Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death! That’s the motto of Mame Dennis in this brassy, comical, and poignant adaptation of Patrick Dennis’s 1955 novel, Auntie Mame. Set in New York City and spanning the Great Depression to the mid-40s, Mame’s carefree life is disrupted when she becomes the guardian to her 10-year-old nephew, Patrick.
Now, I ask you to take a moment and close your eyes. Think back through your life. Who was your Auntie Mame? For me, it was my Aunt Mary May. Every year, we would go to her house for a pool party. As I would walk through the house, I was mesmerized by the dozens of photos of Aunt Mary May traveling the world. Dressed in brightly colored clothes and a smile from ear to ear in each picture, I begged her to tell me about all of her adventures. My relationship with Aunt Mary May truly opened my eyes to a world of possibilities.
As we started our journey at auditions this year, the production staff was blown away by the amazing talent that came out for the production. Therefore, we made the decision to invite everyone to join the show, bringing our cast to 45 eager young minds ready to learn. In November, a small group of actors began working on character development in my classroom. This year would be challenging, as the cast ages 10+ years, so we discussed their characters’ back stories, goals and objectives, voice and body movement. After working with many of these students for three years, I have witnessed tremendous growth over the years. This year was no exception. They embraced their characters and were not afraid to take risks.
Finally, our production staff welcomed a new member this year. Thank you to Susanna Pham, whose creative choreography brought the story of Mame to life. Once again, thank you to Gloria Riley and Tim Jernigan for their musical genius in preparing the cast and orchestra for the show. A million thanks to Erik Aaron for supporting the orchestra on piano. Furthermore, I would like to give a big shout out to Grace and Shannon Pekala, Colleen Peterson and Anne Purdy for assisting with costumes this year. Also, thumbs up to Kristen King and Mary Nardone for the sensational headshots in the lobby. Finally, to the imaginative Karoline Daly, Charlie Kleinschmidt, and Matt and Jennifer Bressler for designing and building with their team NYC, Mame’s apartment, Peckerwood, and Connecticut.
Sincerely,
Christine Riggio
Director
