theatre - Mill Mountain Theatre

Awarding Young Artists With Ginger Morris

Our twenty-fourth official episode of Meet Me At Mill Mountain: The Podcast features Ginger Morris, from Austin, Texas. In this episode, learn how Ginger got her start in the industry after college and how she became a co-founder of Summer Stock Austin.

Ginger Morris, having graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a BFA in Theatre in 1998, is now a theatre producer, director, choreographer, and educator. For her first six years after college, Ginger worked as an Equity Stage Manager and the Academy Director for Austin Musical Theatre. She has directed and/or choreographed productions with various universities, professional, community, and youth theatres across central Texas. She is the co-founder of Summer Stock Austin, where she has directed and choreographed 13 musicals garnering the B. Iden Payne Award for Best Choreography. Ginger has directed and/or choreographed over 40 musicals and has worked on several original musicals from Austin to New York City. She is the Executive Director of a nonprofit theatre education company called Impact Arts, Producing Director for the Heller Awards for Young Artists with the Long Center for the Performing Arts, Artistic Director/Producer for Summer Stock Austin in partnership with Texas Performing Arts, and is also the program director of Texas Arts Project with St. Stephen’s School. She is fiercely devoted to seeing young people come alive through the arts.

Mill Mountain Theatre strives to inspire, entertain, enrich, educate, and challenge audiences of Southwest Virginia through high-quality, professional theatrical productions and experiences. Meet Me At Mill Mountain: The Podcast explores all of the buzz words in Mill Mountain Theatre’s mission statement.

Cultivating a Career with Leonela Hernandez

Our twenty-third official episode of Meet Me At Mill Mountain: The Podcast features Leonela Hernandez, Mill Mountain Theatre’s Education Associate. Join Ginger Poole, the Producing Artistic Director of Mill Mountain Theatre as she learns about Leonela’s interesting past as Leonela Hernandez goes on a deep dive into how she discovered her love for the performing arts and overcoming various challenges.

Leonela Hernandez graduated from Belhaven University with a BFA in Musical Theatre in May 2020. Leonela became a part of the MMT family during the Summer of 2019 performing as Mama/Thomasina in their production of “Peter Rabbit: The Musical and acting as Assistant Director for “Next to Normal” and Assistant Choreographer for “The Little Mermaid.” Leonela has trained with ZACH Theatre, Paramount Theatre, Joffrey Ballet School, Broadway Dance Center, Mill Mountain Theatre, and more. Leonela is excited to come back and join MMT as the new Education Associate! leonelahernandez.com

Mill Mountain Music Returns: Music of the Crooners

Fly with us to the moon and experience Mill Mountain Theatre’s Music of the Crooners! This fun show is kicking off the Mill Mountain Concert Series on the Trinkle MainStage.

Experience the glitz and glamour of classic music icons such as Frank Sinatra, Doris Day, Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, Michael Bublè and many more legends! This show is one that will make you want to get out of your seat and dance with us during an unforgettable night. Music of the Crooners will be on the Trinkle MainStage for three shows only from October 29th – 30th with a matinee Saturday afternoon.

The Mill Mountain Music Series is uplifted by nostalgic and iconic songs of the past and present that have been curated by MMT’s Resident Music Director and music maestro, Seth Davis. “So much of this music is truly part of the “Great American Songbook” and has been covered by some of the greatest performers of the past 100 years. Everyone in the audience will find themselves humming along to many of these favorite songs – and we’ve got a really great group of dynamic musicians that always deliver some stunning musical performances!”

Remember some of the most celebrated entertainers of our time at our Music of the Crooners concert. Sit back and enjoy tunes originated by the velvety voices of singers like Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett, and more. Pop standards from the Great American Songbook will leave you humming all the way home. Featuring a live band and singers, this concert is produced by MMT in just one week, and plays for three performances only!

“Music of the Crooners will bring all of the joy our audiences felt during Million Dollar Quartet and will make you want to snap and sing along throughout the night.” Says Ginger Poole, Mill Mountain Theatre’s Producing Artistic Director and Director of Music of the Crooners. “This will be the perfect show to bring your friends and family together and enjoy live music with songs we all know and love!”

Returning to MMT to cover these classic artists are Devin Altizer, Maddie Mae Walker, Nick Jones, Leonela Hernandez and Larry Kufel.

MMT’s production of Music of the Crooners will be produced and directed by MMT’s Producing Artistic Director, Ginger Poole with Music Direction and arrangement by MMT’s Resident Music Director Seth Davis, Sound and Lighting design by Savannah Woodruff and Production Management by Matt Shields.

Music of the Crooners begins performances on October 29th and runs through October 30th on the Trinkle MainStage for 3 performances only. Tickets can be purchased online at millmountain.org or by calling the box office at 540-342-5740

Sponsors for Music of the Crooners include Skyline National Bank and Woods Rogers Attorneys at Law. Grantors consist of Actors’ Equity Association, Blue Star Theatres, Center in the Square, National Endowment for the Arts, Radio IQ WVTF, Theatre Communications Group and Virginia Commission for the Arts.

WILLY WONKA AUDITIONS – February 24th & 25th

Auditions for Mill Mountain Theatre’s Summer Mainstage, Roald Dahl’s WILLY WONKA JR, will take place on Friday February 24th from 5:00pm to 8:00pm and Saturday February 25th from 10:00am to 1:00pm. Some may be asked to attend callbacks on Sunday February 26th at 2:00pm.

Please email conservatoryauditions@nullmillmountain.org for an audition appointment time, and put ‘Willy Wonka Audition’ in the subject line. Auditions will take place in MMT’s 3rd Floor Studio (located at 20 Church Ave SE). All children 6-18 years of age are invited to audition.

Please prepare:

Please prepare a 32-bar cut of a musical theatre song (about one minute). To also be considered for a role, please prepare a one-minute monologue as well. There will be a brief movement/dance call, so please bring appropriate attire that you can move in.

Rehearsals and performances:

Rehearsals are Monday through Saturday, beginning July 6th. Performances are July 26th through August 6th on MMT’s Trinkle Mainstage.

A little bit about the show:

Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka Jr. follows candy maker Willy Wonka as he stages a contest by hiding golden tickets in five of his scrumptious candy bars. Whoever comes up with these tickets will win a free tour of the Wonka factory, as well as a lifetime supply of candy. Four of the five winning children are insufferable brats, but the fifth is a likeable young lad named Charlie Bucket, who takes the tour in the company of his equally amiable grandfather. MMT’s version puts young actors in the spotlight, singing memorable songs including “Pure Imagination,” “The Candyman,” “ I’ve Got a Golden Ticket,” “ Oompa-Loompa,” and “I Want it Now.”

Character Breakdown: (in order of appearance)

Willy Wonka/Candy Man – mysterious, mischievous, charismatic, and engaging. Wonka serves as narrator and ‘tour guide’ throughout the show, and must possess strong vocal and acting skills.

Charlie Bucket – the emotional heart and soul of the musical; honest, thoughtful, and virtuous. Spunky and enthusiastic, Charlie is in almost every scene and must possess strong vocal and acting skills.

Mr. Bucket – the bread-winner of the family; he deals with the pressures of supporting a whole family; a nurturer.

Mrs. Bucket – the support, stability, and care-taker of the family; she deals with running a household and looking after Charlie’s grandparents.

Grandpa Joe – caring, patient, sweet, and always reminds Charlie to remain cheerful. Must be kind and funny.

Grandma Josephina, Grandpa George, & Grandma Georgina – Charlie’s other grandparents; quirky and interesting. Must have good comic timing.

James & Matilda – friends of Charlie’s from school. Will likely double as Oompa-Loompas.

Phineous Trout – a reporter, who announces the Golden Ticket winners throughout the show. Must have a clear, confident speaking voice.

Augustus Gloop – an overachieving eater and glutton, a character actor who can sing.

Mrs. Gloop – Augustus’s over-indulgent mother.

Veruca Salt – A wealthy, class-concious spoiled brat. Often portrayed as British, but snobby comes in all nationalities, so not a requirement. Must be a strong singer.

Mr. Salt – solves problems by buying his way out. His nose in the air, he is obviously of the uppercrust, and you can see where Veruca gets her attitude from. An acting role (not much singing required).

Violet Beauregarde – a gum chewer extraordinaire and ‘blue-collar brat.’ Must have a strong singing voice.

Mrs. Beauregarde – a geography teacher who has invested a lot of hard-earned money into therapy for her orally-fixated daughter. An acting role (not much singing required).

Mike Teevee – a technology junkie, Mike is obsessed with television, video games, the internet, and any other technological device. Bratty, loud, and obnoxious; does not like to hear the word ‘no.’

Ms. Teevee – perfectly put together, and perfectly vacant. Think June Cleaver, Marion Cunningham, or Carol Brady.

Ensemble – to play Oompa-Loompas, Candy Man Kids, etc.

THE GHOSTLIGHT PROJECT: MILL MOUNTAIN THEATRE

JOIN US IN MARKET SQUARE

JAN 19th at 5:30PM

On January 19, 2017 at 5:30 p.m. outside in Market Square, Mill Mountain Theatre is proud to join theatres, artists, and audiences across the country and in each time zone to launch THE GHOSTLIGHT PROJECT.

Gathering outside of theaters on January 19th, people will join in a collective, simultaneous action, together creating “light” for challenging times ahead. Inspired by the tradition of leaving a “ghost light” on in a darkened theater, we pledge to stand for and protect the values of inclusion, participation, and compassion for everyone–regardless of race, class, religion, country of origin, immigration status, (dis)ability, gender identity, or sexual orientation.

We at Mill Mountain Theatre aim to create brave spaces that will serve as lights to the community in the coming years. We aim to join a network of people across the country working to support vulnerable communities.

***Arrive by 5:15pm – it is important we start the program promptly at 5:30pm. Bring a light that is OFF when you arrive (stick to clear/white light) – bring flashlights, lanterns, cell phone lights, etc.

ALL ARE WELCOME TO JOIN US AND BE A LIGHT + BRING A LIGHT. See you there!