Golden Ticket Prizes!!

Yesterday the four golden ticket winners gathered at New England Youth Theatre, 100 Flat St. in Brattleboro, to draw their prizes.  The kids who found the tickets got to draw their prizes out of Willy Wonka's top hat.  NEYT costumers Sam, Phoebe, and Tilden drew first, pulling out the $300 gift certificate to Vermont Artisan Designs. 
Next was Connall, who found his ticket at a Wonka performance that he was attending with his grandmother.  He squeezed his eyes shut so tightly and reached into the hat, pulling out the BIG prize - $500 cash!  When he drew the ticket, Connall said he wanted to win the big cash prize most of all. "I would give $100.00 to my sister Elizabeth and then i would buy lots of things for my many pets I have.  Then i would buy a DSI."
The third winner is David Petrie of Brattleboro, who brought his family to see the show and surprised them all when he opened his chocolate bar at intermission. His daughter drew the prize out of the hat - a year of free tickets for two to all of NEYT's productions.  And last was fourth winner, 10-year-old Zoe Baker of Putney who capped the special gala night festivities on December 18, by finding a golden ticket in her chocolate bar. She pulled out the $200 gift certificate to GameStop.  

There was a fifth golden ticket hidden in the chocolate bars, but no one came forward to claim their prize in time.  Maybe the ticket was lost, or the dog ate it.  We may never know...

Angels in the Wings

In the last year, NEYT has seen a 25 percent increase in financial aid requests. In 2008 close to $10,000 was given out in financial aid – this money comes from concession sales, fundraising events, and 10 percent of tuition income. With “Angels in the Wings” the theatre hopes to double that amount in order to provide families with the needed extra support to continue participating in NEYT’s dynamic programs, as well as to those families who have not considered it affordable. “If a mere 100 people donated a mere $10 per month, that would be $12000 per year, which would accomplish the goal we have set very painlessly and democratically,” says Rick Barron, Director of the Technical Theatre Program.

Taking steps to meet the increased need for financial assistance by NEYT families who have been affected by the economic downturn, New England Youth Theatre has created a new financial aid program:  “Angels in the Wings.” This program is an effort to reach beyond what NEYT’s Financial Aid Program can fund, and both help those families whose financial need has increased, and reach out to new families and students who may have found the tuition expenses prohibitive to participating in NEYT’s programs.

Donations to “Angels in the Wings” will be gratefully accepted and can be made on a one-time or on-going basis. Please contact the NEYT office at 802-246-NEYT or michelle@neyt.org. Donations can also be made online using a credit card at www.neyt.org.  

Golden Ticket Drawing!!!

On Wednesday, January 27 at 4 p.m., winners of New England Youth Theatre’s golden tickets from the Wonka-inspired candy bar sale, will gather at the theatre on Flat Street to draw their prizes. First up will be the first winners, Sam Grubinger from Dummerston and Tilden Remerleitch from Guilford, student costumers at NEYT who found the first golden ticket in late November, and plan to share their prize with fellow costumer Phoebe Martel. Next up will be 7-year-old Conall Halvey from Wardsboro who came to see Willy Wonka with his grandmother and left with a grin and a golden ticket. The third winner is David Petrie of Brattleboro, who brought his family to see the show and surprised them all when he opened his chocolate bar at intermission. The fourth winner is 10-year-old Zoe Baker of Putney who capped the special gala night festivities on December 18, by finding a golden ticket in her chocolate bar. 

      The fifth golden ticket winner has yet to come forward, although all the chocolate bars have been sold since late December. “We decided to go ahead with the drawing,” said Development Director Carlotta Cuerdon. “Although we are hoping a fifth winner will show up.”  Now is the time to check any unopened bars you may have, as the theatre has set the drawing date and time of 4 p.m, on January 27 as the deadline for producing the fifth ticket. Speculation on the missing fifth ticket ranges from an out-of-towner who didn’t know about the contest, or the story of the dog that swallowed a chocolate bar wrapper and all.

      Winners will be drawing for prizes including two $500 cash prizes, a $300 gift certificate to Vermont Artisan Designs, a pass for two to all New England Youth Theatre shows in 2010, and a $200 gift card from Gamestop. More information about the contest can be  obtained by contacting the theatre at 246-6398.

NEYTers Dig Improv

A group of NEYT students have been gathering weekly to bone up on their improvisational theatre skills.  Led by the beloved Sandy Klein, NEYT alum Andrew Marchev and Jane Baker, relatively new to the faculty, the “Monday Nighters” are building a formidable troupe.  Often you will find them performing at Elliot St. Café on Gallery Walk evenings.  They also can be found at Freaky Friday Games Nights, which happen monthly.

Take a Deep Breath...

 Winter Classes begin January 18!  

Make sure you’ve registered.  We have an excellent line-up of classes for all ages and abilities!  Improve your audition monologues, learn new skills, get ready for challenging roles by boosting your acting chops! For more details please visit the website: http://www.neyt.org/programs/classes.html

NEYT has a New Managing Director!

You have seen her countless times as you enter through NEYT doors.  She welcomes everyone with a smile, a joke, an inquiring gaze over her dainty glasses...

New England Youth Theatre is proud to announce the promotion of Michelle Meima to the position of Managing Director, furthering NEYT’s goal of building an efficient organization.  Meima was previously the registrar and administrator for NEYT, and will continue to hold many of those responsibilities, while also taking on new ones.  She will remain the welcoming face of New England Youth Theatre.  Her office will still be located just off the lobby area to greet audiences, students, and parents coming into the theatre.

Originally from Great Britain, the new managing director began her life in the performing arts as a cabaret singer in locations all over Europe, including the UK, Greece, and the Canary Islands.  After moving to Brattleboro from Sweden, Meima began as a volunteer with the youth theatre when her daughter began voraciously auditioning for shows and taking classes.  Since that time four years ago, she has been dedicated to helping the Youth Theatre become what it is today.

Alumni Panel

On December 27 an Alumni Panel came to Brattleboro's New England Youth Theatre and spoke to the Professional Track students about their college and professional experiences.

Active NEYT alumni range in age from 18-25 and are involved in theatre in many different gradients of intensity – some are pursuing careers in New York City and Boston, others work in the theatre world in smaller communities, and many are still in college either earning a degree in theatre or a complimentary degree in liberal arts.  They also come from different disciplines in theatre - stage management, marketing, acting, composing, singing and dancing!

NEYT Students were able to ask questions about making the college choice, auditioning, and what happens after college.  Alumni were able to discuss the variety of programs that they had attended and many were loyal to the training they had gone through - whether it was a conservatory program or a liberal arts program.  Alums emphasized that finding the right school is a very personal decision - it is not only ranking and programs, but also the community and culture of the institution that should influence a student's decision.

Also, Pro-trackers were curious what it is like to make the transition from rural Vermont to a big city such as Boston, New York, or any others that the alumni have traveled to.  Alumni confirmed that the cities are the best places to begin, but reasserted the old boyscout adage: "'Be prepared!'  Cities are really different." Noah Smith, who now lives in Manhattan, added "Its best when you can find a place in a city where you can be outdoors, like a park.  Its good to get fresh air."

NEYT - an Accessible Theatre

NEYT is making strides in becoming a more accessible theatre!  This fall we purchased four Assisted Listening Devices (ALDs).  These devices receive a signal from a microphone near the stage and they transmit the dialogue and audio action right to your ear!

And for the first time ever for a main stage production, NEYT brought in two American Sign Language Interpreters for Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka.  In the past only Theatre Adventure Program performances have been interpreted, but it is NEYT’s goal to at least provide one interpreted performance for the holiday show and maybe even the big spring production.

On top of all of that, NEYT offers reserved handicapped parking, seating, and most of the theatre is on ground level.  What is not yet wheelchair accessible are the booth, where lights and sound are operated, and the costume loft, where many of the costumes are made and stored.  There are plans in progress to build an elevator so that we can make the full technical theatre training experience available to everyone.

If you would like to assist in helping New England Youth Theatre become more accessible for people of all abilities and mobilities, please contact our general manager, Michelle, at michelle@neyt.org.  You may also make a secure donation online by clicking here.

Founding member of Shakespeare and Co. Joins NEYT faculty

New England Youth Theatre is happy to welcome a new addition to its faculty. John Hadden joins an already impressive group of teachers and directors, bringing a life full of exciting experiences in the professional acting world, and a plethora of teaching experience – having held positions at universities as well as working with younger youths.
Hadden was a founding member and Associate Artistic Director at Shakespeare & Company, in Lennox, Massachusetts.  The Youth Theatre has had a relationship with this organization for years – attending plays, bringing company members up to Vermont to conduct workshops, and incorporating their voice coach, Keely Eastly into the NEYT faculty. With this group, Hadden acted, taught and directed for twenty years and founded the company's Summer Training Program.
NEYT is glad to add faculty who bring new talents and experience, as well as accolades: Taken, a film that Hadden directed and appeared in, was an award winner at the 2009 Boston International Film Festival. He also is a produced playwright, an experienced director, and a published author.
Hadden is currently directing a small group of NEYT’s younger students in a workshop version of You Can’t Take It With You, not for public performance, but for the students’ growth as actors. This spring he will be directing New England Youth Theatre’s production of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, opening April 23.