Altoona Community Theatre

ACT Member Picnic
2021-07-11 11:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Lakemont Park, 700 Park Avenue, Altoona, PA, 16602, United States
Current ACT members are welcome to join the picnic at Lakemont Park during their “Christmas in July” event. We will be wandering the park at designated times, singing some Christmas Carols and sharing the joy of ACT (literally singing for our supper)!

ACT Book Club "R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots)" by Karel Capek
2021-04-18 18:00 - 19:00 | Virtual, PA, United States
Sunday, April 18 at 6 pm
R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots) A Fantastic Melodrama in Three Acts and an Epilogue
By Karel Capek Join Altoona Community Theatre and our moderator, ACT member Shane Sedelmyer in a lively discussion of a play in an unusual genre: science fiction. Shane is a pop culture lover and an avid reader. He is a an English teacher and theatre director by trade. He is excited to put both to great use by moderating this book club and supporting ACT. Shane holds a Bachelor of Arts in Integrative Arts from Penn State Altoona and a Master of Arts degree in English Literature and Criticism from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Rossum’s Universal Robots by Karel Capek
R.U.R. is a 1920 science-fiction play by the Czech writer Karel Čapek. “R.U.R.” stands for Rossumovi Univerzální Roboti (Rossum’s Universal Robots, a phrase that has been used as a subtitle in English). It premiered on 25 January 1921 and introduced the word “robot” to the English language and to science fiction as a whole. R.U.R. quickly became influential after its publication. By 1923, it had been translated into thirty languages. The play begins in a factory that makes artificial people, called roboti (robots), from synthetic organic matter. They are living creatures of artificial flesh and blood rather than machinery, so they more closely follow the modern concept of androids. They may be mistaken for humans and can think for themselves. They seem happy to work for humans at first, but a robot rebellion leads to the extinction of the human race. Čapek later took a different approach to the same theme in War with the Newts, in which non-humans become a servant class in human society. R.U.R. was successful in its time in Europe and North America. The Robots described in Čapek’s play are not robots in the popularly understood sense of an automaton. They are not mechanical devices, but rather artificial biological organisms that may be mistaken for humans. A comic scene at the beginning of the play shows Helena arguing with her future husband, Harry Domin, because she cannot believe his secretary is a robotess:

DOMIN: Sulla, let Miss Glory have a look at you. HELENA: (stands and offers her hand) Pleased to meet you. It must be very hard for you out here, cut off from the rest of the world. SULLA: I do not know the rest of the world Miss Glory. Please sit down. HELENA: (sits) Where are you from? SULLA: From here, the factory. HELENA: Oh, you were born here. SULLA: Yes I was made here. HELENA: (startled) What? DOMIN: (laughing) Sulla isn’t a person, Miss Glory, she’s a robot. HELENA: Oh, please forgive me…

The entire script can be found HERE for free on Project Gutenberg. This is the version we will be using for referencing page numbers, but any version of the script that you have access to is okay. The discussion will be held by Zoom and you can join us by clicking HERE.

Ancient Greek Theatre with David Rutter (part 3)
2020-12-19 10:00 - 12:00 | Virtual, PA, United States
This Zoom webinar provides a comprehensive overview of ancient Greek theatre and the culture that produced it. David Rutter has a Bachelor of Science degree in secondary education from Penn State University, and a Master of Arts degree in theatre from San Diego State University. He also taught high school theatre in California and Florida for thirty-seven years before retiring and moving “back home” to central Pennsylvania. David has most recently appeared onstage with Altoona Community Theatre in “Big River” and “Romeo & Juliet”.

We begin in the late Bronze Age and end at closure of the Classical Period in 323 BCE. Topics include Greek theology, the Dionysian festivals, the theatre venues, “Aristotle’s Poetics,” and the works of the four major ancient Greek playwrights are examined.

This offering is a must for any student planning to study theatre in college, or for thespians of any age who want to bone up on their theatre knowledge.
The seminar will be held in three 2-hour sessions:
Session 1: Saturday, December 5 10 am – 12 noon
Session 2: Saturday, December 12 10 am – 12 noon
Session 3: Saturday, December 19 10 am – 12 noon

The fee is $15 dollars and includes all three sessions.
Purchase your travel pass to Ancient Greece and its theatre history through Eventbrite

Ancient Greek Theatre with David Rutter (part 2)
2020-12-12 10:00 - 12:00 | Virtual, PA, United States

Rail City Improv - Naughty or Nice Edition
2020-12-11 19:30 - 21:00 | Virtual, PA, United States
Join Rail City Improv for holiday-themed shenanigans on December 11th at 7:30 pm!
Register to attend this virtual performance HERE
RCI recommends having a bourbon-laced eggnog, maybe two, before the show.
Featuring Jonathan O’Harrow, Gigi Campbell, Karen Volpe, Ben Cossitor, Tara Enedy, and Mark & Maria Perehinec
Donations to support Altoona Community Theatre are gladly accepted!

Christmas Carol-A-Thon
2020-12-11 08:00 - 2020-12-24 17:00 | Virtual, PA, United States
Calling all singers and performers!
We think our region could use something positive right now, and we think ACT is the group to provide it in the form of a little holiday spirit. Here’s how you can help ACT and help our community at the same time – ACT’s Christmas Carol-A-Thon sponsored by Altoona First Savings Bank.

To participate, just make a recording of yourself singing your favorite Christmas song. You can go solo or include your family or socially distant friends. You can accompany yourself on piano, guitar, ukulele, or tambourine. You can go a cappella, or buy a Karaoke backing track for $1.99.

Send your video to act@altoonacommunitytheatre.com, and we’ll post it on our Facebook page with a “Donate to ACT” button so you can share it with your FB friends. As we get closer to Christmas, we’ll compile all the videos into a YouTube program.

To make it interesting, the person who gets the most ACT donations for their video gets bragging rights and a $100 gift certificate to PlaybillStore.com to purchase your favorite Broadway swag. (Second highest gets a $50 gift certificate. Third highest gets a $25 gift certificate.)

Let’s share ACT’s wealth of talent with the community at large to brighten everyone’s holiday spirit.

Whatever holiday you’re celebrating, you are welcome to record and submit your favorite holiday song. To avoid copyright issues, we recommend older songs (from sacred to secular) that are public domain (less Broadway, more “Jingle Bells”).

Kaleidoscope (Virtual Performance)
2020-12-05 19:30 - 20:30 | Virtual, PA, United States
Encore! Encore!
Based on the overwhelmingly positive response and several inquiries about a repeat performance…
Saturday, December 5, 2020 – 7:30 p.m.
What would you do if you were a million miles from Earth and your rocket ship was hit by a meteor and suddenly split open, leaving you floating in space with only your communicator to link you to your six crew members? Don’t know? Faced with this problem, Bradbury’s people contemplate their fate and philosophize about life and its purpose. This play is not only a director’s dream of possibilities but also a marvelous chance for actors to dig into their beings and face questions of profound magnitude.
This show is best viewed on a laptop, desktop, or other large screen.
Tickets are $10 for a single viewer, $20 for a household. We can’t actually enforce it, but we know and trust our audience.
Warning: This show contains flashing lights. People with photosensitive conditions should exercise caution.
Get your tickets HERE

Ancient Greek Theatre with David Rutter (part 1)
2020-12-05 10:00 - 12:00 | Virtual, PA, United States
This Zoom webinar provides a comprehensive overview of ancient Greek theatre and the culture that produced it.

We begin in the late Bronze Age and end at closure of the Classical Period in 323 BCE. Topics include Greek theology, the Dionysian festivals, the theatre venues, “Aristotle’s Poetics,” and the works of the four major ancient Greek playwrights are examined.

This offering is a must for any student planning to study theatre in college, or for thespians of any age who want to bone up on their theatre knowledge.

The seminar will be held in three 2-hour sessions:
Session 1: Saturday, December 5 10 am – 12 noon
Session 2: Saturday, December 12 10 am – 12 noon
Session 3: Saturday, December 19 10 am – 12 noon

The fee is $15 dollars.
Purchase your travel pass to Ancient Greece and its theatre history through Eventbrite

General Membership Meeting
2020-12-04 19:00 - 20:00 | Virtual, PA, United States
Friday, December 4, 7 pm
Join us via Zoom for our December General membership meeting where we’ll be discussing our upcoming events, education workshop, fundraisers, and introducing our new Director of Operations, Tara Enedy.
Jim Watt is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Join Zoom Meeting
Become a Member today!

OR:
Join a Zoom Meeting ID: 982 8632 1576
Dial by your location when computer audio is not available: +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C)
Meeting ID: 982 8632 1576

The Final Act of Dr. Faustus (Virtual Performance)
2020-11-06 19:00 - 2020-11-08 14:00 | Virtual, PA, United States
Buy Tickets Now
November 6 & 7, 2020 – 7 p.m.
November 8 – 2 p.m.
Tom Liszka is the director of “The Final Act of Dr. Faustus” which is based on Christopher Marlowe’s classic, “The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Dr. Faustus.” The play tells the story of the famously brilliant scholar who sold his soul to the devil and ACT’s production focuses on the last day of Faustus’ life.
Introduced by the late Steve Helsel, the performance features David Misera, Tara Enedy, Rodney Berkey, Kristine Allen, Hannah Misera, Sister Caroline Caritas (aka Kelsey Ingold) and Valerie Stratton, with additional tech by Marjorie Long, Carl Newfield and Marlene Liszka.

Gypsy - cancelled
2020-07-09 - 2020-07-12 | The Historic Mishler Theatre, 1208 12th Ave, Altoona, PA, 16601, United States
“Gypsy” tells the story of the dreams and determination of Mama Rose, the quintessential Stage Mother, a hungry powerhouse of a woman who will stop at nothing to see her daughters become famous, leading one of them into a career as cabaret legend, Gypsy Rose Lee.
The musical recounts the saga of the “stage gypsies” traveling the nationwide circuit of vaudeville theatres (just like the Mishler).
Offering up rousing numbers like “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” “Let Me Entertain You,” and “You Gotta Get a Gimmick,” it’s a clever, funny, and provocative story that’s strikingly relevant more than 60 years after it premiered.
Buy Tickets Now

Virtual Isaac Awards
2020-06-14 19:00 - 21:00 | PA
The Isaacs are going virtual for 2020!
The Virtual Isaacs will be streamed via YouTube on Sunday, June 14 at 7:00 p.m. Here is the YouTube link.
If it was a normal year, the Mishler Theatre would have been filled to the rafters with high school students and their parents for the 15th annual Isaac Awards on May 23 and 24. But there’s been nothing normal about 2020.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, only five of our twenty participating schools were able to perform their musical. In addition, we obviously could not bring 1,500 high school students, their teachers, and their parents to the Mishler Theatre over Memorial Day weekend for an awards show.
The good news is that, based on feedback from our participating schools from across six counties, we will be presenting the Virtual Isaacs on Sunday, June 14 at 7:00 p.m. as a streaming broadcast on YouTube. Just click on this link.

Summer Drama Camps - links to at-home activities
2020-06-08 - 2020-08-14 | ACT Rehearsal Hall, 1213 12th St, Altoona, PA, 16601, United States
Unfortunately, ACT’s 2020 Summer Drama Camps have been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We will miss seeing your kids’ smiling faces and doing activities together – but we’ve been compiling a list of great websites and links to videos for you and your young actors to enjoy at home.
Below are some of those resources to begin your “online summer theatre journey!” We’ll be adding to the list periodically during the summer so keep an eye out for new choices.
Stay safe, stay well, and have fun!
ACT Summer Drama Camp Instructors

Websites and Videos for Theatrical Kids!
UCLArts & Healing series-healing through the Arts
Disney Curriculum
Hamilton Education Program
Mehron stage make-up demos
Tour 11 Famous Theaters Across the World
“Story Fairy” Weekly Scenes with Interactive Questions and Games
Fun Brain Breaks for Kids from Unicef KidPower

Play in a Day Workshop for Kids
2020-02-29 09:00 - 15:00 | ACT Rehearsal Hall, 1213 12th St, Altoona, PA, 16601, United States
Altoona Community Theatre will present a “Play in a Day” workshop on Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. in the rehearsal hall of the Altoona Community Theatre Building.
Lead by Cindy Stanbro, the workshop offers skilled and new artists the opportunity to go through the entire production process in six hours. Attendees will learn stage directions, acting, auditioning, set design, costuming, and marketing while producing a short show.
Lunch will be provided.
Registration fee $50.
Open to students in grades one through nine.
A free performance for family and friends will take place at 3 p.m.
Register Now

A Midsummer Night’s Dream
2020-02-13 - 2020-02-16 | The Historic Mishler Theatre, 1208 12th Ave, Altoona, PA, 16601, United States
Thurs, 2/13 – 7:30 p.m.
Fri, 2/14 – 7:30 p.m.
Sat, 2/15 – 7:30 p.m.
Sun, 2/16 – 2:00 p.m.

One of Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies. On the eve of a royal wedding, a quartet of lovers and a motley group of amateur actors enter a fairy-filled forest. In a single, fantastical night in this bewitched wilderness of moonlight and magic, Shakespeare creates an enchanting and humorous exploration of romance.
When the worlds of mortals and fairies cross paths, what ensues is sorcery, mischief, explosive passion, fickle infatuation, and shape-shifting mayhem in a hilarious adventure where ridiculous antics lead to magical moments.
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Set Design Workshop
2020-01-25 09:00 - 12:00 | The Historic Mishler Theatre, 1208 12th Ave, Altoona, PA, 16601, United States
​A partnership with Blair County Arts Foundation and Altoona Community Theatre. Learn set design concepts from Al Pelliccioni and how to turn those ideas into reality. Coffee and donuts provided.
$15 registration fee.
18 years and older.
Class takes place at the Mishler Theatre.
Register Now

Gypsy Auditions
2020-01-12 18:00 - 2020-01-13 21:00 | The Historic Mishler Theatre, 1208 12th Ave, Altoona, PA, 16601, United States
Auditions for Gypsy directed by Bryce Cossitor will be January 12th and 13th from 6-9 pm at the Mishler Theatre. Children (14 and under) will be seen from 6-7 pm. Adults will be seen from 7-9 pm. Please prepare 16 to 32 bars of a Broadway standard. Accompanist provided. Please provide music in the appropriate key. If you prefer not to prepare a song in advance, one will be taught at auditions. All should dress comfortably and bring appropriate shoes for a simple dance audition.
Character breakdowns are below. All roles are open. Ages are just a guideline, not definitive. Roles will be cast relative to the ensemble chosen. Ages may fluctuate in accordance.

Momma Rose (ages from 35 – 50) The ultimate stage mother. Lives her life vicariously through her two daughters, whom she’s put into show business. She is loud, brash, pushy and single-minded, but at times can be doting and charming. She is holding down demons of her own that she is afraid to face. Her voice is the ultimate powerful Broadway belt. Minimal dance but must move well. Comic timing a must. Strong Mezzo/Alto with good low notes and belt.
Baby June (about 10) is a Shirley Temple-like up-and-coming vaudeville star, and Madam Rose’s youngest daughter. Her onstage demeanor is sugary-sweet, cute, precocious and adorable to the nth degree. Must be no taller than 3′, 5″. An adorable character – Mama Rose’s shining star. Strong child singer, strong dancer and taps. Mezzo.
Young Louise (about 12) She should look a couple years older than Baby June. She is Madam Rose’s brow-beaten oldest daughter, and has always played second fiddle to her baby sister. She is shy, awkward, a little sad and subdued; she doesn’t have the confidence of her sister. Strong acting skills needed. The character always dances slightly out of step but the actress playing this part must be able to dance. Mezzo singer.
Herbie (about 45) agent for Rose’s children and Rose’s boyfriend and a possible husband number 4. He has a heart of gold but also has the power to defend the people he loves with strength. Minimum dance. A Baritone, sings in one group number, two duets and trio with Rose and Louise. Strong acting role.
Dainty June (16-24) Baby June as a young teenager. The older she gets, the less she enjoys being her mother’s trained monkey. Strong Alto, must be able to belt a song and have decent dancing skills. The ability to do the splits and twirl a baton a big plus, but not a requirement. Must dance very well, taps, strong Broadway teen singer, close harmony skills preferred.
Louise/Gypsy Rose Lee (18 – 25) Baby Louise as a teenager, who grows up to be Gypsy Rose Lee. Still pushed aside by Madam Rose in favor of June, until she herself becomes her mother’s new pet project. Should be able to move well. Minimum actual dance but must have very strong movement skills, strong acting skills needed. Must be able to portray both the awkward teen and a sophisticated woman we know now as Gypsy Rose Lee. Must dance inside a dancing cow costume, must be comfortable with the character’s profession – stripping. The character is very scantily clad but never actual appears in the nude. Mezzo (needs light sound for “little Lamb” and belt for “Let Me Entertain You.”
Dressy Tessie Tura (20s-40s) a stripper just past her prime. Big Broadway voice (Mezzo Belt), strong movement/dance, ballet training helpful. A burlesque dancer that shares her dressing room with Louise. She was once a ballerina and still has some of the moves. A course broad who’s been around the block. Very funny.
Mazeppa (20s-40s) a stripper just past her prime. Big Broadway voice (Alto Belt), strong movement/dance, powerful character. A burlesque dancer who’s tough and physically intimidating. Trumpet playing skills would be outstanding but not required.
Electra (20s-40s) a stripper just past her prime. Big Broadway voice (Mezzo Belt), strong movement/dance. Quieter than her counterparts but her costume is wired with lights, allowing her to “shine” without working up a sweat. Ditzy and sweet.
Cratchitt (any age over 20) the production assistant for the Grantzinger theater, N.Y.C. The comedic role.
Children’s Ensemble (ages 10 -12) Two or three young boys and one young girl. Baby June’s back up dancers and singers. Ability of one child to play accordion or clarinet a plus. Must sing and dance.
Young Women’s Ensemble (ages 20 – 30) singer/dancers who act as both the back up dancers for Louise/Gypsy Rose Lee and perform in the large burlesque numbers in the second act. Strong dancers. Some comic skills very helpful. Very minimal singing. A few have minor expanded roles.
Agnes (20-30) one of the women’s dancing chorus, strong comic skills required.
Young Men’s Ensemble (ages 16 -20) Six young men sing and dance backup for teenage June, plus join in the number “Have an Eggroll, Mr. Goldstone.” Should be strong singers and dancers. Will double as small parts in Act I and Act II, plus some backup dancing in Gypsy’s strip routine. Must be very strong dancers and singers. Comic time preferred.
Tulsa (age 17 – 20) Boy-next-door type. Strives to break out of the troupe with an act of his own. Sings and dances “All I Need Is the Girl.” Extremely strong dancer in all styles of show dance including tap. Good singer, charming, very athletic and handsome young man. High Baritone.
Kringelin (adult male character over 35) the put upon manager of a hotel.
Mr. Goldstone (any age over 30) Booking agent for the Orpheum Theater Circuit. Chaplin-like skills a must never speaks.
Cigar (adult male, age 30-50) rather aggressive owner of a burlesque theatre, Classic character part.
Pastey (any age) Cigar’s stage manager.
Chowsie A small dog (with a good temperament).

“Gypsy” tells the story of the dreams and determination of Mama Rose, the quintessential Stage Mother, a hungry powerhouse of a woman who will stop at nothing to see her daughters become famous, leading one of them into a career as cabaret legend, Gypsy Rose Lee. The musical recounts the saga of the “stage gypsies” traveling the nationwide circuit of vaudeville theatres (just like the Mishler). Offering up rousing numbers like “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” “Let Me Entertain You,” and “You Gotta Get a Gimmick,” it’s a clever, funny, and provocative story that’s strikingly relevant more than 60 years after it premiered.
Questions? Email act@altoonacommunitytheatre.com.

Elf: The Musical
2019-11-21 19:30 - 2019-11-24 16:30 | The Historic Mishler Theatre, 1208 12th Ave, Altoona, PA, 16601, United States
Thurs, 11/21 – 7:30 p.m.
Fri, 11/22 – 7:30 p.m.
Sat, 11/23 – 7:30 p.m.
Sun, 11/24 – 2:00 p.m.

Based on the hilarious Will Ferrell holiday movie, Buddy, an orphaned baby, mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag and is transported to the North Pole. The would-be elf is raised unaware that he is actually a human until his enormous size causes him to face the truth. Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father and to discover his true identity. Faced with the harsh reality that his father is on the Naughty List, Buddy is determined to win over his new family and help NYC remember the true meaning of Christmas. After all, “the best way to spread Christmas Cheer is singing loud for all to hear.”
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