Magna 4th of July Parade

If you are planning on participating in EYT this year, one of the best ways to get excited (and prepared) is to participate in the Magna 4th of July Parade.  Some benefits include:

• A chance to start the EYT party early with one rehearsal each week, beginning the week of June 15th (details TBA)
• Opportunities to impress the director before auditions even happen
• A head start on music from The Wiz
• Did I mention hanging out with other EYT kids?  

In order to receive information about the parade rehearsals, please complete the online EYT registration.  While your registration is not complete until you have paid the tuition, you should still complete the form NOW even if you can't pay yet.  Let us know that you want to be a part of EYT!

EYT Workshop Series

It happens all the time, and it happened again just yesterday.  People frequently ask me, "Why does it cost money to be in EYT?"  While there are actually several reasons, one of the primary things EYT tuition funds is the workshop instructors.

At its core, the EYT workshop series is designed to give students access to a variety of talented instructors with whom they would not be likely to have an opportunity to interact in any other setting.  We look for instructors who are experts in their field and who either have a degree in the area they are teaching or have been able to earn a successful primary or secondary income doing what they love.

As EYT students participate in daily workshops and learn these skills, they become more capable actors and actresses, ready to take on the challenges associated with learning an entire musical in just three short weeks.

Check the WORKSHOP SERIES tab frequently to see which talented instructors have joined our team!

Cast Party

The really important stuff that you need to know (READ ALL OF IT!)

1. We have a matinee on Saturday, so call time is 12:30 or 1:00 for full/half day.
2. Everybody will STAY between the matinee and evening performance.  
3. Everybody will change into their GREEN EYT shirt after the matinee (even half day kids: make sure you have a change of clothes!)
4. We will walk down to the MAGNA COPPER PARK together.  Half day kids will walk in their half day groups.
5. There will be plenty of food for dinner for all of the EYT kids. 
6. Families are also welcome at the awards ceremony (but there may not be enough food to feed a full dinner to everyone).
7. We will have our traditional EYT award ceremony, complete with our "Empressive Awards."
8. We will use the convenient bleachers to get a huge group picture in our green shirts.  DON'T FORGET YOUR GREEN SHIRT!
9. We will walk back to the theater together and prepare for the evening show.

Thanks to everyone for making EYT (and the cast party) a success!

Important Dates

All items shown are from Walgreens

Wednesday, August 7th: All FULL DAY girls need to bring the makeup they plan to use for the production.  Jamie Victor will be available to show you the looks we've designed for each of you and how to achieve them with the supplies you already have.  She will also provide information on where to get additional items for super cheap.

Thursday, August 8th: ALL EYT STUDENTS need to wear their base costume to rehearsal.  The costumer wants to see how everything looks together and make any final approvals.  This includes socks, shoes, and everything listed for the base costume.

**Note: Half Day students will NOT be storing their base costume at the theater during rehearsals or production.  Half Day students will arrive in base costume, hair, and makeup at call time.

Monday, September 9th: I found out some exciting news last Friday (that I obviously overlooked earlier in the year). It turns out "Alice" closes on Sept 9th, not Sept 7th. The Empress gave us the 9th to make up for no Labor Day performance. I had put the closing date of the 7th because that was what the EZticket site said, but the correct date (and the one on all the other Empress materials) says Sept 9th. MY BAD! I need to know ASAP if anyone has conflicts on Sept 9th. If you have already "liked" the status on the EYT Facebook page, you do not need to do anything else.  Please "like" that status to confirm, comment on this post, or send me an email confirming your receipt of this information.  Phone calls will happen soon to those families who have not responded in some way.

Thanks for all the hard work that has happened already!

Andrea Fife

First Week Recap

There's an interesting phenomenon that happens each week at EYT; time stands still.  Or at least, it certainly seems like it does when you stop to consider all we can accomplish in, as Melina pointed out, only 37 1/2 hours.

• Learned music and choreo for the entire introductory sequence
• Painted set pieces for Wonderland
• Choreographed small group numbers including "The Golden Afternoon" and "Painting the Roses Red"
• Learned how to use power tools (16 and up only...)
• Crowned winners of popular EYT games including "Parlez Vous Francais?" and "The Question Game"
• Sweat like crazy during our Zumba workshop
• Got to know the production staff, each other, and the theater
• Completed a read through
• Learned about the importance of volunteering in a non-profit organization
• Started a crazy, choreographed game of musical chairs
• Set specific goals and dreams; started working toward achieving them
• Posted 74 vocabulary words from the script all over the theater
• Watched our stage transform as blue paint started to appear on the walls
• Learned about a caucus, and then dried off in a Caucus Race
• Gained a new skill to bring to the table: tap dancing
• Learned every measure of music in the entire show

Only 71 hours of rehearsal left! 

A few "Starfish" and "Seahorses" setting their specific dreams.

Half of the Full Day Kids - Post ZUMBA!

Learning how to use a jigsaw (16 and up students only)

Keeping this in mind, and working to make them come true!

Huge, Exciting PRE-SALES DISCOUNT News

For the first time ever, The Empress Theatre will be offering discounted pre-sales tickets to the summer EYT production.  This is huge because so many of your friends and family already know they are going to come see Alice.  By purchasing pre-sales tickets, they get to save $2 on a purchase they would have made anyway.

This is a seriously limited offer, though.  There are only four small windows of time to get these discount tickets, and they have to be purchased at the box office.

Monday, July 29th from 8:30 to 9:15 am

Monday, July 29th from 12:00 to 1:00 pm

Monday, Aug 5th from 8:30 am to 9:15

Monday, Aug 5th from 12:00 to 1:00 pm

So what do you need to do?  Tell everyone you know!  And then help them get their discount tickets.  If they can't head to The Empress themselves, perhaps you could collect their money ($8 a ticket, CASH please) and purchase tickets for them.

A few guidelines:

Students will not be allowed to purchase tickets during rehearsals.  It would be best to have a parent or older sibling come in to purchase tickets.

The Empress Theatre will not be responsible for purchased tickets; once the tickets are in the possession of the student/parent, the Empress Theatre will not be able to replace or refund misplaced tickets.

Performance dates/times are as follows:

Friday, August 16th at 7:30 pm

Saturday, August 17th at 7:30 pm

Monday, August 19th at 7:30 pm

Friday, August 23rd at 7:30 pm

Saturday, August 24th at 2:00 pm 

Saturday, August 24th at 7:30 pm

Monday, August 26th at 7:30 pm

Friday, August 30th at 7:30 pm

Saturday, August 31st at 7:30 pm

-- NO SHOW ON SEPT 2nd --

Friday, September 6th at 7:30 pm

Saturday, September 7th at 2:00 pm 

Saturday, September 7th at 7:30 pm

What to Bring to Rehearsal

New or returning, here's some good advice on what to bring to daily rehearsals:

• Your script or lyric book | Everyone will receive a script or lyric book on the first day of rehearsal.  You must have this item every day.  Must.
• A pencil | Maybe even a backup pencil.  Your script/lyric book will be yours to write in.  Please write in it.  A lot.
• Water | Bring a water bottle or three.  We work really, really hard at EYT, and you're probably going to get really, really thirsty.  
• Snacks | Half day kids will get some sort of an official snack break each morning.  Bring something to recharge.  Full day kids are allowed to take snack breaks as needed.  Seriously - don't go all day without eating!
• Lunch | Only the full day kids eat lunch at the theater.  Full day kids should pack a healthy lunch to eat outside behind the theater.  Students will NOT be allowed to leave the theater during lunch, even if they have their own car.
• A quiet activity | Although I try to work everyone really hard every moment of every day, there will be occasional down time.  Students should bring a book or something quiet to do.  While electronic devices with headphones can be great, The Empress Theatre does not assume responsibility for items sent with your students.
• A smile | Please focus on bringing a good attitude each day.  We are all going to be tired.  Some of us are going to get sick.  Let's focus on being friendly all the time and having the best experience possible!