Please RSVP by Monday for Christmas Caroling!

Tuesday, December 9
5:30 p.m

We will join Hospice of the Piedmont staff and volunteers at the Hospice office, 1801 Westchester Drive (the Martin Twin Theatre for old time High Pointers) for a light dinner, divide into teams and be assigned a route. This is a wonderful way to bring in the holidays and provide some cheer to the Hospice patients and their families.

Hope you are planning to join us? Last chance to RSVP is by Monday at 4:00 pm by emailing jblevins@hpcommunitytheatre.org. I will then send directions Monday evening to all those attending. If you are available but can't join us at 5:30 - that is fine. Just let me know what time you can arrive and we will plan accordingly.

Also, HPCT is heading up a drive to provide Secret Santas for all of the families currently in Hospice's Kids Path program. Can you either make a donation for the families that HPCT and the NC Shakespeare Festival are adopting or are you interested in organizing your family, company, group of friends in adopting a family? Please email or call for further information or send your check made payable to HPCT but clearly marked as a Hospice donation to P.O. Box 1152, High Point, NC 27261.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I wish for you all a safe, blessed Thanksgiving surrounded by those you love and good luck at the Black Friday sales. Happy Thanksgiving!

Jennifer

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Need a reason to get up early on Thanksgiving morning? Here's a good one!

Five of HPCT's own will be performing with Dance South Performing Arts in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Please support Leslie Ann Blake, Elissa Bober, Mary Margaret Coble, Victoria Hutchins and Halle Sinnott by watching NBC on Thursday morning.

The girls will be in about the middle of the parade with Mike Miller and Associates Dance Team. Look for the bright pink, orange, and red costumes. You can't miss them!

Cres & Mallory - take care of my girls! Here's to a safe, fun trip for all of the Dance South gang.

Breaking News!

Unidentified sources report that Eric Tysinger, a big tough stage manager who has worked with NCSF and is now with Triad Stage, has recently turned into an ooey-gooey marshmallow. The cause of this personality shift is apparently linked to the fact that Eric is now permanently wrapped around the finger of a new Greensboro resident, Emma Grace. Attempts at removing Eric from said finger have been unsuccessful and it is assumed that this is now a permanent condition.

Photo by MaryAnn Luedtke

Advocacy Works

ARTS North Carolina is pleased to report that the Joint Select Committee on Arts Education has voted affirmatively on two recommendations included in the Committee's report.

The Committee recommends that the State Board of Education shall modify the high school graduation requirements to include one required credit of arts education. Draft legislation can be found on page 12 of the Committee's report at www.artsnc.org/advocacy.

The Committee strongly recommends continued funding for the A+ Schools Program, a whole-school reform model that views the arts as fundamental to teaching and learning in all subjects.

What does this all mean? A Committee of Senators, Representatives, and citizens appointed by Speaker Joe Hackney and President Pro Tem Marc Basnight have studied arts education and its value to public education. They have agreed that arts education must be a statewide priority, and they are recommending legislation that ensures the graduation requirement. Members of the Joint Select Committee will introduce legislation in both the House and Senate when the General Assembly convenes in January, and the legislation will be referred to the appropriate Education Committees where discussion begins anew. The Education Committees of both the Senate and the House will need to adopt the legislation, then the bills move to the full House and Senate. Both the House and the Senate must pass the legislation for it to take effect. ARTS North Carolina, working closely with the five statewide discipline organizations, will coordinate advocacy strategies as the bills begin the long process of becoming a law.

The Committee's report is only the beginning of a long and winding road that will require a spirit of unity, commitment, and belief that will be tested as bills makes their way through the General Assembly.

Christmas Caroling for Hospice

Tuesday, December 9
5:30 p.m.

We will join Hospice of the Piedmont staff and volunteers at the Hospice office for a light dinner, divide into teams and be assigned a route. This is a wonderful way to bring in the holidays and provide some cheer to the Hospice patients and their families.

Can you join us? Please RSVP by November 26th by emailing jblevins@hpcommunitytheatre.org. I will then send directions to all those attending. If you are available but can't join us at 5:30 - that is fine. Just let me know what time you can arrive and we will plan accordingly.

Also, HPCT is heading up a drive to provide Secret Santas for all of the families currently in Hospice's Kids Path program. Can you either make a donation for the families that HPCT and the NC Shakespeare Festival are adopting or are you interested in organizing your family, company, group of friends in adopting a family? Please email or call for further information or send your check made payable to HPCT but clearly marked as a Hospice donation to P.O. Box 1152, High Point, NC 27261.

Call to Action

TAKE ACTION NOW
Arts Education Select Committee to Vote

The North Carolina House and Senate appointed a Joint Select Committee on Arts Education in December 2007 to consider requiring a high school education requirement in the arts and other arts education policies that are essential to a 21st Century education. A copy of the full report can be found at www.artsnc.org/advocacy.

ARTS North Carolina believed that the Committee would discuss recommendations at the November 18th meeting and meet again on December 9th to vote. They received word late Friday that the Committee will vote on the above referenced report this coming Tuesday, November 18th, in Raleigh at the Legislative Building in Room 1225. The meeting will be held from 10 AM until noon, and all advocates should make every effort to attend. You will not be required to speak.

Arts advocates must pack the room and halls of the General Assembly to clearly send the message that this is an essential vote and that the arts industry fully supports the Committee's recommendations. Adopting this report is the next step in requiring the new high school graduation framework to include an arts credit. If this report is adopted, legislation will be introduced in January mandating the arts credit.

If you cannot attend the meeting, click here and you will be guided in sending your encouragement to the Committee members to vote "yes" on this recommendation on Tuesday. Please take action no later than 7pm on Monday, November 17th.

Holiday Pictures Needed!

Ever been in or worked on an HPCT production? I am working on a holiday slideshow of our HPCT family. Please send a jpg of any holiday picture - it can be a childhood picture, a picture of you with your children, anything at all. My contribution will be Lola & Gracie with Santa.

Please email pictures to jblevins@hpcommunitytheatre.org by Dec 1st and make sure that everyone in the picture is identified.

Happy Holidays!

With love to the SoM Cast!

When you are as proud as the Sound of Music Production Staff is of our cast, all you can do is....

Dance!

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HPCT Announces Auditions for The Producers

High Point Community Theatre announces auditions for THE PRODUCERS, the 2nd production of its 2008-2009 Season.

Auditions will be held…

Sunday, December 14th at 2:00 pm
Monday, December 15th at 7:00 pm

Auditions will be held at the HPCT office at 305 North Main Street, Suite 322. Parking and entrance is from the rear of the building off of English Street.

Those auditioning should bring a short musical selection, and sheet music in the proper key. A dance combination will be taught at the audition.

Rehearsals will begin after the first of the year. THE PRODUCERS will be performed March 5 - 8, 2009 at the High Point Theatre and is being directed by Bobby Bodford with musical direction by Michael Dougherty and choreography by Benji Starcher.

Outrageous, hilarious, a teeny bit offensive, off the wall, and the winner of a record 12 Tony Awards are just a few things that THE PRODUCERS is. But it is never boring and you will find yourself holding your sides with laughter as Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom sing and dance their way through the greatest show biz scam that there ever was.

THE PRODUCERS Cast List

MAX BIALYSTOCK, Broadway Producer

LEO BLOOM, Accountant turned Producer

FRANZ LIEBKIND, Author of “the worst play ever”

ROGERS DEBRIS, Noted Director

CARMEN GHIA, Roger’s “assistant”

ULLA, Young Swedish Actress/Secretary/Receptionist

A large Male and Female Singing/Dancing Ensemble of Usherettes, First Nighters, Old Ladies, Nuns, Accountants, Chorus Girls, Storm Troopers, Guards & Convicts. Many secondary roles will be selected from the ensemble. This production is not intended for children and there are no children’s roles in the show. Teens under the age of 18 must have a parent/guardian at the audition.


For further information, email jblevins@hpcommunitytheatre.org or call the HPCT office at 336-882-2542.

Don't Miss THE SOUND OF MUSIC

The hills will come alive with THE SOUND OF MUSIC, the classic R & H musical that has inspired generations The opening production of High Point Community Theatre’s 2008-2009 Season will be presented on November 6, 7 and 8, 2008 at 7:30 pm and November 9, 2008 at 2:00 pm at the High Point Theatre. Tickets are available online at http://www.highpointtheatre.com/ or at the High Point Theatre Box Office at 336-887-3001.

Don't Forget!

Don't forget to turn your clocks back one hour tonight!