(CAPTION:   Emma Robertson, Three Cat Education Summer Camp Director, works with the campers for  Three Cat Education’s “Summer of Adventure” Theater Summer Camps.)

April 12, 2012, Chicago, IL – Three Cat Education, an education program of Three Cat Productions, now in its third year, is expanding its summer theatre camps for children and teens to three locations in the Chicago area running June 11-August 20.

Themed “A Summer of Adventure,” the week-long, daytime camps will be held in the Chicago neighborhoods of Rogers Park and Lincoln Park and the suburb of Glenview.  Previously, camps were held in Skokie.  Cost for a one-week session, running Mondays through Fridays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. is $275.  An early-bird discount price of $225 is available through April 30 for the Glenview and Rogers Park locations.  Special pricing for the Menomonee Club members is available at the Lincoln Park location.

Most sessions in all three locations are targeted to grades 2 through 5, but two special teen camps for middle and high school students will be held July 30-August 3 in Glenview and August 13-17 in Rogers Park.  Each weekly session focuses on a different aspect of an actor’s most important tools–body, voice and imagination.

Sessions for grades 2-5 include:  “Choose Your Own Fairytale,” “Acting Out–Storybook Villains,” “Acting Out—Scallywag Stories,” “Acting Out—Storybook Villains and Scallywag Stories,” “Puppet Masters and Storytelling,” and “Lights, Camera, Improv!”  The two teen sessions are “Poetry, the Beats and Improv” and “Shakespeare: Characters through the Canon.”

“Under the instruction of our professional teaching staff lead by Emma Robertson (summer camp director), campers will be challenged to discover, explore and develop every aspect of theatre—acting, singing and dancing,” said Jason Paul Smith, artistic director of Three Cat Productions.  “Campers this summer will be able to strengthen their skills and building friendships that will last a lifetime.”

The program will run in Glenview at Virtuoso Performing Arts, 3 Waukegan Rd., from June 11 to August 3; in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood at the Menomonee Club, 1535 N. Dayton, June 25-29 and July 16-20, and in Chicago’s Rogers Park at The Side Project Theatre, 1439 N. Jarvis, August 6-20.

Registration and more information about individual classes are available at the web site, www.threecatproductions.com, or by calling 312-725-6859 or sending an email to jlueken@threecatproductions.com.

The camp schedule and session course descriptions for Grades 2-5 are:

Choose Your Own Fairytale Adventure, June 11-15, Glenview:

Have you ever sat with an audience in a theater and wished that you could control what happened to the characters during a performance? Theatre camp actors will work with the professional staff to combine acting and improvisation, resulting in a final showcase at Virtuoso Performing Arts where the audience will vote during the performance to decide what will happen next!

Acting Out–Storybook Villains, June 18-22, Glenview:

Do you find yourself working on your maniacal laugh whenever you have a spare minute? Wondering why everyone always wants to be royalty while you can’t wait to transform into a dragon and breathe fire or poison an apple or two? You’ll create a pirate’s tale that takes you on a storytelling journey and find the fun hidden within all that evil–with a showcase on stage the final day at Virtuoso Performing Arts.

Choose Your Own Fairytale Adventure, June 25-29, Lincoln Park/Chicago:

(Please note special pricing: $230 Menomonee Club Members/$275 Non-Members)

Have you ever sat with an audience in a theater and wished that you could control what happened to the characters during a performance? Theatre camp actors will work with the professional staff to combine acting and improvisation, resulting in a final showcase at The Menomonee Club Theater where the audience will vote during the performance to decide what will happen next!

Puppet Masters and Storytelling, July 9-13, Glenview:

Are you fascinated with the puppets? Have you ever wondered how they create and build some of those classic puppet characters?  This session lets you build your own puppet and bring it to life with your own story! Have fun creating new characters who will greet the public together for an end-of-week showcase at Virtuoso Performing Arts!

Lights, Camera, Improv!, July 16-20 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Lincoln Park/Chicago:

(Special pricing for half-day classes: $160 Menomonee Club Members/$205 Non-Members)

Are you the class clown? Always cracking jokes with your friends? Do you liven up even the dullest of parties? Try out this session to see if you have what it takes to bring down the house in hysterics!  A final performance will be on the last day of camp at the Menomonee Club Theater.

Acting Out–Scallywag Stories, July 23-27, Glenview:

Are you fascinated with tales of treasure and adventure?   Work with our experienced staff to create a pirate’s tale that will take you on a storytelling journey and find the fun hidden within all that evil–with a showcase on stage the final day at Virtuoso Performing Arts.

Puppet Masters and Storytelling, August 6-10, Rogers Park/Glenview:

Are you fascinated with the puppets? Have you ever wondered how they create and build some of those classic puppet characters?  This session lets you build your own puppet and bring it to life with your own story! Have fun creating new characters who will greet the public together for an end-of-week showcase at The Side Project Theatre.

Acting Out–Storybook Villains and Scallywag Stories, August 13-17, Rogers Park/Chicago:

Do you find yourself working on your maniacal laugh whenever you have a spare minute? Wondering why everyone always wants to be royalty while you can’t wait to transform into a dragon and breathe fire or poison an apple or two? Are you fascinated with tales of treasure and adventure?   Work with our experienced staff to create a pirate’s tale that will take you on a storytelling journey and find the fun hidden within all that evil–with a showcase on stage the final day at The Side Project Theatre.

Lights, Camera, Improv!, August 20-24, Rogers Park/Chicago

Are you the class clown? Always cracking jokes with your friends? Do you liven up even the dullest of parties? Try out this session to see if you have what it takes to bring down the house in hysterics!  A final performance will be on the last day of camp at The Side Project Theatre.

The two special teen camps are:

Poetry, The Beats and Improv, August 13-17, Rogers Park/Chicago

Do you love a good song lyric? Do you love writing poetry? Is there one poet that speaks to you? Join this special camp for middle and high school students as we explore the creation and performance of poetry, including the great poets from classics like Emily Dickenson to The Beat poets of the 1950’s to modern day poets like Jay Z. Through improv tools and writing explorations, students will go on a journey from creation to performance with a final showcase on the last day of camp at The Side Project Theatre.

Shakespeare: Characters Through the Canon, July 30-August 3), Glenview

Ever notice how Shakespeare makes more sense when you hear his words? Build a repertoire of Shakespeare pieces as you work with our staff on finding character from the text and building scenes that flow conversationally in Shakespeare’s iambic pentameter. A final performance will be on the last day of camp at Virtuoso Performing Arts.

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About Three Cat Productions:

Three Cat Productions was founded in 2007 with a mission to create connections between theater, music, audience and artists through the production of cabaret concerts, contemporary musicals and plays, the re-invention of classic work, the development of new works and new artists, and by creating educational and outreach opportunities for the Chicagoland community.

About Three Cat Education:

Three Cat Education offers children and teens an opportunity to experience the world of theater and cabaret in a safe nurturing environment. Exploring musicals, plays, cabaret and show choir, our educational offerings teach kids the fundamentals of performance with potential opportunities to appear in one of Three Cat Productions’ Cabaret Concert as well as in venues in the Chicago area.

Emma Robertson, Three Cat Education Summer Camp Director, works with the campers.

PDF >HERE     DOC >  HERE    HI-RES PHOTO> HERE    WEB PHOTO > HERE

(CAPTION:   Beckie Menzie and Rob Dorn perform in “Bab Fab: A Barbra Streisand Celebration” on April 24th at 7:30pm at the Wilmette Theatre.)

ANNUAL BAB FAB CELEBRATES STREISAND’S 70^th BIRTHDAY APRIL 24

April 9, 2012, Chicago, IL—Three Cat Productions celebrates Barbra Streisand’s 70th birthday with its fifth annual “Bab Fab: A Barbra Streisand Celebration” at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 24 at the Wilmette Theatre, covering her career from the early Greenwich Village days to the present.

Hosted by Rob Dorn with musical direction by Beckie Menzie, the concert will feature 10 Chicago area theater and cabaret stars performing a selection of Streisand musical theater and pop standard songs, “Don’t Rain on My Parade,” “She Touched Me,” “A Piece of Sky” and “People.”

Three Cat Productions favorites and Chicago theater veterans scheduled to appear are: Christine Bunuan, Rob Dorn, Elizabeth Doyle, Scott Gryder, Adam Hibma, Beckie Menzie, Tom Michael, Paul Motondo and Jason Paul Smith.

The annual Bab Fab is a benefit for Three Cat Education, which holds theatre summer camps for grades 2-5 and teens.  The education program is expanding from a single location to three locations this summer in Glenview and the Chicago neighborhoods of Rogers Park and Lincoln.

Tickets for Bab Fab are $25 General Admission and $20 for Seniors.  Tickets are available online at www.wilmettetheatre.com or by calling (847) 251-7424. Wilmette Theatre is located at 1122 Central Ave., Wilmette, IL.

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About Three Cat Productions:

Three Cat Productions was founded in 2007 with a mission to create connections between theater, music, audience and artists through the production of cabaret concerts, contemporary musicals and plays, the re-invention of classic work, the development of new works and new artists, and by creating educational and outreach opportunities for the Chicagoland community. Visit the web site at www.threecatproductions.com.

(Please click here for a hi-res image).

About Rob Dorn

Rob Dorn has been working in the entertainment industry for more than thirty years. Credits include a national tour of Stephen Sondheim’s “Into The Woods,” the hit show, “Forever Plaid,” performing internationally with the pop vocal group “Three Hits and a Miss,” touring with Las Vegas legends Sandler and Young, as a guest performer on The Crystal Symphony and Harmony ships and performing in Leonard Bernstein’s “Candide” with the Minnesota Orchestra.

Dorn has appeared in hundreds of theaters and concert halls across the country including Carnegie Hall (New York), The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, The Court Theatre, The Chicago Theatre and The McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert.  Most recently, He has produced, co-produced and written several shows including “The Judy Garland Duets”, “Gentlemen of Song”, and tributes to Blossom Dearie and Cass Elliott.

About Three Cat Production

Three Cat Productions was founded in 2007. Three Cat Productions’ mission is to create connections between theater, music, audience and artists through the production of cabaret concerts, contemporary musicals and plays, the re-invention of classic work, the development of new works and new artists, and by creating educational and outreach opportunities for the Chicagoland community.

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This past fall we presented 3 different versions of our original production “Cinderella” to packed houses and over the Winter Break held a Winter Camp full of theatre games, music and a New Year’s craft that helped our campers ring in the New Year. This week and next we invite you to join us for auditions of our next Menomonee Club production…“The Frog Princess”!

For more information on how you can become a part of our Menomonee Club family; check out The Menomonee Club website, email me directly (jlueken@threecatproductions.com) or register now by calling Lauren at The Menomonee Club (312-664-4631 x105).

Thanks so much for your continued support – we look forward to seeing you at the theatre!

~jacque

Jacque Lueken
Executive Director
Three Cat Education

But what about those behind the scenes moments that only the actors know about? Or those brilliant dance moves that are finally nailed? How about the laughs had by an audience on a joke the actor did not realize was funny?

Well, here’s your chance to share those would be forgotten memories – how did you feel when you got through the scene you were most excited to show your audience? How about when the school bell didn’t ring? Or for an audience member who got to see both shows – what did you notice from one to the next?

Leave your stories here in this nifty comment box below for all to read and enjoy!

~jacque

Director – “Frog Princess”

The opening weekend was FANTASTIC! Congratulations to the Cast and Production Team on a delightful production!

Now down to business. As you likely know, these performances are really just a clever ruse to get votes in for the class elections. I am pleased to be able to give you some running percentages of the votes tallied thus far. With another weekend of shows coming up, it’s still ANYONE’S GAME!

Homecoming Queen:

27.8% – Sally
11.4% – Addy
11.4% – Princess
9.8% – Julia
9.8% – Maddy
8.3% – Holly
8.3% – Summer
5% – Ashleigh
3.3% – Katherine
3,3% – Lindsay
1.6% – Angie

Homecoming King

60% – Connor
28.9% – Luke
11.1% – George

Class President

26.5% – Connor
24.5% – Sally
11.4% – Angie
11.4% – Julia
7.5% – Anne
7.5% – Maddy
5.6% – Katherine
5.6% – Summer

Vice President

37.9% – Luke
31.1% – Summer
17.2% – Holly
13.8% – Nicky

Secretary

50% – Lindsay
50% – George

Treasurer

55.2% – Addy
44.8% – Cassidy

Cheer Captain

43.5% – Ashleigh
43.5% – Summer
13% – Lindsay

As you can see, these are some very close races. Make sure to come out and see the show next Saturday (the 19th) to swing the vote to your favor!

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What’s your name?

My name’s Lindsay!

And what grade are you in, Lindsay?

I’m 13 and I’m in the 8th grade!

Wonderful! Do you belong to any particular groups at school?

Oh yes! I’m a Cheerleader! I love it, because I always have a HUGE smile and I get to “cheer” people up! Making the squad is definitely my favorite school memory. Oh, and my favorite color is sunset orange, and I love Pizza!

That sounds like you really love school. Is there anything you don’t like?

Well, I’m not a big fan of biology. And this one time I got pushed to the ground and broke my arm. That wasn’t very fun.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Can you keep a secret?

I think I can do that, yes.

I used to be a huge nerd, but I was made fun of so much I was allowed to dye my hair and get a whole new look. Now, no one remembers who I was.

Well, thank you for you time, Lindsay!

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We’ll kick it off with one of our Drama Club, Katherine – played by Amara.

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What’s your name?

My name is Katherine.

And how old are you, Katherine?

I’m 13 and I’m in the 7th grade.

That’s fantastic! And what are you favorite and least favorite parts of school?

Well, my favorite class would have to be English. And I’d have to say Biology is definitely my least favorite. Oh! And I love when we get to have Nachos at lunch!

And do you belong to any particular group or groups in school?

I’m part of the Drama Club. We are all unbelievably talented and… Dramatic. Especially when it comes to acting and showing off! Of course, I was in the Broadway production of “A Nightmare Before Christmas” with my Aunt, so I have a little bit of an upper hand.

So you’re close to the others in your group?

Oh yes, Cassidy and Julia are my BFFs. They’re funny and super dramatic!

And, finally, are there any memories of school you’d like to share?

Well, this one time, I slipped on my dress before I got onstage! Don’t worry, it was funny!

Well thank you for your time, Katherine!

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Hello again everyone! Today marks the beginning of our character introductions! Our first character comes from the Gamer clique and is played by Maya.

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What is your name?

My name is Addy.

And how old are you, Addy?

I’m 9 years-old and I’m in the 4th grade.

What’s your favorite color?

My favorite color is purple.

What are you favorite and least favorite subjects in school?

My favorite is Music and my least favorite is Math.

Do you belong to any particular group at your school?

I hang out with the Gamers.

Why do you like to hang out with them?

I am very good at games. What they don’t know is that I have secret games that I am even better at!

Thank you for you time, Addy!

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Check back as we continue to introduce more of the dynamic characters from The Frog Princess!

Things are pretty crazy around here with Frog Princess in rehearsal, but a moment can always be spared to get to know one another!

Let’s start with our intrepid Three Cat Education, Executive Director – and current Director of Frog Princess – Ms. Jacque Lueken.

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Then there is myself – Annalee Johnson! The current author of this blog post,

 as well as Scenic Designer/Stage Manager for “The Frog Princess” and Production Associate with Three Cat Productions.

Last week we ran the votes and our school is officially titled Olympus Academy, and to show some school spirit make sure everything is decked out in Blue and Purple.

After voting, make sure to check back here later as we may or may not have gotten some secret intel on our cast of characters…

Pick your top two choices below. And don’t forget to get your friends and family to vote as well!

Our Facebook and Twitter will provide you with extra voting power later in the week, so keep an eye out to swing things in your favor!