Congratulations to Jim Clancy, Allstate’s National Volunteer of the Year!
Encore is thrilled and proud to announce that our Board of Directors’ very own Jim Clancy has been named Allstate’s National Volunteer of the Year! A technology manager for 30 years with Allstate, Jim bested more than 350 nominees to win the accolade. The volunteer award is part of the company’s annual Helping Hands volunteer recognition program, celebrating employees who go above and beyond in donating their time to the causes they care about – and creating positive social change in their communities.
We were lucky enough to chat with Jim about this honor, as well as his wonderful work volunteering for Encore, in all of his various positions.
Encore: Congratulations on being named Allstate’s National Volunteer of the Year! What were your first thoughts when you found out you’d received this award?
JC: My Vice President said I was chosen as the National volunteer of the year and my first thought was, “They have one of those?” My second thought was, “Does Encore get more money?” Apparently, the answer to both questions is “Yes!” Allstate donated $5,000 to Encore Stage & Studio because I volunteer.
Encore: What was your first involvement with Encore? What is it like to work alongside your children at the theatre?
JC: I first worked with the kids in the scene shop, and then was asked to join the Board of Directors to represent the technical side of the operations. After driving the boys to and from many rehearsals and getting to know Susan, she asked me to share my stage combat experience by choreographing the fights in Treasure Island. All of it is fun for me because I get to see the kids learn and implement their new skills and develop truly amazing productions.
Encore: Can you share a favorite moment or memory at Encore?
JC: I don’t have favorites. I enjoy every moment!
Encore: You have been fight director for Treasure Island and for this season’s Night at the Wax Museum; can you share what that position entails and if you have any important lessons/tips?
JC: Important tip: don’t get blood on the costumes. Blood stains are nearly impossible to get out. Just kidding. But more seriously, safety is number one. Making it look real is what makes it fun, but it takes concentration and dedication to the craft.
Encore: On the topic of safety, could you describe what it was like to fly actors in Mary Poppins?
JC: Landing Mary Poppins perfectly center stage, or landing Bert on the chimney, is much more difficult than you’d think. But the most fun was zooming the nasty nanny off stage while she screamed at Mary Poppins to “Put me down!” My flight crew was the best, of course, so really all credit goes to Paddy, Josh, Sarah, and Fred.
Encore: What do you enjoy most about being on the Board?
JC: The staff at Encore energize everyone around them. You simply cannot interact with anyone at Encore and not smile. It’s a special place.
Encore: What have you learned or gained through your involvement with Encore?
JC: I’ve met many wonderful staff, equally wonderful parents, and especially wonderful kids. And I’ve seen some amazing live theatre.
Encore: Anything else you’d like to share?
JC: My recommendation to anyone reading this blog? Purchase a season subscription: you’ll enjoy every minute of every show!
Many thanks to Jim for sitting down with us to be interviewed and, of course, for all of the tremendous work he’s done for Encore, in the shop, on the Board, and in our community! We wanted to wrap up this post by including some words about Jim from our Artistic Director, Susan Keady:
Jim Clancy began volunteering one summer in the technical shop, building and painting a set with his sons. Through the years, he has remained working alongside the crew but he expanded his influence to include the casts, the parents and our board of directors. His infallible work ethic and steady attention to detail is remarkable. Jim remains consistently even-handed as he teaches the crew about building a set, safely works with the cast conducting stage combat, or while he shares advice on how to craft an authentic character role. He is knowledgeable and he shares his knowledge. He is reliably wonderful as a pragmatic infinitely creative force on the Encore team.
Click here to read the full press release.
To witness the thrilling combination of Jim’s fantastic fight choreography and Susan’s directing expertise, be sure to get your tickets for our upcoming production of Night at the Wax Museum! Click here to buy your tickets today.
A special thank you to Allstate for their support of community non-profits and their generous donation.
Photos by: Larry McClemons, Aileen Pangan, and Caitlyn Barron for Allstate Insurance Company
Graphic by: Aimee Pangan
Blog contribution: Shannon McCarthy, 2016-17 Arts Apprentice
5 Easy Steps to the Wax Figure Challenge!
Greetings from tech week here at Encore! Our cast and crew are currently putting in the hours it requires to take a production from great to polished and performance-ready. What better way to congratulate and support them on all of their hard work than to ensure that lots of large audiences come and see their show? Sharing your love of our Encore students and their show is super easy – and fun!
You may recall the Mannequin Challenge, a trend sweeping across the internet a few months ago in all sorts of unique and interesting ways, ranging from the set of Hairspray Live!, athletic teams, and even the cast of our very own A Fairytale Christmas Carol. Given the similarities between a mannequin and a wax figure, we think it would be fantastic to perform your very own Wax Figure Challenge as a way to celebrate Encore’s upcoming production of Night at the Wax Museum.
How to Perform a Wax Figure Challenge:
1. Download and print this sign to attract people’s attention – or even create your own!
2. Make your way to a busy area with lots of people and families! Some suggestions include: your school, the mall, community centers, libraries, etc. Be sure to stay safe and bring a parent or guardian along if you’re a younger member of our Encore family!
3. Channel your inner Cleopatra or King Henry VIII and strike a pose! The wackier, the better because you’ll catch people’s attention. Hold up your sign to share your love of “Theatre by kids, for kids!”
4. Paparazzi! Get a friend or family member to snap a photo of your pose “out in the wild.” Capture the wax museum vibe even better with a moving Boomerang photo of people walking past your amazing pose!
5. Hit the web! Share your awesome wax figurine poses on Facebook and Instagram with the hashtag #EncoreWaxMuseum. Be sure to tag us (@EncoreArlington) so we can see your fabulous photo skills. Who knows, we might even share a few of our favorite poses… #BraggingRights
Stumped on what else to say on your posts? Feel free to copy and paste this blurb to share with your friends and followers (emoji use at your discretion):
Can’t wait to see Encore Stage & Studio’s Night at the Wax Museum March 10-19 at Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre! Between a hilarious love triangle involving Cleopatra and Henry VIII and a widespread hunt for buried treasure with Blackbeard and Butch Cassidy, it will be a trip for the history books! For tickets and more info, check out www.encorestage.org!
The cast and crew of Wax Museum will be thrilled to see you at the show! Click here to buy your tickets online or call (703)548-1154. we can’t wait to see Wax Figure Challenge posts from all of you, backstage and off!
Photos by: Larry McClemons, Hayley Olivenbaum
Blog contribution: Shannon McCarthy, 2016-17 Arts Apprentice
7 Ways to Fill Your Heart with “Theatre By Kids, For Kids!”
While the Virginian weather may have you dreaming of springtime picnics or adventures in the jungle, it is, in fact, still February! One thing that never wavers, however is L-O-V-E…of theatre, that is!
As Valentine’s Day approaches, we want to showcase a few ways to fill your heart with love of “Theatre by kids, for kids!”
1. Dreaming of warmer days? Set your imagination off and running as you prepare for Spring classes like “Fairytale Fun” for grades 2-3 and “Animal Adventures” for grades K-1. Click here for our full listing for grades K-12 and class descriptions. Enroll online today!
2. Do winter winds have you running for a blanket fort on your days off school? Come play the day away at our wonderful Holiday Mini-Camps! Students in grades K-2 spend the day exploring their creativity through theatre games, dance and movement, as well as arts and crafts. Young artists in grades 3-5 participate in our Play-in-a-Day program, in which they work as a team to create a whole new work in just the length of camp. Each camp day centers around a unique theme, which influences all the activities for the day. Upcoming Mini-Camp/Play-in-a-Day themes include Night at the Wax Museum (February 20 – Presidents’ Day) and The Jungle Book (March 3 – Parent/Teacher Conferences), both inspired by upcoming shows in Encore’s 2016-17 season! Already enrolled? Sign up for Spring Break Camp! Enrollment is a la carte–choose to sign up for one day, or the entire week! Click here to enroll online.
3. Come in from the cold and make it a family date at Encore’s upcoming production of Night at the Wax Museum! This show has everything you could hope for in a wild adventure: pirates, cowboys, and a mummy, oh my! Creativity and history meet when we meet some of the most notorious characters on the books, including Cleopatra, Henry VIII, and Blackbeard himself. From the same author that brought us this season’s very popular The Best Haunted House Ever, Night at the Wax Museum is sure to be a crowd favorite, so get your tickets now!
4. Feeling inspired? There’s no better way to demonstrate your love for theatre than by auditioning for cast or crew! Join Encore for an adventure of magic and verse on the high seas with William Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Click here to learn more about auditions and access the necessary forms ahead of time.
5. During this season of love, we couldn’t be more excited about our upcoming production of Godspell. Presented through our Musical Theatre Intensive (MTI) program, a small group of people help Jesus tell different parables by using a wide variety of games, storytelling techniques and a hefty dose of comic timing. An eclectic blend of songs, ranging in style from pop to vaudeville, is employed as the story of Jesus’ life dances across the stage. Dissolving hauntingly into the Last Supper and the Crucifixion, Jesus’ message of kindness, tolerance and love comes vibrantly to life. Click here to buy your tickets today.
6. Want to use your theatre experience and spread your love of Encore with the next generation of young artists? Apply to be an Encore Camp Aide this summer! Each day, Aides have the opportunity to lead or assist teaching artists with classroom activities including theatre games, warm-ups, and craft projects. This fun position is available for high school students, ages 14 and older. Click here for more details about this job, as well as other available Encore opportunities! Download your application today.
7. Feeling the love? Click here to donate to Encore’s “Theatre By Kids, For Kids!”
Here’s the quick recap:
Have a Happy Valentine’s Day!
Photos by Larry McClemons and Aileen Pangan
Blog contribution: Shannon McCarthy, 2016-17 Arts Apprentice
Kitchen Adventures | Feb. 9 – 25, 2017
Encore Stage & Studio Present: Kitchen Adventures
Theatre for The Very Young
February 9-25, 2017
Something’s sizzling at Encore! In its newest play series, Theatre for the Very Young, Encore Stage & Studio presents “Kitchen Adventures”— starring professional artists who bring colorful foods to life, all the while teaching your little one about healthy choices. With more than a tablespoon of fun, Encore has the recipe for an exciting theatre-going experience for you and your child!
We recommend this production for ages 1 and older.
Location:
All performances and rehearsals are held at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church (4000 Lorcom Ln Arlington, VA 22207)
Tickets: $10 General Admission. Includes all box office fees.
Cue the Applause! 2016/2017 Encore Honors
While recent award show broadcasts may have had you in La La Land and bringing out your Hidden Figures, Encore certainly emerged as a huge “People’s Choice” this season.
Several of our Encore actors were honored for their performances in 2016. As the Vixen in Snow White, Belle Perkins was included in DC Metro Theater Arts’ compilation of the “Best Performances in Musicals in Professional Theaters in DC/MD/VA,” as well as Kristen Jepperson and Erich Izdepski as Winnifred and George Banks in Mary Poppins, respectively.
The accolades were not limited to those onstage, however. Encore Stage & Studio was included as part of the list of “Best Direction in Musicals in Professional Theatres in DC/MD/VA” for Snow White. Artistic Director Susan Alison Keady was similarly honored for Mary Poppins. Both productions were also featured on “Best Musicals in Professional Theaters in DC/MD/VA.”
We are honored and thrilled to begin the new year as the top Enrichment Program in Arlington Magazine’s Best of 2017. Many thanks to Lisa Rabasca Roepe for her positive write-up about our programming! To read more of her kind words and to hear about our Executive Director Sara Duke’s humorous Encore journey, click here.
Congratulations to all of Encore’s honorees, and we look forward to a wonderful 2017!
Photos by Larry McClemons.
Blog contribution by Shannon McCarthy, 2016-2017 Arts Apprentice.
Encore Hosts: Screenagers | March 18, 5:30pm
Encore will be hosting a special presentation of SCREENAGERS on March 18 at 5:30 pm. This hour-long documentary is aimed at educating families about the impact of screen time on kids. Featured on Good Morning America, PBS Newshour and in the New York Times, the film “depicts messy struggles, over social media, video games, academics and internet addiction. Through surprising insights from authors and brain scientists solutions emerge on how we can empower kids to best navigate the digital world.” I believe that participating in the arts provides a much needed creative outlet for children in our hectic, 24/7 lives. Further, theatre is the ideal tool for teaching and practicing empathy – something seldom found on the internet. Plan to attend with your family and please spread the word to others.
Princess Ball Tickets On Sale Now
Saturday, January 14, 2017
Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre (125 S. Old Glebe Rd. Arlington, VA 22204)
Dress up in your prince/princess best and make your theatre experience a lasting family memory! Join us for royalty sweets and treats, fun activities, creative crafts, and a chance to interact with the cast of A Little Princess!
Tickets: $20 | Ticket admits one. 11 am performance of A Little Princess is sold separately. Click here to purchase your tickets today!
Check out our Princess/Winter Ball and Special Events photos from past seasons:
Snow White’s Winter Ball 2016:
Alice in Wonderland Mad Hatter’s Tea Party 2015:
Baby/Toddler Classes: Begins October 4 | St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
Join us for our open house on Tuesday, September 27th from 11 am – 1 pm. Meet our Teaching Artists!
Share, grow and learn with your child during this special time in their life! Encore’s new parent/caregiver classes will promote your child’s development and provide
exciting enrichment. Through creative play, movement and music your child will sharpen critical social and physical skills in a fun and imaginative environment.
Location: St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church (4000 Lorcom Ln Arlington, VA 22207)
Classes are Tuesday mornings, beginning October 4, 2016
10:30-11:15am – 6 months – 2 years old
11:15am – 12pm – 3 – 5 years
Monthly registration preferred: $10 per class
Walk in rate: $12
Give Your 2017 New Year’s Resolutions an Encore!
It’s that time of year again! The Thanksgiving turkey has been stuffed, the holiday gifts unwrapped, and the New Year’s ball is getting ready to drop. As we begin this brand new year, our minds turn to our resolutions for 2017. How do you hope to grow over the course of the next twelve months? What new experiences will you have? Here are five Encore resolutions to get you started!
1. Step out of your comfort zone by auditioning for a show.
If you’ve always been fascinated by our actors up on stage, now’s your chance to join them! Audition for Night at the Wax Museum to grow your confidence and join the fun. More interested in what’s happening behind the scenes? Creators age 12 and up are able to interview for crew positions during auditions as well. Channel your creativity and strengthen your teamwork as a member of our team. Auditions and crew interviews will be held on January 23 and 24.
2. Keep the creativity coming all year long!
The fun doesn’t end just because school’s out! Join our fantastic Encore teaching artists for theatrical adventures during our Holiday Mini-Camp and Play-in-a-Day program. Students will spend the day exploring their creativity through crafts, theatre games, and acting exercises centering around a central theme. Our first mini-camps of the new year will take place on January 16 (MLK Day) and 20 (Inauguration Day).
Looking for even more in-depth artistic enrichment? Come spend your spring break with us, or even part of your summer vacation! Summer registration opens January 9th, so be sure to mark your calendars to prepare for the sunny celebration.
3. Make healthier choices by listening to Enrique and Mona from the Healthy Play Initiative.
Eat Healthy Enrique and Get Moving Mona sure have the right idea when it comes to New Year’s resolutions. A decision to add more color to your plate and active play to your day is a commitment that will last the whole year through!
4. Stay on top of all the latest Encore news!
As some of you may know, 2017 is a big year for the Encore family, as it marks 50 years of creating “Theatre by kids, for kids” here in Arlington. We are so excited for the coming events and celebrations, and we want you to know everything about them too! Be sure to connect with Encore on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, as well as right here on the Front Row blog. Are you an Encore alum? Check out our amazing archive of seasons past!
We can’t wait to see all of your love for Encore online as well, so be sure to tag your posts! #TheatreByKids4Kids #RepYourEncore
5. Share your love of theatre with everyone in your life!
With a mission of “Theatre by kids, for kids,” it’s no surprise that Encore wants to include all the members of your community. Invite friends and family to join you in the audience by escorting them to our upcoming Princess Ball or by giving them the gift of a season subscription. Welcome your youngest theatre lovers into the world of the arts through our new Theatre for the Very Young programming.
We hope that these ideas helped to get your wheels turning as you consider your own New Year’s resolutions. We look forward to seeing you, be it in auditions, in class, or in the audience!
Photo credits: Larry McClemons, Sara Duke, Aileen Pangan
Graphic Design: Aimee Pangan
Blog contribution: Shannon McCarthy, 2016 Arts Apprentice
Keeping Healthy in the New Year with HPI
Holidays greetings from Encore! If you’re anything like us, the holidays have been full of wonderful meetings with family or friends, festive fun, and, of course, more than a yummy treat or two. While it can be lovely to indulge during a celebration, we wanted to chat with the ambassadors for our Healthy Play Initiative (HPI) to ask for some tips as we look toward the New Year and our resolutions.
Encore: Hello! Please introduce yourselves.
Enrique: Hello! My name is Eat Healthy Enrique.
Mona: And I’m Get Moving Mona!
Encore: What are your favorite things to do?
Mona: I love to dance and exercise. I also have a beautiful voice. I sing like the birds. My voice soars high above the trees.
Enrique: I enjoy trying new foods. I also love to sing songs of joy and happiness with my friends.
What about your favorite things to eat and drink?
Enrique: When you look into my refrigerator, you will see all kinds of foods from the five food groups. But my favorite food is fish! And, of course, you need water. What fish doesn’t need water?
Mona: What?
Enrique: What? It makes sense!
Mona: I like to keep it natural. I’m happy with chicken, brown rice, carrot, apples, and milk. Not necessarily in that order.
Encore: What do you like most about coming to visit at HPI?
Enrique: I love seeing the children every week; they make me laugh and we have a lot of fun. They share their favorite foods each week. It helps me create new recipes.
Mona: I too love hearing the sounds of laughter and encouraging them to keep moving. At the end of class, it is so wonderful to ask the kids about which activities they participated in. They tell me everything, from jumping, hopping, hula hooping, singing, dancing, all kinds of fun and games!
Encore: How can our readers join in on the fun?
Enrique: Join us at the Gates of Balston, every Friday from 1pm-3pm.
Mona: But come prepared to move and have FUN!
Encore: What are you most looking forward to over the holidays?
Enrique: I can’t wait to try out some new healthy recipes! I hope the children will share some of their favorite foods with me in the New Year.
Mona: I can’t wait to spend time with friends and family. And to work on some new dance routines!
Encore: What are some of your top New Year’s resolutions to share with our readers?
Mona: Life is beautiful! Treat your body right. Get plenty of exercise and rest.
Enrique: Know that change is possible. Eat to live. And, of course, stay healthy!
Thank you so much for sharing about HPI and your tips for living healthily in the new year, Mona and Enrique! To learn more about the Healthy Play Initiative, please click here. If you and your young ones would like to learn more about making positive food choices, be sure to mark your calendars for Encore’s very first Theatre for the Very Young production, Kitchen Adventures, premiering February 9, 2017!
Photo credits: Aileen Pangan, Shannon McCarthy, Sara Duke
Graphic Design: Aileen Pangan
Blog contributor: Shannon McCarthy, 2016-17 Arts Apprentice