You can purchase tickets at the times and days indicated in the previous post through May 15 (not April 15). Sorry.
Barbara Ryan, Vice Chair
Coastal Georgia Film Alliance
www.coastalgeorgiafilm.org
Barbara@coastalgeorgiafilm.org
912-729-1103
P Consider the environment... don't print this e-mail unless you really need to
OPEN AUDITIONS FOR MAN OF LA MANCHA TO BE HELD BY ST. MARYS LITTLE THEATRE
AUDITIONS ON SUNDAY, MAY 1, 2:30-6:00 PM
AT J’S RESTAURANT, 711 OSBORNE ST., ST. MARYS, GA
ST. MARYS, GA—The recently organized community group, St. Marys Little Theatre (SMLT), will be holding open auditions for their first production, Man of La Mancha on May 1st in downtown St. Marys. According to Theatre founder, Barbara Ryan, the group is seeking individuals who can sing and act to be a part of the cast for this—in Ryan’s words—rather ambitious undertaking.
“Man of La Mancha is one of Broadway’s most beloved musicals,” Ryan said. “As a first production, it will be a challenge, but its success will be a testament to the great local talent that abounds in our area.”
Ryan and fellow SMLT board members have already discovered some impressive talents, and are looking forward to meeting others who seek an opportunity to showcase their gifts through community theatre.
Man of La Mancha tells the story of a ‘mad’ knight, Don Quixote, as a play within a play, performed by Miguel de Cervantes and his fellow prisoners as he awaits a hearing with the Spanish Inquisition. Ryan said that the musical serves up a timeless message of hope and redemption relevant to today’s difficult times.
The original 1965 Broadway production of Man of La Mancha ran for 2,328 performances and won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The musical has been revived four times on Broadway, becoming one of the most enduring works of musical theatre. The story of Don Quixote was reprised in a movie starring Sophia Loren and Peter O’Toole in 1972. The signature song in the play, The Impossible Dream, has become a standard, and Ryan said its rendition in the showstopping anthem at the end of the play will touch the hearts of everyone.
“I don’t expect a dry eye in the audience,” Ryan said. “I feel the words of that song will reverberate around the audience long after they’ve left the performance venue.”
Anyone interested in auditioning should research Man of La Mancha on the internet, decide which role they’d like to perform, and prepare accordingly. For suggestions on audition content, call 912-729-1103.
The St. Marys Little Theatre is a nonprofit organization with a mission to “enrich lives and enhance the cultural composition of the arts in Camden County, Georgia, through community participation in theater education, live performances, workshops, and other outreach programs associated with theater arts.” Visit www.stmaryslittletheatre.com for more information about the organization.
Film Museum to Open in St. Marys
Public Invited to Open House April 16,
11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
St. Marys, GA—Where does one go to find a skull from “Pirates of the Caribbean,” or a mummy leg from Universal Pictures’ “The Mummy.”? One could go to a Hollywood studio’s bone yard or, perhaps, a major prop warehouse. Or for those who live in or visit the Coastal Georgia area, they can simply go to the new St. Marys Film Museum at 300 Osborne Street in Downtown St. Marys, Georgia.
The St. Marys Film Museum, a new addition to the line-up of attractions in St. Marys, will open April 16 and continue to be open, thereafter, every Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The St. Marys Museum is a project of the Coastal Georgia Film Alliance (CGFA), the organization responsible for bringing the recent filming of “Eye of the Hurricane” and two TV pilot projects to the area. According to CGFA Co-founder and Chair, Doug Vaught, the museum exemplifies part of the organization’s mission to “encourage education and appreciation of the film industry.”
“The Film Museum is a project we’ve been working on since the inception of the Film Alliance in 2010,” Vaught said. “And now, thanks to the support and contributions by local citizens and the hard work of the Film Alliance board of directors, the museum has come to life.” Vaught cited Joe and Terra Lucent as one example of the many people who came forward to bring the attraction to the city. The Lucents donate the space where the Film Museum is housed.
Displays such as the skull and the mummy’s leg, along with others that include boots worn in “Armageddon” and memorabilia from blockbusters like “Sea Biscuit” and “Angels and Demons,” were purchased with funds raised at last fall’s Hollywood Nights Film Gala. Other items including a Mary Pickford display and circa 1920s theater architectural elements were contributed by local supporters of the museum.
Barbara Ryan, Film Alliance Co-founder and Vice Chair, said kudos should go to all those who have stepped forward to help create such an interesting attraction that both visitors and residents can enjoy.
“It’s a little sliver of Hollywood right here in the Low Country,” Ryan said. “Our plans are to have revolving exhibits so that residents will have a reason to visit the museum several times a year. Ryan (who is also Chair of the St. Marys Convention & Visitors Bureau) said that the museum will enhance an already impressive collection of museum experiences for a town the size of St. Marys.
“We already have the Submarine Museum, the Orange Hall House Museum, and the Cumberland Island National Seashore Museum,” Ryan said. “Add to that the museum-like experiences that visitors can enjoy at the Cumberland Island Visitors Center and the new St. Marys Welcome Center, and you’ve got more museum attractions than many towns four times the size of St. Marys.”
Ryan said the new museum will help St. Marys compete with other destinations for the treasured tourism dollars that help fuel the local economy. St. Marys Tourism Director Angel Wigger agreed.
“Visitor numbers to our welcome center have skyrocketed since we set up our new location near the waterfront,” Wigger said. “Having the Film Museum will give our visitors one more reason to explore our city and discover all our great shops and restaurants.”
St. Marys Film Museum Curator Kelly Davis said a cadre of volunteers helped set up the museum. “I even drafted my husband,” Davis said.
Scott Davis built the display stands that showcase the Hollywood props.
The public is invited to an open house at the St. Marys Film Museum at 300 Osborne Street on April 16 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Refreshments will be served, and a dedication ceremony and ribbon cutting presented by the Camden Chamber of Commerce will be held at noon.
Anyone who would like to volunteer to staff the Film Museum should call Kelly Davis at 912-674-4052. For more information about the Coastal Georgia Film Alliance, visit www.coastalgeorgiafilm.org.
####