Box Office News March 20,2009

BOX OFFICE NEWS March 20, 2009
Barrow-Civic Theatre
P.O. Box 1089 - 1223 Liberty Street
Franklin, PA 16323
Box Office - 814.437.3440 or 800.537.7769
Monday through Friday 10AM to 4:30PM
www.barrowtheatre.com

SOLD OUT!!!
DAVID CASSIDY ROCKS THE BARROW!
On March 27th, 2009 at 8:30PM Cassidy will play the Barrow-Civic Theatre in Franklin, PA to a sold out audience! This is the first time Cassidy has appeared in the Pittsburgh area in more than 35 years, and the Barrow is bringing it to you! “The house sold out over two-weeks before opening,” says General Manager John Miller.

“The sponsors behind this event are the real heroes who truly made this very special event possible,” he says. The sponsors include The R.J. Porterfield Family, Joy Manufacturing, The Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts, Rosie Petulla, Chris & Randy Shaw, Dr. David Femovich, The Franklin Fine Arts Council, The Franklin Retail Association, Feldman’s Jewelers, Franklin Insurance, The Bert Company, Schake Industries, Timothy E. Hardle Funeral Home, Joe Liotta, Pioneer Electric and one anonymous donor on top of it all!

Miller continues, “The concert serves as a testament to what a community can do when it pulls together to get things done.”

GET ON THE WAITING LIST AND MAILING LIST!
If you are still interested in getting tickets, we are taking names on a waiting list. Should there be any cancellations ahead of time, we will call in the order the request was received. We will also put you on our mailing list and include you on any news for upcoming concert events.

CASSIDY TODAY--NEW SERIES ON FAMILY CHANNEL!
Cassidy made a striking resurrection in 1990 with a new, self-titled album and top 40 hit single Lyin’ To Myself that led to his visible and viable career ever since! Having performed on Broadway in the theatrical giant Blood Brothers, Cassidy also broke records in Las Vegas during the 90’s and beyond with sellout performances of the highly successful EFX. Also having produced two other Vegas hits, “The Rat-Pack Is Back,” and “At The Copa,” Cassidy is set to star in an upcoming TV series on ABC Family Channel titled “Ruby & The Rockits.” The pilot, which stars Cassidy and brother Patrick, is written by yet another famous Cassidy brother--Shaun! Tune in! It’s certain to be a new generation of family fun with the Cassidy brothers!

Cast set for “TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD”
The setting of the play is 1935 Alabama, during the great depression. The story: small town attorney takes on a court case defending a black man wrongly accused of rape. The most affected person in this drama turns out to be his young daughter Scout, who finds herself coming of age through her father’s dynamic and gripping ordeal.

The cast includes Jamie Agnello, Ben Bodamer, Gabriela Frederick, Peg Hennessy, Nick Keeley, Izaak Lamphere, Abby Larimore, William G. Martin, Megan Wambolt, Mary Anne Wilkinson, Ed Ramage, Joseph Crosley, Kim Tarr, Nicholas Switzer and Richard Roberts doing double-duty as both Director and Actor as he takes on the lead role of Atticus Finch. Extras include Miya Gossett, Bernice Nelson, Elias Noyes, Alix Noyes, Grace Burwell, Joy Lamphere, Barney Knorr, Rachel Stachelrodt, and Erika Vorse. Performance dates are April 24, 25, May 2 nd and 3 rd.

Tickets can be purchased now by calling our box office at 814-437-3440. The production team includes Lisa Harry, Jenn Fox, Ed Ramage, Deb Krepps, Andrew & Adam Ritsig, Veronica Lamphere, and Michael Hovis.

CALLING ALL ENGLISH TEACHERS!
SCHOOL PERFORMANCES SCHEDULED FOR ‘MOCKINGBIRD’
On April 29, The Barrow will offer two special performances of “To Kill A Mockingbird” schedule for 9:15AM and 11:30PM. These special performances will be offered to schools at $5.00 per student—more than ½ off regular student prices!

SUBMIT A RECIPE!
The Barrow is planning to showcase favorite local recipes in our special ‘theatrical cookbook’ fundraiser this year! We are requesting submissions from anyone with a distinctly scrumptious recipe! If you, or one of your favorite cooks, may be silently hiding something good, snag that recipe and give us a call! We welcome your recipe with an eager appetite! Call Deb Krepps at 814-282-1334 to make your submission!

ALSO COMING SOON…
The Venango Chamber Orchestra is scheduled to give a performance free to the public on Sunday, March 22 at 3:00PM.

The Medical Musical Revue is revived again this year by Eddie St. Clair and his medical buddies! Tickets are $12.00 each and seating is reserved. Proceed benefit the American Cancer Society. You can get your tickets now by calling the BCT box office at 814-437-3440..

ACOUSTIC CAFÉ
The Barrow-Civic Theatre's little theatre will host an acoustic cafe on Friday April 3rd. This event will feature an open mic segment as well as several local acoustic musicians.

Doors for this event will open at 7pm. The Open Mic segment will run from 7:30 to 8:30pm. Those who are interested in performing at the Open Mic should contact Kyle Walter (kdeuce87@yahoo.com or 814-671-8783) for details and to reserve a time. There will also be a sign-up sheet at the door. Time slots will be no longer than 15 mintues.

After the Open Mic three local acoustic performers will be sharing the stage:
Seth Brewster, an acoustic guitarist/vocalist from Meadville; Justin Parson, an acoustic guitarist/vocalist from Brookville, and Remora Deign, a popular local band will also be playing an 'unplugged' set.

The cost for this will be: $2 dollars for open mic performers; $5 dollars general admission.

AUDITIONS! “KISS ME, KATE”
April 18 & 19 - 2pm
Directed by BCT board member Ted Smith. The production team also includes Mary Ann Richardson and Corky Jamison as producers! For detailed information on audition requirements, email Ted Smith at tedsmith.patio@gmail.com

Mockingbird Cast Announcment

Casting has been announced for To Kill A Mockingbird, presented by Franklin Civic Operetta Association April 24-25 and May 2-3 at the Barrow-Civic Theatre.

Cast in the show are (in alphabetical order): Jamie Agnello as Mayella Ewell, Ben Bodamer as Heck Tate, Gabriela Frederick as Calpurnia, Peg Hennessy as Maudie Atkinson, Nick Keeley as Walter Cunningham, Izaak Lamphere as Charles Baker Harris (Dill), Abby Larimore as Jean Louis Finch (Scout), William G. Martin as Mr. Gilmer, Richard Roberts as Atticus Finch, Megan Wambolt as Stephanie Crawford, Mary Anne Wilkinson as Mrs. Dubose, Nick Keeley as Arthur Radley (Boo), Ed Ramage as Judge Taylor, Joseph Crosley as Rev. Sykes , Kim Tarr as Bob Ewell, Nicholas Switzer as Tom Robinson.

Still to be cast are the parts of Jem and Clerk.

Cast as extras for the show are Miya Gossett, Bernice Nelson, Elias Noyes, Alix Noyes, Grace Burwell, Joy Lamphere, Barney Knorr, Rachel Stachelrodt, and Erika Vorse .

Secure your tickets through the Barrow-Civic Theatre Box Office, 814-437-3440 or 1-800-537-7769

David Cassidy Ticket Package on Ebay!

Look out David Cassidy Fans!

The Barrow-Civic Theatre is holding a Ebay auction for a David Cassidy Fan Package. Get two (2) FRONT ROW tickets, two t-shirts and a commemorative poster. This is a once-in-a-lifetime package as the show has SOLD OUT! No other front row seats are available for general sale.

Bidding starts at the value of the tickets so visit the listing at item #140308192556 or search David Cassidy tickets on Ebay and look for the BCT logo.

Happy Bidding!

Season Ticket packages still available

Season ticket packages are still available for the FCOA Season of Shows for the remainder of the year - To Kill A Mockingbird, Kiss Me Kate, The Odd Couple, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and the holiday favorites A Christmas Carol and Messiah.

What, you say the season is already started and you missed Forever Plaid. Well, let's run the numbers. A Season Ticket package for our five mainstage shows is $55.00 (adult). Separately, adults tickets to the four remaining main season shows will cost you $64.00....so it's still a savings of 14% ($9.00). Add in the holiday shows (package is $79.00) and you save $13.00.

(similar savings for senior and student/child ticket packages)....

So contact the Box Office at 814-437-3440 today to order your season ticket package before To Kill A Mockingbird April 25-25 & May 2-3 and SAVE SAVE SAVE

Auditions for Mass Appeal

Auditions will be held this Saturday March 14 at 2pm for the Theatre In the Little Theatre production of Mass Appeal. We are looking for two men for the play. Please come prepared to cold-read from the script. Show dates are April 17-18 at 8pm each night in the BCT Little Theatre.

Synopsis from http://www.dramatists.com/cgi-bin/db/single.asp?key=1273

Father Tim Farley, a lover of the good things in life, is comfortably ensconced as priest of a prosperous Catholic congregation. Without realizing it, he has resorted to flattering his parishioners and entertaining them with sermons that skirt any disturbing issues, in order to protect his Mercedes, his trips abroad and the generous supply of fine wines that grace his table (and his desk drawer).

His well-ordered world is disrupted by the arrival of Mark Dolson, an intense and idealistic young seminarian whom Father Farley reluctantly agrees to take under his wing. There is immediate conflict between the two as the younger man challenges the older priest's sybaritic ways, while Father Farley is appalled by Mark's confession that he had led a life of bisexual promiscuity before entering the priesthood.

In the final essence their confrontation is a touching yet very funny examination of the nature of friendship, courage and the infinite variety of love, as the older man is reminded of the firebrand he once was, and the younger comes to realize that forbearance is as vital to the Christian ethic as righteousness.

Directed by Ted Smith and produced by Rosie Petulla as part of Theatre In the Little Theatre - a series produced by Franklin Civic Operetta Association at the Barrow-Civic Theatre

David Cassidy Fan Haunts the Barrow-Civic

This appeared in today editions of the The Derrick and News Herald (March 10 2009). Credit to Jenna Gregory for the story and Jerry Sowden for the photo (http://www.thederrick.com/). I would have linked to story directly but they don't keep an online archive so the online story is lost after today.....
Barrow manager has waited lifetime to host Cassidy show

The March 27 performance of 1970s teen legend David Cassidy at the Barrow-Civic Theatre in Franklin is a once-in-a-lifetime event for Barrow manager John Miller.

Miller, who will celebrate his one-year anniversary at the theater in April, has waited most of his life to host a performance by Cassidy.

Miller just might be the ultimate Cassidy fan.

“I was always late with everything in life,” Miller said about the beginning of his appreciation of Cassidy.

He started watching reruns of Cassidy’s hit TV show “The Partridge Family” and became a huge fan, mostly because of the music.

While Cassidy was indeed a talented musician, Miller said there was an awkwardness about his character, Keith Partridge, that Miller felt a connection with.

“Keith Partridge couldn’t play sports, couldn’t manage money and couldn’t fix his car, but he always got the girl,” Miller said.

At age 10, Miller set out to find all “The Partridge Family” albums.

“There were no computers, no eBay,” he said.

He said anytime he went shopping with his mother, he’d spend all his time digging through cut-out bins looking for albums.

Miller also said he ordered a book from one of the Scholastic book orders he received in school that listed record collector places in the back.

He’d make phone calls and send letters to the collectors in search of either their help or the albums themselves.

It took him 18 years, he thought, to find all the Partridge Family albums. But he realized there was still one he didn’t have.

“I didn’t know the name (of the album), what it looked like or what songs were on it. The only thing I knew was the number on the album. It was put out by Bell record company and it was number 1137,” Miller said.

He said after finding all the other albums but not having any success on finding the missing one, he gave up his search.

Then one day a friend told him he had found something for him at a Goodwill store.

From previous experience, Miller was used to having friends pick him up albums they found, but many of them were repeats of what he already owned.

“But as he pulled it out of the bag, all I could focus on was Bell 1137,” Miller said.

He still uses that number as a good-luck sign, and he even has it written on a notecard and posted over his computer.

In 2006, Miller bought an authentic David Cassidy jumpsuit via eBay from one of Cassidy’s personal auctions.

He received a high resolution photo of Cassidy performing in the jumpsuit.

Both the jumpsuit and a life-size version of the photo will be displayed in one of the Barrow’s windows to help promote the performance.

Miller will be bringing other Cassidy memorabilia from his personal collection to be put on display during a pre-show exhibit at the theater the day of Cassidy’s show.

Meeting David Cassidy

Miller said his love of Cassidy has always been about the music.

For him, one of his childhood dreams was to work professionally with Cassidy.

“It’s in the top five of my bucket list,” Miller said.

He has seen him perform 14 times, including concerts, Broadway productions and in Las Vegas.

In 1990, while in college, Miller got a phone call from a friend who lived in Erie who told him to get out of bed and turn on the TV because Cassidy was on “Good Morning America.”

Cassidy said in the interview that he would be in New York City that weekend signing autographs at a Sam Goody store in Rockefeller Center, Miller recalled.

The interview was on a Monday and Miller, who was in Ohio at the time, found himself saying there is no way he’d be able to make it to the signing, but in the end he couldn’t resist.

“By Thursday I got on a midnight bus to New York City. I got there at 10 a.m. and started running through the city asking everyone I saw where the Sam Goody store was,” Miller said.

After numerous failed attempts at finding help, he said most of the people he questioned didn’t speak English, he got the directions — but to the wrong store.

Miller said he got to the store, asked about Cassidy and was pointed, finally, in the right direction.

By the time he got to the correct Sam Goody, Miller was 10th in line.

“I met the fan club president, she gave me a button, signed me up for the fan club and I’ve been in it ever since,” Miller said.

Hosting David Cassidy

Miller’s dreams of hosting Cassidy at a theater have existed for a while.

A year after his first meeting with Cassidy, he had graduated from college and was working at a theater in Ohio.

When Miller learned Cassidy was going to be holding another signing in New York, he put together a packet of information on the theater and included a picture of the theater’s marquee that read “David Cassidy we’re waiting for you.”

Miller said Cassidy was very nice when he gave him the packet of information, but Cassidy said he didn’t take care of the booking of shows. He told Miller he would look into it.

Miller said he never heard from him.

Fast-forward to 2008.

“Within a month of working here, I looked at my e-mail and David Cassidy was in the subject line,” Miller said.

He said theaters often receive e-mails from agents of performers with booking information.

“I clicked the link and my initial reaction was no way,” Miller said.

Despite his reaction, Miller contacted the fan club president who he first met at the autograph signing in 1990 and has stayed in contact with over the years.

After speaking with the fan club president, Miller received a phone call from Cassidy’s agent offering him a discounted price.

While the price was good, Miller still wasn’t sure the deal was in the best interest of the theater financially.

The day after he received a discount price from the agent, Miller got a phone call from a person who wanted to make a sizable donation of $5,000 to the theater.

Miller asked the donor if they would be a sponsor for a David Cassidy concert, and he received the green light.

“Despite my craziness, it really wasn’t me, it was meant to be,” Miller said about Cassidy coming to the theater he now manages.

As the concert approaches, Miller is becoming increasingly more excited to host the man who inspired him.

“Everybody’s got to have something. It’s not alcohol, drugs or gambling; for me it’s David Cassidy,” Miller said jokingly about his long-term fascination with the former teen idol.


The Derrick and News Herald, by Jenna Gregory and photo by Jerry Sowden
www.thederrick.com