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What was your inspiration for the set?
I was inspired on two fronts: the first were famous TV homes like the Kardashians’ mansion, ‘The Bachelor mansion’ and the Property Brothers’ house in Las Vegas – I knew I wanted it to look expensive, but also have a little cookie cutter McMansion feel to it. The second was a desire to evoke the architecture of the White House so when the play takes a big turn towards politics, there it would be looming in the background.

Why a pool? Was that an idea you had for the design or did the idea come from the adapted script?

TARTUFFE traditionally takes place in a foyer and a dining room; a place for comings and goings. We wanted grandeur, plenty of light (it is a comedy after all), and lots of entrances. Stephanie Gularte had a few inspiration images that she kept coming back to with water in them. It was my idea to take this show and set in an amazing backyard (and what McMansion doesn’t have a pool?). As soon at that was settled we instantly knew the famous table scene would need to take place underwater!

Also, WOW, how did you pull it off and keep it going through a four week run?

When it comes to the logistics of having over 700 gallons of water on stage we were fortunate enough to have an experienced team at American Stage. In our old building we had produced METAMORPHOSIS, so the team, lead by our Technical Director Timon Brown, had experience building a contained water feature on stage. There is a lot more than just plopping a kiddie pool on stage that goes into it for sure! Our water has to be heated to keep the actors comfortable as well as chemically treated and tested for safety. On top of all that, I wanted it to look as elegant and authentic as possible.

What is your favorite feature and/or most difficult challenge in regard to the set?

My favorite feature would have to be the pool. In the first 60 seconds of the show it makes a splash, you might say. As the audience enters the theatre, the pool is covered with what looks like a runway or extension of the tiled porch (that cover is actually a welded steal, rolling platform that spans the pool) the lights go out, a video ensues, and when the lights explode us into a raucous party, the pool is lit up with LED’s and a beautiful young woman comes bursting out of the water. After that it used wonderfully by the playwright Robert Caisley as an integral part of the plot.

You are also the Properties Master for our productions. Could you once and for all explain the difference between Properties Master and Set Designer?

It is true that many people don’t know what all falls under a Propmaster’s umbrella. I like to explain it this way. When you move into new house there are empty rooms. A Scenic Designer is like the architect of that house; they design the walls, floors, windows, doors, light switches, door hardware, paint colors, etc. Our Technical Director, Master Carpenter, Carpenters, and Scenic Artist are tasked with executing those designs. Scenic Designers also provide how they would like the space decorated and populated with furniture. That’s where the Properties Master and Scenic Dresser (for American Stage these roles are one position) come in. They are responsible for everything that you bring in the moving truck when it’s time to move in. Often I say “Anything that’s not nailed down!” Which means furniture, art, decor, rocks, trees, and everything else an actor might pick up, eat, or sit on.

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The Royale - Jay “The Sport” Jackson dreams of being the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. But it’s 1905, and in the racially segregated world of boxing, his chances are as good as knocked out. When a crooked boxing promoter hatches a plan for “the fight of the century,” “The Sport” just might land a place in the ring with the reigning white heavyweight champion.

Much Ado About Nothing - a comedy by William Shakespeare thought to have been written in 1598 and 1599, as Shakespeare was approaching the middle of his career. The play was included in the First Folio, published in 1623.

By means of "noting" (which, in Shakespeare's day, sounded similar to "nothing" as in the play's title,[1][2] and which means gossip, rumour, and overhearing), Benedick and Beatrice are tricked into confessing their love for each other, and Claudio is tricked into rejecting Hero at the altar on the erroneous belief that she has been unfaithful. At the end, Benedick and Beatrice join forces to set things right, and the others join in a dance celebrating the marriages of the two couples. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Much_Ado_About_Nothing)

A Raisin in the Sun - by Lorraine Hansberry that debuted on Broadway in 1959.[1] The title comes from the poem "Harlem" (also known as "A Dream Deferred"[2]) by Langston Hughes. The story tells of a black family's experiences in the Washington Park Subdivision of Chicago's Woodlawn neighborhood as they attempt to "better" themselves with an insurance payout following the death of the father. The New York Drama Critics' Circle named it the best play of 195 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Raisin_in_the_Sun)

Marjorie Prime - It’s the age of artificial intelligence, and 85-year-old Marjorie — a jumble of disparate, fading memories — has a handsome new companion who’s programmed to feed the story of her life back to her. What would we remember, and what would we forget, if given the chance? In this richly spare, wondrous new play, Jordan Harrison explores the mysteries of human identity and the limits — if any — of what technology can replace. (http://www.samuelfrench.com/p/59978/marjorie-prime)

Strait of Gibraltor - The world premiere of Strait of Gibraltar by Andrea Lepcio is a sexy romance turned terrorism thriller. Miriam, a Jewish woman, and Sameer, a Muslim man from Morocco, meet at a party and fall in love at first sight. When Sameer tells Miriam he’s undocumented, she offers to help; but, is everything as it seems? A smart, riveting play that looks at love, truth, prejudice, and civil rights in the age of the Patriot Act. (https://synchrotheatre.com/season/strait-of-gibraltar)

Bad Jews - The night after their grandfather’s funeral, three cousins engage in a verbal (and sometimes physical) battle. In one corner is Daphna Feygenbam, a “Real Jew” who is volatile, self-assure, and unbending. In the other is her equally stubborn cousin Liam, a secular and entitled young man, who has his shiska girlfriend, Melody, in tow. Stuck in the middle is Liam’s brother, Jonah, who tries to stay out of the fray. When Liam stakes claim to their grandfather's Chai necklace, a vicious and hilarious brawl over family, faith, and legacy ensues. (http://www.samuelfrench.com/p/15161/bad-jews)

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·Audition and hiring practices

·Different programs (other than main)

-New Works Festival: (selected by teams reading ten page samples playwright’s send in. The winner of last years festival was called Strait of Gibraltar, and is part of their mainstage season this year. Not all winners are promised productions, but this play happened to fit really nicely in their season. Last year they received around 100 admissions, this year they’ve already received more than 300.

-Before each mainstage production they have a dramaturg come out and briefly explain the history of the play, the playwright, how it fits in to their season. Etc.

-American Legacy Series: Started by American Stage attempting to perform all 12 of August Wilson’s plays, which they accomplished, and after that they began performing an extremely important historical play as part of their mainstage season every year.

-Aside from their mainstage productions, they also perform a Musical In The Park. Even though this isn’t their main season, it brings in about twice as much money as a regular production. They bring in about 3,000 audience members, mostly off the street as people see the chaos and come in.

-Education program: they take a show every year and tour it to all of the schools in the area. This ends up reaching about 100,000 students. This year’s show is Rikki Tikki Tavi.

-Improv with Hawk and Wayne: last season they did Long Form improv, this season they’re doing Karaoke Improv with performances every Sunday. American Stage also has an Improv Training program, when you finish the training you can audition for the House Team which does some of the Sunday performances, switching off with Hawk and Wayne.

-They also just started two new programs- they now have Cabaret nights where staff from American Stage, or local Tampa/ St. Pete bands and singers get nights to perform on the stage. They also have American Stories, where people come together and read their stories.

·What factors go in to picking your season (themes/shows):

-Their season is year-round, so they never get a break. It begins in September and ends in August, with their next season’s shows and theme presented around February or March. “Powerful Stories. Boldly Told.”

When picking their season, they will usually start with a drama, then Shakespeare is their second or third show of the season, then they’ll have their new play, their American Legacy Production, and any other works they want to do before closing out their season with a fun, light hearted finale.

·Budget

-grants/donors/ funding
-actors (musicals vs play)

-equity
-They get the bulk of their money from grants, private donations, and corporate sponsorships. (They’re sponsored by Raymond James Stadium! Go Bulls!)

·The Gala Under the Stars- The biggest night of the year for American Stage

·So important it needs a second bullet point- It’s a huge fundraiser for AS. They invite all the super wealthy people from Tampa and their current sponsors and Very Important People to come and spend money on alcohol and souvenirs in the name of art. They come and can purchase a table, a ticket, or they can donate to an artist (who donated their art to AS to be sold). There are tons of silent auction items such as art, props from shows, I don’t really know what else, but that art goes for like a ton of money and they bid on it so, you know. This event is super fancy and needs 60-70 volunteers to run it. Also, they make a big of show of announcing their theme for the next season at this event, and everybody claps for the shows that were selected. The whole event is planned like all year.

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Rachel Harrison: Production Coordinator and Stage Manager

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Rachel Harrison: Production Coordinator and Stage Manager

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As Production Coordinator Rachel Harrison's job is to basically make sure everything runs smoothly and on schedule when it comes to whatever play is being worked on. She takes part in things from office management to casting, so her job is pretty flexible as Production Coordinator. When it comes to Stage Managing, however, Rachel's job can get bit more challenging. Being the Stage Manager for any theatre company comes with a lot responsibilities. A few of those responsibilities include scheduling and running rehearsals, coordinating the stage crew, calling cues during the performance, and overseeing the show at each performance. Some of the plays this year Rachel has managed are Informed Consent, Sex With Strangers, and The Invisible Hand; she plans on managing many more in the upcoming season.

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Zachary Hines: Audience Engagement Manager 

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Zachary Hines: Audience Engagement Manager 

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As Audience Engagement Manager, Zachary's job is to use innovating high-quality experiential live and digital initiatives with a purpose of further engaging
audiences with creative programming. In addition, Mr.Hines makes sure that American Stage retains its current audience, as well as attracting a new audience. Mr.Hines says that his main goal is to With each play that American Stage puts on it is Zachary's job to work with the Managing and Artistic Directors to determine the audience of the play, as well as discussing how to make the play meaningful to the audience.

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Tiffany Ford: Director of Education and Outreach

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Tiffany Ford: Director of Education and Outreach

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As Director of Education & Outreach, Tiffany's role is to provide oversight and direction for all Education and Outreach initiatives at American Stage. This includes youth classes on and off campus, summer camp program, the annual school tour that reaches 20,000 students each year, our professional Improv Training Program, and American Stage's in the schools initiatives and student matinee programming and events. Tiffany is responsible for developing the budget for the department as well as coordinating teaching artist training and conducting all hiring and casting for Education & Outreach programming.

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The Royale: September 20 - October 15
Much Ado About Nothing: November 08 - December 10
A Raisin in the Sun: January 24 - February 17
Marjorie Prime: March 7 - April 1
Strait of Gibraltar: May 23 - June 17
Bad Jews: July 11 - August 5

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Producing Artistic Director

Stephanie Gularte

Operations Manager

Jim Sorensen

General Manager

Tom Block

Finance Director

Leyla Prior

Administrative Assistant

Colleen Cherry

Director of Education &
Outreach

Tiffany Ford

Education Coordinator

Marissa Nicole Koch

Education Outreach Associate

Katie Castonguay

Development Director

Stephanie Snyder

Development Associate

Taylor McKee

Audience Engagement Manager

Jk

Marketing Associate

Kara Goldberg

Box Office Manager

Steve Mountan

Box Office Associate

Jenny Peacock

House Managers

Kara Goldberg, Natalie Symons, & Colleen Cherry

Bar Manager

Chris Strong

Production Manager

Jerid Fox

Production Coordinator &
Stage Manager

Rachel Harrison

Technical Director

Timon Brown

Assistant Technical Director & Master Carpenter

Robert Creedon

Costume Shop Manager

Jill Castle

Master Electrician

Chris Baldwin

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2002

Awarded the Neighborhood Builder Award by the Bank of America Neighborhood Excellence Initiative.

2004
The Tampa Bay Chapter of the American Red Cross presents American Stage with the Good Neighbor Award for having made significant humanitarian contributions in support of the American Red Cross.

2006
American Stage changes a twenty-year tradition of presenting Shakespeare in the Park with a musical, the Regional Premiere of CROWNS (R. Taylor).

Bank of America awards American Stage with the Neighborhood Excellence Award.

2007
American Stage enters into a partnership with St. Petersburg College to build a brand new state of the art building in the heart of downtown St. Petersburg. This is the first time in Pinellas County history that a brand new building is constructed for a professional theatre. Raymond James Financial acquires naming rights to the new theatre space.

2008
American Stage Theatre Company celebrates its 30th Anniversary Season.

2009
American Stage completes its first full season in the Raymond James Theatre.

2010
American Stage in the Park celebrates its 25th anniversary. It is the highest-attended Park production in nearly two decades.

Named Non-Profit of the Year by the Tampa Bay Business Journal.

2012
Presented with Watermark’s Wave Award for Variety and Excellence as one of St. Petersburg’s favorite local performing arts venues.

Presented with the PARC Community Service Award in appreciation of American Stage’s extraordinary volunteer efforts.

Presented with the St. Peterburg Mayor’s Top Apple Award for continued partnership with local schools.

2013

Presented with the St. Peterburg Mayor’s Top Apple Award for continued partnership with local schools.

2014
Presented with WEDU’s Be More: Educational Outreach Award.

2015

Awarded the MUSE Performing Arts Award by the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance.

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Quick History (Because the real one is so long)

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Quick History (Because the real one is so long)

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1977
American Stage is founded as The Palisades Theatre of Florida, taking residence in Florida Presbyterian College (now Eckerd College) in St. Petersburg, FL.

1979
The Palisades converted an old cinema house in downtown St. Petersburg into a 179-seat performance space.

1984
The Palisades Theatre of Florida officially changes its name to American Stage Theatre Company. The City of St. Petersburg condemns the American Stage facility. The local power company offers an alternative site which provides over 10,000 square feet for an intimate 130-seat performance space with a lobby, costume shop, rehearsal hall, and office spaces.

1985
American Stage becomes the first non-profit theatre company in the Tampa Bay region to operate under a full contract with Actors’ Equity Association.
1986
American Stage in the Park, also known as Shakespeare in the Park, is launched in the Spring, offering ten free outdoor performances of THE TAMING OF THE SHREW.

1987
The St. Petersburg City Council designates American Stage as St. Petersburg’s Resident Professional Theatre Ensemble.
1991
The Florida State Legislature designates American Stage as a Vital Local Cultural Organization due to the theatre’s outreach efforts, community support, and artistic excellence.

1992
American Stage is one of 13 professional arts organizations nationwide to participate in the National Endowment for the Arts’ Advancement Program.

1996
Renovation is completed, and includes the redesigned 148-seat space, a new sound system, new light board and dimmers; remodeling of the costume shop, rehearsal space, and courtyard; inclusion of a visual arts gallery; and an expansion of the lobby space.

1998
Shakespeare in the Park adds an additional eight performances in Tampa at Curtis Hixon Park, following the regular run in St. Petersburg.

Awarded Best Theatre Company by the annual survey of the Best of the Bay by The Weekly Planet. American Stage will be awarded this title for the next fifteen consecutive years, during which The Weekly Planet is renamed to Creative Loafing Tampa.

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The What, How, Why: To Tell powerful stories boldly with commitment to quality. They believe that through the telling of dynamic stories, live theatre has the power to unite us in our shared experiences and to deepen our connection to one another through the illumination of diverse perspectives.
Mission: To Seek to reinforce the power of live theatre with high quality productions of compelling plays that excite and challenge a diverse audience. They're passionate about the telling of meaningful stories that inspire audiences to lean forward and engage.

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Background picture - https://stpeteartsalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/AmericanStage-1.jpg
Icon Picture - http://www.artstampabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/www.artstampabay.com/images/venue/1006/astlogo.jpg
The What, How, Why - http://americanstage.org/mission/
Mission - http://americanstage.org/mission/
History - http://americanstage.org/the-history-of-american-stage/
Pretty Much All of It Except for the Interviews - http://americanstage.org/