17 Apr 2017

Showboat Theatre FUN-raiser

By Clinton Area Showboat Theatre

The Clinton Area Showboat Theatre (CAST) will be holding a fundraiser at the Clinton Hy-Vee Market Grille from 4:00pm-10:00pm on Friday, April 21st. The Market Grille will donate 25 % of their sales during this time to CAST, with all bar tips being donated to the organization as well. Proceeds from this fundraiser will benefit the Showboat’s 2017 professional Summer productions, educational Intern Program, and summer camps for children.

27 Feb 2017

Trivia Contest to benefit non-profit Showboat Theatre

By Clinton Area Showboat Theatre

The Clinton Area Showboat Theatre is holding a Trivia Night on Friday, March 24th. Proceeds from this fundraiser will benefit the Showboat’s 2017 professional Summer productions, educational Intern Program, and summer camps for children.

28 Dec 2016

Showboat to hold auditions January 28-29

By Clinton Area Showboat Theatre

Clinton Area Showboat Theatre is excited to announce local auditions for the 2017 "Hooray for Hollywood" Season, January 28 & 29th.  Actors are asked to prepare 16 bars from a musical theatre song, a second 16 bar cut may be requested.  Please bring sheet music in the correct key, an accompanist will be provided.  Auditions will be from 9am to 5pm on Saturday, January 28 and 9am to 11am on Sunday, January 29th.  Some actors may be asked to return for dance callbacks at 5pm on 1/28 and 11a

19 Jan 2016

Local Auditions to be Held for Showboat Summer Season and Intern Company

By Clinton Area Showboat Theatre

Clinton Area Showboat Theatre will hold local auditions for its 2016 Main­Stage "Season of American Classics" which includes: The Odd Couple, The Music Man, South Pacific, Grease and The Glass Menagerie. The Intern Company's Theatre for Young Aud...

09 Dec 2015

Showboat to offer premier for holiday show

By Clinton Area Showboat Theatre
Beginning on Friday, December 11th, area theatre­goers will have the opportunity to see the Iowa Premier of Adam's Gifts, a play by Peter Filichia. The theater critic emeritus for the Star­Ledger in Newark, New Jersey and News 12 New Jersey, he is the author of Let's Put on a Musical; Broadway Musicals: The Biggest Hit of the Season / The Biggest Flop of the Season and Broadway Musical MVPs 1960­2010: The Most Valuable Players of the Last 50 Seasons. Before joining the Theatre World Awards in 1996 as host and head of the selection committee, Filichia served four terms as president of the Drama Desk. He has served on an assessment panel for the National Endowment for the Arts, and is currently critic­in­residence for the University of Cincinnati­Conservatory of Music and the musical theater judge for the ASCAP Awards program.

Clinton Area Showboat Theatre is presenting this Community Production of Adam's Gifts. Performances are scheduled for December 11, 12, 18 and 19 at 7:30pm and on December 13 and 20 at 3pm, located at Ashford University's Mullany Theatre. Adam's Gifts is a modern take on the classic Dickens' story, A Christmas Carol. William Pront is a miserly landlord who is transformed by his relationship with a very sick child. The role of Pront is played by Peter L. Sickels, a priest at Christ Episcopal Church in Clinton. Peter has appeared in the 2013 holiday production of A Christmas Carol (Scrooge) as well as two main­stage Showboat musicals: Annie Get Your Gun (Pawnee Bill) and Cats (Gus). Laurel Decker will play the role of Glynis, a ghostly character who guides Pront along his journey to redemption. Laurel is a pharmacist for Wagner Pharmacy and has appeared in the past two holiday productions (Christmas Belles, A Christmas Carol) as well as numerous Showboat shows, most recently as Charlie Davenport in Annie Get Your Gun. Pront's long­suffering assistant Jason is played by Justin Tegeler, who also portrays Sam, a figure from Pront's past. Justin is a graduate of Clinton High School working in marketing and sales at Tegeler Music. Past Showboat productions include : Singin' in the Rain, Joseph and...Dreamcoat, Rent, and Showboat. The roles of Lisa (Jason's ex-wife) and Mary (Pront's long­ago girlfriend) are played by Showboat newcomer Rebecca Chan. A participant in plays at Hinsdale High School and Western Springs Theatre, Rebecca has also studied at Hofstra University and had training at Second City and Act One Studios, both in Chicago. The character who is best able to bring about Pront's transformation is Adam, played by Jaxon Gerken­Spencer. A student at Eagle Heights in Clinton, Jaxon will play the role of young Pront as well as the title role of Adam. Jaxon participated in CAST's 2013 A Christmas Carol as Peter Cratchit.

Kris Doss is directing Adam's Gifts. A graduate of University of Dubuque with BA in Theatre and BS in Psychology, Kris spent the past summer as Box Office Manager and Education director for CAST where he directed Go Dog Go and Junie B. Jones the Musical. Kris also played Macavity in Cats and the Doctors in Next to Normal. Recently he directed The Diary of Anne Frank and This is a Test with Marquette High School in Bellevue where he will return to direct the spring musical.

Clinton Area Showboat Theatre is excited to announce local auditions for its 2016 Main­Stage "Season of American Classics" which includes: The Odd Couple, The Music Man, South Pacific, Grease and The Glass Menagerie. The Intern Company's Theatre for Young People Season will include : You're a Good Man Charlie Brown and A Year With Frog and Toad.

Auditions will be held February 6th and 7th at the Mullany Theatre at Ashford University. Please prepare 32 bars of a song and bring sheet music in the correct key. An accompanist will be provided. Some of those auditioning will be asked to attend the dance callback at 5pm each night. Roles are available for local actors of all ages and ethnicities in Music Man, South Pacific and Grease. Please email krisjdoss@hotmail.com for an appointment. Limited slots are available.

Teenagers interested in interviewing for the professional intern company are asked to prepare a one minute monologue in addition to the song, as well as to attend an informational meeting from 10­10:30 am on Saturday, February 6th. Please email krisjdoss@hotmail.com for an application packet and handbook.

General admission tickets for Adam's Gifts are $10 for adults and $5 for youth (17 and under) and may be purchased at the door, at Clinton Printing, Wagner Pharmacy, Sweet Woodruff or online at www.clintonshowboat.org. Season tickets for the 2016 Season of American Classics are also available at those sites.
21 Jul 2014

CAST to open Wonderful Town July 24th

By Clinton Area Showboat Theatre

Wonderful Town is the fourth production being offered at the Clinton Area Showboat Theatre this summer. This Leonard Bernstein musical premiered on Broadway in 1953, winning five Tony Awards. The show follows two sisters who leave their small hometown in Ohio to chase their dreams in New York City. They find adventures (and misadventures) , frustration, career opportunities, and romance in the big city of their dreams.

Coming from all over the country, the visiting artists of this season's CAST company share their considerable talents with Showboat audiences. Ruth is played by Jenna Haimes (B.F.A. in Music Theatre from Illinois Wesleyan) and Eileen is played by Carly Ann Berg (B.F.A in Musical Theatre from Brenau University, Gainsville GA.) Heather Baisley, a senior musical theatre major at Rider University in NJ, will play Helen. Jenna, Carly and Heather were all seen in The Taffetas, Annie Get Your Gun, and Wizard of Oz.

Nathan McHenry, a senior studying musical theatre at Belmont University (Nashville,TN), will play the role of Robert Baker. He was Frank Butler in Annie Get Your Gun, and the Witch of the West in Wizard of Oz. Caleb Jernigan, who played Chief Sitting Bull and Tin Man and just completed his second cruise contract working for Norwegian Cruise Line as a singer, will portray The Wreck in Wonderful Town. The role of Appopolous will be played by Jalen Lee, a senior BFA musical theatre major at Missouri State University in Springfield, MO. Jalen was seen as Buffalo Bill in Annie Get Your Gun, and Dorothy's Uncle in Wizard of Oz.

Two local actors will play roles in Wonderful Town. Kris Doss, a graduate of the University of Dubuque (Theatre) will be Chick Clark and Derrick Bertram, a senior Theatre Arts major at University of Northern Iowa, will be Frank.

Members of the ensemble include : Dorothy Farach (retired special education teacher), Jake Hopson (studying performing arts at Iowa State University), Robert Rice (junior at Southeast Missouri State, Scarecrow in Wizard of Oz), Lara Rose (Fulton), Daxx Jayroe Wieser, (a musical theatre student at Oklahoma City University, Tommy Keeler in Annie Get Your Gun). CAST interns performing in Wonderful Town include : Matt Espey (senior at Clinton High), Ireland Knapper (freshman at Northeast), Audrey Simpson (high school junior), Danica Smith (Clinton High), and Cassandra Van Zuiden (sophomore at Fulton High), and Aiden McMinimy (junior at Camanche High).

Wonderful Town is being directed by Producing Artistic Director Tommy Iafrate. The Creative Team includes: Musical Director Laurie Lewis, Choreographer Zachary D'antonio, Scenic Designer Adam Spencer, Lighting Designer Cassie Mings, Costume Designer Nicole Angell, Stage Manager/Sound Designer Nicole Frechette, and Assistant Stage Manager Seth Kieser.

Wonderful Town opens at the Showboat on Thursday, July 24 at 7:30pm followed by a reception in the lobby. Performances continue on July 25, 26, 31, August 1, 2 at 7:30pm and on July 27 and 30 at 3pm. Tickets cost $23, $20 for seniors and $16 for students and children. The CAST box office is open 11am to 4pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 11am to 7pm on Thursdays through Saturdays and noon to 4pm on Sundays. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.clintonshowboat.org or by calling 563-242-6760.

On Tuesday, July 29th at 7:30pm will be the Follies. This fundraising event is a review showcasing the talents of this summer's company. Another special event takes place on the Showboat on August 12th at 7pm. Peter J. Grady of Marshalltown, Iowa will present "Unconditional Surrender". Ulysses S Grant comes to life in this informative, humorous and touching portrayal, written and performed by Grady. Refreshments will be served after the performance in the Showboat Lobby. Tickets for this special event are $10 for adults, $5 for students and are available at the box office, Clinton Printing, Wagner Pharmacies and Sweet Woodruff (Fulton). The last production of the 2014 CAST season will be Alice in Wonderland (August 8-17).

There are still openings available in the second theatre camp for children entering grades 1 to 8. Camp Wonderland is August 4-13th for just $75. Registration is available on line or at the box office.

Every Saturday at noon CAST's Intern Company offers Theatre for Children. This year's shows include : A Very Clinton Variety Show, The Beginning of Armadillos, and A Sour Study in Lemonade. Tickets are only $5 and are available at the door.

03 Jul 2014

Volcanoes on the Clinton Showboat

By Clinton Area Showboat Theatre

The Children's Theatre Series at the Clinton Area Showboat Theatre opened each of its shows this month, and they will continue to run each Saturday at noon throughout the summer. The latest production, A Sour Study in Lemonade, included the high school students solving a mystery through science experiments. Kate Struble, a freshman at Clinton High School, plays the lab technician at Max's Lemonade Stand. She explains to the children in the audience how to create ooze, invisible ink, and volcanos by using regular household products. Clayton Melvin, a freshman from DeWitt, plays the owner of the Lemonade Stand that has been sabotaged. His employees, played by Audrey Simpson, Ireland Knapper, and Emma and Cassie Van Zuiden, run a full-scale investigation to solve the mystery. Spoiler alert: there is a volcano that erupts on stage.

The second show of the series is The Beginning of the Armadillo, playing this Friday in a special free performance for Independence Day, and again July 12 and August 2. This charming musical, written by Bill Kincaid of Macomb, Illinois, brings the Rudyard Kipling story to life. Allison Winkel, a junior at Fulton High School, and Matt Espey, a senior at Clinton High School, play the Hedgehog and Tortoise, who try to trick the Jaguar, played by Clinton High junior, Danica Smith. Two more Clinton High School students complete the cast of this exciting new musical: Alice Lind and Savannah Medley.

The first show of the series, A Very Clinton Variety Show, is a vaudeville performance including musical numbers, comedy acts, and sketches outlining the history of Clinton and the Showboat. DeWitt Clinton, played by Kayla Zeimet of DeWitt, even makes an appearance. Hailey Goble, a recent graduate of Clinton High School, helps lead the show as one of the emcees, even helping audience volunteers create an animal symphony on stage. "It's inspiring to see the high school students taking the lead when the younger children want to get involved," says Kristin Katsu, Education Director at the Showboat. "It's different at every show, but they know how to keep the audience entertained."

Each performance leaves the audience of children with an excitement to create their own theatre at home. The talkback sessions give the children a sneak peak into the world of theatre, connecting their lives to the message of each show. The Clinton Area Showboat Theatre definitely builds a curiosity in the children, giving them a reason to create their own science experiments or lemonade stands or animal costumes. The internship program creates productions that inspire the younger children to become life-long learners as well as life-long theatre patrons.

The Clinton Area Showboat Theatre is located on Riverview Road in Clinton, Iowa, and the interns are from Clinton, Fulton, Camanche, and DeWitt. Haley Appel, Kaela Baker, Liv Clark, Erin Hardigan, and Aiden McMinimy complete the cast of high school students that create these outstanding productions. Children's Theatre performances take place on the Showboat stage every Saturday at noon. Tickets are $5 and may be purchased at the door. To find out about show times and tickets, visit www.clintonshowboat.org or call the box office today: 563-242-6760.

30 Jun 2014

CAST to open Wizard of OZ on July 3rd

By Clinton Area Showboat Theatre

Perhaps one of the best known of all films, the 1939 musical fantasy The Wizard of Oz has become part of American popular culture. The Clinton Area Showboat Theatre will present its stage version of The Wizard of Oz beginning July 3rd. Kansas farm girl Dorothy Gale dreams of what life might be like "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and soon finds out when a tornado takes her to "The Merry Old Land of Oz".

The part of Dorothy will be played by Carly Ann Berg. In her second season aboard the Showboat, Carly has already performed in The Taffetas as Cheryl and as Winnie in Annie Get Your Gun. Robert Rice will bring the Scarecrow to life. A junior at Southeast Missouri State University, Robert is pursuing his B.A. in theatre with a dance minor. Caleb Jernigan, recently seen as Chief Sitting Bull in Annie Get Your Gun, will be the Tin Man. The role of Lion will be performed by Heather Baisley. Heather played Peggy in The Taffetas and Annie in Annie Get Your Gun. In his second season aboard the Showboat, Nathan McHenry, who was Frank Butler in Annie Get Your Gun and Jenna Haimes (Kaye in The Taffetas and Dolly in Annie Get Your Gun), will play major roles which won't be revealed in advance! Jalen Lee will be Uncle Henry, having just completed the role of Buffalo Bill.

A former 3-year intern at the Showboat, Carolyn Hopkins has returned to Clinton from Orange City, Iowa, after completing her first year as a theatre major at Northwestern College. She will play the roles of Auntie Em and Glinda. Returning for her second year as an intern, Hailey Goble is a 2014 graduate of Camanche High School. Hailey will perform as Miss Gulch and the East Witch.

The ensemble for The Wizard of Oz includes: Chris Bruhn (Clinton), Matt Espey (3rd year intern and senior at Clinton High), Clayton Melvin (freshman at Central DeWitt), Jake Hopson (freshman at Iowa State University), Alice Lind (3rd year intern and senior at Clinton High), Kate Struble (intern and freshman at Clinton High), Daxx Jayroe Wieser (musical theatre major at Oklahoma City University), and Kayla Zeimet (2nd year intern and junior at Central DeWitt).

No production of The Wizard of Oz would be complete without Munchkins. Ranging in age from 3 to 13 and from several area communities, the Munchkins include : Brittany Costello, Avery Lynn Davis, Avery Findlay, Ellanore Foltz, Hannah Guilinger, Nathan Hopkins, Paige Lower, Larissa Rose Lesniewski, Vanessa Lesniewski, Gabrielle Mooney, Kira Shaff, Addison Shaw, Marie Shaw, Abby Struble,and Kami Zeimet.

CAST's production of The Wizard of Oz is being directed by Producing Artistic Director Tommy Iafrate. Returning to the Showboat as Musical Director is Laurie Lewis. She has been the Director of Music at MacMurray College for three years. The talented creative team also includes: Choreographer Zachary D'antonio, Scenic Designer Steven P. House,
Lighting Designer Cassie Mings, Costume Designer Jenna Damberger, Stage Manager Nicole Frechette, Assistant Stage Manager Seth Kieser and Kayla McKay, Assistant Director/Dramaturg.

The Wizard of Oz opens at the Clinton Area Showboat Theatre on July 3rd at 7:30pm, followed by a reception. On July 4th there will be a special performance at 6:30pm, ending before the fireworks display. Performances continue at 7:30pm on July 5,10,11,12,17 and 19. Afternoon performances at 3pm take place on July 6,9,13,16 and 20. Tickets cost $23, $20 for seniors and $16 for students and children. The CAST box office is open 11am to 4pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 11am to 7pm on Thursdays through Saturdays and noon to 4pm on Sundays. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.clintonshowboat.org or by calling 563-242-6760.

The 2014 CAST season will continue with Wonderful Town (July 24-August 2) and Alice in Wonderland (August 8-17) .

There are still openings available in two theatre camps for children entering grades 1 to 8. Camp Oz is Monday through Friday, July 7 to 18 from 9am to noon, costing $85. Camp Wonderland is August 4-13th for just $75. Registration is available on line or at the box office. (Scholarships available).

Every Saturday at noon CAST's Intern Company offers Theatre for Children. This year's shows include : A Very Clinton Variety Show, The Beginning of Armadillos, and A Sour Study in Lemonade. Tickets are only $5 and are available at the door.

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