The B-Town Blog is proud to welcome our latest Advertiser: Breeders Theater’s “Prairie Heart,” a new romantic comedy playing at E.B. Foote Winery starting Jan. 16th!

Love blooms unexpectedly in “Prairie Heart,” written by local Playwright T.M. Sell. The plot revolves around Scandinavian pioneers in North Dakota in the 1890s.

“That’s about the time my great-grandparents homesteaded there,” says Sell.  “The story is based on the kinds of stories their descendants used to talk about when I was a kid.  But I think it’s an immigrant experience that a lot of people will be able to relate to.”

The show is directed by Alan Wilkie with music by Nancy Warren, choreography by Teresa Widner and costumes by Melissa Sell.

The cast features:

• Adrienne Grieco
• Luke Amundson
• Eric Hartley
• Melissa Grinley
• J Howard Boyd
• Steve Scheide
• Melissa Malloy

Show dates are:

• Friday, Jan. 16
• Saturday, Jan. 17
• Sunday, Jan. 18
• Wednesday, Jan. 21
• Friday, Jan. 23
• Saturday, Jan. 24
• Sunday, Jan. 25
• Wednesday, Jan. 28
• Thursday, Jan. 29
• Friday, Jan. 30
• Saturday, Jan. 31
• Sunday, Feb. 1st

On Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturday performances, doors open at 6:30pm, and the show starts at 7pm.

Sunday shows start at 2pm and the doors open at 1:30pm.

The annual “Escape from Super Bowl Sunday” show is Sunday, Feb. 1 and starts at 1pm.

Proceeds from the Jan. 29 show go to benefit the Highline College Foundation.

Each performance includes tasting of E.B. Foote’s award winning wines and hors d’oeurves, still for only $20.

Tickets are $20 per person and include wine tasting, hors d’oeuvres, and the play. The winery will be chilly so dress warmly and casually.  Tickets are available at E.B. Foote Winery and at Corky Cellars, located at 22511 Marine View Drive, Des Moines; phone: 206-824-9462. Visit the winery or call for tickets, 206-242-3852 or check out breederstheater.com.

Tickets can also be ordered online at E.B. Foote’s “Current Releases” page here, and Sherrill will call you to confirm a date and other details (credit cards accepted with a $5 fee per ticket OR your credit card can guarantee the tickets, and you can pay at the door with cash or check.)

For more information, contact T.M. Sell at breederstheater@aol.com.

And now, a quick Q & A with T.M. Sell:

Q: What is “Prairie Heart” about?
A: “Prairie Heart” is about Scandinavian immigrant farmers in North Dakota in the 1890s.  From what I’ve heard and read, life was a bit of challenge then, so it’s about what people went through when they got there.  It’s also about the difficulty of romantic life.

Q: How is this different or similar to your previous work?
A: It’s similar in that there’s romance; it’s different in that there’s no mutant aliens, no talking animals, no gods descending from heaven; just fairly normal folks trying to get through life.  But I hope it’s still funny.

Q: Why 1890s in North Dakota?
A: That’s where my great-grandparents homesteaded, near Minot.  We visited there this summer, and it was very interesting.   So parts of the story is based on their stories.

Q: Are there any parallels to modern-day life in the general Burien area?
A: At some level all of our ancestors were immigrants who went through some struggles to get there.  And at some level, most of us have struggled with romance and relationships and trying to figure how to say the right thing to the right person, while hoping that he or she doesn’t laugh in your face.

Q: Tell us about your cast.
A: Luke Amundson plays Ole, a bachelor farmer; he played Tom Monroe in Crazy/Naked last year.  Adrienne Grieco plays Ingrid, a young woman who ends up alone and basically penniless in his town.  Eric Hartley and Melissa Grinley play a more settled, successful farm couple; Steve Scheide plays another young man who is interested in Ingrid; J Howard Boyd plays a narrator who helps explain the story as it unfolds.   It’s a very strong cast and I feel very lucky to get work with them all once again.

Q: I understand you’re doing a benefit show – details please?
A: Jan. 29 is our annual fundraiser for an arts scholarship that we created at Highline College.  We’ve been able to help a dozen students with tuition assistance in the eight years we’ve been doing the scholarship.

Q: Let’s talk about the important stuff now – the wine – what’s on tap for this production? And do the cast members get to imbibe during the show?
A: Sherrill will be tasting six wines, featuring her reds, of course.  I can’t speak for how medicated the cast might be for a show, but they do tend to take their work very seriously.

Q: As 2009 begins, do you have any predictions for Readers of the B-Town Blog?
A: More crazy weather; more timely local news; perhaps more awareness that we really do live in a very nice part of town.

View Larger Map

Burien’s Hi-Liners are holding open auditions for their upcoming production of Disney’s “High School Musical” on Sat., Sept. 27th from 12:30-4pm at Lake Burien Presbyterian Church (map below).

From their press release:

Warm up your dance moves and start practicing those foul shots as The Hi-Liners DownStage Center presents Disney’s “High School Musical, On Stage!” 

From “Wildcat Cheer” to “We’re All in This Together” the cast of students, ages 7-18 will bring Disney Channel’s smash hit musical to life. 

Incorporating elements from “West Side Story”, “Romeo and Juliet” and “Grease”, this seventy minute one act edition has universal appeal and the timeless message that when we work together, good things happen! 

Auditions are September 27, 2008 from 12:30 – 4:00pm at Lake Burien Presbyterian Church, 15003 14th Ave SW, Burien, WA 98166

Audition is open to children ages 7-18

No previous experience necessary! 

To schedule an audition or for more information about The Hi-Liners, please visit www.hi-liners.org or phone 206-617-2152.

Or click here to signup online to audition.

 DownStage Center is the Hi-Liners’ theatre education arm, presenting low tech, high quality performance opportunities, as well as workshops with introductory, intermediate and advanced-level instruction for students (pre-k through college). 

The Hi-Liners, South King County’s premier youth theatre, is dedicated to the advancement of fine arts opportunities through live, high-quality musical theatre for young people (ages 7 to 22.)

• Children ages 7-18 may audition.
• NO previous experience necessary!
• Performances will be held at The Renton Carco Theater, 1717 SE Maple Valley Hwy ~ Renton
• Seats will be reserved.
• All tickets are $10.
• Tickets will go on sale November 1st!
• Schedule of auditions/rehearsals/production:
  

Auditions	September 27	12:30-4:00pm
Callbacks	September 29	4:30-7:30pm
Mandatory Parent/Cast Meeting	Oct 13	6:30-7:30pm
Rehearsals Monday’s & Thursday’s	Oct 13-Dec 18	4:30-7:00pm
Rehearsals Saturday’s	Oct 18-Dec 20	12:30-3:30pm
Tech Week Rehearsals	January 5-8	Time TBA
Performances	January 9	7pm
Performances	January 10	3pm and 7pm
Performance	January 11	3p

To get you in the proper mindset, here’s the famous “audition scene” from the Disney movie:

More info at the Hi-Liners website.

View Larger Map