AURORA STUDIO THEATRE, INC. shall foster, encourage and develop new opportunities for actors at the high school level and above, provide new avenues of work for playwrights, directors and producers, and entertain as well as educate the community through a commitment to excellence in the theatrical and literary arts.
AURORA welcomes full public participation in its programs (volunteers, cast and crew, audience) and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex or physical or mental handicap.
2008 BOARD MEMBERS
Gale Waldron, President
Bob Rosenberg, First Vice President
Nancy Purcell, Second Vice President
Ernie Carnevale, Treasurer
James Campanella, Co-Recorder
Carolyn Christensen, Co-Recorder
Meredith Bean McMath, Artistic Director
Diane El-Shafey
Doug Dickinson
Holly Raymond
Ike Stoneberger
Stokes Tomlin
BOARD MEMBER EMERITUS
Maxine Bean (Founder)
Angie Burkhart (Founder)
Michelle Hixon (Founder)
Margaret Levay (Founder)
Abigail Seymour (Founder)
Pamela Oldham
Jeff Stern
Elizabeth Wilmer (Founder)
A HISTORY
"All the world’s a stage, and the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts."
- William Shakespeare, As You Like It
In April of 2004, Meredith Bean McMath gathered a group of like-minded individuals for the purpose of forming a new theatre company in Loudoun County, Virginia. Group founders included Angie Burkhart, Maxine Bean, Tracey Donnelly, Diane El-Shafey, Michelle Hixon, Margaret Levay, Nani Power, Abigail Seymour, and Elizabeth Wilmer. In the next few months, the group formed Articles of Incorporation, By-Laws and a mission statement, established a board of directors, elected officers and placed Meredith Bean McMath as Founding Artistic Director.
The name “Aurora Studio Theatre" was chosen, in honor of the Greek origins of theatre. Aurora or Eos, the Goddess of the Dawn, represents the life-giving light theatre can bring to the world. “Studio Theatre” was chosen to indicate the aspects of both education and theatrical production. Michelle Hixon created a corporate logo for the company that contained the rays of a rising sun:
In November Alcott's LITTLE WOMEN, an adaptation written and directed by McMath, was presented at Hillsboro’s Old Stone School Theatre (The Old Stone School is managed by the Hillsboro Community Association, a group known for encouraging arts in the community). The show involved 31 cast members - aged 10 to 80 - and 19 production crew members and volunteers. Opening night response was overwhelming, and each of the remaining eight performances sold out. During intermissions, a local bookstore sold copies of Louia May Alcott's beloved tale, and a Girl Scouts Troop sold refreshments. Over 1300 people saw the show, including members of the press, and Aurora received its first rave reviews.
The March played (L to R) by Mandy Juraschek (Amy), Diane El-Shafey (Marmee),
Mary Triplett (Jo), Cate Oliver (Beth), and Jenny Sugden (Meg)
In January, McMath submitted the 501(c) 3 application, and Aurora Studio Thatre, Inc. was granted non-profit status within a month. Four years later, the company has built a successful non-profit community theatre company with an exceptional reputation. A large part of that success is due Aurora’s artistic guidelines, created by the input of Artistic Staff, members of the Board of Directors, and the Artistic Director from extensive past experience and the “petri dish” of learning provided during every Aurora production.
Aurora Studio Theatre, Inc.
ARTISTIC GUIDELINES
- Board of Directors’ round table discussions and group consensus on the company’s programs and shows;
- Opportunities to direct by multiple individuals, and shows directed by the Artistic Director only occasionally;
- A balanced schedule of both family and adult-level entertainment;
- A roster of plays, programs and classes determined more than a year ahead of tim, and a full-color brochure published at the beginning of every theatre season;
- The best advertising possible;
- A professional-looking website;
- An Artistic Director who works as a professional Artistic Director, maintaining professional artistic quality, mentoring teachers and directors as needed, and retaining final say on artistic decisions should anyone veer from the artistic standards;
- Excellent rehearsal experiences for actors by teaching acting methods and encouraging professional excellence;
- Expect every actor of every age to develop a complete, three-dimensional persona with a name, history and distinct personality;
- Provide cast and crew with opportunities to share creative input with a director and see their ideas incorporated (which stands alongside another Aurora Golden Rule: Actors are not allowed to direct fellow actors);
- Actively seek youth as production crew interns;
- Provide free programming whenever possible (i.e., library programs, high school drama club attendance at full dress rehearsals, public showcases, etc., etc.);
- Aim at becoming a Regional Theatre.
PRODUCTIONS
Since Aurora’s 2004 beginnings, Hillsboro’s Old Stone School Theatre saw many main stage productions. These include Aurora’s first spring musical, the 2005 production of The Pajama Game, directed by Diane El-Shafey (seen above). Carma Oliverez was chosen as Assistant Musical Director and pianist and Kellie Barr (now Kellie Barr Goossens) as Choreographer. This creative team has worked together on every musical since.
In the fall of 2005, Aurora ventured into dark comedy with Arsenic and Old Lace (Directed by Michelle Hixon). The show was extremely well received, with a set by board member Margaret Levay that also garnered rave reviews.
Artist Penny Hauffe created the faux-stained glass effect,
recreating a Tiffany Peacock in tissue paper
In the spring of 2006, Aurora produced its second spring musical, Rodgers’ and Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Musical Director Diane El-Shafey, Stage Director Meredith Bean McMath) both at Hillsboro’s Old Stone School and Leesburg’s Loudoun Country Day School Theatre. The summer 2006 production was The Odd Couple (Directed by Nate Juraschek), and the fall 2006 Arms and the Highlander, a George Bernard Shaw adaptation, was written and directed by Meredith Bean McMath.
By the spring of 2007, Aurora chose Treasures: the Musical Adventures of Tom Sawyer, written by Growing Stage Co-Founder Dolly Stevens and Hill Playhouse and Creative Youth Founder Tom Sweitzer. The show had first been produced by The Growing Stage in 1996 at the Hillsboro Old Stone School Theatre, directed by Tom Sweitzer with Dolly Stevens as Aunt Polly. Aurora's production was directed by Millie Juraschek, with Musical Direction by Diane El-Shafey, Choreography by Kellie Goossens, and Fight Choreography by Carolyn Christensen.
LIBRARY PROGRAMS
When Aurora began, Meredith spoke with the head of Loudoun County Public Libraries, Linda Holstlander, about the creation of an off-shoot from Aurora's first production: a program entitled "A Visit with the Stars of LITTLE WOMEN." The program was presented at several Loudoun libraries from January through April of '05, to the delight of a host of young fans. The actors (all four March Sisters, as well as their friend Laurie) remained in character to tell their histories and then play 19th century games with their guests.
"A Visit with the Stars of LITTLE WOMEN" at Lovettsville Library
In the spring of 2008, Aurora will present a different sort of library program: “Royals and Rustics: a High School Student’s Guide to Shakespeare.” Co-taught by Meredith Bean McMath and professional actor David Bolton, the classes will be provided free every Saturday from April through May at four libraries across Loudoun County.
CLASSES
During Aurora’s first summer in 2005, Diane El-Shafey taught “Professional Theatre Makeup,” assisted by Michelle Hixon, and Phil Erickson and Meredith Bean McMath co-taught “Improvisation!” “Improvisation!” has been provided every summer since, with a small change in leadership: the class is now co-taught by Phil Erickson and Penny Hauffe. Local press coverage has captured the essence of fun the class provides, and sometimes hits upon the more serious side of Improv: the foundation of fearless acting techniques and a sense of self-reliance that benefits students far outside the theatre.
In the spring of 2006, Meredith taught “A Crash Course for Young Playwrights.” Co-sponsored by Franklin Park Performing and Visual Arts, six junior high and high school students participated. Classes included a visit by former Arena Stage Literary Manager Michael Kinghorn and ended with a ten-minute play competition. The plays were then produced, free to the public, at The Round Hill Center in Round Hill, Virginia with dramatic readings by actors Phil Erickson and Penny Hauffe. Aurora Board members chose Rachael Barksdale’s Thrice Ain’t So Bad as the winner.
In the summer of 2007, Jim Campanella and Carolyn Christensen co-taught “Swords and Stunts” to a class whose ages ranged from 14 to 60. Aurora showcased the students’ new talents in a series of short vignettes provided to the public free of charge in the courtyard of Leesburg’s Market Station in August. Members of the summer “Improvisation!” class joined them to play various improv games and engage in mayhem with the audience.
Siblings Carson and Kaichen McCrea play out a scene
at the Market
Station Courtyard free Showcase in Leesburg, Virginia
Many of these actors then formed the basis of “Aurora’s Traveling Players,” a 19th century-style traveling troupe who staged a show at the October 2007 Waterford Fair in Waterford, Virginia (America’s oldest crafts fair). Visitors enjoyed more swordplay, stunts and a fractured take on “Jack and the Beanstalk” in the yard of “Sunnyside.”
Children at The Waterford Fair
with cast members Abe Woycke (as the Giant's wife)
and B.B. Walker (the Gypsy Dancer) at far right
A CHANGE OF VENUE
By 2007, Aurora’s Board of Directors was actively seeking new places to perform, both to gather new patrons and to be closer to the majority of patrons (85% of attendees were found to live in Purcellville, Hamilton and Round Hill). Purcellville had completed renovations and opened The Carver Center, a new senior center with public theatre space in the ca. 1940 school. Aurora was the second company to produce a show there, when it brought The Mousetrap over from Leisure World in October of 2007. Aurora plans to continue bringing productions to the Carver Center Theatre, as the space is comfortable for guests and the Loudoun County staff is stellar in making their rental guests feel at home.
The Mousetrap at Carver Center Theatre
L to R: Natalie DeHart, Chris Saunders, Nancy McCarthy,
Bob Rosenberg, Chris Stone, Kevin Daly,
Melissa Martin-Marsh and John VanEck
Aurora’s current production, Iron S’Kill-it, a murder mystery and spoof of “The Iron Chef” television show written by Loudoun resident Glen Bartram and directed by James Campanella, will be presented at yet another new venue: Grandale Farm Restaurant in Neersville, Virginia. In the spring of ’07, Meredith sought out Grandale’s owner, Tom Orme, to discuss the possibility of dinner theatre at Grandale’s new Assembly Hall, and Tom quickly agreed to “host” a winter show in ’08. The program is called “Aurora Dinner Theatre at Grandale Farm Restaurant,” because Aurora hopes the venture will become a moveable feast, whereby the dinner theatre experience can be brought to a multiple venues. Aurora is also thrilled to see Loudoun’s completion of The Franklin Park Performing and Visual Arts Center and looks forward to yet another new Loudoun County performance venue.
THE FUTURE
We are pleased to be one of several excellent outlets for the plethora of talented individuals that live in our area, but Aurora Studio Theatre, Inc. promises you this dedicated group of talented individuals will continue to gather together and do their level best to educate, entertain and give back to the community for as long as the community allows.
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