2016 SCHEDULE - Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo

2016 SCHEDULE
Funding provided by
2016 SCHEDULE
All Ears Theatre performs comedies and dramas in
front of a live audience for later radio broadcast on
102.1 WMUK FM.
The Green Hornet
January 9th
Ira Park, Detective and
The Telephone is on Hold Mystery
January 23rd
Faith’s Nuggets
February 6th
Sorry Wrong Number
February 20th
Sherlock Holmes and
A Case of Identity
March 5th
Ozma of Oz
(two part presentation)
March 19th
All Ears Variety Review
April 2nd
The Legend of Rip Van Winkle
April 16th
The Name of the Tree
April 30th
The Murders in the Rue Morgue
May 14th
Escape from Christiana
May 28th
LOCATION & TIME:
Each performance is held at 6:00pm
at the First Baptist Church, 315 West Michigan
Avenue, Kalamazoo, MI 49007
and later aired on WMUK 102.1 FM - Sunday nights
Tune in at 7:30 p.m. (Exact start time may vary
slightly.) Current Season shows air the first
Sunday of each month.
All Performances are FREE to attend.
PRODUCER/FOUNDER
Donald Ramlow
Having lived and worked in
Kalamazoo County for more
than 60 years, Donald
Ramlow’s contributions to the arts community
are vast and varied. Of his many contributions
Don is best known as the creator and producer
of All Ears Theatre. As creator of All Ears, Don
brought to Kalamazoo a unique art form
known as radio theatre. In sharing his passion
for radio theatre Don has encouraged local
actors, writers, playwrights and directors to
try their hand at radio theatre.
In addition to All Ears Theatre, Don was active
in local theatre in the late 60’s acting in several
plays produced by Kalamazoo Valley Community
College and Vicksburg area theatre groups.
Don was a founding member of Kalamazoo
Cable Access and has recently been re-appointed
to the Public Media Network Board as a representative for the City of Portage. Don also
jams with his buddies in a rock band called
Chaos Theory, whose performances have
included New Year’s Fest. Don was the recipient
of the Arts Council’s 2010 Community Medal of
Arts award.
kalamazooarts.org
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All Ears Theatre
All Ears Theatre is proud to be celebrating their 15th
season of productions. Nobody was sure back in 2002
whether there would be enough interest in establishing
a radio theater performance group in Kalamazoo,
and here we are celebrating not only our 15th season
but our 200th performance. An important goal of All Ears
has been to showcase the history of radio theater, while also
offering new stories and adaptations in the classic radio theater
format. Most of the original productions/adaptations have been written by
local authors. Several of these authors have gone on to adapt their audio
productions into other forms of entertainment, including books and stage
plays. The stories this year reflect a variety of shows, including fables and
stories based on African history, in addition to adventure stories, fairy tales,
detective stories and for the first time ever a variety show.
Faith's Nuggets is a period story set in the gold mine rush of the 1840s. It
tells the tale of the challenges one faced during this very hectic time in our
history. This is a first time script by Mark Savage, a long time performer
with All Ear's Theatre.
Two episodes of Sherlock Holmes stories were presented several years ago
and by popular request we are excited to be presenting a new adaptation of
the Sherlock Holmes adventure “A Case of Identity”, written by Arnold
Johnston and Deborah Percy. Arnold and Deborah have been writing both
original and adapted stories for All Ears since the first season in 2002. They
have also adapted a classic African folktale The Name of the Tree for
performance this season.
There have been many two-part stories presented as part of the All Ears
Theatre productions and this year we are presenting a new adaptation of
Ozma of Oz, the third story written by L. Frank Baum. Baum wrote a series
of fourteen novels featuring a wide variety of characters from his "wonderful land of Oz".
Deborah Hanley has been writing new adaptations and original stories for
All Ears Theatre for many years. She has performed in a variety of audio
productions over the years and also has been one of our sound effects
people. Deborah's story this year is based on Rip Van Winkle, the classic
story written by Washington Irving, which tells the saga of a man who falls
asleep and awakens twenty years later.
Ron Centers has been performing with All Ears Theatre since its earliest
years in addition to performing sound effects for various productions. Ron
has written a new adaptation of the Edgar Allan Poe story The Murders in
the Rue Morgue. It features the detective C. Auguste Dupin and is credited
as the first modern detective story by many mystery and detective historians.
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All Ears Theatre
BY
DONALD
RAMLOW
Escape from Christiana is written by Von Washington,
who has written plays for All Ears Theatre since season
one. Von's stories focus on the history and fables of
Africans and African Americans. Escape from
Christiana tells the story about bounty hunters and
runaway slaves during the time prior to the Civil War.
There are several special highlights in celebration of All Ear's fifteenth
season. Sorry Wrong Number is considered one of the classic radio plays
of all time rivaled only by Orson Welles' War of the Worlds. The story was
written by Lucille Fletcher, who while working for the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) in a variety of roles started her career as a writer. One of
her first stories was My Client Curley, which was adapted for radio by
Norman Corwin and performed by All Ears Theater in 2004. Lucille also
wrote the well known radio play The Hitchhiker which was performed by
Orson Welles and later adapted for an episode of the The Twilight Zone.
Sorry Wrong Number was first performed on radio in 1943 with the actress
Agnes Moorehead in the lead role. Many people will remember Agnes
Moorehead as Endora the mother on the TV series Bewitched. The script
proved very popular and Moorehead repeated her performance multiple
times over the next 15 years. The story was also adapted for film in 1948
with the lead role played by Barbara Stanwyck.
One of the popular forms of entertainment on radio during its golden years
were variety shows. The shows, like the name suggests, featured singing,
instrumental performances, comedy skits and short dramatic readings or
presentations. Shows featuring Abbott & Costello, Jack Benny, Bob Hope
and Tallulah Bankhead in lead roles as hosts/moderators were examples of
the many popular variety shows from the golden age of radio.
The character of Ira Park, Detective will be the featured 200th performance
of All Ears Theatre. Ira Park was first developed four years ago, only his
name at that time was "Park Bronson, Detective". Set in the post war time
of the late forties and early fifties and located in the Kalamazoo area, the
stories are reminiscent of the classic detective and mystery stories of the
forties as featured in novels, film and radio. All of us involved with All Ears
Theatre are proud of the many productions we have presented over the years
and we wish to thank the The Irving S. Gilmore Foundation, The Arts
Council of Greater Kalamazoo, Western Michigan University's WMUK radio
station and The First Baptist Church of Kalamazoo for their many years of
support.
kalamazooarts.org
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January
The Green Hornet
January 9
Close your eyes and listen to the exciting adventures of Britt
Reid and his many friends as they fight to maintain law and
order throughout their community.
Permission to perform the program arranged through the
courtesy of Terry Salomonson. Copyrighted by Green Hornet,
Inc. Directed and produced by Jeff Mais.
Auditions - December 15 & 16, 2015
?
Did you know that the
sound of sword fighting
can be created by clicking
two dinner knives together.
Ira Park, Detective and
The Telephone Is On Hold Mystery
- 200th Episode
January 23
Ira Park prefers to make his living playing double-bass with
local groups around town. However, the life of a musician can
be difficult and Ira occasionally finds himself having to pick
up work as a private detective. His latest case involves the
search for a man who makes his living fleecing money from
unsuspecting victims.
Created, directed and produced by Donald Ramlow.
Auditions - December 15 & 16, 2015
4
All Ears Theatre
kalamazooarts.org
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February
Faith's Nuggets
February 6
Gold fever stoked the hopes of striking it rich for thousands of
Americans in 1849. Despite the journey’s hazards and uncertainties, one ‘49er woman’s faith and determination helped her
realize her dream and a new way of life.
An original play written by Mark Savage. Directed by Marti
Groat and produced by Rick Fontaine.
Auditions - December 15 & 16, 2015
?
Did you know that you
can create the sound of
walking through leaves by
using cheerleading pom poms or
a brushing your hands through a
container of corn flakes?
Sorry Wrong Number
February 20
Sorry Wrong Number is considered by many fans of audio
theater to be one of the best written radio plays of all time.
The story is about a bed-ridden woman whose phone
becomes cross-connected with another phone line, allowing
her to overhear what appears to be a plot to commit murder.
This classic story has been performed on radio many times
and has also been adapted for television and film.
This copyrighted play was written by Lucille Fletcher and
performed with the permission of her daughter Dorothy
Herrmann. Directed and produced by Donald Ramlow.
Auditions - January 25 & 26, 2016
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All Ears Theatre
March
Sherlock Holmes and
A Case of Identity
March 5
Is it a breach of promise case? A kidnapping case? A murder
case? No—it’s “A Case of Identity,” in which the inimitable
Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson come to the aid of a damsel
in distress.
Cleverly adapted for radio by Arnold Johnston and Deborah
Percy from the classic story by A. Conan Doyle. Directed by
Michael Ray Helms and produced by Jeff Mais.
Auditions - January 25 & 26, 2016
Ozma of Oz (two part presentation)
March 19
Dorothy and her Uncle Henry are on vacation, and while
traveling at sea find themselves suddenly caught in a terrible
storm. Dorothy struggles to hang on, but she soon finds
herself catapulted into the sea. Swimming desperately she
soon finds herself washed up on a nearby shore. But where is
she? It sure doesn't look like Oz.
Adapted by Donald Ramlow from the original novel by L.
Frank Baum. Directed by Ronald Centers and produced by
Jeff Mais.
Auditions - February 22 & 23, 2016
?
Did you know that
the sound of a boiling
water is often created
through blowing through
a long plastic tube into
a container of water?
kalamazooarts.org
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April
All Ears Variety Review
April 2nd
All Ears Theatre is proud to perform it's first ever variety
review show featuring comedy, skits and musical numbers.
Designed, directed and produced by Donald Ramlow.
Auditions - February 22 & 23, 2016
The Legend of Rip Van Winkle
April 16
Rip Van Winkle's wife complains that he would rather starve
on a penny than work for a pound. What happens when this
idle man crosses paths with the ghost of Henry Hudson in the
Catskill Mountains? Find out when you listen to The Legend
of Rip Van Winkle.
Directed and adapted by Deborah Hanley from the classic
story by Washington Irving. Produced by Rick Fontaine.
Auditions - February 22 & 23, 2016
The Name of the Tree
April 30
Drought has struck the land and the animals are starving. One
great tree is laden with mysterious and delicious-looking
fruit, but will only yield its bounty if its name is spoken. And
only King Lion knows the name. Which animal will learn the
name and save everyone? In their radio adaptation of this
folk-tale, Arnold Johnston and Deborah Ann Percy have
drawn on versions widely-told throughout Africa.
Directed by Sid Ellis. Adapted by Arnold Johnston and Deborah Ann Percy. Produced by Jeff Mais.
Auditions - March 21 & 22, 2016
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All Ears Theatre
May
The Murders in the Rue Morgue
May 14
One night, neighbors are aroused from sleep by a "succession
of terrific shrieks" from the locked room of an apartment from
which there is no apparent egress. Using his brilliant
analytical mind, Monsieur Dupin employs his now-famous
method of ratiocination to point out the obvious things that
the police have overlooked to help solve this heinous crime.
Adapted by Ronald Centers from the classic story by Edgar
Allan Poe. Directed by Larry Long and produced by Rick
Fontaine.
Auditions - March 21 & 22, 2016
Escape from Christiana
May 28
In 1851, Lonnie Darker, a well known free Negro, gathers with
friends to discuss the perils of remaining in Christiana,
Pennsylvania, after learning that kidnappers are set on returning fugitive Negroes to slavery. Fearing chaos and capture,
they set out on a journey to Canada and all goes well until it
is discovered that the efforts of some of their own group may
keep them from reaching, “The Promised Land.”
Directed and written by Von Washington. Produced by Jeff
Mais.
Auditions - March 21 & 22, 2016
?
Did you know that
footsteps in mud can be
created by squeezing two
sponges in a small
amount of water.
kalamazooarts.org
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THANK YOU TO OUR MEDIA SPONSOR!
Listen to the 2016 All Ears
Programs the First Sunday
of Each Month on...
AIR DATE SCHEDULE:
FEB 7
MAR 6
APR 3
MAY 1
JUN 5
JUL 3
JUL 10
AUG 7
SEPT 4
OCT 2
NOV 6
DEC 4
The Green Hornet
Ira Park, Detective and
The Telephone is On Hold Mystery
Faith’s Nuggets
Sorry Wrong Number
Sherlock Holmes and
A Case of Identity
Ozma of Oz - Part 1
Ozma of Oz - Part 2
All Ears Variety Show
The Legend of Rip Van Winkle
Name of the Tree
Murders in the Rue Morgue
Escape from Christiana
Shows air at approximately 7:30 pm.
Check wmuk.org for the show schedule for the remainder of 2016.
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All Ears Theatre
Please Join
Us for
OPEN
AUDITIONS!
No previous theater experience is required.
People aged fifteen and up are welcome.
Younger people will be considered if they can
demonstrate strong reading and performance
skills. Come prepared to read from a script.
Parents/guardians are expected to be present
during the audition process.
January 25 & 26, 2016
(Shows: Sorry Wrong Number, Sherlock Holmes and A Case Identity)
February 22 & 23, 2016
(Shows: Ozma of Oz, All Ears Variety Review,
The Legend of Rip Van Winkle)
March 21 & 22, 2016
(The Name of the Tree, The Murders in the Rue Morgue,
Escape from Christiana)
Auditions are held from 7-9 pm
at the Epic Center
359 S. Kalamazoo Mall, Kalamazoo
kalamazooarts.org
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2016 SCHEDULE
First Friday of Each Month!
FEBRUARY 5
MARCH 4
APRIL 1
MAY 6
JUNE 3
JULY 8*
AUGUST 5
SEPTEMBER 9*
OCTOBER 7
NOVEMBER 4
DECEMBER 2
*Held on Second Friday
If you enjoy All Ears Theatre, please consider a
contribution to this program. Go on line to give to
www.kalamazooarts.org/page/donate
or mail your contribution, payable to:
Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo
359 S. Kalamazoo Mall
Suite 203
Kalamazoo, MI 49007
(attn: write “All Ears” in the memo line on your check)
12
All Ears Theatre
Music, arts,
local news,
your favorite
NPR shows.
All carefully
handcrafted from
our state-of-the-art
studios at Western
Michigan University.
On air, online,
on our app,
on facebook.
ca
Try l o
l
WMUK
102.1
arts co
unc
il
of
gre
ate
r
ka
la
ma
zoo
*
partner
[part - ner] noun - 1. your local friend that cultivates
community creativity by supporting its member’s
dreams, ambitions, and programs that help keep the
arts alive and thriving in Kalamazoo.
Provide financial support through
grant programs.
Offer educational workshops.
Provide support services like fiscal
management, marketing and
strategic planning.
HOW WE
Are a voice in arts advocacy on
local, state and national issues.
HELP
ARTISTS
AND ART
Opened in 2000, the Epic Center is
home to ten nonprofit arts
organizations, the Epic Theatre,
two galleries, Wellspring Theatre,
retail and restaurants.
ORGANIZATIONS:
Each year thousands come to the
Epic Center to see a performance,
take a music lesson or dance class
or enjoy a visual art exhibit.
ARTS COUNCIL COMMUNITY PROGRAMS:
N
I
N
T
H
A
N
N
U
A
L
*Meet us up close @
KalamazooArts.org
359 S. Kalamazoo Mall, Kalamazoo
269.342.5059