Announcing CMT 2014!

CMT's Broadway Extravaganza!

After putting a lot of thought and time in searching for shows, nothing seemed to be a good fit for CMT this year.  So I've decided to try something new.  This year we will be doing a variety of songs from several great Broadway shows.  No plot or main characters this time, just singing and dancing and tons of fun.

I think this will be a really positive experience for the kids for several reasons;  1) it will expose them to wonderful music from a variety of shows, (most of which we’d never be able to do in a regular CMT format.)  2) It will also allow more children to have a substantial part than a regular musical does, because every song can have different soloists instead of one or two main characters having the majority of the solos.  3) Additionally, it solves the sound problems we have every year where the speaking lines are very difficult to hear.  This year will be all singing and dancing which is everybody’s favorite part anyway!  4) This should also simplify costumes, set, props, and rehearsing which I hope will be a happy thing for those of you who volunteered to help with those aspects of CMT.  

So without further ado, here is our official CMT 2014 announcement:

7^th Annual

Children’s Music Theater

June 16-21, 2014

Directed by Sharee Gariety and Ryan & Tamera Shepherd

CMT’s Broadway Extravaganza!

Song and Dance from some beloved Broadway Musicals!

  Registration Info:

·      For Children in Grades 2^nd -8^th (entering or leaving)

·      Suggested Donation: $80 per child to cover all costs associated with CMT (rehearsal materials, t-shirts, set construction and materials, copies, snacks, cast party, sound, etc.)

   

   To request a registration form, email or text Sharee at abqcmt@gmail.com or 720-7253

  

Other Important Info:

·      All rehearsals and performance held at Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 1100 Montano NW ABQ

·      Rehearsal/Performance Times:      Mon-Thurs 1-4, Friday 12-4 Performance on Saturday at 1 p.m.

·      Due to limited space, participation will be capped at 50 participants, admitted on a first come, first served basis.

·      Each child will be a part of 4 large group numbers.  If you feel that is not enough for your child, and they wish to be a part of a small group/duet/solo number, please email or text Sharee at abqcmt@gmail.com or 720-7263.  Depending on interest, I may or may not schedule auditions for these.

 Contact Sharee Gariety with any other questions.

abqcmt@gmail.com

Music Man Jr. 2013

More Costume Ideas

Adult Men: Button up shirt (you can use an old one that you have, or get one from good will and remove the collar that folds down--ask me to show you if you have questions), long pants (khaki, brown, or black), suspenders or vest, dark shoes

Mayor:  should probably wear a suit with a vest and if you could find a bowler hat or a top hat of some kind 

Salesmen: Button up shirts, pants, vests, hats and mustaches (I'll provide the mustaches.)

Teens/Young Boys:  light colored button up shirt, pants that are held up with rubber bands to look like knickerbockers, socks pulled up to the knee, and dark shoes (please no tennis shoes)

Boys Band:  black pants with a red stripe down the side, (I'll get ribbon for this, and we can just tack down some ribbon on the outside of each leg) and hats will be provided.

Quartet: Any kind of vest for the scenes when you are quarreling, but once you become friends you will change to coordinating colored vests, bowties and hats. 

Adult Women:  button up blouse, and long skirt to the ankle, hats with feathers (you can have some fun making those) Hair:  up-dos, also, maybe some of you could have aprons--this is a small farming town after all.

Teen girls:  button up blouse, skirts, Hair down, half back, or all back in a pony tail, braids, whatever--

Young girls:  dresses to the knee or just below, drop waist, pinafores, hair in pigtails and braids with bows to help audience recognize they are supposed to be children.

Costume Ideas

Here are a few pictures I've gathered for costume ideas.  Depending on who is cast as what, some children will be playing adults, and the others will be playing children.

Women's dresses

The fashion for the young girls seemed to be drop waist dresses that went to the knee.

For the young boys nickerbottoms were popular.  A collared shirt with suspenders will work fine instead of a coat. 

The men wore suits with eaither a cap, or flat top hat.

Big extravagant hats were very popular among the women.  They'll definitely be needed for who ever is cast in among the "pick-a-little talk-a-little" ladies. 

More hats and dress ideas for women.

Here's a better picture of some nickerbottomes (young boys)  

Announcing CMT's 6th Annual Summer Production:

June 17-22, 2013

Grades 2-7

Registration deadline: Monday, April 29th

Auditions for main parts: Friday, May 10th

$75 suggested donation*

enrollment limited to 50 participants (first come first served)

contact Sharee Gariety at abqcmt@gmail.com 

for registration form or other questions

*I am using the term "suggested donation" rather than "per-child-fee" due to the tax restrictions of my performance venue. However, without the donations, I cannot fund this activity--it costs about 2K to pull it all off.  So please be aware that participants who donate will be given first priority. 

Season 6! Some news for 2013's CMT

I've started to get inquiries about CMT this year.  Since Sarah and I are both having babies next month, we were originally thinking of taking this year off.  But my sister (a wonderful actress currently residing in Utah) has volunteered to fly down and help with CMT this year.  So it looks like we're on for 2013!

Here's what I know so far:  CMT will take place June 17th-22nd.

I can't tell you what show we're doing or how much of a per-child donation I will be requesting.  But here's what I can tell you:  I am in the process of requesting a license for a very fun show.  Since a license is involved, it will be a lot more expensive than last year, which will result in a higher "recommended donation" to help pay for the cost of production.  However, it's not a guarantee that I'll get the permission to do the show, and until I finalize what show we are doing, I can't give you a definite number.  But it will not exceed $75 per child.

We will be having auditions in May, to give the children adequate time to learn their parts, and it's possible that the leads will be required to attend extra rehearsals the 2nd week of June to give them some extra attention before the whole cast assembles for rehearsal during the 3rd week of June.

That's all for now--I'll update as I have more information to share.  

If you have any questions, feel free to email me at abqcmt@gmail.com.

The First Five Seasons

When my oldest was 7 I started looking around for a Theater Summer Camp he could participate in, but found they were all pretty pricey.  Especially as I added the cost of two or three children.  So I decided I could direct a little play, and invite a few friends to participate with my kids.  The first year we did it was 2008, and we had a cast of 23.  As I've gained more experience and as people have told their friends, we have grown in numbers and in quality.  The time-frame format has changed over the past few years, but the concept is the same:  an affordable and quality performing option for children.  

 2008--"Stone Soup" 

 Cast of 23 

2009--"Davy Crockett"

Cast of 30-something

2010--"Welcome to the Jungle"

Cast of 40ish

For the first 3 years, we rehearsed at my home.  

Parent volunteers painting animal faces on our Jungle Cast Members

2011--Pirates!

CMT at Sandia Music Festival--we had two casts this year

CMT Elementary -- cast of 50  

"Pirates! The Musical"

CMT Middle School--cast of 25 

"How I Became a Pirate"

2012--The Emperor's New Clothes

Cast of 50