It’s December! And the joint is jumpin’ around here!
Just returned from a week in NYC for meetings discussing plans for this spring’s August Rush world premiere with VP of Productions, Rose Quealy and Director of New Works Development, Amber Mak. New York Director, John Doyle has an exquisite production in store and his Tony Award-winning team is simply remarkable. It was incredible to be sitting at the table with them for this new, original musical adaptation of the movie that promises to be the live theatrical event of the year! We made it back to Aurora just in time for us to attend the wedding of Production Manager Jonathan Allsup yesterday! (Yes, sometimes those who work in the theatre have to schedule getting married on a Monday!). It was so great to see Jonathan so happy! No one could be more deserving; he is impeccable on the job and an exceptional human to boot! With the support of his beautiful bride, Maegan, Jonathan has gotten us through the many technical and logistical challenges that face superb productions like our current blockbuster, The Wizard of Oz. With Rose and Amber (who is as well the Director/Choreographer of the WOZ) we have an unbeatable team of dedicated professionals bringing you all the thrills and chills of this season’s holiday spectacular, all of it for your family to enjoy and warmly remember.
The wedding was so gorgeous and lovely I could not help but think of our Special Events Director Jennifer Hahn’s announcement a couple of weeks ago! Our events team was awarded “BEST OF WEDDINGS” two years in a row by The Knot: “This is absolutely THE go-to list when couples are shopping for the BEST (TOP 4% to be exact) wedding pros!” Big kudos and congratulations to Jennifer, Event Coordinators, Kelsey Swindle, Jordan Scherpe-Lencioni, Briana Jackson, and Rental Manager Bill Pope! You’ll find all you need to know about planning your wedding on their Facebook page: Paramount Theatre Events and at our website: paramountaurora.com.
Paramount’s The Wizard of Oz plays until Jan. 6 and is becoming, as predicted, everyone’s new favorite production of the Broadway Series!
It’s due to the immediacy and surprising timeliness of this holiday event that makes audiences so excited and grateful to be able to share the bliss of this theatre-going experience with their family and loved ones. There’s an intensity to it happening right now, so many folks are returning to catch it again and again! It’s so wonderfully gratifying to have so many patrons feel our latest is the greatest and never want it to end! Feels good that we’re doing our job so well serving our community and we’re only halfway through Season Eight! (Subscriptions are still available!)
I just returned from a design meeting for The Producers with Costume Designer Jordan Ross, Costume Shop Manager Matt Guthier, and Associate Director Trent Stork. Laid out on the conference table were Jordan’s stunning final renderings for the show and she is bringing all the class, sass and flair, Mel Brooks himself could ever want! Bursts of laughter mixed with ooh’s and ah’s, are all we seem to do together in these meetings! And, dear reader, I cannot wait to announce this star-studded cast to you! In addition to the many months of pre-production, Trent and I are continuing to work on the staging every day in the days ahead before rehearsals begin next month! This production is enormous! “Paramount-sized!” Keep a good thought!
Love & thanks,
Jim