Collingswood Shakepeare Company
Feb. 3rd, 2006 07:44 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
charliesmumSo, this is the director we've chosen: John Gallagher has been working in the production industry for over fifty years. In the Theatre he has worked, among others, with Sir Tyrone Guthrie, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Basil Rathbone and, his personal favorites, Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy.
He has worked on both Equity Productions and University productions, directing and/or designing (settings, lights and sound) almost two hundred productions - from Shakespeare to Musical Comedy. For a number of years he ran a playwriting clinic with the literary agent of the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia. Mr. Gallagher has been working in Television almost as long.
In that field he has worked with Ernie Kovacs, Sid Caesar and Ed McMahon. For the last twenty years he has been working in Industrial Television as a writer, producer, director and as a project manager for Media Source, Inc., College Video and Cratin Productions.
While doing “Industrials” Mr. Gallagher was, also, in charge of the Communications Curriculum at Montgomery County Community College where he taught among other courses, Acting, Theatre Production, Media Scripting and Media Production. Occasionally, he has acted as design consultant for the construction of theatre and television production facilities. He is now dramaturge, director and editor for the Living Audio Repertory Company (LARC). Since returning to Philadelphia recently he has provided the sound design for The Fictitious Theatre Company’s production of Hyde in the Shadows, wrote and directed 2’s a Pair for DuPree Entertainment.
For Green Light theatrical productions he directed The Gift of Giving and Hedda Without Walls. For the Irish Repertory Company he designed the set for The Whiteheaded Boy and directed Lady Gregory’s Workhouse Ward and Sean O’Casey’s The Shadow of a Gunman. Last Spring he was Technical Director for the Barry more Award winning Tuesday for the Amaryllis Theatre Company. He acted as dramaturge for Armen Pandola in the Writing of the play that won the Edwin Forrest playwriting contest at the Walnut Sreeet Theatre.
He has degrees from Saint Joseph’s and Temple Universities.
After he left last night, we (on the board) sat quietly for a moment and then someone said, "He does know this would be for free, right?" because we couldn't quite believe someone of his caliber would want to direct a small town play with a company that is totally new and doesn't even have any money yet. But apparently he's interested. I suppose it is sort of a working retirement or something.
Our Chair leader wants us all to try to raise some funds individually, which means begging friends and family, something I'm not terribly good at. I'm sure my parents will kick in something, and my in-laws may as well, but I sure don't feel comfy asking friends to give me money without having something to give in return.
Meanwhile, I'm really, really, really hoping to be cast. I have no idea what our talent pool is going to be. It could be tons of talented people, or we won't have enough to fill out the cast. On one hand, I sure hope we get enough interested people, but on the other hand, I'm hoping it isn't too many, as I'd like to have the 'big fish/small pond' advantage I enjoyed in college. I do worry we won't get enough boys to audition.
I wouldn't mind being Hippolyta, actually. It's a small part, but she has some good lines. And I could model her after Xena, which would be fun. I'd like to be Titania. I think I'm way too old for Hermia or Helena.
Right, enough babbling. Today is my husband's 39th birthday, and I am going to bake a cake. Wish me luck. :)
He has worked on both Equity Productions and University productions, directing and/or designing (settings, lights and sound) almost two hundred productions - from Shakespeare to Musical Comedy. For a number of years he ran a playwriting clinic with the literary agent of the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia. Mr. Gallagher has been working in Television almost as long.
In that field he has worked with Ernie Kovacs, Sid Caesar and Ed McMahon. For the last twenty years he has been working in Industrial Television as a writer, producer, director and as a project manager for Media Source, Inc., College Video and Cratin Productions.
While doing “Industrials” Mr. Gallagher was, also, in charge of the Communications Curriculum at Montgomery County Community College where he taught among other courses, Acting, Theatre Production, Media Scripting and Media Production. Occasionally, he has acted as design consultant for the construction of theatre and television production facilities. He is now dramaturge, director and editor for the Living Audio Repertory Company (LARC). Since returning to Philadelphia recently he has provided the sound design for The Fictitious Theatre Company’s production of Hyde in the Shadows, wrote and directed 2’s a Pair for DuPree Entertainment.
For Green Light theatrical productions he directed The Gift of Giving and Hedda Without Walls. For the Irish Repertory Company he designed the set for The Whiteheaded Boy and directed Lady Gregory’s Workhouse Ward and Sean O’Casey’s The Shadow of a Gunman. Last Spring he was Technical Director for the Barry more Award winning Tuesday for the Amaryllis Theatre Company. He acted as dramaturge for Armen Pandola in the Writing of the play that won the Edwin Forrest playwriting contest at the Walnut Sreeet Theatre.
He has degrees from Saint Joseph’s and Temple Universities.
After he left last night, we (on the board) sat quietly for a moment and then someone said, "He does know this would be for free, right?" because we couldn't quite believe someone of his caliber would want to direct a small town play with a company that is totally new and doesn't even have any money yet. But apparently he's interested. I suppose it is sort of a working retirement or something.
Our Chair leader wants us all to try to raise some funds individually, which means begging friends and family, something I'm not terribly good at. I'm sure my parents will kick in something, and my in-laws may as well, but I sure don't feel comfy asking friends to give me money without having something to give in return.
Meanwhile, I'm really, really, really hoping to be cast. I have no idea what our talent pool is going to be. It could be tons of talented people, or we won't have enough to fill out the cast. On one hand, I sure hope we get enough interested people, but on the other hand, I'm hoping it isn't too many, as I'd like to have the 'big fish/small pond' advantage I enjoyed in college. I do worry we won't get enough boys to audition.
I wouldn't mind being Hippolyta, actually. It's a small part, but she has some good lines. And I could model her after Xena, which would be fun. I'd like to be Titania. I think I'm way too old for Hermia or Helena.
Right, enough babbling. Today is my husband's 39th birthday, and I am going to bake a cake. Wish me luck. :)
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no subject
on 2006-02-03 01:44 pm (UTC)I'm sure the cake will be yummy.
no subject
on 2006-02-03 02:26 pm (UTC)Best of luck in casting. I personally think that you look quite young enough to play a romantic lead. Also, if you don't get enough men at the auditionm keep in mind that for all the years that women were played in Shakespeare's plays by men, it's time that women started dressing as men from time to time. :) Drag King!Shakespeare!
::is all kinds of excited for you::
no subject
on 2006-02-03 02:27 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2006-02-03 02:38 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2006-02-03 02:43 pm (UTC)Sometimes big, established community theatre groups can be kind of snotty -- even to professionals. And they have their set way of doing things, which makes it harder for the expert to come in and do things the way he/she thinks they should be done. Younger theatre groups find it easier to defer to people's expertise.
With the theatre company I helped found, we have a professional production guy who has worked on both of our shows. He loves our group. Why? Because we appreciate him and let him do his job without interference (while still offering help/support). Meanwhile, another theatre group I'm involved with has alienated a lot of directors and tech people. The board will interfere and think their way should win out. The result is that you have non-designers (whether print, set, whatever) telling talented designers how to do their job ... until the designers quit in disgust.
no subject
on 2006-02-03 03:38 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2006-02-03 04:35 pm (UTC)Good luck baking the cake, and happy birthday to hubby!