Author Archives: Alyssa Dvorak

This post best pairs with “Maria” from The Sound of Music (1959). The show must go on! It’s said the phrase was first coined in the circus. When the animals would escape their cages, the ringmasters would assure their audiences by saying “the show must go on.” Cosmo Brown in Singin’ In The Rain said,Continue reading “Tale #33: The Show Must Pause?”

This post best pairs with “Something To Believe In” from Newsies (2012). Romance: an emotional attraction or aura belonging to an especially heroic era, adventure, or activity. – Merriam Webster Any musical worth its salt must feature romance in some capacity. Whether it’s the star-crossed lovers of West Side Story, the mismatched pair in MyContinue reading “Tale #32: Left Speechless”

This post best pairs with “Learn Your Lessons Well” from Godspell (1976). There were times when the middle school students I worked with astounded me with their high level of maturity. Then there were times when I realized those same middle schoolers were completely full of it. In the fall of 2017, I directed myContinue reading “Tale #31: A Lead with Fewer Lines”

This post best pairs with “The Bells of Notre Dame” from The Hunchback of Notre Dame (2014). People that know me well know that I love things to be organized, look professional, and have consistency (and yes, I’m aware that I can be downright obnoxious about it). I’m sure people would complain behind my backContinue reading “Tale #30: Slightly Off-Center”

This post best pairs with “Somebody’s Got Your Back” from Aladdin (2014). Sometimes friends provide you with a shoulder to cry on. Sometimes friends provide sage wisdom and advice. I think a friend becomes truly valuable when they stop you from sending embarrassing, drunken texts. A summer tradition at VACT that was unfortunately lost whenContinue reading “Tale #29: No Phone For A Drunken Pirate”

This post best pairs with “The Big Dollhouse” from Hairspray (2002). Tales From A Hometown Community Theater presents “Midnight Move-In 2: The Night the Police Came Thrice”. For the third all-teen production I directed, Hairspray (Spring 2018), we had the same situation we had with West Side Story regarding our move into the High SchoolContinue reading “Tale #28: The Night the Police Came Thrice”

This post best pairs with “I’m Not That Smart” from The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (2005). Midnight Move-In NounWhat occurs when the High School Performing Arts Center won’t let you move-in on Saturday morning like you always do, so you decide to move your show into the theater at 11pm after the groupContinue reading “Tale #27: Zip Tying a Chain Link Fence”

This post best pairs with “Shy” from Once Upon A Mattress (1959). I have been teaching children since I was a child. I started by teaching choreography to other kids when I was eleven working as a choreography assistant on Mama Terry’s inaugural children’s theater production of RATS. However, the youngest age I ever workedContinue reading “Tale #26: Not So Shy”

This post best pairs with “We’re Not Gonna Take It” from Rock of Ages (2009). In 2017, we officially moved into our new rehearsal space. The Parks and Recreation Department of Verona purchased our old pole shed building to use for truck storage. The City of Verona very generously donated the land at the siteContinue reading “Tale #25: A Slushy Toy Football”

This post best pairs with “The Brain” from Young Frankenstein (2007). Common sense is a strange concept. The dictionary defines it as “good sense and sound judgement in practical matters.” I define it as “the ability to avoid doing dumb things”. We are all capable of lapses in common sense. We may have left ourContinue reading “Tale #24: The Cogs Don’t Always Spin”