After a long hiatus the Meow returns in all its former glory. If what has happened so far in 2006 is a sign of things to come, this will be an amazing year for KAT.

Assassins, Ready!

Book by John Weidman Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Directed by Craig Pettinati Music Direction by Stuart Y. Weich Choreography by Thalia Kirimlis Produced by Kim Weaver KAT's production of Stephen Sondheim's ASSASSINS is set to open on Friday, March 10th, and the cast, crew, and staff are shaping it into a killer hit! ASSASSINS is about all of history's famed assassins, successful or otherwise, from Lincoln's assassin, John Wilkes Booth, to Reagan's would-be assassin, John Hinckley. The show juxtaposes the setting's time period into one high energy production that scores a bulls-eye! We are very excited as the cast is top notch excellent. Seven cast members have been WATCH award nominees and/or winners, five of whom were nominated in 2005 alone. The technical staff is also something to get all fired up about as the director, music director, set designer, lighting designer, and sound designer all have been WATCH nominees or winners. One of the most exciting aspects of the show is its fantastic ensemble. The sounds and pictures these wonderful actors bring to the stage are phenomenal. The ensemble is really the glue that holds this production together. They have been working tirelessly to raise the bar for everyone involved. Another interesting factoid is that exactly half of the cast is new to the KAT stage. What a great combination that speaks volumes about Kensington Arts Theatre. New people want to be a part of this exciting community, and its veterans want to stay! It is great to see. Add all these ingredients, stir, aim and shoot and we have a runaway success! ASSASSINS opens on Friday, March 10th (2-for-1 Opening Night special for all KAT members) and runs for four weekends, with Thursday performances the final two weekends. We close on April 1st. – Diego Prieto Click here to make a reservation »

Kensington Arts Theatre Gleans Five 2005 WATCH Awards

The annual WATCH Awards ceremony was the most exciting in KAT history. The Virginia jazz venue, The Birchmere, hosted the event on Sunday, February 26. KAT was up for 15 awards for the 2005 season. The competition was tough, with Reston Community Players' Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST receiving some 20+ nominations. However, KISS prevailed earning five 2005 WATCH Awards. Kiss of the Spider Woman Outstanding Musical Craig Pettinati, Direction (Musical) Amy Martin, Music Direction Pam Mueller, Choreography Karissa Swanigan, Lead Actress (Musical) Diego Prieto, Lead Actor (Musical) Andy Izquierdo, Lead Actor (Musical) David Carney, Cameo Appearance (Musical) Kevin Boyce / Jenna Ballard, Light Design Robin Covington / Mark Hamberger, Costume Design Robin Covington, Makeup Design Matt Karner, Set Construction Matt Karner, Set Design Kevin Garrett, Sound Design Closer Than Ever Allison Block, Featured Actress (Musical) The night could not have been more exciting! All involved were there supporting one another. This is founder and president Pettinati's first win for Outstanding Direction, and we at KAT would like to take a time out and say thank you for all of your hard work. You deserve it! KISS was up for Outstanding Musical and thus had a live performance at the event. That honor was bestowed upon Outstanding Lead Actor nominee, Diego Prieto, who received a standing ovation for his rendition of "She's a Woman." Congratulations to all! Here's to next season and the seasons beyond. Click here to go to the Kiss...Spider Woman page »

Nine Is Enough

The last week of February was a busy one at KAT. Leading up to the WATCH Awards ceremony, we held auditions for the Maury Yeston musical, NINE, at the Kensington Town Center. Although there was a smaller turnout than expected, the quality of auditionees was outstanding. Fantastic. Stunningly mind-boggling you could say. It took some crafty juggling by the production staff to form the cast, and it is a fabulous one. You will recognize some familiar faces from past shows such as SIDE SHOW, CABARET, INTO THE WOODS, COMPANY, and KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN. And a resemblance to a frequent conductor of past KAT orchestras. But just like ASSASSINS, we at KAT were especially pleased by all of the new faces to our group, thirteen in all. NINE is directed and choreographed by Duane Monahan with music direction provided by Steve Block. The show opens on May 19th and runs weekends through June 10th, with Thursday performances the final two weekends. Click here to go to the NINE page »

Born Free...Free As the Wind Blows

Conceived by Marlo Thomas Performances: June 30 - July 15 Auditions: April 17-18 | Callbacks: April 19 Gaithersburg Arts Barn Robin Covington, KAT producer / designer / costumer (the list goes on) extraordinaire, is poised to direct KAT 2nd Stage's FREE TO BE, conceived by Marlo Thomas. In perfect harmony with the 2nd Stage mission, the show empowers children by helping them understand that it is okay to just be yourself. These humorous stories celebrating individuality and diversity teach children not who they should be, but what they can be. It will also allow parents to reminisce about their childhood, remembering the songs "It's Alright to Cry," "William Wants a Doll," and of course, "Free to Be." The show will take place at the Gaithersburg Arts Barn, located in the Kentlands. Robin is looking for four actors; two men and two women. The actors will play kids and a diverse cast is encouraged. Click here to go to the KAT 2nd Stage page »

Tom-Katting Around

In my last column, I discussed some ideas on what we, as performers, owe the director of whatever show we are in. This column will touch upon what I think you, the director, owe us. The first thing you owe us is a fair and honest audition. I have been in a situation where I know for certain I was called back as a "straw man" for a role that it was predetermined was going to someone else, and I resented the hell out of it. On the other hand, I was cast in a show where we were all told up front that a role I (and probably all the other baritones) really wanted had been pre-cast. I had no problem with that and thoroughly enjoyed doing the show, first of all, because I had not been lied to. The point? If you absolutely must have a certain man or woman in a given role, go ahead and pre-cast that person. If your need for that person's participation is anything less than absolute, then give all comers a fair shot. While it is your right (and your duty) to demand punctuality in rehearsals, please bear this in mind. In the Washington, DC area, which can boast of the second worst traffic in America, the difference between fighting that traffic to get somewhere by 7:30 and fighting it to get there by 7:00 is exponential. While you need to give your cast enough repetitions of the material to get it all thoroughly ingrained in their memories, you do not have to be a slave driver. I once did a show that rehearsed every night, Monday through Friday, then again on Saturdays between 10:00AM and 5:00PM, and, toward the end, Sundays as well. The show was superbly executed, but there was not a single member of the cast who did not resent the director and the theater at least to some extent for having completely co-opted and monopolized their summer. Remember, this is working peoples' theater. Give your performers a break now and then. Along that same line, the rehearsals you do hold should be, insofar as possible, structured to keep the fewest people waiting around the least amount of time. Most directors I've worked with know this already. That principal applies especially to children. Unlike you and me, the students have homework to deal with. Not only that, the school day begins about two hours before the business day, so staying up excessively late on a school night is not a good deal at all. Also, during each rehearsal, it is important to schedule a break. When the performers are trying their hardest to focus on that night's aspect of the show, it is easy to start getting slap happy and lose that focus. Let the talent take five to get slap sad again. Then too, in a highly energetic show, it is important to stay hydrated, but there is a flip side to hydration. Get it? I do not believe any of us have ever been part of a show where the director knew precisely how the show was eventually going to be staged right at the outset of the rehearsal process. Some change in a director's initial plan is inevitable and necessary. On the other hand, if you are going to continuously make changes (especially to the choreography) throughout the rehearsals, you are going to damage your performers' abilities to get their parts thoroughly in their memories, and you will probably have a poorer show because of it. All that I have heretofore said in this column is mere dross compared to the next point. The single most important thing you as a director owe the people you direct is not to let them suck. This is not so simple as it sounds. Let me start with an example of the most obvious thing. I once saw a production of ALICE IN WONDERLAND put on by a children's theater, as you might expect. The twelve-year-old who played the Queen of Hearts did a horrible job with the part. Knowing only that the Queen was an ill-tempered tyrant, she felt called upon to shout all her lines at the top of her voice. This young lady was not without talent or the ability to learn. I would see her, years later as an adolescent, perform, not just well, but brilliantly. But at that performance of Alice, the first thought in my mind and, seemingly the only thought in the minds of other people I knew in the audience was what a terrible job she had done. Hello? Where was the director? It is good to let the actors interpret their roles, but if they are so egregiously wrong they are going to stink the place up, you have to step in and provide some guidance. In terms of staging and choreography, you and the choreographer must walk a fine line. I have been in two different shows where, over the course of the run, three people in each show got seriously hurt during a major dance number. If that many people are getting injured, then you have set the bar too high. On the other hand, whether it's staging, singing, dancing or anything else, I really, really, really hate it when a difficult bit of business gets dumbed down right away because the performers are struggling with it at first. Struggle is part of the creative process, and finally getting it right is a very big part of the reward for doing amateur theater in the first place. I keep toying with the notion that someday I may want to direct. If I do, I will be sure to dust this column off, review it thoroughly, and ask myself, "What in God's name was I thinking?" Break the leg--tcl – Tom Lane Click here to read about our next auditions »