September is a great month, full of new beginnings, big plans, and the crisp air of autumn. It can also be one of the busiest months for our Encore families, as students get back in a school routine, sports and extracurriculars pick up, and the wonderful laziness of summer drifts away like a leaf on the wind. All this to say: I don’t blame you if you missed out on some of our goings-on here at Encore. Read on to get caught up and get excited for what’s ahead!
Welcoming Friends
ICYMI: Encore has welcomed three new friends to our office staff this past month (+ the lovely Gloria this August!). You’ll be seeing a lot of them, so please head over and get to know them:
Patrick McGee, Education Programs Manager
Kyla McLaughlin, 2019/2020 Production Apprentice
Jordan Wells, 2019/2020 Education Apprentice
Speaking of lovely faces…did you see Madaline Langston, Encore’s Education Programs Director, in her own Arlington Magazine interview?
Selling Tickets
When we saw the positive response to our upcoming Frozen Princess Ball, we got chills…of joy! We cannot wait to celebrate this wonderful production with so many of our dear Encore friends. Get your tickets today – we promise not to finish your sandwiches. 🙂
Speaking of tickets – did you realize that single tickets for CSI: Christmas Scene Investigators have been released? This holiday production will be running at Gunston Arts Center’s Theatre Two, which is a delightful black box space. Black boxes mean more intimate performances and, therefore, fewer seats, so be sure to get your tickets before they’re gone!
Getting Prepared
Our fall education season officially began on September 23rd with two Monday evening classes specially designed for our older acting students, Supernatural Shakespeare and Broadway Musicals. Our Monday evening series of Education offerings are ideal options for actors that are constantly seeking to improve their craft and, in doing so, their hopes of being cast in fully staged productions.
Are you feeling prepared? Come out to auditions for Encore’s next two productions, Narnia and CSI: Christmas Scene Investigators, October 22 and 23, between 5-7 PM. Visit our Auditions page for more detailed information by clicking here.
Building Community
Last month, our three new apprentices had the opportunity to join Executive Director Sara Duke at a community event for the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). This event gathered local non-profits to share more about their organizations with federal employees, who are encouraged to give back and support non-profits by the CFC’s matching program: “The mission of the CFC is to promote and support philanthropy through a program that is employee-focused, cost-efficient, and effective in providing all federal employees the opportunity to improve the quality of life for all.”
Are you interested in learning more about Encore’s history, programming, and mission? Please visit the link below to learn more about how your donations help to support “Theatre by kids, for kids” in the DC Metro area.
Opening House
We were delighted to welcome a number of new students and families to our first-ever Fall Open House event. It was a wonderful opportunity to share who we are as an organization and what it’s like to experience an Encore class. Saturday Fall classes begin this week, on Saturday, October 5, so now is the time to get registered, if you haven’t already!
Photos by Aileen Pangan Christian and Cindy Kane Photography. Additional photos provided by staff.
Blog contribution by Shannon McCarthy.