Valued subscriber!

August 2002

Dear Valued Subscription Holder,

You are receiving this glossy and handsomely folded brochure as an Apprentice level donor to The Little Theater. We’d like to thank you for your generous donation. If at any time you would like to upgrade your membership to our Helper, Benefactor, or Demigod levels, call our membership coordinator. Don’t forget, it’s not too late to claim your Little Theater tote bag and electric dental floss for upgrading your membership!
The Little Theater is proud to present the flagship of its 2002-2003 theater season, Peter Hunt’s Hamlet: the musical. Hunt is a native of Waco, Texas. He received a B.A. in music composition at Baylor University. His previous composer/librettist credits include the feel-good summer musical Our Rockin’ Town and the riotous rock opera The Three Sisters and Their Zany Musical Sidekicks. His latest attempt, Hamlet, has met with acclaim for its hit songs. Who could forget Ophelia’s charming “I’m Just Crazy for Flowers!” or Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s show-stopper “Cheer up, Man!” or Hamlet’s haunting ballad “Daddy No!” Hunt is known for incorporating a variety of styles into each of his shows, including jazz, classical, pop, rap, klezmer, reggae, and polka. His militantly eclectic musical taste gives each show not just one distinctive character, but several. The Little Theater is honored to mount the work of such a musical genius.
We at the Little Theater are excited to give Hamlet a second chance after its 1996 premiere in the basement of First Baptist Church. At the last moment, several of the main characters contracted an upper respiratory infection, the recovery from which required that they all wear large scarves. During the romantic dance scene “Me, Myself, and I but also You,” Hamlet’s scarf got caught on Ophelia’s braces. Ophelia’s parents sued the theater for orthodontic expenses, forcing the theater to close until enough funds to settle the lawsuit were raised through hundreds of bake sales. Despite this setback, Hamlet enjoyed mixed reviews from over five critics.
Rest assured that the Little Theater is taking every precaution against similar incidents, including surgical masks during rehearsals and hourly injections with vitamin C. Yes, after starting off on the wrong track, this little musical that could is on the express to success!
Hamlet will be conducted by George Schwarz, former music director of the Abilene Symphony. Schwarz’s career in Abilene was unexpectedly cut short when his unorthodox choices of tempi in Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony caused rioting in the audience and what he refers to only as “the baton incident.” We can only sympathize with the outrage of the Abilene Symphony’s knowledgeable audience, but regardless of Schwarz’s reputation as a renegade, we at the Little Theater are confident that his stubborn nonconformity will give our Hamlet just the edge it needs. Little Theater veteran Richard Marcus, who you might remember from his performances as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof and both Romeo and Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, will play the title role.
The Little Theater’s new production will be directed by Jerry Rogers. Rogers has announced exciting new plans to continue the Little Theater’s ongoing mission of bringing culture to our little town in this day and age. He will make Hamlet: the musical resonate with modern audiences by setting the action not in Denmark, but in a 1950s sock hop! This modernization will really bring the antiquated themes in Shakespeare’s masterpiece to life. The final scene will culminate not in a series of brutal slayings, but in a dance marathon, so grab your best girl and head over to the box office today!
We are proud to announce that Hunt will be our guest for opening night on September 24th here at the Little Theater! As a donor, you are invited to the special potluck dinner being held in his honor. We hear he loves tuna wiggle—don’t be stingy with the potato chips! This upcoming event is yet another chapter in our “Casseroles with the Composer” series.
Also, be sure to join us before and after the performance for the Little Theater’s exciting series of educational lectures. Our education department continually strives to make great works of theater more accessible to Little Theater audiences. Some of the upcoming lectures include “Updating Shakespeare,” “Dude, where’s my denouement,” and “Hamlet, Prozac, and You.”
This season brings many joys to our little town. We hope to continue in the mission the Little Theater has had since its founding in 1971: to enrich and enlighten the citizens of Temple, TX through the fine arts. We invite you to help us pursue our goal by giving the most precious gifts a person can give—those of your time and money. For after all, without the enrichment that the fine arts bring to the world, what is there to live for?

With gratitude,

The Little Theater staff

P.S. Wondering how you can serve the Little Theater better! Come join “Usher Boot Camp,” an intensive two-week program dedicated to the training of volunteer ushers. It’s almost exciting as being in the shows!