Jim Smith introduced our speakers for today:
Rachel Lykins is a theatre artist originally from Huntington, WV. She recently graduated from the MFA Acting Program at UC Irvine, CA. Currently, she serves as the Administrative Assistant at the Chautauqua Theater Company. In the fall, she will be traveling to Milwaukee Repertory Theater as a Swing in Prelude to a Kiss: The Musical. She will be working at the theater and performing in the play as well. Rachel is currently based in Southern California with her cat, Kiki.
Lykins was the assistant to the Theater Director Anthony Borba last year and is extremely interested in building and running a theater company in her state capitol, Sacramento
Jennifer Davis is in her second season with the Chautauqua Theater Company (CTC) and serves as the Artistic Assistant. She is currently a music teacher and public relations specialist at Chautauqua Lake Central School District. A dedicated supporter of theater, Jennifer is actively involved in the theater community in Chautauqua County. Jennifer participated in her first show at Lucille Ball Little Theater of Jamestown in 2010 and remains active as an organizer and fundraiser for the organization.
Birthday Candles will be staged July 9-21 at the Bratton Theater in Chautauqua Institution, followed by FABULATION, July 30-Aug. 4 and The Light and the Dark, Aug. 15-23.
The CTC continues its commitment to new play development with readings of three plays in progress by playwrights. Participate in post-show talk backs, brown bag discussions and other related events with writers, actors and the creative teams. Actors talk through their roles standing behind music stands and then are eager to receive comments from the audience members regarding the play, its words and their enactments. Often, changes are made by the playwrights before the play is performed publicly based upon the criticism of the audience. There are nine conservatory actors who attend voice, movement and acting classes in addition to these “performances.”
Davis is very enthusiastic and involved in the Young Playwrights Program in Chautauqua for 3rd through 5th grades in the off-season. Teaching artists visit the schools and present to the students, teaching them the mechanics of the theater. The students then write plays which are read by Chautauqua Play readers. Three plays are chosen and finally in June, there are three performances at Chautauqua Institution where professionals present the three chosen plays.
Davis explained the excitement at the Chautauqua Theater Company regarding the upcoming 150th anniversary of the Institution on August 1 at 6:30 at the Bratton Theater. There will be a very special play reading of an American classic featuring the talents of several CTC former artistic directors and the celebration of the $4.5 million commitment to advance the completion of the new Roe Green Theater Center. This new construction will consist of a state-of-the-art, centralized facility for Chautauqua Theater Company to complement the beautiful Bratton Theater, adding a black box/flexible space, rehearsal studios, offices for the CTC leadership and other support spaces to ensure the Company remains one of the nation’s leading accelerators of theater artists in the nation. It will organize CTC artists in one area, replacing the former Brawdy complex. The gift consists of a $3 million outright contribution and a $1.5 million matching challenge gift.
The ladies encouraged everyone to attend a play and/or a new play workshop at Chautauqua and immerse themselves in the world of acting in live theater.