What's in this Edition . . .

AUDITIONS for Circle Mirror Transformation - July 8 & 9, 2023

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED - Lighting Grid Strike / Pull Down

BPF New Play - What Was Done - July 14-23, 2023

Lighting Grid Replacement Fund - Donate Today!

France-Merrick Foundation donates to fund!

Season 61 Celebrating Nurture, Compassion, Balance, Harmony & more!

Designers, Stage Managers, Technicians and Crew needed for Season 61

Change in COVID Policy & Guidelines

AUDITIONS

Sat, July 8

Sun, July 9

SYNOPSIS:

?In the small town of Shirley, Vermont, five strangers gather in a dance studio to embark on a unique journey together in a creative drama class for adults. The group moves through a series of acting exercises, ranging from the heartbreaking to the ridiculous. In this one small room, through these few seemingly trivial games, quiet wars are waged, emotional wounds are nursed, and healing is finally, slowly, able to begin.

AUDITION REQUIREMENTS:

All ethnicities, sizes, gender identities, and gender expressions are encouraged to audition.

Bring your theatrical resume, headshot, and a list of major conflicts from July 15,, through October 1, 2023.

No conflicts will be approved after Callbacks.

Be familiar with the show and the characters, as there are adult situations and language. Prepare the appropriate provided monologue(s) (Links to monologues at www.spotlighters.org/auditions). Hard copies will be available at the audition. The director is seeking grounded performances that are sensitive to pacing. Helpful character information may be embedded in audition monologues for other characters.

MORE INFORMATION & TO SCHEDULE AUDITION www.spotlighters.org/auditions

Volunteers Needed to Dismantle Lighting Grid

In preparation for the installation of the NEW LED LIGHTING GRID, we need to remove the instruments and fixtures currently hanging from the grid, all the power cables, and the stage microphones and speakers.

AND, it needs to happen between 6pm Sunday, July 23 and Sunday, July 30, 2023. The engineers arrive Monday, July 31 at 7am!

Volunteers will be needed to do the following tasks:

Work on an 8 ft ladder with hand wrench to remove lighting instruments (2 volunteers needed)

Carry instruments from theatre to lobby area to be sorted and inventoried (2 or more volunteers)

Prepare, Sort, Inventory lighting instruments in lobby (2 volunteers needed)

Work on an 8 ft ladder to unplug and trace power cables (50ft extension cords) from the stage grid back to booth (2 volunteers needed)

Coil and Tag Power Cables and store in Lobby (2 volunteers needed)

Ladder crew will also assist in removing on stage microphones, cabling, stage speakers, and wiring.

Our Tech Director, Rob Brooks, will be over-seeing this project.

Due to rehearsals being underway for Circle Mirror Transformation, which opens Sept 15, 2023 .... this work will be scheduled between 9am and 5pm. Volunteers will not need to be present the entire time or everyday - though, that would be quite beneficial! Two to Three hours will be greatly appreciated.

All interested persons should email [email protected]  with GRID VOLUNTEER in the subject line. Please include name, contact phone, and your available times. Please respond by July 21, 2023. Thanks

Spotlighters Theatre in collaboration with the Baltimore Playwrights Festival is proud to present the first staged production of a new work by Baltimore Playwright, Jack L. B. Gohn, directed by Barry Feinstein.

Spotlighters hosts the BPF Readings during the late Spring and selects a work from the ten readings for a full scale production at the end of the season.

Baltimore Playwrights Festival Production

WHAT HAS DONE

written by Jack L. B. Gohn

directed by Barry Feinstein

produced by Miriam Bazensky,

Baltimore Playwrights Festival, in collaboration with Spotlighters Theatre

Performance Dates: July 14 - 23, 2023

It’s 1978, in rural Maryland. Deirdre, a White historian working on grant money to complete a dissertation on lynchings in the state, is killing two birds with one stone, visiting farmland where the last Maryland lynching happened (in 1933) and stopping by her Uncle Selby’s home.

An anomaly in the tax records of the farmland sets her on the trail of what really happened in the lynching, a story that reaches back to the 1840s and forward to 1978, and will turn out to involve Deirdre’s uncle, her uncle’s in-laws, Deirdre’s Black civil rights worker boyfriend, and their 14-year-old son.

The story of endemic racism, once uncovered, will force the characters to make momentous decisions regarding  allegiances, attitudes, and (it is implied) the politics of this present day.              

A New work by a local Baltimore Playwright. 

TICKETS

SPECIAL EVENTS ....

Opening Night Reception:  Fri, July 14, 2023 Join the cast, director, & playwright for a post show reception

Talk Back with Playwright, Director & Cast: Sun, July 16, 2023 ?following matinee performance

Ten Spot Thursday: Thur, July 20,2023 - 8:00pm All Tickets just $10.00

Spotlighters is thrilled to offer an amazing selection of great theatre for our 61st Season!

A Season focused on Nurture & Compassion, on Balance & Harmony.

Season Flex Passes and Individual Tickets are ON SALE, with no price increases!

Inflation is hitting Spots just like each and everyone of you, but we want you to continue to enjoy affordable quality theatre. We are making cuts to our budget expenses and conserving, so you won't see an increase in Ticket Prices.

More information about Season 61 CLICK HERE

Individual Tickets and Season Flex Passes are on sale now!

Please email [email protected] with any questions

LIGHTING GRID REPLACEMENT CAMPAIGN

The current Theatre Lighting Grid over our stage is from the 1990s and most of the equipment is from the mid 1970s and 80s. To provide our technicians, actors and our audiences with the best production quality - - -

Spotlighters has secured an estimate to replace the current grid system, wiring and instruments for $125,000. This includes the demo of the current structure and wiring, and installation of a new system. The theatre is seeking funding from local corporations and foundations .... and individual donors as well.

We are thrilled to announce that we have received a $35,000 grant from France-Merrick Foundation towards the project! Thanks to Middendorf Foundation for the first major grant donation for this project of $50,000!

CURRENT DONATIONS: $90,350.00

Major Donors

Middendorf Foundation

France-Merrick Foundation

Doug & Corinne Bennett

Betty Jo Bowman

Miriam Winder Kelly

Robert & Carol Mills

Stuart Goldstone

Deborah Newman

We are still about $35,000 from the goal. If you would like to make a personal donation to help Spotlighters get the full package for our lighting system, please make your donation today.

If you would like to support this much needed project, please visit: www.spotlighters.org/partners and make a donation today. Please indicate that your gift is for the Lighting Grid Project. Spotlighters is also seeking support from local businesses and would be happy to speak with anyone about this much needed capital improvement.

Thank you!

We have an urgent need for Ushers!

Please email [email protected]  to join the great teams of ushers at Spotlighters! Training is provided. 

COVID GUIDELINES at Spotlighters

- - - effective May 1, 2023

MASKS

Masks are encouraged, but not required for attendance.

While proof of vaccination is not required, we strongly recommend up-to-date vaccines.

Effective with opening of 'night, Mother Spotlighters will no longer require patrons to wear masks while in the theatre and lobby areas.

HAND SANITIZER

Feeling like a quick hand cleaning might do the trick? Stop by any of the hand sanitizing stations throughout the venue for a little refresher.

UNDER THE WEATHER?

We ask any patron who is feeling ill to please stay home. Our staff and volunteers are expected to do the same.