had to sit through a hundred thousand endless rehearsals when my sister was a munchkin in a tedious high school production way back in the day. Or maybe it's because I always looked at the movie and thought the special effects weren't all that, well, special.

But I have to admit I'm excited about this collaboration. First, because I know it's going to be a good quality show with the peeps at Old Creamery on board. Secondly, because there are soooo many marketing opportunities, it has that side of my mind racing in overdrive.

But mostly, talking about auditions and performances and rehearsals and all that, it reminds me of how much fun I had doing community theater when I was a kid. Putting on a big show in one's spare time is unlike anything else I've experienced: getting a group of people for one purpose, for a short amount of time, having a lot of fun, working ridiculously hard on something, and then it's suddenly over. Incomparable.

Just for the record, Old Creamery is professional - not community - theater. But we are looking for a special someone in the community to be our Dorothy.

Which brings me to this: auditions. Not just for Dorothy, but for the whole show and in fact the entire Old Creamery season. This show will combine the best of our region's talent with professional actors to create a great experience for the audience. (btw - it's not necessary to be a member of Actor's Equity, but members are of course welcome)

This Saturday, January 31st
9 AM to noon - kids
1 PM to 5 PM - adults
Anyone ages 8 to 70+ are welcome to audition

What to bring:
- Two contrasting monologues
- If you sing, two short selections from contrasting songs (an accompaniest and CD player will be provided)
- Picture and resume, if you have them

So, think you or your kids are the next Judy Garland? Start your story here, on the Englert stage. Come on down, give it a shot.

190

2009-01-19T15:16:00.003-06:00

I've found that people generally fall into one of two camps:

1) "Boy, it seems like the lights are always on down there at the Englert. There's always something going on."

- or -

2) "There's never anything going on at the Englert. You guys don't have enough events."

In 2008, we had 190 "event days."

The most obvious event day is a performance, but it can also mean a rehearsal day for a big event like The Nutcracker, or a private reception in the Gallery, or other random things. Some of these events are "Englert Series," meaning we book the performer, promote the show, assume all the risk, etc. The rest - the majority, actually - are community events (theater, etc.), rentals for private events, collaborations with other non-profits, etc.

Here's a look at how our event days have grown over the last three years:

Is this a lot or a little? Well, like most things, it depends on how you look at. We started off 2008 with the following assumptions and goals:

1) There are 365 calendar days in the year, but they're not all "bookable." Take away holidays, maintenance days and home football days (scheduling against the Hawkeyes - even after the game - hasn't worked yet in four years), and that takes it down to around 338.

2) We're Iowa City, not New York City. So out of those 338 available days, we have to account for the fact that we have a relatively small market, there are a lot of other things going on, and people just aren't going to go to the theater 5, 6 or 7 nights a week. We projected that on average, we could have 4 events per week. Some weeks less, some weeks more.

3) That brings us to 188 bookable days. Our actual goal was 160, with 188 being the "max" end of the range.

We did 190. Some of that was due to displaced organizations looking for performance space after the floods. Some of it was due to more Englert Series shows than ever before.

Is that enough events? Too few? What kind of impact did it have on our budget? What about our staff? What about fundraising?

Can we do more? If we just do more events, won't we eliminate the need for fundraising? For investments from sponsors and the City?

So many questions! Answers (or at least our point of view) to come...

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-23T12:01:00.002-06:00

This video was something I originally put together for the Festival of Carols, but Mother Nature had other plans that night and we had to cancel it due to weather. Not wanting to see it go entirely to waste, I thought I'd post it up here. Sort of a "year in review" video, although it doesn't begin to capture all of the 160+ events that were in the Englert this year! Happy Holidays!

A-list at the E

2008-12-13T02:18:00.002-06:00

Here are some pics from the night. We had a screening of Ashton's movie "Personal Effects." Seemed to be a decent movie from the little bit that I saw. There were a lot of adoring fans screaming as he took stage. Overall a good event for a good cause. Oh yeah, Ashton and Demi were very nice.

A different kind of Atmosphere...

2008-11-06T11:11:00.001-06:00

We had our first big hip-hop show last night: Atmosphere. Tonight we have An Irish Homecoming. Last weekend we had Beauty and the Beast.

Diversity, anyone?

Good thing we're not doing an afternoon show for kids today, cuz it kinda smells like booze in here.

Atmosphere's crew brought in a sick subwoofer that shook my whole body when the bass notes were thumping. It also shook some of the plaster and paint off the walls, unfortunately. The more of these bass-heavy shows we do, the more we need to tuck away for capital maintenance.

Not much to say, other than that I thought it was a cool show. It was more than sold out a couple hours before the show - standing room only. Most everyone was standing anyway.

Oh - and just a reminder for everyone, to save you and us the trouble of dealing with it the night of a show:

Ya can't smoke in here. Anywhere. Anything. You stick out like a chimney, and when we find you, ya can't stay. Sorry - them's the rules.

Check out the pics, y'all.

Oh, the Horror.

2008-11-01T02:53:00.004-05:00

I didn't see the Rocky Horror Picture show the last time it played at the Englert, ten years ago. In fact, I hadn't seen it all. Ever. I can count on one hand the number of people I know who can say the same thing.

After seeing - or rather, experiencing - it tonight at the Englert, I get what all the fuss is about:

It's a football game. A music festival. A political rally. It's a shared social experience. You have to be there to really get it and understand it. It's less about what's happening on screen, and more about what's happening around you.

Duh. This is surely not news for those who have seen it one or one hundred times, and it's what I had always heard. But still - seeing it? Yeah, I get it.

It's hard not to be impressed by the allegiance of the fans, their depth of knowledge about what and when to scream, and their willingness to give 30-year-ago Susan Sarandon and Tim Curry a run for their money in the campy sexpot department.

Around 400 people turned out. Everyone was cool, got into it, no problems, the Riff Raff guys did great, staff and Transylvanians alike threw down to clean up afterwards... I think one person puked, but other than that the cleanup was all dry goods.

I think it was a big success, and I hope we do it again.

Check out some pictures here.

The Ten Year Time Warp

2008-10-30T18:11:00.002-05:00

(This is a guest post from one of the hosts of Riff Raff Theater, Chris Hanel.)

Sean graciously handed me the keys to this little corner of the internet and I wanted to take the opportunity to say hello before raising the curtain on our big show tomorrow night, probably the most important one we've done so far in the year-long run we've enjoyed having at the Englert.

In case you haven't seen one of our million posters sprinkled around downtown Iowa City, we'll be bringing the Rocky Horror Picture Show back to the Englert tomorrow night at midnight, and thus closing the circle on a long and circuitous journey that has lasted a decade. It was in the fall of 1998 that I was dragged to see Rocky at the Englert by a friend and his parents, who, luckily for me, didn't bother to check with mine for permission. Girlfriend in tow, the initial shock and terror of what was transpiring around me melted away into a dumbfounded joy that was opened up to a whole new idea of what a night at the movies could be like.

Forever altered (or traumitized, if you like), that initial joy has spawned and mutated over time into Riff Raff Theater, and it is with a childlike glee that we are fortunate enough to host The Rocky Horror Picture Show, exactly ten years after it served as the birthplace of my own demented passions.

If you're coming tomorrow night, and especially if you've never been a part of such a show before, we hope you leave the theater with the same excitement that we all have upon our first experience of Rocky Horror. I look forward to the show with an extreme amount of antici--

(SAY IT!)

--pation.

Night School

2008-10-29T17:39:00.002-05:00

Writing grants and other funding requests is a lot like writing papers for school.

Which may explain why, for the third night in a row, sitting at Panera with the laptop and the truly genius-like Genius feature on in iTunes, command-tabbing back and forth between two such projects, I feel like I'm back in school.

Except technology and my laptop are waaaaaay better now, making it all a little more pleasant.

Writing like this forces me to clarify my thinking. To drill down into the details. To articulate assumptions and support arguments. To make decisions.

It's cliche, but it's true: if you want to get something done or commit to something, write it down. Until you do that, no matter how good a handle you think you have on something, it's still amorphous.

Amorphous isn't a bad thing - but it's clarity and details that ultimately take your good idea/argument/habit/whatever a big step closer to reality.

And now I sound like I'm teaching in school...

Point is: it's been a long two weeks, there are still a few days left to go, it's all coming down to the last minute, the stakes are high, and I should be feeling the pain. But I don't (yet). It's been valuable for me personally and for the Englert to STOP: take the time - even if it's at night in a coffee shop - to prioritize, pull thoughts out of the air and articulate a clear vision for who we are, what we want to accomplish, how we're going to do it, and why it's deserving of financial support.

That was a run-on sentence that would get dressed up by red ink if I actually was in school.

Back at it. Coffee #3.

Yes, those are trees.

2008-10-24T00:03:00.008-05:00

Just got back from tonight's Jason Reeves and Tyrone Wells show. Sounded and looked amazing. Chris asked me after the show if there were ever any concerts at the theater that made me want to go home and write music. Happens quite a bit, I said. Ben Schmidt. Andrew Bird. Randy Newman.

There are other events where I consciously force myself to just... stop. Look around. Take it all in. Experience what is going on around me. How privileged I am to do what I do, to be part of what I'm a part of. Someday, when I've moved on in my life, I don't want to look back thinking I took this all for granted. I want to look back knowing I took the time to appreciate it while it was all happening. California Guitar Trio. New Orleans Jazz Orchestra. Railroad Earth.

There are other events that give me a boost: pull me out of a rut, give me inspiration, make me think of our business in a different way - or in a way that had been buried by the day-to-day grind.

Tonight was one of those.

I've been battling a bad cold all week, trying to write a big grant, trying to manage the day-to-day, trying to think about the big funding request I have to write after I finish the grant, trying to think about the budget I have to put together after that (and all of this by the end of next week). Plus life outside of work. All in all, I was feeling pretty beat down this week. My writing was crap, my thoughts scattered, my energy abysmal.

Tonight, during Jason's set, I got more done with that grant than I got done all week. And while I'm sorry I missed seeing most of the show (although I did hear it), I think the energy at the theater tonight may have been just what I needed to set things back on track.

I also talked to two of the nicest guys I've met in a long time: Tyrone Wells, and Billy the Drummer. I talked to Tyrone backstage after his great performance opening for Jason. Evidently they trade off nights as headliner, depending on who has the bigger draw in that particular city. This being Jason's hometown, Tyrone took the stage first with his juicy pop anthems. He was super cool, laid back, humble, and good to talk to.

Billy the Drummer (Jason's drummer) was also the tour manager, so I got to settle the show with him. Probably the nicest guy I've ever settled with: talked about the tour, about Schuba's in Chicago (a mirror image of the Beat Kitchen), Kings of Leon (the power of those three words), Rogue Wave (great live band) and shenanigans with comp tickets in Boston (9+1 still equals 10, no matter who holds the 9).

So here are a few pictures from the night, below, along with a link to some more. If you're a fan of pop, acoustic singer-songwriter stuff, and big soaring melodies, I'd definitely recommend checking out both Jason Reeves and Tyrone Wells. I hope they'll be back soon, and I hope (as does Billy) that there will be a busting-at-the-seams sized audience that needs those "seven extra letters" on the marquee.

Tyrone Wells & band

Jason Reeves emerges from the dressing rooms.

Jason's setlist and bottle of water.

Drummers get all the chicks.
Billy with some of Jason's family.

Screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeam!

2008-10-22T09:20:00.003-05:00

I've always said that the loudest sound inside our theater is not a rock concert, not a hip hop show, not a sound effect of clapping thunder, or the thunderous applause after a stirring performance...

It's the sound of 700+ kids screaming at once during our school shows.

These are a little late getting up here, but last Friday we hosted nearly 800 kids for a daytime performance of Schoolhouse Rock. This little unedited video clip doesn't really do it justice, but let me tell you, my ears were ringing:

Check out a handful of pictures from that show, too.

I Ran

2008-10-20T20:44:00.002-05:00

It was a few minutes into the third quarter last Saturday afternoon when I felt the faint buzz of my phone ringing in my pocket.

Eleven rows up on the 30 yard line, in the middle of a lively Hawkeyes/Badgers game, is not the best place to field a phone call. I pulled the phone out of my pocket and the caller ID said "Englert."

Sigh.

I always say (and mean) that anyone at work can call me anytime. Plus, this was a show day (matinee of Schoolhouse Rock), and I knew that that whoever was calling wouldn't be doing it unless they really needed to.

I answered and tried to hear Sarah, my head bent over between my knees (while the people all around me were standing, screaming, jingling keys, spilling food). I finally had to get up and squeeze past the others in the row to get outside the stadium so I could hear.

Technical problems. The kind you can't troubleshoot over the phone. The kind that won't let the box officers sell tickets to the afternoon's show. The kind that need immediate fixing.

Sigh.

I had no choice but to leave the game. Looking around for a cab, unless there was one sitting right there I knew I didn't have time to wait. It was after 1:00, and the show started at 2:00. Must sell tickets. Must fix problem.

So I ran. I think it was probably a mile, maybe less. Seems farther when I think about it, but judging by the time it took to get there in a sporadic run-walk-run-walk pattern (between 10 and 15 minutes), it was probably a mile.

Great day for a run, actually. Sunny. Cool. I hardly broke a sweat, dressed in a be-bold-wear-gold long-sleeved Hawkeye T-shirt and baseball hat, running down the spiral walk(run)way at the end of the Burlington bridge, jetting across the UI library grass... walking up the steeeeeeeeeep Washington Street hill.

I've never had to literally run to work before. But in this case, I didn't really have a choice. And I was glad I was actually within running distance and not out of town. I got there. I fixed the problem. I stayed to help sell tickets. I got text updates about our stomping of Wisconsin.

I broke the box office dress code. Shhhh.

Tech Talk

2008-09-30T14:23:00.004-05:00

It is very interesting how the performing arts has different lingo when talking about the same thing or the same word could have a totally different meaning.
What I mean is, in traditional theater when talking about the person who runs the sound board, they refer to them as the SBO (sound board operator), while in the concert world we refer to them as FOH engineer (Front-of-House). However, Front-of-House would usually refer to the House Manager in a theatre setting.

When theater people are talking about "effects" they are usually talking about sound effects that go through speakers on stage for sound cues like a gun shot. Sound designers will use these speakers so that shot sounds like it came from the same side of the stage as the performer. However, in the concert world "effects" are delay and reverb that is added to an instrument or vocal for more ambience or depth to the sound.

Monitors or fold back are used for the artist on stage to hear themselves, but when you say monitors to a non-musician, they would immediately think of let say a computer monitor.
When talking about lighting fixtures, theater refers to them as instruments. The actual bulbs are referred to as lamps.

What are some other confusing language differences?

Shane and Shane

2008-09-30T12:13:00.004-05:00

I was extremely impressed with these guys. There were several people that told me that this was one of the best concert that they had been to.
They used an uncommon drum kit/percussion setup that gave the music a completely different sound. In fact, mixing these instruments was quite an exhilarating challenge as I had never heard them before. The kick was hand made by Joey their drummer and the snare and tom were Remo made. The loop technology that was used, made the sound even more complete.
The lights, sound and musicianship all came together for one great performance and delivered a great experience for those who attended.
A big THANK YOU to all the crew that made it happen.

Robert Cray & Kevin Burt photos

2008-09-26T10:39:00.002-05:00

There was one point early on in Kevin Burt's set the other night, opening for Robert Cray, where I got all tingly.

Apparently I wasn't the only one, because as Kevin kept building and building and building momentum, channeling a growl not unlike B.B. King, finally reaching a feverish pitch and exploding into a quiet refrain, practically the whole audience burst into applause and whistles.

What an amazing performer, voice, songwriter and talent.

I didn't see the whole Robert Cray show because, frankly, I was exhausted and needed to catch some sleep. But from what I saw, they lit this place up.

Our awesome volunteer photographer, Todd Adamson, posted some great photos on his own blog, right here.

Took the words out of my mouth...

2008-09-24T15:03:00.002-05:00

Diana Nollen at the Gazette wrote a great review of the Dar Williams/Shawn Mullins show that described what I was trying to describe in the post below, only better:

"But an evening with East Coast folkie Dar Williams is like meeting up with a college pal every few years, catching up on the latest happenings, watching time melt away.

Every song is a story and every story sings, as she connects with her adoring fans. You almost forget 499 other people were listening, too, at The Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St."

Read the whole thing here.

Apparently, you can't just stack people up in seats when they have the same tickets.

2008-09-23T23:52:00.008-05:00

A word to the wise: you can't sell the same two seats to three different pairs of people. They get upset (and understandably so).

Another piece of advice: if you do, for some reason, sell two seats to three different pairs of people, do your best to make sure that it hasn't happened in the past to any of those people.

Sigh.

No transition is ever painless, and at tonight's Dar Williams/Shawn Mullins concert, the Great Ticketing Software Change of 2008 doled out the hurt yet again. It doesn't matter that 99% of things have gone smoothly (well, okay... maybe 95%). What matters is the 1% that has not.

It's our job to make sure everyone has a great experience at the Englert. I think, after a lot of quick problem-solving, talking, listening and hoping, that the three groups of people affected by tonight's little ticketing snafu all ended up happy and enjoyed the show. If you're reading this - thank you for being patient and understanding. You didn't have to be, so I appreciate it.

I only saw the end of one song the entire tonight, but I heard most of both sets from the box office. Wow! I'm not just saying this to say it - both Dar and Shawn sounded amazing. In addition to effortless singing and sharp songwriting, both of them interacted with the crowd as if they were all sitting around in the living room of their houses.

The show got over around 10:40, and when I left at 11:30, Dar and Shawn had been out in the lobby for a good 45 minutes, talking with a (still) pretty deep line of fans and signing autographs:

Took the Railroad...

2008-09-18T15:27:00.005-05:00

My Wednesday started at 8 AM with a radio interview out at KCJJ and ended Thursday morning at 12:30 by paying the band. In between I did so many things that by the time I got to my car Thursday morning, I felt like it was a different day than the one I had started.

Ignoring the obvious literal fact that it was actually a different day, running with me on the spirit and not the letter, I thought this must be like the schedule presidential candidates keep, day in and day out. Except a million times easier. No matter who you support, you gotta admire their endurance.

Anyway, the night ended with a great show by bluegrass/rock band Railroad Earth. I had heard their newest album, Amen Corner, a handful of times and thought that it was catchy and well-produced, but bluegrass isn't my "thing" as much as other genres. But their live show, as with all good bands, brought the songs to life in a much more powerful way. I loved it. They also brought their own light show, which totally transformed the space and made things look as good as they sounded.

I'm not a music critic or concert reviewer, so I'm not going to go down that path. But I will say that they were very tight, the crowd loved them, and they were easy to work with. Can't say that about everyone.

Check out some pictures here. Video coming soon...

Oh - and last night Beth had a great idea to start a new photo series on this blog: Confiscated Item of the Night! We'll kick things off with a bota and two flasks - one engraved from a prom night. Sounds like they had more fun at theirs than I did at mine...

Englert Goes Clubbing

2008-09-11T15:42:00.006-05:00

Finally the phones have stopped ringing and the window traffic has subsided enough to have time to post what I've been wanting to post all week long. (The King & I is this weekend, so last-minute ticket buyers are coming out in droves)

Last weekend's very first Alley Cabaret was a lot of fun, and a huge success.

I love the feeling before a show, or any kind of event, when you just know it's going to be cool. Walking around on stage at 11:30 PM last Friday night, 15 minutes before the doors opened, there was an unmistakable vibe that something cool was going to happen: small tables set up over most of the stage... a stage-within-a-stage erected at one end, set up with an accordian, piano, drumset, string bass and some microphones... a DJ up in the catwalk, bumping out some ambient electronica that makes me realize why that music gets most of its following through the after-dark club scene... streaks of light against the brick wall...

We opened the alley doors at 11:45 and within 5 minutes had already let in 80 people (5 over capacity). We actually had to turn away around 20 people.

Vocal trio Rock, Paper, Scissors sang old-school cabaret classics and original material alike, occasionally joined by sexy and spot-on choreographed dancing from students in the UI's dance department.

I was on stage for awhile, and then sneaked up to the balcony to get the bird's eye view. It just looked and sounded amazing. The whole evening was flawless: no security issues, no technical issues and everyone seemed to have a good time.

I'm looking forward to the next one, in a couple of weeks, where they're going to put on Edward Albee's The Zoo Story. I'm curious about how the vibe will change, as that play isn't quite the same "scene" as sexily-costumed women singing "The Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy." The Zoo Story was also the first play I "produced" when I was an undergrad in college, way back in the day, and I haven't seen it since.

It's nice to see something experimental, that was just an idea a few months ago, work out and work so well. Kudos to everyone involved, especially Anthony, Brandon, everyone at the university, and our awesome technical staff.

Here are a few pics from last week:

Radio Free Bennigan's

2008-09-02T20:15:00.003-05:00

I did Tommy Lang's radio show this morning out at Bennigan's, talking mostly about Second City but also about everything else that's going on right now... lots of shows because of the floods... big names this fall... fundraising... Bruce Willis...

Radio is always fun - it goes fast, the DJs on the other side of the conversation are always pros (literally, professional talkers), and it gives me a chance to elaborate on things that are normally confined to an ad or brochure.

Tommy's show was even better: there was a free meal involved. Now, unfortunately I wasn't able to take advantage because I had to be back at the theater for another meeting... but that's a pretty sweet deal: "come on our show, talk about what you want to talk about, and when you're done, help yourself to a Monte Cristo."

Thanks, Tommy and KCJJ.

On another note, things are picking up in the box office. Phones are ringing more, people are stopping by more... fall is officially underway. We're slowly but surely learning the new software, getting the routine down, getting more confident. Getting better.

Quentin Mark Chuck Tarantino Klosterman

2008-08-28T13:26:00.002-05:00

It's pretty rare that I actually get to sit down like a real audience member and enjoy something in the theater, but I've been lucky enough to be able to twice within the last week: once for a viewing of Pond Hockey during the Landlocked Film Festival (cool movie, produced by my friend Andrew who runs the Little Village... I'm not even a hockey fan but I was drawn in)... and again last night to see Chuck Klosterman.

It was a standing-room-only kind of night, which are my favorite kinds of nights here. Sidewalk a-buzz. Lobby packed. Ushers down front waving one finger in the air, signifying one last available seat.

The picture above was snapped from my seat in the fifth row, from my Motorola RAZR cellphone (which has one of the lamest camera phones I've ever come across).

I've read half of one of his books: Sex, Drugs & Cocoa Puffs. I loved it, but I stopped reading it for no good reason other than I just don't make enough time to read. Based on the book, I expected Klosterman to be "too cool for school" - a little smarter than you and I, and not afraid to let you know.

Not at all the case. Very laid back, funny, natural, approachable and real. In fact, the way he described his approach to problems and other issues, he reminded me a lot of myself. Not that I'm nearly as witty or as good of a writer. I'm not. But I am almost his age...

I spent the rest of the night trying to place who he reminded me of: the sound of his voice, his mannersisms, the words he used.... hour after hour, racking my brain... it finally dawned on me around midnight:

Quentin Tarantino. He sounds exactly like Quentin Tarantino. Especially when Tarantino gets all geared up and enthusiastic, explaining some little semi-fascinating nugget of pop culture, flailing his arms about... Klosterman did a lot of flailing about. His commentary was thoughtful, funny and, most of all, humble.

Today at a lunch meeting, relaying the events of last night, I called him "Mark Klosterman," making me seem like such a knowledgable authority not only on pop culture, but on what's playing at the very theater I work at. Niiiiiiiiiiiice.

For another take on the evening, here's a review from The Daily Iowan.

Rock stars are everywhere.

2008-08-27T16:10:00.002-05:00

We just went through a pretty big transition over here at the Englert:

all new ticketing software and (almost) all new box office staff, all basically happening the same weekend.

I've done a few software transitions in my days and this has been one of the smoothest. The peeps at Iowatix were great to work with, the software allows us to serve our customers better (for example, alllllllllllll of our tix are online now - not just a few rows) and the efficiencies this new system will create seem to outweigh any of the inevitable "pain" that accompanies such a major shift in The Way We Do Things. It's not perfect yet, but we'll get close.

Thanks, customers, for being patient.

We also brought on four new Box Officers (a term that doesn't seem to get old for me), and they've been wonderful: bright, energetic, eager to learn, helpful and service-minded. Stop by to see Ashley, Nicole, Roxy and Sarah, who have joined Bryan and our wonderful volunteers Tom and Andrea to make up the best box office staff anywhere in the land. Get to know them here.

We also just hired a bunch of great people to work in our Front Of House Services area who you'll get to know at the concessions table this fall.

The job description for both of those positions called for "rock stars," and I'm glad to say that our newbies don't disappoint.

Chuck Klosterman tonight... people have been stopping in asking about it all day. Starts at 8:30, doors open at 8, get here early. Repeat.

Just signed us up for Twitter, so you can follow us there: http://twitter.com/englert. I've been "tweeting" on my personal account for awhile now. Was skeptical at first, but am starting to realize the key: the more people who use it, the better it is.

Go technology.

Englert Night Out 2008

2008-06-10T01:37:00.004-05:00

We had a wonderful time giving out our much deserved Impact Awards. Here are a couple highlight videos that were played during the event.

Englert Theatre-Montage Presentation 08' from Chris on Vimeo.

Englert Impact Awards 08' from Chris on Vimeo.

Mikey says "The Englert Rocks!"

2008-05-21T12:08:00.002-05:00

If you have ever volunteered at The Englert Theatre, you may have met Michael Shonrock, our resident theatre baby. He is always happy to stop by the Englert, check out the artwork in the gallery, and find out about all the great new shows going on sale. (And I am sure his interest is in no way influenced by the fact his Mom, Sarah, serves as the House Manager for Englert events.)

If you want to find out more about volunteer opportunities at the Englert, please contact Nancy at nancy@englert.org. Who knows? You might get to hang out with Mikey!

Enjoyable

2008-05-10T11:49:00.003-05:00

I can't always say that every artist and their managers that come to the Englert are approachable and friendly. However, Randy Newman and his manager Kathy were just that. I had the opportunity to spend some time with them and it was enjoyable. They were very easy to work with and Mr. Newman gave us great performances. I have to say that this was one of my favorite shows.

Chris Cary
Production Manager

Englert Fundraiser Supported by over 50 Volunteers

2008-05-08T15:03:00.004-05:00

After so many months of preparation, it was a little sad to set up the ladder outside the Englert yesterday and start taking down "Randy Newman." Yet, even as we removed those familiar letters, someone walking by called out to me, "I was there last night! What a wonderful concert!"

I couldn't agree more. The Gala Fundraiser that took place this past Monday and Tuesday not only brought together our community to see one of America's greatest singer-songwriters perform, but we also met and mingled at eight different receptions related to the show.

Now, as you may already know, the Englert does not have a large staff. So how on earth did we offer so many events in only two days? The answer: we NEVER could have pulled it off without the dedication of over 50 Englert volunteers.

Volunteers helped set up the receptions, serve food and drinks, greet patrons, hand out playbills, and keep everything running remarkably smoothly. I had the honor of working with many long term friends, and meeting new friends that until now I only knew through their email handle. What a thrill to see the amazing community support for this event!

Thank you to EVERYONE who took part as a volunteer, a patron, or a sponsor. It is an honor to be a part of this community.

-Nancy Mayfield
Marketing & Development Manager / Volunteer Coordinator
The Englert Theatre

Flooded With Good Fortune

2008-03-18T13:03:00.003-05:00

Nobody likes it when the police show up at their door at three in the morning.

For Beth Bewley-Randall, our executive director, the doorbell rang early in the morning on Saturday, April 8th. She had turned her phone off, so the police tracked her down at her house to tell her that the Englert had been flooded. Not as bad as the news could be from two uniformed gents at that time of day, but certainly worrisome nonetheless.

So, yes. A water pipe had burst outside near the street, in front of the Englert. Water poured under the doors into the lobby and proceeded to run down to the basement. By the time Beth got there (where she would stay for the next 8 hours), a couple of inches of water had managed to accumulate in our basement.

Luckily, the damage wasn't too severe: the structural integrity of the building wasn't compromised, the computer server and phone system was off the ground so remained untouched, and 95% of what was actually ruined turned out to be old boxes, papers, and other non-historic pieces of the building that needed to be thrown out anyway.

We sent a message to our volunteers, and several gave us boxes to help move things out. Others actually came and helped us Monday morning as we brought up load after load from the wet and dirty basement and threw it in the dumpster. All in all, it got cleaned up pretty quickly with everyone's help. A heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who helped out in some way.

We were able to continue as scheduled with Grease that weekend, and most performers and ticketholders probably didn't know that anything had even happened. We had pretty good fortune. It could have been a lot worse.

P.S. I would've blogged about this much sooner, but for some reason Blogger had this blog tagged as "spam," so it took them about a week to figure out that real legitimate people are actually running this thing...

The Princess Bride - why so late??

2008-03-06T14:55:00.001-06:00

Astute Englert fans have noticed that our showing of The Princess Bride on March 27th starts at 9:00 - one hour later than our usual start time for most events. I've been surprised at the number of people who have asked me or other members of our team why this is. The official answer?

We want to see what happens.

Yep, we just want to try something different. I know the later time might make it harder for some of you to get here. Does that mean you won't come? I don't know. I know that a lot of you - especially college students - ask for events to start at 9 or later so you can get here after night classes. Will you come? I don't know. We'll find out.

The movie is only 98 minutes long, so you should still be home in time to catch the end of Letterman or Leno, or have enough time to get a seat at Joe's, Deadwood or wherever else you might hang out on a Thursday.

This is all part of a larger experiment called "what do we do with movies" - a sometimes overly complex combination of legalities, supply, market demand, pricing, concessions (food & drink) and other issues. I'll dive into some of the issues in a later post. In the meantime, enjoy our first movie of the year, one hour later than usual.