Archives | Musical Theatre Festival Network

Philanthropists bet big on Auburn theater fest

By admin On February 12, 2012 · Leave a Comment · In Archives, Area Theatre, Performing Arts Center

Published: Sunday, February 12, 2012, 2:00 AM

By James T. Mulder / The Post-Standard

Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival Ed Sayles is the Producing Artistic Director for Merry Go Round Playhouse and the upcoming Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival. Sayles talks about the festival and its impact on CNY. Video by Stephen D. Cannerelli (2:24) Watch video

Auburn, N.Y. — Jerry Bisgrove could have set up a charitable fund to feed the poor when he decided to share some of his financial fortune in 2007 with his hometown of Auburn.

But he wanted a bigger bang for his buck.

So the Arizona philanthropist’s charitable foundation plowed more than $4 million into the fledgling Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival. Organizers of the multivenue summer festival, which debuts this year, hope to turn Auburn into a musical theater mecca that draws more than 150,000 visitors annually, creates jobs and revives the city’s economy.

The Merry-Go-Round Playhouse’s Youth Theatre

Stephen D. Cannerelli / The Post-Standard The Merry-Go-Round Playhouse’s Youth Theatre presented The Bingley Brothers Circus for kindergarteners at Millard Fillmore Elementary School in Moravia on Wednesday January 18, 2012. Scott Gibbs as Happy the Clown imitates a circus animal. Stephen D. Cannerelli / The Post-Standard

Bisgrove said the potential economic payoff to the community from backing the festival is much greater than it would be with a traditional charitable cause, such as feeding the poor.

“This can generate jobs and millions of dollars,” Bisgrove said. “I like my upside better.”

Bisgrove, 66, has helped spark a wave of entrepreneurial philanthropy that’s having a big impact on Auburn. HisStardust Foundation and two other private foundations with Auburn roots — the Fred L. Emerson Foundationand the Schwartz Family Foundation —have put up more than half of the $10 million raised so far in startup funding for the festival.

The philanthropic activity surrounding the festival bears little resemblance to traditional charitable giving.

For one thing the festival is a riskier-than-usual investment for foundations.

Dan Fessenden, executive director of the Emerson Foundation, which has put nearly $1.5 million into the festival, said foundations are taking that risk because of the project’s potential economic impact.

“In a community like Auburn we need some double-digit returns,” he said.

The wave of philanthropy also is different because the foundations are doing much more than writing checks. They are active participants in the project, not passive spectators.

Please follow the rest of the article on The Post Standard

Actors audition for first season of Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival

By admin On January 28, 2012 · Leave a Comment · In Archives, Auditions

Published: Saturday, January 28, 2012, 3:51 PM Updated: Saturday, January 28, 2012, 4:38 PM

By Sarah Moses / The Post-Standard

Finger Lakes Musical Theater Festival Auditions

Enlarge David Lassman Hundreds of actors gather at the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse at Emerson Park in Auburn to audition for the inaugural season of the Finger Lakes Musical Theater Festival. Arielle Rawding from Boston applies makeup before going on stage. David Lassman / The Post-StandardFinger Lakes Musical Theater Festival Auditions gallery (9 photos)

Auburn, NY — About 30 Syracuse University performance arts students made the trip to Auburn this morning to audition for the inaugural season of the Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival.

“We’re all really excited,” said Matt Maretz, 20, of San Diego. Several members of the group from SU were still waiting to audition as the panel of directors broke for lunch.

By the end of the day, more than 140 actors will have tried out for roles in nine different musicals. The auditions continue Sunday.

Maclain Dassatti, 20, of Chicago, is studying musical theater and was one of the first members of the group from SU to audition.

“They called me in and I sang my song; they asked me if I had anything different and I sang again,” he said. “Then they asked if I could do a British accent and I sang again.”

Dassatti was given a call back and was asked to sing in front of the directors once more before he left for the day.

The Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival is being produced by Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, which was also the location of the auditions this weekend. The festival will feature nine full musical productions, which will range from Broadway classics to innovative new shows.

The festival will kick off in May with “Kiss Me, Kate” and end in October with “Nunsense.” The other musicals include “9 to 5: The Musical”; “My Fair Lady”; “Cabaret”; “The 25 Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”; “Altar Boyz”; “My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding”; and “Fingers and Toes.”

Finger Lakes Musical Theater Festival AuditionsHundreds of actors gather at the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse at Emerson Park in Auburn to audition for the inaugural season of the Finger Lakes Musical Theater Festival. The festival will premiere this summer and will focus exclusively on musical theater. Video by David Lassman Watch video

The shows will be performed at three theaters, The Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, Auburn Public Theater, and the new Theater Mack.

Actors auditioned this weekend for all nine shows. Anthony Palermo, 21, of Erie Pa., said he didn’t care which show he well be cast in.

“I just want to perform,” he said.

Jamilla Fort, 21, of Cortland, agreed with Palermo, but she said she would love to play the role of Hattie in “Kiss Me, Kate.”

“I think the odds of getting a role in one of the musicals is pretty good,” she said. “I would be excited to be in any of them.”

There will be more than 200 paid roles available in the festival. Auditions were also held in Ithaca this weekend and the festival will hold auditions in New York City next month.

Organizers predict the festival will attract about 150,000 visitors to the area, contribute $30 million to the local economy and create 400 local jobs.

“There is a lot of talent here today,” said Megan Mullin, a festival spokesperson. “It’s excellent to see how much talent we have in Central New York and also excellent to see people who traveled here to audition.”