FORDHAM ALUMNI COMPANY

2010 FORDHAM ALUMNI THEATRE COMPANY PROPOSAL GUIDELINES

2009-08-03T13:12:00.000-07:00

Deadline: November 15^th, 2009

Email your entire proposal by November 15th to fordhamalumnicompany@gmail.com. Your proposal will be reviewed by the 2010 Board Members as well as the current Fordham University Faculty.

Proposal Materials

Please include the following:

1) A cover sheet with:

• Name of project

• Name and contact info for producer/main contact person

• List of all other alumni attached to the project (at this point) and their role in the project

• Piece’s approximate running time

• Technical requirements

2) A one-page project description that addresses the following questions:

• How would you classify the work (new play, dance theatre piece, performance art, puppet opera, multi-media, re-imagined classic, etc)?

• Why are you passionate about this piece and what do you want it to say/do to an audience? Why this story now?

• What are the space requirements for your project? A large theatre, a black box, a studio, etc.

• What’s the project’s status and history (is there a completed script? How long have you been working on the project? Has it had any readings, workshops, or previous performances?)

3) A 15-page excerpt of the material (we may subsequently ask you to send the whole script)

4) A one-page project budget in excel format, including both expenses and income. Expenses should detail production costs as well as any additional costs or fees related to the project. You should also build a contingency into your budget of 7-10% more than you think you’ll need just in case – because the unexpected always happens. Income should include the $5,000 grant from Fordham plus any additional estimated grant money and individual contributions. Don’t include projected income from ticket sales because you will not have access to the box office receipts to cover outstanding production costs, fees, etc. Ticket sales will go into the Alumni Theatre Company fund for next summer. Your income and expenses should be the same (i.e. “zero out.”)

If you have any questions about the proposal, feel free to email any questions to fordhamalumnicompany@gmail.com

COME SEE US!

2009-08-03T13:09:00.000-07:00

ONCE THERE WAS A BOY, a recent Princess Grace Award semi-finalist, tells the story of a young boy growing up attached to his father...literally. When the young outcast develops a magical connection with a witch's daughter, the young lovers hatch a plan to free themselves from society's shackles. Mixing various forms of puppetry and multi¬media, ONCE THERE WAS A BOY is a modern absurdist fairytale exploring the culture of fear and the boundaries of acceptance.

Founded in 2008 by Fordham's Theatre Program, the Fordham Alumni Theatre Company brings together graduates from across all disciplines to create an annual summer production. The company focuses on the development of new work that highlights Fordham's legacy of creating engaging, innovative theatre, while providing an opportunity for alumni actors, directors, writers, designers, technicians, stage managers and administrative professionals to practice and hone their respective crafts.

ONCE THERE WAS A BOY

Director, Aaron Rhyne (‘00)
Writer, Jason Pizzarello (’04)
Scenic Design, Erich Bussing (’09)
Costume Design, Tara Devincenzo ('10)
Lighting Design, Ryan Seelig (’09)
Sound Design, Tim Chaffee ('08)
Video Design, Aaron Rhyne (’00)
Puppet Designers, Jason Pizzarello (’04) and Stacey
Weingarten (’10)
Production Stage Manager, Christy Benanti (‘03)
Assistant Director, Ian Crawford ('02)

Featuring:

Jeff Barry (’02)
Kim Carpenter (’04)
Maria Teresa Creasey (‘04)
Marco Formosa (’03)
Josh Lacasse (’05)
Maria McConville (’04)
Frances Mercanti-Anthony (’00)
Brian Gerard Murray (’07)
Ian Quinlan (’09)
Christopher Tramantana (’00)
Amir Watcherman (’09)
Stacey Weingarten (’10)

PERFORMANCES:
Aug 1st at 8:00pm
Aug 3rd at 7:00pm
Aug 4th at 8:00pm
Aug 5th at 8:00pm
Aug 6th at 8:00pm
Aug 7th at 8:00pm
Aug 8th at 2:00pm
Aug 8th at 8:00pm
Aug 10th at 7:00pm
Aug 11th at 8:00pm

$15 tickets, $10 students / seniors

For tickets call 212-636-6340 or visit smarttix at:

https://www.smarttix.com/show.aspx?showCode=ONC3&GUID=2982eb26-2486-4125-8b02-dfbb91230cb1

Script now available by request.

2009-02-11T12:11:00.000-08:00

If you would like a current script of ONCE THERE WAS A BOY, please send an email to fordhamalumnicompany@gmail.com requesting the script be emailed to you.

Thank you!

Auditions and Interviews

2009-02-09T11:51:00.000-08:00

FORDHAM ALUMNI COMPANY

announces

AUDITIONS and INTERVIEWS for the summer 2009 production of
ONCE THERE WAS A BOY

written by Jason Pizzarello, directed by Aaron Rhyne
AUDITIONS and INTERVIEWS WILL BE HELD Sunday march 15th and MONDAY march 16th from 10am - 8pm at Fordham University’s Kehoe Theatre (formerly known as the Black Box)

Seeking:

Performers of all ages and backgrounds

Stage management and production management teams

Design positions in SET, LIGHTING, SOUND, COSTUMES, and PUPPETRY

Assistant positions in DIRECTING, DESIGN, and PRODUCTION

Performing roles and design positions are open to all Fordham Alumni. Assistants, stage management, and production management teams are also open to current Fordham theatre students.

To schedule an audition or interview please email us with your desired appointment time at fordhamalumnicompany@gmail.com

Performers please prepare a short monologue for the initial audition. Sides will be available for callbacks.

Designers please bring a resume to your interview, as well as any appropriate work samples.

People interested in production and assistant positions should bring a resume to their interviews.

Please email with questions or comments to fordhamalumnicompany@gmail.com.

Thanks!

Once There Was A Boy - 2009 Production

2009-02-09T11:26:00.000-08:00

We are happy to announce that ONCE THERE WAS A BOY has been chosen as the 2009 Fordham Alumni Company Production.

Once There Was A Boy was written by Jason Pizzarello, and will be directed by Aaron Rhyne
Audition and Interview information will be posted soon.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
As a young boy grows up literally attached to his father, they become freakish outcasts in their small town. Meanwhile, deep in the woods, a witch torments her young daughter who was born with wings. When the young boy and the girl with wings develop a magical connection, they must depend on each other to free themselves from societies shackles. Mixing various forms of puppetry and multimedia, Once There Was a Boy is a modern absurdist fairytale exploring the culture of fear and the boundaries of acceptance.

Once There Was A Boy is a multi-media driven new work exploring the relationships of society, fear, and identity. Some characters will be played by human actors, others by puppets, and still others by video Images, all three interacting equally with eachother to tell our story.

Once There Was A Boy is a story told in response to the culture of fear that surrounds us. We fear that which we do not understand; all that is foreign to us. Our fear drives us to violence that is a severe reaction of misunderstandings. The world of Once There Was A Boy is not a culture that adapts to change. It is not a culture that will grow and flourish. It is a culture that will destroy itself by eating its own tail. Fear justifies violence in the world of this play as well as in our own culture. Fear drives the townspeople in Once There Was A Boy to fight and torture those who don’t look or act the way they do. Fear justifies hate in American culture towards those who don’t look or act the way “normal” Americans do. This project deals with current issues that we all are faced with, yet takes them to extraordinary and absurd levels allowing the audience to both laugh at the ridiculousness of it, all the while seeing a window into the soul of our humanity simultaneously.

JASON PIZZARELLO (Playwright) is a 2004 graduate of the Fordham Playwriting Program. His full-length plays include: "InsideOut," produced at the Here Arts Center, and nominated for a 2006 Innovative Theatre Award; "The Last One Left," produced by Geek, Ink in the Midtown International Theatre Festival; "Saving the Greeks: One Tragedy at a Time," produced by Push Productions at the 14th Street Y Theater; "Glued to Grammy," produced at Here; and "Once There Was A Boy," currently in development with Live Project and the Fordham Alumni Company. Seven of his plays are published by Playscripts, Inc. and have been produced in more than 20 states as well as in Austria, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Japan, Syria, and Thailand. He is the co-founder and creative director of Live Project, a mixed media performance group founded in 2002 with director Aaron Rhyne.

AARON RHYNE (director) is a director and video artist specializing in theatrical video and projection design. His designs include the New York premiere of Jerry Springer: The Opera at Carnegie Hall as well as the upcoming Sydney Opera House production, the current revival of Stephen Schwartz’ Working (Asolo Rep and The Old Globe), The Civil War (Ford’s Theatre), Amiri Baraka's Dutchman (Cherry Lane), The JAP Show (Actors Temple and US Tour), Topsy Turvy Mouse (Cherry Lane), Flags (59E59), Monica Bill Barnes’ Suddenly Summer Somewhere (Dancepace), and Cunning Little Vixen (Colorado Light Opera). He is currently developing video designs for a new one woman show starring Rue McClanahan based on her memoir, My First Five Husbands…And the Ones Who Got Away. He has done extensive video work with Caden Manson’s Big Art Group and has toured with them through Europe and the U.S. with The House of No More and Flicker. He directed and designed InsideOut, which was nominated for an Innovative Theatre Award. He founded the artists group Live Project with playwright Jason Pizzarello, and the two are currently collaborating on a new work, Once There Was A Boy. Additionally, Mr. Rhyne directs music videos, commercials, and performance projects for television. He is a proud graduate of Fordham University. www.aaronrhyne.com

Welcome!

2009-02-09T11:06:00.000-08:00

This blog will be a source for all information regarding to the Fordham Alumni Company. We will use this site to post information and news items relevant to projects associated with the company.

The Fordham Alumni Company is a group of artists that graduated from Fordham University's Theatre Program. Each summer the company produces a full production of a new piece written, directed, produced, and performed by Fordham Alumni. This production is made possible through support from the Fordham Theatre Program, as well as the donations of generous supporters.

More Information coming soon!