Thank You!

Thank you so much to everyone who came to support us this weekend for our production of Side Show! We are so grateful to our amazing cast and crew! This show would not have been a success without them.

Today we begin the second of our two summer professional workshops. We hope that you will continue to follow us in our new blog, following our journey through A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

Performance Weekend

Thank you to everyone who came out for opening night of Side Show! The night was a great success and we are looking forward to the rest of the weekend! If you didn't get a chance to catch last night's performance, there are still two opportunities to see this amazing production!

Dates/ Times:
June 7 at 7:30pm
June 8 at 1:30pm

Ticket Prices:

$15 for adults

$12 for students and seniors

Call (440) 338-3171 for reservations

Location: Chagrin Falls High School, Studio Theatre

400 E. Washington Street

Chagrin Falls, OH 44022

The Bearded Lady

Believe it or not, it is actually possible for a woman to have a beard. Generally, this is the case of a hormone imbalance or a genetic disorder called congenital generalized hypertrichosis terminalis (CGHT), also known as "werewolf syndrome". Many sideshows and circuses actually used fakes, but history's most notable acts were the real deal. Come and see our own Molly Pavilonis take on this famous role!

Tech Week

Tech week is already here! Today our actors begin their 13-hour days in preparation for this weekend's shows. Everything is starting to really come together as we move from memorizing and blocking to nit-picking and working on the details. We are so lucky to have the amazing Ben Needham working with us on this production! He's been cuing up the lighting all day and his efforts are not without reward. The set looks amazing to begin with, but the lighting adds a whole other dimension that is sure to completely transform the theater!

Dates and Times:

July 5 at 7:30 pm

July 6 at 7:30 pm

July 7 at 1:30 pm

Ticket Prices:

$15 for adults

$12 for students and seniors

Call (440) 338-3171 for reservations

Location: Chagrin Falls High School, Studio Theatre

400 E. Washington Street

Chagrin Falls, OH 44022

End of Week 2

As week two comes to a close, we are so proud of the great work that our young thespians have done so far. The show is now completely blocked and today was the first day off book for the entire cast. Although we are still piecing together the finishing touches on costumes and props, we are adding more and more every day to the rehearsals. Make sure that you reserve your tickets soon!

Dates and Times:
July 5 at 7:30 pm
July 6 at 7:30 pm
July 7 at 1:30 pm

Ticket Prices:
$15 for adults
$12 for students and seniors
Call (440) 338-3171 for reservations

Location: Chagrin Falls High School, Studio Theatre
400 E. Washington Street
Chagrin Falls, OH 44022

Reptile Girl

Sideshows and circuses are usually filled with acrobats, gymnasts, and acts with exotic animals. Rachel Hoy's character combines all of these ideas into one very unique character, Reptile Girl. Rachel is a very gifted gymnast who will be showing off her talents in Side Show. Get ready for backflips, handstands, and lizard-like movements as she is transformed into a half-human, half-reptile creature!

The Cannibal King

Sideshows were a popular source of entertainment where people could suspend their disbelief for a moment in time. These shows combined real acts (like the Siamese twins, Daisy and Violet Hilton) along with some fake characters, such as the Cannibal King. While many sideshows claimed these exhibits to be from tribal African villages, they were often times black men that were native to England, or British and Irish performers that were dressed and painted up to look like Africans. Today, "wild man" acts are no longer part of mainstream circuses, but the story of Side Show takes us back to a different point in entertainment history. We promise our CeeJay won't bite... just so long as you applaud!

Our Prediction

There is evidence to suggest that the art of fortune-telling has been around since as long ago as 4000 BCE. There are many forms of this practice that have been developed over the centuries, such as astrology, numerology, palmistry. While you won't find fortune tellers today in circuses like Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, they were once commonly part of many sideshow acts. Margo Tilstrom takes on this roll in our production of Side Show and predicts that this is going to be a great show!

Week 2 Begins

With only three weeks to put on a full-length musical, we have really had to keep up the pace during our rehearsals. Our students are doing a phenomenal job learning their blocking, memorizing their songs and lines, and developing their characters. We still have a ways to go, but we have accomplished a lot so far and the show is starting to look really great! Make sure you keep you schedule open for July 5-7 to come see us perform!

The Boss

The role of ringmaster has been traditionally been played by males, but women have begun to step into the spotlight as well. Texas native, Audrey Michelle Alvarado, has led the show as the ringmaster for the George Carden International Circus since she was 31, but she knew the Circus life had been her calling since childhood. Our own Charlotte Fallick takes on the role of The Boss in this production of Side Show. We're so lucky to have such a talented young lady to work with! Don't let her sweet demeanor offstage fool you, though, she manages this sideshow with the best (or worst) of them, depending on who you ask.

2 for 1

Did you know that Side Show's Alice Ripley and Emily Skinner were the first and only two actresses to be co-nominated for the Tony Award of Best Actress in a Musical? Side Show centers around the story of real-life conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton, who rose from a sideshow act to the vaudeville stage. Our own production stars Emily Wirthwein and Hannah Gang as the sisters. They are quickly learning just how difficult it is to move as a pair, but our girls are handling the task like real pros!

Physicality

We're making a big effort to focus on physicality today! Part of being a great actor means being able to move the way you think your character should move. Side Show is filled with interesting opportunities for our young superstars to explore. From reptile girl to the conjoined twins, each character is unique and gives our actors and actresses the chance to have fun and be creative with their motions.

Tony Award Nominee

Things are already starting to come together for our show! While we still have many hours of rehearsal ahead of us, you can be sure that we're working our hardest to put on a great performance for you. Did you know that Side Show was nominated at the 1998 Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, and Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical? Here's a little taste of Side Show from the 52nd Tony Awards starring Emily Skinner and Alice Ripley.

Summer Theatre Camp Starts Today!

Today begins the first session of Fairmount Theatre Academy's Summer Theatre Camp! We are incredibly excited to begin work on this summer's first production of Side Show with a group of talented young actors and actresses from around the greater Cleveland area. This year, we are happy to announce that both the camp and our productions will all take place at Chagrin Falls High School. The performances for Side Show will be July 5-7. Check back to our blog for our posts about getting ready for this production!