Hopeville Will Be Alright

Awesome Review!

2009-04-07T18:17:00.000-07:00

Forget about Letting the Sun Shine in, the Catchphrase this Year Should Be “Rain On!”

by Toby Thelin
The New Hopeville Comics reviewed March 14, 2009

Every once in a while a musical comes along that captures the spirit of its time flawlessly. The New Hopeville Comics, A New Rock Opera from Commander Squish Productions, is one of these shows. Don’t be misled by the four-color poster featuring the heroic Perfect Man and his gal pal Molly. This is not your typical kid-friendly comic adventure. Owing more to the mature themes of shows like Rent and the macabre sensibilities of Little Shop of Horrors than it does to any of the Sunday funnies or the caped crusaders that ostensibly inspired it (and I should know, I have boxes and boxes of Batman and Justice League taking up space in my closets), The New Hopeville Comics begins as a light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek flight through crazy comic land, and ends up landing very much in the world we live in today, with a message so powerful (and delivered so powerfully) it brought tears to this reviewer’s eyes.

For a storyline featuring Man of Steel-like Perfect Man and his trio of supervillains with the heavy-handed yet appropriate monikers Sex, Drugs, and Rockenroll, this three-act little super-hero song and dance piece turns out to be thrillingly deep. Featuring bravura acting performances, show-stopping dance numbers (choreographed by Ashley Adamek), and an ensemble that blends so well I think my heart actually skipped a beat several times, New Hopeville Comics is one of those rare pieces that can truly be called a theatrical gem.

Among the many fine performances were Chris Crittelli as the golly-gee-willikers goody-two-shoed Perfect Man, whose song-and-dance delivery of certain lines brought the house to tears of laughter; Aaron Phillips as Felix, the nerdy dare-I-say sidekick who quickly comes into his own after a hilarious sequence of events; and the amazing trio of Terren Wooten Clarke (Sex), Carl Conway Maguire (Drugs), and John Bennett (Rockenroll), who very nearly steal the show with their antics. There were more than a few Forbidden Broadway-like moments, such as Perfect Man trying to convince his gal Molly (played by Sarah Hayes Donnell) to stay with him while performing Chorus Line choreography, or when Felix leads the revolution in the second act marching in step and singing “One Day More”, but the villainous trio of Sex, Drugs, & Rockenroll manage to top everything with a vibrant number ending in a calypso (“a Calypso!?!”). Later, the villains lead the entire town’s populace in a raucous revelry that is so wrong it can only be right. Christine Dwyer as April, Molly’s later love interest, has a beautiful and powerful voice, which she gets to show off towards the end.

The production values were fantastic, with bright, colorful costumes (designed by Denise Schumaker) that stood out against the darker but still colorful set (designed by Steve Royal). The band (under the direction of Tim Matson) was rocking, and delivered Nate Weida’s score with aplomb. In fact, the only major criticism I have with the show is that the leads were not supported with microphones, so they were sometimes lost in the music and vocal power of the ensemble.

Quite possibly the best thing about The New Hopeville Comics is the message. What begins as a sinister refrain delivered by the villains early on in the show, “Rain On!” becomes a powerful message of hope. With a nod to everything from Rent’s “No Day But Today” to Eric Draven’s “It Can’t Rain All The Time” (from the film The Crow), from 110 Degrees in the Shade to Broadway's Hair, “Rain On!” empowers the disenfranchised to realize that times are hard right now for everyone, and that we need to do the best we can with our circumstances right now. For that we don’t need a super-hero, we just need ourselves. And maybe a little help from our friends.

Speaking of help from our friends, all proceeds from this production will be donated to Fountain House and the SJM Pediatric Transplant Foundation.

http://offoffonline.com/archives.php?id=1575

Poor Perfect Man

2009-03-02T15:06:00.000-08:00

photo by Jacquelyn TerHar

Publicity Shoot

2009-03-01T17:31:00.001-08:00

Nate Weida with Perfect Man (Chris Critelli), Molly (Sarah Hayes Donnell), and April (Christine Dwyer) [photo by Jacquelyn TerHar]

Boy Scoot Profile

2009-02-19T11:24:00.000-08:00

Wes Jetton

John Wellington-Simon

BUDDY/STAN - Hopeville's fearless handholding Boy Scooting duo. Prominent figures in the Hopeville Rebellion.

The Corruptors

2009-02-19T11:11:00.000-08:00

The Corruptors; Sex, Drugs, & Rockenroll (Terren Wooten Clarke, Carl Conway Maguire, John Bennett) as drawn by Chris Critelli in rehearsal.

OUR CAST

2009-01-26T21:39:00.000-08:00

John Bennett - Rockenroll
Terren Clarke - Sex
Carolyn Cole - Delois
Chris Critelli - Perfect Man
Shannon DeVido - Flo
Sarah Hayes Donnell - Molly
Heather Dudenbostel - Ensemble
Christine Dwyer - April
Nick Gelona - Ensemble
Michelle Guadalupe - Doo Doo Girl
Wes Jetton - Boyscout
Shira Kobren Doo Doo Girl
Patrick Link - Steve
Terra Mackintosh - Jill the Weatherboy
Carl Conway Maguire - Drugs
Jay Paranada - Pete, Man on the Street
Aaron Phillips - Felix
J.T. Taylor - Police Chief
John Wellington-Simon - Boyscout
Scott Lee Williams - Mayor

Show Dates

2009-01-06T17:20:00.000-08:00

We've settled on our show dates...Sunday Matinees and Wednesdays dark

PREVIEWS

Tuesday, March 10th @ 8PM Preview
Wednesday, March 11th ---- Dark
Thursday, March 12th @ 8PM Preview

SHOWS

Friday, March 13th @ 8PM Opening Night
Saturday, March 14th @ 8PM
Sunday, March 15th @ 3PM
Monday, March 16th @ 8PM
Tuesday, March 17th @ 8PM
Wednesday, March 18th ---- Dark
Thursday, March 19th @ 8PM
Friday, March 20th @ 8PM
Saturday, March 21st @ 8PM *SJM Pediatric Transplant Foundation
Sunday, March 22nd @ 3PM Matinee
Monday, March 23rd @ 8PM
Tuesday, March 24th @ 8PM
Wednesday, March 25th ----- Dark
Thursday, March 26th @ 8PM
Friday, March 27th @ 8PM
Saturday, March 28th @ 8PM Closing Night

Weida Boys Scope out The Fountain House

2008-12-14T19:59:00.000-08:00

Don and Nate Weida met with members and got an Alice-led tour of The Fountain House in hopes that we'll be contributing our proceeds to them.

Auditions Galore!

2008-12-14T19:56:00.000-08:00

Our director Jim Wren flew in town recently for our auditions at Theatre Row Studios on 42nd Street. We narrowed nearly 1000 submissions down to 140 audition slots to see over three days. We'll post our official cast list soon.

The Mighty Batton Lash

2008-12-14T19:51:00.000-08:00

After a couple fruitful discussions, Batton Lash has agreed to do the artwork for our show. He is the creator of "Supernatural Law" and draws for The Simpsons and Archie comics amongst others. We are so thrilled and honored that he is working with us! We are now working with him to create artwork for our show and marketing materials as well as make our program into a comic book.

Our First Charity

2008-11-08T06:12:00.000-08:00

Commander Squish Productions is very proud to welcome SJM Pediatric Transplant Foundation to our Hopeville Team. A portion of our proceeds will go to this group.

SJM Pediatric Transplant Foundation is dedicated to providing financial assistance to needy families who have a child that has undergone a life saving organ transplant. Many families suffer severe financial hardships due to lost wages and increased expenses. The Pediatric Transplant Social Worker works closely with transplant families. Foundations such as SJM Pediatric Transplant Foundation allow the social worker to have access to outside funds for families who often are in crisis. The social worker will present needy cases to the foundation for assistance. We are here to help when there are no other resources for the family to access. We provide support to pay for such necessities as rent, utility bills, cell phone bills, transportation, food medical supplies and medical co-payments. Paying a month's cell phone bill for a family who needs to have contact with their child’s doctors can provide peace of mind. Helping with a month's rent can help a family care for their child in a safe, clean environment. Every family wants to focus on their child’s medical needs without spending their energy worrying about how to pay their bills. By alleviating financial worries, the family can focus their time and energy on helping their child heal and return to a normal life.

Oh a Publicist We Have!

2008-10-14T20:08:00.000-07:00

Team Hopeville is proud to report Ron Lasko has become our Publicist. He is a very good one at that heading FringeNYC's SpinCycle...here is a photo of him.

Also, we have officially set up our small business account with the bank. Very official.

Auditions Set, Flights Booked

2008-10-07T11:21:00.000-07:00

Our Audition dates have been set (December 5th and 6th with Callbacks on December 7th). We have just booked a flight for Jim, our director on classy nonstop flights thanks to some generous contributions. We have also paid the remaining balance for the Chernuchin Theatre! Now we're focused back on fundraising efforts...

Oh, What Progress

2008-09-28T17:29:00.000-07:00

Another busy day for Hopeville. Tim and Nate are at the half way point with the score. We're setting things up for our December auditions. We're preparing our budget. We dined with our General Manager (Mandy!).

This week's goal: Find a publicist.

ASLANDA

2008-09-23T19:13:00.000-07:00

Remember The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe ? Remember the part where all the forest creatures look up at the children with hope in their eyes and say "Aslan is on the move?"

Well replace those forest creatures with city creatures and replace Aslan with Amanda Axelrod and that's what's happening today.

We had a lovely meeting with Mandy last night at the Westway Diner (New York City's best in our opinion), and are on go with all kinds of plans. She even made us a to-do list...which is around here...somewhere...

We should really be paying her.

At Last, It's Finished...

2008-09-22T21:25:00.000-07:00

Sorry we've been slacking a bit on ye olde blogue. We've been applying to the LMCC (Lower Manhattan Cultural Council) for a big ol' grant. These things are not so very fun, but good for getting our organizational game on. We visited the lovely Carolyn Cole's (Miss Hopeville) apartment to congratulate her (and Mike) on getting married. They served us cookies and ginger ale.

a Message from Martin

2008-09-18T19:30:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends & Family:

Nate has written many folk & comic operas, but he continues to believe that this remains the best of them even though he wrote it when he was still in college. It was performed in the New York Fringe Festival in 2002 & received rave reviews.

Nate & his girlfriend Sarah Donnell live only a few blocks from me & we have become close friends. When I attended the backers audition, I was mystified by its uniqueness & I then agreed to provide the necessary money to rent the Chernuchin Theatre this coming March. So this is where you come in.

The first fundraising letter was incomplete & did not give any suggestions for telling you what you could expect in return for your contributions. This is now quite clear.

If you have any interest in helping these young people as I have chosen to do, then you will make some contribution to their efforts. As you know anything you give, is tax deductible & all profits at the end of the production will be given to charity. In fact you might want to suggest your favorite charity as one of the recipients.

I would also appreciate it if you could forward this message to your friends too.

The main thing that this group of young people want, who are performing it for free, is to provide an audience to hear their production.

Peace & Love,

Martin

REWARDS for Contributors!

2008-09-18T19:30:00.000-07:00

As incentive...we here at Commander Squish Productions have issued some rewards for contributors.

Make a Tax-Deductible Donation – Some of the things we are working hard to raise money for include: lights; sets; costumes; stipends for cast and crew; comic illustrations; posters and other marketing material.

$50 Friend
(listing in program)
$100 Neighbor
(above plus CD of music from the show)
$250 Concerned Citizen
(above plus 2 tickets in prime seating for performance of your choice)
$500 Town Leader
(above but 4 seats)
$1,000 Superhero
(above plus poster signed by writers & cast)
$5,000 Perfect Man/Perfect Woman
(above plus invitation for 2 to private performance by writers and cast members.)

* NOVEMBER 1st Incentive - Contributors making donations by NOVEMBER 1st receive...

all REWARDS from the next tier
(e.g. Town Leader Contribution before Nov. 1st receives Superhero Rewards)

Make donations to our non-profit organization, COMMANDER SQUISH PRODUCTIONS through our fiscal sponsor, THE FIELD. The Field is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt, 501 (c) (3) organization serving the New York City performing arts community. Contributions to artists through The Field are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

FOUR WAYS TO DONATE:

1. Donate by Mail:
Make checks payable to THE FIELD, with COMMANDER SQUISH PRODUCTIONS in the memo line and mail to:

Nate Weida
427 W. 45th Street, #5RW
New York, NY 10036

2. Donate by Fax:
Fill out the Donation Fax Form and fax to:

3. Donate by Phone
Call THE FIELD at (212) 691-6969 ext. 11

4. Donate Online
Visit: www.thefield.org and select the options “Contribute” “To a Sponsored Artist”
Enter “Nate Weida” as Sponsored Artist

Back in the Saddle

2008-09-09T17:02:00.000-07:00

Now I'm sure you've all been waiting by your computer screens, frightened, alone, wringing your hands wondering to yourselves "where are the new blog posts; oh good sweet mike where are the blog posts?!" Sorry about that.

We spent the last week maxing and relaxing on our last bit of summer chill time with the Weidas (see post "Burgers in Summit, NJ") on a trip to Martha's Vineyard. It was lovely. There were meadows and sheep.

Now the team is back in action and moving down a to-do list with great intensity (I won't detail the to-do list here, though, because that would be boring for you, and, well it's not on the to-do list to-do so).

BUT we do want to take this opportunity to give a shout out to the North Carolina contingent of the growing Hopeville army. Especially the Hajeks. HELLO HAJEKS! Loving support from the Hajeks dates all the way back to the Alamance Children's Theater in the days of yore. Here's a picture of the theatre where some of that magic happened:

And here's a picture of some other children's theater (no relation):

General Managing

2008-08-24T16:15:00.000-07:00

The Hopeville Machine is still running...Friday we had our first meeting with Amanda Axelrod our General Manager to work out elements of our budget...(on more info on how to contribute click here). Met with Dave Parnell, the contributing lyricist on two songs (End of the World, Almost Perfect Celebration). Met with Tim Matson for our weekly orchestrating, scoring sessions.

Introducing Our Director!!!

2008-08-21T15:27:00.000-07:00

Jim Wren - Jim received his BA in Psychology/Communication and Theatre Arts from Heidelberg College and his MFA in Acting/Directing at The University of Florida. Tenured in the Department of Theatre and Dance at UF in 1990, he defied conventional wisdom by leaving one month later for the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where he currently serves as the Coordinator of the Performance Program and MFA Acting Advisor. He also serves as Resident Fight Choreographer for Triad Stage. Jim teaches both undergraduate and graduate acting classes, and is also the Artistic Director of THTR 232- the annual summer theatre festival co-produced by UNCG Theatre and Triad Stage. As Artistic Director of UNCG Summer Repertory Theatre prior to the new festival, Jim produced over seventy plays in his sixteen years of leadership. In 2001 he received the Kennedy Center Gold Medallion for Excellence in Theatre Education and in 2005 was named Outstanding Teacher of Acting in the Southeast serving as mentor to the acting students at the National Festival. In 2006 he directed The Irene Ryan Evening of Scenes at the Kennedy Center and Moonlight and Magnolias at the Hippodrome State Theatre in Gainesville, Florida. He also recently co-wrote a new family musical Uncle Ulysses and the Mythic Sword for THTR 232, and is currently composing the music for Redbeard's Revenge, set to premier next summer. Additional credits include directing The Blue Martini for Kids With Guns at the New York International Fringe Festival, which was also selected for the Fringe Encore and remounted at the Lion Theatre. Recent fight choreography credits include Brother Wolf and Tobacco Road at Triad Stage. A member of Actors' Equity Association since 1983, recent acting credits include Our Lady of 121st Street here at UNCG and The Little Foxes at Triad Stage.

Couple of Days

2008-08-20T10:03:00.000-07:00

Nikki Ashton and Nate walked around the city in search for Staples general managers for in-kind gifts...no such luck, yet. Nate worked on the script for a few hours after babysitting Julian (the Bisco Kid)

Watch Out Staples

2008-08-18T18:56:00.000-07:00

Sarah and I have been calling local Staples stores for In-Kind donations...most of them have reached their monthly quota. September 1st Staples, we'll be there. The closest Staples' General Manager seemed indifferent to the cause, as long as we were non-profit. I typed out a fancy-shmance cover letter hoping to endear him to us...kind of a waste of time, but good practice for someone who might care. We'll see what happens. Patrick, here is the picture of the wizard you requested.

Big Day at the ATA

2008-08-17T14:18:00.000-07:00

The gang trooped to 54th Street bright and early this Sunday morn to meet with James Jennings of the ATA at the Chernuchin. Steve surveyed the lay of the land, took a lot of pictures and measurements

with the help of Nate and Sarah's trusty tape-measure,

and, of course Dwayne (Dwayne is a ray of sunshine in all of our lives).

Sarah also took pictures, but they did not turn out so well as you can see:

Nate tried to convince James Jennings to direct a production of Shakespeare's King Lear starring Nate as Lear. James Jennings did not say no.

Then the friends parted ways: Steve back to Baltimore, Dwayne back to Mayne, Nate to his weekly music-man-date with Tim Matson, and Sarah to rehearsal for a reading of the new play, REMoirs (by Leah Hendrick, directed by the illustrious Ian Crawford. Performs this Thursday at the Atlantic Theater Company's Studio A). Then Nate and Sarah reunited to buy kitty litter. The end.

Back in the Big Apple

2008-08-16T17:53:00.000-07:00

Steve Royal (production designer) and Dwayne Burgess are back in town. We will be headed over to the Chernuchin tomorrow for some very in depth measurements. (photo: Chernuchin Theatre stage)

Banjo Report

2008-08-15T21:59:00.001-07:00

Nate's working on his banjo licks. No real fluidity yet...it's only been about a month. He's got "Mountain Dew", "Go Tell Aunt Rhodie", "This Land Is Your Land...", and "Good Night Ladies" under his banjo-belt. Tim and Nate are trying to orchestrate banjo for the Corruptors in the Hopeville score. Nate's got until March.

Making Bank

2008-08-15T15:21:00.000-07:00

Today, the crew at Sanford L. Smith & Associates got released from dayjobland early, so Sarah was able to take a field trip to that realm of magic sparkles--Times Square. She was so dazzled with the Bank of America on 45th street that she decided to go inside to talk to someone. After waiting for half an hour listening to the player piano in the lobby, Sarah had a long, productive chat with a man named Sam about small business bank accounts. Thanks Sam. Happy Friday.

Have No Fear...Emil is still Here!

2008-08-14T11:15:00.000-07:00

For all those concerned citizens; the guitar powerhouse Emil McGloin stated plainly over a #7 with cheese at Wendy's, that he will still play for Hopeville in March despite his California move.

Check out Roadside Jesus

Reading at Patrick and Olivia's Place

2008-08-12T20:36:00.001-07:00

Tonight we read a great draft of Patrick Link's latest...Patrick and Olivia are both members of the Hopeville Think Tank.

Sundays with Tim

2008-08-11T21:16:00.000-07:00

(photo of Tim Matson)
Spent some time with Sibelius 5 today. That's the music notation software that I used ever since it came out when I was in college. Hopeville has also seen it through Sibelius 1 through 5. Every Sunday Tim Matson and I have met in our rehearsal space in Astoria, Queens to piece together the score and orchestrate this beast. Just you wait folks...

Steve Royal On Board!

2008-08-11T20:08:00.000-07:00

Steve & Hopeville 4 Life! Steve began work on Hopeville when he was 16. He then went on to direct the show at the 2002 NY International Fringe Fest and has been connected with the show ever since...just thought he deserved a blog posting. Whaddup Shteve!

Important Audience Member Confirmed

2008-08-11T19:57:00.000-07:00

According to a recent email, Nate's sister Becky van den Honert has confirmed her attendance to the March festivities. No official dates have been stated, but she has suggested the possibilities of school mates joining her. Keep posted for further updates on "THE BECKY DATES!!!"

Burgers in Summit, NJ

2008-08-10T16:56:00.000-07:00

Quick note from the Summit, NJ contingent...

Mission Accomplished!

2008-08-10T09:06:00.000-07:00

As of 11:41am, it became official, Amanda Axelrod (Lexador, Heiress Productions, and formerly from Richard Frankel Prod.) relented to constant pestering to be Hopeville's General Manager! This is a major victory for the Hopeville Team. Please enjoy some photos of Mandy at her most recent birthday.

w/ Tim Matson (Music Dir.) and Nato.
with Sayrah and Natey
Mandy brings out the best in us...

Supplies!

2008-08-10T07:14:00.000-07:00

Recovered from an incredible Radiohead concert at All Points West on Liberty Island. Went to Staples and got a printer cartridge, glue sticks, pens, etc with a gift card. Looked into Staples/Office Depot/Office Max In-Kind contributions.

Meetings (& more Meetings)

2008-08-07T18:58:00.000-07:00

Met with Michael Roderick (of Small Pond fame) and discussed fundraising ideas & charity options.

Chatted with Creighton Irons about his new musical "Factory Girls" due out late fall. Check out www.creightonirons.com

Lunched with Martin Cosand. Discussed the world over. Didn't know he once played violin AND French Horn.

Then Sarah and I went to a mandatory info session for LMCC (Lower Manhattan Cultural Council) to apply for two of their grants. Applications due September 23rd.

Three Days of Mail

2008-08-06T19:11:00.000-07:00

Sarah and I have finished a rush of envelope stuffing and mailing. Well, it's an endless pile...Thanks to Patrick and Olivia for their help. Thanks to the Simpsons for their endless entertainment.

Ways to Help

2008-08-04T16:22:00.000-07:00

The New Hopeville Comics finally has a space big enough to grow into—now we need help filling it! Here are ways you can help:

Frequent Flyer Miles – Two major contributors to our project--the director and costume designer--live in North Carolina and have volunteered their time and creative energy. It is our wish to provide transportation without expense or discomfort to them.

Extra Bedroom(s) – Similarly for the out-of-towners we need to provide them with a roof over their heads. For the director it would need to be for most of the month of February and about a week into March (tentatively February 8 – March 14, 2009). The Costume designer would need about a week at the beginning of March (tentatively March 2 – 9, 2009). Knowledge of cheap sublets is also valuable.

Host a Night of Music/Fundraiser – If you have a nice location for interested contributors to gather, we will provide entertainment and hors d’oeuvres for the evening.

Rehearsal Space – We have a rehearsal space for the band and cast, however, we’re seeking alternatives for backup. If you know a relatively accessible location where a large group can gather (or even sometimes a small one) please let us know.

Make a Tax-Deductible Donation – Some of the things we are working hard to raise money for include: lights; sets; costumes; stipends for cast and crew; comic illustrations; posters and other marketing material.

$50 Friend
$100 Neighbor
$250 Concerned Citizen
$500 Town Leader
$1000 Superhero
$5000 Perfect Man/Perfect Woman
$25,000 + “Hopeville Will Be All Right!”

Make donations to our non-profit organization, COMMANDER SQUISH PRODUCTIONS through our fiscal sponsor, THE FIELD. The Field is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt, 501 (c) (3) organization serving the New York City performing arts community. Contributions to artists through The Field are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

FOUR WAYS TO DONATE:

1. Donate by Mail:
Make checks payable to THE FIELD, with COMMANDER SQUISH PRODUCTIONS in the memo line and mail to:

Nate Weida
427 W. 45th Street, #5RW
New York, NY 10036

2. Donate by Fax:
Fill out the Donation Fax Form and fax to:

3. Donate by Phone
Call THE FIELD at (212) 691-6969 ext. 11

4. Donate Online
Visit: www.thefield.org and select the options “Contribute” “To a Sponsored Artist”

Letter to Friends/Family/Donors

2008-08-04T16:20:00.001-07:00

The New Hopeville Comics to Rise Again
July 21, 2008

Dear Friends,

We are so excited to share the news that our show, The New Hopeville Comics, is slated to run Off-Broadway for three weeks in March of 2009. This is a huge opportunity for the show, one that would not have been possible without your continued support over the last several years. The last time you heard about Hopeville may have been a year ago when we mounted our backers’ audition, three years ago when the rewrites resumed, or six years ago when the show traveled from Greensboro to the New York International Fringe Festival. We are already busy preparing for the next step and we want to include you.
The backers’ audition last March was a great success. Representatives from many Broadway and Off-Broadway production companies came to see it. Though we were overwhelmed with positive feedback from this audience, the means to move our show forward came from a friend. Because of his generosity, we have been able to pay for a month in a fantastic theater on 54th Street in Midtown Manhattan. The first time we set foot inside, we knew we were in the right place: the Chernuchin Theatre—with one hundred and forty seats and a large, two-level stage—has housed Off-Broadway runs of many successful shows like Urinetown before it became the Tony Award-winning Broadway hit. The chance to build a show in this kind of theatrical space is a rare blessing.
It only feels right to pay forward the kindness that made this possible. We have decided to donate all proceeds from the ticket sales of Hopeville to a handful of carefully picked charities and local non-profits. We are currently searching for groups who match our vision and for the best ways to facilitate these partnerships.
This summer, we will be compiling resources: building our Hopeville army, raising funds for the production (our goal is $50,000), and choosing charities. So far we have some great ideas and wonderfully talented people on board. Many of you have been involved in years past, and we invite you to join us in this phase.
Our biggest obstacle is still the staggering size and scope of Hopeville: an onstage presence of at least twenty-five people is unheard of in New York’s independent theatre scene today, and people tell us every day that it cannot be done. Our greatest resource, however, has always been the people involved. This being the case, we need you more than ever now, as our little comic book musical takes this giant step. You are absolutely integral in helping Hopeville reach its full potential, and we hope that you will help us out. Any donation, be it $10, 1 hour of time spent building a set, or loaning us a life-like baby doll to be featured on stage, would be greatly appreciated. Enclosed please find a list of ways that you can get involved. Thank you in advance.

Nate & Sarah

SHOW DATES!!!

2008-08-04T15:30:00.000-07:00

The CHERNUCHIN Theatre at the ATA is now booked for March, 2009 located on 54th (b/w 8th & Broadway).

The first preview for Hopeville is slated for TUESDAY, March 10th.

So far, the shows will run through the end of March.

March 10th - 29th (more details soon)

DO YOU GOT MAIL?

2008-08-04T15:07:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

We (Nate and Sarah) are so thrilled to be embarking on a new chapter of this project. Stay tuned for updates as we prepare for Hopeville's Off-Broadway debut.

After generous donations of forever stamps and Staples Gift Cards, we have sent out our first mailing. Didn't get the mailing? Love mailings? Want to receive mailings from us? Join our mailing list! Send a note to helphopeville@hotmail.com.

2008-08-04T14:56:00.000-07:00

Here is the cast photo for our March 2007 Backers Audition at the 45th Street Theatre directed by Isaac Klein. Thanks to the success of that presentation, we're finally able to move Hopeville forward. Pictured; Ben Lee, Emil McGloin, Anthony Johnson, Michael Alshooler, Tom Kingsley, Tim Matson, Michael Roderick, Melody Moore, Jonathan Kay, Nate Weida, Sarah Donnell, JT Michael Taylor, Ben Beckley, Michael Ferrell, Ian Merrigan, Carolyn Cole, Joe Iozzi, Greg Kenna, Daniel Morgan Shelley, Trevor Vaughn, Ashley Robinson, Martin Stam, Isaac Klein, Josh Tyson, Ashley Adamek, John McGrew, Ruthie Ann Miles, Isaac Quiroga, and Brian Kennedy.